Concert Review: The Runarounds’ lively performance enraptured fans in Columbus

Brooke Farmer
Tue, 17 Feb 2026 00:57:28 +0000
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The Runarounds performed at KEMBA Live! Friday, Feb. 13. Credit: Brooke Farmer | Lantern Reporter

On Friday, The Runarounds brought The Minivan Tour to KEMBA Live! in an electrifying sold-out performance that invited fans to dance and sing their hearts out.

The Runarounds, an indie-rock band, became popular after making an appearance in the season three soundtrack of the hit Netflix show “Outer Banks” in 2023. Their popularity only continued to rise after their TV show, “The Runarounds,” — based on their own experiences — hit Amazon Prime Video Sept. 1, 2025.?

The fictional show follows a group of teenage boys, with a shared dream of forming a band, as they navigate their senior year of high school.?

The Minivan Tour kicked off Sept. 13, 2025 in Charleston, S.C., and has dates running through June 21. The tour offers a variety of premium ticket opportunities, including a soundcheck experience where fans can meet the musicians and get an autograph and get behind-the-scenes of the tour.

The Back Alley opened the concert, energizing fans with their original, upbeat music and fun interactions with the crowd. In the middle of their performance, musicians Axel Ellis and Jeremy Yun from The Runarounds teased fans by briefly joining them on stage to cover “American Girl” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

The Back Alley wrapped up with a few more of their own songs, and will be returning to Columbus for their Spring Tour at A&R Music Bar March 27.

After a brief intermission, the stage went dark before a bright, neon orange sign displaying “The Runarounds” lit up and the band walked on stage to “Enter Sandman” by Metallica. The band includes musicians William Lipton and Ellis on guitar and vocals, Yun on guitar, Jesse Golliher on bass and vocals and Zendé Murdock on drums.

The exhilarating show began with the song “Ghosts,” prompting fans to get off their feet and jump around. Colorful lights flashed around the room as the crowd shouted the lyrics with the band, feeding off of their high-energy.?

The Runarounds continued the show by singing tracks such as? “Sophia” and “15 Rootbeers.” The audience was ecstatic as the band also played an unreleased song, titled “Bleachers.”

Throughout the show, band members were constantly dancing, jumping and interacting with each other as well as the crowd. At one point in the show, Ellis hopped off stage and began singing to screaming fans nearby.

The colors matched the feeling of the songs throughout the night — in “Cellophane,” an upbeat song, they paired their performance with rainbow strobe lights. Ellis sang “Beautiful Stranger,” a slower, more sentimental song, which they accompanied with blue, moodier lighting.

During a brief pause in “Beautiful Stranger,” a fan in the crowd shouted “Sing it to me!” at Ellis, eliciting a small smile from him as he continued with the rest of the performance.?

The Runarounds carried on the concert with fan favorites such as? “Arrythmia,” “Shoelaces” and “Minivan.” The band also performed a cover of “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” by the Australian rock band Jet.?

After the cover, Ellis turned the attention over to the drummer, Murdock, and the crowd watched in awe as he played the drums at a phenomenally fast pace. Yun also had a moment to showcase his guitar skills during the song “Funny How the Universe Works,” which is primarily sung by Lipton.

The Runarounds’ recent single “Chasing the Good Times” also made the setlist. The song is about enjoying the present instead of trying to search for happiness too far into the future.

After playing “Senior Year,” the band said their goodbyes and left the stage before the room went dark. The audience, distraught, began shouting in unison, “One more song!”?

The band members casually strolled back on stage as the crowd erupted in cheers, telling the audience they had a few more songs to perform. They started the encore with “Valerie,” a song originally by The Zutons but popularized through Amy Winehouse’s 2007 cover.?

To cap off the night, The Runarounds performed “Downtown,” keeping the energetic tone of the concert by grooving to the music, raising their hands and, as their name suggests, running around — making for a remarkable night filled with music, laughter and moments shared with musicians who genuinely care about their fans.?

Rating: 4/5