M'Lou Elkins
I’ve spent nearly 35 years in the trenches, behind the lens, in the pit, running Music Fiends and other various projects, and chasing the pulse of live music wherever it takes me. Goth shows, punk gigs, underground dives…you name it, I’ve shot it. But metal? That beast had somehow mostly eluded me. Before Milwaukee Metal Fest, I couldn’t tell a battle jacket from a back patch. People called me goth. Called me punk. But the truth? I’m a fiend. A music fiend. All genres. All energy. All soul. And I came to Milwaukee ready to be baptized in distortion and fury.
I wasn’t there just to bang my head, I was there to work. Partnering with my longtime brother-in-arms, Michael Mullenix – the guy who still tells people I gave him his first shot in music photography 17 years ago – we were on a mission: capture everything. Interviews with bands. Interviews with fans. The sights, the sounds, the soul of the fest. Then sort it all into something that screams this is metal, and unleash it across social media. Once back in Dallas, I’d finish the job: collect every piece from our four-person crew, because we also had Wisconsin natives and Music Fiends contributors Justin and Crystal on our team and working hard capturing pics of almost every band played, and drop it all on MusicFiends.com.
So yeah, my fest experience was less about moshing in the pit and more about lurking behind the lens. But even from the shadows, I felt it…this fest was tight. Well-oiled. Everything ran smooth. No insane treks between stages. Killer food options. Free water. Merch buried in the basement like some sacred hoard. If I had one wish? Give us media folks a press room with actual, working Wi-Fi so we can blast our coverage out while the amps are still humming.
But let’s talk about what mattered: the community. This wasn’t just a sea of patches and studs. It was unity. Respect. Fans who look out for each other, in and out of the pit. It’s something I don’t see everywhere, this kind of brotherhood forged in noise and sweat.
Now for the highlight reel…
Meeting Phil Anselmo.
Yeah. That happened. I asked him to record a station ID for Music Fiends. He said yes. Then I got to tell him I shot Pantera back in ‘93 at the State Palace in New Orleans, back when I was just getting started. The smile that lit up his face? I’ll carry that forever.
Chatting with Rita Haney, Dimebag’s Hag.
She was posted up at the Dimebag Darrell tent, and it felt like talking to family. We’re both hardcore cat lovers (shoutout to the Music Fiends cat logo), and we ended up trading stickers. Total badass. Total sweetheart.
Filming Interview with Amigo the Devil.
Probably my favorite band interview of the weekend. He was genuine and kind, despite his murder ballads and lyrics soaked in sorrow. That said, everyone we spoke to brought the heat. No egos. Just passion.
Even the fans were legends. One dude, Andrew, let us film him while he got his hair braided…maybe not the most brutal moment of the fest, but it was real, it was fun, and it was metal as hell in its own way.
Nearly every fan we met was a repeat offender, coming back year after year. Many traveled from out of state. All of them had opinions on who should be on the bill next year. That kind of loyalty? That kind of fire? You can’t fake it.
Milwaukee Metal Fest changed something in me. Woke up the metalhead I didn’t know was sleeping. You better believe I’ll be back next year, with cameras ready, heart pounding, and horns high…bringing you the most raw, unfiltered, full-throttle coverage of this fest that Music Fiends can possibly deliver.
(P.S. – I even carved out time to visit Milwaukee’s Bronze Fonze!)
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