I Prevail, We Came as Romans, The Word Alive, and Escape the Fate took to the Turner Hall Ballroom stage on Oct. 10, 2017. This was one of the stops of the Rage on the Stage tour, and I Prevail was the headliner. The supporting acts built up excitement throughout the night, and the crowd was extremely receptive to all the bands’ sets.

Escape the Fate kicked off the show with “Just a Memory,” from their 2015 album Hate Me. Escape the Fate formed in 2005, and have 12 years of touring experience under their belt. Though they were the first band of the night, Escape the Fate set the tone with high energy tracks such as “Ungrateful” and “One For the Money” to hype up the crowd. The band is consistent in their live show, and display immense passion for the music they write.

Next up was The Word Alive, whose set highlighted the dark and moody aspects of tracks before progressing to their heavier hitting rock tracks at the end of the set. Prior to playing an unreleased track, “Red Clouds,” Telle Smith reminded fans to appreciate the moment they are currently experiencing and to forget about the trivial aspects of life. The instrumentals and vocals sounded more refined during the live set, and display the maturity of the band since their earlier releases. Fan favorites of the set included “Life Cycles” and “Trapped.” Though they have recently lost two pivotal members of the band, The Word Alive proves to be a force to be reckoned with and are not slowing down anytime soon.

We Came as Romans took to the stage with vigor, and played many of their songs previewing their highly anticipated release, Cold Like War. When the band opened with the album’s title track, there was a shift in the crowd; the crowd’s constant movement and the gritty instrumentals caused the floorboards of the Turner Hall Ballroom to shake. This momentum continued throughout the entire set, and the band had most intense mosh pit of the night. Having seen We Came as Romans play once before, it is obvious they are constantly growing as artists and performers. After such an electrifying set, fans are eager for their new album; I hope to see a Milwaukee date on an upcoming headlining tour.

Last but not least, I Prevail lived up to their promise to “rage on the stage.” The band captivates fans through their blend of mainstream rock and metalcore, proving for a dynamic setlist and live show. Despite the absence of Brian Burkheiser (the band’s clean vocalist), I Prevail performed an amazing set with Dylan Bowman (rhythm guitarist) filling in for his vocals. I have seen I Prevail twice, and they exceed my expectations each time. Personal favorites from the set include “Come and Get It,” “Stuck in Your Head,” and “Worst Part of Me.” The stage setup for this tour included a wrestling ring, coinciding with the tour’s promotional materials. While this is a cool concept, it prompted for some very rehearsed stage banter between Eric Vanlerberghe (unclean vocalist) and Bowman. This did not detract from the show itself, but I would have preferred to enjoy another song during the set instead. When I see I Prevail in the future, I also hope to hear more songs off their Heart Vs. Mind EP. In the three years since the band was created, I Prevail has proven to be one of the biggest contenders in the genre.

Overall, it was an energetic night of rock music at the Turner Hall Ballroom. The lineup for the Rage on the Stage Tour was astounding, and I hope to see all four bands again in the future.