A band like Rubblebucket attracts an interesting crowd. At their record release party at Rough Trade in Brooklyn on August 27th, a massive crowd filled the room to help them celebrate. Their third full-length album Survival Sounds is a warm mix of bodacious horns, Annakalmia Traver’s emotional howl, and a softer sound than what came out on stage that night. Perhaps it was the commotion and the excitement over releasing the new record combined with the devotional audience that came out to support them, but Rubblebucket turned their show into one big dance party, confetti rockets included.
It’s hard to pin down this Brooklyn group because they alternate back and forth between a Ska sound with hints of reggae and a more electro pop sound with hints of punk rock. No matter what, though, there’s a lot going on and a lot of people on stage to watch. And through it all, it’s hard to keep your eyes off Traver, with her colorful outfits (this particular night she was rocking a total 90s throwback look with a bright purple top, a body chain and a leather cap), whacky interpretive dance moves, and enthusiastic engagement with her fans. Rubblebucket thrives on the love of their fans, who hang onto Traver’s every word, and often sing along.
They mostly played the new stuff, songs like “My Life”, “We’re in the Middle”, “Sound of Erasing”, and “Major Roxy”, all of which sound much quieter on the record. Their live performance brings these tunes to life, and gives them new purpose on stage. Rubblebucket is a very visual band, breaking out neon flags that span nearly the entire length of the crowd, and even crowd surfing and starting a marching band through the audience. Their show was electrifying from start to finish, and not once did anyone stop dancing, even during some initial sound glitches at first.
The real star of the show is Traver, with that powerful wail that falls somewhere between Hayley Williams and Bjork. When they did their fan favorite song “Came Out of a Lady”, the audience pretty much took over, singing along passionately, grateful for this quirky band that invites them into their colorful world. This is the kind of band that personifies Brooklyn, because honestly, where else could a band like this really blossom? Their fans ranged from indie kids, to Dead-heads and jam band followers, and even clean cut club kids, all of whom gave themselves over completely to the dizzying delirium caused by Rubblebucket’s magnetic energy.
