Hurray For The Riff Raff at Central Park SummerStage in NY, NY, September 16, 2025
I’ve been following Hurray for the Riff Raff since the days when Alynda Segarra first carved out a sound on the streets of New Orleans, blending folk, punk, and poetry into something distinctly their own. Over the years, I’ve seen the band’s vision grow from scrappy roots into expansive, thought provoking records that balance protest with vulnerability. So when I heard they would be opening for Soccer Mommy at Central Park’s SummerStage, it felt like a chance to watch an artist who has never stopped evolving, in her original hometown of New York City.
The night belonged to The Past Is Alive, Hurray for the Riff Raff’s latest release, and the set leaned heavily into it. Nine tracks from the record made up the heart of the performance, affirming just how much this album has already become a centerpiece of their catalog.
Hurray for the Riff Raff continued the tradition by opening with “Alibi,” just as they have since 2023. It’s a perfect set starter, fierce and direct, a plea to a loved one struggling with addiction. The song sets the tone for accountability and survival. From there the band leaned into “Dynamo” in which the energy translated beautifully live. Another highlight was “Rhododendron,” the lone selection from Life on Earth. Possibly because of time constraints there was an absence of older material. Songs like “Pa’lante” or the early folk anthems, “St Roch Blues” and “Crash on the Highway” were absent. That said, the inclusion of “Pyramid Scheme,” a track released in February, provided a critique of the internet that resonated with a sense of urgency. “Buffalo” was followed by “Snake Plant (The Past Is Still Alive)”. The set concluded with “Ogallala,” a sweeping closer that felt less like an ending and more like a parting vision. Its layered soundscapes grew steadily, building toward the final crescendo. There’s something haunting, but also defiant to the track. It felt quietly anthemic for today’s world, reflective, rooted in themes of survival of our land, and carrying an urgency far beyond the stage.
Alynda spoke with gratitude between songs, but let the lyrics do most of the heavy lifting. The band surrounding her played with finesse, never overwhelming the vocals but coloring each track with depth, shimmering guitars, and steady rhythmic textures that echoed across the park.
Opening for Soccer Mommy meant the set was shorter than a headliner’s, but even within the limited time, Hurray for the Riff Raff managed to create a world of their own. It was a focused dispatch from where Segarra is now: politically, musically, culturally.
Having followed their path for so long, the concert reinforced why Hurray for the Riff Raff continues to matter. They are not content to repeat the past. They’re building new stories, sounds, and truths. The past may be alive, but in Central Park, so was the future.
Find more information here: http://www.hurrayfortheriffraff.com
Enjoy our previous coverage here: REVIEW: Hurray For The Riff Raff “The Past Is Still Alive”
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