Ratboys Live Social Media
Ten years after playing a Fayetteville DIY space, Ratboys returned to Arkansas with the kind of confidence that makes a room feel smaller than it is. Touring behind their sixth album, Singin’ to an Empty Chair, the band made their way back to Dickson Street for their long-awaited return.
The last time the band stepped foot in Fayetteville was in 2016, touring behind “AOID” and playing Backspace—a now-defunct but fondly remembered hub for the local scene. That history wasn’t lost on them.
“Who was there to see us way back then at Backspace? Don’t lie now, we know who you are, we remember.” Joked singer Julia Steiner
Ratboys opened the night with a run of new material, ultimately playing nearly the entire record over the course of the set. The newer songs felt right at home alongside older tracks, woven together into an 18-song set that pulled from five of their six albums.
Towards the end of the show, the band even paused to give space to AIRE Arkansas to speak about their mission, a moment that reinforced the sense of community the band has long carried with them.
Between songs, Steiner’s easygoing banter and storytelling added another layer of intimacy. One moment in particular stood out—a story about her beloved cat named Elvis passing away while she was away at college. Her parents kept Elvis in the freezer until she could return home for a proper burial. Guitar player Dave Sagan even chimed in that the cat was kept in the beer fridge in the garage.
It was strange, funny, and deeply human in a way that mirrors the band’s songwriting.
That same balance carries into their performance. Ratboys play with a cohesion that feels effortless, never once slipping out of sync. Their arrangements shift fluidly—sometimes expanding into a three-guitar attack, other times pulling back to highlight the dreamy pedal steel —while the rhythm section delivers a depth that pushes each song beyond its recorded version. Many tracks begin in quiet, reflective spaces before swelling into full, resonant crescendos, giving the set a natural sense of movement and pacing.
For a band that started in DIY rooms like Backspace, Ratboys haven’t lost what made them special when coming back to Fayetteville. If anything, they’ve sharpened it—growing bigger without ever feeling more distant.
Ratboys Live at Georges Majestic Lounge – Gallery
photos by Robert Kipness (@straydog.media)
SETLIST for March 26th, 2026
Open Up
Anywhere
Penny in the Lake
Know You Then
Morning Zoo
It’s Alive!
Alien With a Sleep Mask On
Victorian Slumhouse
Strange Love
Light Night Mountains All That
Elvis is in the Freezer
The World, So Madly
The Window
JWYTKTT
What’s Right?
Burn It Down
Go Outside
Black Earth, WI
