Burning It All Down with Ratboys

Nashville, Tennessee - March 12, 2026

Ratboys found themselves right at home at the Basement East, one of Nashville’s most beloved music venues, this past Thursday night. It’s a no-frills sort of place where music lovers come to indulge, and this night was no different. Despite a cold front fighting for a few final days of winter, the energy infecting the crowd is uniquely airy and light. There is no escaping Spring once it’s taken hold. From the Belmont students who still have hope to make it to their 8 a.m. class the next day, to the retirees who have parked themselves at the edge of the stage, excitedly peeking at setlists taped to the floor, every sort of person is here to immerse themselves in the world of Ratboys. 

For this leg of the tour, Ratboys brought along Florry, a Philadelphia-bred DIY band that lit the crowd on fire. Plenty of openers know how to warm up a room, but by the time they played the final song of their opening set, the room is hot; hot enough for Ratboys to come out to one of those slow claps that you hear more often at sporting events than concerts. Front-woman, Julia Steiner, is delighted about the clap. Nashville is the first city to join in so quickly and with so much enthusiasm. It is this energy and readiness to engage from the room and the band that make this set so special. 

The band brings a kineticism to the stage that sucks the crowd in. Every member of the five-piece band feeds off of each other to bring the music to life. Steiner brings their music to life with her vocal performance, which fluctuates between blending softly with the music and cutting through heavier guitar riffs, setting up their unique sound. Dave Sagan leads with his guitar, deftly pulling inspiration from a variety of genres, his punk roots sounding through beautifully. Sean Neumann (bass) and Marcus Nuccio (drums) keep the rhythm section high energy, working to set the pace of the show. For the past few years, that’s been their entire touring band, but this time around, there’s one more person on stage: Andy Krull, a pedal steel player who rounds out the live band and brings the twangy perfection that Ratboys channeled on their most recent project. 

Over the course of the night, they play almost every song off their new album, Singin’ to an Empty Chair, released on New West Records, a nearly 30-year-old label with a strong presence here in Nashville. Before finishing the show, Steiner brings out a representative from Nashville People Power, also known as Poder Popular, to discuss the problems Nashville is facing. It’s the perfect introduction to the final song of the set (before the encore, of course) and the penultimate song off their latest album, “Burn it Down.” It starts soft and builds, taking the crowd through the feelings of quiet anger being synthesized into collective action. It’s a powerful way to walk off the stage, and it’s clear the crowd appreciates the care for their city. As the show ends and the crowd begins to thin, there are two distinct lines: one for merch and another to sign up for community action events organized by Nashville People Power. Ratboys might not be in Nashville for a while, but their presence will be felt while they’re gone.

 There is still plenty of time to catch Ratboys on tour. Check to see what cities they have left here.