Hakestorm images by Brian Cherrison
KELSEY KARTER & THE HEROINES – LIVE IN LONDON
A Riotous Rock ’n’ Roll Rebellion
London? Kelsey Karter & The Heroines didn’t just walk onstage in London—they detonated into it. No guitars, no drums, no intro track. Kelsey stepped up alone, fired the opening line a cappella, then grinned and roared, “What the fuck is up, London?” The crowd was hooked instantly.
From that moment, she owned the room. “Thank you, London! How are we doing tonight? ” she shouted, blowing kisses and getting the entire venue clapping along. Yellow spotlights swept across the buzzing crowd as she drenched her hair, flicked it back, and prowled the stage with total command.
A shift came when she grabbed a guitar for a gritty, heartfelt Aerosmith cover—likely “Cryin’”. Mid-song, her lead guitarist climbed onto a podium and ripped into a blazing solo. As the cheers dipped, Kelsey smirked, “Don’t stop,” pushing the crowd into another explosion.
Then she debuted a new track: “Lightning in a Bottle”. Purple lights drenched the stage as the guitarist bounced around wildly. Kelsey abandoned her guitar to strut across the stage, while her guitarist launched into a full airborne split jump, sending the room into chaos.
The highlight came when she challenged the crowd: “London, it’s time to test our friendship. I tell you to scream—what are you going to do? ” The resulting roar shook the venue. She introduced each band member—bassist, drummer (who smashed a solo), and guitarist—each name greeted with fresh waves of screaming. “And I’m Kelsey Karter,” she grinned before the band slammed back into the song.
“Thank you, London,” she said again as she picked up her guitar for the final track. “This is our last song.” Arms swayed as she guided the crowd into one final united moment before the chorus landed with full force.
Their closing line—“Thank you for having us!”—felt warm and genuine, but the energy they left behind said it all. This wasn’t just a show. It was a rock ’n’ roll riot—Kelsey Karter & The Heroines proving once more why they’re one of the most electrifying live acts on the circuit.
UP NEXT: BLOODYWOOD – LIVE IN LONDON
A FEROCIOUS FUSION OF METAL & MAYHEM
Bloodywood stormed into London with a show that felt less like a gig and more like an earthquake. The room plunged into flashing red lights as haunting, ethereal Indian music filled the air, building tension before the band even appeared. Then—impact. Two drummers hit the stage first, hammering out a rhythm that had the crowd clapping in perfect unison. The moment the heavy guitars kicked in, the entire venue erupted.
From the first riff, Bloodywood unleashed pure high-voltage chaos. The band were all jumping, lights firing in every direction, and the energy bouncing from stage to crowd and back again. “Hands up in the air—then jump!” the call came, and London obeyed instantly.
“Let’s open the pit, London. Let’s fucking go!” And just like that, a swirling pit tore open in the centre of the floor as the band launched back into another explosive drop.
“How the fuck are we doing, London? We are Bloodywood from New Delhi!” sent a cheer rolling through the room. The intensity never dipped—flashing lights, relentless grooves, and a standout moment when the bassist pulled out a traditional Indian flute, drawing a massive reaction from the crowd.
“We need your help, London—are you going to sing with us?” he demanded. The crowd took over the next chorus, belting every word back. A roar followed the final note. Then came the surprise: a track they recorded with Babymetal, featuring the Japanese trio’s vocals blasting through the PA as the band tore into the song.
“Let me see a circle pit right there!” He barked—done. Moments later: “Open up the fucking pit—let’s see a wall of death!” The crowd split instantly, then collided in a tidal wave of limbs as the drop hit.
As they reached their final song, Bloodywood took a moment to introduce their crew and bandmates—before detonating into one last frenzy. “When the beat comes back, jump with us—3, 2, 1!” The whole room left the floor at once, bathed in strobing red and white as the night ended in pure, triumphant chaos.
Bloodywood didn’t just play London—they conquered it.
Halestorm’s long-awaited first headline show at London’s O2 Arena didn’t just live up to expectations—it exploded past them in a blaze of pyros, power notes, and pure arena-sized drama. Before a single chord rang out, a giant curtain veiled the stage as flashing lights and towering silhouettes flickered behind it. Smoke poured out across the arena, tension building until the band unleashed a heavy guitar surge—and the curtain dropped to reveal a wall of amps and four musicians ready to tear the roof off.
Opening with “Falling Star”, Lzzy Hale lifted her arms, swaying them like a conductor as the crowd mirrored her instantly. By “I Miss the Misery”, pyros, smoke cannons and blinding searchlights were already firing in time with the breakdown. Arejay Hale spun his sticks with showman flair, launching them into the air and catching them without missing a beat.
“Love Bites” detonated the arena, the whole band jumping in unison as Lzzy commanded London to take the chorus—and the crowd delivered with thunderous volume. Pyros blasted again as she belted her signature end-of-breakdown scream.
Blue lighting and bursts of flame marked “Watch Out”, followed by a huge reaction when Lzzy proudly announced, “This is our first time headlining the O2.” “Get Off” turned into a call-and-response celebration, with Lzzy trading lines with the crowd and holding a massive, show-stopping note that earned a deafening cheer.
A piano rolled out for “Shiver”, a standout from their new album Everest. Lzzy shifted between piano and guitar while floor-level smoke curled around her. Joe joined her side-by-side for the guitar break, before the band swapped instruments for a playful mid-set moment. Lzzy hyped the crowd—men first, women next—before declaring, “London, you’ve proved no one can do it like a woman can!”
Emotion filled the arena as Lzzy dedicated “How Will You Remember Me” to lost loved ones, including Ozzy Osbourne. Phone lights swayed. Her raw vocals soared over the quietest crowd of the night.
From there, the show descended into full theatrical chaos—Lzzy donning a cape for an abridged “Familiar Taste of Poison”, falling to her knees amid flashing lights, before “Pour Your Blood on Me” fired up with red lights and crowd-led chants. Pyros erupted as Arejay launched into a colossal solo, pulling out his giant sticks and even creating a drum-solo mosh pit at Lzzy’s urging.
The band returned for a riotous run—“Freak Like Me”, “Ms. Hyde”, and a ferocious new-album cut “K.I.L.L.I.N.G.”—with flames, smoke towers, and the O2 roaring.
Their final act was breathtaking: “Everest” and “I Gave You Everything” bathed in icy blue light, punctuated with vertical smoke jets and explosive pyros. When the stage fell dark, the arena erupted into “Halestorm!” chants until an orange backlight signalled the encore.
Returning with double-neck guitars, Lzzy and Joe powered through “I Am the Fire”, complete with vertical fire jets. Then came a blistering tribute—a roaring cover of Ozzy Osbourne’s “Perry Mason”.
For their final goodbye to end the tour, Halestorm invited their entire crew onstage for shots before launching into “Here’s to Us” under confetti, foam, and thousands of voices singing together.
“We love you, London!” Lzzy shouted—and the feeling was mutual. This wasn’t just a show. It was a victory, a celebration, and a full-scale rock spectacle from one of the best bands doing it today.
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