last night's gig

Ratatat Stage Jameson-Fueled Rock Rampage!

Photo: Josh Gosfield

Ratatat turned a sold-out Music Hall of Williamsburg into a pocket-size arena last night. From the moment they put down their bottle of Jameson and took up their instruments, Evan Mast, Mike Stroud, and Afroed touring keyboardist Martin Bonventre thrashed away, hair flying, and drove the crowd nuts. The band played some tracks from LP3, released last week — and none of their remixes — but there was stimulation beyond the music: Bonventre strutted like James Brown, while the duo, mostly wordless, would break from their guitar playing to pound bongos or smack a bass drum. Loopy vintage video keyed to their array of influences (dub, Middle Eastern dance music, seventies guitar rock) played on a large screen. During an encore rendition of “Seventeen,” crowd members waved bright-orange foam fingers that Stroud had Frisbee-d to fans. “This is it,” said one sweaty attendee at the show’s end. “They’re getting too big for little ol’ Billyburg.” Indeed — the next show here (after they wind up their tour) will be at Terminal 5. —Camille Sweeney

Ratatat Stage Jameson-Fueled Rock Rampage!