Live Review: Halestorm - Albert Hall, Manchester 27/02/2022
American rockers Halestorm return to Manchester for an extended set celebrating their career so far. Having heard nothing but good things about the Pennsylvanian four-piece, we went down to check them out.
While it goes without saying that being able to write about and review your favourite bands and artists is a major part of why we do this, in doing so it's easy to get complacent, to just review bands you know you'll like, or shows you'll definitely enjoy. As such, it's good to get out of one's comfort zone every so often, to spread your wings and write about something you wouldn't normally write about.
It's for that reason I find myself on a Sunday evening heading to Manchester's Albert Hall to catch the first night of Halestorm's An Evening With... tour. Having only heard a handful of tracks, yet having heard nothing but good things about their shows it feels like a perfect opportunity to get more acquainted with the band. Especially given the fact that tonight is more a celebration of their entire career to date, rather than just in support of a new album.
And what an introduction.
Taking to the stage with nothing but a keyboard and microphone, frontwoman Lzzy Hale kicks proceedings off with an impassioned rendition of 'Break In', the 1800 capacity crowd belting back every word. It's an impressive start to an evening with no support band. Instead, Halestorm have opted to treat fans to an extended set, in a smaller-than-usual venue.
The result is really something special. With the first third of the evening given over to a more stripped-back aesthetic, tracks such as 'Mz Hyde' become much rawer than their usual iterations. It's a great way to showcase Hale's and indeed the band's softer side, though an unexpected rendition of 'Don't Look Back In Anger' throws a light-hearted curveball into an otherwise emotionally fraught start to things; the obligatory sing-along from the Mancunian crowd almost louder than the band themselves.
For the uninitiated, however, the electronic set is where things really get impressive. From the thunderous opener of 'Back from the Dead', the musicianship the band displays is nothing short of breathtaking. From the nonchalant stick flips from drummer Arejay Hale, to the effortless shredding from either guitarist Joe Hottinger or Lzzy Hale herself, it's a far cry from the punk or indie bands this particular writer usually bothers with. Yet that's what makes it all the more special – going in almost blind allowed me to truly be blown away.
From here on out the set takes in tracks from across the band's four released albums, as well as the forthcoming Back from the Dead. Indeed, it's the first live performance of a handful of these more recent tracks, yet even they manage to elicit a reaction from the crowd, suggesting they've been in the set alongside established offerings such as 'Freak Like Me' and 'I Get Off' for much longer.
A raucous 'I Am the Fire' closes out the main set proper, but Halestorm waste little time in returning to the stage again for a four-song encore. Opening with a hugely anthemic version of 'Here's to Us' before debuting two new tracks, including current single 'The Steeple', the evening ends on a high in the form of 'I Miss the Misery'.
Though no stranger to rock and metal gigs, it's been several years at least since I went to one, and longer still since I found one as enjoyable as I did tonight. Of course, though it's certainly a testament to live music that it allows one to appreciate something outside their comfort zone, tonight, it's also a testament to Halestorm, to their inherent musicality, and to the sheer joy they take from being on stage. I went in tonight with my interest piqued. I walked away a fan, and given the handful of people whose first time it was watching the band tonight too, I wouldn't have been the only one.
Words by Dave Beech
Photography by Amelia Jones
