The rain outside couldn’t dampen down the fire on stage inside The Flat Iron in Greensboro, North Carolina, on Sunday, June 15th, 2025. The Free Hugs tour rolled through with immense energy, headlined by Diva Bleach, with support from lolitslea and 5ever. From beach balls to inflatable dice rolls and raffle winners leading the crowd in jumping, not a moment went by where pop punk energy wasn’t pulsing through the room.
5ever kicks off the evening
“What happens when you blend the smooth vocals of a 90s boy band with the punchy energy of a mid-2000s pop punk anthem?” It’s an easy answer to the band’s headline question on their website: Magic. That’s what. 5ever is a high-energy pop punk band out of Boston that brought with them a ball (or should I say dice?) of energy. From a dance party (with a winner that got to roll a giant inflatable die for a prize) to jumping and high energy pop punk hits, 5ever kicked off the colorful evening with a bang.
lolitslea brings the neon pop punk energy
To say I was excited when lolitslea took the stage is an understatement. I’ve been a big fan for years, so seeing them perform and taking pictures? A dream. And I wasn’t let down. So far from it. From start to finish, I enjoyed myself so much that, at times, I forgot to take photos. Front-woman Lea’s energy captivated me, which should be no surprise. Garnering millions of views online and working alongside industry giants such as Davvn, Kellin Quinn, Derek Sanders (Mayday Parade), Taylor Acorn, Cassadee Pope, and more has honed their dazzling style, sound, and energy into a captivating show.
A beach ball to the face was worth being in the room with the magnetic intensity. Pulling out all the stops, lolitslea and their touring bandmates set the stage on fire with songs like “Favorite Singer”, “Call it a Fling”, and “F U LOL”. They even previewed a brand new song that left the crowd jumping along to the blasting tune.
Crowd engagement moments were some of my favorites from the evening, including the one during lolitslea’s set. They had a raffle patrons could enter (most of whom did), which culminated in the prize of being a guest on stage to lead the crowd in a lively jump during a blasting pop punk breakdown. Based on the winner’s smile, you could tell they loved every moment. As did the crowd, all of whom bounced and cheered as the winner led them through the song.
Rounding out the evening with the song “What’s That to You”, lolitslea invited guest vocalists from both Diva Bleach and 5ever to join them on stage. This photographer could see that these bands are not only touring together, they have great relationships. They burned up the stage with smiles and pulsing vocals that left the crowd applauding as the set wound down.
Diva Bleach rounds out the evening with a bang
Watching an entire crowd sing the lyrics back to a band on stage, so loudly that the singer heard it over the stage noise and their in-ear monitors, is always a sight to behold. Diva Bleach’s set at The Flat Iron was no different. Between the shouts, singing, and jumping with the band members in the crowd, not a single moment went by that the energy waned. So much so that Sydney Roten (vocals) made the comment that it was “the loudest (crowd) yet of the entire tour.” A statement that partner Brie Ritter (guitar) echoed.
I’ve frequented a pop punk concert or two during my time. This one may go down as a top favorite. Most concert-goers felt the same as they queued to interact with the bands at the merch table after the show. I left with a smile, and I’m confident everyone else did, too.
