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The Rock*A*Teens played two NYC shows (pics from LPR with opener/superfan Will Sheff)

photos by Gretchen Robinette

The Rock*A*Teens @ LPR 8/10/2014
The Rock*A*Teens
The Rock*A*Teens

I often make the outrageous drunken claim that the Rock*A*Teens were the best rock and roll band of the 1990s. It’s sort of ridiculous to say, but as I write this sentence stone sober and drinking a glass of juice, I still kind of believe it. I keep waiting to not believe it, as I very frequently don’t believe all kinds of outrageous claims that I make, but I just cross-referenced with all the other 1990s rock and roll bands in my iTunes (we’re talking bands here, not singer-songwriters – and rock, not hip-hop which I think was way more important than rock in the 90s anyway) and I’m pretty much ready to double down; this disastrously scrappy Atlanta band with their not-very-good-sounding recordings and their name half-swiped from a 50’s rockabilly outfit were…okay, let’s not say the “best,” because I don’t really believe there’s any objective truth when it comes to evaluating music – let’s say they were my favorite. They had more great records than Nirvana (although no defining masterpiece), were (a tiny bit) smarter and had more at stake than Pavement, were more consistent than Guided By Voices, and had better all-around songs than Galaxie 500. So, though I love all those other bands, I’m going with them.
Will Sheff

Okkervil River’s Will Sheff got to fulfill a fan’s dream of opening for his ’90s heroes The Rock*A*Teens who reformed for Merge Records’ 25th Anniversary last month. The Le Poisson Rouge show on Monday (8/10) was the second of their two NYC show (the first was at Glasslands). Before this tour, the band hadn’t played live in 13 years but frontman Chris Lopez is still a howlin’ sweaty true-believer as these photos attest. Other superfans in the audience: AC Newman (New Pornographers), Matthew Caws (Nada Surf), and Chunklet founder Henry Owings.

As for Sheff, his band included Takka Takka drummer and National sometimes-co-drummer Conrad Doucette and Craig Montoro on bass and the set included Okkervil River songs plus a Rock*A*Teens cover.. Will’s girlfriend, Beth Wawerna, is also a huge R*A*T fan and her band Bird of Youth (named after R*A*T’s 2000 album, Sweet Bird of Youth) opened the Glasslands show. Pictures of Will’s LPR set and more of Rock*A*Teens’ (we missed opener Ricer) are below…


Will Sheff

Will Sheff

Will Sheff

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