A balloon Elmo drifts alongside a cake-eating Peppa the Pig at the back of the stage. The opener, Caroline Rose, captivates the crowd with an unforgettable kazoo solo on her birthday. The vibrant blue-to-pink-to-rainbow lights flash to the beat. Rainbow Kitten Surprise’s lead vocalist Sam Melo delivers an infinite amount of lively dancing. These are just a few snapshots from the entertaining and energetic concert Friday night.

On Friday, Oct. 19, indie-alternative band Rainbow Kitten Surprise, also known as RKS, played alongside their opener, indie-pop-rock artist Caroline Rose, for an animated crowd at the Pageant on the Delmar Loop.

Christine Watridge | Student Life

Rainbow Kitten Surprise performs at the Pageant on Oct. 19. The indie rock band released their third album, “How To: Friend, Love, Freefall,” last April.

I really enjoyed this concert, and I wholly credit the wonderful performances of both bands. I was immediately drawn to the narrative quality of Rose’s songs as well as the keyboard melodies and catchy guitar riffs. Rose also sang an excellent rendition of Britney Spears’ “Toxic” alongside originals such as “Bikini” and “Jeannie Becomes a Mom,” a personal favorite of mine.

RKS thrilled the crowd early with “Seven,” one of their most popular songs off their first album “Seven + Mary,” released in 2013. There was never a lull in the set list as they performed both older songs like “First Class” and “Lady Lie” and new ones from their 2018 album, “How To: Friend, Love, Freefall.” Even though I was exhausted from so much standing, none of the band members slowed their roll once! The dynamic movement from everyone on stage and the genuine enjoyment of both the audience and the band made this a standout concert in my mind.

I went to an RKS concert a couple of years ago in my hometown, and I loved being able to see just how much the band has grown, not just in popularity, but also into their own distinctive style. And though this venue was much bigger, the performance still felt just as intimate and interactive as the last one. The band is on tour for the next few months; so, be sure to be on the lookout in your hometown for RKS, and check out their newest album, released on streaming platforms back in April.