Show Review: BABYMETAL, Halestorm, and Violent Vira at Pine Knob Music Theatre in Clarkston, MI

BABYMETAL delivered an electrifying performance at Pine Knob Music Theatre in Clarkson, Michigan, on September 18. Two other fierce, femme-fronted bands joined them: Halestorm and Violent Vira.

New to the scene, Mexican-American indie and alternative metal singer-songwriter Violent Vira kicked off the night’s vibe. I saw her and her band perform this spring at Sick New World Vegas and was blown away by their music and her inviting stage presence. She made it clear, both that day and at Pine Knob, that this young talent has a bright future ahead of her.

Halestorm’s force of a frontwoman Lzzy Hale took the stage solo, belting out lyrics like “Because the world right now is burning. And the wars keep coming.” At the same time, she held her middle finger high in the air, clearly showing how she felt about our current administration. This beautifully set the tone for what was to come. Halestorm then shredded ten of their biggest hits, and fans of all ages loved every minute.

Headliner Babymetal has been part of the scene since 2010, when the trio was just kids. Lead vocalist Su-metal was only 12, and backing vocalist Moa Kikuchi (Moametal), along with former backing vocalist Yuimetal, were both 10. Yui later departed, and the band welcomed Momoko Okazaki (Momometal), who is part of the current lineup. The girls put on a thrilling show filled with singing, dancing, and, of course, metal, performing fourteen songs in all.

Babymetal’s North American Tour runs until October 3rd, when they play the Aftershock Festival in Sacramento, California. They then head to South America to close out the year. Check out this exciting lineup before it’s too late.