After a turbulent couple of COVID-restricted years, Pennsylvania rockers Halestorm were forced to cancel all mainland dates on their current European tour due to varying restrictions. It must have been a nightmare – but, luckily for us, the band decided to carry on with the UK leg.
And what a show the Cardiff date was. No support acts, no-frills: this was an extended set for Lzzy Hale, Josh Hottinger, Arejay Hale and Josh Smith to more than blow off their cobwebs – and as lead vocalist Lzzy Hale says after taking to stage alone to her keyboard, it’s a chance for them to do “whatever the fuck we want”.
Playing solo, Lzzy fires through beautiful piano-based tracks Break In, Dear Daughter and Beautiful With You, the latter getting its first live rendition since 2016. Hale finished her solo section with new song Raise Your Horns before being joined on stage by her three bandmates for a further five stripped-back renditions.
Familiar Taste Of Poison and I’m Not An Angel let the ‘late-arriving’ members of the band find their groove, leading into an unusually slower acoustic version of Mz Hyde – one sounding just as good as the heavier, amp-busting original. Covers have been a regular theme on the tour and this date was no different, Heart’s Crazy On You that got the Halestorm treatment in Cardiff. The acoustic section of the set pointedly closed with I Like It Heavy: a definite nod to what was still to come.
Following a relatively short break, the band returned in fully electric mode and setting the tone from the off, the title track of Halestorm’s upcoming Back From The Dead album hits a sold-out crowd like a ton of bricks. Apocalyptic and Black Vultures give no let-off in tempo, and we’re even treated to rarely-heard track The Hand, a song that predates 2009’s debut album.
I Get Off, I Am The Fire and Amen let Lzzy’s vocal soar, and demonstrate why she is one of the best female rock voices in the business. Meanwhile, it wouldn’t be a Halestorm concert without a showman solo from Lzzy’s brother, drummer Arejay Hale, who takes up giant-sized sticks for the task.
Freak Like Me and the Grammy-winning Love Bites (So Do I) sound amazing, nifty guitar solos and all before the main set is wrapped up with another new track, The Steeple. A three-song encore is a cue for a singalong to Here’s To Us, Bombshell and the epic I Miss The Misery.
It was very clear to see Halestorm were relieved to be back on the road doing what they do best. Having already held prominent support slots on arena tours, now is the time for one of the most underrated rock bands worldwide to take that stage in their own right.
Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union, Thurs 10 Mar
words OWEN SCOURFIELD photos ANTHONY CONWAY
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