MATING RITUAL MAKES THEIR NYC DEBUT AT THE BOWERY BALLROOM

When a band from LA makes the trek out to the East Coast for the first time it’s always exciting. Exciting for the band who gets to entertain a new crowd and introduce themselves through music and exciting for the audience who gets a taste of something a bit more sunny than the toughness that comes out of the grit of New York City. Last week New York City got to experience indie pop duo Mating Ritual for the first time.

Mating Ritual

Mating Ritual started off as a solo project by Ryan after his brother decided to go back to school and they ended their previous project together, Pacific Air. As Ryan continued to create music, he would send tracks back and forth to Taylor, what they call “Postal Service style,” and a lot of them ended up on Mating Ritual’s debut album, How You Gonna Stop It?, they put out last June. Ryan and Taylor ended up moving in together and naturally picked up right where they left off four years ago after Pacific Air disbanded. They wrote countless songs together in just under 2 months and by that point it didn’t seem fair calling it a solo project anymore as the duo reunited.

Mating Ritual

MR

As the Lawhons took the stage at Bowery Ballroom on Thursday, you could see how easily they bounced off of each other. Ryan’s growly yet upbeat vocals wouldn’t give the same feeling without Taylor’s 80s inspired synth beats and vice versa. There’s almost a modern Phil Colin’s vibe with a harder edge to it that I love.

Mating Ritual

MR

The whole band wore their Mating Ritual tour shirts that night – Ryan dressing his up with a leather jacket and a black beanie and Taylor with a cream cowboy hat and jeans. Though “Mating Ritual” was plastered on their shirts and light up in neon on a sign behind them people still yelled out, “Pacific Air!” The band wasn’t amused but handled the situation well and kept lighting fire to the stage with their performance.

MR

Mating Ritual

MR

They ended their set with my favorite song off of How You Gonna Stop It?, “I Wear Glasses,” as everyone jumped and sang along to their smart and catchy lyrics. Their new album, Light Myself on Fire, comes out May 4 and I can’t wait to put it on my Spotify rotation.