by Angel Park
Poor Young Things (photo credit Angel Park)
Canadian rockers Rah Rah (from Saskatchewan) and Poor Young Things (from Ontario) arrived in Philadelphia last night, transforming the venue’s quiet Wednesday evening into two hours of loud, energetic fun for all involved. Both bands are currently touring a few U.S dates to promote their newest albums, with Rah Rah’s The Poet’s Dead and Poor Young Thing’s The Heart, The Head, The End, both of which are garnering praise from critics and fans.
Poor Young Things (photo credit Angel Park)
Despite playing to a rather intimate crowd, Poor Young Thing’s vocalist Matt Fratpietro quickly got the audience clapping along as they opened the show with “Sign of the Times”. Smiles and silly bandmate moments were evident throughout the set, which added to the positive stage presence that this group provided to their audience that night, with the band’s guitarist, Dave Grant, going so far as to play a few guitar tricks both on and off the stage. While most musicians prefer to stay within the safe boundaries of their performance space, Poor Young Things knew how to utilize what set time they were given and selflessly chose to involve the crowd in their hyper antics.
Rah Rah (photo credit Angel Park)
Winding down after them, Rah Rah closed up the night on a similar vibe by showcasing their newest songs and the band’s unique ability to interchange their talents between percussion, vocals, keyboard, and string instruments. This dynamic led to unforgettable moments during their set, including one where members Erin Passmore, Kristina Hulland, and Lief Thorseth simultaneously played out a beat for one of their songs using both the drum kit and parts of the stage railing, adding spontaneity to the band’s performance. While it is not rare for a musician to be able to play more than one instrument, the use of interchanging places like Rah Rah did is a rare sight to behold, and a delightful one to witness.
Rah Rah (photo credit Angel Park)
