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neck deep @ The Rave - Milwaukee

October 29th, 2024: neck deep @ The Rave - Milwaukee, WI

neck deep | Photos Courtesy of: Allie Loven

The iconic Welsh pop-punk band, Neck Deep, rolled into Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Tuesday evening of October 29, 20204 for one of their last stops on ‘The Dumbstruck Dumbf*ck North American Tour.’ The band arrived at The Rave with support from The Home Team and Super American participating in the venue’s “Halloween Concert Series.”

Neck Deep started their career in 2012 and released multiple EPs gaining traction quickly before officially signing with a label only a year later. Over the past 12 years of watching Neck Deep grow as musicians and performers, the band’s momentum, energy, and talent have never wavered. Neck Deep could arguably be considered one of the most influential pop-punk bands of the 2010s and is still maintaining that reputation even now, in 2024.

The room and balcony were filled to the brim with fans waiting in anticipation for Neck Deep to take the stage. They kicked off their set with “Dumbstruck Dumbf*ck” and a high energy level on stage. No matter how many times this band performs, every time they take the stage they offer something enticing and new while keeping fans remaining comfortable throughout their set. A few ways that were noted at The Rave on October 29th specifically was through the lead singer, Ben Barlow’s, fan and crowd interaction.

Not only did the band give an outstanding performance, but they dedicated “She’s a God” to being a “girl pit only.” In the music industry females being represented is always important, and covering this show for The Photo Ladies made that moment even more special. Not only were all the girls in the pit showing people what they brought to the table, or crowd at that, but it also brought a sense of comradery for girls in the pit. Whether someone was next to a stranger or a best friend, the girls were provided with a safe space to scream the lyrics to “She’s a God” with minimal fear of the physical backlash to join in. The snarky comments from the crowd about a “girl pit” only hurt the people making them. The girls in the Milwaukee, WI Neck Deep crowd made it known that women belong in a heavily male-dominated industry too. To ignore the inequalities in the music industry, especially with sexism would be complacency. Neck Deep has made it very clear they stand for equality and human rights all over social media and has been seen making very important statements at shows, but to experience and see it first hand is not only reassuring but also comforting for fans.

With the Milwaukee date being the third to last show on this leg, expectations from the band were unclear. Unsurprisingly, the band delivered a fully energetic set filled with 17 songs to the general admission fans, 14 were on their main setlist, but then the band also provided the fans with a three-song encore as well.. Neck Deep played a good variety of songs from their discography, even including releases from almost a decade ago. Fans new and old, whether it was their first time or hundredth time seeing Neck Deep, left in high spirits and feeling good about their night well spent.

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Tyler, the Creator, Kali Uchis, Vince Staples and Teezo Touchdown @ Fiserv Forum - Milwaukee

CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST

It was just about four years to the date from the first time I had covered Vince Staples and Tyler, the Creator. They had a tour in 2018 that had two sold-out nights at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago. Since then, I’ve been lucky enough to cover Vince Staples a handful more times before the Call Me If You Get Lost tour which has Tyler, the Creator headling, and support from the ethereal Kali Uchis, in my very biased opinion, one the best on a stage - Vince Staples, and Teezo Touchdown to kick things off.

I went up to an absolutely freezing Milwaukee to cover this show, walked into the venue during the start of a snowstorm and left with measurable snow on the ground - but that fact did not stop a single person from showing up and making as much noise as they could for each and every artist. Teezo’s set had a very midwestern garage feel to it that I’m sure most of the crowd could related to - a very DIY home improvement vibe for sure.

Kali Uchis

Vince Staples performed entirely on the b-stage, or the stage in the middle of the floor ticketed space with no set, just lights and haze. That’s all he ever honestly has needed. His ability to control a crowd’s attention based on his style has always existed, and he continues to master it on the arena-level now.

Kali Uchis was back on the main stage with a minimal set, bright and fitting lighting and her dancers who enhanced her already every perfect move. Having seen and covered Kali’s sets in various sized venues in the past, she was born to control an arena stage and crowd. In the 15 or so minutes the media had access to take photos of her, I don’t think I ever stopped because every single move was made to be captured.

…and of course the night ends with Tyler. Starting off with the crowds physically measurable anticipation, the scale and detail of the set is immediately visible, with Tyler being driven up and out of the stage to the front of the stage-sized mansion façade. A few songs in brings Tyler his speedboat to drive him to the b-stage, which just adds to the entire production - from start to finish - being put together as an experience, not merely a show one goes to and leaves at the end. The b-stage had the feel of an island, with it’s sparse vegetation, and had amazingly intimate lighting to make the entire experience feel like it’s just you and Tyler on that island. Each time Tyler moved a single inch, the crowd moved along with him till the set ended with RUNITUP.

Vince Staples

Also of major note to as far as production details - when Who Dat Boy was performed, a silhouette of A$AP Rocky could be seen in the mansions windows. One of many well-thought out production parts to this amazing tour.

Teezo Touchdown