neck deep @ The Rave - Milwaukee
October 29th, 2024: neck deep @ The Rave - Milwaukee, WI
neck deep | Photos Courtesy of: Allie Loven
The iconic Welsh pop-punk band, Neck Deep, rolled into Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Tuesday evening of October 29, 20204 for one of their last stops on ‘The Dumbstruck Dumbf*ck North American Tour.’ The band arrived at The Rave with support from The Home Team and Super American participating in the venue’s “Halloween Concert Series.”
Neck Deep started their career in 2012 and released multiple EPs gaining traction quickly before officially signing with a label only a year later. Over the past 12 years of watching Neck Deep grow as musicians and performers, the band’s momentum, energy, and talent have never wavered. Neck Deep could arguably be considered one of the most influential pop-punk bands of the 2010s and is still maintaining that reputation even now, in 2024.
The room and balcony were filled to the brim with fans waiting in anticipation for Neck Deep to take the stage. They kicked off their set with “Dumbstruck Dumbf*ck” and a high energy level on stage. No matter how many times this band performs, every time they take the stage they offer something enticing and new while keeping fans remaining comfortable throughout their set. A few ways that were noted at The Rave on October 29th specifically was through the lead singer, Ben Barlow’s, fan and crowd interaction.
Not only did the band give an outstanding performance, but they dedicated “She’s a God” to being a “girl pit only.” In the music industry females being represented is always important, and covering this show for The Photo Ladies made that moment even more special. Not only were all the girls in the pit showing people what they brought to the table, or crowd at that, but it also brought a sense of comradery for girls in the pit. Whether someone was next to a stranger or a best friend, the girls were provided with a safe space to scream the lyrics to “She’s a God” with minimal fear of the physical backlash to join in. The snarky comments from the crowd about a “girl pit” only hurt the people making them. The girls in the Milwaukee, WI Neck Deep crowd made it known that women belong in a heavily male-dominated industry too. To ignore the inequalities in the music industry, especially with sexism would be complacency. Neck Deep has made it very clear they stand for equality and human rights all over social media and has been seen making very important statements at shows, but to experience and see it first hand is not only reassuring but also comforting for fans.
With the Milwaukee date being the third to last show on this leg, expectations from the band were unclear. Unsurprisingly, the band delivered a fully energetic set filled with 17 songs to the general admission fans, 14 were on their main setlist, but then the band also provided the fans with a three-song encore as well.. Neck Deep played a good variety of songs from their discography, even including releases from almost a decade ago. Fans new and old, whether it was their first time or hundredth time seeing Neck Deep, left in high spirits and feeling good about their night well spent.
