MKTO – The Roxy – Los Angeles, CA – June 9, 2019 (A PopEntertainment.com Concert Review)

Updated: Mar 10, 2020

MKTO – The Roxy Theatre – Los Angeles, CA – June 10, 2019

A hot day in LA calls for a fun night on Sunset Boulevard, with MKTO, of course. The pop duo, consisting of Malcolm Kelley and Tony Oller, has been on hiatus since 2017. After their announced comeback last year, the guys brought their classic sound back to the west coast for a three-show tour. This also means the excellent choice of The Roxy Theatre, giving the show that 500-capacity intimacy you can’t get much elsewhere.

Opening up for MKTO first was Speelburg, who gave the crowd a taste into a unique alternative style. The one-man-band’s music seems to mix Tame Impala and Mac Demarco vibes while keeping his own touch on it. Although it’s easy to get lost in an opener’s set, the audience kept their focus on Speelburg, who’s definitely worth a listen if you are looking for new music.

Next up was Cody Lovaas, another one-man band, singing slow pop songs surrounded by love. His strong vocals carried the melodies as many of his fans also sang along in the crowd. If it was classified as a playlist, Cody’s music would be put in “Polished, Romantic, and Acoustic.”

Curtains finally raised for the stars of the night, MKTO. Formed in 2012, the two band mates greeted the crowd with the familiarity of friendship. Immediately, fans gave their full attention in return to Kelley and Oller, an act that always proves they know what they’re doing.

As Oller has the melodic part of the singing, Kelley carries every rap to blend the two voices seamlessly. It was very refreshing to see such a strong energy throughout the whole venue as MKTO bounced their happiness to be back on stage with the audience’s own excitement for their return.

Songs of the night included “Goodbye Song,” “Thank You,” “Bad Girls,” and “Superstitious,” all while fans danced and jumped around. The most recent piece they performed was “How Can I Forget You,” which despite being about a girl, the song alludes to the past of the band as too significant to leave behind. Oller also explained that the break MKTO went through was much needed for his recovery in becoming sober, a great achievement that he has had for the past few years and evoked a proud feeling from everyone who applauded his strength.

For one last song, the duo performed the one and only “Classic,” very popular when it first came out and an obvious favorite by the increased volume of singing in the Roxy. Out of the whole set, this song had the most dancing, the most excitement, and the most phones in the air, which was the best aspect of the show.

Although this tour was definitely amazing for the devoted lovers of MKTO, I recommend their future live events for anyone passionate about pop or looking to break their comfort zone at an intimate and entertaining show. Malcolm Kelley and Tony Oller proved that there is really no way to forget that MKTO is so classic.

Mia Jessie