- BOYS LIKE GIRLS
- w/ iDKHOW (I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME) + Arrows in Action
- 3/25/26 - Landmark Credit Union Live - Milwaukee, WI
- ©Crystal Buchberger
The glow of nostalgia pulsed through downtown Milwaukee as BOYS LIKE GIRLS brought “The Soundtrack Of Your Life” tour to the brand-new Landmark Credit Union Live. Walking up to the venue and seeing the brightly lit LED sign gave me flashbacks of MySpace memories, burned CDs, and late-night drives. Supported by Arrows in Action and iDKHOW, the night unfolded like a curated mixtape of eras, emotions, and memories. There was a sense, even before the first note, that this night would be something deeper.
I was hit with a wave of emotions as I walked through the entrance doors of Landmark Credit Union Live. This brand new, state-of-the-art building has been open for only one month. Immediately to the right, fans were lined up at the merch booth, flipping through tour shirts, hoodies, and vinyl. To the left, a photo booth drew a steady line, groups of friends squeezing in together, capturing snapshots that already felt nostalgic before they’d even printed. Straight ahead, the stage dominated the room, with a striking backdrop of stacked CRT televisions, their boxy silhouettes evoking a different era. Some flickered with static while others remained pitch- black.
The night began with Arrows in Action, whose energy felt like a modern reflection of the very bands that inspired them. The band got their start in 2017 after forming at the University of Florida, and have steadily built momentum with a sound that blends alt-pop, indie rock, and punchy pop-rock hooks with a glossy, ‘80s-tinged edge. They’re currently out supporting their sophomore album, I Think I’ve Been Here Before, released in 2025, a record that leans into themes of nostalgia, growth, and chasing the past while still pushing their sound forward.
Check out the Arrows in Action concert photo gallery below:
Frontman Victor Viramontes-Pattison guided the crowd through “Light Like You,” “Uncomfortably Numb,” and “Cheekbones,” each track shimmering with a sense of longing and familiarity. Their sound bridged the gap between modern alt-pop and early 2010s pop-rock, making them a fitting first chapter in the night’s time-warp narrative. Their set felt like a promise: that the spirit of this genre is far from fading.
Next came the theatrical iDKHOW, also known as I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME, led by the ever-charismatic Dallon Weekes. Blending indie rock with synth-heavy pop and a sharp ‘80s new wave influence, the band stands out for its slick production, quirky aesthetic, and offbeat storytelling.
They’re currently touring in support of their 2024 album Gloom Division, a record that pushes their sound into a more experimental, genre-blurring space, pulling in elements of art-pop, post-punk, and electronic rock while keeping that signature theatrical edge intact.
Check out the iDKHOW concert photo gallery below:
They immediately drew in the crowd by boldly starting their set with “Nobody Likes The Opening Band.” With a setlist that included “Razzmatazz,” “Do It All The Time,” and “Choke,” they transformed the stage into a surreal blend of retro aesthetics and modern angst. Weekes’ stage presence was equal parts wit and unease, keeping the crowd hooked. “Do you feel like making lies out of the people who told us not to come here?” Weekes bantered as he coached the crowd to help sing part of “Social Climb.” Between our earnest singing, he exclaimed, “Take that sons of bitches, they can sing!” in his funky and unconventional voice, dancing around the stage, using the corded microphone as a dancing partner.
By the time BOYS LIKE GIRLS finally took the stage, the room felt charged with anticipation. Three microphones stood in front of us, stacked to the brim with picks just waiting to be thrown. The room darkened, and all the CRT TVs started flickering, switching between static, memories, and blackness. Frontman Martin Johnson, alongside guitarist Jamel Hawke, bassist Gregory James, and drummer John Keefe, emerged to a roar of screaming fans nearly loud enough to collapse the brand new building. His presence was both familiar and revitalized as he broke into their opening song, “Heart Heart Heartbreak.”
Formed in Massachusetts in 2004, Boys Like Girls quickly carved out a place in the mid-2000s pop-rock wave with their 2006 self-titled debut, landing hits like “Hero/Heroine” and “The Great Escape” that became staples of the era. They followed with 2009’s Love Drunk, featuring “Two Is Better Than One,” which pushed them further into the mainstream. After lineup changes and a long stretch of on-and-off activity, the band reemerged in the 2020s with new material and touring momentum – but it’s the early catalog that still hits hardest, with fans holding onto those songs like they never left rotation.
“It is an honor and a privilege to play these records back to back for you,” Johnson said as he held his hand over his heart. The band played through the entirety of both Love Drunk and Boys Like Girls in chronological order, just as if we were listening to them back at home on the original record. Fans jumped, shouted, and sang with abandon, as the songs “Chemicals Collide,” “Two Is Better Than One,” “Hero/Heroine,” and “Five Minutes to Midnight” filled the concert hall.
Martin Johnson took the lead at interacting with the crowd, reminiscing on past relationships and the creation of how BOYS LIKE GIRLS got started on their music back in 2004, living together in a converted attic with a mini fridge and a converted bedroom separated by a rug they found on the street. Back when AOL Messenger was the main form of communication for the young, his crush had changed her away message to “Your voice is the soundtrack of my summer,” inspiring the name of this very tour and leading into playing an acoustic version of “Thunder.”
The crowd was jumping and holding their hands up as high as possible while concert picks flew through the air. “I love you guys so much,” Johnson said as he threw an entire handful of picks at the pit. Meanwhile, Hawke and James were launching them as far as they could, even making it up to the second level, making sure no one in the crowd went home without one. The audience reacted instantaneously, reaching, shouting, and scrambling their way toward the goal of a once-in-a-lifetime souvenir.
Check out the BOYS LIKE GIRLS concert photo gallery below:
As BOYS LIKE GIRLS closed with a mashup of “The Great Escape” and “Love Drunk,” the entire venue seemed to shake. Fans jumped, screamed, and held onto the moment as tightly as they could, knowing it would end but hoping the feeling wouldn’t. And in a way, it won’t. Because nights like this don’t really fade. Fans lingered long after the lights came up for their last chance to catch a concert pick. For one night at Landmark Credit Union Live, past and present collided into something unforgettable.
