Concert: Babymetal/Jinjer/Bloodywood - accesso ShoWare Center - Kent, WA 7.15.25
Blog/Photos: Iron Mike Savoia - Savoia Photography Live
After 15 years of Kawaii metal Japan's Babymetal are bigger than ever. With a new album "Metal Fourth" releasing August 8, 2025 it's loaded with special guests of the metal/rock genre like Slaughter to Prevail, Spiritbox, Tom Morello, Bloodywood and other genre vibes like Poppy, Electric Callboy and Polyphia. Playing to a near sold out capacity of the accesso ShoWare Center in Kent, Washington, Babymetal rocked through a 13 track set that included a few of those new album tracks: Babymetal Death / Megitsune / PA PA YA!!/ BxMxC / METALI!! (with KAMI Band solos) / Kon! Kon! (with Bloodywood singers Jayant Bhadula and Raoul Kerr) / Song 3 (Babymetal × Slaughter to Prevail song) / Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!! / Ratatata (Babymetal × Electric Callboy song) / Gimme Chocolate!! / ENCORE: From Me to U / Karate / Road of Resistance.
With Babymetal members Suzuka Nakamoto as "Su-metal", Moa Kikuchi as "Moametal", and Momoko Okazaki as "Momometal" the show was a well choregraphed dance headbanging visual along with media screens, fire and cryo smoke blasts that kept the crowd always focused when the members weren't engaged directly with the crowd. Speaking of the crowd, these attendees were diehards from all walks of life including the anime crowd dressed in their best costumes. Age range of crowd had to be 8-70 years old. The secret to a wider audience in America.
With Su-metal, Moametal and Momometal as the main focus as the front girls of the band, for me it's all about the metal coming from the incredible (now called) Kamis From the West band. Various American session players in Kami masks and costumes. The playing is top notch! Sure glad after the song "METALI!!" they had featured solos giving the girls a rest and fresh up time before the next song. Believe me those singers work their tails off live!
Babymetal's U.S. Tour continues through 7.23.25 with dates left in San Francisco, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City and ending in Phoenix. Stay up to date on the band, pre-order the new CD here: https://babymetal.com
Opening the show were two international metal acts from India, Bloodywood and who I'm gonna mention next the mighty progressive metal-core of Jinjer from the Ukraine. Featuring the incredible and talented Tatiana Shmayluk on vocals.
Yeah you know her from the now nearing 100 million views of her singing the Jinjer track "Pisces". That might be one of the most fan reacted videos of any singer ever on YouTube. Even though she's the main focus and talent most people see it's just like Babymetal, the band has crushing players including Eugene Abdukhanov – bass - Roman Ibramkhalilov – guitars and Vladi Ulasevich on drums.
Jinjer, in support of their latest album "Duél", cranked out 4 of those new tunes in their 9 song set: Duél / Green Serpent / Fast Draw / Vortex / Hedonist / I Speak Astronomy / Perennial / Someone's Daughter / Pisces.
The crowd was definitely new to them, but when they played the YouTube favorites like "I Speak Astronomy" "Perennial" and "Pisces" that's when the crowd and pit opened up. Keep updated with Jinjer at https://www.facebook.com/JinjerOfficial
Opening the full show was New Delhi's metal giants Bloodywood! India's first metal act to chart on Billboard ever! Crowd reaction was amazing for basically a new band on the scene in America. Blending a crazy mix of Nu/Folk/Rap/Metalcore Metal all mixed with the sounds of India, Bloodywood came out like lions and energized the crowd from start to finish.
Bloodywood had a lot of positive talk vibes of various world subjects especially in their country between songs. Metal is frowned there so it's amazing to see the acceptance around the world for them especially here in America. Their set seemed like it lasted forever which is good because it was only 5 songs! Gaddaar / Aaj / Dana Dan / Bekhauf / Nu Delhi
Check out the new Babymetal video "Kon! Kon!" featuring Bloodywood!
Check out the Aanime Bloodywood video "Bekhauf" featuring Babymetal!
Stay up-to-date with Bloodywood at https://www.facebook.com/bloodywood.delhi