What started out as a beautiful Saturday evening in Columbus, Ohio, eventually turned into a torrential downpour. However, the historically turbulent Ohio weather didn’t stop hundreds of people from gathering at Newport Music Hall to catch an insane seven-band lineup. And even though I was soaking wet from head to toe, it didn’t stop me either.

It’s rare that a tri-headliner event makes its way around North America, but even more rare that a triple-headline bill has four openers. Doors for this show opened at 5 p.m., and I can safely say that’s a record for the earliest I’ve arrived at a show. Our musical acts for the evening were rosecoloredworld, Oxymorrons, The Haunt, Guardin, MISSIO, ThxSoMch, and WesGhost.

My younger sister asked me several months ago, back in 2025, if I was into WesGhost. At the time, I wasn’t, but after giving him a listen, I told her I’d keep him on my radar for future shows. Lo and behold, later that year, they announced the “Hollow Crown Tour” with an insane lineup including some of my favorite artists I covered in 2025.

Due to some unfortunate circumstances, I wasn’t able to catch the first opener’s set. I heard from crowd-goers and photographers alike that their set was good, and if I could tell anything by their aesthetic, it’s that they were incredible.

Oxymorrons were next, and what a surprise they were, giving the crowd lots of energy; they really heated up the night. Their guitar player was particularly excessive with his dance moves and was hence dubbed “the silly guy” by the people I was chatting with.

After their set, we had The Haunt, who, much like their name, were hauntingly beautiful. As one of the only bands on the lineup with a female vocalist, I was enthralled both by their sound and their stage presence. The band is composed of siblings Anastasia and Maxamillion Haunt, who were both mesmerizing. Anastasia’s flowy dress and killer stare left me wanting more after their set was done.

Each band on the bill tonight had a wide variety of members. Guardin was up next and was our only soloist of the night. The people in the crowd who knew his songs sang at the top of their lungs, and they were my favorite part of his set. The stage was almost completely empty during his time, and I wish he had a drummer or backing guitars to really bring up the energy of his live performance. But all in all, it was a well-rounded setlist and made for a perfect transition into our headlining acts.

MISSIO. MISSIO has always been a band that has been around in my life. They dropped a new album last year, as well as a tour, which I have covered previously, so I was ecstatic to see them perform live again on a bigger stage, and it’s safe to say they did not disappoint. Their presence felt larger and more energetic on the bigger stage. They had more room to move and get the crowd going. Playing songs from both newer and older albums, as well as my personal favorite, “Sing To Me,” they gave the crowd an incredible show. I truly think MISSIO was the perfect fit for this tour, and I hope to catch them again soon.

After the incredible show MISSIO put on, it was time for our next headliner. ThxSoMch took the stage like a burst of energy, riling up the crowd with screaming, jumps, and water. If you were in the front row, you were also signed up for the splash zone, as the artist sprayed at least three bottles of water all over the crowd. ThxSoMch kept the energy high and the songs emotional as he played his set. Overall, it was a wonderful performance, and I was really pleased with the range of songs he played.

Before our next headliner played, I spilled the beans to my sister that I was photographing one of her favorite artists, to which she responded, “AHHH ILYYY.” Her hype was very much warranted. Despite his aesthetic, WesGhost covers a wider style of music than you might expect. The show was incredibly wonderful, from the dramatic opening monologue by his guitarist to the intense expressions his drummer conveyed. I thoroughly enjoyed every second. I can imagine it’s difficult to create a show where you can really connect with fans as a masked performer, but WesGhost didn’t seem to struggle; his emotions were conveyed through the mask, and the audience was captivated.

I’m eternally grateful my sister put me onto these artists, because the night was truly incredible. Although my socks and shoes were completely soaked, I enjoyed every second of each artist and am secretly hoping for a part two of this tour so I can sing my heart out in the middle of the crowd.

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