Lorna Shore Rage in Madison on a Sunday Night

Photojournalist: Carrie Bergan

Sometimes the universe provides the ultimate show with a perfectly stacked lineup, and this was one of them. On Sunday, April 19, Lorna Shore played at The Sylvee with support from Paleface Swiss. When this tour was announced, there was zero doubt in my mind that I was going to be there one way or another. I’m very thankful that it was through a photo pass because I had seen each of these bands perform once before. Lorna Shore and Paleface Swiss had made it onto my bucket list bands to photograph, and I was incredibly excited. I’m not in Madison very often because it’s not the easiest drive to make, so the show really needs to be worth my want. My husband tagged along because he is also a very big fan of Lorna Shore and Paleface Swiss, yet has only seen one of them live. It was a very big night for the both of us. 

I was introduced to Signs Of The Swarm in October 2023, I think, they were opening for Carnifex, and I had zero clue what I was getting into. This show was early into my metalhead stage, so I was just getting into the heavy scene, but I was completely blown away by all the energy in the room. I was ecstatic to see this band again and on a much bigger stage than the last time. It was definitely a massive deal for the group, and I could see several people in the room wearing exclusively their merch. It was a wild set, and the mosh pit was open from the first note. A very tall, muscular, and shirtless dude led the charge and swung his t-shirt over his head, keeping the momentum up while keeping the fans safe. Anytime someone tripped or went down in the circle, at least three people grabbed them to pull back on their feet. The metal scene might be hardcore and scary, but we are all friends here. 

Next up was Paleface Swiss, and this group is from Switzerland. I love international metal bands. They came out swinging, and the crowd surfers kicked off during their set. The mosh pit only grew, and the room filled in even more. It was clear that this show was very close to selling out, and what a crazy thing to witness since it was a Sunday night. A fight broke out during their set and lead vocalist Marc Zellweger stopped the set to see what the commotion was as security had to intervene. Zellweger said he thinks the two men should just kiss and make up because sometimes two boys kissing just solves the issue. The crowd cheered in encouragement, but that did not happen. Security ended up removing a good number of people, and then Paleface Swiss continued with their killer set. They definitely made an impression on anyone in the room who had never seen them, and I hope they make it back very soon for another show. 

Finally, it was time for Lorna Shore. The stage changed over, and a lot of screens were set up alongside some massive light towers. I was in awe of this setup and super excited to witness them up close. They played my favorite song, “Unbreakable,” while I was in the photo pit, and during that song was when a wave of crowd surfers began, so I was dodging bodies for most of it. Shout-out to the amazing staff and security for getting them all quickly and motioning in my peripheral vision so I could also move out of the way to let them do their job more smoothly. There were so many people. It was crazy. Their songs are longer than most, considering the riffs and breakdown growls. Lead vocalist Will Ramos is impressive when it comes to making noises. It’s almost so inhuman sounding and definitely sends chills throughout your body. 

This tour is still going, and then Lorna Shore will be out on the road in support of Motionless in White, so there plenty of chances to see them live. They are a group that brings a phenomenal live show. Don’t sleep on tickets, and go check them out. 

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LORNA SHORE

PALEFACE SWISS

SIGNS OF THE SWARM