THE TOUR

BUS

COME TO BRAZIL!

THE FRONT LOUNGE

REVIEWS. KINDA LIKE REACTION VIDEOS...BUT, WITH WORDS

Milwaukee Metal Fest 2025: A relentless weekend of riffs, community, and chaos

photos and review by Tim Gutknecht

Milwaukee Metal Fest 2025 roared back into the Midwest from May 16–18, bringing three days of unrelenting heavy music to The Rave/Eagles Club in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Under the stewardship of Hatebreed’s Jamey Jasta, the festival draws fans from across the globe to celebrate the genre’s rich diversity and unrelenting mosh pits. With a stacked lineup of icons, emerging talent, and a deeply rooted DIY spirit, MMF 2025 proved itself, once again, as one of the most vital festivals in metal. From circle pits to craft beer, intimate meet-and-greets to massive headlining sets, this year’s edition was more than a festival — it was a full-spectrum celebration of heavy music culture.

THE DAY SHEET

UPCOMING TOURS. CLICK ON A POSTER FOR DATES AND TICKET LINKS

slaughter-to-prevail-whitechapel-attila-2026-tour-dates-821x1024

1/1

IronMaiden-2026_NA-Dates_2160x2700_V2-copy-resized-1

1/1

DON'T SHIT ON THE BUS

RAW AND HONEST TAKES ON ALL THINGS INDUSTRY

with George Pirounakis

Opinion

THE ILLUSION OF THE DAY OFF
Why You’re Never Really Off Tour Until You’re Home (and Even Then…)

Everyone loves to romanticize the “day off” on tour, but the reality isn't that romantic.

Opinion

DIY, Bitterness & The Echo Chamber of Old Farts

Old farts stuck in their outdated glory days love to throw shade at anyone doing better than them.

Opinion

You’re Not Unprofessional. You’re Just Not Abusable.

In the touring world, being “professional” often just means being easy to exploit.

Opinion

TO VENUES & PROMOTERS: WE’RE NOT THAT HARD TO PLEASE — BUT YOU KEEP FAILING THE BASICS

When a tour arrives at your venue, the least you can do is provide some of the basics so we can feel like human beings.

Opinion

SECURITY: YOU’RE NOT A BOUNCER IN A MOVIE. YOU’RE A HUMAN SHIELD.

If you’re working security at a concert, you are there to protect the crowd. That’s it. That’s the job.

Opinion

“The Chain is Only as Strong as Its Weakest Link” – Why Every Crew Member Matters on Tour

Touring is a team sport. It’s about collaboration, timing, and respect.

Opinion

TOUR FATIGUE: THE HIDDEN PRICE TAG NO ONE TALKS ABOUT

Let’s talk about tour fatigue.

Opinion

We’re Not on Vacation: The Myth of “Catching Up on Tour”

Tour isn’t a holiday. It’s not a city-hopping cocktail crawl. It’s a nonstop, high-pressure logistics machine where every minute is accounted for, and every screw-up lands on someone’s back.

Opinion

Zines, Guestlists & Respect: It’s a Two-Way Street, Not a Takeaway Service

If you’re running a zine, blog, vlog, or any kind of “independent press” and you want to collaborate with promoters or get into shows — it’s a two-way relationship.

Opinion

TOUR + ADHD = DOWNWARD SPIRAL IF YOU’RE NOT CAREFUL

Nobody talks about how hard it is to survive a tour when your brain’s running 200 tabs and none of them are loading.