When the University of Kansas first announced a return of their iconic concert series Day on the Hill, there was a volcano of reactions stirring through Lawrence. The younger generation was thrilled to see the all-star lineup right on the college campus. The older generation was a little nervous about making it back out to relive the glory days (hey, some of us don’t have the same knees that we used to). But trust us, this show was exceptional.

You couldn’t have asked for a more picturesque day. Nestled at the bottom of the hill right in front of the David Booth Memorial Stadium, under the romantic blinking lights of the construction cranes, fans filed in for the three-act show. Die Spitz, who we named the number one show of 2025 in Lawrence, kicked off the evening with a high-energy rock and roll throwdown with plenty of crowd work. Like last time, they were never afraid to get RIGHT IN IT and even jumped into the mosh pit.

Slayyyter was a BIG draw for this night. We’d venture to say that just as many fans came out for Slayyyter as they did for Turnstile (and many for both!). This is one of the hottest acts in the United States right now, and you’d normally expect to see her at a major festival like Coachella. Yet here she was at KU! The highly danceable set was matched in energy by the enthusiastic crowd. We can’t remember the last time we heard fans sing along so loudly at a show before. It’s also safe to say that NO ONE flips their hair like Slayyyter.

Turnstile rounded out the night with a show that left their fans full of emotions and sweat (so much sweat). Slayyyter joined them right at the top of the set for Birds (which some might have expected considering her appearance on the Never Enough: Versions album), matching their stamina from the get-go. The hardcore rockers played a variety songs from across their discography, and the fans were ready to go bonkers (and they did, indeed, go bonkers).

What was most noticeable though was that at Turnstile shows, YOU’RE the main act. The band brought a video production crew who were in the crowd getting closeups of the fans moshing, crowd surfing, and overall vibing. These images were plastered upon the screen during the show, making the fans the star, and every now and then they’d play fan interviews that were recorded just moments earlier on the hill before the show started. The result was an up-close-and-personal look inside the minds of their fanbase. Sure, they throw some punches in the mosh pit. But they’re all very sensitive and conscious people. It was genuine, tender, and sometimes a little fun (just like Turnstile’s music). It felt like watching fan confessionals. Major kudos to the production team for piecing this together on the spot.

Photos from the night below.