After their short hiatus, alternative indie rock band Rainbow Kitten Surprise returns to the stage on their Tiny Music Box Tour.
Rainbow Kitten Surprise takes on Austin, Texas, for three nights in a row. The North Carolina native band is comprised of Ela Melo (lead vocals), Darrick “Bozzy” Keller (guitar), Ethan Goodpaster (guitar), and Jess Haney (drums). Last year after a band member got sick, the group had to unfortunately cancel their 2023 tour. This only meant fans would be even more excited to see the return of their favorite band. In May of 2024, Rainbow Kitten Surprise released their fourth studio album Love Hate Music Box.
Opening all three nights in Austin is musician Joe P. Joe P started his journey as a solo artist amid the 2020 pandemic. Since then, he has put out amazing work and had the opportunity to tour with acts such as Joy Wave and Spacey Jane. His most recent release was a quick three-track EP Shadow in the Sun that housed a single of the same name. During his set, he played some of his originals such as “Leaves” and “Crown Vic (Black Cloud).” Joe P brought an intense energy to The Moody Theatre that set the mood for the night to come. He closed with “Off My Mind,” from his debut album Emily Can’t Sing.
A little after 9 PM, Rainbow Kitten Surprise took to the stage. They opened the night with “Fever Pitch” from their sophomore album, How To: Friend, Love, Freefall. They also played new songs from their latest album Love Hate Music Box, such as “Daddy Yankee” and “SVO.” Noticeably, the audience didn’t sing any of the songs but more accurately screamed them. From that, it was very evident that the audience had missed their favorite band. During “First Class” especially, you could hear the enthusiasm throughout the crowd as everyone chanted the chorus together.Towards the end of their show, Ela took a minute to thank everyone and encouraged fans to prune their metaphorical tree. She explained that she was grateful for the people who surrounded her. Afterward, she introduced the entire crew and band, thanking each of them. They performed “Run” from RKS before exiting the stage only to return to perform two more songs. They played “Bearwalk” and of course closed with the iconic “It’s Called: FreeFall.”
The incredibly talented group showed off their musical ability right from the start. Complex lyrics and memorizing instrumental arrangements were to be expected, but to watch them perform live was jaw-dropping. Rainbow Kitten Surprise’s music means so much to their fans and seeing the audience sing and embrace each other was clear evidence of their impact. Over the next two nights, Rainbow Kitten Surprise returned to ACL Live at the Moody Theater for a total of three consecutive performances in the live music capital of the world.
