by Emma Vurdien
BABYMETAL, the renowned pioneers of Kawaii-metal, and the animated death metal sensation Dethklok, returned to Los Angeles' YouTube Theater for a second sold out night. This marked the grand finale of their extensive 'The Babyklok Tour,' which took the two headliners to more than twenty cities across North America. The evening was a dream come true for metal enthusiasts, and the electrifying atmosphere is sure to etch unforgettable memories into the hearts of fans for years to come.
Progressive metal artist Jason Richardson kicked off the show with hardcore instrumental tracks, ‘Tendinitis’ and ‘Ishimura,’ from his album "II.” This deathcore musician embarked on his solo career back in 2016 after years of supporting bands like Born of Osiris and Chelsea Grin as a guitarist from 2009 to 2015. As he concluded his set with ‘Hos Down,’ the crowd's cheers kept pouring in — Richardson displayed remarkable mastery of the guitar.
The lights dimmed as an introductory animated video introduced Dethklok. They kicked off their set with tracks from their debut album, "The Dethalbum," which was released back in 2007. Energetic performances of ‘Briefcase Full of Guts’ and ‘Birthday Dethday’ had the audience headbanging and erupting in deafening cheers. Dethklok is a unique entity, existing as both a fictional band in the Adult Swim animated TV series Metalocalypse, and a real-life band formed to perform the songs of this fictional counterpart. The distinctive stage concept employed by Dethklok mainly focuses on animated visuals, with the music provided by the band serving as the accompanying soundtrack, effectively bringing the onscreen animations to life.
Once more, the lights dim, signaling the imminent arrival of BABYMETAL. After an eerie and foggy introduction, the three members made a deliberate and suspenseful march to the center of the stage. As the band reached the spotlight, they launched into rapid and precise choreography, their perfectly styled ponytails swaying with every move. With near robotic precision, they synchronized their finger movements to the beat of the drums. The audience, particularly those in the pit, enthusiastically pumped their fists to the rhythm while swinging their merchandise in the air. As the hit song ‘Gimme Chocolate’ played, the crowd reveled in the juxtaposition of Babymetal's sweet vocals intertwined with synchronized and energetic choreography.
For more than ten years, BABYMETAL has been making waves in the metal music world with their distinctive blend of metal and j-idol elements. Led by Nakamoto Suzuka, known as "SU-METAL," alongside Kikuchi Moa as "MOAMETAL," and Okazaki Momoko as "MOMOMETAL," this dynamic trio delivers an electrifying fusion of lively J-pop and fierce hardcore rock.
Following the first segment, the girls delivered a perfectly synchronized dance performance to the intro of 'Distortion.' Guiding the audience to clap their hands, devoted fans joined in the chorus, chanting 'can't stop the power' along with SU-METAL. Tracks like 'BxMxC' introduced an electronic rock sound that had the crowd leaping to the pulsating beat, with stage lights flickering in time. During this performance, SU-METAL showcased her remarkable vocal range during a vocal-only portion of the song, extending her pitch in a distinctive manner at the conclusion of each line.
During the performance of 'Monochrome,' SU-METAL held up her phone and encouraged the audience to illuminate the theater by turning on their phone flashlights. The girls beamed with joy as the fans' phones cast their warm light. As BABYMETAL's set neared its conclusion, they dived into the exuberant track 'Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!!,' leading the audience into an enthusiastic headbanging session, fittingly matching the song's title.
While most fans believed the show had concluded after 'Road of Resistance,' BABYMETAL had a special surprise in store for the Los Angeles crowd on the tour's final night. They delivered a rare treat with the classic hit 'Ijime, Dame, Zettai' (also known as 'IDZ'), marking its first and only performance on the tour. In the introductory video preceding the performance, the words "No more bullying forever" appeared prominently, conveying a powerful message to the audience. This iconic performance held the audience spellbound, concluding the night with a memorable and meaningful note.
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