Militarie Gun, Public Opinion and Liquid Mike: Portal. Louisville, KY 10/31/25

It was Friday morning when I woke up and saw that Camp Spaceman had to move the Militarie Gun show. I was so sad, and I thought surely there isn’t enough time to relocate the show to a different venue, but boy was I wrong. Portal in Louisville was all over it. As if nothing ever happened, the show was moving ahead full force, and nothing was stopping it this time.

We rolled into Louisville around 4:00 that evening, and I’ll admit we were running later than I would’ve liked. So, before even checking into the hotel, I shot to the venue to meet the crew and pick up passes for the show. We walk through the doors and see none other than Ash Ketchum himself (David the venue GM) we’re greeted with a power stance peace sign, and arguably the nicest guy I’ve ever met. We felt right at home, and dressing up was no longer a concern for my fiancé lmao.

We walked around the venue to check things out, and chatted with David some more before heading to the hotel (only 10 min away, huge score)

At this point it’s like 5 and Militarie Gun started soundcheck already, so I’m stressing hard lmao. I’m playing it cool so Bailey can get into her costume and make up and what not, but we were dressing as Shaggy and Scooby, if you know me then you know I dress like Shaggy everyday lol. I was ready to goooo. She got ready pretty quick and we jetted down to the car, and straight to the venue.

When we got there, Militarie Gun was still sound checking and I was so hyped. I grabbed my camera immediately and started getting shots. Ian was getting the sound right for “Daydream” and it was literally a dream come true. It felt like a special performance just for Bailey and me. It was a really cool moment, especially since this trip is our first time getting out since being engaged. It’s a hard feeling to describe, but that empty room with one of my favorite bands playing such an intimate song, my fiancée by my side, and doing what I love. It was a perfect moment that I’ll never forget.

Right after soundcheck for MG, Public Opinion took the stage for their soundcheck.  It was a laid back soundcheck and they kept things moving, but they were so locked in already, there was no way they needed it.

Doors opened not long after and people started spilling in, almost everyone in costume. It was actually pretty hilarious seeing the different outfits people had on and just how diverse the audience was, but everyone was there for the same reason and loved the music. Those moments are so cool to me especially in the times we live in now. I think I saw everything from a hot Cheeto bag to Mario and 2 Dr Evil’s (maybe a mini me?) lmao. It was a great time before the show even started.

Public Opinion took the stage first and the energy was immediately shifted into go mode. The crowd started moving, the speakers were slamming bass into the air, and the party started. Kevin was encouraging people to get closer, move around, get loose and I think everyone got the memo pretty quickly. Before I knew it, I could barely move around and there was a crowd surfers feet at my head lol. It was starting to get rowdy, and I was all for it. They ripped through their set like it would be their last show ever, and the passion was evident. I don’t care if I’m in a basement or at Madison Square Garden, I want to feel that passion and love for the music every time I go to a show. If you have the right energy, then any place in the world can be an amazing venue. Public Opinion lit a fire inside Portal and it burned alllll night long.

Liquid Mike played next and opened their set with pure intensity. Mike was dripping sweat from the very first song, and the whole building was moving in unison, like one big sea of sweat and skin. It was beautiful to witness, and the energy was rife with emotion and excitement. Monica was killing it on the trumpet all night and every time she pulled it out, it was obviously a vibe. At one point during their set, Mike told the crowd he’d trade a record for a sweatband/headband, and just a few moments later someone had one at the front of the stage. He put it on with some help from Monica, and the crowd then encouraged him to play blindfolded, which naturally he did lmaoo.

It was easily a highlight of the night for me and was such a funny moment for everyone. I can’t say I’ve seen anyone else do that before, not in person at least. The energy Liquid Mike brought to the show was easygoing and not too serious, but when they were playing their songs, it was dead serious. Not a single mistake or flop. They just killed it from beginning to end and they kept the crowd involved the entire time. They really know how to put on a show, and I can’t wait to see them again.

Militarie Gun took the stage last, and it was everything I’d been waiting on. For months I’ve been staring at the tickets on my phone, waiting for it to be Halloween.

They played “Pt II” walking out, and it was like a movie scene of the most badass band I’d ever seen. I’ve been to ALOT of shows, but for some reason I was extra excited to see Militarie Gun. Ian is just such an amazing frontman and brings a certain swagger to his performances that I dream of brining to mine one day. That signature “OOH OOH” that gets everyone jacked, the puffer coats, handing his mic off to the crowd…dude is a legend. Everyone in the building knew the words to every song, and there was not a quiet moment the whole time, with the exception of “Daydream” when the crowd got white and let Ian do his thing on the acoustic. It was so damn good.

They played “B A D I D E A” TWICE. Imagine how insane that was for everyone there. It was seriously an awesome show. I never thought I’d agree with playing the same song twice in one night, but the second time they played it, everyone went absolutely ape shit, including myself. The energy was on full blast from the second Public Opinion walked on the stage, up until Militarie Gun walked off of it. It blew every expectation I had clear out of the water. I thought it’d be a really great show, but I walked away from the venue thinking to myself “This might be the greatest night I’ve ever had.”

There’s a lot of times I feel that way leaving shows, but it’s so true. Every show is the greatest night of my life, until the next one. The days in between are spent searching for my next one or reminiscing on past ones. I dream of a future with nothing but concerts, and sharing these moments with my son, like my dad did me. My life changed forever when I saw Pearl Jam for the first time, and I’ve never thought about a different way of life. I will always be searching for my next show, and I’ll always be talking about one I’ve been to. It’s just who I am, and these moments are what made me the person I am today. I feel the most alive when I’m surrounded by people screaming their voices away, running in circles or jumping into crowds. It’s in my blood and I can’t help but shake it out every time I get the chance. This Is How It Feels to me. This is exactly what the blog is about. Those nights when the world is falling apart, but it doesn’t matter because the music is patching any shred of doubt you might have and it’s drowning out all the negativity surrounding you. That’s what it means for me to be alive. There’s no feeling quite like the one you get from a live show.

Hats off to Militarie Gun, Public Opinion and Liquid Mike for absolutely ripping the roof off of Portal. It was such a blast, and it’s a night I’ll never forget.

See you next week!

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Thanks everyone for checking out this week's write up!

Stay on the lookout for an official time change soon

I'm thinking 6pm on Mondays, but it's TBD.

• Ethan