Royale Lynn Brought “Punktry” Energy to Kings Raleigh

Royale Lynn mixed country, hard rock, punk, and modern metal with a confident stage presence—and a few production choices that kept the set from reaching its full potential.

I had been following Royale Lynn for about a year before seeing her at Kings Raleigh. I already enjoyed her music, but this was my first chance to experience it live.

Royale made an entrance carrying a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire and wearing a look that immediately reminded me of Harley Quinn. It fit the attitude of the show and made it clear that this wasn’t going to feel like a traditional country performance.

For this show, Royale handled vocals and also played guitar during part of the set. She was joined by Bryan Karijanian on guitar and Doug McKenna on drums.

Royale calls her mix of country, hard rock, punk, and modern metal “punktry,” and that combination was all over the performance. The set included “Altar,” “Redneck Rockstar,” “Six Feet Deep,” and “SACRIFICE,” along with a cover of Flyleaf’s “All Around Me.”

Royale definitely knows how to command a stage. She has a country-rock charm, a big smile, and a look that naturally draws your attention. She was interactive with the audience throughout the performance and seemed completely comfortable making the small room feel like her own.

Doug McKenna was the biggest musical standout for me. His drumming had a level of intricacy that kept pulling my attention away from everything else happening onstage. I caught myself watching him several times because he was just that good. Bryan Karijanian also brought plenty of movement and energy on guitar, which added to the overall look and feel of the performance.

My biggest criticism was the amount of backing vocals used during the show. When those weren’t present, Royale’s natural voice came through and sounded great. I wanted to hear more of that. Some of the backing vocals had a sharp, synthetic, almost Auto-Tune-like quality that became distracting and occasionally took away from the live feeling of the show.

Kings could also use an overall sound upgrade, which probably didn’t help those electronic parts.

The crowd was only around 30 or 40 people, but they were singing and screaming along. One of the best parts of the night was watching a young girl and her stepfather having the time of their lives. Royale made a point of interacting with her, and it was great to see.

After the show, Royale held a VIP meet-and-greet where she took photos and spent time with guests before heading out.

Overall, I’d give the performance a 7.5 out of 10. The backing vocals held it back for me, but the energy, musicianship, and connection with the audience were absolutely there. I would gladly see or photograph Royale Lynn again.