Crystal Buchberger
CONCERT REVIEW + PHOTOS
Asking Alexandria
w/ Memphis May Fire, The Word Alive, Archers
9/25/24 – The Rave – Milwaukee, WI
Review + Photos © Crystal Buchberger
Walking through a busy street in a suburb of Milwaukee, Wisconsin you can find the host for tonight’s metal concert. With a mixture of residential housing and tall, older brick buildings, it was hard to miss the large bright red and white sign that read “The Rave.” Two heavy black doors transport you through a darkly lit hallway decorated with animatronic Halloween decorations. A witch mixing her cauldron in the corner cackles as I make my way up some stairs into a room with a large stage. Multiple walls were lined with a bar and an impressive variety of beers. Fans with VIP passes have already claimed their spot at the front center stage. A line for Asking Alexandria and Memphis May Fire merch has already formed in the back corner. Walking through a side door covered in faux spider webs led me to a side room with another bar filled with people getting hyped up while holding solo cups. The merch for Archers and The Word Alive was nestled right next to the counter.
Before I knew it, the room’s lights faded, and fans enthusiastically cheered to start the night. Originating from Wisconsin, Archers comfortably made their way to the stage. Their smooth metallic sound radiated around the room and captured everyone’s attention. Local fans eagerly cheered them on the entire time they were playing, as well as when they were packing up their gear.
After a quick break, The Word Alive stormed the stage screaming, ready to show the crowd what they’ve got. The lead singer, Tyler Smith, ran around the stage, hyping everyone up even more. Guests made their way from the bar to join in on the forming mosh pit. As the last song ended, not a single person left their spot in the crowd. Everyone was filled with anticipation for the next artist.
Memphis May Fire took the place by storm with vocals that pierced through the crowd’s cheers. Between Kellen McGregor’s aggressive guitar work and Matty Mullins’ melodic singing, the set was perfect to get us ready for the main event.
Asking Alexandria’s set time was getting closer as the room filled even tighter with energetic fans. The band members swiftly flew onto the stage, excited to reveal themselves to the audience. The crowd packed in even tighter in hopes to get a closer view. The show started off with slower songs and then crescendoed into their heavier ones. Fueled with adrenaline and alcohol, the crowd never stopped to rest between songs. Even fans in the balcony stood up and raised their hands to dance and sing along.
“This is our last song” Danny Worsnop joked to the crowd, knowing that there would be an encore. The band played out the first few riffs of “The Final Episode (Let’s Change the Channel)” and the crowd screamed in unison “OH MY GOD!!!” at the top of their lungs. The mosh pit circled even larger with more veracity. Some even formed a line to can-can along to the music. Once the song ended fans chanted the customary “one more song.”
After catching a quick breather, Asking Alexandria raced back on stage. The final crowd surfers quickly pushed their way through the room to get in one last ride.
As the stage lights darkened, the main lights brightened signaling that it was time to leave. The room illuminated, revealing more spiderwebs lining the old Victorian-styled room. While some hustled their way out of the doors, most stayed behind to try their luck at catching a guitar pick. Outside revealed The Rave’s plaza and a welcoming crisp wind cooling everyone down. Many people excitedly made their way to the taco cart around the corner. Tonight’s crowd was intense and the bands were absorbing their energy. An Asking Alexandria concert was a great way to spend a Wednesday night in Wisconsin.
Check out our concert photo gallery for Asking Alexandria below:
Check out our concert photo gallery for Memphis May Fire below:
Check out our concert photo gallery for The Word Alive below:
Check out our concert photo gallery for Archers below:
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