CONCERT REVIEW: KALEO AT STATE THEATRE IN PORTLAND, ME

Joanna Gleason
Sep 18
3 min read

On September 10, 2025, State Theatre in Portland, ME, welcomed Kaleo, the Icelandic blues rock band from Iceland. It was a fun night of live music. People were singing, dancing, drinking, and laughing at each other.

The show started at 7:00 p.m. with Június Meyvant as the first opener. Born on September 5, 1982, in Western Islands, Iceland, Meyvant is the stage name of Unnar Gísli Sigurmundsson. An Icelandic singer-songwriter, he released several albums: Guru (2022), Across the Borders (2019), Floating Harmonies deluxe edition (2017), Floating Harmonies (2016), EP (2015).

In Portland, Meyvant played different songs such as Guru – Payload – High Heels – Rise Up – No Man’s Land, Believer, Drifting, etc. Guru’s song written by Meyvant is a soulful masterpiece blending indie folk and heartfelt lyrics to create a sonic journey of introspection and self-discovery.

At 8:15 p.m. the second opener Quarters of Change hit the stage. The American rock band from New York City, New York, consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Ben Roter, guitarist Jasper Harris, guitarist Ben Acker, and drummer Attila Anrather, was exceptional at State Theatre in Portland.

Founded in 2017, the group played several songs from two studio albums Into the Right released in 2022 and Portraits (2024). Quarters of Change’s musical style has been described as indie rock, pop rock and alternative rock. They have also been described as “Anchored by a mutual predisposition for unpredictability.”

At 9:15 p.m. after a short break, Kaleo as the headliner hit the stage. The Icelandic blues rock formed in Mosfellsbær and influenced by genres such as blues rock, indie folk and alternative rock, was great during the entire night of their performance. Their blues influences mainly drawn from Delta Blues which was the target for some of the heavier songs in their album A/B brought many fans out of their chairs. They were dancing, singing, repeating every word from their favorite songs executed with brio by Jökull Júliusson, the lead singer of Kaleo. Jökull’s voice was cool and calm, mixing the perfect tone for this inside live music show.

Kaleo’s band included musicians Jökull Júliusson (lead vocals/guitar), Daviõ Antonsson (drum), Daniel Kristjánsson (bass), Rubin Pollock (lead guitar) and Gaukur Davídsson (harmonica/bongos, keyboard).

Lead singer Jökull Júliusson has given influences such as Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, Jim Morrison Hozier, Ray LaMontagne, Led Zeppelin, Cream and ZZ Top. In an interview with Rolling Stones, Jökull explained: “Growing up I was listening to a lot of American music and blues artists and such and that was what kind of connected us.”

Formed in 2012 the group released four studio albums, Kaleo (2013), A/B (2016), Surface Sounds (2021), and Mixed Emotions (2025), as well as the EP Glasshouse (2013). A/B has sold over one million albums worldwide. The second single, “Way down We Go”, was certified double platinum in the US and reached number one on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart on 20 August 2016. Kaleo received a Grammy Award nomination in 2017 for Best Rock Performance for the song “No Good”.

Executing a list of songs including chart-toppers like Way down We Go, All the Pretty Girls, and Broken Bones, Kaloe’s band came together on September 10 at State Theatre in Portland, ME, to produce a phenomenal show. It was a terrific night of music.

Kaleo Setlist

1- Bloodline

2- Break My Baby

3- Broken Bones

4- I Can’t Go on Without You

5- All the Pretty Girls

6- Automobile

7- Hey Gringo

8- Hot Blood

9- Lonely Cowboy

10- Vor I VaglasKogi

11- USA Today