Photojournalist: Carrie Bergan
Bilmuri is currently on the third leg for the Kinda Hard Tour. Each leg has been with a different set of openers and I was blessed with Knuckle Puck and Novelists. It was a Tuesday night in Milwaukee and eager fans lined up early outside Landmark Credit Union Live to secure that barricade rail spot. My husband tagged along with me as he was just as excited to finally see Bilmuri because apparently, they had only ever played in Milwaukee two other times, the first being in 2018 and more recently 2023. It’s been three years since their last show in this city and they certainly showed up that night. The band gave JJ Kaiser a shout-out as they had mentioned playing in some dude’s basement at their first time here in 2018 and there’s only one guy I know in all of Milwaukee who has bands playing in his basement. That man is a legendary icon in the local scene, he really has seen it all. I love the music scene.
Novelists were the first to take the stage, and they came all the way back to Milwaukee from France. They had opened up for Dance Gavin Dance earlier this year, so I was incredibly stoked to see them perform again. International metal bands are always a treat, and they certainly got the night kicked off with their energy. Vocalist Camille Contreras waltzed around the stage in a bright pink fluffy outfit, which was a sight to see. She was striking, from her eye-catching dress to her soft and powerful vocals. Do not miss the openers, ever. I am always going to back up getting to a show early for the openers, even if you do not know who they are. You might be surprised, and they could win you over to become a new fan. Life is too short to not see every artist you can.
Knuckle Puck was the last opener, and they are no strangers to me or Milwaukee. They come from just a little south of us in the Chicagoland area. I recalled the last time I saw them live in Milwaukee to be about two years ago. It was extremely exciting for me to see them again, even if they did not play every song I was hoping to hear live. Vocalist Joe Taylor was kicking around the stage as he swung his mic in the air, allowing the audience to fill the room with their vocals. Knuckle Puck remains dear to my heart, being from the city I grew up in. Taylor called for movement, and a handful of crowdsurfers went airborne.
Finally, it was time for Bilmuri. It was time to get our hogs cranked. Gabi Rose, their saxophone player, took the stage first, and everyone cheered. All throughout the night, Rose lent a hand in vocals, dancing, hype encouragement, and saxophone playing alongside frontman Johnny Franck. The two together were unstoppable and owned the stage all night. The audience screamed as the night went on. There were bubbles released throughout the set, which produced even more joy throughout the room. My husband sang along to every song, and even having a bad knee did not stop him from having the time of his life. They did not follow the previous night’s setlist, so it means that no night can be experienced the same, with changeups. There was a confetti blast encore, and fans ran around collecting the little pieces of paper as souvenirs. I am proud to announce that I survived the hog cranking that night and recommend you experience it as well.
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