Icelandic alternative blues rock band KALEO delivered a kaleidoscopic, grounded performance at The Anthem in Washington, D.C., on the final stop of their Way Down We Go Tour, celebrating the 10th anniversary of their debut album A/B.

The best way I like to describe KALEO is that they are Icelandic cowboys. Not only do they have a unique twang and deep timbre in their songs, but they also dress the part. Anyone who is familiar with the band members may be able to spot them just by their silhouettes.

The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Jökull “JJ” Júlíusson (often seen wearing a wide-brimmed fedora), drummer Davíð Antonsson, bassist Daniel Kristjánsson, lead guitarist Rubin Pollock, and keyboardist/harmonicist Þorleifur Gaukur Davíðsson.

After NYC-native indie rock band Dogpark opened the show, KALEO started their set with the explosive “No Good.” They oscillated between more intense and groovy headbangers like “Hey Gringo” and more soulful, mellow songs like “All the Pretty Girls” and “Save Yourself,” to which the audience sang along. 

Though they are from a small Nordic country, they have their finger on the pulse of issues happening around the world. They even have a song, “USA Today,” that tackles issues faced in America. Hearing this song in the nation’s capital while the stage was lit up in blue and red lights felt surreal. 

KALEO’s songwriting is poignant, and the lead singer, who goes by JJ Julius Son in the U.S., said to WBUR, Boston’s NPR affiliate, that he is often inspired by music from the 50s-70s and music that came out of the Delta region of the American South. They played their song “Broken Bones,” which is written from the perspective of a slave.

The band feels like a jack of all trades. They’re quite genre-bending and one of the most unique bands I’ve ever heard. Apple Music recommends Hozier, The Lumineers, X Ambassadors, and Billie Eilish as some similar artists, but in my opinion, none of these artists truly match the kind of music they create. The range they have in their music is also highly impressive; from those lyrical, melodic songs of longing to the songs that make you want to take a walk in cowboy boots with spurs and fringes and ride off into the sunset.

It’s clear that the band cares about their community. They dedicated their song “Automobile” to their tour bus driver, and they thanked everyone who worked with them to make this tour possible at the end of the show. They said that live music was one of the “last true artforms,” and they were grateful to be able to share their music with so many people. 

Their encore included their most famous song, “Way Down We Go,” the namesake of the tour.

KALEO embraces their Icelandic roots, and it’s evident in not only their music, but also their set design. Hanging upstage over the band was a diamond-shaped screen that showed visuals throughout the concert, including the four handprints on the cover of their debut album. There were also kaleidoscopic visuals of ice, fire, and crystals as well as landscape scenes. They sang one of the songs they have written in the Icelandic language, “Vor í Vaglaskógi,” which is a traditional Icelandic poem, as scenes of what looked like the island country were displayed on the diamond-shaped screen. 

Additionally, the piano had a glowing cutout of the band name in front of the shape of a snow-covered mountain, reminiscent of the artwork on their second studio album, Surface Sounds. When looking at the side of the piano, the lights underneath made it look like a treasure chest glowing as it is opened. Lead singer Júlíusson also had a uniquely shaped guitar that had Icelandic runes on it. 

The band flew back to their home country the next day, and they will continue their European leg of the tour in early January. 

Speaking of their European leg, I was lucky enough to see them perform in Copenhagen a few years ago.  If you think KALEO is amazing in America, you should certainly make the pilgrimage to Europe and see them closer to their native roots.

KALEO knows how to create a welcoming environment for their crowd. So many people relate to their music, and I could see that in the faces of the audience members. I’ve covered a KALEO show before, but this time I got to see them as I’ve never seen them before - from on-stage.  A big thank you goes out to KALEO for having me on stage to capture their performance closer than I could have ever hoped to.   

No matter where we have seen KALEO perform, that raw and powerful performance can be felt.  Thank you to KALEO for finishing off their tour in Washington, DC, and we look forward to seeing you fill The Anthem again in tours ahed.