TOP 20 LIVE ACTS OF 2025 - Little Johnny (Part II)
- Chris Tighe
- 2 days ago
- 8 min read
Are you kidding me? It’s Christmas Eve ya deluded old man, we should be stumbling from egg nogg by now stuffed to the gills with Christmas cookies and ready to open some damn presents. Instead, you have me typing this list thing. You do know almost no one actually reads this stuff, right? I mean why not just put a camera on me and let’s have The Little Johnny Power Hour. People will tune into something cool like that. This assignment blows.
But, sure…I imagine after Beard's trip down memory lane of a list, that you REAL fans of metal have had enough of sleepy time and want to know what the maestro of mosh thought.
So, I am nothing if not responsive to my fans. Let’s get down to learning who Little Johnny thought were the best live acts of 2025.
10. PRIMORDIAL 3/22/25 Hell's Heroes Houston, Tx
This Irish black metal band mixed traditional Celtic music with their evil black metal sound. The singer wore something that was part corpse paint, part tribal war mask and he was something.
Now at first, I wasn’t really into these guys, cause like I ain’t Irish or nothing, but they sort of got me with their dirge like songs of death and horror. This was a rare case where a band didn’t have to be really fast for me to dig it. Check me out in the crowd flying the Horns.
9. CROSS SPLITTER 5/3/15 Legions of Metal Reggie’s, Chicago
Now here was a band. This three piece group came out and blasted pure evil black metal all over the place. The singer, Norman Haightchristian, screamed lyrics in that straight-from-the-tomb voice while the chick Donna Violence was almost half naked up there playing guitar.
These guys were non-stop hard ass evil SOB’s and they freaking rocked it. After the set Beard warned me to stay away from them but hey…it ain’t like he’s getting his fat ass out of the chair to check on me, right? I’m just saying we might of partied a bit. Cool set and band.
8. POWER WOLF 9/23/25 Eagles Club Milwaukee, WI
These guys played with that Dragonforce band and they were even cooler. They dressed like vampires, but their theme seemed to be more werewolves. Really cool background pictures and set production. Watching them was like watching a horror movie while hearing a heavy metal record at the same time. I was WAY into their stuff and, like I said before, we had a good crowd that knew how to circle and move with the music. These guys were worth seeing by far.
7.ARCH ENEMY 4/29/25 The Vic, Chicago, IL
This was the only time we made it to this club. They had seats up top, so I guess that was where Beard hung out like a creepy old Phantom of the Opera, but I enjoyed this band. Now, I guess they were having personnel issues and the people we saw that night aren’t together anymore, so I am glad to have had the opportunity.
These guys played fast, they played heavy and there wasn’t time for cute anything. Get up there and tear off the roof baby. That’s the way music should be, and Arch Enemy brought that feel to the stage.
6. GHOST 8/1/25 All State Arena, Chicago, IL
Now here is one that Beard and I agreed on. This Ghost band is really kind of easy listening type music in my opinion. I mean they have solos and stuff, and the look is certainly cool and evil, but the music is just kind of catchy. I find myself humming it and singing the lyrics. It’s like when you get those tunes in your head and they won’t go away until after about eight IPA’s. Beard says they’re called ear worms, but I ain’t never seen no worms come outta my ears, just a Lego that one time. (Ed: At least you didn't swallow it this time, Johnny. Be careful out there!)
So, anyway, the Ghost band had probably the coolest special effects of the year, and their fans are really crazy, I mean a few of those chicks even scared me a little. Sure, they’re a cool band and all, but no, I don’t want to exchange any blood with you after the show. Little J-dog don’t roll like that. But you can’t really see these guys without feeling like it’s a unique experience so yeah, they made both mine and Beards top ten list.
5. OVERDOSE 3/22/25 Hell's Heroes Houston, TX
So, this was my only selection from this fest who played on the second stage inside. Mostly I hung out in the lawn so I could drink beer, meet chicks and party. I almost got with those hot chicks from Castle Rat, but Beard saw me from the balcony and so I just told them we would hook up later, but then I had too many IPA’s and forgot so I missed my chance. Beard is always such a buzzkill.
So, anyway this group was kind of like that band Motorhead. They had a singer who sounded like that old dude with the giant wart on his face that died a while back. You know that voice that sounds like you ate a waterglass filled with gravel and then tried to sing. It’s a cool sound though and the songs were short and punchy, so I was totally into them. I am pretty sure Beard dug them too, but not as much as me cause you damn sure know that old man ain’t getting near a mosh pit unless that Doro chick was in it. Whatever right? Overdose was awesome.
4. TOXIC HOLOCAUST 5/2/25 Legions of Metal, Reggie’s Chicago
I know Beard was all gaga over the chick fronted bands that sound like they ought to be at the Opera, but for me bands like either Cross Spitter or these guys are the main reason to go to the festivals. Toxic Holocaust was straight ahead thrash and when they start playing you know the room is going to move and move hard. When I hit the floor, it means guys are coming in hot while you circle and that is part of the scene man. Most of the time I just hop back up and hit it again.
This band has a cool look, cool lights, and they definitely get after it up there. Run your ass off for about forty minutes and then go grab another beer. That’s called having fun at a metal show. The old man should try it sometime.
3. MUNICIPAL WASTE 9/26/25 The Rave Milwaukee, WI
Okay, now these dudes were my number one band from last year and when I saw they were playing again this year I figured we had to attend. Now, because these guys get so frigging crazy, I knew Beard might not want to go unless he could hide up in the rafters. So, I called my dudes from Espolon Tequila, and they pulled some strings and got Beard & that chick he’s seeing (Miss Kelly) some front row balcony seats.
Like I figured, that greased the wheels and those two came up with me. Now, Municipal Waste is a super thrash band. They go absolutely crazy and last year they challenged us to throw trash cans at them. Now I remember the venue got pissed about that and security was NOT happy trying to stop a few dozen trashcans from sailing towards the stage. Point is I knew this one was gonna be chaos and a half, so I wore my big boy pants, elbow guards and got ready for some rugby style moshing.
This set wasn’t as intense as last year, but that’s like saying an Imperial IPA isn’t quite as amazing as a double IPA. I mean they’re both amazing all the time, right? This set and show killed, and it was my absolutely favorite one-off show all year. I am cool with these guys being number three though this year.
2. CANNIBAL CORPSE 9/26/25 The Rave, Milwaukee, WI
Yep, same exact show as my number three pick. I had never seen these crazy mother@#$!ers before, but man did they tear #$%@ up. That singer has neck muscles like a freaking OX man. He can bang non-stop forever. The guitar players weren’t just fast, they were also really good. Beard says these guys have been around longer than I’ve been alive. I cannot believe it was my first time seeing them. They absolutely killed it that set.
Now, I really didn’t understand their lyrics, but then I never really care about that much anyway. Just play that @#$! loud and fast. What a great night of metal. Beard enjoyed it, but then he got all analytical and ruined it on the trip home. Dude sometimes a beer is just a beer. Why do you got to break it all down? Cool ass band! Cool ass show. Boom, review finished.
HELLRIPPER 3/22/25 Hell's Heroes Houston, TX
We set the world record for people surfing a metal song with these guys. This was a bunch of young dudes with some accent. Beard said they were Scottish…or maybe he said Skittish, I don’t remember cause I really only half listen to him most of the time anyway. But for me it was just a bunch of long haired metal kids who came on stage and gave the best, most explosive set of the day, the fest, and probably the year.
Beard told me to get a picture of Hellripper that looked awesome, but then when he saw the one I took, he grabbed his camera phone back and said I couldn’t take any more. Hey, if you mean the band then say the band.
Now, when I really think about it, any of the top three acts could have won. That’s why I don’t much care about all this ranking @#$!. The point isn’t to assign a number to stuff. We aren’t fricking accountants. It’s just fun to go and rock out.
So, listen, don’t pay attention to any of my numbers. Just read the names and check out the bands if you can. They are all a great time, and you can really get a workout with any single one of them.
So, listen, I guess that’s pretty much it. Beard says we might not be doing as many reviews of metal stuff next year cause the boss is taking his talents to the airwaves on Wild Dogs Radio. I mean sure, I think me and Beard should try being on the radio because like clearly, I would be a natural. I’m funny, cute and a major chick magnet everywhere I go, so why not put my mug on the air right? BAM…ratings dynamo for sure. But who knows if the old man will do it?
Whatever happens, be sure to follow us wherever we end up. Thanks for reading along, and hanging out, and buying me IPA’s when you guys see me at the shows. Until we meet again this is the original Mosh Master your own Prince of the Pits Little Johnny saying drink Espolon Tequila that stuffs great, and like the Beard says…Horns Up bro’s.
Comments