Pennsylvania hard rock titans Halestorm swing through Birmingham on the UK leg of their "the nEVEREST tour," alongside New Delhi Nu-Metallers Bloodywood, and British/Australian rockers Kelsy Karter & The Heroines.
First act of the night are four-piece Kelsy Karter & The Heroines, delivering a punk-inspired brand of rock-androll that, at times, leans into more modern pop elements. All four members of the band carry themselves with the swagger of a group who have been playing to arena crowds for a lifetime, so it's surprising to learn that they are only on their sophomore album.
But it is the captain of this particular ship herself that steals the show; Kelsy commands the stage like the epitomal rock star, delivering a vocal performance that, both gravelly and soulful, is also filled with energy. Special kudos goes to the bendy microphone stand that was used to great effect.
Opening with "God Knows I've Tried" from their debut album, 2020's Missing Person. A duo of songs, "Laser to the Heart" and "Cover You" follow on from the latest release Love Made Me Do It (2025).
Kelsy Karter & The Heroines
A cover of Aerosmith's "Cryin'" slots into the middle of the set, followed by "Lightning in a Bottle" from Love Made Me Do It. The set draws to a close with two more tracks from the debut album, "Devil On My Shoulder" and "Liquor Store on Mars".
Alas the opening set is all but too brief just a quick 30 minutes that did the job at hand... "our job is to look hot, play great songs and get you warmed up for Halestorm...". Not only did they get the crowd energized in anticipation of the headliner, but they are sure to have garnered some new fans along the way.
Much like the opening band, Bloodywood, the six-piece from New Delhi, India; are also currently touring their second album (2025's Nu Delhi). Their sound is unique, primarily melding together nu-metal with rap, it also incorporates elements of thrash with traditional Indian music; with lyrics in both English and Hindi, I do not think there is another band at the moment doing what Bloodywood is doing, and doing that to the level at which they are.
Straight out of the gate the crowd sense the shift in energy, not saying that the opening band didn't get the party started, but things are about to hit an entirely different level of chaos.
The lights are dim and the music slowly fades in with both the drummer Vishesh Singh and traditional dhol player Sathak Pahwa, hammering out an almost chant like beat encouraging the crowd to clap along. The backing track rises some more as multi instrumentalist (and the driving force behind the bands sound) Karan Katiyar on guitar and bassist Roshan Roy kick into the opening track "Gaddaar" (2022's Rakshak) proper. Jayant Bhadula comes in with the harsh vocals on the opening chorus, by the time he hands over to rapper Raoul Kerr the entire arena is in absolute pandemonium.
Bloodywood
From our vantage point at the front of the arena, the dhol especially hits you full force, and the arena PA is not required, as you feel the beat of that instrument directly in your soul and cannot help but move along to the rhythm of it.
"Aaj" is next and features a wholesome sing along "whooa whooa" moment with the crowd, before the fiercely angry "Dana Dan".
Not only is their sound disgustingly (in a good way) heavy within the BP Pulse Live Arena, but lyrically it is filled with important messages of mental health, social injustices, political issues, and sexual assault to touch on a few.
There are many in the crowd who are hearing Bloodywood for the first time, but from the sounds of their reactions tonight, it will be just the start of their journey with "Indian Folk Metal".
A duo of songs from the new album (Nu Delhi, 2025) kick off the back end of the set, firstly "Bekhauf" that features BABYMETAL (who Bloodywood have been touring the US with earlier this year, and will be hitting the road again with in Australia next year). Then we get the titular track of "Nu Delhi".
Sadly, after only six songs, the set closes with "Machi Bhasad (Expect a Riot)" and they were not wrong, the crowd is beyond levels of warmed up at this point, time will tell if they have peaked too soon (spoilers they've left plenty in the tank ready for Halestorm).
Starting from behind a white kabuki curtain, dappled in the twinkling lights of a disco ball the band appear as silhouettes as the opening bars of the song that birthed all things metal music are struck ("Black Sabbath" by Black Sabbath from their 1970 debut album Black Sabbath), there is no other place more fitting than in their home town to pay tribute to Birmingham's greatest gift to the world of heavy music. As Halestorm were (rightly) lucky enough to be on the line-up for the legendary Back to the Beginning farewell concert at Villa Park earlier this summer; an event where Lzzy Hale was one of only two female performers during the entire day (alongside opera singer Maria Viotti who performed with Gojira during a rendition of their Paris Olympics opening ceremony track, "Mea Culpa"); this was only the first of the tributes to the late great Ozzy Osbourne.
The curtain drops and the show kicks off with an almighty bang as the band break straight into "Fallen Star" (Everest, 2025). The crowd immediately whipped into a frenzy as they are hit full force with the power of Lzzy's voice (as one of her guitar straps remind us that she is, after all, "LZZY FN HALE"). The remainder of the opening volley is a blur of smoke, pyrotechnics and confetti that feature the huge hits of "I Miss the Misery" and "Love Bites (So Do I)" (both 2012's The Strange Case of...).
Halestorm
A new album/debut album sandwich hollow as the trio of "Watch Out!" (Everest), "I Get Off" (Halestorm, 2009) and "Broken Doll" (Everest) are next.
"Gentlemen, I love you so much....you've given me so much to write about" exclaims Lzzy as a keyboard atop a white Marshall amp is wheeled out to the front of the stage for "Like A Woman Can" (Everest).
A brief pause as Lzzy addresses the crowd: "the last time we were here in Birmingham we were here to honour a great man...people like Ozzy only come along once in a lifetime and we are lucky that we were here at the same time as that man...If there is someone that you love, don't wait until its to late...honour them...remember we all leave something behind". On queue, the arena is filled with phone torches for "How Will You Remember Me?" (Everest).
"I Am the Fire" (2015's Into The Wild Life) see's the on stage pyrotechnics hit new levels.
The stage filled with dry ice, a brief snippet of "Familiar Taste of Poison" (Halestorm) see's Lzzy donning a hooded cloak and raising a goblet to the sky, this is launched into the crowd as we canter into recent release "Rain Your Blood on Me" (Everest).
The rest of the band briefly depart the stage whilst drummer Arejay Hale settles into a strong 10-minutes of solo work, at one point encouraging the crowd to "make history" and start "the first ever drum solo mosh pit" which sadly the Birmingham crowd did not fully get involved with. Finishing off with the signature "big sticks," the band rest of the band re-emerge for "Freak Like Me" (The Strange Case of...), which sees the entire crowd in full voice screaming back to the band "set that shit on fire".
Halestorm
"Mz. Hyde" (The Strange Case of...) and "K-I-L-L-I-N-G" (Everest) are up next before; "Now that all of us weirdos are in the same room, middle fingers up, lets tell the world to go and fuck itself" as Lzzy introduces "Unconfortable" (Vicious, 2018).
"I Gave You Everything" (Everest) features an unbelievable solo from guitarist Joe Hottinger and signifies the end of the main part of the set.
The encore begins with another tribute to the late, great, Prince of Darkness; "this one is for the man himself," as the band break out in to a cover of Ozzy Osbourne's "Perry Mason", the same track that they played at that historic show at Villa Park back in the summer.
"Make some noise for Kesly Karter & The Heroines....make some noise for Bloodywood...Here's to Ozzy...Here's to Birmingham...Here's to Rock Roll...Here's to Us". The entire band raise a shot to the audience before breaking into "Here's to Us" (The Strange Case of...), this song feels like one of the most cathartic moments of the entire set, a see of arms in the air with fans hoisted on top of shoulders all over the arena.
The night finally draws to a close with the titular track of the new album "Everest". Confetti pops, streamers stream, cheers erupt, bows are taken and all manner of trinkets are sent into the crowd, set lists, guitar picks, drum sticks even autographed drum skins were jettisoned like frisbee's into the assembled masses.
The UK/EU leg of the tour draws to a close in London this week.
