Sick New World descended upon Las Vegas this past weekend, and unsurprisingly, the heavy metal festival was gushing with moments that left attendees ravaged and thrilled. We rounded up some of our favorite women-led bands who left ruinous but unforgettable sets in their wake — leaving fans abuzz online and frantically eager for more.
Produced by Sandra B. Olinger, Written by Steven Ward
1. BABYMETAL
Suzuka Nakamoto (“Su-metal”), Moa Kikuchi (“Moametal”), and Momoko Okazaki (“Momometal”) unleashed their unique style of kawaii metal for a massive crowd on Saturday afternoon. As Las Vegas cooked under the sun, BABYMETAL‘s reflective outfits glinted and glowed like little conflagrations of their own, their magnetic choreography and explosive stage presence giving fans plenty of reasons to sweat apart from the weather. Backed by their absolutely shredding live band, the trio never once let up — and when they returned later in the night to perform with Bring Me The Horizon for “Kingslayer,“ they upped the ferocious adrenaline of the song to new rapturous heights.
“The moment they hit the stage, you can feel the place liven up. It was a short set but it was still worth experiencing!” @karaage_metal said of their set on YouTube. Others like @jagelmans6778 marveled at their ability to pummel fans into a rapt submission: “To captivate a US Festival crowd like that, particularly in the heat of the day, is seriously impressive.”
See BABYMETAL live in concert on their summer world tour with dates across Europe.
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2. Poppy
An incendiary melder of dance-pop and metal Poppy was one of the special guest high notes of Sick New World — taking the stage not once but twice over the weekend. Bad Omens was the first to bring her out, opening their set with a blistering performance of their song “V.A.N.” crackling with virulent sonics and stunning duet work between lead vocalist Noah Sebastian and Poppy. “BRUH THE HARMONIES,” @noparkingnoparking praised in all caps. She then manifested on the Siren Stage a little later with Knocked Loose for “Suffocate,” her unbridled and haunting howls igniting a fervor in the crowd.
“I’ve been sleeping so hard on knocked loose, but this feature’s got me fucking hooked. It should be illegal how fire this song is. The mixed screams at the end right after the breakdown is the kinda shit that i would replay hundreds of times and never get sick of lol,” @timklafke4712 confessed, sharing a sentiment no doubt shared by many present. For an artist not even on the lineup — it’s safe to say Poppy left an indelible mark on the festival.
Poppy heads out on tour this summer across the U.S. with 30 Seconds to Mars, which includes a stop at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA. They will also be present at Louder Than Life (Louisville, KY) and Aftershock Festival (Sacramento, CA).
3. Spiritbox
Led by Courtney LaPlante‘s dually ethereal and harrowing vocals, Spiritbox beguiled and drowned fans with wave after wave of shuddering metalcore. Opening with the rowdy screamer “Cellar Door” and closing with the equally merciless breakdowns of “Holy Roller,” every minute of their set was delivered with a manic energy. “They blow me away every time,” @juventusfc0520 admitted. There was also plenty of love for LaPlante and bassist Josh Gilbert‘s arresting vocal leaps. “Courtney’s metalcore vocals will destroy you all live,” proclaimed @mattyg5566 beneath a clip of their set.
Spiritbox is embarking on a European tour this summer, with dates in North America in the fall. Catch them opening for Korn at their 30th-anniversary celebration at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, CA.
4. Gel
Hardcore punk outfit Gel held it down early in the day on the Diablo Stage, performing tracks like the raucous “Mental Static” for the rabid crowd. Vocalist Sami Kaiser was spewing roars and wails alongside the band’s combustive and concussive soundscapes. If you weren’t there, the two-minute clip below is more than enough to communicate the visceral force that erupted during their set, while the lack of videos online just means the crowd was more interested in head-banging than recording.
Gel has tour dates all over North America and Europe this year with additional festival appearances at Louder Than Life and Aftershock Festival.
5. Lords of Acid
Provocative, freaky, and unabashedly carnal, the Belgium-born Lords of Acid overtook Sick New World with their sexually inflamed anthems. Another early-afternoon favorite that toyed with the fringe entanglements between EDM and hard rock, the band dazzled, danced, and moaned its way through their lurid but mesmerizing catalog. That included songs off their recent album Beyond Booze like “Scrood Bi U,” a heady drum and bass number that allowed the Lords of Acid to flex their electrifying and irreverent aura.
See Lords of Acid on their Make Acid Great Again tour through North America this summer. They will perform at Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles, CA on Friday, June 7th.
Swans, the experimental rock band of Michael Gira, also gave a memorable performance of the title track from last year’s record The Beggar. Then there was Slowdive hypnotizing the crowd with the heavily droning sonics that poured from their shoegaze and dream pop creations — sharing songs like “40 Days” and “Sugar for the Pill.” All in all, it was a rip-roaring weekend in Sin City that confirmed that rock is more than just alive, it’s hot-blooded and thriving!
Words: Steven Ward
