1. The pool floor is half empty when I arrive, although it starts to fill by the time Ratatat takes the stage. Save for the choice few donning sunglasses (and probably under the influence of some controlled substances), this crowd is the least energetic I’ve seen in a long time.
2. Mike Stroud and Evan Mast haven't changed their repertoire since the last time I saw them at the House of Blues in 2010. Ratatat’s guitar-based electro-pop might make for perfect background music at a house party, but the duo’s outdoor set is noticeably lacking. And while Ratatat debuted new track “Cream on Chrome” during Saturday night’s Coachella set (stirring up rumors for LP5), a new track or two could have made their Vegas set more exciting.
3. Opener Sylvan Esso’s mix is crisp and full, allowing for their sultry grooves to really resonate, but I can’t say the same for Ratatat. The duo’s sound is all over the place—moments where the guitars sound like they’re under water, others where you can barely hear the floor toms or the group’s synthy nuances. Toward the end of the set things start to sound better, but a good chunk of the crowd has already left.
4. And they brought the usual visuals—lasers and images of white doves and Roman busts—all the familiar stuff from LP4 (it came out five years ago, guys). This time, the projections were cast onto two transparent fixtures flanking the stage, which is cool in concept but not the best setup for a show at the pool. Looking at footage from the duo’s Coachella show only confirms that Vegas got the parboiled version. Let's call it "Ratatat Lite."
5. Stroud and Mast play all of the familiar songs—the one with the cat noise (“Wild Cat”), the one in that commercial (“Neckbrace”)—but most of their songs blend together. Was that the one song off LP3 or LP4? The duo saves one of the most memorable songs, “Seventeen Years,” for last, which coincidentally reminds me of high school, back when Ratatat was brand new and their music was exciting. Here’s hoping Ratatat drops LP5 soon, because they can't sustain the hype playing the same set forever.
