Hold onto your vintage band tees, America—Australia’s favorite indie-rock cover band (er, duo) Royel Otis is heading our way for their 2025 Meet Me in the Car Tour. The announcement dropped just as they were lighting up two sold-out shows at L.A.’s Troubadour, and the 12-date run is already a hot ticket.
Kicking off in Philly on Sept. 12 and wrapping in NYC on Oct. 11, the tour includes stops at iconic venues like Stubb’s in Austin, Mission Ballroom in Denver, and MGM Music Hall at Fenway. Not too shabby for a band that rocketed to fame… by covering other people’s songs.
Let’s be clear—Royel Otis can crush a cover. Their take on Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s “Murder on the Dancefloor” for triple j’s Like a Version became a runaway alt-radio hit, and their dreamy spin on The Cranberries’ “Linger” even cracked the Hot 100. Not bad for a band that didn’t release their debut album, Pratts & Pain, until 2024.
But now comes the real test: can they fill a setlist with their own material? Sure, they cleaned up at the ARIA Awards last year, taking home four trophies including Best Group and Best Rock Album, but as they tease new tracks like “Moody” on social media, we’re itching to see if they can deliver original hits to match the hype.
The duo’s upcoming U.S. invasion follows a jam-packed festival season at Governors Ball, Bonnaroo, and a string of European gigs, so they’re no strangers to the big stage. But with a reputation built on flipping other people’s bangers into indie gold, the question remains: will their songs keep the crowd dancing, or are we just here for the covers?
While we wait for the answer, don’t forget to download the Static Live Music Calendar app to keep track of the hottest shows across Florida’s east coast—Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach, Flagler Beach, Ormond Beach, and more. And heads up: we just wrapped another massive Welcome to Rockville ticket giveaway, and we’re eyeing even more cities to invade next.
