Pool Kids are making a splash across the U.S. with their “Good Girls Go To Heaven, Bad Girls Go On Tour.” Taking the plunge alongside them are Chase Petra and Sydney Sprague. The tour made its way to Will’s Pub in Orlando, Florida on July 23 for a sold-out celebration in the band’s home state.
Chase Petra received a warm welcome to the stage from an already-packed venue. They immediately launched into an unforgettable whirlwind of a set, undoubtedly earning themselves some new fans in the audience. Sydney Sprague gave a beautiful and poignant performance. Her second LP, somebody in hell loves you, will be released in September, but you can hear a few of the album’s musically upbeat but lyrically devastating tracks in her current setlist.
As Pool Kids prepared for their set, eager fans huddled closer to the stage. The excitement in the room was palpable, unsurprising as this show had been highly anticipated for months in the Orlando music community.
Pool Kids is a magical band, the product of four incredibly gifted musicians who complement one another in a way that makes it feel like they were destined to find each other. The steady waves of fans they had been gathering since the release of their first LP, Music to Practice Safe Sex to in 2018 turned into a full-on tsunami with the release of their 2022 self-titled album. The LP is the second in their discography, but the first recorded with their full lineup. It’s also a jaw-dropping hit. Now, just after the one-year anniversary of the release, they’re selling out rooms on their first-ever national headlining tour.
The band’s shows are a reliably good time, and Orlando was no exception. You can always count on plenty of opportunities for crowd surfing and aggressive finger-pointing to the band’s biting, honest lyricism. The setlist incorporated a large chunk of the Pool Kids album, the crowd going crazy for songs like “Talk Too Much” and “That’s Physics, Baby.” The band returned to their first album’s tracklist selectively, including the fan-favorite “$5 Subtweet,” to the delight of the crowd.
The deeper magic of the band lies in their reserved moments when the show slows down for a moment but you can’t quite catch your breath because the band’s ethereal guitar melodies and Christine Goodwyne’s stunning vocals are making that feat impossible. This is best illustrated during “Comes In Waves,” which is a gorgeous new addition to the band’s setlist for this tour. The band also shined while performing “Pathetic” and “Erso,” which build to their musical summits in an even more powerful way when played live than their already showstopping studio versions.
The Orlando crowd earned themselves an encore, “Borderline,” which concluded with guitarist Andrew Anaya playing his final notes of the set held up by the crowd—a poetic symbol of the fact that no matter how far this band goes, the Florida scene is always going to have their backs.
The Bad Girls tour continues through early August and is a must-have on your Summer show itinerary if it’s coming through your city. The band can also be seen later this fall ripping a set at Riot Fest and playing the main stage at Gainesville Florida’s legendary punk rock family reunion, The Fest. The latter is a likely forecast of the larger stages they’re sure to soon be gracing on the regular. Wherever you’re able to catch Pool Kids, cherish the experience of seeing them play in these intimate rooms while you can!
Pool Kids
Sydney Sprague
Chase Petra
