The Rural Alberta Advantage at Racket, NYC 3.29.24
Photography By Kiera Kalleberg
Nearing the end of a lengthy North American tour celebrating their latest release The Rise & The Fall, The Rural Alberta Advantage visited New York City to play at Racket, with Julianna Riolino opening the night.
With her soulful songs, charismatic banter, and humor sprinkled throughout the set, Riolino had the crowd falling in love early on. She grasped the audience’s attention within moments of stepping onto the stage, and didn’t let go until the last note faded away. Her self-proclaimed awkward nature between songs did not feel awkward to those in attendance - in fact, it felt natural, relatable, and easy to connect with. Between the personal lyrics and the conversations that were flowing between Riolino and the crowd throughout the night, it was like a group of old friends had been reunited.
Julianna Riolino: Website | Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | X
Fans were next treated to a surprising start to The Rural Alberta Advantage’s performacne, suddenly turning their attention from the dark stage to the floor. The band appeared from the back, and slowly made their way through the crowd, singing FSHG as they approached the stage. From there, they exploded into their hour long set with ferocity, thoughtfulness, and some anecdotes sprinkled in as well. Early into the set, singer Nils Edenloff informed the crowd that it was keyboarding Amy Cole’s birthday, and stated that it was special when they were able to celebrate important days on the road. As the show went on, the crowd was treated to stories related to some of the songwriting processes, what it means to be from rural Alberta - and to play to an overzealous fan in Red Deer - and reflections on life in general. At times, Edenloff’s guitar and its distorted tones were felt through vibrations in the floor and throughout the body, adding another dimension to the experience. Cole and drummer Paul Banwatt’s playful joy throughout the set was palpable, as they danced together and had drumstick battles while Edenloff sang. At the end of the encore, to end the night, the band returned once more to Racket’s floor and sang in the middle of the crowd, a soft and moving rendition of Good Night. All in all, it was an uplifting night of Canadian folk rock, and the perfect way to kick off the weekend.
