Tour Diary: Moon Fever Take Us Through Their Summer Run of the Midwest

Nothing goes better with summer than rock n’ roll, and Moon Fever has been living the dream lately. The band wrapped up a run of July dates last month, preceded by a few gigs in the early summer. They were touring in support of Drowning Pool and A Killer’s Confession. They also found some time for a couple of festival appearances as well. The band was in the Welcome to Rockville lineup in May and Sonic Temple in Columbus. They recently released their hot new single “Forever Sleep,” for which they also shot a music video. The song is for anyone who feels like they’ve been chewed out by life. You may be down, but not out, and you know you must find your way back.

The momentum is building for Moon Fever. “Forever Sleep” is the third single the band has recently released, preceded by “Feels So Good” and “Getting Loud.” All three songs will be featured on the band’s upcoming debut album. Still, no official release date has been set, but you can expect it in the fall. The band members have been putting in the hard work of promotion and touring all summer, and they are looking forward to what the fall has in store for them.

Today, the members of Moon Fever join us for an exclusive Tour Diary that takes you behind the scenes in their run through the Midwest last month.

July 5th, Freedom Rally, Algona, IA

“We got booked at a biker rally in Iowa in the middle of a corn field the day after Fourth of July. We showed up not knowing what to expect only to be at the main stage of the festival during a wet t-shirt contest. This rally was the only place you could see naked chicks , bikers, and dentists from Omaha walking around with their dicks out all in one place, but hey that’s freedom.

“The show absolutely ripped. Then it instantly started pouring rain. After some very mid jambalaya in the pouring rain we headed out, and it’s on to the next one.” – Mitch Micoley

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by MOON FEVER (@moonfeverofficial)

July 12th, Day Off, Jacksonville, NC

“It’s good to have a off day here and there, even better when it isn’t sweltering outside. But that wasn’t the case in Jacksonville. Seattle natives can only handle so much, and it was borderline hell out. So yeah, we’re mostly indoors.

“It’s a good time to catch up with your friends and family, throw a load of laundry into a questionable washing machine, nurse a hangover, or scope the local fare.

“We were scouting local restaurants when I think we finally landed on a Cajun joint. We piled in the van, made it about halfway and then that’s when we saw it, Golden Corral, where the good go to die young. After a dramatic shift in energy, a new ordnance had been brought to the table. Five to one, we’re going for the Gold, they’re bound to have Cajun food anyway. I don’t think our sound guy Tyler had been to a Golden Corral before, as he noted it is very much like a horse corral.

“We were herded like cattle through a maze of steel gating, several of us grunting, all of us starving. But hey, where else can you feed six grown men for 120 dollars? They had it all. Slops of Americanized Mexican food, scores of fried animal parts, several incandescent corn based dishes, mountains of mashed potatoes, and things I didn’t even know you could make into gravy.

“Their dessert buffet rivals even the most upscale grocery store bakeries and after masticating several plates of around the world cuisine, it’s a must stop. They have the perfect cupcake, yellow cake with white tasteless frosting, I probably had six of them and I was hyping them up the whole time. Triston finally tried one, he was instantly in arms that the frosting wasn’t cream cheese based, and that the cake was dry. Bitch, this is Golden Corral, not Cupcake Royale. Save your bacon-peach cupcakes with elote infused whipped frosting for white suburban step moms in Seattle. I don’t need you stepping on the only thing bringing me happiness.

“Needless to say, I finished his and we all left with stomach ulcers.” – Dave Orton

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by MOON FEVER (@moonfeverofficial)

July 16th, The Concourse, Knoxville, TN

“Tennessee, we’ve had some good ones, and some bad ones but if we only played The Concourse then they’d always be good. I wish I knew more about the venue, it’s massive. Hence the name, I assume it must of been an old hanger, but who knows? For a huge room they really had it dialed, it sounded thunderous, mad heavy, I wish they were all like that.

“You know you’re in a good spot when everyone that works there is nice. We don’t need a whole hell of a lot, but when we get it, we’re stoked.

“We played a great set. The best part of being on the road is how tight your band gets, even when there’s problems on stage you barely notice them. There are real rock fans in Knoxville, we met as many as we possibly could. For whatever reason, one in ten people were wearing corpse paint, I mean, we’re here for it.

“Mitch ordered up a host of local Mexican food, and we crushed it. It’s so hit or miss on the road. But one of The Concourse crew had these deep fried potato medallions from her other job, and damn it if we didn’t wax those too. Top 5 best meal of the run.

“Heard a rumor that the place might shut down in the next couple months. We’ll be sorry it see it go but honored to get a final crack at that immaculate stage.” – Dave Orton

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by MOON FEVER (@moonfeverofficial)

July 19th, Rock Fest, Cadott, WI

“Being in a touring rock band in 2024 is wild. After playing the best venue in the United States (The Machine Shop) we got a random call from our manager at 1:00 in the morning saying we got added to the Rock Fest lineup. Being that it was eight hours away and we had load in and sound check at 10:00 am we grabbed our suitcases smelling ripe and full of crime. I don’t remember much of that drive except for me and our sound guy Tyler (Crime Tyler) drinking brown bags of super cheap shitty wine while passing the Chicago Skyline in the middle of night.

“I woke up to someone saying, ‘The van broke down, someone wake up Mitch.’ In a haze I looked to find us in Amish country 20 minutes outside the festival grounds. With three Amish kids looking at us like were aliens getting out of a space ship I called production. ‘Hey Dawn, Mitch from Moon Fever here, so happy we got added to the lineup, little hitch… we’ll be there for our load in time, but we’ll be arriving on a tow truck.’

“The whole band climbed into the tow truck with the trailer on, got to backstage just in time. Got the gear set up and after a very well deserved Jack on the rocks smashed our set. Rock n roll ain’t pretty. But god damn is it fun.” – Mitch Micoley

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by MOON FEVER (@moonfeverofficial)

July 25th, The Vanguard, Tulsa, OK

“Sometimes, you don’t want to do it. You’re driving all day, the air conditioning is out in the van, it’s a hundred and fucking ten degrees with 150 percent humidity. I’d be lying if I said we were looking forward to playing in Tulsa. It’s still a job, it doesn’t always feel like it but at the end of the day, that’s what it is: an exchange for goods and services. You load in and take your sound check, strike the drums, head to the hotel, take a pointless shower, and by the time you get back to the venue, it’s completely sold out. Hell yeah.

“I love a place with a stage a foot and half off the floor, especially in a sold out room, eye to eye with people. From the first note, they were tearing the doors off the bathrooms. Nonstop waves of crowd surfers, running and diving off stage. You know the words? Fuck it, you take the mic. You could cut a perfect slice of pie from the energy in that room. It had to be my favourite of the run so far. Possibly one of my favourite shows of all time.” – Dave Orton

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by MOON FEVER (@moonfeverofficial)

July 25th, Temple Live, Fort Smith, AK

“One of the best shows of tour without question. We roll up to a Scottish temple next to a funeral home with a casket in plain view. Before we even load, me and Dave start exploring like Indiana Jones. In the basement of the temple they have this wild Egyptian themed room, but we didn’t find the holy grail.

“After saying a quick ‘Hail Satan’ we started sound check. Our back drop that night was a 100 year old painting used for Masonic rituals. The show sold out. Triston staged dived during one of my solos, great night. Unfortunately they didn’t let me become a mason right on the spot… Maybe next time?” – Mitch Micoley

July 26th, Barnado, Omaha, NB

“Last day of the run with Drowning Pool and A Killer’s Confession, and it’s at venue we love. It’s small, and has the most heavily cramped stage you’ve ever played, but the amenities make up for it. They have the best curated cocktail menu, and a speakeasy with a card table. Really the choice venue for villains everywhere.

“Everyone brings their A-game on the last show, if you have a chance to catch the other bands on your package, this is the night. Ryan (McCombs) from Drowning Pool was incredibly sick with a cold, and you never would have known it. I think you know you’re going home and it’s easy to ride that high of anticipation, you can get through anything on the last night.

“Barnado is place where you can really see the fans. The stage is basically floor level and you’re within breathing distance of those who came to see you. That show is where I’ve seen the most people wearing MF shirts, and more importantly, knowing the lyrics to every song. That still blows my mind, you really have to listen to this shit to get to know it and seeing people connect with it will always floor me.

“Lastly, you kind of swipe all the merch you can, you have to get something to remind you of your time with Drowning Pool, other than them being some of the nicest guys you could be out with. No tour pranks, no lengthy goodbyes. You leave with a firm gripped handshake and a twinkle in your eye. Then it’s off in your shit sleds for a mere 26 hour drive home. It’s not the worst we’ve ever done, but it won’t be the worst we’ll ever do.” – Dave Orton

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by MOON FEVER (@moonfeverofficial)