I finally solved this.
I made the mistake with the next repeater I wrote too.
Here’s the code I HAD
<?php if(have_rows('events_repeater')): the_row();?>
<?php while(have_rows('events_repeater')): the_row();?>
If you leave the_row off of BOTH of those lines you’ll get a page that loads garbage forever.
If you have the_row ON BOTH of those, then the first item does not appear.
You need it on only the “while”
<?php if(have_rows('events_repeater')): ();?>
<?php while(have_rows('events_repeater')): the_row();?>