Japanese sensation Hanabie out of Tokyo, Japan, have been going strong since their formation 10 years ago roughly. Their styling is a combo of metal sub-genres such as metalcore, hardcore punk, nu-metal and screamo, taken influences from electronica, J-Pop, and a culture that is contemporary centered around the Harajuki which is a spot in Japan that is quite popular within the fashion and dinning lifestyles. In short, they have created a style that is self-described as one thing only "Harajuku-core".
With that said, they band has toured the US. quite a bit as it were, seeing them for the first time back in 2023, with a follow-up time happening in 2025 that was an unfortunate experience. But a year later, and the band would head out on the road for their own headlining springtime tour, bringing with them Nekrogoblikon and Enterprise Earth.
The trek would kick off in March into April, wrapping up April 11, 2026, at The Belasco in Los Angeles, California to a sold-out crowd! But whilst this show was a sold-out experience, due to popular demand, a second show at the same venue would occur that next day April 12th! To a decent crowd from my understanding.
But the last night of the tour, it was quite the experience, the line of fans wrapped around the entire building, and once inside, the line would wrap from inside the actual theater to up the stairs, going up like 3-4 flights, for just the merchandise booth, with fans piled up inside the theater waiting for the actual show to kick off!
After grabbing some merch in that horrible line, the show kicked off about 7PM, with openers Enterprise Earth a deathcore band whose time together has been spent with line-up changes quite a bit, since their formation back in 2014, but do not let that turn you away, the band has gone on to get new members, release more albums, and continue performing as they had done tonight. And the crowd was quite pleased with the results, the pit opening up, with crowd surfers, being constantly overflowing, to others banging their heads, to all others just enjoying a good time. The energy was constant and full force with such a rush it felt memorable yet so much fun.
ENTERPRISE EARTH LIVE PHOTOS:
Following would be Nekrogoblikon a Los Angeles, California staple, as it was their hometown and they were glad to be back home! Being around for twenty years, this melodic death metal band, brought the cuteness or "Kawaii" to the masses, as fans laughed, cheered, and had fun crowd surfing, moshing, and headbanging non-stop. The two co-lead vocalists John Goblikon and Dickie Allen, were quite entertaining, going off on one another vocally, with John being done up in the cutest kawaii attire of a pink skirt and accessories. He made the evening everlasting with his funny banter, and dancing, messing with his fellow band mates, the audience was really into their presence that they did not want the band to go! That is how to keep a crowd into you!
NEKROGOBLIKON LIVE PHOTOS:
Lastly would be Hanabie from Japan, and their performance was quite something else. They performed for a good hour, non-stop with one break right before their encore. But throughout their performance was energetic like no tomorrow, constant movement in the pit, lots of crowd surfing as it were during the opening acts, to non-stop fun! A lot of songs kept everyone on their toes such as "Spicy Queen", "Tokimeki About You, and "Osaki ni Shitsurei Shimasau", besides the other 15 sung to their hearts content. The lead vocalist Yukina was so into her performance; she gave off such energy and phrase it was unforgettable. The rest of her band mates brought the fun as well, with the band having some minor line-up changes due to drums, but the bill now is solid. Hanabie is one of those Japanese bands, you have to check out at least once, to get a feeling of what you’re missing out on! They are just that good.
HANABIE LIVE PHOTOS:
Overall, this touring cycle ending up on a high note with notably good bands, high energy momentum, and lots of fun, way more than need be.
SETLIST:
1. Neet Game
2. Sunrise Miso-Soup
3. Reiwa Matching-sedai
4. Tousou
5. Kotoshi koso Gal Shoka version
6. Iconic
7. Spicy Queen
8. Ware Amatou
9. Watashitachi no 7Kakan Sensou
10. O-TA-KU Lovely Densetsu
11. Tokimeki About You
12. Choujigen Galaxy
13. Osaki ni Shitsurei Shimasu
ENCORE:
14. L.C.G. (Travis Worland Enterprise Earth Vocalist and Dickie Allen Vocalist of Nekrogoblikon)
15. Today's Good Day and So Epic
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