Hurray for the Riff Raff @ Arts Club, Liverpool, 18 Oct

Hurray For The Riff Raff have something to say. Following the success of Small Town Heroes in 2014, new album The Navigator has brought more people than ever to Alynda Lee Segarra’s party. Live, they show how powerful music can be.

There are few bands that can successfully bring together tuneful, moving music with a political message without feeling over-serious or condescending. Segarra has taken her roots in Brooklyn and Puerto Rico and crafted a set of songs that turn the personal and the political into a global message – these are songs about communities, family and building a better world. They are also upbeat and infectious.

Hurray for the Riff Raff’s protest songs are rhythmic and tuneful, and the five-piece touring band are skilled and tight. Songs like Hungry Ghost, Rican Beach and The Body Electric are delivered with passion and belief as the band grow in stature before our eyes. It’s folk music in all the best ways, but with loud guitars as well. Pa’lante, meaning 'to go forward', is the highlight of the night – a powerful and haunting song that is hugely relevant given the current situation in Puerto Rico. This is a howl of passion to Segarra’s history and future. 

A great and important night, Hurray for the Riff Raff are inspiring. Finishing with Bruce Springsteen’s Dancing in the Dark, the singer tells us that she loves us just the way we are... and the feeling is mutual. Let’s start a fire.