HANABIE. live in Sacramento: Metalcore mayhem marks end of US tour

Tokyo metalcore outfit HANABIE. tore through Sacramento’s Ace of Spades on April 12th, closing out their joint U.S. tour with Kim Dracula, with a riot of sound, colour, and chaos. Blending their signature Harajuku aesthetics with a contrasting metalcore sound, the quartet gave the crowd a full-throttle sendoff — complete with headbanging, mosh pits, and bubble guns.

Each member ran onto the stage one by one, decked out in maximalist Harajuku fashion — furry boots, layered skirts, stacked accessories, and even a necktie on drummer Chika. They immediately hyped the crowd as they claimed their platforms, leading a clapping rhythm that peaked just as lead singer Yukina sang the intro to ‘O•TA•KU Lovely Densetsu’ before screaming the iconic, “Hell yeah!”.

HANABIE. blasted through a 15-song set with barely a breath between tracks, largely focusing on more recent material. Before ‘NEET GAME’, Yukina guided the audience through the “yeah, yeah, yeah” chant, pointing the mic at them to take over the chorus. ‘We Love Sweets’ featured perfectly synced headbanging from all members, while ‘Reiwa Matching-sedai’ had Yukina shouting, “Are you f—ing ready?” before dropping to one knee and headbanging.

‘GAMBLER’ served as a theatrical highlight: the lights dimmed as the band turned their backs. Yukina reemerged from backstage, having taken off her red furry jacket. As the beat built, she stood tall on the center platform, hand raised, clapping until the crowd followed suit — then stared out triumphantly. Due to technical difficulties, Matsuri was unable to play guitar for most of the song, but she still came through strong on the chorus vocals.

Throughout the set, vocalist Yukina was a force of nature — leading chants, tossing finger guns, whipping her twintails mid-scream, and working every corner of the stage.  “Hey Sacramento, I need to hear more! In the back, I see you. You know what to do!” she yelled, motioning for a mosh pit to open up.

RELATED: Harajuku metal band HANABIE. announce 2025 Europe and UK tour

Guitarist Matsuri handled all the clean vocals, while bassist Hettsu anchored the band with tight precision and a joyful stage presence. Chika was a relentless machine behind the kit — her only real break came when she grabbed the mic mid-show to thank the crowd: “Thank you for coming! We are so excited, thank you so much. Are you enjoying?” — to which the crowd loudly cheered.

Fans surged in an almost constant stream of crowd-surfers, while even security guards and bartenders bobbed their heads with expressions of surprise and approval. Yukina took a moment mid-show to pull out a special card from the merch line, inviting a young fan onstage to receive it and pose for a picture.

Later, for ‘Be the GAL -Early Summer version-‘ the band put on light-up wristbands and glasses reminiscent of rave fashion. They brought out their tour staff for a group toast, everyone holding a can of Asahi beer. During the pre-chorus, Yukina had the entire crowd sit down — only to erupt in a synchronized bounce for the chorus’ beat drop. The band exited after ‘Today’s Good Day & So Epic’, with Yukina shouting, “You are so epic!”, pointing across the floor.

A Japanese encore chant echoed from the crowd and HANABIE. returned, clapping along as a shamisen intro played to ‘Osaki ni Shitsurei Shimasu’. Tour staff and Kim Dracula joined the band onstage, firing bubble guns into the air in a final, colourful moment. “We’ll see you again, I promise!” Yukina called out, closing the night with a group photo and a heartfelt thanks.

HANABIE.’s performance in Sacramento was a high-energy, chaotic display that reinforced their reputation as a must-see live act. With a growing international following, recent major festival appearances — including a mainstage slot at Lollapalooza — and increasingly refined stagecraft, the Harajuku-core cast continues to build momentum. As they gear up for a run of summer festival appearances and a European and UK tour this fall, HANABIE. appear well-positioned to expand their reach.

Photos by Ammar Chishty

---