Hanabie and Kim Dracula Excite Neptune Theater
As a fan of Babymetal who hasn’t had a chance to see them yet, a tour with Hanabie seemed like the next best thing. But before we get to that, let’s start with our opener Kaonashi. If you’re a devoted Spirited Away fan, you may notice their name is Japanese for the major character known as “Faceless.” The band’s music and lyrics really felt like they were the right mix of anger, aggression, and decompression through those means. Lead singer Peter Rono’s vocals may feel contradictory to the music at first but given some to connect with the mix of heavy metalcore tunes, his vocals felt more like a release of my own grievances with the ongoing strife of the world.
In between the chaos of it all, Kaonashi would insert moments of ease with pre-recorded conversations and chill stories to allow some space for reprieve. As the band requested some 2-stepping and moshing, there was initially what looked like some hesitancy from the crowd. This could be somewhat explained by the unique mix of audience members wearing clothing ranging from your standard anime merch of Hanabie fans, painted faces of Kim Dracula fans, and black tops with a range of your typical metal-band fonts that can sometimes take a keen eye to discern the actual text. Having mentioned their first and only stop in Washington prior to this was a house show in Yakima, so it was great to see the band warm up an impressively full venue for the first act. They even left the stage and returned in some beautiful adornments to re-introduce themselves as Hanabie, our next act. Peter spinning a blonde wig in the air was a sight to behold.
As the next act starts, the crowd is ushered to split the middle for the incoming lead of our first co-headline band, Kim Dracula. The crowd cheers backwards for a few moments as those cheers fade and suddenly Kim Dracula appears directly on stage. It was all an elaborate fake out. After performing with other bands prior to forming the persona of Kim Dracula, this Australian-raised artist’s fame has been attributed to the release of their industrial metal cover of Lady Gaga’s song “Paparazzi.” If you’re having trouble imagining this, think Marilyn Manson meets Lady Gaga and you’re not far off from reality. Kim Dracula brings a unique mix of metal, rock, and what I occasionally wanted to joyfully describe as heavy dance.
Kim Dracula’s act ultimately felt like a well thought out musical play. The band itself was well-dressed and in full makeup, as if they had all been recently raised from the dead. Kim Dracula emerged cloaked in darkness and spent one break sneaking around the stage to the James Bond theme song dodging officials with flashlights searching for this ever-living vampire. There were glasses of blood, a short chess board break, a moment of “Careless Whisper” from the saxophonist, and even a cover of “Even Flow” by Pearl Jam with a shoutout for Seattle.
As I stood on the side a few songs into Kim Dracula’s act, a couple leaned back and asked me if they had somehow already missed Hanabie’s whole set. This confusion likely stemmed from the fact that this was a co-headlined show, and it seemed like no one was aware of the real order of the bands. As Kim Dracula finished their set, many people immediately started exiting the building. One of the employees was kind enough to repeatedly shout “There’s another band up next!” I’d like to think that deterred folks from leaving, because up last was Hanabie.
While the biggest name in America for a women-fronted Japanese metal band might be Babymetal, Hanabie should absolutely be on your radar as the next best thing. Originally formed as a Maximum The Hormone cover-band, this all-women “harajuku-core” rock band weaves heavy metal, poppy vocals, and impressively deep metal growls from their lead singer, Yukina. Next to Yukina was the band’s guitarist, Matsuri, and their bassist, Hettsu. These three members are the original people who formed the band back in their middle school years. Drumming behind them was the newest member from 2023, Chika.
Hanabie introduced themselves as “The Real Hanabie” after Kaonashi had previously introduced themselves as Hanabie midway through their own set. Amongst Hanabie’s set was their song that translated to “Tasty Survivor” in English. Perfectly timed for the Seattle’s tour date, the song was set to release at midnight that night.
Hanabie’s ability to manipulate the crowd’s energy was a force to be reckoned with. The crowd’s usage of horns was immediately increased as the band played through their intense setlist. Midway through their set, Yukina asked how thirsty the crowd was, and then exclaimed that she herself was “Thirsty for beer!” as she opened a can and chugged it on stage. A young girl of maybe 6 years old atop her dad’s shoulders, rightfully wearing ear protection, was continually throwing her arms up in enjoyment. At the end of the show, Hettsu made her way over to toss a few items into the crowd, and carefully ensured that this girl was the one who received her guitar pick. The crowd did their best to cheer for an encore, but since it didn’t come, we’ll all have to keep an eye out for their next US tour.
