Solya rolled into Club Dada on Friday night to kick off her Queen of Texas tour, and let’s just say the vibe was less pageant queen and more altar girl gone rogue. She stepped out in her signature uniform: a white dress anchored by a gaudy cross necklace, topped off with enough dark eyeliner and maroon lipstick to make a 90s goth proud.
The aesthetic wasn’t just on stage, though. Looking around the room, it was clear that the Solya uniform is the new dress code. Several crowd members were rocking the same white dress and dark lip combo, turning the venue into a DIY convent for indie-psych devotees.
The night started with Tele Novella, a band that understands the assignment when it comes to Texas indie psych. They were the perfect primer, dreamy enough to set the mood but sharp enough to keep the room focused.
In a cool “all in the family” move, the band actually shared guitarist Jason Chronis and drummer Danny Reisch with Solya. Seeing them pull double duty was impressive, and it signaled a big shift for the headliner: this is Solya’s first time hitting the road with a full band, and the added muscle shows.
The energy in Dada is always intimate, but the second Solya announced they’d be dropping a track off the new record, the room felt like it was going to burst. She followed that up with the ultimate crowd-pleaser: “We’re playing the entire album tonight.” Cue the chaos. The Queen of Texas’ debut is officially set to drop on March 6.
The whole show feels incredibly personal, and for good reason: it’s a total family affair. Having Solya’s family working the tour alongside her adds this grounded “us against the world” energy to the night. It’s not just a polished production; it’s a family legacy being built in real-time, which makes the “Queen of Texas” title feel even more necessary.
The set was punctuated by the kind of feral energy you only get at a hometown-adjacent kick-off. One fan screamed “Queen of Texas!”, which basically acted as a battle cry for the rest of the room. Between songs, the air was filled with a constant stream of “I love you, Solya!” and honestly, watching her command that stage with a full band behind her, it was hard not to feel the same way.
Dallas might have been the first stop, but by the time the house lights came up, it was pretty clear: Solya isn’t just visiting the throne, she’s already sitting on it.
Tickets for the Queen of Texas Tour are still available and can be found here.
Remaining Tour Dates:
3/6 – San Antonio, TX- Paper Tiger
3/7 – Houston, TX- The Bronze Peacock at House of Blues
5/26 – Nashville, TN- The End
5/27 – Atlanta, GA- The Masquerade (Purgatory)
5/29 – Raleigh, NC- Kings
5/30 – Richmond, VA- The Canal Club
5/31 – Washington, DC- The Atlantis
6/2 – New York, NY- Bowery Ballroom
6/3 – Somerville, MA- Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre
6/5 – Pittsburgh, PA- Thunderbird Cafe & Music Hall
6/6 – Grand Rapids, MI- The Pyramid Scheme (with Tele Novella)
6/7 – Chicago, IL- Subterranean (Upstairs)
6/9 – St. Louis, MO- Off Broadway
6/10 – Kansas City, MO- Encore at The Uptown Theater
6/11 – Oklahoma City, OK- 89th Street Collective
6/17 – El Paso, TX- The Lowbrow Palace
6/18 – Tucson, AZ- Club Congress
6/19 – San Diego, CA- SOMA (Sidestage)
6/20 – Los Angeles, CA- Moroccan Lounge
6/24 – San Francisco, CA- Rickshaw Stop
6/26 – Portland, OR- Polaris Hall
6/27 – Seattle, WA- Vera Project
6/28 – Vancouver, BC- St. James Community Square
6/30 – Boise, ID- Shrine Social Club (Basement)
7/1 – Salt Lake City, UT- Kilby Court
7/3 – Denver, CO- Marquis Theater
Photos by Jenn Terrell (@jennterrellphotogaphy) / www.jennterrellart.com
