![Review: Halestorm w/ Heaven's Basement & Zico Chain at Birmingham O2 Academy [Live]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/geek/gars/images/1/4/8/5/7/halestorm_academy2_sept12-154.jpg)
![Review: Halestorm w/ Heaven's Basement & Zico Chain at Birmingham O2 Academy [Live]](http://hangout.altsounds.com/altthumb.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fhangout.altsounds.com%2Fgeek%2Fgars%2Fimages%2F1%2F4%2F8%2F5%2F7%2Fhalestorm_academy2_sept12-154.jpg&w=500&h=500&zc=1&q=70){kind=small}
Spread the Social Love:
Back on gig duties, I travelled to Birmingham on a very wet Friday afternoon, the dull grey sky proving rather fitting for US rockers Halestorm to grace the stage of the O2 Academy. Embarking on their first headline tour in Europe, tonight is the first show of the European tour for Halestorm, and it's a sold out show. Impressive stuff from the young rockers. After making headlines with their energetic live shows and ballsy rock records, it's no surprise that tickets have been so popular for Halestorm. Ready to see them slay Birmingham? Yeah, me too.
Before we are treated to the mighty Halestorm, we have the presence of Zico Chain and Heaven's Basement to tickle our taste buds. Up first are British rock-metal act Zico Chain, providing the Brummy audience with a delightful set full of half screamo, half rock music. Obviously talented, the songs were tight and sharp, although they were a little let down by the production levels, as vocals were frequently overwhelmed by the guitars and drums. But don't let that take away from the great set Zico Chain put on, finishing on "Pretty Pictures". [7]
Next up are another English rock band, Heaven's Basement. Playing a mixture of hair metal and heavy rock, their catchy tunes appeared at something of a loss with tonight's audience. Lead singer Aaron Buchanan desperately tried to interact with the audience, but unfortunately received nothing in return. Nevertheless, after just recording their debut album, Heaven's Basement proved they have the necessary songs to be successful (or "TUUUUUUUNES!" for the less educated folk), but their live performance appeared to be lacking a certain something. [5]
Forget all that nonsense about grand and spectacular openings - Halestorm stroll on stage like a band that suffers not a single fool. Drummer Arejay Hale is first on stage, exploding into drums, yelling out to all of Birmingham to say hello. He is shortly followed by his sister, lead singer and guitarist, Lzzy Hale, and then guitarist Joe Hottinger and bassist Josh Smith. They launch straight into "Love Bites (So Do I)", swiftly followed by the superb "Mz. Hyde". Halestorm are all glowing, with big cheesy grins on their faces, reciprocated by the enthusiastic crowd tonight. This makes the show so much more enjoyable, and the songs even better. As Lzzy takes to a piano to do a heart-wrenching rendition of "Break In", Arejay follows with a typically crazy drum solo, before they end with "You Call Me a Bitch Like It's a Bad Thing". Shouts and chants of "HALESTORM!" proceeded, and they jumped back on stage for a blitzing encore of "Miss the Misery" and, after Lzzy grabbed a beer, "Here's to Us". Smashing stuff.
"The thing about music is that you're supposed to enjoy it, right? Well, me and several hundred other Brummies fucking loved it."
My thoughts were distinctly positive. In fact, I can hardly think of a negative, except for the fact that Halestorm should have had the biggest room in the Academy, and they still would have sold out. But hey, that's something for the future. It always helps to have brilliant songs - after all, I reviewed their latest album The Strange Case of ... and gave it high regards. But when they can perform a stunning live show of it, I think that's what really makes a band. Lzzy is a perfect front-woman, greasing up the crowd and delivering note-perfect music, with her superb vocal abilities. It's an element of showmanship that isn't way over the top; it's just spot on. The thing about music is that you're supposed to enjoy it, right? Well, me and several hundred other Brummies fucking loved it.
Halestorm are a superb live band and a superb studio band. Which leaves me in no doubt that they will get far. They're like Paramore, but better, more rocky, more ballsy. And we like that. It was a great performance on a well deserved, sold out show. Crackin'.
Setlist:
1. Love Bites (So Do I)
2. Mz. Hyde
3. It's Not You
4. Freak Like Me
5. Familiar Taste of Poison
6. Rock Show
7. Break In
8. Drum Solo
9. Dirty Work
10. You Call Me a Bitch Like It's a Bad Thing
Encore
11. Miss the Misery
12. Here's to Us
Photo Credits: Katja Ogrin
LISTEN // Halestorm - "Love Bites (So Do I)"
Before we are treated to the mighty Halestorm, we have the presence of Zico Chain and Heaven's Basement to tickle our taste buds. Up first are British rock-metal act Zico Chain, providing the Brummy audience with a delightful set full of half screamo, half rock music. Obviously talented, the songs were tight and sharp, although they were a little let down by the production levels, as vocals were frequently overwhelmed by the guitars and drums. But don't let that take away from the great set Zico Chain put on, finishing on "Pretty Pictures". [7]
Next up are another English rock band, Heaven's Basement. Playing a mixture of hair metal and heavy rock, their catchy tunes appeared at something of a loss with tonight's audience. Lead singer Aaron Buchanan desperately tried to interact with the audience, but unfortunately received nothing in return. Nevertheless, after just recording their debut album, Heaven's Basement proved they have the necessary songs to be successful (or "TUUUUUUUNES!" for the less educated folk), but their live performance appeared to be lacking a certain something. [5]
Forget all that nonsense about grand and spectacular openings - Halestorm stroll on stage like a band that suffers not a single fool. Drummer Arejay Hale is first on stage, exploding into drums, yelling out to all of Birmingham to say hello. He is shortly followed by his sister, lead singer and guitarist, Lzzy Hale, and then guitarist Joe Hottinger and bassist Josh Smith. They launch straight into "Love Bites (So Do I)", swiftly followed by the superb "Mz. Hyde". Halestorm are all glowing, with big cheesy grins on their faces, reciprocated by the enthusiastic crowd tonight. This makes the show so much more enjoyable, and the songs even better. As Lzzy takes to a piano to do a heart-wrenching rendition of "Break In", Arejay follows with a typically crazy drum solo, before they end with "You Call Me a Bitch Like It's a Bad Thing". Shouts and chants of "HALESTORM!" proceeded, and they jumped back on stage for a blitzing encore of "Miss the Misery" and, after Lzzy grabbed a beer, "Here's to Us". Smashing stuff.
"The thing about music is that you're supposed to enjoy it, right? Well, me and several hundred other Brummies fucking loved it."
My thoughts were distinctly positive. In fact, I can hardly think of a negative, except for the fact that Halestorm should have had the biggest room in the Academy, and they still would have sold out. But hey, that's something for the future. It always helps to have brilliant songs - after all, I reviewed their latest album The Strange Case of ... and gave it high regards. But when they can perform a stunning live show of it, I think that's what really makes a band. Lzzy is a perfect front-woman, greasing up the crowd and delivering note-perfect music, with her superb vocal abilities. It's an element of showmanship that isn't way over the top; it's just spot on. The thing about music is that you're supposed to enjoy it, right? Well, me and several hundred other Brummies fucking loved it.
Halestorm are a superb live band and a superb studio band. Which leaves me in no doubt that they will get far. They're like Paramore, but better, more rocky, more ballsy. And we like that. It was a great performance on a well deserved, sold out show. Crackin'.
Setlist:
1. Love Bites (So Do I)
2. Mz. Hyde
3. It's Not You
4. Freak Like Me
5. Familiar Taste of Poison
6. Rock Show
7. Break In
8. Drum Solo
9. Dirty Work
10. You Call Me a Bitch Like It's a Bad Thing
Encore
11. Miss the Misery
12. Here's to Us
Photo Credits: Katja Ogrin
![Review: Halestorm w/ Heaven's Basement & Zico Chain at Birmingham O2 Academy [Live]-halestorm_academy2_sept12-162.jpg](http://hangout.altsounds.com/attachments/reviews/17066d1348672663-review-halestorm-w-heavens-basement-zico-chain-halestorm_academy2_sept12-162.jpg)
![Review: Halestorm w/ Heaven's Basement & Zico Chain at Birmingham O2 Academy [Live]-halestorm_academy2_sept12-172.jpg](http://hangout.altsounds.com/attachments/reviews/17067d1348672663-review-halestorm-w-heavens-basement-zico-chain-halestorm_academy2_sept12-172.jpg)
![Review: Halestorm w/ Heaven's Basement & Zico Chain at Birmingham O2 Academy [Live]-heavensbasement_academy2_sept12-33-1.jpg](http://hangout.altsounds.com/attachments/reviews/17068d1348672663-review-halestorm-w-heavens-basement-zico-chain-heavensbasement_academy2_sept12-33-1.jpg)
![Review: Halestorm w/ Heaven's Basement & Zico Chain at Birmingham O2 Academy [Live]-zicochain_academy2_sept12-83.jpg](http://hangout.altsounds.com/attachments/reviews/17069d1348672663-review-halestorm-w-heavens-basement-zico-chain-zicochain_academy2_sept12-83.jpg)
