Day two had a calmer energy compared to the first day, with attendees arriving on time and ready for the day, albeit with less intensity.

The day kicked off with a performance by The Sissy Boys, a refreshing young band from Michigan. They brought great energy and impressed both new and old hardcore fans with a sick cover of a Negative Approach song.

Following them were Move, Fools Game, Big Deal, and Division of Mind. During this time, I took a break for lunch, which was incredible. We enjoyed some classic Little Caesars Pizza, which somehow tasted much better coming from the truck than from the stores—I can’t explain it.

I returned in time to catch the set by Hold My Own, a band created by members from Chicago and New Jersey during the pandemic. With an old-school influence, they brought a refreshing burst of energy to the lineup. Following them was the much-anticipated mystery set by Sunami.

The crowd erupted with excitement as the Sunami logo lit up the screen. It was a treat to see a past headliner play an earlier mid-day set and bring the same energy and intensity.

Gates to Hell, Three Knee Deep, and Ingrown then played, delivering one of the best sets of the weekend. Their performance included an insane wall of death that spanned from the stage to the back.

I took a break outside for a snow cone and some fresh air and unfortunately missed Soul Search, but I made it back in time for No Pressure. This was one of the sets I was most excited to see over the weekend, as I’ve been a big fan of Parker Cannon’s work for years. They brought some fun energy following the heavy music during the afternoon. Their backdrop featured the classic sus dog meme (lol), and they nailed a Blink-182 cover, making it a fun set at the right spot in the lineup.

Next up were a Detroit hometown favorite, Never Ending Game, whose setlist was incredible. They opened with “Just Another Day,” brought the energy with “Tank on E,” and closed with “Hate Today… Die Tomorrow.” It’s always a blast to see a flagship band play in their hometown, and the whole room showed up for them.

Youth of Today, the second to last headliner, were a bucket list band for me as a hardcore fan. I was interested to see the age range of the crowd, and to my surprise, there were both young and older hardcore fans moshing and screaming along to every word. The energy they brought was unmatched, and they still rocked as the original straightedge band. It was incredible to witness “Make a Change,” “Thinking Straight,” and “Break Down the Walls.”

Closing out the festival was Have Heart, an iconic, straightedge hardcore punk band from the resurgent Boston hardcore scene. Having broken up in 2009 and played only a handful of shows post-breakup before this set, I truly never thought I’d get to see them live. The crowd was silent with anticipation, despite being at max capacity. Then, a red light lit up the stage, and the crowd went wild. This set was emotionally intense, with a mix of people crying and moshing. They opened with “The Machinist,” and my favorite song of the set was “On That Bird in the Cage,” before closing with “Watch Me Rise.” After the set, everyone was soaked in blood, sweat, and tears.

Overall, the highlights of the weekend for me were Ingrown, Drain, Terror, No Pressure, Angel Du$t, Youth of Today, and Have Heart. It was an incredible weekend in Detroit, and I can’t wait to attend next year.

Day 2