Halestorm
Birmingham O2 Academy
Nashville-based rockers live up to their fast-rising reputation.
★ Over the past decade, Halestorm have played stages of all sizes, from sub-500-capacity clubs to arena supports – and even headlined Download Festival’s second stage. The point being that their ascent to fame and acclaim has been hardwon, and seeing Academy-sized venues filled to bursting is surely a gratifying experience for one of the brightest young bands in rock.
Lzzy Hale is seated for much of the band’s opening acoustic set, but there’s nothing languid about Halestorm’s performance. I Am The Fire, I Like It Heavy and Raise Your Horns get the audience going in footstomping, full-throated jubilation, sounding utterly gorgeous with twangs of Nashville-style Americana. Aside from a cheeky segment of Piece Of My Heart hiding in the middle of Better Sorry Than Safe (we thought that vocal melody was familiar) and an acoustic cover of Judas Priest’s Living After Midnight, the set is, as noted by the band themselves, “all Halestorm, all the time”.