Babymetal performing as an opening act during the Getaway World Tour (2016)
Concert tours
7
Promotional concerts
1
One-off headlining shows
8
Festival concerts
27
Sakura Gakuin shows
13
Award shows
2
Television shows and specials
11
Other shows
16
Japanese band Babymetal has embarked on five headlining tours, in addition to performing at various other one-off shows, award ceremonies, and television shows. Babymetal originated as a sub-unit of the Japanese idol group Sakura Gakuin in 2010, and first promoted their first singles as part of the group at their various concerts in Japan. For the first three years, the band performed as a sub-unit of the main group called jūon-bu (heavy music club).
Many of the band's performances are connected together within the band's lore, called the Metal Resistance. In 2012 and 2013, the band performed in a series of shows, accompanying the release of their major label singles "Ijime, Dame, Zettai" and "Megitsune". Following the release of their debut album Babymetal in 2014, as well as their viral success from their music videos, especially of the song "Gimme Chocolate!!", the band began their first headlining tour, the Babymetal World Tour 2014, which began in April 2014 and ended in December 2014, with performances in Europe, North America, and Japan. The following year, the band headlined another one-off show in Saitama, Japan and embarked on their second world tour, the Babymetal World Tour 2015, coinciding with the band's rerelease of Babymetal (2014) internationally.
To promote the band's second studio album Metal Resistance (2016), Babymetal began the Babymetal World Tour 2016: Legend Metal Resistance, which began with a headlining show at the Wembley Arena in April 2016 and ended with two shows at the Tokyo Dome in September 2016. Critics praised the vocal performance of the singers, as well as the instrumental performance of the supporting Kami Band. Following the conclusion of the show, the band toured around the United States, serving as an opening act for the bands Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Korn, and Stone Sour from December 2016 to June 2017.[1] Afterward, the band returned to Japan and performed a series of shows in The Five Fox Festival in Japan tour, and finishing the year with a pair of headlining shows in Hiroshima to commemorate the twentieth birthday of lead singer Suzuka Nakamoto. Yui Mizuno did not perform from that show onwards, and with Babymetal embarking on their Babymetal World Tour 2018 in May 2018, she eventually left the group officially.
The Babymetal World Tour 2014, the band's debut headlining tour, promoted the band's debut album Babymetal (2014), and represents the second episode of the band's lore, the Metal Resistance.[2] The tour took place in Europe, North America, and Japan.[3] The band made various appearance made at music festivals, and some shows made to commemorate the birthdays of the three members.[4] The band also served as an opening act for Lady Gaga's tour ArtRave: The Artpop Ball in the United States.[5] In August 2014, the band extended the tour with additional shows in the United States and the United Kingdom.[6]
The Babymetal World Tour 2015, the second worldwide tour by Babymetal, took place around the international rerelease of Babymetal, and represents the third episode of the Metal Resistance.[7] According to Su-metal, the tour provided little time to prepare, and its goal was to "pave a new path", as the band's newly released song "Road of Resistance" had described.[8] In June 2015, the band extended the tour with more dates set in Japan.[9]
The Babymetal World Tour 2016: Legend Metal Resistance, the third worldwide tour by Babymetal, promoted the band's second album Metal Resistance (2016), and represented the fourth episode of the Metal Resistance.[10] Beginning the day after the album's worldwide release date,[11] the tour ended with two shows at Tokyo Dome. The goal of the tour was to grow as a band before returning to Japan, and to develop songs from the new album.[12] Critics praised the tour for energy and vocal performance of the three members as well as the instrumental skill of the accompanying band.[13]
2017
Babymetal US Tour 2017
June 16, 2017 – June 25, 2017 (United States)
7
After opening the bands Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, and Guns N' Roses, Babymetal performed a headlining show in Los Angeles, California on June 16, 2017, with special guest Hellyeah, as part of the band's tour in the United States.[14] The performance notably included the premiere of the international-exclusive track "From Dusk Till Dawn",[15] and made gross sales of $170,200 alone.[16] Afterwards, the band toured throughout the United States as an opening act for Korn and Stone Sour's The Serenity of Summer tour, beginning at Albuquerque, New Mexico, on June 18, 2017, and ending at Nampa, Idaho, on June 25, 2017.[17][18]
The Five Fox Festival in Japan was a headlining tour with dates exclusive to Japan, representing the fifth episode of the Metal Resistance.[19] Ticket holders were required to follow a dress-code and pass age or gender restrictions to be allowed into the venue, which was controversial for international fans who won tickets randomly by lottery.[20] In May 2017, the band extended the tour with another leg titled Big Fox Festival in Japan, in response to tickets selling out.[21]
2018
Babymetal World Tour 2018
May 8, 2018 – December 9, 2018 (Worldwide)
22
The Babymetal World Tour 2018, the fourth worldwide tour by Babymetal, began in May 2018, and was scheduled to end in October 2018 with the final tour dates in Japan.[22] The tour represents the seventh episode of the Metal Resistance, and a teaser posted online suggested the idea of "seven metal spirits" which would somehow appear throughout the tour.[23] The band released "Distortion" as a surprise single before embarking on the tour,[24] and performed several new songs, including "In the Name Of", "Elevator Girl", and "Kagerou".[25][26] The band's performance at Rock on the Range on May 20, 2018, was streamed online via LiveXLive the same day.[27]Yuimetal did not perform with the band on the tour,[28][29] and left the band entirely in October 2018.[30] Later, the band extended the tour with dates in Australia in December.[31][32]
On May 10, 2019, Babymetal announced a series of shows in the United States, in conjunction with the release of the band's single "Elevator Girl". The tour included a headlining show at The Forum in Los Angeles, as well as an appearance at the Aftershock Festival in Sacramento.[33] The band later announced tour dates in Europe and Japan, along with the title of the tour. The performance at The Forum on October 11, 2019, coincided with the release of the band's third album Metal Galaxy (2019).[34] More tour dates were added in Asia and Europe, extending the tour to June 24, 2020, in Spain.[35]
To promote the release of the band's single "Megitsune", the band embarked on the Babymetal Death Match Tour 2013: May Revolution in May 2013. The tour has been described as a "training tour", accompanied with a backing band to play all the music.[36] The band performed shows on May 10, May 17, and May 18, 2013.[37] A trailer for the tour was published on April 1, 2013, depicting the tour as a legendary battle in the Metal Resistance, led by the Metal Master.[38]
Headlining shows
Shows that are performed during concert tours are not listed.
Year
Title
Duration
Shows
2012
Legend "Corset Festival"
July 21, 2012 (Tokyo)
1
Legend "Corset Festival", the first headlining show by Babymetal, promoted the release of the band's single "Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!!".[39] The show took place at Rock May Kan, and attendees were required to wear neck corsets that were packaged with the limited edition of the single.[40][41] Footage from the show was made available on the "Z" limited edition of "Ijime, Dame, Zettai".[42]
2012–2013
Legend "I", Legend "D", and Legend "Z"
October 6, 2012 – February 1, 2013 (Japan)
4
Legend "I", Legend "D" Su-metal Seitansai, and Legend "Z", a series of four headlining shows by Babymetal (Legend "I" was performed twice at the first venue),[43] promoted the release of the band's single "Ijime, Dame, Zettai".[44] The series of shows was later made available in the video release Live: Legend I, D, Z Apocalypse (2013).[45][46]
2013
Legend "1999" and Legend "1997"
June 30, 2013 – December 21, 2013 (Japan)
2
Legend "1999" Yuimetal & Moametal Seitansai and Legend "1997" Su-metal Seitansai were a pair of headlining shows held to commemorate the birthdays of Yuimetal and Moametal, and Su-metal, respectively. The shows were released as Live: Legend 1999 & 1997 Apocalypse (2014).[47] The music video for "Gimme Chocolate!!" was filmed at the latter show, gaining over 100 million views.[48]
2013
Legend "Fox Festival"
July 14, 2013 (Tokyo)
1
Legend "Fox Festival", promoted the release of the band's single "Megitsune". The show took place at Rock May Kan, the same venue as Legend "Corset Festival", and attendees were required to wear fox masks that were distributed prior to the show.[49] Tickets were only given via purchases of "Megitsune" and by lottery at the venue.[50]
2014
Legend "Corset Festival Extra" and Legend "Doomsday"
March 1, 2014 – March 2, 2014 (Tokyo)
2
Legend "Corset Festival Extra" Tenkaichi Metal Budokai and Legend "Doomsday" Shokan no Gi were a pair of headlining shows taking place at Nippon Budokan in March 2014. The conclusion of the second show marked the end of the first episode of the Metal Resistance.[51] The shows would later be released in the video Live at Budokan: Red Night & Black Night Apocalypse (2015).[52]
2015
Legend "2015" New Year Fox Festival
January 10, 2015 (Saitama)
1
Legend "2015" New Year Fox Festival was a special performance held by Babymetal at Saitama Super Arena, which concluded with the announcement of the Babymetal World Tour 2015.[7] Footage from the show was released as one of three shows from the limited video release Trilogy: Metal Resistance Episode III – Apocalypse (2016).[53]
2017
Legend "S" Baptism XX
December 2, 2017 – December 3, 2017 (Hiroshima)
2
Following the conclusion of The Five Fox Festival in Japan Tour, Babymetal announced Legend "S" Baptism XX, a pair of headlining shows in Hiroshima, Japan that commemorated the twentieth birthday of lead singer Su-metal, and marked the sixth episode of the Metal Resistance.[54][55] The former show was made exclusive to members of the band's "The One" fanclub,[55] and Yuimetal was absent from both shows due to reported illness.[56] Footage from the shows was released as part of the video Legend S: Baptism XX (2018). This was also the last Babymetal performance for Kami Band Guitarist Mikio Fujioka. He died January 5, 2018, due to injuries sustained from an accidental fall just less than a week earlier on December 30.[57]
2019
Babymetal Awakens: The Sun Also Rises and Babymetal Arises: Beyond the Moon
June 28, 2019 – July 7, 2019 (Japan)
4
On April 1, 2019, the band announced a third album set for release within the year, along with a set of headlining shows, Babymetal Awakens: The Sun Also Rises and Babymetal Arises: Beyond the Moon – Legend "M", in Yokohama and Nagoya, respectively.[58] The shows will be released in 2020 as "The One" member-exclusive Blu-ray releases Babymetal Awakens: The Sun Also Rises and Babymetal Arises: Beyond the Moon – Legend M, respectively.[59]
Performances at festival concerts
Shows that are performed during concert tours are not listed.
^"Revolver Magazine on Twitter". Twitter. 2018-05-20. Retrieved 2018-05-30. Tune in to see Rock On The Range live at 5PM EST, and catch your favorite bands...
^"白塗り生バンドも登場!Babymetal 初ワンマン大成功" [A white-faced live band also appears! Babymetal's first one man live is a big success!]. Natalie Music (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 10 October 2012. Archived from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
^"白塗り生バンドも登場!Babymetal 初ワンマン大成功" [A white-faced live band also appears! Babymetal's first one man live is a big success!]. Natalie Music (in Japanese). Natasha Inc. 2012-10-10. Archived from the original on 2017-08-22. Retrieved 2017-10-13.
^Mizuno, Yui (2010-12-18). "さくら学院『Tシャツ大きくてワンピースみたい!!』". さくら学院オフィシャルブログ「学院日誌」Powered by Ameba (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2018-05-11. Retrieved 2018-05-11. At the last event, the Heavy Metal Club (Babymetal) being able to perform their song made me really glad.