Ra Ra Riot, Walter Meego, Pepi Ginsberg and the Letter Division at the Jackpot 9/14

Ra Ra Riot, Walter Meego, Pepi Ginsberg and the Letter Division

Better than: Drinking a Heineken at home.

By CRYSTAL K. WIEBE

Four acts is a lot for a Sunday night, especially a show that doesn’t kick off until after 9 p.m. Or maybe I’m just old and jealous of all the KU students who got to walk home from the Jackpot last night while I had to drive on back to Kansas City. Regardless, the line-up of three touring bands and one local group was worth the sacrifice of sleep.

Lawrence boys the Letter Division opened the show with some geekiness. While he waited for a couple of his band members to get onstage, singer Caleb Goellner regaled the crowd of about 20 with the tale of the Mego toy company, which stupidly passed up the chance to make Star Wars action figures back in the day. Goellner (also a Pitch contributor) would continue to toss out such random facts – and get chided by the rest of his band – between angsty songs with names like “Exterminate All Humans.”

Goellner is new to the Letter Division, having parted ways recently with the slightly heavier Roanoke. His high voice and calisthenic-style dancing suits his new band better.

More after the jump.