FESTIVAL REVIEW: Summer of Loud at the Somerset Amphitheater, Somerset, Wisconsin

As the headliner for the Summer of Loud Festival, Parkway Drive thrilled the audience at the Somerset Amphitheater in Somerset, Wisconsin, on Friday, July 11, 2025. [Photo credit: Pam Whisenhunt]

PAM WHISENHUNT | Go Venue Magazine

Summer of Loud, one of 2025’s newest touring festivals, brought a stacked rotating lineup to Somerset, WI on July 11th, 2025. Rotating headliners for this year’s festival are Parkway Drive, Killswitch Engage, Beartooth and I Prevail. With the amount of pyro these four bands produce, the tour could easily be called Summer of Pyro.

The day started off hot. Early in the week I was concerned about storms rolling through, but once I got to Somerset Amphitheatre my concern turned to the heat. I had to remind myself, sunblock and water and I’ll be fine. The sets moved along quickly, and it wasn’t long, and we were graced with cloud cover making the second half of the day bearable.

The first four bands were Kingdom of Giants (California), Alpha Wolf (Australia), The Amity Affliction (Australia) and The Devil Wears Prada (Ohio) in that order. Kingdom of Giants had the shortest set, with additional time added to bands as the day wore on. Everyone brought their A-Game. There wasn’t a slacker in the lineup. Each band engaged the crowd, conjuring up moss pits and crowd surfers.

The second half of the day brought on the headliners. I Prevail out of Michigan was first of the four to take the stage. As a big fan of the band, I was optimistically hopeful for a killer set, as they’ve started a new chapter without clean vocalist Brian Burkheiser. Dylan Bowman (guitarist) has taken on some of the clean vocals in his absence. It was a solid set and the band sounded great, but it’s definitely different not hearing Burkheiser’s voice. As new music comes out, I’m sure I’ll make the adjustment, as most fans will. I did appreciate the dedication of “Hurricane” to their former manager, agent and longtime friend Dave Shapiro. After Shapiros death in May of 2025 the Summer of Loud Festival, which was his brainchild, was rededicated to him along with two other Sound Talent Group (STG) employees Emma Huke and Kendall Fortner who also passed away in the same plane crash in San Diego, CA.

Beartooth from Ohio was up next and was undeniably a crowd favorite. Caleb Shomo (vocals) and crew seemed to be having a great time playing to the crowd. He also gave a shout-out to Dave Shapiro stating it’s an honor and a privilege to be there playing. Shomo expressed their love for all, and that’s what “it’s” all about. One thing I am curious about is the outpouring of love for The Devil Wears Prada. Shomo gave a shout-out to the band at least three times during the set, and was also sporting a cut-off t-shirt with “TDWP is Eternal”. Not sure if a bet was made, there’s an inside joke or if it’s pure unadulterated love for the band. Either way, it peaked our interest.

As the sun started setting, Massachusetts metalcore veterans Killswitch Engage took the stage. Several people I talked to, who have seen Killswitch Engage many times in the past, stated this was their best performance. That says a lot for a band who’s been around for more than 25 years. It’s evident they love what they’re doing, and the crowd still loves them.

Finally, the band I’d been waiting for. Australian metalcore giants, Parkway Drive, had the last set of the night and it was killer. I’d heard their stage show was full of pyro, and I was excited to take it all in. The set didn’t disappoint. For those who left early, missed the final song of the night, in which the stage looked like it was literally burning down. Flames were laid across the front of the stage, pyro was shooting upward and sideways and as Ben Gordon’s drum kit inverted, the cage was also lit on fire. The whole set was pure energy and the crowd brought the chaos. At one point, vocalist Winston McCall picked out a kid in the crowd and asked how old he was. The kid was 8 years old. McCall poked at the crowd, telling them they better give all their energy and not let an 8-year-old show them up.

The attendance for the show in Wisconsin seemed low, but it didn’t stop any of the bands from giving it their all. Start to finish, the crowd ate it up and the bands delivered. Summer of Loud is an epic lineup of metalcore greats. If you love metalcore and pyro, you need to get to a show. You won’t be disappointed.