Halestorm Light Up a Cold November Night with a Fiery Cardiff Performance
- Sam Holt
- 6 hours ago
- 3 min read
Cardiff Utilita Arena, 20th November
WORDS & IMAGES SAM HOLT
HALESTORM – The nEVEREST Tour
American band Halestorm, originating from Pennsylvania, are in the UK as part of their nEVEREST Tour, promoting the Everest album released just a few months ago. Siblings Arejay and Lzzy Hale formed the band in the late ’90s. Tonight marks the opening night of the UK leg at Cardiff’s Utilita Arena, with Bloodywood and Kelsey Karter & The Heroines joining them on this part of the tour.
Opening tonight were Kelsey Karter & The Heroines, an Aussie/UK rock band—the group hailing from Derby, UK, while Kelsey herself grew up in Australia. As the band began, Kelsey stepped onto the stage recalling being told not to do something as a child, and then asked, “Did I take any notice? Did I f•••!” Her music fuses several genres in a rebellious blend inspired by punk, glam, and rock. While most of their set consisted of original tracks, she did include a cover of Aerosmith’s Cryin’. She and her band did a great job warming up the crowd.
Bloodywood are an interesting act with origins in New Delhi. They began by uploading nu-metal parody covers to a popular video site, but have since evolved into writing their own material and have released numerous singles and three studio albums. They feature two vocalists and two drummers—the latter incorporating a traditional Indian drum to great effect. During their set, they shared that metal bands in India don’t get many opportunities, so they love taking their music around the world, and England has been particularly supportive. Their performance, combined with a stunning light show, made quite an impact.
As the house lights dimmed and the curtain dropped, Halestorm opened with Fallen Star. It’s a powerful opener—not only giving Lzzy’s vocals room to soar, but also drawing the audience in from the outset and setting the tone for the night. They followed with the fan favourite I Miss the Misery from their second album, complete with confetti cannons used to great effect.
Much of Halestorm’s set naturally centred around their new album, which is widely considered to push new boundaries. They also played a solid chunk of The Strange Case Of…, a more commercial-leaning record, creating a strong contrast that made for a well-balanced set. Classics like Freak Like Me and Love Bites (So Do I) had the Cardiff crowd in fine voice, particularly during I Get Off.
After asking the men in the crowd to scream, followed by the women, Lzzy gave the perfect introduction to Like a Woman Can. I Am the Fire was another standout moment, with pyrotechnics adding welcome warmth on a cold November night. The main set ended with a rousing performance of I Gave You Everything, leaving fans shouting for more.
For the encore, the band returned with the anthemic title track Everest, which builds beautifully and showcases some fantastic drumming from Arejay. They closed the night with Here’s to Us, with Lzzy thanking both Kelsey Karter & The Heroines and Bloodywood for their support.
Stepping back out into the cold night wasn’t ideal, but for those few hours we were kept warm not only by the pyrotechnics, but also by the bands’ music, which carried us somewhere special. The light show and sound were impressive for an arena setting. Three very different bands that somehow complemented one another—further proof that live music remains unrivalled.
SETLIST
Fallen Star
I Miss the Misery
Love Bites (So Do I)
WATCH OUT
Uncomfortable
Perry Mason
Like a Woman Can
How Will You Remember Me
I Get Off
Familiar Taste of Poison
Rain Your Blood on Me
Drum Solo
Freak Like Me
Back From the Dead
I Am the Fire
I Gave You Everything
ENCORE
Everest
Darkness Always Wins
Here’s to Us
FOLLOW HALESTORM