“It’s good to be back!” yelled Palaye Royale lead singer Remington Leith into the crowd. “Yeehaw, motherf*ckers!”
Palaye Royale returned to Houston in support of their 2024 fifth studio album, “Death or Glory,” opening their set with the titular track. They played downstairs at White Oak Music Hall, following supporting act Johnnie Guilbert.
Their fans were as visually interesting as the band, mixing clothing of different eras with modern edge and bold makeup. Guitarist Sebastian Danzig hit listeners with the first of many riffs found throughout the latest album—a significant increase compared to recent releases, and all for the better. “Little Bastards” followed. Faces lit up by the light show or Leith’s energetic bounds across the stage. He went from the stage to the barrier, interacting with fans. He even stole a fan’s cell phones and adopting a cowboy hat from a front-row fan during the start.
Every leap and interaction drew a sharp rise in screams. Nothing could beat him climbing the stage-right rafters for part of “You’ll Be Fine,” before leaping back down. Danzig took the mic next, greeting the crowd as they calmed down from the high-energy introduction to the night’s show.
“It’s good to see you, Houston,” he said. “I feel bad we weren’t here for the fall tour, so I feel good seeing you now.” As the touring musicians Dave Green (guitar) and Logan Baudean (bass) settled in, they got a little more interactive during “No Love in LA.” Sometime between the start of the show and then, drummer Emerson Barrett shed his red suit jacket, left looking like a rock n’ roll newsboy, his white sleeves drawing attention as he set the tone for “Just My Type.”
This song in particular was fun for the whole band. Jumbo white balloons were released for the fans to participate with, but the band was also easily distracted, kicking them around or using instruments to bat them back into the audience. In terms of the band’s aesthetics, they are certainly still living up to the ‘fashion rock’ aspect of things. Danzig stood sharp in a pinstripe suit; Barrett was a cohesive mix of textures and fabrics; and Leith, the most simply dressed of the night, would surely turn heads walking down the street in his stage makeup, white tank, and black leather harness.
The Palaye Royale set itself was a masterpiece. All this was set behind a glowing ‘DEATH OR GLORY’ neon sign that spanned the lengths of the stage. Truly, fans came out to see a maximalist band.
“Dying in a Hot Tub” started out slow, allowing everyone to catch their breath before ending on a high. It was all power from there as the band dove into the hype-fest that is “F*cking with My Head.” After a medical incident on the left side of the crowd was resolved during an extended musical interlude, the go-ahead to continue the show from venue staff was met with applause.
“This next song is dedicated to our beautiful mother,” Danzig said after a little more banter. “It’s called ‘Fever Dream’.” The track was a perfect closer, serving as a wind-down as the song concluded, allowing the band members to move to a more focal point of the stage. Barrett, finally not needed as much on drums as he is throughout the whole show, even had time to stand up and look out into all the faces, lazily twirling a drumstick as Leith sighed out the last lines:
“Fall asleep and make believe with me
We’re gonna be alright
So close your eyes
Just say goodnight.”
The band disappeared following “Fever Dream,” although everyone seemed to know there was still an encore to be had. That didn’t stop the light crew from relentlessly teasing them, seeming to mock their screams with the timing of the lights until the band finally came back on stage. “Dead to Me” opened the encore portion of the show, followed by a stripped-down version of “Lonely” with just Leith on the piano.
The highlight of the evening for many fans, especially those in the first few rows, may have been “Mr. Doctor Man,” the 2016 single that put the band on the map for many. Those lucky enough to have caught Palaye Royale while they were partying smaller stages at the Vans Warped Tour (R.I.P.), would remember Danzig and Leith doing the most. They’d hop into crowds either as a surfer or a pit participant. It was easy, too, with the photo/security pit often barely clearing 6 feet.
The pit at White Oak is certainly wider, but Leith didn’t care. He hyped up the crowd, parting them like the Red Sea, then managed to catapult himself into the floor, clearing the barrier with practiced ease, landing on his feet just in time to jump around with the fans and sing the final chorus.
I am a multimedia journalist with a passion for guitar-based music – be that rock-n-roll, bachata, or anything in between. When not in a mosh pit, I can be found knitting, collecting CDs, thrifting, journaling, or attempting to incite chaos among feuding global powers. I hold a bachelors degree in Broadcast Journalism and a masters degree in Mass Communication from the University of Houston, making me twice the Coog you'll ever be 😉
