The list of bands that could become arena headliners has been fairly stagnant for a while. There aren’t many new contenders with the same draw and mass appeal that the likes of Metallica, Iron Maiden and Avenged Sevenfold have, but a number of bands have slowly clawed their way into arenas through sheer determination and tenacity.
Halestorm are one of those bands, blending classic rock and metal sensibilities with a modern stage show, sheer grit and undeniable talent to create a killer gig. Kelsey Karter and the Heroines and Bloodywood joined the show in Manchester.
Kelsey Karter and the Heroines opened the show and you could instantly latch onto the 70s classic rock style as Kelsey Karter began this soulful blues line somewhat reminiscent of Janis Joplin. Their sound is a confident mix of modern power pop and classic rock; you can clearly tell this band is passionate about music from the 70s as you can place all the influences. ‘I Get Off’ sounds like a Boston song and ‘Lightning in a Bottle’ is reminiscent of so many early 2000s indie rock bands. There’s even a cover of ‘Cryin” by Aerosmith thrown in for good measure.
Frontperson Kelsey Karter has a good handle on the crowd as she goes on these pitch perfect rants about the state of the industry, feminism, standards for women and much more in this borderline beat poetry style, but she also has the self awareness to know when to shut up and let the music talk. You could do a lot worse than Kelsey Karter and the Heroines as a starter for your show.
Next up came Bloodywood and right from the first notes, it was absolutely captivating. The vast majority will have never come across traditional Indian instruments and even fewer will have seen them blended with nu metal, so this was the absolute perfect introduction. The mix was immense: the guitar work was clear and chunky, the drumming was powerful and bombastic, and the words of affirmation from both singers were enough to get a typically placid audience into a frenzied state.
Tracks like ‘Expect a Riot’ and ‘Dana Dan’ inspired mosh pits and realms of controlled aggression fueled by the sagely words of positivity coming from the vocalists. “Fear is a simple thing, it holds you or you hold it” said Jayant Bhadula before breaking into ‘Bekhauf’, their collaboration with Babymetal. Their airtight rhythm section made for an abrasive yet controlled environment that seemed almost custom built for this type of show.
Bloodywood have been going from strength to strength over the last few years and with any luck, some day they’ll be able to make it to a stage as big as the arena as a headliner. God knows they deserve it and the public deserves to bear witness to such a life affirming and lovingly crafted show. As they said, “the odds have never been in our favour but we are still going” and long may they continue.
Heralded by the opening notes of the iconic doom metal track ‘Black Sabbath’, Halestorm made their way towards the giant white screen and as their silhouettes filled the view, the curtain dropped and they got straight into ‘Fallen Star’. Right out of the gate, it was surprising to hear how much raw 80s metal credibility they have. ‘Fallen Star’ sounds really thrashy at times and the musicianship and power from everyone on stage is undeniable. Certain tracks show off their love for rock history with interesting pastiches and references: ‘How Will You Remember Me’ sounds like Night Ranger, ‘Familiar Taste of Poison’ is pure Judas Priest and ‘Shiver’ could be a Journey song with minimal rewrites. These are all great methods of widening their audience while paying tribute to the bands that influenced them; nostalgia is a powerful tool when used correctly.
Lzzy Hale puts her absolute all into her vocal gymnastics. Her ability to deliver bone chilling screams is awe inspiring, but her sense of restraint is admirable. The hardest skill a musician will master is the ability to recognise when to use restraint and let the song speak instead of overdoing it. To put it a different way, you need to know when to wail and when to shut up, and Halestorm have that down to a fine art.
The setlist was strangely front loaded with classics like ‘I Miss the Misery’, ‘I Get Off’ and ‘Love Bites’. While this isn’t a major problem, it does leave the casual fan asking “what else is there?” Luckily their back catalogue is strong and their latest album, Everest, features some new classics like ‘Everest’, ‘Rain Your Blood on Me’ and ‘Watch Out!’, songs that will likely become mainstays on the setlist.
The first part of the show ended with ‘Everest’, a grandiose, borderline power metal track that features so much pomp and circumstance and undeniably massive energy that it could become hard to take seriously, but the genuine emotion and heart put into it makes it work beautifully. The band came back shortly after for an encore which included a tribute to the Prince of Darkness himself as they played ‘Perry Mason’ by Ozzy Osbourne. It may not be the biggest Ozzy song but it’s still a hidden gem played fantastically by a group of lifelong Ozzy fans who had the privilege of being at his final show.
Halestorm have been playing arenas for a little bit now and they’ve seemed a bit unsure of themselves, but this new production sees them gaining all the confidence they need to become the next big arena band. They have the bangers, they have the pyro, they have the rock star attitudes and they definitely have the drive.
Overall, Halestorm fully deserve to take residence in arenas. They’ve proven yet again that their music, stage show and showmanship is up to snuff to fill these giant stages and while the arena wasn’t as full as it should have been, it’s a step in the right direction. Be ready for the new wave of arena headliners: the bands of yesteryear will be retiring soon and we’ll be left with the likes of Halestorm to pick up the mantle. I’d say we’re in good hands.
