There’s something poetic about thousands of rock fans packed into Camden’s Freedom Mortgage Pavilion on a humid Wednesday night, sweating and screaming under a sky that couldn’t decide whether to storm or shine. It’s summer in New Jersey, and the Summer of Loud tour rolled in like a tidal wave—eight bands, no filler, and the kind of emotional highs and lows only this genre can deliver.
Before the first note rang out, a moment of reverence overtook the venue: a massive tribute to Ozzy Osbourne filled the screen, honoring the Prince of Darkness just days after the world learned of his passing. For a crowd primed for chaos, it was a sobering reminder of the legacy everyone here was standing on. Fans stood still, some wiping tears, others raising horns in quiet salute.
Dark Divine opened the show with the kind of hunger you can’t fake. Their set was brief but packed with conviction, setting the tone for a night where no one came to phone it in. Alpha Wolf followed, ripping the atmosphere open with the kind of feral energy that turned pits violent and hands skyward. Vocalist Lochie Keogh stalked the stage like a predator, and by the end of their set, it was clear—this crowd was wide awake and ready for more.
The Devil Wears Prada took the energy in a different direction. Their set blended raw metalcore with introspective emotion, moving the needle between crushing breakdowns and melodic refrains. There was a palpable weight to songs “Salt” and “Broken,” as if the band was digging something out of themselves in real-time. The crowd responded in kind, riding that line between release and reflection.
The Amity Affliction brought their signature emotional catharsis to the stage next, trading off guttural screams with haunting clean vocals. Their vulnerability was on full display, and they had no trouble commanding a sea of voices screaming every lyric back at them. Despite the dusk setting in and the crowd beginning to show signs of wear, there wasn’t a soul standing still.
Then came Parkway Drive, and everything changed.
Winston McCall emerged like a general stepping into battle—backlit, pacing, surveying his kingdom. Fire shot from the stage as the Australian powerhouse launched into a career-spanning set that left no time to breathe. “Bottom Feeder” and “Wild Eyes” were more than just heavy—they felt ceremonial. The audience wasn’t just watching; they were part of something massive. Parkway Drive didn’t just play a set. They led a war cry.
Killswitch Engage kept that same fire burning. Veteran status doesn’t make them complacent—it makes them sharper. With Jesse Leach’s voice soaring over the Parkway smoke still hanging in the air, the band tore through “My Curse” and “In Due Time” like a band half their age. “The End of Heartache” had the entire pavilion singing as one, fists in the air, hearts on the line.
By the time I Prevail hit the stage, the energy was wild but frayed. That didn’t stop them from putting on a massive production. Smoke cannons, strobe lights, and synchronized chaos poured from the stage as they leaned hard into their biggest hits. “Bow Down” and “Bad Things” lit a match under a crowd already teetering on collapse. The dual vocal assault—now helmed by Eric Vanlerberghe and Dylan Bowman—remains one of modern rock’s most explosive forces, and it was unleashed in full Wednesday night.
Beartooth closed the night not as a clean-up crew, but as the emotional payoff to a full day of mayhem. Caleb Shomo laid his soul bare with every scream and sing-along. Tracks “Disease” and “Riptide” hit especially hard after hours of chaos, offering one last moment of communal breakdown and healing. It was aggressive, anthemic, and somehow still cathartic—exactly how this festival needed to end.
Summer of Loud isn’t just a catchy name—it’s a promise. And in Camden, NJ, that promise was kept tenfold. It was a night of noise, sweat, loss, unity, and power. Eight bands showed up ready to destroy, and the fans gave everything right back.
If this tour rolls through your city, clear your schedule. You don’t want to miss it.
