Summerfest weekend one wrapped up, and it was a blast! There were so many phenomenal artists playing and loads of activities to do around the grounds. Absolutely no way you can’t have a great time down by the water, from the main stages to the small stages to the plethora of things to check out. I got one of my first brand invites from Drips by Pepsi, which is a collaborative project, and if you like dirty sodas, then it’s definitely a must-try for you. I was provided a full flight of all seven drinks, and while it was not a hit for me, I enjoyed trying this. Each of the drinks definitely provides a perfect moment, whether you’re looking for a super sweet treat, a refreshing sip to quench your thirst, nostalgic hits, and more! My personal favorites were the Starry Dragon Fruit Blast and Mountain Dew Spicy Citrus Smash. Don’t miss out and get yourself one while you’re down there. The little trailer will be there for the rest of the fest. 

Aside from the amount of eats and drinks you can try, there are vendors to shop from all ends of the grounds. As tradition calls, go to the little American Family House to make your custom bucket hat and fanny pack for your summer needs. But if that’s not enough, the official Summerfest shop has a “Customize Your Own T-shirt” activation as well! The offers they provide change every year, so make sure to check out this year’s designs! You can also hit up the other half of the House to party with legendary DJay Mando spinning tunes.

Now let’s talk about the music… 

DAY ONE

Kicking it off at the Uline stage for the first day and first open time slot, Barely Civil! A band that is no stranger to me, as they’re local to Milwaukee and some dear friends of mine. This was their debut at the fest and a very special moment for them. Even though they played so early in the day, the crowd slowly trickled in to watch them play. Long live Barely Civil, and thanks for playing my favorite song that I hadn’t gotten to hear live in a minute. “Year of the Dog” is an absolute banger, so go check them and their music out! 

Now I don’t know how TikTok knows, but sometimes this app KNOWS that I’m going to Summerfest and the next artist I caught popped up on my For You page just a few days prior. Her name is Avery Cochrane, and she is an ethereal queen on stage. She came out twirling with sparkly makeup, making a name for herself before she even started.

After that, I caught Post Sex Nachos! Exclusive interview with this rowdy group coming soon too! These guys came out kicking and punching, which got the pit area moving to the grooves. If anyone thinks the benches or barricades are going to stop those from moshing, then you would be mistaken because they will not.

Finally, it was 5:30 p.m., and I got to catch one of the top-tier pop queens herself, Taylor Acorn. She and guitarist Ricky Jab kicked around while giving the crowd exactly what they wanted — more energy and fun. I have been watching her really grow over the past few years, and if you haven’t had a chance to see her live, what are you waiting for?

Sometimes I like picking artists based on their name, and next, Venus & The Flytraps caught my eye. 

After a quick snack and water break, it was time for Hunny. I’ve seen him a couple of times before, and I knew he was going to bring some fun energy. The front row fans came for the party and very clearly knew his music as they screamed along word for word.

Then, of course, unfortunately, the downside to festivals with many stages is the picking and choosing who to end the night with. I picked Holly Humberstone and have absolutely no regrets. She came out smiling from ear to ear and waving to the crowd before her music kicked in. She was the cutest, and even with a smaller stature, her voice was soft yet powerful. 

Popped into the Lasso Lounge, which is where the after-party crowd is, and they were hanging with Moonbow. If you’re looking to party longer than the other crowds, make sure to hang out there.

DAY TWO

POP PUNK DAY, all you emos come unite with me as we spend a day at Uline stage for the classics of The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, State Champs, and Hot Mulligan. However, let’s back it up a bit.

Originally, KOYO was supposed to kick off the stage, but due to van problems, they got stuck in transit. Instead, local legends Tiny Voices were the first to play at 3:30 p.m. These boys are also very near and dear to me, so getting to watch them play to the biggest crowd I’ve watched them play to date was emotional. I found these boys back in 2022, and the crowd was about 20 people. This was very clearly more than that. My first photo pit for them, too, which was an insane feeling for me. 

Due to the distance of the stage from the media trailer, I did a lot of cruising around by the stage to avoid having to walk around too much. I did stop by the Miller stage to catch VIAL. This punk grunge-y band is a fun watch, as I caught them before. The creepy mic stage furbie was present, and I felt it staring into my soul.

Now, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus will actually be posted later on, so stay tuned for their full show and gallery review on The Concert Chronicles. But it was absolutely full of nostalgia, especially since they ended with “Face Down,” a crowd favorite. 

State Champs played next, and this was their first time playing this large festival. The crowd showed up, and everyone was singing at the very first note. They are also a personal favorite of mine, so after the first three, I joined the crowd in singing along. They played a good mix of songs from their older tracks to more recent ones. It was a great lineup.

Hot Mulligan closed out the stage, and over the years, this group has changed immensely. I’ve seen them several times, and they used to be a band that would simply come out to play, letting the lyrics speak for them. Lately, vocalist and frontman Tades Sanville has developed a bigger stage personality — talking to the crowd and cracking jokes. He even asked the audience if they’d break down the benches because who cares about them? I did hear that in the pit area, which had been divided in half, was pushed to the side, making it one giant area of moshing. There were crowdsurfers, which, if I’m thinking correctly, is the first official time I’ve seen a crowdsurfer show up at Summerfest. Security was ready and caught them. 

I made a beeline to catch a big name, Amyl and The Sniffers, and after about a song, all of us photographers were ushered out. Unsure what happened there – I was a little disappointed because this group was high energy, and I would have loved to grab more photos. The crowd was losing their minds for her set, and it was a killer way to end night two. 

DAY THREE 

I wasn’t super familiar with most of the artists featured on the lineup on this day, so I was popping around the grounds and checking out the fun. I was able to see Lauren Gottshall, Tobacco Road (exclusive interview coming soon), American Progress, Cigarettes @ Sunset, Colin Bracewell, Dexter & The Moonrocks, Carin León, David Lee Roth, Flipturn, and The Academy Is. It was also super humid that day, so I was making sure to stay hydrated and cooled down. After the past two days, I was feeling less energized and grabbed some coffee from Discourse’s tent to stay fueled up. Thank goodness they have a tent this year because I definitely will need caffeine for the next two weekends.

Shout-out to Tristan Wallace, drummer of American Progress, and a stage manager at Summerfest, who invited me to check out his band. They remind me a lot of Bowling for Soup, and I loved the fun inflatables on the stage. They’re local, so everyone in Milwaukee should check them out and give a listen. Dexter & The Moonrocks crowd was insane. Flipturn and The Academy Is… were mind-blowing. I had never seen either of them live, only knew of their name, and loved every second I witnessed. 

Weekend one was a blast, and I cannot wait for the next one, so stay tuned for more to come!!!