Lisbon welcomed Royel Otis like one welcomes the return of an old summer: carefree, colourful, and ready to dance. The Australian duo took to the San Miguel stage in the early evening of June 21st, and in less than an hour, managed to turn the curious into believers. For a few shimmering moments, MEO Kalorama became an indie-pop dancefloor where the smiles were as sincere as the hooks were catchy.

   The show opened with "Jump Into The Fire" (a Harry Nilsson classic, played as an intro), a gentle warning: this is carefree pop, but far from naïve. What followed, “Going Kokomo”, kicked off the set with luminous guitars and breezy vocals — a one-way ticket to some coastline where time slows to a crawl. Tracks like "Adored", "Heading for the Door", and "Kool Aid" followed, weaving together a setlist full of earworm choruses, delicate synths, and rhythms that got the crowd moving without ever begging for attention.

    But it wasn’t just the music that captivated — Royel Otis know how to tell stories with humour and ease. During “Foam”, messages on the giant screen encouraged the audience to “show us your crooked teeth,” a gentle reminder that we’re all in this together — imperfections and all. On another track, the screen read: “this was supposed to be the lyrics of a new Royel Otis song” — a cheeky wink that drew real laughter and proved that the stage can also be a space to play.

    The band’s charm peaked during "I Wanna Dance With You", when they asked the crowd to dance with strangers. Not everyone took up the challenge, but the intent was clear: to create fleeting connections between strangers, with music as the spark. The journey continued through songs like "Sofa King", "Moody", and "Car", each carrying the band’s unmistakable stamp: jangly guitars, elastic grooves, and melodies that drift into your ears like warm breeze through an open window.

    But it was in the final stretch that Royel Otis played their trump card — nostalgia. First came a bold, euphoric cover of "Murder on the Dancefloor" (Sophie Ellis-Bextor), turning the park into a glittery open-air disco, followed by "Linger" by The Cranberries, sung word-for-word by a crowd fully surrendered to the moment. They weren’t their songs — but they might as well have been, such was the emotional delivery and ease with which they made them their own.

    They closed with "Oysters In My Pocket", a sun-drenched, laid-back track that felt like a lazy goodbye on a beach at the end of a perfect day — no drama, just the quiet satisfaction of knowing something beautiful had just happened.

Full setlist:

1. Jump Into The Fire (intro)

2. Going Kokomo

3. Adored

4. Heading for the Door

5. Kool Aid

6. Foam

7. Moody

8. Car

9. I Wanna Dance With You

10. Sofa King

11. Murder on the Dancefloor (cover)

12. Linger (cover)

13. Oysters in My Pocket

    In the end, it was clear that Royel Otis don’t need pyrotechnics or inflated egos. They came with charm, polished melodies, and an effortlessly infectious vibe — and left Kalorama utterly enchanted.

    And if this show proved anything, it's that the new wave of Australian bands is stronger than ever. From Royel Otis to Lime Cordiale, Ocean Alley, Skegss, Fool Nelson, or Pretty Ugly Band, there’s a wealth of sound coming from the other side of the world that deserves more presence on Portuguese stages. Hopefully, this Kalorama performance marks just the beginning of a closer relationship between Portuguese audiences and the thriving Australian music scene. The talent is there — we just need to keep inviting them back.

    Wanna check out more snaps from the gig? Head over to our Insta – if you're feelin' it, drop a like and give us a follow.