Rainbow Kitten Surprise’s first recordings were made by founding members Ela Melo and Darrick “Bozzy” Keller in an Appalachian State University dorm room; the North Carolina group has since expanded into a five-piece alt-rock band with a strong hip-hop and R&B influence. Their major label debut How To: Friend, Love, Freefall draws on the learning experiences of life and love, including Melo’s own coming out to his bandmates. The subsequent tour culminated in a coronation of sorts at Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheater and three consecutive gigs in Athens, GA—chronicled on their 2021 live album, Live From Athens Georgia.