Babybeard and Ravenhymn at Downstairs at the Dome, London 18/01/2026

It was only a matter of time before London saw another J-pop group gracing its stages, and this time, it was the metal fused Babybeard. Formed in Japan, with its frontman Ladybeard hailing from Australia, it is representative of everything any fan of the popular genre likes and even more. Bringing the English Ravenhymn as their only support, it surely was a one-of-a-kind evening.

Ravenhymn

The British neo-medieval band Ravenhymn was the opener of the night, and a pleasant surprise for many fans, as the genre was so vastly different from the headliners. Bringing with them a fusion of bagpipes, flutes and drums with metal, the group – originally from Kent and London, oftentimes uses English, German and Latin in their tracks, re-working older stories and songs. They started the evening with many fans already in attendance and the excitement, as well as the atmosphere, suggested that the set is indeed going to be a good one.

Playing songs from their EP ‘I saw the wolf’, as well as few additional tracks, the band managed to showcase their niche in a wide array of different styles, and although the set was not very long, it was still a unique experience to see bagpipes combined with the sounds of an electric guitar. The members talked in-between the songs, often as if they came from the medieval times, which was a much appreciated touch to the whole experience, and at the end of the set, they expressed their gratitude, as well as mentioned that there would be an opportunity to meet them at the merchandise table afterwards. Ravenhymn definitely proved themselves as a unique opener, especially for a Japanese band, and they managed not only to score new fans, but also to prepare the audience for the main band of the night.

Babybeard

The change-over between Ravenhymn and Babybeard was with no doubt one of the quickest, as everything was taken off the stage to make enough space for the trio. Although the band, consisting of the vocalists and dancers Ladybeard, Suzu and Mizuki took over the stage with slight delay, they were met with a massive applause and lightsticks in the air almost instantly. The idols opened their set with their first ever released track ‘NIPPON KARA KONNICHIWA’ followed by other of their favourite songs ‘PIENNIZER’, ‘MACHO!’ and ‘SEMI-FINAL’, which was a piece from the band’s upcoming debut album.

As the set progressed, suddenly a wrestler made his way onto the stage to start what was a long sequence of fights with Ladybeard, an act the band always brings out at their shows. With breathtaking strength, the vocalist and the man took their fight into the crowd, being cheered for by the audience. The impressive sequence finished with Mizuki and Suzu putting a bucket on the wrestler’s head and with Ladybeard being the sole winner of the fight after finishing the opponent off, to even louder cheers from the audience. Typically for Babybeard, the performance could not have been whole without covering Babymetal’s ‘PA PA YA!’, the song ‘Inkya Impulse’ and ‘Nippon Manju’, a song Ladybaby debuted with in 2015 when Ladybeard was still a member. All three covers, as well as their original work, were followed by intricate choreography where all three idols were involved – both vocally and in movement, giving the show a real J-pop feeling.

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Finishing the evening with ‘OPTISQUAD’ and ‘Twisted Kaiju Tale’, the trio received a huge applause and many lightsticks in the air, and it was to no surprise that the fans wanted more. And more they got, as the encore was not only the song ‘NIPPON KARA KONNICHIWA’, but also their latest single ‘MACHO!’, both in a more relaxed manner than the first time. Before the idols left the stage for good, they reminded the fans about a meet opportunity afterwards, and many fans indeed waited to meet Ladybeard, Mizuki and Suzu.

Babybeard brought an exciting fusion of a real Japanese pop with metal to the Downstairs At The Dome, and although the room was not full, it gave the audience a perfect opportunity to move around the floor and enjoy the evening to the maximum. Ladybeard, Mizuki and Suzu gave the crowd a spectacular performance filled to the brim with great vocals, amazing moves and many interactions and it was obvious they are always going to be welcomed back in the capital.

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