BABYMETAL & BLOODYWOOD: Concert Experience

When cultural fusion meets metal's raw power, something magical happens. That's exactly what we experienced witnessing BABYMETAL and BLOODYWOOD share a stage at Mohegan Arena—a concert that showcased the global evolution of heavy metal and left us breathless despite some venue challenges.

BLOODYWOOD exploded onto the stage with their unique blend of traditional Indian instrumentation and modern metal, immediately converting new listeners with their wall of sound approach. Since their beginnings covering metal classics on YouTube in 2016-2018, they've developed into a powerhouse combining bhangra rhythms, hindi drums, and crushing guitars. What makes them truly special isn't just their musical innovation, but their dedication to social causes—using their platform to speak against sexual assault, raise funds for mental health services in India, and support animal welfare. Their song "Ari Ari," transforming a traditional wedding song into a metal anthem, perfectly encapsulates their genius for cultural fusion.

BABYMETAL followed with a performance showcasing their evolution from kawaii metal teens to commanding women owning the stage. Their elaborate mythology-driven introduction set the stage for precision choreography, powerful vocals, and a masterclass in theatrical metal. The backing band delivered incredible instrumental skill, particularly during spotlight moments for guitar and drums. Classic hits like "Gimme Chocolate" and "Headbanger" demonstrated why metal legends from Judas Priest to Metallica have embraced them. The highlight? Seeing both groups perform their collaboration "Bekhauf" together—a rare moment where Japanese kawaii metal and Indian folk metal created something entirely new.

Despite bass-heavy acoustics challenges that sometimes overwhelmed the arena, both bands demonstrated professional resilience by adjusting their sound and maintaining phenomenal energy throughout. This concert wasn't just entertainment—it was a glimpse into metal's exciting future as a vehicle for cultural exchange and shared energy across continents.

Follow our podcast for more music discoveries and concert experiences, and connect with us on X/Twitter @musicelixir_  or Bluesky @musicelixir.bsky.social‬ we'd love to hear your thoughts on these groundbreaking metal acts!

BLOODYWOOD: Instagram X YouTube official

BABYMETAL: Instagram X YouTube official

NEW BABYMETAL/BLOODYWOOD collaboration "Kon! Kon!"

Transcript

Introduction to Babymetal and Bloodywood Show

Speaker 1 0:20

Hello everybody, welcome to another episode of Music Elixir with me, sarah, and.

Speaker 2 0:24

Miss DJ Panic. Yes, all right. So, what are?

Speaker 1 0:30

we going to do today?

Speaker 2 0:33

We're going to talk about our concert experience of Babymetal, babymetal, babymetal With.

Speaker 1 0:39

Bloodywood, oh love.

Speaker 2 0:43

Okay, I'm all hyped Because finally, finally, we get to see Bloodywood.

Speaker 1 0:51

Yes.

Speaker 2 0:51

Same bill, bloodywood and Babymetal, what I know right. I was like, yes, this is like the collab of the D-Century.

Speaker 1 1:02

For me.

Speaker 2 1:04

For me Because of course they have collab With the song yeah, with Beck Off, so which we talked about, remember. Yes, we did. We were all excited about that, I know, and then, yeah, the tour announcement.

Speaker 2 1:16

We were like oh my God, yeah, how did we find out? Those are our friends, yes, our with our friends, yes, our friends. So our friends that we also met at the one, okay rock show. They're like baby metal's coming. We're like, oh my god, when? So they were going to the one in connecticut because they yes, they, metal did go to boston. But uh, since our friends, it's like easier for them to go to the one in connecticut and it's not too far from where we live. It's kind of similar from where we are to Boston, right.

Speaker 1 1:45

Yeah, for us it's sort of equidistant.

Speaker 2 1:48

Yeah, we're like we can do whichever. Yeah, so we end up going to the one in Connecticut, which was at the Mohegan Arena. Mohegan is a casino and of course they have entertainment, and then of course, Bimmy Mero was there with Bollywood.

Speaker 1 2:05

I mean have entertainment, and then of course, bimmy merrill was there, with bollywood I mean bloody wood, I mean bollywood bloody wood. Well, I was gonna say I think it was also uh, because the show we went to was on the weekend and it's easier it was for our friends to exactly.

Speaker 2 2:15

You know, yeah, it traveled. It was on a saturday, yeah, yeah, no, no, it was on friday the one in boston, I think, was like a wednesday or something, and oh yeah you know you to take time off work and you got to travel, yeah.

Speaker 2 2:28

Which it kind of was timed better this way because of all the days off that we have taken in the month of June. Oh, my goodness, I was just telling you. The nurses are like no, you can't take an hour off, we need you. I'm like Jesus, okay, I mean you can't take it all day off, we need you. I'm like jesus, okay, I mean I don't know, I, I don't know they love me, okay, can I say they love me, I and you know I feel so needed and wanted and I'm glad that my job it's, you know, make things easier for them anyways. But it was the concert. It was on on June 27th yes, this is a Friday and it was Bloodywood Black.

Speaker 1 3:08

Veil, brides, yeah and Baby, I know it's a lot of people.

Speaker 2 3:15

Everybody began with a B. Oh my God.

Speaker 1 3:17

B B.

Speaker 2 3:18

Yes, that's so. Yeah, I just Now that you said that, just don't on me.

Speaker 1 3:23

Yeah, I was like we should probably mention there was another band, Black Veil Bride, but they're from the US.

Speaker 2 3:30

Yeah, so we're not really going to talk about them. If you want to know more about that group gave you the name you can go on your own and check them out.

Speaker 1 3:38

I would call them Emo Goth Metal.

Speaker 2 3:40

I don't want to give them more air. No, no, no, no.

Speaker 1 3:43

I just no, because why should they go look at it if they're not interested in emo goth metal?

Speaker 2 3:47

they just can just google the name and that's it. That's all they need to know. Well, we were all about you in judgment about that. We're all about bloody wood baby metal anyway, I didn't realize there was another band yes, excited for bloody wood. They were the first act yes, they were. Oh my god they were so explosive, right oh from the get-go.

Speaker 1 4:13

Yes, it was just like boom. They hit the stage and like wall of sound hit you. You were goner because they they've got the traditional instruments along with the you know the big drums, bass heavy, I mean, they are just heavy metal. Blast your face off with sound. But good, sound like strong sound this group.

Speaker 2 4:37

I'm very happy they have. Actually, oh my god, when did I started listening to them? I want to say either 2017 or 2018. They started just on youtube covering bands like metallica, megadeth. But to covering them, but also with the hindi drums. You know the cultural, you know the blending the cultural of the hindi, the indian music with. You know american rock, you know metal and oh my god, they did that so well.

Speaker 2 5:09

That's when they started like getting more momentum, more popularity, because people were sharing the video to their friends. Oh my god, look at this group, look at this other group, look at this group, look at this, you know yep yep, and the way I found out was from a friend of mine in japan.

Speaker 2 5:28

He was like you like indian music, right, and I'm like, yeah, so he's like you need to. You like rock, right, and I'm like, yeah, I like a music addict, I like all types of genres, and he's like, check this group out. I was blown away. I'm like, oh my goodness, are they on spotify? What's going on? This is amazing. They only have music on youtube under youtube videos and stuff like that. They were not on spotify yet, so that was the only way I was able to play them on.

Speaker 2 5:57

Okay, asia was just just playing them from the youtube video. I remember sending them a dm saying, oh my god, you guys are awesome. Do you have a cd? Where can I get stuff? He's like we don't have anything now, but please, thanks, tell people about us and whatever. So it was just completely, completely brand new when I was able to get a DM from one of the members, so that was really cool. So I just want to give a little bit of background from Bollywood Bloodywood, bloodywood, bit of background from bollywood bloody wood, bloody wood, you keep, I know, because I'm so like because of the tongue tie and um play on words.

Speaker 1 6:33

Oh yeah, everybody knows about bollywood correct well at this point.

Speaker 2 6:39

It's been around, it's been in the media in the mid 2000s there was this big craze about movies from india yeah if you, you know, lived about, you know, around that time. So the group have been around out, wow, since 2016, just to like think they still stuck around. You know, because it's so difficult, especially with, like, combining cultures or just rock in india. You know, they even said it on stage. It's like just to let everybody know that there's actually a rock band from india and we want to like everybody know, let everybody know, about us and I'm like dudes.

Speaker 2 7:14

You guys are so like popular worldwide now and I think there were some people in there that never heard about them that they were like wow, they're awesome?

Speaker 1 7:23

yeah, well, they're. Like I said, when they, when they came out, it was just like boom, wall of sound and colorful because their outfits, yeah, clothing they were wearing, because some of the guys were wearing like traditional, the men's tunics and and things, and then one guy had, like you know, hip-hop street clothes and like it was. So there's this mix of everything. They mix sounds, traditional and metal and folk, and then they mix visuals. So, you know you, just explosions of color and sound and it was just incredible. So, yeah, anyone who hadn't seen them or heard their music had to. You can't not be impressed by what you saw. You're lying. If you were like, oh, I didn't like them, I won't believe you, because it's impossible not to get drawn in to the sound and what they were doing.

Speaker 2 8:19

Yeah.

Speaker 1 8:22

You know, I mean it was just as incredible. But anyway, so sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt my favorite, favorite.

Bloodywood: Explosive Cultural Fusion

Speaker 2 8:26

This is the song that actually drew me in more. For them is the song Ari Ari, which is a traditional song sang in weddings, and they turn it into metal. I was like, yeah, talk about a tradition. You know a very traditional festival or festivity celebratory song turning to metal. That is like even more hard.

Speaker 2 8:45

you know a very traditional festival or festivity celebratory song turning to metal, and it's like even more hard you know it's like and I love that song because it's, you know, it's festive, it's a wedding, everybody you know and then metal style what? Oh my God, blew me away. I'm like, yes, I love you guys, this is amazing.

Speaker 1 9:04

And that, oh my my god, that came out in 2018, so it's like, wow, well, it's got like um, it's got that bangra like sound to it, yeah, but metal, and that's what's like so cool, because that's sort of that's the the wedding sound that you think of like that because they, they have the yes, I was like, oh man, get out.

Speaker 2 9:28

And then just like, and I'm like what yeah, what yeah.

Speaker 1 9:33

When that one was playing, we were both like oh yeah, yeah, because the singer is usually very melodic, but I'll be.

Speaker 2 9:40

They're just like, I'm like.

Speaker 1 9:43

OMG what. But musicallyically they had it. Yes, like like you could be doing the, the dancing that you would do at weddings. You know, oh yeah, oh yeah, you just, oh, my god, yeah, no the energy was so incredible for them. It was awesome.

Speaker 2 10:00

Yes, awesome they were great. They're just like a bunch of guys out there. One thing that you made, an observation is that they were all in line the drummer, the guitarist, the bass player, both of the singers. You know they're not just like usually the drummer in the back and then you know no, everybody was just like front and show off. They were all in line front center. We're all the same. We're all unified, we're all the same. There's no ranking here, it's just. It's all of us.

Speaker 1 10:30

You're seeing all of us occasionally the singers would move around, but it wasn't. It wasn't to come out front and showcase themselves, nope, it was just for movement. But like that it was awesome that straight and when they were doing the musical interlude and everybody's just banging their heads at the same time in the same direction, it was awesome. And one of the things I really a powerful moment was one of the singers came forward and I forget which song they were going to sing, but he was saying how sexual assault and abuse has no place in our society.

Speaker 2 11:09

And I was like, oh my God, thank you so much for being an artist and getting up on stage and saying that, yes, because so many people like to just sort of this is a group who have I want to say their message is always positive and things that are happening socially and that they're not going to tolerate it, especially that sexual assault they don't tolerate that. They know very. I mean everywhere around the world that's happening.

Speaker 1 11:40

It's everywhere.

Speaker 2 11:40

It's a huge problem, but I'm sure that for the culture, for india, that's happening is even worse. We have seen reports of that which are devastating. Unfortunately, and in this group it's just saying it any any anywhere around the world.

Speaker 2 11:55

That's not tolerable yeah yeah, there's also one song which I want to say is more of their ballad. I don't think they sang it that day, but it was regarding mental health. That song, they actually made a video for that and they were going to make donate. Actually, they were asking for donations to help those in their community to pay for mental health um visits. You know and that's amazing what band? Also unknown yet because this happened really early in their career yeah that they were speaking already of.

Speaker 2 12:30

Like our, you know, community is, you know, suffering mentally. We want to help those to seek help so they can pay for that. That's amazing there was another song that they also use to for protection of stray dogs. That's. That's very common in india, a lot of stray dogs, and they were helping a actual organization to pay for like a van to help its dogs or actually, um, take them from like dangerous houses it's.

Speaker 2 13:00

They're amazing, yeah, as a nobody knowing about this group is crazy, because they do so much good and their message is always good Right.

Speaker 1 13:10

It is political in a way, but but not in the same sense, like a lot of bands don't want to touch on these sort of subjects of too much. Yeah, you know, it's more about like we got to stand up for our rights and our, our whatever, and and they sort of make it a blanket statement about things, whereas, like he came straight straight up, straight out saying we will not tolerate sexual abuse and assault, not for our society, and that was like just I was like yeah, you go, you tell them.

Speaker 2 13:46

Oh yeah.

Speaker 1 13:47

So it was, and that's, yeah, exactly their message. Even though I don't always understand all the language right, but you can just tell from their music like that they're singing about things they're passionate feeling about. You know, they're like just a message with energy and conviction and vibrancy. It was just so empowering listening to them that's all I can say.

Speaker 1 14:13

I was just like wow, I was completely, because you know, we've listened to them, we've talked about music of theirs before, but like seeing them live watching that happen was just amazing, incredible. They were like the highlight of the night yeah, no, they are amazing.

Speaker 2 14:30

This is like maybe there's another group like this, but I have not seen or at the or seen anybody projecting it. But they're like a heavy metal social work group. Yeah, because you know, they do all these charity works from their songs and also bring it on stage. Yeah, you know like, hey, come on. Yeah, metal's all hard and whatever, but it's not always like violent. We have to help our community. We gotta be vigilant, you know, make this world better through metal. So if they have to scream it out loud like this, do it and, oh my god, I love this group so much.

Speaker 2 15:12

I'm so happy to see them yeah, no, they were.

Social Messaging in Metal Music

Speaker 1 15:15

They were so incredible. Next time they come as headliners, we have to go oh, yeah, definitely which they have done it, so we just gotta keep an eye on it definitely keep an eye out, all right, and if you get the opportunity to check them out, do it. It's well worth it, yes, so?

Speaker 2 15:32

worth it, it is so worth it. So empowering, very empowering, love them All right. So now let's talk about baby metal. Kawaii rock, but now guess what Baby metal are women now.

Speaker 1 15:53

I know right, just one of them just had a birthday. Actually, I liked too that they did do their collab. Yes, they came out during bali. Uh, now you got me doing during bloody woods. Um set, that's such a bad influence. They came out and did their song back off together. Yes, and then the girls ran back out to get ready, but uh, that was a warm-up for the girls.

Speaker 1 16:16

That was awesome, yeah so so in between them the other band played, so the girls still had time to to get settled, but they did bring them out and they did their collaboration song together and it was awesome, it was so cool, it was so cool. All of them. They had their like glittery, shimmery outfits on and their head banging with the guys. It was just, it was so cool. It was a lot of fun to watch that. But yes, so then the girl set started and that was like such an epic beginning right.

Speaker 1 16:47

The little voiceover talking about this.

Speaker 2 16:49

The voice, like her, scrolls blah, blah, blah. And the fox. I'm not saying, I mean, I don't remember much of it.

Speaker 1 16:55

It's like the whole story, the mythology of how Babymetal came about.

Speaker 2 16:59

Oh my, God, I'm like epic intro, of course.

Speaker 1 17:06

And that voice, that sci-fi music.

Speaker 2 17:09

You see the words scrolling in the back and I'm like, oh my god, and it's baby metal, this baby metal, this I'm like oh my god, yes, yes, I'm like, yes, and it's just like that and that and that, oh, but come on their intro and the group, the group, oh, the group, oh my God, that was hard, they were coming in hard.

Speaker 1 17:32

The band, the band, the actual band, yes, oh my God, it's amazing, amazing.

Speaker 2 17:39

And of course, the girls, the instinct, as always, you know, so perfect Vocals, so perfect, so metal. Oh my God, jeez, I'm like. Oh my god, the girls, the women, yeah, women I mean this is the thing we.

Speaker 2 17:56

We saw them growing up. They were just teens, they were just teenies and now they're women, they're in their 20s. So it's like I can't believe it, you know. It's like took this long for me to see you, but, oh my God, look how much you have grown. I'm from the little teenager on stage to this woman. They're just on point, on vocals, on just everything. The boys, they're just like it's not as kawaii, they're just more like eh, we're here.

Speaker 1 18:29

Well, they've added some edge to it. They've still maintained some of the cute aspect like the, the costuming and the way they do their hair. Yeah, but like there's edge, because when they were showing them on the, the big screen which luckily there were some big screens so that you had extra visuals Like you could see sort of the attitude in their faces and the sort of I don't know, like sass they were, just they were being like yeah, they're no longer giving you the cutesy face.

Speaker 2 18:59

Yeah, they were just. Like you know, we're like we're baby metal yeah.

Speaker 1 19:05

We're bringing our attitude to you now, exactly Like before. We were just presenting and trying to be like, you know. Yeah, now they're like nope, we're here in your face and we're singing it, yep, and we're going to do our little dance move. They have evolved they can't always be cutesy anymore. Oh yeah, no they're older now.

Speaker 2 19:26

They might the word baby might be in there, but they're just a grown woman now.

Speaker 1 19:32

Well, like I said, they still have the ponytails. That's their signature hair unfortunately yeah. You know, and the costumes, but they were more aggressive, less cute, more aggressive.

Speaker 2 19:45

These ladies have been just evolving. Evolving because even they have tou tour with major, major rock metal groups like Judas Priest. He loves them.

Speaker 1 19:59

Rob Halford yes, he loves the girls.

Speaker 2 20:04

He loves the girls. They're like, he's like, they're like my children. I love them. Metallica as well, you know, know, metallica loves them as well. It's insane, you know how much you know. Some of these like big known groups are like metal groups are like, yeah, we completely love baby metal. They're amazing. They're amazing musicians, you know, and the girls are fantastic. I'm like, yeah, and just being them and just knowing these, like metal gods it's called, and that's like learning from them, because I'm sure they probably ask questions. It's like, so how do you do this and whatever, and interact with them, because I will be asking questions.

Speaker 1 20:42

Oh yeah, you know definitely, that's how you grow as artists.

Speaker 2 20:45

Yeah.

Speaker 1 20:45

And that's what they've been doing. But artist, yeah, and that's what they've been doing. But like the energy level of them too. You know, they were up down, back forth, just everywhere all at once and strong vocals, they were singing their hearts out and doing it well. Yes, you know, sometimes metal, especially for females, is tough to pull off. Live, yes, they managed it, they did it. It was awesome. There was a lot of flashing on the stage, a lot of light, a lot of uh you want to say that lately for concerts there is a now a look.

Speaker 2 21:22

I want to say look or pattern yeah that they're doing all these led big old screens everywhere, either on the back or the front on the stage on the stage is an led screen. It was yeah, for the venue that we were in, it seemed to be excessive yeah, it was a little well, I think it's a smaller venue.

Speaker 1 21:45

They might have had the same kind of problem, though, with mgm MGM too. A smaller venue like that, that's true, trying to fit all of the effects and things that you have for your staging can be overwhelming sometimes if the venue's not designed effectively. Let's put it that way. It's hard because when you talk about a venue that's been around for a long time, the way they set it up I mean Mohegan's what, 20-something, almost 30 years old, I think that venue, I don't know, probably it's been a while.

Speaker 2 22:18

Yeah.

Speaker 1 22:19

Yeah, 25 years we'll call it.

Speaker 2 22:22

Yeah, that arena acoustics were awful, it's not the girls.

Babymetal: From Kawaii to Commanding

Speaker 1 22:28

No, it was not the acoustics were awful. Well, it's not the girls. No, it was not were awful.

Speaker 2 22:34

Well, I mean they sound. They sounded good, but it was, yeah, it's. It was way too bassy. Something was not right?

Speaker 1 22:37

yeah, there's some. It's the design of the, the venue. Yeah, I think because I've seen other shows there that I was like, oh, that wasn't as uh powerful as I was expecting it to be, and then saw the same band for the same tour at a different venue and was like holy, wow, that's just amazing. So the fact that they sounded amazing in a venue that in retrospect I remember is not the best venue Sorry, no offense to the venue.

Speaker 2 23:08

No, there is offense to the venue because no, well, no, I mean I don't I don't want to be bashing it, because they've won awards for being a great venue I mean people to getting people in there on time. That was one one thing I can give them. They were really know how to get handle crowds, but seriously the audio suck the audio um, this is my opinion, you don't have to follow me.

Speaker 1 23:31

Well, no, I'm. I'm saying it's not optimum because I have seen other bands there and seen their same show and their same tour yep at another venue that was blew me away, but what I'm saying is that they still sounded good. Like bloody wood was amazing, yeah, despite oh no, the acoustics. Baby metal was amazing the acts were amazing.

Speaker 2 23:55

I'm taking that out. We're. I'm talking about the venue. Whoever is handling acoustics for the venue. I don't know if the bass was too bassy.

Speaker 1 24:06

I don't know if it's the way it echo I think it's the way they have the sound system set up. Well, that's the thing. Who the? They've got things hanging from the ceiling and aimed at the back.

Speaker 2 24:16

That's why there's sound check. Why wasn't what was going on on sound?

Speaker 1 24:20

no, no no, but it's. It's not about the, the actual sound check, it's about the positioning oftheater.

Speaker 2 24:27

But if you are an engineer and know the situation of the speakers, you should actually arrange the sound for that.

Speaker 1 24:35

I don't know that you can, Well, you should. The way that's set up. I'm telling you that there's no way to adjust that sound.

Speaker 2 24:45

The venue suck, because this is the venue suck. Seating was okay. The audio of the venue sucked Because this is the venue sucked. Seating was okay. The audio of the venue sucked. I'm not going to backpedal on that.

Speaker 1 24:56

Well, but then If I see another concert there, the artist didn't sound good, then that is what you're saying now, but I know the songs?

Speaker 2 25:03

I know. No, the artist did what they need to do.

Speaker 1 25:07

It's not their fault that the sounds suck, but unfortunately, whoever was the sound engineer, either for the venue or whoever was dealing with the sound, didn't do it accordingly what I'm saying is every show that happens there that will have that sound engineer to see if it sounds the same, because then that will know what happened. It's the way it's designed and I don't think any engineer can overcome that.

Speaker 2 25:34

Then that's bad, because every engineer should know as well how to handle bad audio.

Speaker 1 25:40

You can't overcome how they, the acoustics, can't work, no matter what you do. If this sound system, like I said, it's aimed at the rafters, how do you adjust for?

Speaker 2 25:51

that you got to do something Either lower something or yeah.

Speaker 1 25:56

They sounded good, despite what was going on. The bands do not suck.

Speaker 2 26:00

Think of this. I'm talking about the venue audio suck. The bands were great. They did what they need to do. I'm sure they were all in key and all Everybody was in key. Unfortunately, everything sounded, because whoever was doing audio didn't catch whatever was going on. I had earplugs in too. I had to, but I felt it that was well yeah, you can feel it, but so it's bad that venue, you can always feel the bass in a metal suck that venue.

Speaker 2 26:29

Audio suck, the venue suck. I was not the only one who felt the same way. No, I know even our friends are like. I know what the heck with that bass and I'm like, okay, thank you, it wasn't me but I'm just.

Speaker 1 26:42

My point is okay is when you're saying the audio sucks. I don't. I don't want people to get the idea that the bands suck. No, I didn't even say that but the venue, the audio the venue audio sucked. They sounded good. Despite that, they were working against this sound system.

Speaker 2 27:03

Keep this argument in here because I've people think we're always like no, the audio song.

Speaker 1 27:08

I am keeping the argument, but it's not even an argument, because I am saying that I have seen other artists there and have been disappointed in the show because the sound wasn't what I expect from the bands I'm seeing.

Speaker 2 27:25

Right.

Speaker 1 27:25

I have not seen Bloody Wood live. I have not seen Babymetal live before, so I didn't have anything else to compare it to. So what I heard from them was good it okay. I do not have a comparison for these artists because I haven't seen them anywhere else okay, let's see who else is coming to Mohegan that we need to check out.

Speaker 1 27:58

Well, I don't know the audio is. I don't usually. I forgot that. I don't usually go there because there's actually. We have two casinos that have venues and I've been to both and one is good, one is bad and I never remember which one's which, because people usually go to Mohegan. Yeah.

Speaker 2 28:18

You know yeah. So Okay, I just, I don't want us to get in trouble with them for saying that they're venues.

Speaker 1 28:34

They don't have control of the audio. The sound is like it's just something, it's the design of the auditorium. Basically, I think okay.

Speaker 2 28:40

So mohegan needs to fix this and I don't know why has anybody complained about this? That's the thing. Has, like I said, they've won awards of what I don't know.

Speaker 1 28:48

The team mohegan son awards what it's the arena.

Speaker 2 28:49

Like I said, they've won awards Of what I don't know.

Speaker 1 28:51

Mohegan Sun Awards, what it's? The arena. They had little things all around saying that they've won this year, this year, this year. But I was going to say our friends yeah, they said the same thing and we were up in the top tier, which usually sounds different anyways. Our friends were on the lower level, almost the floor, but actually in seats in the first tier and, yeah, they said that the sound was bad and they were also distracted by the LED light show happening. But that seems like you were saying to be a very common thing. Now everybody's doing that like, um, k-pop groups have weird leds set up.

Speaker 2 29:38

We have seen from like ats um stray kids as well like we've seen that one.

Speaker 1 29:43

Okay, rock as well, well, I mean, and we weren't at the live j-hope, but we saw the oh. J-hope, but we saw the oh J-Hope, definitely we watched the live stream concert the Osaka live stream yeah, and it was the same thing. I was like there were times where it was distracting what was going on with the stage and the lighting, so that's been.

Speaker 2 30:01

That seems to be like the it thing for live concerts live concerts.

Speaker 1 30:14

It's weird how the evolution of, like it used to be a few fireworks were what you got for a light show, then the laser things started happening, yeah, and then strobe lights and you know disco balls and and now it's the led screens and something about those is very uh distracting to me. Something about the way the, the light moves. I don't know if it's my vision, my particular vision problems, but it actually sort of makes my eyes like wig out well, there was a one time that I had to put my hands like over those lights that they were like shining on us because I'm like, oh no, this is not good yeah, no, I did too.

Venue Sound Issues and LED Overload

Speaker 1 30:49

There was one light that and again, that's the problem. That was so for the previous show that we all went to with our friends. They were up in the, the balconies, and we were down on the floor and we had a totally different experience with the light show than they did, and I'm one I we didn't ask them about that, but yeah, up in the rafters sometimes the light show is like distracting and blinding and can almost wreck your eyes, wreck your vision. But no, the girls, they did their job, they did what they were supposed to. Bloody wood, they did their job. They did what they were supposed to do. And actually we don't want to get too much into, but remember, we were talking about the, the middle band, even their lighting, like in the stage setup and stuff, like things weren't right about it. Yeah, it was just dark. Yeah, well, but there were spotlights, but not on them. No, it was like the stage was lit up behind them.

Speaker 2 31:44

The only person that I saw was just a singer, because when he stepped into the light yeah they didn't have a light on him or following him well, also, the camera was just only on him, because that's all you saw on the big screen oh, yeah, with the big screen, but I'm talking when you looked at the stage too.

Speaker 1 31:59

Yeah, it was like they had lights on, but it was behind the band right, like they were in the wrong position, I don't know. So, yeah, so there was something weird with the, the lighting and venue, anyways, but no, the Bloody Wood and Babymetal. How about this? They overcame the deficiencies of the venue to put on a good show.

Speaker 2 32:24

Yeah.

Speaker 1 32:26

And, like I said, we weren't really arguing. I'm just trying to not come right out and be like something sucks, because I don't want to have problems.

Speaker 2 32:34

I say it how it is you make it cleaner. Let's say I try to be diplomatic you make it cleaner.

Speaker 1 32:44

I'm trying to be diplomatic so that nobody I know.

Speaker 2 32:48

But this, but this is the thing I don't. This is the way I talk, you know, I mean so in person. This is the way I talk too, I know, but you make it cleaner but I just harshly say it how it is very, very harsh harshly. I just say it how it is, and then you give me a look like bitch. What the hell are you doing?

Speaker 1 33:11

I don't want us to get in trouble with anyone, that's all. I don't know.

Speaker 2 33:15

The only people that I'm going to get in trouble with will be Mohegan Sun, because it's just like I say it how it is their venues suck Okay. So, apparently, when it comes to country singers, the sound is fine because the awards are just.

Speaker 1 33:29

They don't use bass.

Speaker 2 33:32

There you go, the flavor, the flavor of music is bass, so but that's.

Speaker 1 33:38

But that's what I mean about the positioning of some of the it's fixed fixed speakers and things that I'm talking about. So when, when you have fixed sound system like that that can't be moved or adjusted with like with heavy metal and anyone with heavy bass and things like that, it's going to sound different than country country, like the bass they have is not the same. It's very background minimal right things that are bass driven can't have the bass aimed at the rafters.

Speaker 1 34:14

No their base is like bomb, bomb, bomb, right, right so that's what I'm saying, so that, okay, well, there you go, but I don't see country artists, so I wouldn't know that the venue is good for that, because everybody, not for metal, but yes for country.

Speaker 1 34:38

So that explains it. But that's what I mean is is it's a fixed sound system. So their fixed sound system on top of the gear that heavy metal bands bring in to make their sound a wall of sound? Yeah, probably the combination in that venue doesn't work because it's also it's weirdly designed. It's not as long an arena as most yeah but it holds 10 000 people maybe.

Speaker 2 35:07

Well, when do you have the floor open? I can see that yeah but 10 000. When I, when I looked at it, said 10 000, I'm like, oh really, but it's not as like you said long?

Speaker 1 35:18

yeah, it's, it's not. So I think that the sound doesn't have, uh, enough space to move. How's that? It projects, but it bounces off that wall immediately because it's not enough space for the sound to dissipate you're giving now the responsibility on the tech audio engineer.

Speaker 2 35:39

Hmm, now you're giving the responsibility for the audio engineer to adjust levels according to the venue.

Speaker 1 35:46

Well, you were saying that too. I'm just thinking of it as the way the system is fixed. That's why there's soundcheck. Yeah, but they did do soundcheck. What happened? It didn't't work, I don't know.

Speaker 2 35:59

I do want to say that at one point they just realized, oh, we cannot hear sue metal, and they brought up her volume. That happened because I was just like I cannot really hear the girls and all the sound in your year of sue metal, boom, and it wasn't. She was already singing. Yeah, no, I know. So was this a technician problem? I mean, we already know that the way that the, the speakers are on.

Speaker 1 36:23

Well, she had um a microphone as opposed to the headset that the other two had a girl, so the again so this is yes, but they have a problem they adjust it, but you can also, once you have a microphone, those headsets are awful because they move around. If you don't hold it still in front of your mouth, it's gonna you're gonna lose sound. Yeah so, but yes, I mean, well, you know, maybe it's on the engineers, but were those their guys and their technicians who did a sound check?

Speaker 2 36:53

before. That's another thing. It's the you know the members. Usually you bring your own sound people Right.

Speaker 1 37:01

So if they did their sound check the way they should have, then it shouldn't have been an issue. So, yes, that's the thing, but the acoustics also change once you fill a stadium with people or an arena with people.

Speaker 2 37:14

Again an engineer problem. Sound engineers should know all this. It goes and again, but, like you said, it's the venue, sound engineer or?

Speaker 1 37:25

the groups. Well, it must have been there, because for them to turn it up and change the settings for their vocals to come through more, I would say that's their people being like. We can't hear them all of a sudden, you know.

Speaker 2 37:39

I don't know, okay. So I want to know that. Who was the sound engineer? Okay, that's another thing, Because there's three bands, all three bands cannot bring their own sound engineer. I think the headliner brings their own sound engineer Again. If they were at Mohegan, it was just only oh no, you got to use our people. It could be a union thing.

Speaker 1 38:06

Yeah, that could be because we have that here.

Speaker 2 38:09

You know it could be a union thing they don't fall under the same.

Speaker 1 38:14

Maybe it's hard to say, you get into tricky territory with how their stuff works Exactly. But I'm just wondering too, because I didn't feel that Bloodywood had the same problem as even the second band in Babymetal. Bloodywood had the same problem as even the second band in Babymetal and I'm wondering if that's because of the difference in instruments used, because they weren't relying strictly on the bass and the drums and even the screeching lead guitar. They had more going on musically. So their sound they still had a little bassiness but it didn't seem as bad as the other parts.

Speaker 2 38:59

So all right, this is a good question. Who was doing the soundboard? Was it the in-house sound engineer or did everybody brought their engineer?

Speaker 1 39:09

yeah, I don't know interesting. But now we're getting into, you know, venues and engineers, and we want to talk about the artists, okay so, we're going to leave it like that.

Speaker 2 39:20

They played your favorite song I know. Gimme Chocolate.

Speaker 1 39:24

Baby Metal played her favorite song. Yeah, I'm like.

Speaker 2 39:26

Gimme Chocolate.

Speaker 1 39:27

Gimme Chocolate, gimme gimme, gimme, gimme. The music started and then they were flashing the gimme, gimme, gimme, yes, gimme. We were like, oh, we know what this is going to be.

Final Thoughts and Call to Action

Speaker 2 39:39

Oh, and also Headbanger, Headbang headbang, headbang, which is another classic. It's another classic. Yes, definitely yes.

Speaker 1 39:48

But it was good. And I mean, this is sort of the same though issues we've had with other venues and other shows, Like, depending where you are, those lights and those screens, and all of that can either enhance a little or it can distract. It's the artist experience that matters.

Speaker 2 40:11

Love seeing Babymetal their energy. Yeah, they're just just you know uniformity, they're just. Uh, also the band, when they spotlighted each member, drums guitars. Oh my god, the guitar is wailing, oh my god, no, those guys were.

Speaker 1 40:29

They were earning their money, oh yeah, for sure.

Speaker 2 40:32

Oh yeah, that was amazing, but the girls.

Speaker 1 40:35

They were queens of the stage and they were they're so poised they're so like oh my god I mean seeing them from videos when they were teeny body you know to now is amazing.

Speaker 1 40:46

Well, everything was so precise and so um in unison. Yes, you know what I mean. Like they were, even though someone might be singing you know the main part at the moment or whatever, like nobody was trying to upstage anybody else, nobody was trying to present themselves more than anyone else. You know what I mean. They rotated around, did their thing. They were a unit, they were a group, they worked together.

Speaker 2 41:17

Sisters remember well we see a group. When a male group is up, they have this brother brotherhood?

Speaker 1 41:22

yeah, they have.

Speaker 2 41:22

They have a sisterhood yeah, it's awesome definitely very much yeah the three sixers with the fox, which I think that was one of the stories yes, it is.

Speaker 1 41:32

That's yeah, they're little the little mythology. Yes, that was so of the stories. Yes, it is. That's, yeah, their little the little mythology. Yes, that was so cute. I was like, oh my.

Speaker 2 41:38

God, that's so cool. Well, it's fun you know, I love the whole you know visual thing with this group, you know, and the storytelling of this group, how they became who they are. But, yeah, and the storytelling is still going with baby metal. That's awesome and um, yeah, I can't wait to see them again like our friend was like oh my god, we found the first time we love them and said we gotta see them again definitely, absolutely, and then we'll have a comparison, yes to say for sure all right right my friend, that's it All right.

Speaker 1 42:15

Well, thank you everybody for listening and please rate, review and share, share, share.

Speaker 2 42:21

Give us five stars, because I know I want extra. Thank you, please give us five stars, because we love our constellations. Okay, end that up.

Speaker 1 42:36

And then, oh yeah, become a subscriber.

Speaker 2 42:39

So we can maintain the podcast Archives are still being listened. Wow, I know, yeah, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Speaker 1 42:50

Our platform is still keeping them up, so help us help them. Yes.

Speaker 2 42:57

Yes, also, I'm going to say this cause I said it on another episode. If you're listening to the end of this episode, please, on X Twitter, which is at music elixir underscore, put in the comment a Fox face. I want to see a fox face for baby metal. All right, all right, cool.

Speaker 1 43:21

So I was gonna say in the other one you said give us the five stars.

Speaker 2 43:25

But I like the fox face idea, yes, give us three of them, give us three members of yes, put three Fox emojis so we know you listen to the whole end.

Speaker 1 43:37

Yes To the bitter end, yes, awesome.

Speaker 2 43:40

All right, until next time. Bye bye, bye, bye.