The soulful Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats stayed true to their unique band name and had Laramie night-sweating on Friday night.
On the second night of their 2017 tour in the U.S., the band performed in a fully packed Arts and Sciences Auditorium on campus. Both the bottom section and the top seats were nearly full, and people were pressed up against the orchestral pit to get closer to the action.
“We saw him two years ago in Fort Collins, where he was playing a free show,” Heather Rose, one of the many concertgoers, said. “It was great—super awesome. It was a little bit smaller and a little more intimate, but it’s great that he’s here. I don’t know a lot of the names of his songs, but I know ‘S.O.B.’ and ‘Never Get Old.’”
According to Thom Jurek’s biography on Rateliff, his band was formed in 2013 in nearby Denver. Their music has influences from R&B, folk music, blues and vintage rhythm, and the band has been a local favorite in the area since its inception. Since then, the New York Times has called Rateliff a “local folk-pop hero,” and the band has been gaining recognition.
In August 2015, the band was featured on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where they performed their single “S.O.B.” The single rocketed to the top of the 2015’s Billboard Hot 100 charts, where it peaked at the third position. Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats have also played and sold out large venues like Red Rocks Amphitheatre.
During the Laramie concert, the Night Sweats consisted of a bass guitar, a lead guitar, a piano, drums and a baritone saxophone, and took the stage first. The group introduced the crowd to their unique sound, which seemed to be a mix of vintage swing and modern alternative with some definite gospel/soul influences.
Rateliff walked onto the dark stage and when the lights came on, he showed the crowd why the band is rapidly gaining recognition across the country. Rateliff’s voice and intonation was impressive and the soul and almost pain in his voice added substance to his lyrics, matching the style of music almost perfectly.
The band was high energy and electric, and had a solid mix of high-tempo, lively songs and slower, somber songs. Rateliff sang the main vocals and played guitar, but lead guitarist Luke Mossman seemed to be able to both play solid rhythm parts and shred solos during song interludes.
Each member of the band added depth to the songs, with the baritone saxophone and the bass guitar adding a level of soul, the piano adding the swing and vintage feel, and the guitars bringing the sound back to the present with alternative rock-style riffs and solos.
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats also kept the crowd involved with audience participation interludes. It became apparent that the band knew how to put on a show, and a large portion of the crowd was dancing and seemed to be enjoying themselves.
“We were really happy with the turnout and the audience in general,” Danielle Smith, UW large scale events coordinator, said. “I think the concert went really well and really smooth, and I think everyone enjoyed their time.”
Although official numbers are not released as of yet, Smith estimated that there were around 1,400 people in attendance.
“I would say my favorite part was Nathaniel’s dance moves,” Smith said, laughing. “I honestly really enjoyed getting to see all the students have fun, and the students getting the opportunity to watch live music for a really cheap ticket price. Being able to bring such a large name to a smaller, more intimate venue makes me happy.”
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats will be taking a short break from shows, but will resume touring on April 19 in Knoxville, Tennessee for the east coast part of their tour.
