To the Moon

Fly Moon Royalty
Fly Moon Royalty

Whatever you might think Fly Moon Royalty sounds like because of their odd-couple image, ignore it. This duo surprises with frenetic soulful performances; they get down like it’s 1953 — before TV was in most American living rooms. “Back in the day you could have an ugly motherfucker singing like an angel on the radio, not needing to look like a movie star,” says Mike Sylvester, producer and MC for the Seattle duo. Adra Boo fills out the act with upbeat vocals.

“Our music derives from an older generation, but we bring a freshness element,” Sylvester tells EW via speakerphone from the road. Boo and Sylvester produce sound their way as they navigate the new media era of music. Sylvester says that today there is an over-emphasis on elaborate video content and too much general access to performers.

“We know too much,” he notes of the modern world. “We are overly focused on what artists say when they have an opinion on something. I don’t want to be best friends with my favorite band. Imagine if Led Zeppelin had a Twitter.”

Regardless, Google Fly Moon and find highly produced music videos including delightfully catchy tracks “Lemonade” and “DNA.”

“It’s the nature of the beast,” says Sylvester of making videos. He understands the dichotomy of the industry, he says, but Fly Moon must still make videos to play the game. However, “the music comes first,” Boo says. The two have generated a lot of momentum this summer after touring for 2014’s Unfinished Business. 

“It’s widespread from kids, parents and cotton tops,” Boo says about their fanbase. They say their magnetic stage chemistry also puts people at ease.

“Ideally we like to goof off, our best shows are the loose ones,” says Sylvester. Boo adds, “You gotta give them a true set. We don’t got no gimmick. We are on stage having a good time and that shows.”

Fly Moon Royalty hit the stage at 8 pm Tuesday, Sept. 23, at WOW Hall; $8 adv., $10 door.