“A long time ago, in HEAVY METAL galaxy far, far away…” BABYMETAL brought their 2026 WORLD TOUR to Toronto’s RBC Amphitheatre on September 7, creating a spectacle of a show that balanced fan favourites with the newer collaborations and genre-blending material that have become a big part of the band’s identity for years now. The group simply just knows who they are, what the fans want, and nothing can get in the way of that. Teaming up with Halestorm, the night brought together two very different sides of heavy music. With BABYMETAL’s genre-blending mix of J-pop and metal paired with Halestorm’s raw energy and hard-rock sound, the lineup delivered fans a full evening of huge riffs, powerful vocals and supercharged performances. Both acts brought their own distinct style to the stage which was just a strong and interesting pairing for a night of live music. There was, without a doubt something for every metal lover that bought a ticket to the show.
Right before the headlining trio took the stage, Halestorm brought plenty of hard-rock energy back to the Amp, with Lzzy Hale commanding the stage through her powerful vocals and guitar work. Walking out to essentially an acapella intro before their opening track Fallen Star, there aren’t many vocalists out there with that level of chops and confidence to pull that off. The Grammy-winning band has built a reputation for heavy riffs, big choruses and an intense live presence, with Hale and brother/drummer Arejay Hale helping drive the performance. Their set was another showcase of the band’s own catalogue and was a wake-up call especially to those unfamiliar that they’ve been a staple of modern hard rock and have the experience to show it. Having played on the same stage the year before too (albeit as the Budweiser Stage at the time) as co-headliners on their “nEVEREST Duality” tour, it made them a abolsutely killer opener for the night especially on familiar territory.
Those that have seen a BABYMETAL show before understand the amount of lore that comes with being a fan. Before the music kicked things into high-gear, intro visuals hit the big screen to update Toronto with the current ongoings of the BM story, much like the Star Wars opening crawl did before the out-of-this-world adventure starts. The ongoing “METAL FORTH” journey started under a red wash with Su-metal, Moametal, and Momometal marching onto the stage as their silhouettes were met with roaring cheers to the opening of BABYMETAL DEATH like all (if not many) shows throughout the years of their career. From the jump, the song just stomps like a giant creature from the sea with that rhythm and punch that can hype any crowd up whether it’s a longtime fan or a first time listener. It doesn’t hurt that “DEATH” is really the only lyric you need to know too which just takes audience participation to heights that not every band can achieve. Right from the opener, this was only a taste of how engaging BABYMETAL is with the people they perform to every night.
With the audience already more than primed from the first track, the group pushed the set into the fun and catchy from me to u and Megitsune, where they quickly established the mix of theatricality, heavy riffs, and infectious hooks that has helped them build an international following, inducing “bangovers” across the globe. Megitsune, from their 2014 self-titled debut, was an early highlight, connecting the band’s original sound with the newer material that followed. The pyro and blasting strobes added to the intensity while the choreography and energy stayed on point – the trio just showed no signs of letting up to match the level of production they brought to Toronto and more.
Much of the set focused on METAL FORTH, with KxAxWxAxIxI, Algorism and METALI!! showcasing the band’s willingness to pull influences from across the metal world. The collaborations were especially notable, including Song 3, their track with Slaughter to Prevail, and RATATATA, their hugely energetic team-up with Electric Callboy, and even Sunset Kiss that featured Polyphia which was probably the only song that didn’t have crowd surfers passing over the barrier. Those tracks all brought a different flavour to the performance, while Monochrome, from 2023’s THE OTHER ONE, offered a more melodic and emotional change of pace while keeping that metal-driven momentum fans love. The KAMI Band solos leading into METALI!! also gave the musicians a chance to shine before the set picked up again. BABYMETAL had Toronto get real low right before Momometal led the way into the song’s peak where Tom Morello makes an usual appearance shredding his solo on the big screen whenever this ripper of a track is done live.
The run toward the finish line brought some more of BABYMETAL’s most recognizable songs to the forefront. Armed with strobes that feel more blinding than ever before, Iine! and Gimme Chocolate!! tapped into the early material that helped introduce the group to audiences around the world, with the latter remaining an obvious crowd favourite. BABYMETAL branded beach balls came down from the ceiling too that naturally just adds another layer of fun for fans to remember well. The encore kept the energy high with Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!!, another staple from the debut album, before Road of Resistance, from 2016’s METAL RESISTANCE, closed the night with its soaring melodies and power-metal intensity. What a great finale for a band whose live shows just thrive on that combination of crowd participation and their brand of full-throttle metal.
This Toronto date also came during a busy year for BABYMETAL. The Deluxe Edition of METAL FORTH came out back in June that added live performances and remixes to the album’s collaborative approach, while the group continued its North American tour alongside Halestorm and early opener Violent Vira. In August, the Japanese edition of METAL FORTH was reported to have reached the Billboard Top 10, and within a week before the show, the band was also featured on a limited-edition variant cover for Marvel Comics’ “Marvel Zombies: War Zone” #1. It seems like the BABYMETAL train just keeps on chugging and there doesn’t seem to be any reason for the ride to end. With a set that moved from early breakthroughs to newer collaborations, BABYMETAL showed how they continue to expand their sound without leaving their signature mix of spectacle and heavy music behind. With the group moving up from playing Coca-Cola Coliseum last year to the Amp this year, it’s worth keeping an eye on how much they will keep pushing their limits for themselves and for their fans that should continue to show up in droves to support.