Alternative indie-rock band Rainbow Kitten Surprise will return to Madison for the first time since 2019, performing a sold out show at the Sylvee on Sunday.
Rainbow Kitten Surprise is often described as genre-defying, and it fits. Though they certainly have indie rock at their core, tracks vary from upbeat and invigorating to mellow and soothing. Lead singer Ela Melo is a certified crooner, with hypnotic vocals that scale easily from a whisper to a belt. Songs by Rainbow Kitten Surprise are invariably strong lyrically and musically, revealing new layers with each listen.
Seeing Rainbow Kitten Surprise live is always wonderful — Melo and the rest of the band are absolutely captivating, drawing their audience into the music with enthusiastic performances and killer dancing. A friend of mine once described Melo as having “magic hips,” and they were definitely correct.
Rainbow Kitten Surprise concerts manage to be intimate and personal in any venue, from a small bar to a packed concert hall. Every member of the band is clearly excited to be on stage and forms their own special connection with the crowd.
Rainbow Kitten Surprise is currently on their first tour since Melo came out as transgender in March 2022.
Rainbow Kitten Surprise will be preceded by DIY band Twen, born from the Boston punk scene in 2017. Twen’s music was previously described by i-D as “somewhere between dream pop and psych rock,” a sound that will pair wonderfully with RKS’ ethereal presence.
The band has released three albums to date, with their most recent album debuting in 2018. In June 2022, they released the single “Work Out,” their first new music in several years.
Fans can expect to dance, as the most recent setlist includes fan favorites such as “Lady Lie,” “Its Called: Freefall” and eternal banger “That’s My Shit.”
Doors will open at the Sylvee at 6:30 p.m., with the show starting at 8 p.m.
