Memphis May Fire serve up a tasty pre-holiday show in Hartford
On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, Connecticut’s weather turned to a steady drizzle that lingered most of the day. Most locals had already begun their holiday travel, and the drive to Hartford was a slow crawl of brake lights from the backroads to the main highways. Mid-week concerts are always a bold choice and throwing the weather and holiday into the mix was a gamble. But seeing Memphis May Fire for the second time this year made the hassle feel worth it.
By the time I arrived at The Webster, I had already missed If Not for Me’s opening set. I dried off from the rain and took a moment to reset before Nevertel took the stage.
NEVERTEL
Right away, it’s obvious Nevertel has a history together. I only learned after the show that the members have been best friends since high school, and that familiarity comes through in the effortless back-and-forth between Jeremy Michael and Raul Lopez. During their set, you could feel the crowd begin to lock in for the evening. Any leftover road rage from the drive in faded quickly as everyone eased into a much-needed concert therapy sesh.
RAIN CITY DRIVE
Rain City Drive took the stage as The Webster began to fully fill in with late arrivals escaping the rain. (Yes, the band name is ironic. LOL!) Fans at the front of the pit started chanting “R-C-D” until the stage lights lifted and the first chord hit. Memphis May Fire may have been the headliner, but it was clear many in the room had come specifically for Rain City Drive. The band found their groove quickly and delivered exactly what their fans came for.
MEMPHIS MAY FIRE
After a longer reset, the stage lit up and the energy in the room returned as Memphis May Fire stepped onstage. The tour’s set design worked surprisingly well. Large video screens were staggered behind the band, creating a sense of depth that pulled the audience closer. The visuals shifted between ambient colors, textured patterns, and what looked like clips inspired by the band’s music videos. They also gave the band room to layer in additional audio, filling the small gaps that can appear in a live setting. CO₂ cannons fired during the heavier moments, adding to the overall aesthetic. Every element of the stage design was crafted in a way for for fans to lose themselves in the music.
Compared to their show at the Brooklyn Monarch earlier this year, Hartford’s set felt more relaxed. Maybe it was tonight’s larger stage, or maybe it was the MMF’s momentum of already completing one tour leg along with a run of summer and fall festivals. Whatever the reason, it allowed the band to fully settle into themselves. The pit never reached the level of intensity as their Brooklyn show, but that didn’t take anything away from the night’s performance. Any weeknight crowd will need to warm up a bit more, especially when they’ve walked in from cold rain and long drives.
Frontman Matty Mullins spent much of the night smiling between verses, locking eyes with fans who have been following the band closely. Nothing about his connection with fans ever feels manufactured. With the rising cost of live music for artists and fans, those small interactions are what end up standing out. It’s a genuine appreciation on both sides of the barricade.
Because this show hit just ahead of Thanksgiving, but not every relative would understand why a gravy boat gliding across the table might resemble the crowd surfers at Memphis May Fire two days earlier. Probably safer to keep that one to ourselves and spare Aunt Linda her rant about the devil’s music.
MEMPHIS MAY FIRE SETLIST
The Webster, Hartford, Connecticut (11/25/2025)
Paralyzed
Shapeshifter
Infection
Bleed Me Dry
Somebody
Misery
Left for Dead
The Sinner
Vices
The Other Side
Hell Is Empty
Make Believe
Versus
Love Is War
The Fight Within (encore)
Blood & Water (encore)
Chaotic (encore)
