Rainbow Kitten Surprise performing during the Tiny Music Box Tour at the ACL Live Moody Theater in Austin, Texas on May 23, 2024, with Ela Melo, Darrick "Bozzy" Keller, Ethan Goodpaster, and Jess Haney. (Photo: Ralph Arvesen)
Rainbow Kitten Surprise transcends genre boundaries, creating harmony through unpredictability with their lyrical poetry, catchy melodies, and unique instrumental combinations. Garnering over 2 billion global streams, the band initially built their loyal fanbase with the independent releases SEVEN + MARY (2013) and RKS (2015).
Their major label debut, HOW TO: FRIEND, LOVE, FREEFALL, produced by GRAMMY® Award-winner Jay Joyce, was released in April 2018 and featured the RIAA-certified Platinum single “It’s Called: Freefall.” The album received acclaim from Billboard, TIME, Vice, and NPR, who described their sound as “a mix of jam and indie and whatever else you can throw into the soup…very earnest, beautiful, political, loving rock n’ roll.”
They also made notable television appearances on “CBS Saturday Morning,” “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” and PBS’s “Austin City Limits.” After performing at festivals like Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and Osheaga, RKS sold 80,000 tickets on their sold-out 2018/2019 Friend, Love, Freefall Tour, including a sold-out debut at Red Rocks Amphitheatre and three consecutive shows in Athens, GA, documented in their live album LIVE FROM ATHENS GEORGIA (2021).
In May 2019, the band released the two-track single Mary (B-Sides), featuring “Heart” and “No Vacancy.” The next year saw the release of the fan-favorite single “Our Song” and a July livestream concert, originally scheduled as a sold-out Red Rocks performance but canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. March 2022 marked the release of “Work Out,” their first new music in nearly two years.
Rainbow Kitten Surprise embarked on their first full headline tour in nearly three years in 2022, including a sold-out, two-night return to Red Rocks. That year, with support from partners PLUS1 and Propeller, they raised over $170k for local food banks, LGBTQ+ causes, and mental health initiatives. The band members are Ela Melo (lead vocals), Darrick “Bozzy” Keller (guitar, vocals), Ethan Goodpaster (lead guitar, vocals), and Jess Haney (drums).
Fan reviews:Setlist for the show at the ACL Live Moody Theater
Such a great night for RKS! They were incredible and I had such an enjoyable experience! Ella’s voice is powerful and the sound in the venue could not be beat. We danced and sang all night long!
Such a fun concert! Hope they come back soon!
Loved it! After watching them perform before ad being absolutely in awe of the performance and stage presence, I promptly bought tickets for their next show and drove 5 hours to see them again! My favorite band of all time. Definitely worth it!
An out-of-body experience! RKS is hands down the best concert that I have ever been to. It truly felt like I was watching a close-knit family on stage with how much fun they had with each other. I can't wait to see them again.
- Peter Pan
- LOL
- Hide
- Seven
- Moody Orange
- All's Well That Ends
- SVO
- Goodnight Chicago
- Devil Like Me
- Our Song
- Overtime
- First Class
- Fever Pitch
- Drop Stop Roll
- When It Lands
- Sickset
- That's My Shit
- Meticulous
- Cocaine Jesus
- Matchbox
- Bearwalk
- Superstar
- It's Called: Freefall
Rainbow Kitten Surprise was the main act at the ACL Live Moody Theater with guests Joe P. They continue across the United States with the last stop at the Mission Ballroom in Denver, Colorado on June 1, 2024.
Rainbow Kitten Surprise
web | facebook | x | instagram
Photos by Ralph Arvesen
web | facebook | x | instagram
