Amelia Day’s show on February 25th was nothing like any concert I’ve ever been to. Instead of standing in lines and barging through crowds, my friends and I walked easily into the Cactus Club, showed our tickets at the door to the back room, and went in to find no one waiting for us but a man setting up sound equipment, and Amelia Day herself carrying boxes to the merch stand.

One of my best friends had been urging me to listen to her for a while, but honestly, I was hesitant. Day described herself as folk-Americana when my friend got to meet her in Chicago back in March of 2025. It wasn’t a genre I had ever heard of, and I didn’t understand what it meant until I actually started listening to Day’s music, after we heard she was coming to Milwaukee and bought tickets.

Am I now a Folk Americana fan? Maybe. Am I an Amelia Day fan? Absolutely.

She’s a little country, a little rock, a little R&B, and all the way talented.

Even after hearing about her performance in Chicago, I still wasn’t prepared to walk in and have Amelia Day greet us herself. Musical talent aside, she’s one of the friendliest people I have ever met, in a way that’s almost surreal, like talking to a movie star and an old friend all at once.

Day spoke with us for a bit (and even recognized my friend from Chicago) before heading backstage to prepare for the show. We stood and took in the Cactus Club—red lights, black and white mural, storm clouds hanging from the ceiling—as the crowd rolled in and Day’s openers, R&B duo Hanna Simone and Elly Bird took the stage. The combination of Simone’s vocals and Bird’s guitar brought life to each of their originals and covers, interluded by Simone’s humorous and heartfelt narrations.

When Day and her band came into the stage, she started her set with “Skippin’ Down the Sidewalk”, the song that had crushed any skepticism I had about Day’s music in the first place.
While I had listened to other songs of hers, such as Therapist’s Wet Dream, Alma Matter, and Mama—all of which appeared later in the show—this one highlights both Day’s vocal range and
the more jazzy side to her music.

Next came “Margie” and “The Songwriter”, which have a more country feel to them. I’m not usually big on country, so believe me when I say, Day’s music is something special. Both of these tracks also highlight her knack for storytelling through her music.

The rest of the show went through a range of genres and emotions, from the smoke and edge of “Silhouette” to the tenderness and heart of “Clementine”. Throughout it all, Day took time to involve the crowd, urging us to sing along and thanking us for welcoming her to Milwaukee. We also got a sneak peek at some of her newer songs, such as “Ego Trip”, the title track off her upcoming EP, and “LOVE ME/LOVE ME NOT” which was officially released the day after the show. It’s a lot more rock and roll than most of the other songs on the setlist, but she pulled it off flawlessly.

After an amazing cover of “Zombie” by The Cranberries, the set closed out with “Eastward of Eden”, a track off her debut EP of the same name, and a personal favorite of mine. This poetic rock ballad tells a story that is almost fantastical, and yet the emotion in Day’s lyrics and delivery feel more real than anything.

Day ended the show with another address to the crowd, then made her way back toward the merch stand, where everyone had the opportunity to talk with her. Even right after an incredible performance, Day remained extremely down-to-earth and kind. She thanked us for coming, we thanked her for the show, and we continued to talk and laugh for a little while before taking pictures and saying goodnight.

I told her that if she ever performs in the area again, I’ll be there, and I meant it.