Article and Photos by: Ommar Ortuvia

Houston, TX — Few rules exist that are universal, but there is one that is widely accepted throughout: Friday night is meant to party. It’s the end of the week, you don’t have to work the next day, and it becomes the time to unwind and enjoy the pleasures of life after 5 days of repetition and rigidity. Well this Friday night Houston saw the rock band O.A.R. come through town, with the soul-infused pop band Fitz and the Tantrums as a supporting act. The Los Angeles based quintet returned to White Oak Music Hall, bringing their groovy beats to the downstairs stage this time.

The last time Houston was graced by Fitz and the Tantrums’ presence was in 2021 when they headlined their own tour, emerging from restrictions and social-distancing to remind people back then that one is still alive and needs to find happiness and pleasure in life. This time things were no different – Fitz and company brought their classic, familiar and modern tunes that made the crowd groove, with arms-a-swayin’, hands-a-clappin’, and bodies-a-movin’. I mean, the recipe is there: spunky jovial lyrics, catchy beats, and buttery smooth sax solos thanks to co-founder and multi-instrumentalist James King.

The show started with almost no warning, with the first opener DJ Logic stepping off, and within five minutes (with no sound check) the singing duo of Noelle Scaggs and Michael Fitzpatrick (aka Fitz) stepped on stage, followed by Joe Karnes (bass), Jeremy Ruzumna (keys), Blair Sinta (drums), and James King (sax, keys, guitar). This made some attendees miss the opening songs while grabbing a drink, buying merch, or in the restroom expecting the usual 15-20 minute transition between sets. Nonetheless, Fitz’s set was kicked off with “Sway,” then “Heaven,” both from their 2022 album Let Yourself Free. Afterwards they played mostly songs from their newer albums with “OCD,” “Good Intentions,” “123456,” and a cover of Eurythmic’s “Sweet Dreams.” By this point the band had loosened up more and entered their groove, with Noelle and Fitz interacting more with each other and playing off of each other’s dynamics; the crowd, also warmed up, were ripe to be treated with the radio friendly hit “Out of My League.”

Noelle was definitely the dominant personality on set this time, attracting attention with her unending energy, shaking tambourines as she serenaded the crowd throughout the set. This does not mean Fitz was relegated to obscurity, since he also demonstrated with his spry liveliness why the band has gained notoriety in their 16 years of existence. Both singers were charismatic, interacting with the crowd throughout the night; prior to “Moneymaker” they both led a sing-along from the chorus, and before “I Just Wanna Shine” they instructed the venue crew to turn off the lights, asking the crowd to “sprinkle” the darkened venue with only their phone lights.

Towards the end of their set, the band played more of their older and bigger hits, finishing with “The Walker,” “MoneyGrabber,” and closing things off with a bang with the mega-hit “Handclap.” In this manner Fitz and company let the crowd get all their wiggles out before the headliners took the stage, leaving them ready to chill with their brand of relaxed rock. They will continue to support O.A.R. throughout their Summer Tour until the end of August when they will take a break prior to a few single shows. Fitz and the Tantrums are a lively act to watch, never creating a lull or letting the crowd chill, which is a good thing. They played a tremendously fun concert, and during these times when everyone is becoming once again polarized and intolerant due to impending political decisions, we all need to just sit back, relax and listen to something enjoyable that can make us feel happy once again.