Going into the show, in addition to my typical tour t-shirt, I was planning to purchase a Babymetal hoodie as well. And so, I went to the show sporting one of their past tour shirts instead of my usual black hoodie, until all was well again after I secured my purchase.
I got my hoodie!
I had great seats, just off to the right of the stage. There were two opening bands this time around, and first up was the rap/metal band from New Delhi, Bloodywood, who put on a bloody fantastic show. Of all of Babymetal's openers that I've seen over the years, Bloodywood has got to be an easy favorite of mine, and they tore the house down in their allotted timeslot.
Next up was Black Veil Brides. Going into the show, I was unfamiliar with this band. And while I wouldn't say they were bad, their style just wasn't for me, and I personally found myself a little bored by their set. But there were plenty of fans in the crowd who knew them and were singing along to their songs, and for those fans it certainly appeared like they were left satisfied.
But now, onto the main show, Babymetal! And while the venue may not have been as big as The Forum, this would technically count as my second time seeing this band put on an arena show, and boy did they ever bring the spectacle. They started off with Babymetal Death, and we were treated to a show of fire that would continue throughout the evening. Even from my seat, you could feel the heat. They followed up with Megitsune next, and I was left dancing along in my seat with a stupid grin from ear to ear.
I may not have had a towel with me on hand for Pa Pa Ya, but I did have my new tour t-shirt I had bought before the show. So I folded it up and twirled it around as they performed the song next, and I saw at least one other person in my section who was also twirling something around in the air throughout.
BxMxC got the crowd pumped, and I had a great view during Metali of said audience getting low and hopping back up to their feet on Momometal's cue. (I also had a great view of one guy in the pit dressed as a shark, and another dressed as Spider-Man.) Then up next is when the big surprises of the evening started.
Babymetal may not have joined Bloodywood on stage earlier in the evening when they played Bekhauf, but that didn't stop Bloodywood from showing up during the band's other collaboration, Kon! Kon!, one of their new songs that has a more Indian vibe, and which has choreography that's reportedly inspired by the Naatu Naatu dance from RRR. And this was the first time the guys came out for this song on this tour (and, well, ever, for that matter), so seeing them be part of the live performance, as opposed to just seeing their faces plastered onto the big backing screen, was certainly a great treat.
But that's not all. We would be treated to an even bigger surprise up next, as Alex Terrible of Slaughter to Prevail came out on stage to perform Song 3 alongside Babymetal, which is perhaps the band's heaviest song to date. He wasn't even advertised as being a part of this show, so I don't think anyone expected him to show up on this evening. It was surreal seeing him there, but he brought the goods, and I really dug his two-step dance moves.
I was actually so excited by what had just transpired that I rushed online at this point to share in the excitement with fellow fans. I would've perhaps shared in the excitement with those around me, but my neighbors didn't appear too interested in mingling any. This has been a relatively common occurrence I've found from fans at their Florida shows, as opposed to the much more open and inviting fans I've met at shows elsewhere, so I sorta felt a little lonely, and just wanted someone to share the joy with. In doing so, I missed the very beginning of Headbanger, but it's okay, and they put on another banging performance.
One of the Babybones came on stage next, filming the crowd and hyping them up for Ratatata. Then from one fan favorite to the next, they teased a send off with Gimme Chocolate, which probably got the loudest ovation from the audience of the evening.
The band left the stage at this point, and we were left chanting their name, clapping our hands, and stomping our feet in anticipation of their inevitable return out. And some minutes later, return they did, with a performance of another one of their new hits, From Me To U. Given the surprise appearances earlier in the evening, I half-expected Poppy to show up for this performance. But this song has become a favorite of their new songs for me. I love the cheerleader-esque choreography, and I love the contrast between the song's melody and its lyrics, and it was awesome hearing everyone singing along with this rage inside of me. This was honestly one of the songs I was most excited to see in person, and it more than lived up to my hopes for it.
Karate has been brought back as a full-time staple for this tour, and it really is great hearing this song live again. And of course the moment where Su-metal asks the audience to shine their cell phone lights always makes for a beautiful sight to behold.
They ended things proper with an epic performance of Road of Resistance, and we were left pumping our fists in the air and singing along until their final note. They then busted out their flags featuring the American flag emblazoned over the band's logo, and waved them as they sent us off for real this time, and I couldn't have left on a higher note.
The Forum set a high standard to meet when I attended that show back in 2019, and though Babymetal has put on some excellent shows since then, none of the ones I've attended have ever come close to The Forum. Until this night. Babymetal live in Tampa may very well be the best show of theirs that I've seen live, from the spot on performances, to the awesome surprises, and every silly moment in-between, such as Moametal constantly coming over to our side of the venue and waving at fans (I waved back every time, though I doubt she saw me). They not only delivered, they managed to outdo themselves with this show, which is something I'm consistently amazed that they're still able to do at this point. But this show was excellent, and well worth the road trip down to see it.
Will they somehow be able to outdo themselves yet again still? There's only one way to find out, and I can't wait to see them again as soon as the happiest season of all rolls back around. And in the meantime, if you'd like to hear more of my Babymetal adventures, you can check out my new book Down the Fox Hole. See you!
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