Legendary Jinjer in Charlotte, NC
Getting told I was approved to take pictures at this show meant so much to me. I’ve been waiting over a year for Hanabie to come to the East Coast again after their stop at Blueridge last year was “canceled." And to be able to shoot the absolutely legendary Jinjer? I was beyond excited for an entire week leading up to the show. And it without a doubt lived up, and beyond, everything I could have hoped for.
Starting the night off was Born of Osiris. I had been wracking my brain for so long trying to figure out why that name seemed so familiar, only to realize that the band started just a few hours from where I spent many-a-year. And it’s no wonder they stayed with me all this time, they fit along side Hanabie and Jinjer just fine with how hard they throw down. With a Thrown like lighting set up, they definitely brought a moody and grunge vibe to start the show. With songs full of unclean vocals, strong instrumentals, I’m a bit surprised they’re not more well known. If you’re looking to add more to your gym playlist or just like to relax to the soothing sounds of guttural screams like the rest of us, you should definitely check them out.
Next up was the long awaited, Hanabie. If you’re not familiar, they’re a Japanese metal band often compared to Baby Metal, but genuinely they’re so different. Hanabie may look cutsie, but that only holds up for maybe a few seconds of their setlist before they immediately dive into hard as hell riffs. Combined with the absolutely gruesome gutturals from Yukina, the crowd was enthralled immediately. From their entrance to their last song, the crowd was headbanging, moshing, and screaming all along with Hanabie. With some amazing crowd work and involvement towards the end of their set, they not only had amazing music but also unbelievable stage presence and charisma. Whatever ticket this band is on is one you should go to without a second guess.
Jinjer came on to a roar. Of all I’ve heard of Jinjer, they’ve lived up to every ounce of it and showed why they’re considered legends. Having only seen a clip of Joiner’s vocalist, Tatiana Shmayluk, singing alongside Courtney LaPlante, of Spiritbox, at 2024’s Louder Than Life, I got a hint of what I was in for. Her stage presence for this show though- indescribable honestly. Owning every inch of the stage, Shmayluk combined grace with incredibly harsh vocals. With a nostalgic sound throughout their set, I loved seeing how enraptured the crowd was with every song, riff, and scream the band had to give. With Roman Ibramkhalilov on guitar and Eugene Abdukhanov on bass, their riffs were insane and with Vladislav Ulasevich on drums, I was so stunned with how clean their whole set was. With their almost two decades of tenure, they absolutely show how impactful and influential they’ve been throughout their set. I’m so grateful that I was able to see such an amazing show from beginning to end.
