Concert Review: HANABIE. And Kim Dracula Slay At House Of Blues Chicago
“Harajuku-core” band HANABIE. and Australian trap metal and whatever else they feel like artist Kim Dracula brought the next generation of metal to Chicago’s House of Blues on Tuesday night (March 11). With Crystal Lake and Kaonashipa as support, the concert showed how these acts are taking the foundations of metal and transforming it.
HANABIE.’s set was wild. Take the hyperactive, frantic energy of their records and multiply it by a thousand. They dominated the stage with cutesy dance moves, undeniable swagger, bright outfits, and headbanging. Lots and lots of headbanging. Vocalist Yukina is mesmerizing on stage. Watching her effortlessly slip between high-pitched squeals, guttural screams, and demonic shrills is unreal.
Don’t let the electronic doot doots, catchy hooks, and cute dance moves trick you. HANABIE.’s delivered the heaviest of the night. Their setlist, which included “NEET GAME,” “Ware Amatou,” “GAMBLER,” “Ito Okashi MyType,” Osaki ni Shitsurei Shimasu,” and their latest song, “Tasty Survivor,” was filled with intense breakdowns, crunchy riffs, pummeling drums, and thick, groovy bass. Feeding off the band’s energy, fans eagerly moshed, crowd-surfed, and slammed into each other with big smiles on their faces. HANABIE. couldn’t help but laugh and smile with them.
HANABIE.’s set made some folks dance and left others bruised, but everyone walked away satisfied. Those who didn’t know the band walked away as fans. HANABIE. breathes new life into metal with their colorful, kawaii vibe. Most importantly, they make it fun. Catch them while you can now because they’ll be selling out venues in no time.
Those who stuck around for Kim Dracula were in for a shock. It’s hard to file them into one genre. They fuse elements of trap, metal, hip hop, lounge jazz, rock, and pop for a sound that’s distinctly Kim Dracula. Changing from pulsing hip-hop beats to hot sax to searing guitar riffs within three minutes gives you whiplash. You’re headbanging, throwing fists in the air, then suddenly a saxophone appears, and the venue turns into a jazz lounge. It’s a bit disjointing, yet it’s an interesting approach to metal.
Kim’s set kept you on your toes. It was heavy but also campy, with the military-inspired set and costumes. At one point, Kim slinks away to escape a mustachioed cop who appeared on stage looking for the singer. Later in the set, Kim sits at a chess board like a dictator planning their next move. Along with tracks like “Seventy Thorns,” “Make Me Famous,” “Drown,” “Luck is a Fine Thing (Give It a Chance),” “Superhero,” “1-800-CLOSE YOUR EYES,” “SAY PLEASE!,” and “Land of the Sun,” their set included surprising covers of Pearl Jam’s “Even Flow” and Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi.”
Their genre-hopping style isn’t for everyone, but it’s surprisingly fun. Whether it’s pulling off unexpected operatic metal high notes or spitting faster than light rap verses, Kim Dracula knows how to entertain. Their set was a little odd and surprising, but it had a lot of great energy. If you’ve never experienced Kim Dracula live, it’s a truly unique experience.
