And just like that… there were only three more days to go!

It was another hot weekend for the people of Milwaukee, with potential rain showers in the forecast. 

DAY SEVEN: I’m sad to report that I was not able to catch Benson Boone, so not only did I miss capturing his backflips on camera, but I didn’t even get to witness it happening – a true bummer! Other attendees raved about his performance all through the rest of the weekend, and my FOMO was at all time high. I was, however, able to photograph his amazing openers, The Aces and Bishop Briggs – more on them later!

July 3 was a big day for the local Milwaukee and surrounding area’s music scene, with nearly every act I saw — excluding the amphitheatre acts — being from Wisconsin. It was heartwarming to witness the crowds show up for these local bands, whether they knew who they were or not. 

My day kicked off with a band named Oh Geeez, Not Again, recommended to me by a friend. Their Autumn-themed stage setup was super cute, with little leaves attached to their mic stands and fall colors for their stickers. A family member, I assume, was in the crowd handing out tree-shaped cookies to fans, packed with a sticker as a sweet token of appreciation for coming to their set. Their energy was welcomed, and they even played a cover of “All The Small Things” by Blink-182, which included a big crowd sing-along, because who doesn’t know the words to it? Nothing against you if you don’t, but everyone present was jamming out.

Up next was Bug Moment and Chapped Lips, two local favorites that I have seen before at different street festivals and at a lot of the DIY venues in the area. The people of Milwaukee know them well, and the BMO Pavilion was filling up just for them. 

Between sets, I stopped by the Lasso Lounge to check out a former co-worker and friend, Tanner Bliesner — also known as Moonbow. A local EDM DJ, Moonbow performed several sets during the festival, and I had the great pleasure of interviewing him that day as well, so stay tuned for the exclusive content! He’s played Summerfest a few times and performs sets all over the city, so if you like EDM or Country EDM, he’s an artist you’ll want to party with. 

My last set of the night was for Trash Pandas. I caught them just last month at the X-Ray Arcade for Milwaukee Metal Pride Fest, and while scheduling was tight, I was able to make it over to their stage for a couple songs. They’re from the Green Bay area and absolutely know how to rock a stage. They were playing the WAMI stage, which is just one of the many locally sponsored stages on the Summerfest grounds. There is a grand total of 13 stages plus the amphitheater main stage, but then there are also dozens of smaller ones scattered around. You are literally surrounded by music every step of the way at Summerfest. 

DAY EIGHT: Today was the day I was undeniably the most excited for – We Came As Romans was playing in the amphitheater, a band that I’ve been following for years but have not had the chance to photograph just yet. This was the day it was going to happen, but you’ll have to wait for that content – it’s coming soon!

The first band I caught played at noon sharp. Capital Soiree popped up on my TikTok For You Page, and I figured why not – it says they’re from Chicago, let’s check them out! Lo and behold, I enjoyed watching them play and they’re coming back to Milwaukee later this month. I guess I should see if I can make it, right?

I did not have quite a full packed schedule of music for this day. After the morning set, I planned to scope the grounds and take photos of the activities. It was July 4, which is free admission pretty much all day and one of the busiest days for foot traffic. I spent the afternoon on the Sky Glider, Ferris Wheel, and walking all over for photos. It was a pretty humid day, so I also camped out in the trailer for essential AC and water breaks. One of the highlights was watching the local comedy group ComedySportz perform improv in the park, featuring The Concert Chronicles’ very own Kelsie Barlow. She’s one of the other Milwaukee contributors, and I’m so glad that this outlet in the music industry has connected us.

With the intense heat in the air, the day sizzled on until the sun finally set. Around 9 p.m., an impressive drone show lit up the sky which could be seen from all around the area, but depending on your angle, it was a bit hard to experience it in all its glory. Fireworks from surrounding neighborhoods added a chaotic charm to the spectacle. I am curious to see if Summerfest will bring the drones back next year or pivot back to traditional fireworks, which have become a crowd favorite over the years.

After that, I made my way over to US Cellular stage where Alex Warren was set to play at 10:15 p.m. Alex Warren has been taking the world by a storm, and his crowd was packed in by the time he was ready to take stage. The look on his face when he walked out to play said it all. He was star struck from how many people were there to see him. You could feel all the love as the crowd sang along to every song, word for word. He could hardly believe it as he kept telling the crowd how amazed he was by this incredible support. I’m sure he’s only going to keep getting bigger from here on out.

Before heading out, I swung by to catch Moonbow’s last set for this year’s Summerfest. His friends and family were all there to support, as well as passersby from the previous set. I didn’t stay too long since it was getting late, but rest assured Moonbow kept the ongoing fourth of July party celebratory as the night closed out.

DAY NINE: The LAST day. I could hardly believe I made it this far… Sheesh. Exhausted, sore, and a bit sunburnt, I was feeling beat, but I had to go and see this last day through to the very end. Weather was calling for rainstorms all day, and miraculously, the storms held off – until the very end.

The day was stacked for the metal and punk fans with acts like Rivals, Bloodywood, Jiinjer, and The Warning. But before I get into them, let’s talk about Would You Kindly?.

I met a few of the band members a couple years ago when I was photographing Sad Summer Fest at The Rave/Eagles Club. They were standing by the barricade on stage right, and handed me their business card. I held on to that and when the full lineup came out for Summerfest 2025, I saw their name listed. I told myself that I had to see them perform and attempt to sit down for an interview with them. Both of those things happened, so be on the lookout for the interview!

The set began at noon under the scorching sun, but their crowd filled in as soon as doors opened at 12 p.m. sharp. Granted, some of the fans were there hoping to secure a spot extra early for the headliner that night — none other than the iconic BABYMETAL. I, unfortunately, did not make it to their set that night, but each time I passed the stage, I saw the crowd growing more and more massive with each new performer despite being in direct sunlight for another hot 90 degree day.

Would You Kindly? had a phenomenal set that captured the early crowd’s attention. I especially loved how colorful vocalist Gina Marie was on stage with her blue hair, sparkly outfit, and matching makeup. She danced gracefully and with purpose, accompanied by her mates on guitar, bass, violin, and cello. Their drummer, Haven Wells, was tucked in the back so she was a little harder to see, but she sported equally striking makeup that made her stand out nonetheless. Each of them were stellar, bringing together such diverse instruments for one complete and beautiful sound. I can’t say too much more because you’ll get that in the interview, so come back for that!

Nathan Smith, another contributor at The Concert Chronicles, recently covered a band called Coral Moons, and he informed me a few days prior that they were on the lineup. Thanks to some quick rearranging on my schedule, I was able to make it to their set. I loved their aesthetic and vibes, sort of an indie-rock feeling. Vocalist Carly Kraft’s outfit was super cute and her smile was contagious as she swayed around the stage. 

Then came Rivals. I had seen and photographed this duo before, and I was super excited to see them again. Vocalist Kalie Wolfe is one of those female singers that possesses such a prominent voice unique to her and the band’s polished production. One second she’s singing sweetly and the next she’s screaming growls in the microphone. Her movements matched the band’s sound as she spun, headbanged, and kicked on stage. She even came down briefly on the speakers right in front of me. 

The energy was expected to keep growing, and I was set up for some more heavy bands when I meandered onto Bloodywood next. Their bass was absolutely insane – I felt it reverberating deep in my throat as I stood in front of the speakers. They all headbanged in sync, with a synergy in the band that echoed into the audience. I love that Summerfest is highlighting more metal acts as Milwaukee has a vibrant scene in demand of the genre. A mosh pit broke out in the VIP area, which is not a very big area to begin with, but that tiny enclosed section opened as far as they could when the band requested it. And when a band asks to see a pit open, you do as they say.

I took a breather before the final two rocking acts to see Saxsquatch. His name says it all: it’s a saxophone played in a sasquatch outfit. I overheard someone in the crowd saying, “Big Foot is real and he plays the saxophone,” which made me laugh. It was nothing but good vibes in the crowd of dancing and head bobs. 

Jinjer was next, and if you don’t already know of them, let me tell you, Jinjer is amazing. Their vocalist, Tatiana Shmayluk, came out kicking with energy and left nothing behind. She’s another female vocalist in the rock scene that is truly an inspiration and is so breathtaking to listen to, whether she’s singing or growling into the microphone. Her outfit was also perfect – who says you can’t wear a dress and play in a metalcore band? 

I took a much needed dinner break after catching their set and got a gyro sandwich, which was so delicious. I saw someone eating it early and knew I had to try one myself before the day ended. Needless to say, my mouth was watering. It hit the spot and I devoured it like I hadn’t eaten in days — spoiler, I hadn’t eaten in about eight hours, which I do not recommend doing at a festival this massive. I was just so sluggish most of the day, I wasn’t thinking to eat much, which was a mistake. I made sure to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated in the heat, but here’s my friendly festival reminder: Stay hydrated, eat some protein, and rock out with no inhibitions. As fun as the festival experience is, it can be a lot, both mentally and physically. 

I entered a photo pit for the very last time for Summerfest 2025. It was bittersweet. My body was done, but at the same time, my mind wasn’t ready for this to be over. Every other photographer in there was hyping each other up about how we made it and it was our last band – what a moment. What a crazy past three weeks this entire time has been, and I am incredibly grateful for all of it. 

Anyways, back to the last band, The Warning. The Warning was amazing, to put it simply. The stage setup was a little rough since they are only a three-piece band, each was spread out fairly far from each other. Regardless, the members made sure to be seen no matter where they were. The crowd was jumping and singing along. About halfway through their third song, the rain began. It started off slow and then it turned to a pour, but that did not scare anyone off. The crowd stayed the whole set and by the time they finished, everyone was soaked. It was a mad rush to leave the grounds, but the refreshing moment of rain after the hot day was a cinematic ending. A perfect way to wrap the last nine days of pure, chaotic fun with a bow. 

Here’s to Summerfest 2025 – thanks for a good time and endless memories!