Another full weekend of music and fun in the sun at Summerfest grounds. There’s still one more to go! But for now, here’s a recap from the second weekend!

Full disclosure: my week had been stressful as my husband and I had to rush our cat, Merlin, to the vet a couple times that week, so I was pretty scatterbrained most of this weekend. It did mean I had to skip a few sets and postpone an interview for my own mental health. I am happy to say that Merlin is on the upside of healing and back to his silly old self. 

DAY FOUR: It started off extra rainy. My walk from the bus to the check-in building had me dripping. I came prepared with a poncho and it kept most of me dry. After that, most of the day was dry and humid. There were raindrops here and there, but no storm as the forecast had originally promised, thankfully. I unfortunately forgot to pack my laptop. However, security was understanding and allowed my husband to drop it off to me later that evening so I could start edits and back up files before the end of the night.

My day was scheduled and filled to the brim. Local pop-punk band Avenues kicked off my morning. Before they started, there were classic pop-punk anthems playing over the speakers, so I was vibing. The house music enhanced the anticipation of the evening ahead. It was a good set, overall. After them, I was blessed to catch the rising pop-punk princess, Neriah. She was so charismatic on stage with her soft but powerful voice and spectacular outfit. I loved her. 

My next stop was the American Family Insurance House (AmFam House), which is one of my favorite parts of the festival. It’s limited to the first 200 to 300 people in line, and it’s a special acoustic set by one of the stage headliners.

Before they take the stage, you get to meet the hype man of the room, Chris. Chris brings so much ardor and always is dressed to impress. He’s amazing. Today’s special guest for the 4 p.m. slot was Mayday Parade.

Spoiler alert: there were a lot of pop-punk artists on this day’s lineup, and I was here for it. Pop-punk is my main vibe.

Their set was perfect. Vocalist Derek Sanders started off on stage by himself for one song and then brought the rest of the band out for the remainder of the set. Fans were packed in tightly so they could be as close to the stage as possible.

P.S. The first 50 fans in line get rewarded with a lanyard and a special meet and greet after the set, so plan your time wisely if there’s someone you want to see this coming weekend.

After that, I caught Lille Venn’s set and their lead vocalist’s name is Helene Brunæs. She’s from Singapore, grew up in Norway, and is currently residing in New York City. The name “Lille Venn” translates from Norwegian to “little friend” in English, which is exactly what her performance embodied – the joy of spending time with a friend. She was resounding from the get go, so full of confidence and vitality that it caught me off guard. I loved her set, her voice, her vibes, her outfit, everything! Women in the rock scene are here to stay and I can’t wait to see her go places! 

Next up were pop punk royalty, The Summer Set and The Maine. These two bands are so predominant in the scene and everybody loves them. The Maine are currently celebrating twenty years of being a band, which is such a milestone for them. I remember seeing them celebrate their sweet 16, which was a blast! Vocalist John O’Callaghan even came into the crowd to sing with an audience member.

After, I caught DEVO, in hopes of photographing their playful little hats. Unfortunately, they were not wearing them when they came out on stage, so I did not capture any photos of it. I later found out they put them on towards the end as a surprise in the set. Disappointing, honestly – but it was an incredible performance from the new wave heavyweights.

I left DEVO early to try to make it to another stage showcasing Gavin Adcock. Gavin Adcock is a country artist who has definitely gained momentum fast. His crowd was packed in and chanting before he even took stage. I had been introduced to him by my job and was prepared for another high-energy performance. He came out blazing and the crowd screamed for him. 

To wrap up the day, I got to see Mayday Parade again. They know how to win the crowd over from start to finish. I especially love seeing Derek Sanders perform “Miserable at Best” on the piano. This version is just so much more emotional and you can see it in the crowd. A handful of people were waving their phone flashlights around. It was perfect.

DAY FIVE: This day was about choices, and man, I hate to pick between sets, but you can’t be in two places at once, sadly. The Killers were set to play the amphitheater that night and unfortunately are strictly no media, so I stuck to the park grounds for most of the day. I did, however, catch their openers, Cold War Kids. More on their set later, though. Stay tuned for that exclusive gallery!

I started off with local rockers, Alley Eyes. I got to hang out with some friends before their set, which was awesome because with my work schedule, it makes it hard sometimes to catch up with people. And that’s part of what makes Summerfest so important to the Milwaukee region; the way it fosters community.

Alley Eyes are a riot, and if you’re in the Milwaukee area, be sure to check them out! After them, I caught another local band named Ladybird. Milwaukee has such a big local music scene, and I love seeing festivals like Summerfest supporting them. 

Next up were People R Ugly and Return to Dust. I’d never seen either of them, and I had barely even heard of them, but they were both super entertaining to watch. People R Ugly had some fun backdrops on the screen, changing them from song to song. I met a few fans at Return to Dust who told me they bring good energy and are fun to watch. They were right, and I was not disappointed. From the hair flips to jumping around the stage, they carried a rhythm that ignited the space from the inside out.

To kill some time, I stopped by the SportZone for some BMX Sports demonstrations. They were super cool to watch and, honestly, I wouldn’t hate trying it out, but I don’t think I’m capable of doing extreme sports like that anytime soon.

After watching a bit, I headed on over to see Motion City Soundtrack close out for the night. The crowd was packed in and ready for them. Vocalist Justin Pierre stationed himself behind the mic stand for most of the performance, letting the music speak for itself. Stripped down or not, they were still brilliant and I love their music, even if the stage design felt a bit lackluster.

DAY SIX: Between the heat, my excruciatingly long week, and the lack of sleep from editing content all night, I was so exhausted by this day. I was woken up at 6 a.m. by loud noises outside my house after going to bed at 2 a.m. It was going to be a long day; however, my schedule was not quite as full, offering more reprieves than most. 

I was able to watch The Fray play the AmFam House and no, I was not crying when they played my favorite song, “Never Say Never.” Fans screamed along to it and “How to Save a Life” while lead vocalist Joe King held the mic out towards the crowd, grinning from ear to ear. He even dedicated several of the songs to the babies out in the crowd. It was such a cute moment to watch and photograph. 

After a brief lunch break, I went to see Dogpark. They had a giant group up front just headbanging and screaming along to their set in excitement. It was so cool to see fans like this just having the time of their lives without any inhibitions. Music is a kind of magic that needs no tricks.

I also caught Allison Mahal, who I saw play at a local street fest last year, and I remember her having such an ethereal voice. I ran into a friend playing the drums for her set that I met at a different show for a different band. Crazy! What a small world it is sometimes – so fun to see familiar faces around unexpectedly. 

After them was Smallpools, who brought a vital spark to the stage and owned every jump that made the crowd go nuts! Sean Scanlon, the lead singer, even went down to the barricade to interact with the crowd for a bit. I thought he was going to fall at some point!!

Then, after some editing and snack breaks, it was time for the headliners of the night. First up, I was going to catch The Fray for their main set.

The band came out one by one and waved to the crowd as everyone was cheering with anticipation. The band kicked it in immediately, and the crowd poured their hearts out for the band.

My last band for the night was Young the Giant, who were a relatively new discovery for me. I was informed by a few that they delivered a tight, killer set, and they did indeed. The atmosphere shimmered with joy and movement. The crowd did not disappoint – they came to light the night up; and they did. As I was leaving the stage, I got to listen to them play their song “Cough Syrup,” which I totally forgot was by them and is now stuck in my head. Ooops! I didn’t realize I already had their music in the back of my mind, but discovering old favorites is only part of the memory a festival unlocks.

Overall, weekend two was a whirlwind of sound, sun, and unforgettable memories, but I’m surely tired. Summerfest continues for one final weekend – three more days to go! Stay tuned for more!