I too was shocked and confused the first time I heard Babymetal, but now I’m all in: Babymetal are the best thing to happen to metal in years. I say this completely unironically. I can’t get enough! And now that I’ve been to Japan and breathed in all it has to offer, I feel like I really understand the culture that could birth such a seemingly bizarre entity.

Babymetal kicked off their world tour on Tuesday night in Paris, so naturally there’s already some fairly decent cell-phone footage of this momentous occasion. SO GOOD, Although it looks like they had to scale their stage show WAY back from the mega-production arena affairs they do in Japan. I’m extremely jealous of anyone who gets to see them at Heavy Montreal in August, headlining in LA or on the West Coast opening for Lady Gaga! Dates below the videos.

Jul. 3 – Cologne, Germany @ Live Music Hall

Jul. 5 – Knebworth, UK @ Sonisphere Music Festival

Jul. 7 – London, UK @ The Forum

Jul. 27 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theater

Jul. 30 – Phoenix, AZ @ US Airways Arena (w/ Lady Gaga)

Aug. 01 – Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden Arena (w/ Lady Gaga)

Aug. 02 – Stateline, NV @ Harveys Lake Tahoe (w/ Lady Gaga)

Aug. 04 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Energy Solutions Arena (w/ Lady Gaga)

Aug. 06 – Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center (w/ Lady Gaga)

Aug. 09 – Montreal, QC @ Heavy Montreal