LIVE REVIEW: Halestorm @ Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff

It’s been nearly nine years since HALESTORM first stepped onto a UK arena stage, opening the Taste of Chaos tour alongside BUCKCHERRY, PAPA ROACH and DISTURBED. Now, they’ve made the climb to play those venues under their own steam and it’s an achievement that deserves to be applauded by everyone; whether you’re a fan of the band or not, they’ve worked for this over the last decade and are not about to let it go any time soon. Tonight’s show at Cardiff Motorpoint Arena isn’t quite sold out, but there’s still a large turnout that ensures the Pennsylvania rockers don’t play to a room with large gaps, something that can easily befall an outfit who are making their first forays into the big leagues.

One band who will be looking to heighten their stock are NEW YEARS DAY, playing in support of new album Unbreakable. From the off though, something isn’t quite right. The Motorpoint isn’t always brilliant for sound, but it transpires that Ash Costello has a habit of holding her microphone a bit too far from her mouth, meaning her vocals are often too quiet and get lost in the mix. Furthermore, she seems a little restrained in singing sections of songs that would require her to hit the top end of her range, instead choosing to get the crowd involved instead; the most glaring is the build to the final chorus of opening number Come For Me, a powerful moment but one that is overlooked in favour of having everyone inside raise their hands instead.

That said, she absolutely nails Skeletons for the big highlight of the set and nobody can fault the band’s energy onstage or the fact that they get the punters inside warmed up nicely. What can be faulted is the seemingly incessant need to document so much of the set via social media; Costello and guitarist Frankie Sil are regularly seen with a phone in their hand pandering to the internet when they have a few thousand people in front of them who have paid money to see them perform. The result is that NEW YEARS DAY come across as a group with more interest in their image and reputation than playing live, and it’s this that leaves a very bitter taste in the mouth once they’ve departed.

Rating: 6/10

By contrast, IN THIS MOMENT are fast becoming a band who could potentially headline somewhere like this on their own in the next few years. It’s quite a statement for a support band to not only bring more of a stage setup than the headliners but also a blackout curtain to hide the changeover in between sets. Thankfully, the performance matches the ambition. Part rock horror show, part pop stadium extravaganza, the Hollywood quintet are menacing, morbid and deliver a thunderous hour of rock-come-metal that threatens to derail the band on after them. Of course, front and centre is Maria Brink, the perfect fusion of Marilyn Manson and Lady Gaga and immediately captivating. Flanked by two backing dancers and spending a significant amount of time atop a podium, her decision to wear a Britney Spears style radio mic is inspired, as it aids the choreography she performs during the likes of Adrenalize and a thumping rendition of Big Bad Wolf. And her voice is impeccable, soaring through the Motorpoint and adding real gusto to the pounding drums and crushing riffs. Also among the setlist tonight is Natural Born Sinner – mercifully replacing a drum solo – the as-yet unreleased track Legacy written about Maria’s grandfather and a surprisingly good cover of THE STEVE MILLER BAND’s Fly Like an Eagle, which far outstrips NEW YEARS DAY’s mawkish attempt at PANTERA’s Fucking Hostile from earlier in the night. As the hour draws to a close, Maria resumes her position atop the plinth and conducts a now fired-up crowd through Whore as black and white balloons bounce around the venue. Without question, the metal scene has been put on notice tonight.

Rating: 8/10

For HALESTORM, this is not the time for complacency; they’ve strived to get here and now they have to show why. Smartly, they’ve not taken the easy route out. There are no elaborate stage props, no pyrotechnics and no fancy gizmos save for a colour changing logo in the centre of a plain backdrop; just four people who are intent on letting their music do the talking and putting on the best rock show they can for those who have come out in the middle of the week. An ever-changing setlist is also a welcome surprise; it’s the first night Black Vultures opens the set and Skulls gets its first airing of the tour thus far, although its inclusion is somewhat dampened by its position in between Love Bites (So Do I) and I Get Off, both of which garner massive sing-a-longs and raise the excitement levels even further.

Naturally, the focus is on Lzzy Hale for the vast majority of the show, but by now she’s firmly cemented herself as the Joan Jett of the 21st century. Not only does she hit every note but her presence and attitude help elevate songs that haven’t quite hit the mark on record, in particular Vicious which is delivered with a swagger that wouldn’t have been appreciated before. The performances don’t hinge on which side of the bed she gets out of each morning though; her fellow bandmates all add their own sparkle, from Joe Hottinger’s impressive solo-ing to Josh Smith’s indomitable bass lines. Even Arejay Hale manages to spice up the usually laborious drum solo by firstly bring out oversized comedy sticks and then forming a triple threat with Longineu W. Parsons III and Kent Diimmel of the support bands to produce something akin to what one might see if they were to see Stomp! The Musical. HALESTORM have always been a band that rise and fall together, and tonight that is shown to the fore.

As the band close out their main set with a rousing Do No Disturb, recent single Chemicals and a belting I Am the Fire, Lzzy returns with a piano in tow for a touching medley that includes a wonderful version of Rock Show and a truly heart-rending Dear Daughter, which flows through the Motorpoint with a lot of emotion and feeling. There’s even still time for three more songs, and as I Miss the Misery reaches its explosive climax, it’s clear that HALESTORM have proved they can run with the others that fill out such venues and will do for a long time to come. Heck, if the next album propels them further, they might even headline Download Festival one day. Regardless though, this might be the culmination of a decade’s worth of effort and toil, but it only just feels like the beginning.

Rating: 8/10

Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Cardiff from A.M Photography here: