HANABIE
Hanabie, Brooklyn Bowl, Philadelphia, PA 3/21/2026
Harajuku Core fans alike brought the energy to another level at Hanabie’s sold-out performance at Theatre of Living Arts in Philadelphia. With this being the band’s first North American headlining tour, the whole room was bursting with excitement as longtime fans got to see Hanabie live for most likely the first time. Joining Hanabie on tour are metal bands Enterprise Earth and Nekrogoblikon.
Performing first was the Deathcore band, Enterprise Earth. From Washington and forming the band all the way back in 2014, the band has an aggressive sound, yet an impactful and thematic set of lyrics. Their set was filled with energy from beginning to end, with their vocalist showing off incredible range. The rest of the band didn't let up either, with the guitarist, bassist, and drummer playing their hearts out. The circle pit started spinning immediately, and crowd surfers came left and right. It was truly a spectacle to be held, and overall, Enterprise Earth was a fantastic start to the show.
Next up was Nekrogoblikon. Formed all the way back in 2006, from Los Angeles, this death metal band has a special twist that makes them stand out from other bands. They have a mascot, John Nekrogoblikon, who accompanies the band on stage. Before their set even started, fans were already intrigued, as the stage crew began to blow up an inflatable goblin head. Soon after, the band came on with John Nekrogoblikon stealing the show, beginning to end. The band did not let up their energy at all. This set was the perfect mix of metal and humor, with the music influencing even more crowd surfing and moshing, and John showing off his top-of-the-line dance moves and even singing for some parts of the songs. This set was a perfect middle section of a show, getting fans ready for the next level energy that was about to happen in Hanabie’s performance.
From Tokyo, Japan, and formed back in 2015, Hanabie has made a name for themselves with its special take on metal music. They frequently blend heavy metal riffs and switch between metal screams and pop-like melodies. This unique blend is what created the term Harajuku-core. Recently releasing an EP this January, “Hot Topic,” fans new and old had a lot to look forward to on the setlist.
The set started out with a bang, with all of the members of the band running out one at a time, greeting the fans. Bursting with life, band and crowd alike, the first song of the night was “Neet Game.” Vocalist, Yukina, was moving around the stage faster than a bullet, all while maintaining her impressive vocal range. One moment, she's death metal screaming, and the next, she brings out her pop-like vocals. The rest of the band were keeping their sides of the stage as well, interacting with fans with bassist, Hettsu, on the left, and guitarist, Yukina, on the right. By song 2, “Sunrise Miso Soup,” the crowd surfing began, and the band’s vibes kept increasing by the minute. With this being a drum-heavy song, the drummer, Chika, was playing as if her life depended on it.
Halfway through their set, the band took a moment to talk about how excited they were to be in Philadelphia for the first time, explaining how this stop of the tour was the one they were most excited for due to the great food Philadelphia has to offer, like the cheesesteak. But then, during their song, “Spicy Queen,” a few fans bought 3 inflatable peppers and threw them back into the crowd, making this song one of the most entertaining to watch, as the peppers bounced all over the venue, even Yukina got her hands on a inflatable pepper and spun it around, and then chucked it back into the crowd.
Closing off the set with Choujigen Galaxy, fans wanted even more, so the band came back out for one final song, Osaki ni Shitsurei Shimasu. Hanabie is one of the bands that can easily translate their vibe and style in music videos and album covers into their live performances. This felt like more than just a concert, but a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will definitely keep fans coming back to more of their shows. The raw energy and passion from the band and fans made this a can't-miss. The band members made this feel like a very interactive experience from beginning to end. Want to see them live? Luckily for you, Hanabie still has many dates left on their North American tour, with their last date being in Los Angeles on April 11th.
Shot and Written by Christopher McIntyre
