The Thing About
Anniversary Tours by Molly McCaul
I
t seems a well-established fact that today’s music industry is in the midst of a 180 of what it once was. Album sales are tanking, and their only saving grace is the revival of vinyl. It’s becoming more and more difficult for small acts to break into the national and international stage. The idea of popular music having meaning is hotly debated. Despite the dismal outlooks on the future of music, there is a peculiar shift in focus in the undercurrents of the industry- a fast-growing concert trend could very well be the glim-
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Issue Three
mer of hope and pure optimism that the community needs to reinvigorate itself. Just this past summer, Ra Ra Riot did a tour in honor of the 10th anniversary of The Rhumb Line, their 2008 full-length debut- that means, before playing hits like 2015’s “Water” and even debuting new tracks, the band could highlight some of the hidden gems of their early discography, like “Each Year,” “Saint Peter’s Day Festival,” and a cover of Kate Bush’s “Suspended in Gaffa.” The entire show was well-crafted and astound-
ingly emotionally charged. It felt like a secluded safe haven- just a band and some fans playing music that means a lot to them. Ra Ra Riot, while extremely talented in their own right, are not unique for doing this; it seems as of late that there’s a spike in these “whole album tours,” all with their own emotional background and purpose. There’s a sense of genuine connection, because there’s an innate dedication to rehearsing and performing pieces that aren’t the latest in their repertoire. These tours, above all, seem rooted in
