Live Review : Halestorm + Bloodywood + Kelsy Karter & The Heroines @ AO Arena, Manchester on November 24th 2025

There is prestige in becoming an arena-level act. It signifies a shift from making it to having made it, a sense of sustainability. It is a badge of honour to be able to fill cavernous rooms, a status symbol. It is a state of affairs that many bands aspire to, but few actually achieve. Halestorm are one of a number of acts attempting to make that jump from theatres to enormodomes. In many ways they achieve the feat unscathed and with their integrity intact. The AO arena isn’t full but given that it is the second biggest arena this country has to offer (the biggest is a mile down the road), it is always a lot to ask of inaugural arena bothers. What they do get spectacularly right is providing a show that leans into the pomp and circumstance that a large stage provides but still retains that sense of humanity that has always been part of Halestorm’s appeal. They are now physically further away from their fanbase, but tonight they never feel detached or elusive.

An early kick off means that Kelsy Karter & The Heroines enter to very slim pickings audience-wise. Kelsy herself is blessed with a raspy voice and a whole lotta confidence. She has oodles of stage presence and happily banters with those up front willing to listen. For the first few numbers she is resplendent in an Oasis top, and she happily confesses that they are her favourite band of all time. Though she does decide that doing an Oasis cover in Manchester is probably a little too predictable, so they stay with their pre-requisite version of Aerosmith’s ‘Cryin’’. Whilst Kelsy herself is perfectly amenable and in possession of an impressive singing prowess, musically it feels rather flat and familiar. Kesly’s spikey attitude is never matched by the songs she croons. Instead, it is all safe and synthetic. The whole set screams out for a couple of “fuck you” anthems that match her spirit of non-conformity.

The most exciting thing about modern metal is its ability to effectively cross cultural and geographical borders. Bloodywood simultaneously embrace their home culture and that of the music they have fallen in love with. They sculpt an impressively erudite sound that is high on kinetic energy. It is impressive in its high-tempo nature, colourful and brimming with cross-cultural potential. Rather than have metal sections and then passages relying on musical approaches indigenous to India, it is all blurred into one gloriously busy whole. Heavy stuttering guitars are welded to pounding percussion and a rich folk sensibility. There is an obvious reliance on backing tracks, but given the number of instruments needed to perfect their unique style, it is forgivable.

They land exceptionally well, and the now tightly packed front rows all bounce in unison. Jayant Bhadula’s continual demands for pittage are answered when a small band of the faithful strike up stage right. It grows and grows as other convertees join in the fun, and by the time the set concludes, it is an impressive monstrosity planted firmly in the middle of the crowd. Jayant and his partner in crime Raoul Kerr bounce off each other well. Raoul's rapped delivery is reminiscent of Mike Shinoda, and it adds to the overall sensation of cultural fusion. Bloodywood do what they do exceptionally well; what could come across as gimmicky actually lands as a fully formed collision of styles that is bigger than its component parts. Absolutely excellent.

Halestorm are on absolute fire this evening, and that isn’t just referring to their plentiful use of pyro. They are absolutely astonishing in their level of expended energy and the intricate but accessible nature of their stagecraft. This may be their first foray into arena headline land in this country, but they absolutely nail the presence needed to project themselves to the far reaches of the hall. What they get astonishingly right is that for all her larger-than-life personality, this is not the Lzzy Hale show. This is a consummate and cohesive band affair, and they are a magnificently tight unit. Siblings Lzzy and Arejay may well have conceived the band in their teens, but Joe and Josh have been functioning members for over two decades, and that telepathic interconnection is obvious. Halestorm are a band of brethren that brilliantly interrelate and pull together.

They are obviously highly proud of their record as they lean into it massively. “Everest” provides us with almost half the set, ranging from hyperactive opener ‘Fallen Star’, through sultry and highly sexual ‘Like a Women Can’ and the punk-esque ‘K.I.L.L.I.N.G.’ to the magnificent opulence of the title track. Even slower numbers, such as ‘How Will you Remember Me’ and ‘Broken Doll’ come across as much heavier in a live context. Central to everything is Lzzy’s voice. It is immaculately astonishing this evening. Full of passion and pathos, it absolutely towers over the stage. There is a point early on in the evening where she screeches and then just carries on unfurling this bloodcurdling monolith of a noise. It lasts for a good one thirty seconds, and then she smirks as to say “yes, I can do that”. But it isn’t just the histrionic screams, she can also do fragile and vulnerable filling the room with soul and sensibility. 

The other remarkable thing about Halestorm is the way they wear their hearts on their sleeves. There is very little sign of headliner ego or petulance. They regularly call out their supports and the enthusiasm for them comes across as genuine. There is a similar approach to their obviously hardcore fanbase. Lzzy name checks a superfan on the front row who is witnessing their 70th Halestorm performance and there is real concern when at the start of the encore, security need to head into the mire to check on the status of a downed audience member. They may well be playing with the big boys and girls, but they do so without forgetting their roots or their struggles in getting to this level. Even Arejays drum solo, usually the preserve of the superego, has a level of humility and humour to it. It is also respectfully short and manages not to divert attention from the rest of the set.

There are no down moments and misfires. It is a beautifully constructed hour-and-a-half show that flows stunningly. Main set closer ‘I Gave You Everything’ is a belligerent exercise in unrequited bile. Lzzy plays the role of a woman scorned with fantastically believable contempt (especially impressive given that her life partner is stood next to her). Encore opener ‘I am the Fire’ is also impressively expressive, framed by (fittingly) all the fire. The only whiff of a lull comes with Ozzy cover ‘Perry Mason’ which, being a semi-deep cut from the latter half of his career seemingly goes over most of the audience's head. However, everyone is won back for the fitting final number ‘Here’s To Us’ which again becomes a communal sing-along. It's easy to praise a bands' virtues, but tonight Halestorm are off the charts good. It is a combination of that voice, their collective musical ability and the sheer humanity of the performance. Nothing is taken for granted, and that grounding results in a band that loves every minute as much as their fans. Utterly revelational.

Check the “In The Flesh” page for more photos!
Halestorm + Bloodywood + Kelsy Karter & The Heroines