The Second Weekend of the 55th Summerfest was Amazing

This weekend was full of so many favorite bands, including a handful of bands from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s that don’t regularly route to Milwaukee, which is exactly where my coverage started.

John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band
So many of the fans who waited out the short thunderstorm were at least as excited as I was, as we have been fans since 1983 when John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band were the music soundtrack for the movie Eddie and the Cruisers. While we waited the storm out, we unanimously agreed if we could only hear one song we hoped it was “On the Dark Side.” Our excitement grew the moment we heard the all-clear call across the Summerfest ground speakers because we knew there was enough time left to catch over half of whatever setlist was about to unfold. There it was, their second song was “On the Dark Side” and everyone was all smiles. It was as amazing as I had anticipated over the past forty years that have passed since I first heard it! We also got to hear “A Day in The Sun” which was released as a single over Memorial Day Weekend, and longtime fans are incredibly hopeful this is the first song from an upcoming album.

The Georgia Satellites
Original co-founding member and lead guitarist, Rich Richards, along with current lineup: drummer Todd Johnston, lead vocals and rhythm guitarist Fred McNeal, and bassist Bruce Smith, received an enthusiastic audience response to their performance. This was another audience composed of many long-time fans since 1986, when “Keep Your Hands to Yourself” exploded on the charts and the video was frequently played on MTV.

Johnny Wad
This is one of the most requested Wisconsin cover bands, known for performing songs from the 1980s and 1990s, with all four members sharing the lead singer position. As popular as they are, this was my first time seeing them. Their audience easily recognized and enjoyed with wide smiles, every single song performed. Having two lead guitarists also helps make this band both entertaining and fun!

Night Ranger  
The last time Night Ranger performed at Summerfest was in the fall of 2021, the post covid restriction return of Milwaukee’s favorite live music festival. I had so much fun covering Night Ranger then, especially since it was thirty-seven years from when I first saw them live. I was super curious to see if they performed at least at the same level as 2021 or even better, especially since this is their 40th-anniversary tour. Let me tell you they were incredibly entertaining as Brad Gillis immediately ran out on stage showing clever guitar techniques while other guitarist, Keri Kelly, moved all over the stage and Jack Blades stood centered in front of the backdrop banner, as they opened with (You Can Still) Rock in America. Like the majority of their fans, we sang back loudly, while settling in and knowing this was going to be a fantastic show! 

Greensky Bluegrass
The night ended with Greensky Bluegrass headlining on the Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard stage. Wisconsin loves this five-man bluegrass band from our neighboring state of Michigan. I expected a packed crowd but I did not expect to see the size of fans for this show. Fans not only packed the stadium seating area, they overflowed the seating area into the three major directions that surround the seating area. Greensky Bluegrass released their most recent studio album, Stress Dreams in January of 2022. They have eight studio albums plus eleven live albums and one can easily get lost in their music while enjoying a colorful light show. This was a fantastic way to wind down and finish the incredible day of music.

Day two of this second weekend was one I was looking forward to for months

John Waite
I cannot think of anyone else who continues to collect fans of all genres as John Waite does, and it does not matter if he is performing his music from The Babys or Bad English or his solo music, everyone loves John Waite. When he sings hits, especially feel good “When I See You Smile,” it is literally as if time stands still from 1989 when most of us heard the song for the first time. This performance on the Uline Warehouse stage had the largest crowd for 5:00 pm on Friday evening for all three weekends of the 55th year of Summerfest.

Nate Smith  
This was my first time checking out Nate Smith, who really rose to fame when his song  “Wildfire” went viral on TikTok in 2020 (reportedly over three million views), which also resulted in his signing with Sony Music Nashville, now RCA Records. I was instantly impressed with how friendly his stage presence is, making the crowd feel like he is with them, performing exclusively as part of one giant party, while also having the ability to make everyone feel good. Nate definitely also has a slight rock flare in the way he moves and performs, and while I don’t have to tell you how much the genre of country music continues to change, I would say I think Nate is just as soulfully authentic as he is modern country. Definitely keep an eye out for his career.

The Terry Sims Band
This band is known to be one of Milwaukee’s premier funk bands, and this was my first time seeing them. This was a great opening slot just before the headliner on the BMO Pavilion stage, and I observed the crowd, which was rapidly growing in size, seemed to really enjoy the performance. Every musician in this band was really good at their instrument and the variety the two lead singers provided was very entertaining.

Earth, Wind, & Fire
This was a show I could hardly wait for, especially because their 2022 tour with Santana was cut short just before their Milwaukee show. The BMO Pavilion was jam-packed to the point the standing-room-only areas were two lines deep, and the hill before the pavilion had fans standing shoulder to shoulder. I have attended a lot of shows at The BMO Pavilion but I cannot ever recall seeing the standing-room-only areas having double the amount of people. The cheers welcoming Earth, Wind, & Fire were loud and full of excitement, both of which grew just as soon as everyone recognized the first song was “Shining Star.” As a photojournalist in the pit, I could not have possibly been more thrilled while doing my job. Here is a band that I have almost every album on vinyl in my library, and I have been a fan of ever since I first heard their music played on Soul Train in Chicago. Everyone I know who attended this show said it was their favorite of all Summerfest shows this summer.

38 Special    
I had to run like heck to get to Uline Warehouse for 38 Special. The last time I saw this band was thirty-seven years ago, and the only co-founding member, Don Barnes (guitarist and vocalist) remains in the current lineup. I was super curious to see what they are like now, and what kind of crowd they drew. I immediately noticed this band and the audience shared the same level of enthusiasm. It was guitarist Jerry Riggs who really stood out as he moved about the stage while showing us his incredible guitar techniques. While this was definitely not the same sound I remembered from long ago, I can say there was no disappointment noted from the audience!

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead    
Final stop of the night was the Miller Lite Oasis for Joe Russo’s Almost Dead. This was another highly anticipated show by fans who saved their spots on the rails or their seats for the entire day. Things really got into full swing with the band by the time they started playing “Feel Like A Stranger,” which was their second song, and what Grateful Dead fan doesn’t know “Scarlet Begonias,” the third song they played. This was my first Joe Russo’s Almost Dead show and they really delivered while making it obvious they enjoy what they are doing. I am also a fan of guitarist Scott Metzger, and it was great to see him again. As I panned the audience I noticed everyone appeared to be in a blissful state, which was just perfect to see as I departed Summerfest for the night. 

Day three of the second weekend began a few weeks before Summerfest started
with the disappointing news, Jesus Jones had to cancel their performance along with their entire US tour due to delayed receipt of their passports. Word is they are working on rescheduling their US dates yet we don’t know if they plan on routing to Milwaukee or if they will play Summerfest in 2024. Jesus Jones is an absolute blast to watch live and they are incredibly fun to photograph.

Spin Doctors
They are an incredibly fun band that last played Summerfest during the fall of 2021, even playing on two different ground stages due to replacing other bands with last-minute covid related cancellations. I always smile whenever I hear any song from their 1991 debut studio album, Pocket Full of Kryptonite, which also remains my favorite of their albums. Chris Barron is such an entertaining lead singer, and he completely surprised the Summerfest crowd when he told us “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” was written about his father’s wife. For the past thirty-one years, so many of us were under the impression the song was about someone Chris dated. The rest of the band is Aaron Corness (drums), Eric Schenkman (guitar and vocals), and Jack Daley (bass). I don’t think the grin their performance put on my face left my face until my head hit the pillow that night.

Amy Lowe & King Katz
Next, I headed to the Northwestern Mutual Community Park for Amy Lowe & King Katz. Amy is a fantastic singer, songwriter, and storyteller and she also plays guitar. I always enjoy how her songs so easily connect with children while King Katz also plays guitar. It is also inspiring to see this wife and husband team share their joy of music while entertaining families with children at this stage.

Wang Chung
This is a band I had not even realized was touring until the Summerfest schedule was released, as I last saw them in 1984 on their Points on the Curve tour, supporting their album with the same name. Of course, I had that album in my tape cassette library at that time and I remember watching their videos on MTV. I talked with several fans waiting on the rail before the show began and we discussed how incredibly curious we were to see what they were like in 2023, including how they sound, and if “Everybody <would> Have Fun Tonight!” So many of us were so happy to see Jack Hues and Nick Feldman were still performing together, and they were fantastic! I had to hang around a bit after I left the pit and really enjoyed “City of Angels,” which Wang Chung claimed was the first time they performed the song live. Yes, “Everybody Had Fun Tonight” with Wang Chung!

Band of Silver   
I headed over to the BMO Pavilion next and got there earlier than planned. I was surprised to see Band of Silver, a sibling trio out of Nashville, that has an indie pop-rock sound. Singer Avery really showed a lot of energy and passion as she performed all over the stage and her brother Alex played guitar and her other brother Evan is the drummer.  

JORDY
I had to see JORDY, who grew up outside of Chicago and has quite an impressive social media following. His fans at Summerfest gave him an incredibly loud cheer as he entered the stage while I was totally admiring his granny square crocheted long vest as he zipped along, singing, dancing, and sharing his appreciation for his fans. His level of energy was astounding, and his music has a great pop feel. Everyone sang along to his “I Just Wanna Be Loved.”  

Division BMX Stunt Team
Somewhere along the way, I realized I was late to catch the BMX Stunt Team, who performed in the Gruber Law Offices Sports Zone, as I had to squeeze in between fans to try to get a photo. Their stunts never cease to amaze fans, especially when they perform in pairs.

A Flock of Seagulls
I made it just in time to the US Cellular Connection Stage for A Flock of Seagulls, who had the headliner slot. They last played Summerfest last summer at an earlier time slot, and put on such a great show, giving them an even larger fanbase crowd for this performance. There is something special about each member of this band, led by original co-founder Mike Score (keyboard and vocals) member. Pando (bass), is such a genuine performer who has a beautiful way of sharing his love for people and music. Kevin Rankin (drums) always makes it obvious he is having a great time performing to the crowd, and Gord Deppe (guitar) is also so entertaining. It was unanimous with everyone I spoke to who attended the 2022 and 2023 shows that we prefer A Flock of Seagulls as a headliner, and this was partially due to the stage lighting including the screen used for their background which even had flying animated seagulls during the set.

Brett Young
My last stop for the night, and for this second weekend of Summerfest 55, was country pop singer, Brett Young, on the Miller Lite Oasis stage. There were what sounded like a gazillion screams when he walked out on stage, as he is quite a handsome performer. He is also a solid singer and songwriter who is loved by his fans. His fourth studio album Across the Sheets drops on 08/04/23, and we got to enjoy at least two songs from this album during his performance: “Dance With You” and “Back to Jesus.” What a great show to close out the night.

See the Full Gallery Here!

If you happened to capture any shots of the night, feel free to tag us on social media at Shutter 16 Magazine and throw in #Shutter16 and #TwitFromThePit for the world to see.