Formed in 2010 in Tinley Park, Illinois, Real Friends is an American emo rock band consisting of Kyle Fasel (bass guitar), Dave Knox (lead guitar), Eric Haines (rhythm guitar), Brian Blake (drums), and Cody Muraro (lead vocals).  Since their inception, they have released seven EPs, three studio albums, and garnered a fan base of close to 500k monthly listeners on Spotify. This fall, they are co-headlining a tour across North America with Knuckle Puck, alongside the support of One Step Closer and Arm’s Length. This past weekend, they played their third show at the House of Blues in Chicago.

The lineup for this event is truly incredible as each band set the stage with electrifying energy. This energy evoked a sense of belonging amongst their fans where the comradery resulted in the creation of a true rock-fashion mosh pit and crowd surfing throughout the evening. Following Knuckle Puck, the crowd eagerly awaited the final performance. As Real Friends came to the stage, the show carried on with the same energy,  opening with, “Me First” from their 2018 album, Composure.

Their setlist was comprised of both their early work and their more recent albums, highlighting fan-favorites including, “Tell Me You’re Sorry,” “Six Feet,” and “From the Outside.” Midway through the performance, Cody Muraro joined fans on the main floor to create a more intimate feel as he dove into the lyrics of “Teeth.”  “The medicine isn’t kicking in but life is kicking my teeth out/ On the floor again and I’m losing it/ So beat me tiI I black out/ Cause I don’t want to face it.” The audience singing along with their eyes closed, feeling every emotion of the lyrics of this song is a testament to the band’s success as they have the ability to connect with their fans through the universal themes of pain, loss, perseverance, and love.

Shortly after, Muraro expressed the band’s appreciation to their fans stating, “Really feeling the love tonight!” Nostalgically, he reminisced about the band growing up and hearing some of their influences play at the House of Blues and thanked the fans for allowing them to live their dream of playing a sold-out show at the same venue. He shared their exciting news of a new album release in 2024 and played “When You Were Here,” a single off the new album being released this Friday. As the night neared the end, the band played, “Late Night in My Car,” and there was only one way to conclude this epic evening…a launch from Muraro into the crowd for one final moment of crowd surfing! 

Check out their new song this Friday here: https://www.realfriends.band/

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