Like Moths to a Flame - Varsity Theater - Minneapolis MN - October 29th 2025

Like Moths to a Flame live at the Varsity Theater on October 29th 2025 in Minneapolis Minnesota with special guests Heavensgate, Acres and Kingdom of Giants

Review and photos by Jesse McKinney

Heavensgate

This was my second time seeing Heavensgate this year and they have only gotten sharper and more confident since the first. The energy inside Varsity Theater felt a little low before the show kicked off, but the second Heavensgate hit the stage, that changed fast!

Vocalist Nazareth Tharratt commanded the room with raw intensity, every scream and movement felt deliberate and fueled by something real. The band hit hard right out of the gate, and by the second song, the crowd that had been standing still was fully locked in.

Heavensgate has that rare mix of heaviness and conviction that feels like a headliner in the making. It’s hard to imagine them opening the next time they roll through Minneapolis. They are clearly on the fast track to much bigger stages.

Acres

I first got into Acres when someone showed me their song “My Everything,” and I was instantly hooked. That mix of melody and emotion hit something different, and hearing it live at Varsity Theater just sealed it, Acres sounded even bigger and more dynamic in person!

The bassist handled vocal duties on this run since their frontman just welcomed a new baby, and he crushed it. His tone, energy, and confidence on stage made it easy to forget this wasn’t the usual setup. You could tell he cared about getting it right, and the crowd fed off that effort.

The entire band moved nonstop, every riff came with motion and every chorus with emotion. You could feel the room building more and more energy as their set went on. By the time they closed, it felt like Acres had won over every single person in the venue.

Kingdom of Giants

I first caught Kingdom of Giants this summer on the Summer of Loud tour in Somerset, and they absolutely crushed it! Seeing them again at Varsity Theater, they somehow sounded just as massive indoors as they did on that big outdoor stage.

Similar to how I learned about Acres, I first heard Kingdom of Giants after someone played their song “Bleach” and that song made me an instant fan. There’s something about the way they balance melody and heaviness that just hits perfectly live. Their clean vocals in particular are unreal! They are easily some of the best I’ve heard from a metalcore band. It’s always wild to me when someone can sing that flawlessly while still playing at full intensity.

After this set, I’m already stoked for the next time they come through. It’ll be my third time seeing them, and I’ll definitely be dragging more people along so they can see firsthand how amazing Kingdom of Giants are live!

Like Moths to Flames

When I first started getting into metal, Like Moths to Flames was one of the earliest bands that really caught my attention and drew me into this genre. Their album “When We Don’t Exist” brings a ton of nostalgia since I used to have it on repeat while driving to shows with friends back in the day. For whatever reason though, I’d never actually seen them live until tonight at Varsity Theater.

From the first note, the riffs hit hard and clean, and the entire band sounded fantastic! Every member had a ton of stage presence and great chemistry, as well as lots of fun crowd interaction throughout the set. You could feel they were genuinely connecting with everyone in the room instead of just playing through the motions and it made the whole show feel more personal.

Hearing “GNF” live was hands down the highlight of the night for me. Vocalist Chris Roetter was insanely impressive! You can just tell when someone has been doing this for years. He had that confidence and command on stage that only comes from experience, and it showed in every song! Talking to other fans afterward, a lot of them said this was the tightest they’ve ever heard him sound, and I’d have to agree.

They also played a new song, “Salting the Earth,” which was dropping the very next day which I highly recommend checking out asap! I always respect a band that can hold onto the core sound that made them who they are, while still finding ways to grow and evolve with each release. I definitely waited way too long to see Like Moths to Flames for the first time, but I won’t be waiting nearly as long to catch them again!