Interview: In The Waiting Room with Kyle Fasel of Real Friends
Photo courtesy of Allie Payne
Real Friends have long been known for their unflinching honesty and ability to channel raw emotion into catchy songs that resonate with fans, turning personal struggles into anthems that inspire both reflection and energy. But with the release of their most recent record Blue Hour, having debuted Oct. 11 as their first self-released album, the band is charting a new course—one that blends introspection and ambition with a sense of creative freedom. As they kick off their current tour alongside up-and-comers Carly Cosgrove and cult-classics Can’t Swim, the band is excited to share more of themselves through this new record. This tour isn’t just another run of shows; it’s an immersive experience that mirrors the complexity of Blue Hour itself, with every performance designed to connect with audiences in a more visceral way.
For Real Friends, this tour marks a turning point, not just in their sound, but in their growth as artists and even their approach to the live experience. Blue Hour unfolds as a cohesive narrative that speaks to a profound evolution in Real Friends’ sound and identity—one that’s already proving to be among the most rewarding chapters of their career.
Reflecting this evolution on stage, Real Friends have curated a live experience they hope will captivate audiences on a new level. Bassist Kyle Fasel elaborated on the experience of building this tour: “For us on this tour, something that’s very important is putting on a show... It’s not just like five guys on stage playing songs, right? We’ve gone the extra mile on this tour with production and lights to make it feel dynamic, almost like a journey.” He continues, describing how even the smallest stage details reflect the album’s aesthetic.
As Real Friends hit the road with their new material, they’ve found that the connection between the band and their audience has deepened in unexpected ways. The response to Blue Hour has been more overwhelming than they anticipated. Fasel reflected on this as the tour progressed, noticing a shift in the crowd’s engagement: “It’s been pretty cool to see as the tour goes on...even, like, I think we’re almost two weeks in and more and more people are singing the new songs.” At first, the new material was met with a handful of fans who were already familiar with the tracks, but as the tour continues, more and more people are seen connecting with the new album in real time. “It’s like watching the album grow in front of you,” he said, a rewarding feeling for a band whose fans have always had deep emotional ties to their older material.
The response has been especially gratifying given how fans often cling to their favorite songs from past albums. Yet Blue Hour has defied expectations, with tracks from the new record holding just as much weight as Real Friends' classics. “There were a couple of songs we released over the summer that are on Blue Hour, and even those have gone over just as well as songs we’ve had for five years,” Fasel shared. This speaks not only to the quality of the album but also to how well the band's evolution has resonated with their fanbase.
What really took the band by surprise, was the way fans have embraced Blue Hour in its entirety. As Fasel explained, “I actually feel like the reception for the album as a whole is the best response we’ve ever had.” Unlike previous albums where a few tracks might get the most attention, Blue Hour has sparked a broader conversation about the whole record. “In today’s world, with attention spans being what they are and everyone going 100 miles per hour, I didn’t expect this kind of reception,” he admitted, acknowledging the effort they put into the album’s flow and tracklisting. “It’s really rewarding to see it pay off.” This response has been especially gratifying, given the fast pace of today's music culture, where singles often overshadow full albums. For Real Friends, seeing Blue Hour resonate as a complete work is a humbling confirmation that their attention to detail was worth it.
The experience of playing these new tracks live has also brought a new level of connection for the band. “It’s just so hard to judge sometimes, with the internet and stuff. I still just love that raw connection... with those that are right there singing along,” Fasel said, clearly moved by the immediate, tangible connection with the fans in the room. This newfound connection with their audience, built on both the new material and the band's long-standing relationship with their listeners, is becoming one of the most exciting and rewarding aspects of Blue Hour's journey—both onstage and off.
Sharing this stage on their U.S. headlining tour with Can’t Swim and Carly Cosgrove has given Real Friends the opportunity to not only connect with their audience in new ways but also reflect on their own musical growth. As Fasel shared, seeing younger bands like Carly Cosgrove perform and watching audiences connect with them in real-time has been an eye-opening experience for the band. “It’s a cool feeling to watch these younger bands start to experience the same things we did back then. You kind of get this sense of pride watching them sing their hearts out, realizing they’re in that moment, too, where people are really starting to connect with them on a deeper level.”
Fasel continued, “I remember when we had our first shows where people knew our songs, and it was such an overwhelming feeling. Seeing Carly Cosgrove, for example, get that reaction is almost like a full circle moment for me.” This connection, one that comes from those early moments when a band’s music begins to resonate with listeners, serves as a reminder of how far they’ve come.