LIVE REVIEW + PHOTOS: RAINBOW KITTEN SURPRISE AT THE O2 ACADEMY BRIXTON, LONDON 09/06/26
American indie rock band Rainbow Kitten Surprise (RKS) brought their 'bones' tour to a close at London’s O2 Brixton Academy on June 9th. Formed in 2013 at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, the band has built a distinctive sound that blends folk rock with hip-hop influences. The lineup consists of Ela Melo (lead vocals), Darrick "Bozzy" Keller (rhythm guitar), Ethan Goodpaster (lead guitar), Jess Haney (drums) and Charlie Holt (bass). Their 2024 release 'Love Hate Music Box' marked their first album in six years and was followed by their fifth studio album 'bones' in 2025, the record behind the current tour.
RKS were supported by fellow Boone, North Carolina, five-piece Cigarettes @ Sunset. Formed in 2021 in the college town in NC, the band blends Appalachian folk with rock and punk influences. The band is made up of Garrett Dellinger (vocals), Ryland Bagbey (lead guitar), Sarah Vann (violin), Wells Whitman (bass) and Ethan Moore (drums).
'Are you ready for some Appalachian folk music?' Dellinger called out early in the set, setting the tone for a performance that was both electrifying and engaging. They balanced high energy with moments of vulnerability. Introducing one song during their set, Dellinger told the crowd that he had written the song during a period when he was experiencing suicidal thoughts. 'If you have a dream, chase it. The world is so much better with you in it' he said, one of their set's most heartfelt moments. At the same time, they countered the heavier themes with moments of humour. Introducing another track, Dellinger asked 'Has anyone ever been called the wrong name in bed?' before joking 'My name is Gary' making the implication clear. The five-piece finished their set with a cover of Frank Ocean’s 'Lost' before leaving the stage.
Not long after, RKS took the stage at Brixton Academy and immediately filled the room with endless energy. Lead singer Ela Melo barely stood still, moving and dancing constantly across the stage, while the rest of the band matched her energy throughout the set. 'It’s the last show before going back home' Melo told the crowd as tonight’s show marked the final date of their 'bones' tour.
They kicked off their set with 'Our Song' before moving into 'Hide' and 'Dang', setting the tone early with a high-energy start. Fans at the front sang along loudly, jumping around, while one fan even held up a sign reading "Hell Yah RSK". 'There’s a lot of people here. We’ll find out what happens when we all love each other. Let’s find out' Melo shouted before launching into the next song. That energy carried through the entire performance, with Melo and the rest of the band dancing across the stage in front of a colourful neon lighting setup that perfectly matched the atmosphere.
Brixton Academy felt like a safe space that night, with the band creating an atmosphere where everyone seemed welcome and free to be entirely themselves. During 'Murder', as Melo sang '‘Shit I got you, Shit you got me’', a couple in the crowd was laying in each other’s arms, reinforcing the theme of love that ran through the night.
One of the night’s standout moments, however, came with their performance of 'Cocaine Jesus'. The audience immediately recognized the opening guitar riff, erupting into cheers before Melo even sang the first line. The band then moved straight into 'Painkillers', a song centred on the internal struggle of living with depressive thoughts and the fear of being a burden to those you love. When Melo sang 'Don‘t kill yourself today. Think of all that you’d be missing' the crowd shouted the words back at the band with force.
After these more intense moments, RKS briefly brought the pace down with an acoustic section featuring 'Black And White', 'Bare Bones' and 'First Class'. That shift in energy was definitely noticeable but no less captivating. The love the audience has for the band was palpable throughout the night. When one fan tried to tell Melo something during the set, she replied '‘I can’t understand what you’re saying but love is all you need. Somebody once said that'‘. In many ways, that summed up the atmosphere in the room, which felt full of love and acceptance.
'‘We never attempted this before. We messed around with it and we soundchecked it but you’ll know it. It’s from 2004'‘ Melo said before the band launched into a cover of The Killers' 'Mr. Brightside'. '‘The reason we’re doing it…it doesn’t fucking matter’' Melo added playfully before playing the cover. The crowd responded by singing even louder, clapping along and shouting the lyrics back at the five-piece from North Carolina. Melo’s expressive dancing throughout the night seemed to almost mirror both the songs themselves and the emotion in them, underlining how she embodies the music on stage.
After briefly leaving the stage following Melo’s introduction of the band, RKS returned to close the show with 'Tropics' followed by their biggest hit 'It’s Called: Freefall'. Once again, the audience sang in unison, turning the room into a loud choir one last time. By the end of the night, Rainbow Kitten Surprise had transformed Brixton Academy into a space filled with joy, emotion, love and acceptance. From its electrifying highs to its more intimate moments, the band delivered a performance that felt both deeply personal and powerfully communal. As the final notes of 'It’s Called: Freefall' rang out, it was clear that tonight marked more than simply the end of a tour. It was a celebration of connection, love and the kind of live performance that leaves a lasting impression.
Words and photos by Nadine Goetz.
