This was a gig I’d been excited about ever since it was announced. As someone who loves both country and metal, Lakeview’s fusion of the two is absolutely brilliant.
Pip Marsh opened the night, and I’ll it, I hadn’t looked him up beforehand, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. At first, I was still at the bar catching up with friends when he started, and the sound didn’t seem quite right, vocals and drums were really overpowering the guitars. Once I got a proper view of the stage, it all made sense, the guitars were on a backing track, with just a singer and drummer performing live. While that setup can work for some, I found it a bit unexpected and honestly a little odd, for this kind of setting.
Pip described his style as “Emo Country,” which was intriguing, but the small crowd didn’t seem fully engaged. He chatted a lot between songs, like Brent Smith form Shinedown but it felt a little unpolished. That said, his music wasn’t bad, and a few people were clearly enjoying it. Still, I couldn’t help but feel that a live band would’ve added more energy and made it easier to draw the audience in.
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Then Lakeview hit the stage, and everything changed. The room seemed to fill up out of nowhere, and the atmosphere shifted entirely. They kicked things off with “Hits Different” and followed it up with “Loser”, setting the perfect tone for the night. The mix of country fans and metalheads in the audience created such a unique vibe, and everyone was completely into it.
I first discovered Lakeview on TikTok, of all places, but they’re so much more than a 30 second clip band. Their live performance was phenomenal, showing how well they’ve mastered blending country melodies with heavy metal grit. Tracks like “Money Where Your Mouth Is” hit hard, I’ve only heard the bridge in this song being sung by Daniel McWhorter of Gideon but Luke definitely holds his own when it comes to the harsher vocals, the way they combine melodic harmonies with metal roars is just brilliant.
They kept the energy soaring with “What I Know Now”, “By Now”, “Dying Breed”, and “Neon Nightmare”, turning The Cathouse into a heavy metal hoe-down.
Things slowed down briefly for “Drunk Prayer”, a more emotional moment in the set. Luke picked up the guitar while Jesse took a heartfelt moment to thank the crowd for letting them share such a meaningful song. It was a beautiful, intimate moment that really connected with everyone there.
But the party wasn’t over. They launched back into high gear with “Drink With My Friends”, followed by a fantastic and unexpected cover of Hinder’s “Lips of an Angel”. They wrapped things up with “Home Team” and “Son Of A”, closing the night with just as much energy as they started.
Throughout the night, the band kept shouting out to their “White and Blue Collar” friends in the audience, thanking everyone for making the effort to be there. It felt genuine, and you could tell they truly appreciated the crowd.
After the show, I got the chance to meet the guys, and they were absolute gentlemen. They took the time to chat, take pictures, and make everyone feel valued.
Lakeview put on an incredible show, and I honestly can’t wait to see them again. If you’re into country, metal, or both, do yourself a favour and check them out. They’re the perfect blend of both worlds and an absolute joy to watch live.
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Photos by Angela Heeb
