Ratboys in Riverside

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 in Riverside News

• Ratboys, Plural Notre Dame Magazine · Oct 2, 2025
• Ratboys, Wednesday will both bring tours to Milwaukee in March Radio Milwaukee · Sep 23, 2025
• The Decemberists share first new song in 6 years ft James Mercer, announce 2024 tour w/ Ratboys BrooklynVegan · Feb 6, 2024
• Ratboys' Julia Steiner on New Album 'The Window,' Sequencing a Track List and the Transitory Music Landscape 91.5 KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio · Oct 23, 2023
• Ratboys announce new single, album and show at the Back Room Radio Milwaukee · Jun 6, 2023

Live Music in Riverside

Riverside's been quietly building something. It's never been a major touring hub, but there's a real indie and alternative underground here—people who care about songwriting over flash. The city sits in that sweet spot where you get serious music fans without the pretension of LA proper. Ratboys should find receptive ears in a crowd that actually listens.

Riverside road trip to see Ratboys?

Stay in the Magnolia Center area near downtown Riverside, where restored historic buildings sit alongside new boutique hotels and wine bars—it's the only neighborhood that actually feels like somewhere worth spending an evening. Before the show, dinner at Duane's, a reliable California steakhouse with real cocktails and actual craft to the food. Spend your afternoon at the Riverside Metropolitan Museum or walking through the Mission Inn's sprawling Mission Revival campus—it's genuinely stunning architecture, the kind of thing that reminds you why people actually settled this part of California.