CONCERT REVIEW: Explosive Energy And Metal Mastery With BABYMETAL

On Wednesday evening, June 12th, the metal band BABYMETAL performed at AFAS Live. I was very curious about the show since I had heard a lot about this band. The opening act was DeathbyRomy, a singer I had not heard of before, but I was eager to see what she had to offer.

From the start of the opening act, the atmosphere was electric. Everyone was enthusiastic and started clapping along to the first song. Although the mood was set, an attempt to get the audience to jump during the second song didn’t quite succeed. Nevertheless, the first mosh pits of the evening emerged during the opening act, and I was certain they wouldn’t be the last.

The singer performed ten songs in about 30 minutes, including a song that was performed live for only the second time that evening.

Just before the last song, the other band members were introduced and received applause. Despite the loud music, the band ended on a cute note. Before leaving the stage, they made heart shapes with their hands.

After DeathbyRomy, it was time to wait for BABYMETAL. Fortunately, the wait was shorter than expected, as the trio took the stage fifteen minutes earlier than scheduled.

The show opened with BABYMETAL DEATH, where the girls marched onto the stage in sync. While this wasn’t particularly remarkable, the effects kicked in during the second song. There was fire, but also live camera footage from the audience was shown.

Unlike the support act, the stage was slightly modified for BABYMETAL. There was an elevated platform on the stage, making them more visible. This platform had a screen at the front that synced well with the screen at the back of the stage, creating a cohesive look from the audience’s perspective. A camera above the stage provided a view of both the band and the audience, and another camera directly above the center of the crowd captured the mosh pits, allowing those who preferred not to participate to still enjoy the experience.

During the third song (PA PA YA!!), I noticed several people in the crowd waving and twirling various items like shirts and flags. The transitions between songs were also noteworthy. At the end of each song, the lights went out, leaving only blue lights on the platform before the next song started.

At the beginning of METALI!!, there was a brief interaction with the audience, and the group performed choreography as in the other songs. The guitars were particularly prominent in this song, which I loved. Halfway through the song, a large mosh pit was created when the group asked the audience to crouch down. After a small choreography segment, they asked, “Are you ready?” and the entire crowd went wild.

Overall, the stage effects were impressive, ranging from visuals and fire to smoke effects. The fire effects were especially notable during RATATATA, with the flames so intense that you could feel the heat at the back of the hall.

One of BABYMETAL’s most popular songs, Gimme Chocolate!!, was also performed. The audience’s enthusiasm noticeably increased when this song began.

For the final song, the girls stood with flags on the stage. Before the rest of the song started, the flags were removed. There were a few more interactive moments during this song, such as singing along with parts of the song and, of course, one last mosh pit. As the girls left the stage, a video was shown, and the show ended. I found the ending somewhat abrupt, but from what I heard in the crowd, this is normal for them.

In conclusion, even though I am not a typical metal listener, I had a fantastic evening. The show was a delight to watch, and the audience had made a remarkable effort with their outfits. If you ever get the chance to see BABYMETAL but aren’t a big metal fan, I still recommend going. These girls certainly know how to put on a show.

DeathByRomy:

BABYMETAL:

Reaching As We Fall:

Kelly Vermeer

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