Froge.tour

Piri met Tommy Villiers in 2020;[1] at the time, Piri was in a phase of drawing frogs and toads, and they started calling each other 'froge' (/froʊɡ/)[2] as a nickname.[3] She released a solo single produced by Villiers in 2021, "Soft Spot",[4] which went viral on TikTok and Spotify, prompting EMI to sign the pair, and re-release "Soft Spot"[5] under the name "Piri & Tommy Villiers"[6] and release "Beachin" and "Words" as Piri & Tommy. Polydor Records later signed them and released "On & On".[7] On 21 September 2022, it was announced that they would release their début album Froge.mp3, which they promoted with a nine-date tour.[8]

Piri pole-dancing at Scala

Gigwise's review of their Scala gig noted that "[Piri & Tommy we]re dressed exactly how you’d expect a Gen Z raver couple to dress: Piri’s come out on an orange halter top, short pink skirt, and chunky black trainers[, …] Tommy’s in a white shirt, white cargo pants, and appropriately frog-green sunglasses", and that "Scala's stage [wa]s replete with potted plants, a small Persian rug, […] giant mushrooms[, …] and a stripper pole for Piri";[9] Piri had learned pole dancing while studying chemistry at Lancaster University.[10] Their performances also contained beach balls and green frogs,[11] the latter of which were stolen after their Leeds gig.[12] In addition, their Scala gig featured a guest spot from Parthenope.[13]

Their Komedia gig lasted for 52 minutes;[11] The Guardian's review of said gig noted that "[a]t the front of the stage, the crowd [we]re word-perfect and vociferous enough to occasionally drown the duo out".[14] The tour was directed by musical director Charlie Deakin Davies.[2] On-stage, Piri used a TC Helicon vocal effects processor, Tommy used two guitars,[11] and the tour featured a live drummer.[11]

Piri & Tommy performing at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend

Sets included "Soft Spot",[11] "Beachin",[12] "Words",[9] "On & On",[14] album tracks "Slowly But Surely",[11] "Silver Lining",[9] "Settle",[11] and "Say It",[12] cover versions of Chic's "Everybody Dance" and Crystal Waters' "Gypsy Woman",[12] future singles[7] "Updown" and "Nice 2 Me", and "See Saw".[11]

Reviews for the tour were mixed. Reviewing the Scala gig, Gigwise described the setup as "evocative of your mate's cozy living room", and that "Piri’s pole dancing […] is pretty decent, and elicits a wild cheer from the crowd – it’s a nice alternative from a typical dance choreo"; however, they found the setup "almost a bit too on the nose – aesthetically, it's everything happening on TikTok with a hint of spice to set them apart".[9] LeftLion, on the other hand, noted that their Bodega "set simultaneously contained a feeling of relaxed, playful spontaneity while at the same time maintaining a sense of polish and cohesivity that you wouldn't expect two so early in their careers to have cracked".[12] The Guardian described their Komedia gig as "appealingly wonky, homespun fun", but noted that "there are moments when it can all feel a little too toothsome for its own good"; it also described the pair's cover of "Gypsy Woman" as "fluffy", but noted that "a distinct shard of toughness [wa]s lost in the shift from Waters’ hard-edged vocal to [Piri]’s soft coo".[14] Brighton and Hove News complimented their cover of "Everybody Dance", noting that it "[wa]s truly amazing to hear the young crowd singing along to a tune their mums would have danced to decades ago".[11]