Australia’s Kim Dracula and Japan’s HANABIE. are currently tearing it up throughout North America for a two-punch combo for one can’t miss show. Along for the ride are supporting acts Kaonashi for the entirety of the tour and Crystal Lake for select dates. Acting as co-headliners, both Kim Dracula and HANABIE. are closing out shows throughout the tour, swapping their order each night.
Long Island found themselves nestled about a third of the way through the trek as the bands had begun heating up. Huntington was the place to be on March 16th as fans lined up early to get into The Paramount. Extra eager fans took advantage of the VIP package, which included a photo with HANABIE., a meet and greet, and a signed poster, among other goodies. When the doors opened at 5:30 PM, the rest of the crowd eagerly joined.
While fans mingled and checked out merch booths, Kaonashi was preparing to take the stage at 6:30 PM. The lights dimmed for their arrival and stayed low throughout their performance, giving their set a dark vibe as the metal band out of Philadelphia, PA, woke the crowd up. In between tracks including “You’ll Understand When You’re Older” and “Humiliation Ritual”, the band had prerecorded snippets setting the stage for their next track. The tracks themselves were experimental in nature and chaotic in the best of ways, with lead singer Peter Rono’s distinct screeching vocals unlike anything else.
Kaonashi
Photo Credit: Andrew Fiero
Tokyo’s Crystal Lake were next to take a stab at it. Devoted HANABIE. fans might recognize Crystal Lake as their drummer, Gaku Taura, mentored the band and urged them to forge ahead after the members graduated high school. He along with John Robert Cenorrino (Vocals), Yudai “YD” Miyamoto (Lead Guitar), Hisatsugu “TJ” Taji (Rhythm Guitar) and Mitsuru (Bass) come together as a Metalcore band that can and will tear the house down. From opening track “BlüdGod” to closing track “Apollo”, Crystal Lake had fans headbanging themselves into oblivion. The band closed out their set by taking a selfie on stage with the crowd behind them. Crystal Lake is the kind of supporting act that headliners both want and worry they’ll have. They’re the kind of band that gets the crowd pumped while setting a “Let’s see you top that.” high bar for the bands to follow.
Crystal Lake
Photo Credit: Andrew Fiero
As the crew readied the stage for the next act, the missile-shaped mic stand set in the center told fans that Kim Dracula would be the first of two headliners of the evening. But Kim Dracula’s mic stand is far from their most explosive weapon. That honor would go to either their insane vocal range or the heaps of creativity and risks taken with their music. Not every band out there could, within minutes, successfully mix beatboxing, metalcore screaming, and a jazz solo without coming across as completely insane, but the only crazy thing about it is that it works.
Kim Dracula is coming off a successful 2024 in which they were able to play the lunatic villain Luther in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s new take on a “Warriors” concept album. The Australian nemesis has come a long way since their start on TikTok, and 2025 looks to take it even further. Always one to make an entrance, fans were surprised when Kim Dracula’s bandmates took the stage, but turned their attention to behind the fans as an announcer requested they part down the middle. It took a few moments for the fans to comply as they realized that Kim Dracula was actually being escorted through the crowd to get to the stage whilst covered. Once on stage, they revealed their military-inspired ensemble and greeted the crowd with a hero’s welcome. The band, who had in previous tours worn masks not dissimilar to those worn by Ghost’s Nameless Ghouls, opened up the night with “Land of the Sun”.
Early in the performance, Kim Dracula put a spin on the usual “Let me hear you say ‘Yeah!’” crowd work by then adding, “Now, let me hear you say…..absolutely nothing”. The crowd was too busy cheering to play along, so Kim Dracula pouted “…I really thought that would work.”. Humorously, later in the set, when talking about a track the crowd gave Kim Dracula their undivided attention to which they were left to joke “Oh, now you guys are quiet!”.
Throughout the performance an exquisite mix of genres were brought to the forefront. By the time the band reached a cover of Pearl Jam’s “Even Flow,” Kim Dracula had already served up a proverbial smorgasbord of samplings. The cover was surprisingly spot on, with Kim Dracula’s voice impressively hitting the perfect Eddie Vedder vibe. Over too soon, Kim Dracula cut the song about halfway through, saying “That’s enough of that.” before turning their attention to
“Reunion and Reintegration.” Other covers throughout the night included one of Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” and George Michaels’s “Careless Whisper”.
Of course, Kim Dracula’s own tracks were a delight as well. “Drown” and “Make Me Famous” were two of many tracks on display throughout with the bandmates each getting a chance to shine including a saxophone solo thrown in for good measure. By the time Kim Dracula closed out with “Killdozer,” the crowd had been worked into a frenzy. Kim Dracula is that kind of act that doesn’t come around very often and leaves its mark when it does.
Kim Dracula
Photo Credit: Andrew Fiero
With Kim Dracula taking the penultimate slot on this night, Japan’s Harajuku-Core band HANABIE. was left with the honor of closing out the Long Island stop. This actually marked the first time the band played in Long Island. Many Long Islanders in attendance had taken the trains out to New York City last year, however, when the band was part of the Metal Injection Festival, joining the likes of Jinjer and God Forbid back in September. Six months later, the band was back in New York and ready to have some more fun. Since their last visit to the US, the band had released a new EP, Bucchigiri Tokyo.
One by one, each of the four women came out to stand on center stage to salute the crowd before taking their position. Chika (drums) came out first and waved her drumsticks towards the crowd with a cheery flourish.She was soon followed by Hettsu (Bass) and then Matsuri (Guitar) before Yukina (Vocals) came out. She first bowed on each of the two side platforms before standing on the center one. All four members got the crowd clapping before Yukina informed fans, “We are HANABIE. from Japan!” before opening with the new track, “O•TA•KU Lovely Densetsu.” Other tracks off of their new EP, including “Bucchigiri Tokyo,” “Ito Okashi MyType,” and “GAMBLER,” were peppered throughout the setlist, ensuring that even fans who saw them six months ago had new songs to experience live.
The band was animated throughout, occasionally. Clapping, stomping, and occasionally getting airborne, it was hard not to get caught up in the energy of HANABIE. brought. Yukina effortlessly switched between clean and harsh vocals. The band’s fun nature was easy to get caught up in as they had fun interacting with the crowd. Familiar fan favorites, including “NEET GAME” and “We Love Sweets,” had long-time fans headbanging along.
Deep into the set, as the band led into the dance-infused “Be The GAL”, Yukina donned a comically oversized pair of sunglasses while the band got the crowd bouncing. Hettsu cheered the crowd with a drink as the pace quickened. Sadly, the band soon came to the end of their performance with an absolutely killer performance of “Osaki ni Shitsurei Shimasu,” which fittingly translates to ”Pardon Me, I Have To Go Now”. Going out in style, the band met on the drum riser for one last metal breakdown before thanking the crowd.
Even in today’s always-online, globally aware world not every band can break through a language barrier to reach a wider audience. Without lyrics that can easily resonate with fans, bands have to be extra special to catch the attention of a foreign crowd. HANABIE. is one of those few special acts that has what it takes to do that. Don’t let their adorable nature and playful attires fool you for even a second. All four of these women can absolutely slay a crowd with their metal prowess.
This tour, much like the acts that are taking part in it, is a bit of an anomaly that needs to be seen live. Each band brings something different and unique that you’ll struggle to find elsewhere. Kim Dracula and HANABIE. are one hell of a one-two punch on this 2025 US tour. The bands continue to embrace the madness through April 12th with the last top finding the bands in Sacremento, California at the Ace Of Spades. Kaonashi will have fans making sure not to arrive late throughout the tour. Crystal Lake will be a highlight of the tour, wrapping up early after the April 6th stop in Phoenix, Arizona.
HANABIE.
Photo Credit: Andrew Fiero
