Pop-punk, passion, and photography. All in one unforgettable night with Belmont.

There’s something about smaller venues that amplifies the chaos. Sound bounces tighter, the crowd presses closer, and every lyric hits harder. Belmont, the Illinois-based pop-punk band known for their technical riffs and honest lyricism, brought their fall/winter 2025 tour to The Oriental Theater in Denver, and the night was pure electricity.

At The Oriental Theater in Denver, you could feel it the second you walked in: sweaty bodies packed shoulder to shoulder, anticipation vibrating through every corner of the room, and almost half the crowd proudly wearing various season’s of Belmont shirts.

Opening acts Avoid and Unwell didn’t just warm up the room.. they lit the fuse. It’s not every day you see a full-blown mosh pit for an opener, but these two bands made it happen. Unwell led the crowd with melodies and choruses the fans were quickly learning and repeating back, while Avoid kept the energy relentless, pushing the room toward peak intensity. By the time Belmont finally hit the stage, the pit was roaring, sweat (or beer?) flew through the air, and fans were ready to explode.

Then Belmont appeared. Heavy riffs, flashing lights, and the endless stage energy hit immediately. Every note, every lyric, every riff felt alive. From the first chord, chaos reigned in the best way possible, and I was there, capturing it all from behind the lens. The stage flickered between deep reds and icy blues as bodies collided in the pit, fans screamed lyric after lyric, and the band commanded the room with precision and passion. It was intense. From the first note to the last.

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About Belmont

Formed in Chicago, Illinois, Belmont has carved their own lane in modern pop-punk and post-hardcore, blending technical guitar work, tight rhythms, and emotionally charged vocals. Known for explosive live performances that leave fans breathless (and sweaty), they’ve built a reputation for mixing high-speed riffs, dynamic drumming, and melodic screams while maintaining the heart of the scene.

The band recently released Liminal, an album that pushes boundaries with songs like “SSX Trickmont” and “Day By Day.” Their fall/winter 2025 tour brought that sound to life, hitting cities across the country, and Denver’s Oriental Theater was the second stop of the tour. Belmont commanded that Denver room with precision, passion, and nonstop stage energy, proving why they’re one of the most exciting bands to catch live today.

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Behind the Lens

The Oriental Theater did not have a media pit… so I shot entirely from the crowd and the front of the pit, which is always a little daunting, but honestly, it lets you get those “I’m right in the middle of it” shots. I was second row, with singer, Taz Johnson, just a couple of feet away, and the crowd was literally bulldozing my back.

I also had access to the balcony, which is always a fun surprise. That let me capture sweeping shots of the venue, the crowd, and unique angles you just can’t get from the pit. Between the pit, side stage, balcony, and the back of the crowd, I was everywhere, moving constantly to capture every moment. Navigating through fans was trickier than usual as the venue was packed wall to wall. Every time I wanted a new angle, it was a chorus of “Excuse me! Excuse me! Sorry, I’ll be quick, thank you!”

For gear, I ran my Canon R5 with just two lenses: my 50mm and 85mm. I hadn’t brought my 50mm to a show in years, so I decided to switch it up for some portrait-style shots and to check out what I had been missing. It went pretty well, though my 85mm has been stealing the show lately, so I mainly stuck with it after the first few songs. I used the 50mm in the pit for close-up, in-your-face shots, swapping back to the 85mm when I needed distance or tighter coverage. I also used my white diffusion filter on the 85mm and my black diffusion filter on the 50mm to soften highlights and add some mood.

I kicked things off in the pit, capturing some 50mm shots before rotating throughout the venue. The pit had its own microcosms: a mellow side and a hardcore side. I mostly stayed on the mellow side but occasionally ventured into the chaos to photograph the other side of the stage and band members. It was all about staying aware and watching my back, front, and sides while snapping as fast as I could: snap, snap, snap… okay, time to move.

Lighting was a challenge, as it usually is with any show. Harsh pinks and yellows made the band look jaundiced, which is definitely not my favorite look. My approach is to emphasize the emotion and energy of the performance rather than the raw colors of the show. I lean into bold reds, warm tones, high contrast, and grain to give the shots a visceral, energetic feel. The colors of the lights become a backdrop for the emotion rather than the focus.

Check out the full concert gallery →

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The Emotion of the Performance

The Oriental Theater was pure adrenalin in the best way. From the first chord, it was full throttle. The crowd sang every lyric, arms up, jumping in rhythm to every breakdown. “Bowser’s Castle” and “Liminal” hit especially hard live, turning the pit into a blur of bodies and light.

Fans were dripping in sweat, screaming every word at the top of their lungs, and giving everything they had to the music. Halfway through the set, when I rotated into the crowd for more close-up shots, people were coming out of the pit looking like they had just swum a marathon. Fans were exhausted, hair plastered to faces, but underneath all that sweat and raw energy, you could see their souls smiling. This was where they wanted to be; fully present, fully alive, completely immersed, and surrounded by a comfort of the venue and those who filled it.

Taz Johnson, Belmont’s singer, carried the room on his back. Every note, every scream, every lyric he poured out felt intensely personal. His energy was infectious, and you could feel it radiate from the stage into every corner of the crowd. When he belted out a chorus or shared a quiet, emotional moment, it wasn’t just a performance, it was an invitation for everyone in the room to feel it with him. Watching him perform, you could see the passion, the emotion, and the connection he had with every single fan in the venue.

The pit, the crowd, the band – it all became one. Some were headbanging, some throwing punches, some shouting every lyric like it was their 9-5 job. Every jump, every shout, every cheer was a response to the band’s relentless intensity. Belmont doesn’t just play music; they create a shared experience. A loud, sweaty, beautiful, comfortable human moment that everyone in the room takes part in.

There was a real emotional pull, too. Moments where the vocalist closed his eyes mid-line and you could feel the weight of the song hang in the air. It’s the kind of energy that doesn’t just make for great photos — it makes you feel something behind the camera.

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KRX Concert Scorecard

Mosh Meter: 10/10 – The two-stepping was going crazzyyyy
Sing-Along Energy: 12/10 – Literally everyone was screaming along. No one missed a single word.
Stage Chaos: 10/10 – Emotional, energetic, brilliant
Lighting Luck: 7/10 – I loved the lighting of the show, but dramatic color shifts and harsh lighting made for some harder edits
Photo-Worthy Moments: 9/10 – So much emotion, the photos could feel it
Energy Level: 12/10 – Both the band and the crowd seemed like they gave it their all that night in Denver. I would always go see them again.

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Belmont Setlist:

1. In The Sky
2. Hollowed Out
3. Bowser’s Castle
4. Liminal
5. 731
6. Day By Day
7. 4am // Disappear
8. Carry On
9. Two’s A Party
10. SSX Trickmont
11. By My Side
12. Overstepping
13. Encore: Pushing Daisies

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Right as the last note was ringing out, the crowd was begging for more. Every fan shouting, jumping, and cheering like their voices could keep the music alive. “ONE MORE SONG. ONE MORE SONG.” echoed through the venue. When Belmont returned for the encore, the crowd erupted, singing along, screaming every lyric, and throwing themselves into the pit one last time. And after the encore, they screamed for another, their voices carrying long after the stage went quiet. They didn’t want to let go — chanting for another song, clinging to the hope of one more moment together.

There was not a double encore that night, but fans stayed, chanting and cheering until the staff gently nudged them toward the exit. Sweaty, exhilarated, and still humming the melodies, they spilled out into the Denver night, hearts racing and faces glowing. Photographing live music isn’t just about capturing images, it’s about freezing the moments that make a show unforgettable. Belmont gave every person in the room that experience, and I’m grateful to have been there, with my camera in hand, in the middle of all that energy.

Watching it all from behind the lens, I couldn’t help but feel the magnitude of what had just happened. Each scream, each headbang, each quiet moment of awe became a memory frozen in time through my camera, but it was more than that: it was the feeling of being part of something larger than myself, something chaotic, beautiful, and comfortably human. Nights like this are why I shoot live music. Not for the perfect frame or the ideal lighting, but for the raw, unfiltered emotion that fills a room and lingers long after the last note. Belmont gave every person in that room that gift, and I walked away from The Oriental Theater knowing I had witnessed a performance that would stay with me, and with everyone there, for a long, long time.

I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to shoot this show. Huge thank you to Belmont and their team for having me out and trusting me to capture such an incredible night. And thanks to the band for putting on an incredible show.

If you haven’t heard of Belmont, check out their music, here!

Until next time.

See the full gallery from the Belmont show →

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Shot on Canon R5 with the EF 50mm f/1.2L and the RF 85mm f/2.0.
Venue: The Oriental, Denver, CO.
For licensing or tour photography inquiries, contact me here.
Written and photographed by Kenedy Rae.
View Belmont’s work, here.

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Want to view my full gallery for this concert?
-> View my concert gallery from this show here.

For more live concert photography, gear reviews, and behind-the-scenes stories, visit KRX Media.

Like this behind-the-scenes concert blog post? Check out my write-up on Bad Suns live in Denver here.

For more of my concert work, visit KRX Media | Music.

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