2025 ROCKONSIN State Finals Winner & Runner-up

Blonde (Wauwatosa East & West High Schools), an indie/rock group, won the 2025 ROCKONSIN State Finals competition at Summerfest. Krusher (Campbellsport High School), a metal band, took the runner-up honors.
Krusher is comprised of four members: Ty Kaehne, Porter Klotz, Abe Poquette, and Josh Tipton.
The ROCKONSIN State Finals featured 10 statewide seventh through twelfth grade garagebands, of any musical genre, performing 20-minute showcase sets on the Aurora Pavilion stage. Three band application judges (Madeline Wallman, Harry Cherkinian, Mike Popke) scored out the performances.
All ten state finalist bands received two Shure mics (one instrument & one vocal with cords). The winning band also received a Shure wireless vocal mic system and winning band members also receive an individual award. ROCKONSIN is free to participate.
The winning and runner-up bands each won recording time at Madison’s Blast House Studios (winner: 12 hours; runner-up: 8 hours).

The winning and runner-up bands also each won a second 45-minute showcase gig on July 3 on the Aurora Pavilion stage:
Krusher (Runner-up): 12:45 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Blonde (Winner): 2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
In addition, one ROCKONSIN State Finalist band, Extra (Brookfield East, Wauwatosa West, Mukwonago
& Waterford Union High Schools) will perform a one hour showcase set on August 8 at 1:00 p.m. at the Waukesha Rotary BluesFest at Naga-Waukee Park in Delafield.
ROCKONSIN, which is brought to you by the Nicholas Family Foundation, is also made possible with the generous support of these statewide sponsors that have a passion for providing opportunities to recognize and showcase the talents of these young bands: MAMA (Madison Area Music Association), Tilt Media, Shure, and Summerfest. This program is produced by Dennis Graham Associates that founded, in 2005, this statewide competition for seventh through twelfth grade Wisconsin students which is still the only alternative statewide music competition of its kind in the nation.
For more information on ROCKONSIN including up to date news go to www.ROCKONSIN.org and follow on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok @rockonsin for 2025 State Finals at Summerfest video & pics of the bands.