Up-and-coming Boston "funk-punk" group Bad Rabbits welcomed this year's first-years with an energetic concert last Saturday in Levin Ballroom, put together by Student Events and the Department of Orientation. The show, which opened with an act by Boston rock band Dear Havanah, was extremely well put together but, unfortunately, poorly attended. While thumping beats filled the room, people didn't, showing that perhaps Brandeisians were looking for more than great, live dance music to enjoy their Saturday night-or that they didn't know where to find it. But those who attended-mostly first-years, orientation leaders and Student Events organizers-seemed to have the time of their lives as they sang along with Dan Htoo-Levine of Dear Havanah's infectious lyrics and danced to Bad Rabbits' Prince and Morris Day-inspired beats. Berklee College of Music grads Dan Htoo-Levine, Colin Healy and Mike Blong of Dear Havanah have played at Brandeis previously and were excited to return to the campus to open the Saturday show.

The soulful grooves they performed came from their new album, The Whole Way Home, coming out Sept. 7. The audience quickly caught on to the lyrics as Htoo-Levin led them through songs such as "Bring Me Home" and "Radiant Love," energizing the crowd as people slowly filed into Levin Ballroom.

When I spoke to the members of Dear Havanah after the show about their return to Brandeis, they said they "enjoyed the younger, more energetic crowds" at college campuses. They are excited for the upcoming months as they release their album and prepare to book a tour for the spring that will lead them to Austin, Texas. Blong said he was looking forward to their listening party of The Whole Way Home at The Red Room in Café 939, located in Boston; When asked about his experience working as a musician, Blong said that one of his favorite aspects of the lifestyle was traveling. "When we were driving from Ohio to Pennsylvania for a show," the drummer/vocalist said, "there was a spot on the back of the bus called the Hot Zone. While others had to drive, the people who played their cards right got to sit in the Hot Zone, which was decorated with pillows and tapestry."

Minutes after Dear Havanah's act, Bad Rabbits, whose name comes from a Gavin Castleton song, entered the stage to the students' screaming excitement. Their funky, popping beats quickly got the audience jumping to the rhythm as lead vocalist Dua Boakye led the group with animated dance moves and Michael Jackson-inspired vocals. In fact, the group paid tribute to their iconic pop influence halfway through the show with a medley of Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough," "Rock With You" and "Wanna Be Starting Somethin'" which generated enthusiasm from everyone. Bad Rabbits is much more than just an 80's-style pop/funk band, incorporating elements of rock, hiphop and just general youthfulness to the songs off of the band's new album, Stick Up Kids. Perhaps the group is accustomed to performing for larger crowds, but they nevertheless did the most important thing in a concert-get the crowd really, really excited.

Boakye was able to give justArts a few comments after the show, talking about the inspiration behind Stick Up Kids. When asked where the art on the band's MySpace page came from, which depicts a teenage rebellion, he said that it was tied to the album's theme of youthful energy.

"It's all about being a 20-something. My goal is to be a kid until I'm 105," Boakye said. He clearly embodied the kind of young vigor that inspired album, joking with me as I asked him if he was a trained dancer. "I'm definitely not a dancer," he replied, "but I hook up with them. I like to make out with dancers." The lead singer was also open enough to tell me this unkown interesting fact about Bad Rabbits: "Someone in the band once defecated out of a moving vehicle."

Of course, on-the-road antics aren't the only things that make bands like Bad Rabbits want come to places like Brandeis. Boakye emphasized being motivated by the crowd and feeding off of its energy, and that the night's show "was really fun."

Herbie Rosen '12, who booked Bad Rabbits for the event as head of the Orientation Core Committee, said he could tell right away that the group has an upbeat and "jokester" attitude. "This is a very fun group," he said, "and you can tell they spend a lot of time together. Their music is new. I can't find words for it, but all that comes to mind is that it's good, really good.