On December 6, the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee was packed with a sold-out crowd of 11,000 people for Machine Gun Kelly’s (MGK) “Lost Americana Tour.” Walking into the arena, you could feel the excitement buzzing through the air as fans were dressed in their MGK merch and pop-punk best. I was feeling especially excited myself, as this was my second-ever arena shoot, my first-ever sold-out arena show, and I heard that MGK puts on a fantastic show – I heard right. 

Opening the show was Julia Wolf, an up-and-coming artist who blends angelic vocals, emo and electronic melodies, and her love for the Twilight Saga. I’ve been following Julia’s music for a little over a year, and I’ve loved watching it grow. Getting the chance to photograph and hear her live was incredibly exciting. As the lights dimmed, her guitarist started playing a familiar, intoxicating guitar riff that I recognized from “Wings,” her new collaboration with RJ Pasin. Continuing themes of Twilight, a pre-recorded voice boomed over the music, saying, “Julia Wolf, where the hell have you been loca?” Using this popular reference from Twilight and putting a spin on it was a hilarious and attention-grabbing way to start her show. 

With lights strobbing about the stage, Julia Wolf entered and began the set with her song “Loser,” one of many songs played from her 2025 album, Pressure. “Loser” has an intense energy that is contagious, and playing it as an opening song just felt right. Julia’s voice and musical stylings are reminiscent of Evanescence, and she brings a modern metal twist and 2000s nostalgia all at once in her songs. Julia continued her set with more awe-striking songs, including “Kill You Off,” “Jennifer’s Body,” which she dedicated to none other than Megan Fox, “DOG HOUSE,” part of a collaboration with Drake, and “Wishbone.” Julia Wolf sounds just as ethereal live as she does in her recorded music, and her performances are so striking that she gains new fans with each opening set. Her set concluded with “In My Room,” which went viral this year for being “Twilight-coded” and being used in several edits of the iconic movie. Julia Wolf was the perfect opener for an artist like MGK, and seeing her perform live was unforgettable.

Somehow, I was so mesmerized by Julia Wolf’s set that I didn’t notice the giant arm holding a cigarette sticking out of the curtain, but that was my first indication that Machine Gun Kelly was about to wow all 11,000 of us with an elaborate and high-production show. The arena blacked out, and the words “lost americana” flashed on a screen above the stage, and the curtain lowered, revealing a gigantic statue of the head of the Statue of Liberty. Suddenly, the arm sticking out of the curtain made sense. As I was processing the elaborate set in front of me, MGK started emerging from Lady Liberty’s open mouth with a billow of smoke, and a guitar lowered from the ceiling met his grasp. The opening riff of “outlaw overture” started playing, and with the deafening screams of thousands of fans, the show began. 

The production of this show was insane, and it was my first time photographing a show that utilized pyrotechnics, background dancers, and huge set pieces. MGK has a magnetic energy that can’t help but make you smile, and he used this energy to engage the crowd as he started the show with songs like “starman” and “don’t wait run fast.” MGK also showed off a Milwaukee Bucks championship belt that was gifted to him by the venue for selling out the arena, which was really cool to see. The show picked up speed, and the crowd was treated with a full playthrough of his album, tickets to my downfall, in celebration of the record’s five-year anniversary. This album was such a staple in my life during the pandemic era, and iconic songs like “drunk face” and “forget me too” were played. During forget me too he brought up a young fan onstage who he met earlier in the day at a pop-up at the Harley-Davidson Museum. She was sitting in the lower bowl seats, and it was really cool that he was able to keep his promise to her, find her, bring her up onstage to sing and dance with him, and make what’s likely to be one of her first concerts into a core memory. 

One thing I loved about this concert was how connected Machine Gun Kelley was to his audience, even though he was playing for a sold-out arena. It’s a challenge to make every audience member feel special, but he has a way of connecting and relating that is rare. In a moment of hype, MGK expressed his affection for his Milwaukee fans: “Aw hell yea my cheese curds, I love it here,” MGK said, then explaining that we are more than just cheese curds, but that’s how we all start. This was a funny moment that sticks out in my head, and was even more endearing when he, shortly after, came out wearing a pink cheesehead. During “bloody valentine,” his dancers tied him up and taped his mouth while several fans were brought up to sing the song with him and dance onstage. Some of these fans included children, who were holding up signs to get noticed; it’s safe to say they worked. MGK had fans’ jaws drop when he played “no cell phones in rehab” for the first time. It’s a previously unreleased song that now makes an appearance on the newly released extended edition of tickets to my downfall. During this song, MGK made his way into the pit, walking the perimeter to get to a B-stage towards the back of the arena. 

On the B-stage, MGK had a vulnerable moment with the audience about the struggles that inspired his songs, and played hits such as “Candy” (snippet), “don’t let me go,” and “Lonely Road.” He also played covers of NF’s “WHO I WAS” and Zach Bryan’s “Sun to Me.” After he made his way back to the mainstage, he joined Julia Wolf on a suspended platform to sing “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls. It was a beautiful performance, and his voice blends perfectly with Julia’s. The concert continued with hits like “my ex’s best friend,” “cliche,” and finished the concert with “vampire diaries.” Something that I’ve heard a lot of people say about Machine Gun Kelly is that he’s over-hated and underrated, which, after experiencing his live show, is something I would have to agree with. Seeing MGK live is overwhelming in all the best ways, and how much he cares about the fan experience exudes through his performance. “The Lost Americana” tour will take a short break for the holidays, resume in February, and run through July 1. If you’re debating getting tickets, just do it. MGK will put on a show you won’t forget.