On a grey, pouring night, Annika Wells and Krooked Kings manage to come in from Toronto to offer us lethal doses of catchy pop riffs and sing-along choruses all night long, allowing the audience to believe for a moment that summer has come knocking around earlier than expected.
Annika Wells originated from Sleepy Hollow, Marin County, California, but has since moved to Los Angeles and with her immense talent and creativity, she now travels the world, performing her catchy love songs. She crawled into the spotlight in 2017 as she co-wrote “Crawl Outta Love,” alongside worldwide acclaimed electronic producer Illenium, which won the grand prize at the International Songwriting Competition. From there, she hoped to tour with Illenium in 2019 and has since then indulged in TikTok trend songs and more organic releases, such as “Eat Dirt,” released in 2019, and her newly released album “into the undergrowth” which came out in January 2026.
Throughout her opening set, Annika takes us travelling through break-ups and make-ups along her life, her angelic, soft, melodious voice allows us to bond over love stories and Connor McCoy, her guitarist, alongside drummer India Pascucci, handles every rhythmic concern. The performance is tight, the backing tracks, although numerous, don’t alter the experience, and the band stays tight and sways gracefully through stories and melodies. By the end, we all take a shot together, as the band steps off stage, I feel nostalgic, as if somehow, I’d known her for so long. Was it the booze mixed with their music or simply the altered state of fatigue? I don’t know, but I surprised myself wishing I could re-live every heartbreak I’d gone through as a teenager with Annika’s music playing in the background. It’s safe to say, Annika Wells’ performance crawled under my skin. My verdict: hearing Annika Wells on streaming platforms is great, but seeing her live, the experience becomes mesmerizing and quite unique.
A quick cigarette break, and I can’t help but notice no one else smokes.
Krooked Kings, come onstage, the crowd is screaming. For a room half-filled, representing approximately 150 people, the decibels give away an impression of a sold-out show. The band’s pop choruses slashed with indie, Muse-like guitar riffs, get me dancing. From the first note to the last note, relentless applause fills the room. All around me, the crowd cheers, sings, and laughs, demanding more enchanted melodies. Krooked Kings, from Salt Lake in Utah, embrace the American lifestyle with all its ups and downs through their rich and varied catalogue. As the night blazes through each catchy hook, the singer admits his faults and the more positive moments that inspired songs like “Lying Through Their Teeth,” “Wish We Could Be Friends,” and my personal favourite, “Headhunters”. Although tired, everyone in the room screams for an encore when the clock strikes 10. The band happily comes back on stage to perform three songs, including “Catacombs” which sets the place on fire. Exiting the venue, I left feeling old, the whole night was transcendental, I think to myself. Every song had us bonding over shared human experiences, some good and others sad. Krooked Kings, a band that resonates with life experiences, will keep touring North America, passing by Cambridge, Philadelphia, Washington, New York and more.
