by Connor Dixon
Royel Otis brought their Glory to Glory tour to the Bay Area for two nights, October 17th and 18th. Night Two was set in Oakland at the Fox Theatre. Along for the tour and opening the night was the Chicago-based indie band Friko.
Niko Kapetan of Friko took the stage alone with a lone spotlight beaming down on him. With a soft voice, Niko began to sing and strum his guitar. His playing and singing began to crescendo until he was yelling into the microphone causing the crowd to erupt with applause. You could feel the energy in the room elevated from that moment forward. Towards the song's end, the rest of Friko joined him on stage to continue their set. Friko's set included songs mostly from their debut album Where We've Been, Where We Go From Here. Friko left the crowd buzzing, their catchy melodies lingering in the air after the lights came up.
In between sets, I had conversations with the people around me. We spoke about Royel Otis's seemingly meteoric rise in popularity in the last year. I could hear people talking about the band's Jimmy Kimmel performance on TV two nights ago. Royel Otis took to the stage in front of their iconic Big Prawn backdrop. The stage prop, based on an Australian tourist attraction, has now been seen on the set of Jimmy Kimmel as well as in numerous other Royel Otis live performance videos. The jangly guitars and smooth, reverberating vocals immediately set the tone for the night, a fusion of hazy surf rock and upbeat indie anthems. The room had an infectious energy, fueled by their seamless chemistry and laid-back charm.
Their live sound is remarkably close to their recorded work, but with an added rawness that feels fresh and authentic. The drums hit harder in the live setting, giving their dreamy tracks more punch and presence. Vocally, Otis Pavlovic’s mellow delivery perfectly complemented Royel Maddell’s guitar work, and together they created an effortless harmony. One thing I kept noticing throughout the night was the impressive lighting that danced around throughout the set. Shout out to Matt Ogle, the lighting director for the tour. The band interacted with the crowd in a casual, unassuming way, briefly complimenting the beautiful venue and then letting their music speak for itself.
The second half of the show included their biggest hits such as "Sofa King" and "Oysters in My Pocket". The two covers that have helped catapult the band in popularity, "Murder on The Dance Floor" and "Linger" also made an appearance in the setlist. The band’s ability to craft immersive and feel-good tracks while keeping a sense of authenticity in their live performances is what sets them apart in today’s scene. In short, Royel Otis delivered an unforgettable night of dreamy, feel-good indie pop, leaving fans eagerly awaiting what they will do next.
All the above photos were taken by Connor Dixon
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