It must be interesting to come home to a place that isn’t in fact home, but more like an old stomping ground. None of the members of Ra Ra Riot are in fact from Syracuse, but the band was fortunate enough to meet and take form at Syracuse University in January 2006, eventually playing host to a plethora of house parties around town.

On Thursday, April 7, Ra Ra Riot returned to the college atmosphere of SU. Instead of hosting a house party, the band played what was a damn near sold out show at the Westcott Theater, a couple of blocks off of campus in the depths of student housing.

Opening for Ra Ra Riot was Generationals, based out of New Orleans. Being the opening band for a main act’s hometown show can be a bit daunting and intimidating, but Generationals were able to clean out the rug and set the stage. I unfortunately missed the first few songs of their set, but from what I did see, the band didn’t disappoint.

Born from the womb of 60′s California surf-rock, 50′s rockabilly, a hint of blues boogie, and comtemporary synth-pop, these five guys know how to craft a song that can be tacked on your mind for a long time. While the stage presence of the band didn’t move beyond the occasional bounce in the step or knee bend, these gents nailed each song they played. From “Ten-Twenty-Ten”, the opening track to their new album Actor-Caster, to a band favorite, “Angry Charlie”, these guys knew how to inject some pep into even the most casual listener.

The highlights I was fortunate enough to catch included “I Promise”, an upbeat pop song that thrives on the harmonies shared between Grant Widmer and Ted Joyner, and “Goose & Gander”, a sun-filled track that showcases the band playing at their brightest moment, even though the lyrics sing “I could sleep for days / I won’t miss the sun.” These guys were definitely a joy to listen to live, and they are well worth catching if they happen to pass through.

Regardless of the murmurs of concert goers who were upset about having to sit through Generationals in order to get to Ra Ra Riot, it was still easy to absorb the energy in the Westcott as the crowd was clamoring for the heroes to take the stage. The last time the band played in Syracuse, they were squeezed onto the stage at Funk ‘N’ Waffles in August 2010; a venue, that while packed and heated like a sauna, provided an atmosphere that felt like a packed party in the Euclid Street neighborhood.

While the Westcott didn’t provide that atmosphere, the larger stage did provide some room for the band to dance around and rock out. Lead singer Wes Miles was in full frontman mode, jumping up on Kenny Bernard’s kick drum and hopping around with the microphone, all while maintaining the steady, soft toned voice that Ra Ra Riot fans yearn for.

Cellist Alexandra Lawn and violinist Rebecca Zeller held nothing back, both in their playing and in their stage performances as they danced and swayed with their instruments. Bassist Mathieu Santos and guitarist Milo Bonacci worked to match the energy of the string players as they bounced around the stage, working to avoid Miles as he danced around with his microphone.

Aside from playing a set that didn’t feel longer than 45 minutes (about 55 minutes if you include the encore), the six compadres were bursting with energy and emotion on every note they played. Set highlights included “Can You Tell” and “Too Too Too Much” off of their hit debut album, The Rhumb Line, with Miles taking over in keys for the latter song. The band played the main singles on their excellent sophomore effort, The Orchard - “Boy” and “Too Dramatic” – with both songs inspiring the crowd to take up some pogoing efforts. Lawn took over on vocals for “You and I,” providing a soothing voice that was caressed by Zeller’s violin playing and Miles’ keys. It was a nice interlude in the middle of the set, allowing the band to take a little rest and then jump right back into the swing of things.

My personal favorite song on The Orchard, “Foolish” was also my favorite song of the set. It’s a little slower in tempo, but the intricate melodies that overlap in the song are a thing of beauty. The highlight of the song is Bonacci’s guitar riff during the chorus that consists of fast triplets which match Miles’ vocals perfectly. It was a pleasure to see them play this song live with the added enthusiasm and pulling off the song note for note.

After the set, the band returned for an encore much to the delight of the hometown crowd. Miles asked if anyone in the crowd happened to live at 211 Clarendon Street, saying that some magic took place in the attic of that house some five years ago, and the band immediately went into “Ghost Under Rocks.” The crowd sang along, swayed to the rhythm, and testified to their SU heroes with raised arms. The evening closed with what Miles noted as being the first song the band ever wrote, “Dying is Fine.” Once again, the crowd bounced around like charged electrons and the band put on an impressive finale for their fans.

The show was a great time, consisting of two solid indie rock acts, each bursting at the seams with enough energy and emotion to overflow into the surrounding Syracuse neighborhoods near the Westcott. It was obvious to see how close the members of Ra Ra Riot are with each other as they traded smiles and jokes with each other throughout the set, sharing in the delight that was present throughout the venue. The crowd was thrilled to see their alum treat them to such a masterful set, knowing that they’ll return again to pay homage to the campus where they met and created something special.