The Sticky Sweet tour blazed through Raleigh, North Carolina on Sunday, June 1st, 2025, bringing a packed house to Kings—a local venue with a dedicated history of supporting bands both big and small. Headlined by In Her Own Words, with support from Emblem3 and glimmers, W. Martin St. rocked from sundown to midnight.
Kicking off the evening with a potent performance was music duo glimmers (yes, part of the lowercase gang!) The pop punk powerhouses Maggie Schneider (vocals) and Alex Downtain (guitar) commanded the stage with a power-packed set. Everyone in the room felt the depth of heart and soul that glimmers has into their songs from start to finish—with my favorite, “Jaded”.
Schneider’s voice is one to behold, both live and recorded. Garnering millions of views online, she’s made a name for herself as an energetic front-woman. As an independent band, they shine with pride at the work they've produced and have no plans of slowing down anytime soon. Their most recent release, Little Life, is a hopeful, romantic addition to their catalog of music, during which I found myself scream-singing more than taking photos.
Truth be told, before this show—the fourth night of the Sticky Sweet tour—I hadn’t heard of Emblem3 (yes, I know, what rock have I been living under and all that.) I know now what I’ve been missing, and I’m kicking myself for not finding this terrific trio sooner. Washington-based Wesley Stromberg (vocals), Keaton Stromberg (bass), and Jack Mudd (drums) put on one hell of a performance, captivating the crowd at Kings with their genre-bending set.
From their early career of being “X-Factor” semi-finalists to their current funky releases, it’s clear they’ve refined their own unique sound to blend west coast SoCal ska, pop punk, and rap rock. Their newest release, “Black Magic Lipstick”, is no departure from that motif. Melodic vocals fuse with the early 2000s pop punk-esque sounds, extending into the night's performance. Every song—including a “Stacy’s Mom” cameo–had the entire room rocking and calling out for one more song.
Magnetic. Energetic. Engrossing. There are several adjectives that I could use to describe them, but it all boils down to In Her Own Words being so much more than a band. They’re an experience. One that the entire crowd at Kings Raleigh became entranced by the moment the band took the stage.
With a history that spans more than a decade, it’s no surprise that Joey Fleming (vocals) and Andretti Almalel (guitar) know how to command a crowd. Backed by their touring bandmates, they set the stage on fire with their well-oiled sound. There wasn’t a moment throughout their set where energy wasn’t pulsing around the room, both teeming through the crowd and radiating from the band members themselves.
The set list spanned decades, from songs released in the mid-2010s to their newest release “Sugarcoat”—an upbeat song about that sweet feeling when someone completely takes over your thoughts and leaves you checking your phone every few minutes to see if they texted back. This new song, alongside their entire catalog, makes it evident that the members In Her Own Words are masters of melody, lyrics, and harmony, capturing fans in their lyrical snare. The crowded room sang every word and jumped at every breakdown until the floor literally shook beneath them from their excitement.
The smiling faces walking down the stairs at the end of the night showed exactly how much Raleigh enjoyed the show. I know I certainly had one of the best times I’ve had in a very long time, thanks to three amazing bands and three top-notch sets.
