July 13, 2025 – The Historic Agora Theater, Cleveland, OH
Last night, Idobi Radio’s Second Annual Summer School Tour rolled into Cleveland’s storied Agora Theater, delivering affordable, high‑energy live music to an all‑ages crowd. Founded by Kevin Lyman (Warped Tour), Eric Tobin (Hopeless Records), and Michael Kaminsky (KMGMT), Summer School channels the free‑spirited ethos of early Warped and old‑school Lollapalooza, something missing from today’s festival landscape. With seven rising artists rotating nightly and tickets at just $35, it’s clear this tour was built for discovery and community, and Cleveland proved to be the perfect stop.
Huddy Kicks Things Off
Set: “Vendetta,” “All the Things I Hate About You,” “Partycrasher,” “Headlock,” “The Eulogy of You and Me,” “Cyanide”
Opening with “Vendetta,” Huddy immediately grabbed the crowd’s attention with searing guitar riffs and fierce vocals, pacing across the stage with the confidence of a seasoned performer. “All the Things I Hate About You” followed, drawing an eruption of energy from the pit—fists were pumping and lyrics shouted with teenage abandon. “Partycrasher” amped up the bounce factor, as mosh pits began to form and kids lost themselves in the chaos. A mood shift arrived with “Headlock,” dark and tense, wrapping the venue in a brooding haze. Huddy kept the emotional thread going with “The Eulogy of You and Me,” delivered with clenched passion, before ending his set with the punchy, venom-laced “Cyanide.” By the end, he’d stoked the fire for the rest of the night.
Arrows in Action: Brings Beach Balls & Big Hooks
Set: “Feel It Again,” “Light Like You,” “Cheekbones,” “Over It,” “Head in the Clouds,” “Empty Canvas,” “Uncomfortably Numb” (w/ Taylor Acorn)
With the Space Jam theme blaring through the speakers and Arrows in Action–branded beach balls flying into the crowd, the trio stormed the stage with infectious energy. “Feel It Again” was the perfect opener, its anthemic chorus matched by the crowd bouncing to the beat, hands in the air, beach balls ricocheting between stage and audience. “Light Like You” carried the same levity before “Cheekbones” brought in a little grit and punch. “Over It” got fans jumping in sync, while “Head in the Clouds” offered a breezy, melodic reprieve. As “Empty Canvas” rang out, arms wrapped around shoulders and voices harmonized across the pit. Then, to roaring cheers, Taylor Acorn joined the band for the set-ending “Uncomfortably Numb,” creating a massive sing-along moment that felt like the emotional climax of a summer camp finale. While walking through the back of the crowd, hearing nothing but “Tell me, when did this stop being fun?, We’re undone and uncomfortably numb” sent chills down my spine and a massive smile across my face.
Beauty School Dropout Owns the Pit
Set: “Fever,” “On Your Lips,” “Sex Appeal,” “A$$A$IN,” “Fight Mode”
Anticipation buzzed through the Agora as fans packed tight against the barricade, patiently waiting for Beauty School Dropout. From the very first note, the crowd was fully engaged, singing every word and bouncing with raw excitement. With no introduction needed, Beauty School Dropout launched into “Fever” and instantly detonated the front of the room. Hair flying, sweat pouring, the pit became a swirling frenzy of chaos and smiles. “On Your Lips” and “Sex Appeal” brought glam-rock swagger, every lyric delivered like a dare. I stepped away briefly during “A$$A$IN,” but even from the hallway, the bass and screams bled through the walls with unrelenting intensity. By the time I returned, the band was igniting the crowd with “Fight Mode” a no-holds-barred banger, capped off by both guitarists swinging their instruments overhead in synchronized spins. It was a chaotic, cathartic masterclass in crowd control.
If Not For Me Cranks Up the Intensity
Set: “DEMONS,” “No Thanks to You,” “Say It to My Face,” “Blameless,” “Feel Me Now”
The heaviest band of the night, If Not For Me opened with “DEMONS,” an absolute wall of sound that hit like a freight train. The energy ramped up immediately. “No Thanks to You” blended aggression with melody, and “Say It to My Face” became a war cry, with fans shouting the hook with primal intensity. The band paused to shout out their Cleveland roots and early gigs at The Foundry Concert Club, giving a heartfelt nod to the city. Then came “Blameless,” a stirring, emotionally layered track that gave fans a moment to catch their breath, before they yanked it away with one of my personal favorite tracks, “Feel Me Now.” There wasn’t a moment during their set that I wasn’t moving or singing while my camera was to my side.
Charlotte Sands Livens Up the Room
Set: “Tantrum,” “Bad Day,” “Pity,” “Use Me,” “Neck Deep,” “Alright,” “Spite,” “Dress,” “Hush”
Dim, moody lighting set the tone as Charlotte Sands took the stage to a chorus of excited screams. Launching into “Tantrum,” she stalked the edge of the stage like she owned it, radiating vulnerability and power. “Bad Day” a personal favorite of mine, played out while every word echoed back at her in a shared catharsis. “Pity” and “Use Me” kept the emotional charge going, but it was “Neck Deep” and “Alright” that showed her range, both vocally and emotionally. The crowd swayed and sang in sync to “Dress,” before Sands brought it home with a dark, intoxicating rendition of “Hush,” ending her set on a defiant note.
Rain City Drive: Co‑Headliner Showmanship
Set: “Lose My Composure,” “Over Me,” “Wish You the Best,” “Concrete Closure,” “Ride or Die,” “Frozen,” “Blood Runs Cold,” “Talk to a Friend,” “Medicate Me”
From the jump, Rain City Drive brought an undeniable polish and professionalism. Opening the performance with “Lose My Composure” and “Over Me” with massive sound, echoing through the Agora’s hall with cinematic flair. “Wish You the Best” had the crowd singing, while “Concrete Closure” was a haunting standout. “Ride or Die” and “Frozen” kept the emotional stakes high. “Blood Runs Cold” ignited one of the loudest sing-alongs of the night, and admittedly personally had me feeling a close connection to the song. During “Talk to a Friend,” singer Matt noticed a “No Crowd Surfing” Warped Tour replica flag being held by fans on the barricade. With a laugh and a wink, he shouted, “We want crowd surfers!” sending a wave of bodies soaring over the barricade as the band exploded into the track. They wrapped with “Medicate Me,” sealing their set with a thunderclap of emotion and precision.
Taylor Acorn Closes with Connection
Set: “Hell of a Show,” “Goodbye, Good Riddance,” “I Think I’m in Love,” “Coma,” “Final Nail,” “Greener,” “Reminisce,” “Burning House,” “Shapeshifting,” “Psycho”
Taylor Acorn walked on stage with a heartfelt message of community and safety, instantly disarming and welcoming everyone into her sonic space. She opened with “Hell of a Show,” a meta moment that embodied the tour’s ethos. “Goodbye, Good Riddance” and “I Think I’m in Love” flowed with emotional vulnerability, drawing fans in like old friends. The mood darkened with “Coma” and “Final Nail,” but the audience stayed rapt. “Greener” and “Reminisce” gave way to the slow burn of “Burning House,” where fans waved phone lights like lighters in a 2000s ballad video. “Shapeshifting” built the tension one last time before Acorn brought the house down with “Psycho,” a cathartic finale that perfectly captured the spirit of the night.
Final Thoughts:
Idobi Radio’s Summer School Tour delivered exactly what it promised: a spirited, DIY‑driven celebration of rising talent, delivered at a price point that keeps music accessible. Cleveland’s Agora was the ideal backdrop; a historic venue that’s seen countless legends, now playing host to the future of alternative music. Here’s to the Summer School Tour’s future; if tonight was any indication, Summer School is here to stay and grow, one $35 ticket at a time.
July 18, 2025 – Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theater
July 19, 2025 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium
July 20, 2025 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Union
July 22, 2025 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo
July 23, 2025 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theater
July 25, 2025 – Sacramento, CA – Channel 24
July 26, 2025 – Long Beach, CA – Vans Warped Tour*
July 27, 2025 – Tempe, AZ – Marquee Theatre
July 29, 2025 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues
July 30, 2025 – Houston, TX – House of Blues
August 1, 2025 – Nashville, TN – Marathon Music Works
August 2, 2025 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade Heaven
August 3, 2025 – St. Petersburg, FL – Jannus Live
August 5, 2025 – Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore Silver Spring
August 6, 2025 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE
August 8, 2025 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom
August 9, 2025 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium
August 10, 2025 – Philadelphia, PA – Franklin Music Hall
