Japanese kawaii metal band Babymetal is hitting the road this fall on their 2023 “Babyklok” Tour of North America. Joining them on the tour is fictional- turned-real melodic death metal band Dethklok. The tour kicks off in Houston, TX on August 30 and will hit Chicago on September 21 at the Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom. 

Babymetal was formed by Japanese music producer Kobametal, who had wanted to start a metal/idol group for quite some time. In 2010, he built the group around Suzuka Nakamoto, and gave them their name referring to the fact that they were “birthing” a new fusion style of music between J-pop and metal. They released their first album, Babymetal, in 2014 to roaring success. Since then, they have released three more albums and been on various world tours prior to this one. 

Babymetal is widely credited with creating kawaii metal, which has allowed metal to reach new niches and audiences and has begun to spread across Asia. As music critic Tristan Peterson has said the band “has made metal cute without losing any of its edge.” Babymetal keeps all of the markings of a heavy metal band (headbanging bridges, guitar shredding, and eruptive screeches) while covering themes many girl groups do, like bullying and body image. The group has managed to create and continues to create something truly unique and inclusive to younger fans of metal. 

Joining Babymetal on their tour is Dethklok, which originated as a fictional band on the Adult Swim animated series Metalocalypse. Starting in 2007, the band began releasing full albums of songs heard on the show as well as new ones. Later this year, the band will release their fifth studio album Dethalbum IV along with the film Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar on August 22 and August 25, respectively. 

You can see Babymetal and Dethklok on September 21 at Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom. Tickets are available here. 

Location: Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom

Address: 1106 W Lawrence Ave, Chicago, IL 60640

Show Time: 7:00pm

Doors Open: 6:00pm 

Ticket Price: $109

Age: All Ages, 17 and under must attend with a parent/ guardian