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Dance Gavin Dance bring an evening of career spanning hits and more to Milwaukee

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I remember growing up it seemed like nearly every tour coming through the Midwest was a stacked lineup. Over the years, that reality has been less and less common. Thankfully, Dance Gavin Dance’s Spring 2026 tour absolutely bucks that trend. The undisputed heavyweights of Swancore are joined by The Fall of Troy, Wolf & Bear, and Novelists. With a lineup like this, there was no chance of the show at The Rave in Milwaukee, WI being anything less than phenomenal. 

Starting off the night were Novelists. After making their Wisconsin debut in Madison last summer, it was Milwaukee’s turn to see what France has to offer the metalcore scene. The band wasted no time tearing into “All For Nothing”. In spite of vocalist Camille Contreras being severely under the weather, she put 100% into her performance. Between her powerful vocals and the djenty guitar work of the Durand brothers, the crowd was getting thoroughly warmed up for what was to come.

Next up were Swancore peers Wolf & Bear. While they clearly draw inspiration from Dance Gavin Dance, they also throw in their own elements of post hardcore that make their sound their own. Straight into the frantic guitar work of “Twisted Tongues” and Wolf & Bear’s set was off like a sprint that would not let up for half an hour. The band’s energy on stage was infectious, inspiring nearly the entire room to mosh, crowd surf, and dance to their smooth vocals contrasted by the heavy guitar work. Fan favorites like “Deleto” and “Street Rat” were guaranteed tracks to be played, and the band absolutely delivered.

While Dance Gavin Dance may be the Swancore kings on this tour, there is one band that some argue is the true inspiration of the genre. The Fall of Troy started laying the groundwork for the intricate yet heavy guitar stylings that would go on to define their instantly recognizable sound over 20 years ago. One thing that is for certain when The Fall of Troy takes the stage is that an awe inspiring display of controlled chaos is about to unfold. The explosion of energy that radiated from frontman Thomas Erak was so captivating that it was almost difficult to keep track of which songs they were playing. Of course that’s not a bad thing. The chaos was all consuming while they played songs like “ Sledgehammer”, “Laces Out, Dan!”, and an absolutely frenzied version of “I Just Got This Symphony Goin’” with Chris Lamb of Chicago’s When We Was Kids belting out the vocals like an absolute madman. All of the energy and anarchy and the headliner hadn’t even taken the stage yet.

Three incredible sets down, and it was finally time for Dance Gavin Dance to take the stage. Fresh off the release of their most recent album Pantheon, the band is out to prove that this latest era isn’t just a continuation of their albums, it’s a complete sonic leveling-up. With the stage bathed in blinding blue light, DGD kicked off their show with the opener of Pantheon, “Animal Surgery”. Screaming the chorus “lay low, you might go psycho”, the sold out crowd absolutely took those words to heart and exploded with awesome energy. Andrew Wells has fully stepped into the spotlight, and his presence is transformative. He doesn’t just fill a gap. Andrew anchors the melodies with a gritty, soulful confidence that allows the older material to breathe in a way it hasn’t in years. He doesn’t try to sound like Jonny, Kurt, or Tillian. He puts on a masterful display of his range to bring songs like “It’s Safe to Say You Dig the Backseat” and “Uneasy Hearts Weigh the Most” to life. The latter of which caused the entire crowd to erupt into a deafening sing-a-long as they tried to drown out the band. Then there is Jon Mess. It’s almost supernatural how his vocals remain as sharp and feral as ever, cutting through the dense mix of Will Swan’s technical guitar work. While so many unclean vocalists start to strain later in their careers, Jon only continues to become stronger and more consistent. 

To say that their career spanning show was incredible would be an injustice to how memorable the night was. There was not a fan in the packed room that was left wanting for more. Dance Gavin Dance were on a mission to prove why they are still at the top of their game and they delivered in every way possible. 

Dance Gavin Dance :

A live music performance featuring three musicians on stage, with one singer in the foreground and two guitarists in the background, illuminated by stage lights and surrounded by fog.
A male singer passionately performing on stage, holding a microphone and wearing a floral shirt.
A musician playing a bass guitar on stage under dramatic lighting during a live concert.
A passionate male singer performing on stage, holding a microphone and singing intensely, with vibrant lighting in the background.
A male singer passionately performing on stage, holding a microphone, with dramatic red lighting in the background.
A musician performing on stage, playing an electric bass guitar, wearing a colorful Hawaiian shirt, with dramatic stage lighting in the background.
A male singer performing on stage, wearing a white suit, with a microphone in hand and dramatic lighting in the background.
A musician playing a black bass guitar on stage, dressed in a floral shirt and white pants, with stage lighting in blue tones creating a vibrant atmosphere.
A musician performing on stage, playing an electric guitar under colorful lights with smoke effects in the background.
A male singer passionately performing on stage, holding a microphone, wearing a floral shirt and expressing intense emotions, with blue lighting in the background.
A singer performing passionately on stage, holding a microphone and wearing a floral shirt.
A performer on stage wearing a light-colored suit, gesturing energetically, with colorful stage lights illuminating the background.
A male singer performing on stage, holding a microphone, with colorful stage lights and fog in the background.
A male singer performing on stage with a microphone, wearing a colorful shirt, under dramatic lighting.
Musician performing on stage, playing a bass guitar while wearing a colorful floral shirt and white pants.
A male singer passionately performing on stage, wearing a light-colored suit, with vibrant stage lights illuminating the scene.
Musician playing bass guitar on stage, wearing a patterned shirt with curly hair, illuminated by red light.
A musician playing a black bass guitar on stage, wearing a floral shirt and in a dynamic pose under colorful stage lighting.
A musician playing an electric guitar on stage, wearing a colorful floral shirt and white shorts, with stage lights in the background creating an energetic atmosphere.
Musician playing a guitar on stage, illuminated by purple lights
A musician with a beard performs on stage, passionately playing an electric guitar, surrounded by colorful lights and smoke.
A male singer passionately performing on stage, wearing a light blue blazer and a pink shirt, holding a microphone.
A male singer passionately performing on stage, holding a microphone and dressed in a white jacket over a pink shirt, with focused expression and vibrant stage lighting in the background.
A male singer passionately performing on stage, holding a microphone, with bright stage lights illuminating the scene.
A male singer passionately performing on stage with a microphone, wearing a colorful shirt featuring a classical art print, with dramatic lighting reflecting shades of red and purple.

Novelists :

A guitarist performing on stage, captured from a low angle with dramatic lighting and a smoke-filled background.
A musician in a black outfit passionately playing an electric guitar on stage, illuminated by bright lights.
A female singer performing on stage, holding a microphone and singing passionately while wearing a dark, oversized outfit.
A female vocalist passionately performing on stage, holding a microphone and singing, with dramatic lighting in the background.
A musician playing an electric guitar on stage, wearing glasses and a black t-shirt. The background features dramatic lighting and smoke, creating an energetic atmosphere.
A vocalist passionately singing into a microphone on stage, with dramatic lighting and water droplets on their face, wearing a stylish black jacket and a unique hair accessory.
A musician playing an electric guitar on stage, wearing a black outfit and cap, with a focused expression.
Two guitarists performing on stage with dramatic lighting effects.
A musician playing a light blue electric guitar on stage, with dramatic lighting highlighting his intense focus.
A drummer performing on stage with dramatic lighting and a starburst background.
A guitarist performing on stage with a vibrant purple background, wearing a sleeveless black shirt and baggy pants, playing a red guitar.
Close-up of a female singer passionately performing on stage, holding a microphone, with sparkling makeup and a dramatic hairstyle.
A drummer performing on stage, wearing a checkered shirt and focused on playing, with blue lighting effects in the background.
A musician performing on stage, smiling and playing an electric guitar, with dramatic lighting in the background.

The Fall of Troy :

Two musicians performing passionately on stage, singing into a microphone with intense expressions and long hair illuminated by dramatic concert lighting.
A musician playing a red bass guitar on stage, illuminated by colorful stage lights.
A male musician passionately playing a bass guitar on stage, with smoke and dramatic lighting in the background.
A musician with long hair and glasses playing an electric guitar on stage, with a focused expression.
A musician performing on stage, holding a red guitar and singing under bright stage lights.
A rock musician passionately performing on stage with long hair, holding a red electric guitar under colorful stage lights.
A drummer with a beard playing energetically on stage, illuminated by purple lights.
A musician performing on stage with long hair and tattoos, playing a red electric guitar while singing into a microphone. The stage is illuminated with colorful lights, and amplifiers are visible in the background.
A musician with long hair playing a red electric guitar on stage, illuminated by warm lighting.
A musician performing on stage, holding a guitar with one hand raised, illuminated by warm lighting.
A musician passionately performing on stage with long hair flowing dramatically in the air against a backdrop of bright lights.
A musician with long hair passionately singing into a microphone while playing a red electric guitar on stage, illuminated by colorful stage lights.
A male musician passionately singing into a microphone while playing a bass guitar on stage, with colorful stage lighting in the background.
A musician playing a bass guitar on stage, wearing a black t-shirt with graphic design, with a focused expression against a dimly lit background.
A guitarist on stage playing an electric guitar and making a rock hand gesture, with blue and purple lighting in the background.
A musician with long hair and glasses passionately singing into a microphone while playing a red electric guitar on stage.
A musician performs on stage, playing a red electric guitar, with long hair partially obscuring their face and hand positioned over their forehead.
A drummer performing on stage, wearing a black t-shirt, focused on playing the drums with vibrant stage lighting in the background.
A guitarist performing on stage with a red electric guitar, making a rock gesture with one hand, under vibrant stage lights.

Wolf & Bear :

A drummer performing on stage, wearing a cap and a black t-shirt, smiling while playing the drums under blue lighting.
Silhouette of a singer holding a microphone against a blue light backdrop.
A musician performing on stage while playing an electric guitar, wearing a black t-shirt and visible tattoos, with dramatic lighting and smoke effects in the background.
A musician playing a blue five-string bass guitar on stage, wearing a black cap and light-colored shirt, with visible tattoos on his arm.
A musician playing an electric guitar on stage, focused intensely, wearing a graphic t-shirt. The background is illuminated with blue stage lighting.
A singer with long curly hair passionately performing on stage, holding a microphone, with a dramatic expression and spotlight focused on them.
A musician playing a colorful bass guitar on stage under dramatic lighting during a performance.
A rock band performing on stage, with a lead vocalist holding a microphone and several musicians playing instruments in a dimly lit venue surrounded by smoke.
A singer passionately performs on stage, holding a microphone and shouting, illuminated by blue stage lights, wearing a band t-shirt and cargo shorts.
A musician playing an electric guitar on stage, wearing glasses and a black t-shirt with a green design, surrounded by blue lighting and smoke.
A male singer with long curly hair passionately performing on stage while holding a microphone, with a blue background.
A vocalist with long curly hair performs energetically on stage, holding a microphone and striking a powerful pose, while a band member plays in the background under vibrant stage lighting.
A guitarist wearing a t-shirt performs on stage, looking focused while playing a white electric guitar under bright stage lights.
A passionate male vocalist performing on stage, singing into a microphone while wearing a black graphic t-shirt. The background features soft, colorful lighting.
A vocalist passionately performing on stage with a microphone, wearing a black graphic t-shirt, surrounded by dramatic lighting and a music band in the background.

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