Halestorm is an American rock band from Red Lion, Pennsylvania, consisting of lead vocalist and guitarist Lzzy Hale, her brother drummer and percussionist Arejay Hale, guitarist Joe Hottinger, and bassist Josh Smith. The band formed in 1998 while still in middle school and was originally named Halestorm. They changed the name to Halestorm in 1999.
Halestorm is well known for their energetic and passionate live performances. As the band has gained popularity over the years, they have toured extensively and opened for many high profile hard rock and metal acts. Some of the notable bands and artists that Halestorm has opened for over the years include:
Heaven’s Basement
In early 2013, Halestorm supported British rockers Heaven’s Basement on their first UK headline tour. Heaven’s Basement was formed in 2008 and released several EPs before their debut album ‘Filthy Empire’ came out in 2013. Their sound is described as no-nonsense, blue collar hard rock. Heaven’s Basement was an up-and-coming act when Halestorm joined them on tour, so it was likely a strategic move to gain more exposure among rock fans in the UK. This short run of shows helped introduce Halestorm to new audiences overseas.
Black Stone Cherry
Later in 2013, Halestorm opened for hard rockers Black Stone Cherry on their UK arena tour. Black Stone Cherry hails from Kentucky and unleashed their blues-tinged Southern hard rock sound with their debut album in 2006. By 2013 they were an established act in the UK mainstream rock scene. These arena shows with Black Stone Cherry gave Halestorm the opportunity to play larger venues and reach bigger crowds.
Theory of a Deadman
Theory of a Deadman is a Canadian rock band who were enjoying major success with their song “Bad Girlfriend” when Halestorm supported them on a US tour in 2009. This tour happened not long after Halestorm’s debut album came out, so it was excellent exposure for them to open for an act like Theory of a Deadman who were dominating rock radio at the time.
Staind
Halestorm landed a slot opening for the hugely successful alt-metal band Staind in 2011 on a US tour. Staind formed in 1995 and had several hit albums and singles, including their mammoth 1999 album Dysfunction. In 2011, Staind was still very popular, so Halestorm benefited greatly from touring with them at a time when their own career was just starting to take off.
Seether
In 2012, Halestorm opened for South African post-grunge stars Seether on their US headlining tour. Seether gained success in the early 2000s with hits like “Broken” and “Remedy.” They developed a devoted fan following over the years. Opening for a well-known act like Seether gave Halestorm the chance to convert those post-grunge fans into Halestorm fans.
Bullet for My Valentine
Also in 2012, Halestorm supported Welsh metalcore champions Bullet for My Valentine on their UK tour. Bullet for My Valentine broke through in 2006 with their album The Poison and were still riding high in 2012. These shows helped grow Halestorm’s profile with European metal audiences.
Chevelle
Halestorm opened for alt-metal trio Chevelle on various US tour dates in 2010. Formed in 1995, Chevelle had numerous rock radio hits under their belt like “Send the Pain Below” and “Vitamin R (Leading Us Along).” They had a sizable following that Halestorm was able to be exposed to on this tour.
Shinedown
In 2012, Halestorm landed prestigious support slots for rock heavyweights Shinedown at various shows in the US and Canada. Shinedown first emerged in the early 2000s and achieved multi-platinum success with their 2008 album The Sound of Madness. Opening for Brent Smith and company was a career highlight for Halestorm and helped them connect with arena-sized crowds.
Avenged Sevenfold
Halestorm opened for metal stars Avenged Sevenfold at their headline shows in Detroit and Chicago in 2010. Avenged Sevenfold rapidly gained a loyal fanbase in the 2000s with their metalcore sound before transitioning to a more hard rock style. Their fans are extremely dedicated, so these shows were valuable opportunities for Halestorm to gain some new followers.
Escape the Fate
In 2010, Halestorm opened for Las Vegas post-hardcore group Escape the Fate on their US “Less Is More Tour.” Escape the Fate gained a following in the late 2000s Warped Tour scene. The contrasting sounds of each band on this package tour made for an interesting dynamic that was great for exposure.
Bullet
Early in their career in 2005, Halestorm opened some shows in the Northeastern US for Swedish metal band Bullet. Bullet was formed in 1996 but had not released an album in the US at that point. Still, these shows were good practice for Halestorm to hone their live skills in front of unfamiliar crowds.
Trapt
Back in 2006, when Halestorm was still very early in their career, they opened for rock band Trapt at a number of small club shows. Trapt had a major hit in 2002 with their song “Headstrong” but had not yet released their follow-up album. Both bands were relatively unknown at this point, so this made for an even playing field on the tour.
Other Notable Tours
In addition to the artists listed above, Halestorm has opened for several other established rock acts throughout their career including:
- Skillet – Christian rockers who had success in the 2000s.
- Papa Roach – Rap-rockers with hit songs like “Last Resort.”
- Sick Puppies – Australian rock band popular in the late 2000s.
- Alter Bridge – The lead singer was formerly frontman of Creed.
- Three Days Grace – Canadian rockers with multiple rock radio hits.
Halestorm also frequently appeared at festivals like Rock on the Range early in their career alongside major bands to gain exposure.
Graduating to Headliner
After spending many years opening for others, Halestorm has since graduated to full-fledged headlining status after building up their own fanbase. Some of their major headlining tours include:
- The Strange Case Of… Tour – 2013 US headlining tour named after their album.
- Into the Wild Life Tour – 2015 worldwide headlining tour in support of the album Into the Wild Life.
- ReAniMate 3.0: The CoVeRs eP – 2017 tour where they played covers songs.
- Vicious World Tour – 2018-2019 tour spanning North America, Europe, and the UK.
Now Halestorm usually has newer bands open for them, like The Pretty Reckless, New Years Day, Lilith Czar, and Santa Cruz at various shows on their recent 2022 tour.
Conclusion
Over their career, Halestorm has toured with and opened for many of the top names in rock and metal music. They’ve performed in small clubs, theaters, arenas, festivals, and as headliners. Some standout tours were with Heaven’s Basement, Black Stone Cherry, Bullet for My Valentine, Shinedown, and Avenged Sevenfold during their formative years. These opening slots helped Halestorm gain valuable on-stage experience and exposure to new audiences and fanbases. Now they are headliners with a dedicated following of their own thanks to those early career moments as an opening band.