Crystal Buchberger
CONCERT REVIEW + PHOTOS
Underoath, Static Dress , Graysea
10/4/24 – The Rave – Milwaukee, WI
Review + Photos ©Crystal Buchberger
Traffic was heavy on October 4th as I rolled up to The Rave in Milwaukee, WI on a slightly chilly Friday evening for the They’re Only Chasing Safety 20th Anniversary Tour featuring Underoath, Static Dress, and Graysea. Many crew members were directing the flow of traffic as cars attempted to squeeze into their parking spaces. Tonight’s venue booked out all three levels of their building, requiring staff to be prepared for an extremely wild night. Around the corner of a tall brick building stood staff directing the flow of the crowd. Underoath’s fans were being herded through the entrance, as the line for the next event was already overfilling the sidewalk.
The walkways were meticulously laid out. Frequent flyers flew through the hallway while newbies were helpfully guided by staff. Down a walkway, up some stairs, outside through a plaza, back inside again, then up some more stairs lead you to the stage.
The room was already packed full of locals getting pumped up for the opening band, Graysea. As the lights dimmed for the first time tonight, the crowd screamed as their own representation of Milwaukee made their way on the stage. Their set successfully hyped-up the crowd and prepared them for the rest of the night.
In between sets, many people took their place in line for some merch in the back right corner. Multiple crowd members were already holding posters and breaking in their new favorite band-t. The line remained long and strong, even as Static Dress made their way to the stage.
Olli Appleyard’s strong vocals and stage presence sucked in the audience. A mosh pit quickly formed while the fans at the barricade reached out their hands for a chance to catch a guitar pick. As their set wrapped up, the crowd was finally closer to see who they came for, Underoath.
Smoke filled the stage, seeping out into the crowd. The anticipation made the time tick by more slowly as the room became engulfed in the white fog. Lights dimmed to the point where we couldn’t even see the members of Underoath walk onto the stage. A soft orange glow illuminated Spencer Chamberlain’s silhouette as he softly sang the opening lyrics to “Some Will Seek Forgiveness, Others Escape.”
If the crowd was rowdy before, they exploded with unhinged exhilaration for the start of Underoath’s set. Slowly, more members were illuminated on stage. Before we knew it, stage lights flooded the crowd and the music intensified.
The first half of the set was dedicated to their album They’re Only Chasing Safety in celebration of the 20th anniversary of its release. Old-school fans sang along to every song without skipping a beat. A couple of songs in, the band started calling out to members of the crowd to make their way to the stage. A single pale yellow couch was placed in the center, right between Aaron Gillespie on drums and Christopher Dudley on keyboard. One of the few lucky attendees who was picked for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity was a small 10-year-old boy rocking a pink mohawk. If this boy wasn’t a fan before, he sure was now.
“We have two more songs left,” yelled Spencer Chamberlain, before launching into “When the Sun Sleeps.” The ferocity of the mosh pit kept circling, even between songs. When the last chords of their final song, “Writing on the Walls,” rang out and the house lights illuminated, the crowd flooded back outside. While exiting you could feel the sound waves from the other concert that was still playing above us. The slightly chilly breeze engulfed us as we made our way back to our cars, snapping us back into reality. Tonight’s show was a concert to remember.
Check out the Underoath concert photo gallery below:
Check out the Static Dress concert photo gallery below:
Check out the Graysea concert photo gallery below:
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