The Rainbooms

The Rainbooms, also known as the Sonic Rainbooms, the Equestria Girls, and the Crystal Rainbooms, are a student band that appears in the film My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks and its animated shorts. The group consists of Twilight Sparkle and her human friends from Canterlot High School.

The band's members are Twilight on (temporary) lead vocals, Rainbow Dash on electric guitar and (initially and later permanently) lead vocals, Applejack on bass, Rarity on keytar, Fluttershy on tambourine, Pinkie Pie on drums, and on one occasion as a guest, DJ Pon-3 on turntables. After Twilight leaves, Sunset Shimmer joins as rhythm guitarist and backup vocalist, and in Legend of Everfree, Twilight's human counterpart joins as a backup vocalist.

Depiction in the shorts
The Rainbow Rocks animated shorts partially depict the band's formation, with each member discovering and taking up what would be their instrument of choice.

In Guitar Centered, Rainbow Dash acquires a new electric guitar after a "shred off" against Trixie Lulamoon. In Hamstocalypse Now, Fluttershy discovers her talent for the tambourine when tending to a rambunctious group of hamsters. In Pinkie on the One, Pinkie Pie discovers her talent for playing the drums when her friends seek an outlet for her boundless energy. In Player Piano, Rarity takes up the keytar as a more portable substitute for the grand piano. In A Case for the Bass, Applejack recovers her bass guitar from Flim and Flam after Granny Smith accidentally sells it to them at a yard sale.

In the Friendship Games short The Science of Magic, Sunset Shimmer does experiments on the Rainbooms to try to find out why her friends pony up whenever they play music.

Depiction in the films
In My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks, the Rainbooms compete in the Canterlot High School Musical Showcase against several rivaling bands, including the Dazzlings and Trixie and the Illusions. It is stated by Rainbow Dash that starting the band was her idea. Throughout the film, she asserts that it is her band, despite her friends' insistence that they each have an equal stake in the band.

When the Dazzlings arrive at Canterlot High and place everyone under their spell, the Rainbooms, unaffected by the Dazzlings' magic, call on Twilight Sparkle for help and temporarily recruit her into the band as the new lead vocalist.

As they advance through the competition, the Rainbooms succumb to moments of infighting: Rainbow Dash's egotism grates on her friends' nerves, Applejack argues with Rarity over the latter's obsession with the band's stage wardrobe, and Fluttershy's desire to play a song she wrote goes unheard. Other bands in the competition also attempt to sabotage their performances, and Trixie—at the suggestion of the Dazzlings—traps the Rainbooms under a stage to keep them from participating in the final round.

Before the friends fall victim to the Dazzlings' magic due to their arguing, Sunset Shimmer convinces them to work out their disagreements. With the help of Spike, DJ Pon-3, and later Sunset herself, the Rainbooms eventually defeat the Dazzlings in the final round of the Battle of the Bands and free the school from their spell. Soon after, Sunset Shimmer is welcomed into the Rainbooms as a new member.

In My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Friendship Games, the group practices before the titular event.

In My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Legend of Everfree, the band, now joined by Twilight's human counterpart on backup vocals, performs Legend You Were Meant To Be as part of a fundraiser to save Camp Everfree.

Depiction in the specials
In the half-hour Equestria Girls special My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Dance Magic, the Rainbooms team up with Sour Sweet, Sunny Flare, Sugarcoat, and Lemon Zest of Crystal Prep Academy to make a music video for a contest. Their collective group name is referred to in Dance Magic's lyrics as the "Crystal Rainbooms". In the novelization of the specials, Starlight Glimmer takes part in the Dance Magic music video instead of the Shadowbolts.

Songs performed

 * Shake Your Tail
 * Perfect Day for Fun
 * Rainbow Rocks
 * Better Than Ever
 * Bad Counter Spell
 * Awesome As I Wanna Be
 * Welcome to the Show
 * Rainbooms Battle
 * Shine Like Rainbows
 * Friendship Through the Ages
 * Legend You Were Meant To Be
 * Dance Magic
 * Get the Show on the Road

Other depictions
The Rainbooms are featured in Hasbro's online games Repeat the Beat, Battle of the Bands, and V.I.F.

The Rainbooms also appear in Hasbro Arcade in the Rainbow Rocks song minigame.

The Rainbooms are also featured in two live-action Rainbow Rocks music videos that promote the film and merchandise and use a rock version of Equestria Girls (Cafeteria Song).

Merchandise
On June 6, 2013, Hasbro filed a trademark of "RAINBOOMS" for "Toy ponies and accessories for use therewith; dolls, doll clothing and doll accessories for use therewith".

A Sunset Shimmer doll's packaging bears the statement " i love rockin' to my friends' band, the rainbooms! "