Ratboys in Denver

About Ratboys

Ratboys are a Chicago-based indie rock band that emerged from the city's DIY scene with a knack for turning everyday anxieties into surprisingly catchy songs. The band, anchored by Julia Steiner's direct vocals and introspective lyrics, builds their sound around tight guitar work and rhythms that burrow into your head whether you want them to or not. Their music doesn't try to transcend the mundane—instead, they mine it for honesty. Songs like "Photo ID" and "Sports" deal with small moments of social friction and self-doubt, the stuff that keeps you up at night but sounds almost funny when someone else sings about it. They've built a solid following by playing in basements, DIY venues, and gradually larger stages while keeping that scrappy, unpolished energy intact. Ratboys represent a particular strain of Midwest indie rock that feels less concerned with being impressive and more interested in being real.

Their shows feel like intimate conversations happening in front of a crowd. Steiner commands attention without trying, and the band locks in tight. You get a mix of people who arrived early and people who wandered in, all paying actual attention. The energy is focused rather than raucous.

Known for Photo ID, Sports, Curse, Here Come the Tubular Bells, Mosquito Repellent

Ratboys + Denver

Ratboys rolled through Mission Ballroom in July 2024 with the kind of set that felt both familiar and exploratory. They anchored the night around "Making Noise for the Ones You Love" and "Morning Zoo," songs that hit different in a room full of people. "It's Alive!" and "Elvis Is in the Freezer" showed their range — one moment urgent and wired, the next oddly tender. The real gut-punch came with "The Window," a track that demands attention in that specific way their best work does. They closed with "Black Earth, WI," which felt like the right way to leave Denver behind, something about that song landing harder at the end of a set.

Ratboys in Denver News

• Ratboys Announce 30-Date Tour Across U.S., Canada TicketNews · Sep 26, 2025
• Ratboys Announce 2026 North American Tour, Unveil New Single "Light Night Mountains All That": Stream Consequence of Sound · Sep 23, 2025
• Hear a new song from Ratboys, "Light Night Mountains All That" treblezine.com · Sep 23, 2025
• Ratboys Share ’Light Night Mountains All That’ And Announce A Tour UPROXX · Sep 23, 2025
• LISTEN: Ratboys Share New Rockin’ New Single “Light Night Mountains All That” Glide Magazine · Sep 23, 2025

Denver road trip to see Ratboys?

Stay in Highland, where tree-lined streets and independent bookstores make it feel like you're actually in Denver rather than passing through. Eat at Frasca Food and Wine if you want to understand why Colorado takes its ingredients seriously—it's fine dining without pretense. Before the show, spend an afternoon at the Denver Art Museum's contemporary wing, which often has installations that match the visual language of experimental music. Walk around Santa Fe Drive's gallery district. It's the kind of neighborhood where the art and music scenes actually talk to each other.