Riverfront Revolt – LaCrosse Center – LaCrosse WI – January 24th & 25th 2025

Riverfront Revolt featuring Beartooth, Asking Alexandria, STARSET, Memphis May Fire, Pop Evil, Eva Under Fire, and Lakeview – LaCrosse Center, WI – January 24-25^th, 2025

Review and photos by Kate Klaus

It was a full weekend of a stacked rock lineup at Riverfront Revolt in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, sponsored by 95.7 The Rock.  The festival included 2 nights of heavy rock, with 7 powerhouse bands rounding out a great event at a great venue in downtown LaCrosse.

Up and coming Detroit based rockers Eva Under Fire started off the night on Friday with a intense set that got the crowd fired up for the weekend.  Fronted by the powerhouse vocals of lead singer Eva Marie, the group instantly connected with the crowd with emotionally charged lyrics and a mix of hard rock, metalcore, and alternative influences.  Her powerful and yet vulnerable performance was supported by excellent musical talent and energy from the rest of the band.  It is likely that they left this weekend with many new fans of their music and performance.

Starset were up next, and true to their science-fiction inspired rock style, they took to the stage to a flurry of interstellar graphics and intense lighting.  Led by Dustin Bates, their futuristic and expansive sound filled the large arena, with their performance being a completely immersive experience of high-level production and great musicality.  They captivated the audience with favorites including opening with “Carnivore” and “Manifest” and ending with “My Demons”.  Their display of high-tech visuals and pyrotechnics were a memorable experience for the crowd.

Rounding out night 1 were aggressive hard rockers Asking Alexandria.  Shrouded in a deep fog and with lead singer Danny Worsnop mysteriously in a dark hoodie and gloves, their performance was edgy and enigmatic.  They started off with “Don’t Pray for Me” with guitarist Cameron Liddell taking the stage first with a powerful riff to open the show.  And their performance wasn’t all heavy, with a switch mid-show to an acoustic rendition of Creed’s “Higher” as well as 2 acoustic songs with just Danny performing.  They delivered a great mix of power and vulnerability to end the first night.

Night 2 began with a little more country-rock flair, with Lakeview, fronted by vocal duo Jesse Denaro and Luke Healy, who fired up the crowd with their heavy country hits.  With catchy lyrics in songs like “Wrong Side of the Track” and “Money Where Your Mouth Is” they brought a genuine relatable feel to the crowd and spoke of connection, hard work, and resilience through their lyrics.  The ended their set with a cover of Hinder’s “Lips of an Angel” as a crowd sing-along, and then two of their more well-known hits, “Home Team” and “Son of A”.  It was a great performance showing the appeal of genre blending that made for a unique style that had the crowd enthusiastic for more.

The night then took a heavier turn as Pop Evil took the stage, again with a shroud of fog and haunting low lighting.  Their aggressive sound was matched with and intense vocal delivery from lead singer Leigh Kakaty and booming drums and heavy guitar riffs that filled the arena.  Their performance launched with the heavy “Eye of the Storm” and crowd favorite “Trenches”.  It was a powerful set, with gritty riffs and heavy power that was an intense shift from the set before.

The heavy power continued with Memphis May fire taking the next set.  Vocalist Matty Mullins’ mix of clean vocals and rough heavy growls delivered a balance of raw aggression and expressive melodies. They started off heavy, with “Necessary Evil” and mid-set treated the crowd ot the live debut of “Hell is Empty”.  Their set was a fantastic mix of their older and heavier songs as well as some of the newer and more emotionally delivered melodies.

The festival closed with an unbelievable performance from Beartooth.  Known for their high-production performances, the came out blazing, opening with “The Surface” with a confetti cannon shot to open the performance matched with their extreme light show and pyrotechnics.  Lead singer Caleb Shomo is a charismatic performer, and instantly connected with the crowd.  Matched with the production, they’re able to create an unforgettable and powerfully moving concert experience.  During “Bad Listener”, Shomo is equipped with a flame-thrower type gun, which he playfully shoots while singing, and even for a moment managed to set the front edge of the stage ablaze – quickly extinguished by his very professional and attentive safety staff!  Shomo’s emotional delivery and profound connection to his lyrics can be seen in his performance, and was on an intimate display mid-show, when he suddenly appeared at the sound board for an acoustic performance of “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers as well as “Look the Other Way” which he warmly dedicated to his wife.  For the entire set, the energy only grew, and as they closed with even more confetti, pyrotechnics and the most unbelievable light show, it was an unforgettable performance and a perfect closing to the wonderfully organized and delivered festival.

Night One

Night Two