Making another pretty quick return after their fall 2024 support tour for Jinjer, HANABIE. made their way back to North America for a co-headlining run with Australian act Kim Dracula, with support from fellow Japanese metalcore group Crystal Lake, and Philadelphia-based metalcore/mathcore band Kaonashi.
March 15 – Toad’s Place
Last May, HANABIE. made their first trip to Toad’s Place in New Haven as the headlining act (see review HERE). So it was unsurprisingly as I made my way into the venue just as Kaonashi began to play that the venue was significantly more crowded than the previous year. Considering the night was just about to get underway, it seems that fans from last time (or even their last run with Jinjer) have continued to give the band their deserved live hype. There was a notable presence that seemed to fill the air at Toad’s: people were energized to see this up-and-coming act.
Philadephia’s Kaonashi hit the stage and set the tempo for the evening. Their brand of mathcore/metalcore is one that certainly fits more of an avant-garde mold, and it’s not going to appeal to everyone. It’s swirling with chaos, stop on a dime time changes, a sample board, and then there are the vocals. Peter Rono’s vocal delivery is quite unique. It’s rather high-pitched and shrieking at times, but in the live setting, he was fascinating to watch. He shrieked, growled, and sang through the band’s set, as well as controlled the sample board, and you could see how the band was winning over the crowd as their set progressed.
A wild tone shift change came from the caustic metalcore riffs when “Blood Red Camry Dance Party,” an upbeat and jovial sounding track, and it sparked something in the crowd. From that point, by the time we reached “I Hate the Sound of Car Keys” a good chunk of the crowd was thrashing along, with the mosh pit fully charged up, and it was notable that Rono gave the mic to a fan in the front row for a bit, who took over some of the barked vocal delivery.
Next up was Japan’s Crystal Lake, who came out and stayed the entire set at full intensity. Fronted by John Centorrino, who replaced Ryo Kinoshita two years ago now, the band came out with the ferocity of wanting to work the crowd from the onset. From Gaku Taura’s playful drum solo during the soundcheck, to the opening riffs to “Blüdgod” it was immediately gripping. Every member of the band was perpetually moving and into the performance, and that carried over to the audience with little difficulty. The mosh pit was growing, the rest of the crowd was headbanging, jumping, and shouting along, all the while continued to be propped up by Centorrino, who urged for more and more participation.
Gaku’s drumming was impressive, and interactions between the four other members was equally engaging as their energy bounced off of each other and circulated into the crowd. By the last song, “Apollo,” Centorrino made his way into the crowd itself, hoisted up by fans while he administed some high fives and sang from that position. It was a performance that was certain to have won them plenty of new fans, and the energy as they left the stage was palpable.
That said, there was definitely a shift in tone when Kim Dracula took the stage. With an emphasis more on theatrics than energy, it seemed like the monstrous energy from Crystal Lake had dissipated. Not saying it was a bad thing, as their performance was a different style than the opening acts (as well as HANABIE.). As someone who had not really ventured into Kim Dracula much before tonight, the theatrical elements were what stood out the most. Given the hour long set, and not knowing too much about the music itself, it was about absorbing the moment. An intriguing bit to all of this was how the band took to the stage, and then Kim Dracula was ‘escorted’ through the crowd (who were told to make way by the annoucements on the speaker) in a sort of wrestling type of way.
As for the sound of Kim Dracula, it was all over the place but not in a bad way. But as more or less a first time listener, there was a lot to take in! From alternative and metalcore riffing, jazz (including a live sax player who doubled on keys), trap, punk, and electronic music, it’s a quirky mix that definitely took some adjusting to get into. Given their ‘6 octave’ vocal range, Kim Dracula presents quite a bit of variety even at the vocal range. Their presence on-stage displayed those oddities in a way that was engaging, as the music would move from, in the case of “Make Me Famous,” trap rapping to stadium rock to moshable metalcore and punishing breakdowns (which definitely got the pit moving towards the end of the set).
Some other highlights seemed to focus on the spectacle of it all. A cover of Pearl Jam’s “Even Flow” that abruptly stopped and made way for some intense blastbeats and screams in a transition, a few moments of saxophone solo spotlight for “Careless Whisper” (yes, that “Careless Whisper”), and a frequent display of on-stage props to push along the story, in addition to Kim Dracula’s flight outfit and the suits adorned by the rest of the band. They closed with “Killdozer,” and ramped up the intensity before leaving the stage, again priming for the final act, HANABIE.
After seeing the band twice last fall with a shorter set, it was nice to get a full hour again from HANABIE. as the (co)headliners. The band wasted no time in riling up the New Haven crowd, who had clearly been anticipating their performance. After their individual entrances to the stage, “O•TA•KU Lovely Densetsu” began pounding through the speakers. The band continuing to set the bar high for their live performances, their live energy is essentially unmatched. The driving tempos of the music coupled with their on-stage antics and movement is something that needs to be experienced in the live setting.
As for the setlist this time, they played essentially all of their new EP, Bucchigiri Tokyo, minus the ‘secret Chika song.’ So it was the first time I’ve been able to hear the title track, “GAMBLER,” and “Ito Okashi My Type” in the live setting. All three tracks fit into the setlist nicely, with the grooves of the title track making for some nice headbanging and jumping moments, in addition to it’s fun sing-a-long chorus. The ending of “GAMBLER” turned out to be just as heavy and abrasive as expected in it’s massive breakdown and provided a fine highlight. “Ito Okashi My Type,” a personal favorite from the EP, did not disappoint. The shifts between more upbeat and danceable moments tossed in with heavy grooves made for a real treat, due to the build-ups and frenetic nature of the track. Outside of that, their anime OP tie-in “Oishii Survivor” turned out to be an even heavier beast live. Chika’s drum battery really stood out in this track, as well as during the rare treat that they included “Drastic Nadeshiko” from their first EP, Cherry Blossoms are Blooming. Perhaps due to their 10th anniversary as a group, but it was a thrill to hear a song that didn’t seem like a likely candidate, as well as hear Chika’s drum take on it, which felt more intense than the original.
Outside of the music, HANABIE. continues to grow as a band in the live arena. Their interactions, particularly between bassist Hettsu and vocalist Yukina have been a joy to watch. It’s very obvious when you see the band that they are all having a blast up on that stage, and it makes it very easy to get into the music more. You want to be a part of the fun that they are having up there. It’s not enough to simply watch their set, you have to get involved in any way that you can. In addition to the usual antics, including the “Tousou” wall of death, beer chugging Hettsu (not to mention her running all the way off the stage to rock with fans on the side), the ‘down to the ground and jump up and dance’ fun of “Be the Gal,” and the glorious return of the punk-driven smile energy of “Today’s Good Day & So Epic,” there’s a lot of fun to take it.
The group, as a whole, seems to be incorporating more English into the set banter and distributing it more across the four of them. It was great to see Yukina hand off duties to Chika at one point, who called for the audience to scream and shout, and guitarist/vocalist Matsuri took a greater charge of banter as well at times. This distribution of duties hopefully gives Yukina a few seconds to recharge with her incredible perpetual motion of jumping, dancing, and shouting across the stage and let’s fans interact with the whole group, which is something not enough groups do enough of.
After an all-too-short hour, it was time to say good night with “Osaki ni shitsurei shimasu (Pardon Me, I Have to Go Now)” and again the crowd left thrilled by HANABIE.‘s stage presence and I retreated to my nearby hotel to rest up before another night of intense and entertaining performances.
May 16 – The Paramount
Being that it was the first time I’d been to Long Island for a concert, it was interesting to see the layout and location of The Paramount. Upon entering, it was a pretty beautiful venue, with bathrooms adorned with stylish art and an elegant interior, not to mention the large venue size. More of a quaint town that I was expecting, but a nice place with easy parking so it’d be great to get some more shows this way.
Doing another interview with HANABIE. meant that I missed Kaonashi‘s set, as well as a portion of Crystal Lake‘s, but upon coming into the venue at that point, it was a stark contrast from the more quiet and open venue before the show. Initially wandering in after doors initially opened and mostly the VIP folks were around, it was notable how much bigger this venue was than Toad’s the night before. It was also a Sunday night, which meant some people probably chose rest rather than venture out, but by the time Crystal Lake had playing, the venue was starting to fill in. The pit was already moving by the time I entered, so I scooted my way along the side to get as close as I could to have a good view. Crystal Lake hit the same marks as they did the night before, providing a visceral set with plenty of flash and energy from all members. On a fun note, everyone besides drummer Gaku (for obvious reasons) all crouched down in the middle of the stage during “Apollo” in what seemed a very sweet moment. If you are on the fence about Crystal Lake, you really should experience them live. They are sure to win you over.
Next up once again was Kim Dracula. Much of the same points held as the night before, with their over-the-top theatrical presentation being one of the highlights. Though this time it seemed like there were more Kim Dracula fans in attendance, at least from where I was standing, and there was a lot more crowd energy from the start when they hit the stage. Having a greater sense for the songs after the evening before, it was a much more enjoyable set from a personal point of view. The crazy genre transitions felt less chaotic and a greater sense of fun came from watching and waiting for the transitions to hit as Kim Dracula fired off their strong vocal range at full force. While it may not have been my thing in some regards, it was fun to catch two nights of Kim Dracula and would be open to seeing more if the opportunity arose.
It being a larger venue and a Sunday night, there was a bit of disappointment as the some of the concert-goers started to head out after Kim Draula’s set had finished. It was unfortunate, as HANABIE. still came out at full strength and delivered an equally passionate and energetic performance to the previous evening’s. Their music and on-stage personalities just hits a certain sweet spot of heavy and fun. Both of which are equally important. The same praises could be given out to the group from the night before, and admittedly, the crowd wasn’t quite the same size (though the venue was notably bigger), so it was a nice reminder of the drive this band has. Regardless of crowd size, from big to small, HANABIE. are going to deliver a set that will get new fans invested (which was once again the theme of this night with more KD fans in attendance) and have the established ones just as hungry for the next show.
The how and the why is due to their energy on stage and the very music they are playing. The music is heavy, but innovative in that it pulls from a variety of sources and makes it feel like something new and inventive. While it may not appeal to some, there’s a wide spread of appeal from the metal, rock, and even anime community at this point. Then there’s the stage act. Yukina continued to be more or less a human bouncy ball on stage, jumping, screaming, dancing, and inciting the crowd at every possible moment. Matsuri, with handling the guitars and vocals, may not be able to ping pong around like Yukina, but she carries the cool factor in her movements and actions, in addition to her musicianship. Chika continues to absolutely pound the drum kit, and it was nice to hear her more involved in the on-stage antics once again in NY. The crowd was once again very into it. Lastly there’s Hettsu, who engages in the fun factor. She’s moving around, working the crowd to ensure participation, and perpetually smiling (much like all of them, to be fair). She’s doing all she can to engage with the crowd, as well as some playful interactions with Yukina.
To make a long story short, HANABIE. has FUN on stage, and you can’t help but be absorbed and want to take a part in it too. This was the fifth and sixth show for myself in the last two years, and the group has only gotten better at what they do. Everyone leaves the venue smiling and exhausted, wanting to share their experiences and bring in new people to the fold for the next time they return. As it’s probably been said with each show write-up, do not miss your chance to see them live. Few bands are currently as entertaining and engrossing as HANABIE., and the following that they have built up is due to their dedication and incredible work ethos, and the infectious passion that radiates from them in the live setting.
HANABIE. official website
HANABIE. on Instagram
HANABIE. on X
HANABIE. on Facebook
Kim Dracula official website
Kim Dracula on Instagram
Crystal Lake official website
Cystal Lake on Instagram
Kaonashi official website
Kaonashi on Instagram