Rainbow Kitten Surprise

Seeing that name on a marquee would surely pique anyone’s interest, but Rainbow Kitten Surprise manage to transcend the magical moniker once they make their way to the stage. The North Carolina band started out small, playing open mics at their local coffee shop, but quickly made a name for themselves on the campus of Appalachian State University with their dynamic live shows. In 2017, they hit the festival circuit hard, appearing at Bonnaroo and Austin City Limits, among other big-ticket events. The following year, they headed out on one of their first major North American tours, selling out over 45 headlining shows, thanks to their energetic performances, and frontman Sam Melo’s impressive dance moves.

Straight from the bluegrass hotbed of Boone, North Carolina, comes a refreshing mix of indie rock, traditional folk, a cappella harmonies and even a little hip-hop from a band that will never let you forget their name: Rainbow Kitten Surprise. Starting out as an acoustic-powered duo, the now-quintet has become one of the most adventurous groups to come out of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Singer Sam Melo and guitarist/vocalist Darrick “Bozzy” Keller formed the band in an Appalachian State dorm room in 2013. They turned to a good friend, who had been battling bacterial meningitis, to come up with their name, and Rainbow Kitten Surprise was born. Melo and Keller soon recorded and self-released their 2013 debut EP Mary, an understated mix of acoustic indie pop. They then brought aboard fellow classmates Ethan Goodpaster on guitar, Charlie Holt on bass and Jess Haney on drums to help realize a more expansive, experimental sound. Their debut album, Seven, came next, followed by RKS in 2015. After plenty of touring and some online success, they signed to Elektra Records and released How to: Friend, Love, Freefall in 2018. The album brought them their first Billboard-charting single with “Fever Pitch,” which landed on the Alternative Songs chart. The next year, they released a collection of B-sides with Mary (B-Sides), and continued on an extensive tour around the U.S.