UPHEAVAL FESTIVAL BRINGS THE HEAT TO GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, DAY 1
Welcome back to another edition of the Get Some Magazine Party Bus. This time, we rolled into Grand Rapids, Michigan, for our fourth year covering Upheaval Festival, and Day 1 delivered exactly what we've come to expect: blistering performances, dedicated fans, and enough chaos to make it memorable.
The setting was Belknap Park. The forecast? Around 90 degrees, an air quality alert thanks to Canadian wildfire smoke, roughly 15,000 fans, 28 bands, and, of course, that infamous hill. If you've been to Upheaval, you already know.
Before diving into the music, a huge shoutout goes to every artist who took the stage Friday. Performing in extreme heat is one thing. Doing it while smoke hangs over the festival grounds is another. Every band gave it everything they had.
The day kicked off with Vexatious on the Lookout Stage, setting the tone with an explosive opening set. From there, it was down the hill—thank you to the festival shuttle drivers—to catch Thousand Below opening the Main Stage, immediately getting the crowd moving with nonstop crowd surfers.
One of the weekend's standout female-fronted acts, Showing Teeth, absolutely tore through their set, while Landmvrks once again proved why they're one of the most exciting live bands in heavy music. Their set was relentless, and in our book, they earned the award for the best mosh pit of the day.
Every year we make time to check out the Rising Stage, and Detroit's Annex Void made sure that tradition paid off. The band delivered a crushing performance that had the pit moving from the very first song.
Veterans Story of the Year reminded everyone why they've remained staples of the post-hardcore scene for more than two decades. Fans sang every word while crowd surfers poured over the barricade from start to finish.
Despite early technical difficulties, Zero 9:36 handled the situation like a seasoned pro. During the downtime, he invited a fan who had been sketching him from the crowd onto the stage to finish the drawing, creating one of the day's coolest moments.
As the sun dipped lower, Magnolia Park owned the Lookout Stage during golden hour. Their infectious energy never let up, and neither did the crowd. There wasn't a still body in sight.
Then came the moment everyone had been waiting for.
As darkness settled over Belknap Park and the wildfire smoke glowed beneath the lights, Gojira unleashed a crushing headline performance that felt tailor-made for the apocalyptic atmosphere. Every riff hit with precision, every breakdown landed with force, and the band's commanding presence turned an already unforgettable day into something truly special.
One of Upheaval's greatest strengths remains its scheduling. With the two main stages staggered instead of overlapping, fans can catch nearly every major act without making impossible choices. It's a small detail that makes a huge difference and one of the many reasons Upheaval continues to stand out as one of the Midwest's premier rock and metal festivals.
If Day 1 was any indication, the rest of the weekend had a lot to live up to.
