PHOTOS: BABYMETAL brings bouncy, head-banging pop metal to Chicago

I’m still recovering from Japanese heavy metal band BABYMETAL’s recent stop through Chicago at the Aragon Ballroom on September 20. As a person who prides herself on doing cardio and a veteran of the Jane Fonda Workout, no one can accuse the three young ladies in the group of not producing an energetic dance performance.

For more than an hour, the girls (backed by four other equally hard-driving musicians, known as the Kami Band) packed an aerobic punch, rounded out by lead singer Su-metal’s Disney-pop vocals. She could easily stand in for Elsa in “Let It Go.” The band rarely paused to rest in between songs or slowed song tempos to less than breakneck speed, except when performing the ballad “THE ONE.”

The audience was primed by the time the opening chords to “Megitsune” strummed, so that when the announcer asked “Are you all ready to head bang?” they screamed a resounding yes(!). Despite the choreography—a cross between cheerleader stance, martial arts (especially during “KARATE”) and Oops-I-Did-It-Again-era Britney Spears—belying any dance moves associated with traditional head-banging, the audience remained engaged throughout even when Su-metal sang in her native language.