Words and Pictures: Adrian Hextall \ MindHex Media
Only this past summer, Halestorm were performing just a stone’s throw away at the London Stadium, playing the role of dutiful support to heavy metal titans Iron Maiden. While that slot at the home of West Ham was a career highlight, their show at The O2 represented a far more significant milestone. Crossing the river to North Greenwich, Halestorm were no longer warming the stage; they owned it. They returned to the UK’s largest indoor venue as headliners marking the ultimate graduation ceremony for a band that has relentlessly toured the UK’s clubs and theatres for over a decade.
Opening the festivities was Kelsy Karter & The Heroines. From the second Kelsy stepped onto the stage, she oozed a swagger that suggested she knew she belonged in arenas. Their set was bold, polished, and brimming with modern high-energy rock. A standout moment was a surprisingly tender, yet powerful cover of Aerosmith’s ‘Cryin’’, proving that while they have the attitude, they also have the musical chops to back it up.
Bloodywood
They were followed by the sonic mis-mash that is Bloodywood. Their fusion of nu-metal, metalcore, and traditional Indian folk instrumentation was nothing short of mesmerising. While they are a politically charged band, their messaging feels organic rather than forced, a celebration of culture and positivity. They succeeded in whipping the growing crowd into a frenzy, triggering the night’s first wave of crowd surfers and opening up the circle pits with the epic ‘Aaj’ being massive highlight.
Halestorm
When the lights finally dimmed for Halestorm, the atmosphere shifted from excitement to a hushed awe. The intro featured a tribute to the Prince of Darkness himself, a snippet of Black Sabbath, which seamlessly melted into ‘Fallen Star’, the opening track of their radically modern new album, ‘Everest’. A fitting start given the band’s appearance at the Sabbath tribute show earlier this summer.
It was a massive statement of intent. ‘Everest’ represents a sonic evolution for the band, sleeker, heavier, and definitely more experimental. Hearing these new tracks fill the O2 proved that Halestorm hasn’t just grown in popularity; they have grown in ambition.
Lzzy Hale’s vocals were, as expected, piercingly perfect. At 42 years old, she possesses the energy of a 20-year-old and a vocal tone that induced immediate chills, transitioning effortlessly from grit to a soaring scream leading into ‘I Miss The Misery’. As we stood taking photos, the band went for early celebrations or maybe someone put their cuppa on the red button but suddenly the arena exploded with confetti cannons. Paper everywhere, smiling faces and ‘statement made’.
The setlist was a masterclass in balancing the nostalgia of their rise with their current artistic peak. When the iconic riff of ‘Love Bites (So Do I)’ kicks in, the interplay between Lzzy and guitarist Joe Hottinger was magnetic. Their chemistry is telepathic, puts a smile on your face when you see it in play and is born of years spent in vans and cramped backstage rooms, now fully realised on one of the world’s biggest stages.
Drummer Arejay Hale, often one of the most underrated players in the industry, got his moment to shine with his signature drum solo. In a twist unique to this tour, the solo actually incited a “drum solo mosh pit”, a testament to his infectious energy and those massive drum sticks he plays with.
The band showcased their evolution by weaving classics like ‘I Get Off’, ‘Freak Like Me’, and ‘Mz Hyde’ against the new ‘Everest’ cuts. Tracks like ‘Rain Your Blood On Me’ and ‘Shiver’ sounded colossal, utilising electronic elements and modern production techniques that prove Halestorm refuse to be a nostalgia act.
Visually, the band stepped up to match the venue. During ‘I Am The Fire’, the stage was engulfed in… well… fire, and a ridiculous amount of it as well. A far cry from the bare-bones production of their early club days.
After a second Ozzy tribute, a cover of ‘Perry Mason’, the track I believe they performed at the tribute show in Birmingham, the night concluded with the anthemic ‘Here’s To Us’. Fitting indeed.
There may not have been a full house this time, the top tier was closed off in the arena, but this felt right, the perfect fit for a band I first saw live some 15 years ago. The final song felt like a toast to the band and those present. Halestorm not only climbed their personal Everest; they planted their flag at the summit, and judging by the O2 performance, they plan on staying there.
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