Concert Review: The Ragbirds charm the M-Shop

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By Parker Reed

The Ragbirds performed at the M-Shop on Wednesday night.

Parker Reed

The Ragbirds hosted an intimate session of globally-influenced folk songs Wednesday night at the M-Shop.

“Thank you so much for coming out tonight, we’re The Ragbirds,” front-woman Erin Zindle said before beginning the set.

The band’s set began showcasing what their music is all about, featuring uplifting and danceable folk music that engages the audience with its varied influences and styles. The first track featured a melodic violin solo from Zindle and a guitar line that sounded similar to Civil Twilight’s “Oh Daniel.”

“This is a song about standing up for yourself. It’s about the underdog,” Zindle said before starting “The Bully.”

The Ragbirds managed to cover many musical influences in their 14-song set, including the pop-sensibilities of “The Lemon Grove” and the tempo changing tango of “Brave New Beat.”

The band just finished recording an album, which is due out in early 2016.

“We’re playing a number of new songs from that album,” Zindle said.

Zimble also doubled-up on the accordion, showcasing a musically-diverse sound on a number of songs including “The Bully.”

Halfway through the set, every member of the group picked up a drum to perform the dynamic African gospel song “Moribayassa.”

“I wrote this song about the struggles I had when I was pregnant with my daughter. I was nervous about bringing another human into this world,” Zindle said before kicking of “Good Time to be Born,” a set highlight.

Other notable songs included the relentless violin work in “Harvest” and the tropically tinged “The Curse of Finger Pointing.”

“Roar, Claw and Bite” and the light-hearted, yet forgettable “Following You” acted as filler in an otherwise entertaining set.

Though the dancing at the show was severely lacking, The Ragbirds have likely secured a new batch of loyal fans for their next stop in Ames.