Halestorm put on a show that Fresno will definitely not forget at the Rainbow Ballroom
on Oct. 13.

Fans lined up, waiting to be patted down by security; others posed for selfies and talked excitedly about Halestorm; an American hard rock band from Red Lion, Pennsylvania, consisting of a strong lead vocalist Lzzy Hale, drummer Arejay Hale — Lzzy’s brother, guitarist Joe Hottinger and bassist Josh Smith.

Once everyone had stampeded in, bought their merchandise and beer and got a spot on the floor, an event coordinator came on stage and announced that Jägermeister, the sponsor of the show, was giving away a shot glass set that was attached to a plastic guitar head, signed by the band. The catch? Post the best photo of the night on social media.

The crowd, from early 30-year-olds to late 50-year-olds dressed in the most heavy metal attire ever seen for that age. More power to them.

As the lights dimmed, the crowd went wild. Vocalist Lzzy Hale came on stage and thanked the crowd for being there. She talked a little about their tour and how fortunate they are to have the fans they have. She said they had something special lined up for their fans.

Once Hale brought out her band members, they started a very intimate set, all acoustic. Everyone in the crowd swayed and sang along to like “Parachutes” and “Mz. Hyde” — songs they had never heard live.

Hale’s vocals set the room on fire, hitting every note perfectly and looking pretty while doing so. It was hard to believe that she sings at this level at all of their shows. Bravo, Lzzy Hale, bravo.

After finishing the acoustic set, Hale thanked the crowd and said it would be a few minutes until the band came back on; sound equipment had to be plugged back in ,so the real show could start.

As the lights dimmed one last time, the crowd shouted “Halestorm” over and over. The energy of the crowd was at an all-time high. “Familiar Taste of Poison” and “Apocalyptic” kept the crowd moving and guitarist Joe Hottinger kept the tempo steady.

The night progressed but the crowd was not dwindling. Everyone continued to sing along and documented the night on their cell phones.