Fresh off the heels of its debut album, indie-rock band Friko set off on its first tour across America on April 6. The band is comprised of Evanston Township High School alumni Niko Kapetan on vocals and guitar and Bailey Minzenberger on drums.
Friko encapsulates the spirit of Chicagoland’s rich musical heritage while carving out a unique sound. Their debut album “Where we’ve been, Where we go from here,” released on Feb. 16, explores the essence of Chicago, Kapetan said. The album takes a deep dive into the members’ experiences growing up in the area.
The band’s sold-out show at Wrigleyville’s Metro on March 1 marked a significant milestone in its musical journey. Now, Friko is leaving its beloved hometown for a coast-to-coast tour.
Kapetan, the band’s frontman, said Friko’s music has a deep connection to his upbringing in the city.
“I think (our inspiration) comes from growing up and loving a lot of Chicago bands,” Kapetan said. “Chicago has been a great city to grow up in, and we just love all the people in the scene here. It just feels right to just be like, ‘yeah, we’re Chicago.’”
While at ETHS, Kapetan and Minzenberg both played in bands with classmate Jackson Hamrick. Hamrick stayed in touch with the band after graduation and began to work with them as their audio engineer. Now, 10 years after their meeting, Hamrick will continue to support Friko remotely as it tours the country.
Hamrick said his friendships with Kapetan and Minzenberg made for a natural transition to his work with the band.
“We both grew up in Evanston, and we were both very musically minded people, so we just kind of naturally connected,” he said. “I’m really proud of them, and I’m happy that I get to be a part of it.”
Alice Avery, who works with Friko as a video content director, also attended ETHS but only became involved with the band through a serendipitous social media connection. Avery saw a video of Kapetan playing live on Instagram and was inspired to attend one of the band’s live shows in Evanston.
At the time, Avery didn’t realize most of the songs she heard in the show would end up on the band’s debut album three years later.
“They’ve been working on those songs for a really long time,” she said. “It’s been a really cool process to watch. They are definitely very dedicated, and they try to be honest with the music that they make and also just how they behave in general. They’re real people.”
Kapetan said the band is excited to keep sharing that honesty throughout its tour in the months ahead. The band started its tour in Lakewood, Ohio, on April 6, and the tour includes 27 stops before Kapetan and Minzenberger return to Chicago, where they’ll make their Lollapalooza debut in August.
Kapetan said he feels excited for the journey ahead.
“We always love playing,” he said. “I’m just excited to see different places and experience new things.”

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