Halestorm - Amen

Here is another new video from hard rockers Halestorm. This song is “Amen” and is from their forthcoming album Into The Wild Life. This is yet another fantastic song that has me drooling for the release of their latest album. Check out the video for yourself below.

Halestorm Rocks! Into The Wild Life hits stores and digital platforms on April 14^th.

Halestorm - Mayhem

Here’s the latest from Halestorm---“Mayhem.” This song is from their forthcoming album Into The Wild Life available on April 14^th.

Halestorm rocks!

My 5 Favorite Concert Performances of 2010

With 2010 having just ended, I thought this would be a good time to reflect on some of the great concerts I saw this past year. The grandness of these live performances has me hopeful for 2011. Below are my five favorite shows from 2010. Note – these are in no particular order. You can read the entire review of each concert by clicking on the active links.

Halestorm at the Starland Ballroom
Opening for Theory of a Deadman at a small club in New Jersey (The Starland Ballroom), I had zero expectations when Halestorm took the stage. I had heard of them, and may have heard a song of theirs on the radio (or the internet). What I knew for sure was that they were a band that everyone in rock journalism was talking about. After seeing them perform, I can understand why. I immediately went out and got their debut CD and jumped on the fan bandwagon. Halestorm gave a magnificent performance and won me over that night. It was one of the nicest surprises of 2010.

Dave Matthews Band at Citi Field
One of my favorite bands ever gave one of their greatest performances ever (so great, in fact, that it was released as a double live CD) on a hot summer’s night in New York City. With ingredients like that, how could this not be one of the best shows of 2010? The energy that DMB brought to the concert that night was magnified by the intensity of the crowd. The band played a show that was over the top and much more juice filled than other performances they gave that year. It must be something about New York City, it always brings the best out of the Dave Matthews Band.

Kix at M3
Another sweet surprise for me in 2010. I had never seen Kix live, but was curious about their performance. I made sure to witness them at M3 and I am so thankful that I did. They were the best band to perform at the festival, outshining Cinderella, Warrant, and even the headliners of the night, The Scorpions. Kix proved that they know how to put on a kick ass rock and roll show. They were so great that I would end up seeing them again later in the year. Surprises like that performance are what continue to make me attend live concerts.

From Good Homes – Wellmont Theatre
It’s hard to see a concert in December and have it make your top performance of the year list. In order for that to happen, it must be one incredible show. Well, in the case of From Good Homes, it was. Rivaling DMB for the greatest concert of the year, From Good Homes blew their audience away and performed with a passion that’s rarely seen anymore. You would have thought they were performing in front of 250,000 fans, not 2500. What an incredible gift they gave us with that evening.

OAR – at PNC
Always great in concert, this summer’s OAR performance at the PNC Bank Arts Center was no different. The band always gives an amazing performance. Perhaps it was the close seats we had, perhaps it was hearing such great music on a warm summer’s night, or perhaps it was a combination of those things – either way, OAR was one of the best shows I saw in 2010. They just get better every time I see them live.

And there they are – my favorite concerts from this past year. What were your favorite shows? Comments are opens, feel free to post some.

Halestorm - Halestorm

Fronted by a gorgeous woman who has a voice stronger than Bruce Dickinson’s, powering out great music, and giving the rock world the kick in the balls that is so badly needed, Halestorm released their self-titled debut CD last year. It took me a while to find this band, but once I did, I jumped on board the train fast. To put it simply, Halestorm is amazing and their self titled debut is one of the strongest rock records I’ve heard in a long time.

Led by front woman Lzzy Hale, Halestorm is the hard rocking music you’ve been lusting for. Although she sizzles with sultry sexiness, Lzzy Hale is more than just a beautiful woman. She can sing with the best of them, her guitar playing skills are strong, and she is a true band leader. Halestorm showcases all of her amazing talent and folds in some great musicians alongside her. Backed by Josh Smith (Bass) Joe Hottinger (Guitar) and Arejay Hale (drums), Halestorm perform like a well oiled machine that has been around for a long time.

Halestorm kicks off with a cowbell (appropriately hysterical to those who get the joke) that leaps right into Lzzy’s signature howl and the rampant attack of guitars and drums. It’s Not You is a solid lead track that makes the listener sit up straight and say “Whoa!” It definitely commands your attention and may even find you hitting the repeat button before you can get to the second song.

I Get Off is a young man’s fantasy of wet dreams gone right. Lzzy sings about being watched through the window and knowing she’s being watched, yet still not closing the curtain. She enjoys the voyeuristic adventure of the Peeping Tom getting off on her, and it gets her off. I Get Off is not only sexy, it’s heavy. Pounding drums and exceptional guitar riffs fill out this song and the boogie beat that drives it all home is stellar.

I Bet U Wish U Had Me Back is the ultimate “screw you” song. Lzzy oozes confidence in this mega-ballad that strays away from the typical “I wish we were still with each other” lyrics. Her lines are playful and venomous at the same time. She sings how the estranged male must be wishing that they were still together because she was the best he ever had and they both know it. Her self-confidence is more of a turn on than her sexy figure. Confidence is hot and Lzzy pours it all out in this awesome rocker.

Dirty Work is another exceptional track filled with themes of doing what this mistress orders. Opening with a commanding guitar and drums I haven’t heard since Metallica, Dirty Work is a powerful, sing along anthem that’s a huge hit at Halestorm’s live show. After two listens you will find your fist in the air chanting along “Do my dirty work! Do my dirty work! Oh! Oh!” This is a powerful song that packs a lot of fun into less than 3 minutes.

Halestorm is a refreshing change of pace from the overused pedestrian rock that most groups are churning out lately. Halestorm has taken the rock world by the balls and squeezed. Rocking out the way they want to, peppering the music with sexual innuendos and a lot of old fashioned party fun, Halestorm has staying power and their debut album proves it. Filled with solid rock songs, power ballads the way they should be written, and a whole lot of Lzzy Hale, Halestorm kicks ass and is definitely an album that needs to be added to your collection!

Ryo’s rating: 9 (out of 10)

Track Listing
It’s Not You
I Get Off
I Bet U Wish U Had Me Back
Innocence
Familiar Taste Of Poison
I’m Not An Angel
What Were You Expecting?
Love/Hate Heartbreak
Better Sorry Than Safe
Dirty Work
Nothing To Do With Love

Halestorm Live - January 29, 2010

On a freezing night in New Jersey I travelled to the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville to see one of my favorite bands, Theory of a Deadman. They were performing with Taking Dawn, Adelitas Way, and Halestorm. I had never seen any of the other bands and only heard a couple of songs by Halestorm, but the buzz around the internet was that these bands were great, so I was intrigued about the opening acts.

I was meeting my friends Bobby and Joe at the Ballroom and we planned to meet for dinner first. Bobby has a notoriously bad habit of being late for everything that he goes to, no matter what. So when he told me earlier in the week that he would arrive around 6, I knew that wouldn’t be the case. However, since I wasn’t going to make until 7, I figured we were ok.

I called him when I was leaving my office (at 5:30) and he hadn’t even left his house yet. As always, there was a story to go along with why he was running late. There’s always a story. I headed south to the show and told him I’d call when I was closer to the venue, we could meet for dinner at a nearby bar/grill.

I got to the bar at 6:40 (I have the exact opposite problem of Bobby) and called him to see where he was. He was just leaving our town (over an hour away) then. He said that he would see me at the venue. I laughed to myself, went in for dinner and after a good meal and a few beers, I headed over to the Starland Ballroom.

I completely missed Taking Dawn. By the time I got inside, they were already on and off the stage and preparations were being made for Adelitas Way to perform. I had heard a lot about Adelitas Way through the good rock internet sites. The buzz was strong and they were getting a lot of positive heat. I was curious to see how they sounded and to learn if they were able to live up to the hype.

Adelitas Way took the stage in a surge of rock and roll. Heavy guitar and a fast, rocking rhythm shocked my system and I knew these guys were good. The lead singer, Rick Dejesus, looked like a young Jacoby Shaddix, and had a tough, gritty appearance. He had honed the rock star look.

One thing I immediately noticed was the lead guitarist. Not only was he an exceptional guitar player, but he had the coolest Buddy Holly glasses ever. A rock star with glasses? That was a rarity. It was a wild look for him and gave the appearance of an everyday Joe, as opposed to the larger than life, unapproachable rock star.

The songs were amazing. Adelitas Way lived up to the hype and put on a heck of a show. They played 6 songs, but they were all solid ones. DeJesus was good at working the crowd and he had a strong voice able to carry the heavy tunes the band played. Reminiscent of Papa Roach and BuckCherry, Adelitas Way was a great band that I will be paying some attention to this year.

Once they had finished their set, I looked around to see if Bobby and Joe had shown up yet. They hadn’t. I shot a quick text letting him know that he missed the 2nd opening act and that Halestorm was coming up next. I was very curious to see Halestorm. The local radio stations had picked up a couple of their songs and they were amazing. The internet buzz was super strong on praising the band and of course talking up their sexy lead singer, Lzzy Hale. Even my friends over at Hard Rock Hideout were high about this band. When they are glowing about a band, I know I have to pay attention.

Halestorm took the stage in unique fashion. The lights went out, and a low moan came from somewhere beyond the stage. The moan slowly grew into a howl and as it built in intensity, Lzzy Hale took to the stage, a V-shaped electric guitar in hand. The siren yodel was coming from her and I was flabbergasted. What a set of pipes she had! She yodeled again and the sweet sound shaped into the opening lyrics of It’s Not You. As she continued, the remaining band members trotted onto the stage and took their positions. When everyone was in place, Lzzy sang the intro: “I’m in love with somebody and it’s not you!” Boom! The song kicked in and their stage show had begun.

Selling her sultry sensual sexiness, Lzzy Hale was not shy about how hot she was. She played it up to the crowd in her stage comments, her provocative dress, and her songs. She talked about how she liked to be on top and in control when in the bedroom and of course the guys just went nuts. This little vixen had all the men in the palm of her hands (and probably some women too).

If it was just sex and candy, then Halestorm wouldn’t even be worth writing about, but along with having one of the hottest women in rock and roll front their band, Halestorm can play. Their songs were crisp, bursting with strong guitar and drums and, of course, a lead singer whose voice was amazing. Hale’s ability behind the microphone is astonishing.

After their first two (maybe three) songs, Lzzy Hale introduced Archie on the drums and then the rest of the band promptly left the stage. I stood there thinking to myself, “There is no way in hell this guy is about to do a drum solo.” He was. Who does drum solos anymore, especially as an opening act? These guys were nuts.

Archie started out with the typical drum solo then threw away his drum sticks. The bass player immediately ran out and handed Archie another pair of drum sticks, only these looked like mini logs. Archie began wailing away on the drums with the mini logs, twirling them around and never missing a beat. Combined with his exaggerated facial expressions, it was quite comical to watch.

The guitarist then came back out with a tom drum in his hands. He held the tom drum in front of Archie who stood up and started playing it. He walked from behind his kit and continued banging away. The tom was slammed to the stage while Archie attacked it. The next thing I knew, every member of the band was walking out with tom drums and sticks in their hands. They all slapped their drums on the stage and began whacking away. In unison the four of them drummed out quite a beat. My mouth was hanging open. It was the coolest drum solo I ever saw and a very entertaining idea. Halestorm was proving to be a talent.


They finished up the night with the one-two punch of Dirty Work and I Get Off. After that performance, I was hooked. I knew I was going to have to get their CD (and I did – review coming soon). Lzzy Hale and company were completely astonishing in their performance. Having a gorgeous lead singer who flaunts her sexuality and plays it up for the men in the crowd only makes the band that much more likeable. They were astounding in concert and I would pay money to see them again.

Next Week: My review of Theory of a Deadman