Halestorm Concert Review Rabobank Arena 10/12/19

Halestorm Concert Review Rabobank Arena 10/12/19 Review and Photo Gallery By Roc Boyum

Halestorm Lzzy Hale Live Rabobank Arena Bakersfield

Halestorm, With Lzzy Hale At The Helm, Tore Through The Rabobank Arena With The Force Of An Unstoppable Musical Juggernaut.

The anticipated arrival of Halestorm was escalating with each passing moment until the band hit the stage. All at once, the lights went out and the power house voice of Lzzy Hale singing acapella, rained down over the entire blackened arena. Lzzy Hale’s voice incited a massive crowd roar, and within moments the stage became bathed in lights with the entire band bursting into Do Not Disturb from their Vicious LP; a truly bold opening song from a bold artist who’s not afraid to get in your face.

Lzzy Hale

The band continued with blistering versions of Love Bites (So Do I) from their 2012 LP, The Strange Case Of, and then a double punch from their 2009 debut LP, Halestorm with, I Get Off and Familiar Taste of Poison/Amen before the incredible drum solo by Arejay Hale. With his abundant array or stick flips, stick twirling, playing with one hand while holding the other stick in his mouth (before spitting it out and catching it with his free hand) or simply switching from a right hand lead to a left hand lead; Arejay is not just an all flash guy. Arejay unleashes a vast array of rapid fire machine gun style chops that are accented by blistering double bass runs. His single bass drum and hand combinations are shredding, and all the above are interweaving throughout some seriously rock solid grooves. Arejay finished off his solo with the “Big sticks“, a pair of sticks that are more akin to baseball bats than drum sticks; which he some how managed to twirl and of course slay his drums with Bonham style triplets.

halestorm Arejay Hale Live Rabobank Arena
Arejay Hale

The band then unleashed the opening track from their latest Vicious LP with a scorching version of Black Vultures. Throughout the show, Lzzy Hale continued to dish out more of her incredible acapella vocals. At one point during the show, Hale’s band mates threw glances of amazement back and forth to each other, as Hale delivered some mind blowing acapella vocals.

In a recent interview with LA Metal Media Magazine, Rock icon Tom Keifer commented that Lzzy Hale has been an incredible vocal influence for him. also stating:

“Singing with Lzzy Hale really makes you feel like you need to step up, because she can REALLY SING!”

The band of course couldn’t leave with the fan favorites of, Freak Like Me, Uncomfortable, Chemicals, Here’s to Us and their last song, I Miss the Misery. 

Halestorm and Lzzy Hale always put on an incredible show that leaves one with a lasting impression of just how amazing it is to experience a live concert event. Such was the impression for one starry eyed 13 year girl who sat in the first row at this show. The starry eyed young girl too, has lofty dreams of one day becoming a female vocalist and guitar player like Lzzy Hale. At one point in the show, Lzzy Hale walked right up to the edge of the stage and handed the young girl one of her guitar pics, and then if that wasn’t enough; Arejay handed her one of his drum sticks. To catch an item thrown by an artist from the stage is lucky indeed, but to directly get handed a guitar pic and or drum sticks from the artists themselves is priceless and will undoubtedly leave that young fan with a memory to embrace for a lifetime. With gratitude we say; hats to Halestorm for an incredible show and for making one young fans concert experience; MONUMANTAL!!!.

The Set List was:

Do Not Disturb

Love Bites (So Do I)

I Get Off

Familiar Taste Poison/Amen

Arejay-Drum Solo

Black Vultures

Freak Like Me

Uncomfortable

Chemicals

Here’s to Us

I Miss the Misery