When I think about good live music, I think about two scenarios: giant stadium tours with unimaginably complex lights and special effects or a few musicians on stage with the most bare-bones stage setup. There’s a beauty to these small stage performances that is sometimes lost with larger shows. Brooklyn Bowl served as the perfect venue to host Friko and Royel Otis — two bands with immense stage presence even in an intimate setting.
Friko released their debut album “Where we’ve been, Where we go from here” earlier this year, which was met with glowing reviews from Rolling Stone and Pitchfork, to name a few publications. The Chicago duo channels the energy and sound of 2000s-era garage-rock bands in a breath of fresh air for the indie scene. Reading these incredible reviews of the band and getting a moment to fall in love with the music myself made me very excited to see that they were playing in Nashville.
The night started with guitarist and vocalist Niko Kapetan solo-performing a new song titled “Guess.” The rest of the band slowly joined, filling the venue with a powerful sound. It was beginning to feel like the quintessential rock show your parents told you about, where they saw an on-the-rise band in a small room with a huge sound. Kapetan ripped out heavy riffs on the guitar while fellow band member Bailey Minzenberger slammed the drums. The night was full of songs from the band’s debut album, bringing some much-needed energy to a Tuesday night crowd.
I was blown away by the immense presence the three musicians brought. All three of them put everything — physically and spiritually — into each song. They made sure to capitalize on the intimate nature of the venue by really talking to the crowd rather than making broad statements about the audience. I felt like they were talking directly to me and that they could actually see me dancing along to their music. It’s difficult to describe, but it felt like fans being there really made an impact on the band just as much as they made an impact on the audience.
When you encounter a band like this, they stick with you for a while. It’s refreshing to see small artists still able to bring passion to these intimate venues, even if they aren’t the main act. To me, that’s what makes live music so special. In a musical landscape where it feels like smaller artists are struggling to make their mark due to not being able to sell out giant stadiums, it has become much more important to support small venues that host emerging artists. Friko is just getting their start, having recently released their debut album on Feb. 16, 2024, which is full of energetic rock songs that result in fantastic stage presence. Seeing them perform live makes me confident that this band will continue to make their mark in the alt-rock scene. Go see Friko if you have the chance; it’s truly a night to remember.
Once Friko left the stage to thunderous applause, I noticed an odd monument on the stage — a giant shrimp sitting ominously. Bathed in the light bouncing off the disco balls, the crowd appeared anxious as they waited for the show’s headliner to appear. The lights dimmed once more, and the crowd cheered as the members of Royel Otis took the stage. The Australian band is touring to promote the release of their new album “PRATTS & PAIN,” which was also released this year. I spent the evening trying to find a good label for the sound I was hearing. It was part alt-rock and part punk rock, with slight elements of psychedelic rock. Whatever it was, it had the crowd dancing. The main crowd was grooving to the beat, and even people in the very back were dancing and letting loose.
The Australian duo, Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic, never took their foot off the gas and kept the sold-out crowd excited for more. In addition to playing classics everyone knew and loved, the band blessed the crowd with a brand new song, “If Our Love Is Dead.” As the night came to a close, the band kicked in to fan-favorite “Oysters In My Pocket” before departing from the stage.
Naturally, the ritual of asking for “one more song” began, and the band complied with the audience’s request. Royel Otis came back out to play their viral cover of “Linger” by The Cranberries, where they asked the Music City crowd to sing along with them. It was a beautiful moment as almost every voice in the Brooklyn Bowl sang along. The concert came to a close as Royel Otis played their song “Kool Aid” and fans cheered and begged for the night to never end. Not bad for the band’s first time playing in Nashville — they sold out a Tuesday night show.
