The setting is the historic “The Rave” venue, located on 24th Street and Wisconsin Ave. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on a Friday night. The venue, The Alternative Press tour, a punk/indie tour that had a list of bands all ready to scream their hearts out for their fans. Breakdowns will happen and mosh pits will ensue. The scene is riddled with boys wearing tight jeans, women’s jeans, and mascara. Girls with chopped up hair wearing clothing that resembles their grandmothers are scattered throughout the hall, and all sorts of oddities usually associated with the “Vans Warped Tour” or other venues of the like. The show was packed with eager concert-goers.
The event, which was held on Friday, April 25, 2008, showcased several local bands including “Forever the Sickest Kids,” “Sonny,” “The Rocket Summer,” and headlining the concert was “All Time Low.” The show began at 5 p.m. and ticket pricing was listed at $22 at the door or $18 preordered. Ticket Master prices were at $20 even.
The concert opened with “Forever the Sickest Kids” from Dallas, Texas. They describe themselves as a “Rock/Powerpop/Visual” band. They took their place on a large stage in front of the crowd. The bands were surrounded on three sides by screaming fans, and there was also a balcony available for seating. The band played a very lively and energetic set to the delight of the fans.
A young Kelsey Rivers, 18, from Appleton, Wisconsin, was one of the several merchandise managers for the tour. When asked about the tour, she had this to say, “It’s just a really fun time, you get to travel, listen to music for a job and just get a glimpse of what it’s like to be a musician on tour. I’ll stick with this job for as long as I can.”
The bands all wore the usual metal band clothing, tight jeans, bright colored T-shirts, gauged ears and long shaggy hair with the facial hair to match. The lighting was dimmed on the event floor near where the band was located, as well as a moonlighting over the rest of the auditorium, just enough so that one could walk through the crowds of people who came out to hear the bands play. Every once and a while the lights would turn on and the crowd would scream. The screams of the vocalists, as well as the double bass of the drums and the ever fast guitar wizardry and piano solos even echoed throughout the place as the teens and twenty something-ers swayed to the music. Some even danced and started a few mosh pits during the metal breakdowns.
The Techno music of “Sonny” was enjoyed by some, and boos came from others as he exited the stage. The lively, energetic song and dance of “The Rocket Summer” seemed to have everyone in the place clapping along and dancing even a little bit.
The final band of the night, All Time Low, tore the place apart with their screams and sometimes vulgar language that I am sure upset the few parents who chaperoned their younger kids.
Everyone seemed to have a very good time at the event, including the bands, which all seemed very passionate about their music as they walked, almost ran, around the stage area thrusting back and forth between each note and phrase.
The event, which lasted until nearly 11 p.m. on that Friday night, was a fun time and was talked about well into the night by concert goers.
