When finding the words to write this review of Ratboys at Warsaw in Brooklyn, NY on March 5, the one I keep coming back to is simply “happy.” That’s how I felt during the entire show—silly smile-on-my-face-the-whole-time happy. Despite the pouring rain outside and bad day I was having, the second I walked into the room I just felt great! And it was a feeling that only got stronger as the show went on.
The opener, Florry, kicked off the good spirits with a set full of 70s-era-sounding classic rock n’ roll reminiscent of Neil Young. The Philadelphia group consisted of six members, who all seemed like best friends on stage, just excited to be making and performing music together.
This upbeat energy continued when Ratboys took the stage and started with four tracks off of their just-released album, Singin’ to an Empty Chair, which the audience already knew well and was singing along to. The band played a bunch of songs throughout the night from their catalog, and I was excited to be treated to the two songs I absolutely love that got me into the Ratboys in the first place—being “The Window” off of their 2023 album of the same name and “Elvis in the Freezer” from 2017.
The band’s camaraderie was quite noticeable, especially as each member would turn and face lead guitarist Dave Sagan during one of his unapologetically long guitar solos that define the Ratboys sound. The way they all watched each other play was a clear sign of mutual friendship and respect as musicians that came across so well in every note they played.
Nearly every show I’ve been to these last few months have mentioned something about the growing I.C.E. presence harming our communities, but Ratboys took it a step further near the end of their set when they brought out a representative from the New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. They gave a short speech about action that NYC residents can take to stand up against the growing I.C.E. raids and lack of NYPD accountability in the city.
There’s no way to summarize how listening to Ratboys’ music feels to me better than when lead singer Julia Steiner said “It’s a fucked up world we’re living in… but music is healing, and we really do believe that” before launching into their encore. Every time I put on a song by this band, I’m emotionally uplifted to a spot that makes me feel just a little bit better about the world.
Ratboys at Warsaw in Brooklyn, NY, March 5, 2026, by Bobby Nicholas III
Ratboys review by Bobby Nicholas III
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