AFI Opens 2025 U.S. Tour at The Sylvee in Madison — First Return in 28 Years
AFI Opens 2025 U.S. Tour at The Sylvee in Madison — First Return in 28 Years
BY ROSS HARRIED
A Fire Inside (AFI) kicked off their 2025 U.S. tour at The Sylvee in Madison, Wisconsin, marking their first performance in the city in 28 years. The band delivered an electrifying show ahead of their new album release on October 3.
When the lights dimmed inside The Sylvee on Tuesday night, eight photographers jockeyed for space in the photo pit while the front row of fans started chanting, “Through our bleeding, we are one.” It was a fitting invocation for AFI’s first Madison performance in 28 years, the opening night of their U.S. tour. Within seconds, frontman Davey Havok stepped into the spotlight, and the show ignited like a fuse meeting flame.
For someone who grew up a farm kid in Wisconsin, 28 years ago I was just 10 years old — likely milking cows or pulling hay bales, not yet old enough to discover the pull of live music. To see AFI return now, decades later, felt like being welcomed into a moment that had been waiting to happen.
A Frontman Reborn
Gone was the shadowy emo-goth figure I remembered from old music videos. On this night, Havok looked like a 1970s disco god reimagined in leather and metal, commanding every inch of the stage. From the moment the band launched into “Girls Not Grey,” Havok was electric — leaping, prowling, and hurling himself into every lyric. He gave photographers in the pit more opportunities in three songs than some frontmen offer in an entire set, and we silently thanked him for it.
But AFI has never been about Havok alone. Bassist Hunter Burgan and guitarist Jade Puget locked down their corners of the stage with precision, occasionally exploding into bursts of energy whenever Havok crossed their paths. When those moments came, the duos hammed it up for the crowd, igniting cheers from fans who fed on their interplay. The band may have been anchored in their respective zones, but together they radiated a force that stretched far beyond the stage.
Chaos and Charm
The first three songs — “Girls Not Grey,” “Love Like Winter,” and “End Transmission” — set the tone for the night. The lighting leaned heavily into warm tones, fitting the band’s name and sound, though occasionally interrupted by harsh neon blues and purples that wreak havoc on digital sensors. Still, the atmosphere was undeniable.
It wasn’t a sold-out Tuesday night, but the energy didn’t suffer for it. The Sylvee’s floor was packed tight, while the balcony offered a vantage point for older fans who came to soak in nostalgia rather than sweat. I saw kids barely 10 years old singing along next to fans with graying hair — proof of AFI’s enduring reach across generations.
Havok, for his part, made sure no one felt shortchanged. Early in the set, he sent his mic flying, nearly clipping a couple of us in the pit. He also knocked over mic stands more than once, grinning as stagehands scrambled to reset. His playful rapport with the crew, combined with the full-throttle performance, gave the night a looseness that felt very “first night of tour” — a band shaking off the cobwebs and rediscovering the joy of live performance.
A Fire Rekindled
From my spot in the pit, those first three songs told me everything I needed to know: AFI hasn’t lost a step. They’re older, sure, but they’ve evolved — trading eyeliner for leather, angst for swagger, and never once letting the fire inside go dim.
As Havok belted out lyrics with full send from note one, it was clear this wasn’t just a return to Madison. It was a revival. And judging by the sweat, smiles, and chants echoing long after, both the band and their fans left The Sylvee lit up, already hungry for the next stop on the tour.
If you want to stay up to date on all our music-related content, consider following me on Instagram!
