Louder Than Life 2025: A Recap from the Pit
So, I meant to get this out on Monday (and I think that’s going to be the day for The Frequency Pit posts from now on), but life had other plans — pretty sure my oldest brought home the dreaded “concert crud” from Louder Than Life. Worth it? Absolutely.
This year’s LTL was one for the books. Between reconnecting with old favorites, discovering new sounds, and trading stories (and kandi), it was more than just a festival — it was a frequency shift.
Festival Culture & Kandi Connections
One of the coolest things we stumbled into was a festival/concert crew that trades kandi — colorful beaded bracelets, or other trinkets, that carry a story or message, usually exchanged with a handshake or hug. We first discovered this at Welcome to Rockville when we were handing out Atticus Skateboards gear. At LTL, we upped it with both Atticus and Skate with Heart swag: over 700 bracelets, keychains, and stickers traded, creating a little ripple of connection with a whole new subset of the community. (Pics below!)
The Sleep Token Experience
One of my main draws to LTL was finally catching Sleep Token live. If you’re not familiar, they’re often debated on whether they’re truly “metal” — but labels aside, they’ve blown up in the past few years. Their shows are notoriously expensive, so seeing them as part of the festival ticket was a win.
Sleep Token fans bring a different energy. I’ve been to countless festivals, including ones with Insane Clown Posse and Juggalos, and even they were saying it was strange not to be the most polarizing crowd. From costumes to handmade “offerings,” it was fascinating to watch. But here’s the downside: festival etiquette was not always honored. In the pit, the usual unspoken rules of respect — helping crowd surfers, watching out for each other — broke down. Hearing chants of “drop that b*tch”* when people were crowd surfing was a gut-punch. Some even suggested Sleep Token should stick to arenas if their following doesn’t learn the festival culture.
That said, the show itself was incredible. Vessel’s vocals cut deep, and his struggle with mental health comes through in songs like “Caramel.” On the surface, it sounds upbeat, but when you listen closely, it’s achingly sad — a reflection of the weight he carries as the face of the band.
A Personal Full-Circle Moment with Ashes Remain
Another highlight for me was seeing Ashes Remain. Back when I lived in Baltimore, they were a huge local presence — and they even let me include them in my college thesis project on the local music scene. To watch them years later on a festival stage like LTL felt like closing a loop in my own story, a reminder of how music weaves through every chapter of life.
Outfits, Icons & Festival Characters
One of my favorite parts of any festival is the freedom people feel to fully express themselves — and LTL did not disappoint. The Facebook groups even sparked a “work me vs. festival me” photo trend that was equal parts hilarious and inspiring, showing just how different we all are when we step into this shared space of music and belonging.
And of course, the costumes and characters brought their own magic:
The iconic concert bananas playfully waging turf wars against the pickles.
The ever-present concert Jesus, only this time backed up by a whole clergy.
A roaming crew of horror movie icons.
The loyal Juggalos and Juggellettes, alongside the costumed Sleep Token Worshipers.
Familiar faces we always look for, like the little boy with the green mohawk, and the legend himself, Mohawk Mikey.
This mix of characters is part of what makes the festival experience unforgettable — the music is the pulse, but the people are the color.
Nostalgia & Comebacks
As someone who’s been going to shows for 20+ years, nothing hits like seeing bands from your past roar back to life. At LTL, we caught:
Kittie, Snot, and Acid Bath making huge comebacks.
Chimaira, Slayer, Spineshank, and Crossfade reuniting after long hiatuses.
Icons like Cannibal Corpse, Deftones, A Perfect Circle, Evanescence, Flyleaf (with Lacey!), Static-X, Stone Temple Pilots, Lamb of God, Nonpoint, Hatebreed — and so many more that shaped my high school and early show days.
Sharing that with T was a full-circle moment — him seeing the legends I grew up with.
New Discoveries & Rising Stars
Festivals aren’t just about legacy acts — they’re about finding the future of the scene. Highlights for me were:
Sleep Theory — soulful vocals, massive crowd energy. Their set was rained out at first, but LTL actually gave them a make-up closing slot on another stage. I’ve never seen a festival do that, and it shows how much faith both fans and DWP have in them.
Picturesque, XCOMM, Violent Vira, Northlane, Amira Elfeky — all new-to-see bands that have been spinning on my playlists.
And of course, standouts like Magnolia Park, The Plot in You, Colorblind, Not Enough Space, Dayseeker, Catch Your Breath, Bad Omens, Crown the Empire, Slaughter to Prevail, I Prevail, Bring Me the Horizon (probably my favorite theatrical stage performance of the festival) …honestly, too many to name.
Festival Upgrades
This year was also LTL’s anniversary — and DWP clearly listened to fan feedback. After last year’s mudfest, they shifted venues and even added Kentucky Kingdom to the grounds. It brought a whole new dimension: rides, games, and a more compact layout that somehow felt less overwhelming than Daytona’s Welcome to Rockville.
And for the record? Louder Than Life actually surpassed Rockville this year in size — thanks in no small part to Sleep Token’s Friday night draw. T’s verdict: LTL > WTR. We’ll see what next year brings.
Final Frequency
Overall, Louder Than Life 2025 wasn’t just another festival. It was a pulse check on where rock and metal are right now: legacy bands rising again, new acts demanding space, and a community that keeps evolving — even when it clashes.
T and I walked away with sore feet, full hearts, and about 700 fewer bracelets. Worth every second.
