I’m not the kind of person who loves music the way most people seem to. Sure, there’s music that I like, but mainstream music isn’t a big part of my life. As a teenager, when most people were making big statements about what music they were into and using that to forge their identities, I didn’t really care. Over the years, I’ve found more fondness for music as I became aware of genres and artists that spoke to me, especially when I felt I needed something to listen to while working on art. So I have a pretty eclectic playlist of anime theme songs, movie music, video game covers, some classic rock, and of course, ‘Weird’ Al Yankovic.

But there is one music act that stands above everything else: BABYMETAL! Ever since “Gimme Chocolate” went viral, I have been a massive fan, and my admiration for this band continues to grow exponentially with every new song and video they release. From their wide variety of twisted musical styling to the incredibly precise execution of the music and dancing, Babymetal has got me hooked. And most importantly, they are fun to watch and listen to!  I don’t go to very many concerts, but seeing Babymetal perform live and in person has, for years, been at the very top of the list of things I’ve wanted to do during my lifetime.

On September 18, 2023, I got to make that happen! Babymetal performed a concert in Toronto, my old stomping grounds, and so I returned home after far too lengthy of an absence, just for one day, so I could see my all time favorite musical act for real. It was an incredible, overwhelming experience that has left me shaken. The girls put on an incredible show, their band tore up the stage, and the Toronto fans absolutely stepped up to show our appreciation. They played a good mix of songs from their 4 albums, with a balance between their newest songs and the early hits they became known for. It was an outdoor venue, close to the water at RBC Echo Beach, and it was a bit chilly, but Babymetal brought the heat!

I recorded the entire concert, though I was a bit too close to one of the speakers and so the audio wound up quite distorted. Oh well, that’s part of the fun. I hope to do something with the recording someday, like use it in a video project, but for now, here’s one complete song from the show, Headbanger!!

What struck me the most about attending this show and seeing them in person is how I could see, first hand, how happy they are on the stage. They’ve been performing at a high level and going on tour since they were kids, and this particular tour seems particularly grueling. I can only imagine the hard work and dedication that been put into Babymetal. It doesn’t come across in my recordings, but watching them from the audience, I could see on their faces how incredibly happy they are singing and dancing and doing their thing for everyone. I wasn’t prepared for how seeing that would make me feel. I was truly moved.

Babymetal came to us as part of the Babyklok Tour, along with Dethklok, the band from the Adult Swim cartoon Metalocalypse. I didn’t stay for that performance, as I was looking to wander around the streets of Toronto a bit while I was in town. I was at the show for Babymetal, and that was enough for me.

Well, actually, no, it wasn’t enough! I need more Babymetal! Now that I’ve seen Babymetal live and crossed that off the bucket list, now I want to see them again! I want to see them more than once during the same tour! I don’t really like to travel, but I am willing to travel more, as long as wherever I go there is a Babymetal concert! I want to see Babymetal in England and/or Scotland! And then, of course, it would be amazing to have the chance to attend one of their gigantic shows in Japan. A ninja can dream.

So, besides the show, I got to spend a bit of time downtown and check out some cool Toronto places. The city has certainly changed a lot since the last time I was there. Things have certainly become more homogenized in many ways, and there are less really unique places with the kind of stuff that I’m interested in. But I miss being close to the action, especially when something extraordinary is happening in town. I wasn’t going to miss seeing Babymetal there, no matter how far away I was from home. It was the perfect chance to see my favorite band in familiar place. I imagine I’ll see them again, either in Toronto or somewhere else, sooner or later! When will that be? Only the Fox God knows!

Sayonara.