Halestorm bring their live intensity into their own recording space for the latest episode of Ernie Ball’s Big Sound. Filmed at The Dark Garden Studio in Nashville, the session features three songs spanning different chapters of the band’s career.
The new Halestorm Big Sound episode premiered on September 4 and is available to watch on YouTube. It arrives as the band continues its North American tour, with most dates featuring BABYMETAL.
Halestorm Open the Doors to The Dark Garden
Ernie Ball’s Big Sound series combines live performances with locations that hold personal significance for the featured artists. For Halestorm, that setting is The Dark Garden Studio, the Nashville recording space built by vocalist and guitarist Lzzy Hale and guitarist Joe Hottinger.
The session features Hale and Hottinger alongside bassist Josh Smith and drummer Arejay Hale.
“We were inspired to create our own home studio space after the making of our album Everest. We wanted the freedom to capture songs in the moment of inspiration. And we are still a garage band at heart, so being able to rehearse here in this setting is vital to our preparation for our shows.”
Hottinger said the studio was designed to support both album recording and live sessions while keeping the band surrounded by the equipment it has collected over more than two decades.
“The Dark Garden is the studio that Lzzy and I built. We wanted to be able to record albums and live sessions there, all while being surrounded by the gear we’ve collected over 20+ years as a band. It’s powered by a beautiful 32-channel API 2448 console.”
“This is the first time we’ve filmed and recorded us playing live in the Dark Garden, and we couldn’t be happier with how it turned out.”
Big Sound Setlist Spans Three Halestorm Eras
The performance includes two songs from Halestorm’s sixth studio album, Everest, as well as the Grammy-winning track “Love Bites (So Do I)” from The Strange Case Of….
- “Rain Your Blood On Me” – Everest
- “Darkness Always Wins” – Everest
- “Love Bites (So Do I)” – The Strange Case Of…
Everest, released in 2025, was produced by Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb. The featured single “Rain Your Blood On Me” has been described by Hale as both “our ode to women” and “our war cry.”
“I think with any short session like this it’s important for us to showcase an array of musical eras from the many lifetimes we’ve lived on this journey.”
While the three-song set remains tightly structured, Hottinger said improvisation continues to play an important role in the band’s creative process.
“We are always pushing our limits, especially when we get into improv sections. We didn’t really explore that in these three songs, but it’s one of our favorite ways of making music together. Always pushing for a good peak and a good moment.”
Further performances from the series are available on the official Ernie Ball Big Sound website.
Halestorm Continue North American Tour
The episode follows the opening of Halestorm’s North American tour in Denver. All listed dates except the festival appearances and other dates marked with an asterisk feature BABYMETAL.
- September 4 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
- September 5 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center
- September 7 – Toronto, ON – RBC Amphitheatre
- September 9 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
- September 10 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
- September 12 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live
- September 13 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
- September 15 – Charlotte, NC – Truliant Amphitheater
- September 16 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
- September 18 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
- September 19 – Louisville, KY – Louder Than Life*
- September 21 – Maryland Heights, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis
- September 23 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion
- September 25 – The Woodlands, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
- September 26 – Del Valle, TX – Germania Insurance Amphitheater
- September 29 – Albuquerque, NM – First Financial Credit Union Amphitheater
- October 1 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
- October 2 – Rancho Mirage, CA – Agua Caliente Resort Casino*
Tour dates, tickets and VIP information are available through the official Halestorm website.
About Halestorm
Halestorm began as the childhood project of siblings Lzzy and Arejay Hale. The Pennsylvania-formed band has since achieved seven number-one songs at rock radio and surpassed one billion streams worldwide.
The group has received two Grammy nominations and won Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance for its 2012 single “Love Bites (So Do I).” The current lineup consists of Lzzy Hale, Arejay Hale, Joe Hottinger and Josh Smith.
Lzzy Hale is an advocate for women’s rights and became Gibson’s first female brand ambassador. Halestorm has built its reputation through extensive touring, sold-out concerts and festival headline appearances. The band has also shared stages with artists including Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Alice Cooper and Joan Jett.
About Ernie Ball
Ernie Ball was founded in 1962, when musician and guitar teacher Ernie Ball introduced Slinkys, a range of light-gauge electric guitar strings. The strings are manufactured in Coachella, California, and have been used by musicians including Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Jimmy Page, Paul McCartney, Metallica, Brad Paisley, Slash, John Petrucci, Angus Young and John Mayer.
The company’s strings and instrument accessories are sold through more than 6,000 stores in the United States and distributed in 120 countries.
Ernie Ball purchased Music Man in 1984. Under Sterling Ball and his sons Scott and Brian, the San Luis Obispo-based company has continued producing instruments and developing products including Cobalt Slinkys, M-Steel, Earthwood strings and Element Shield Packaging.
Music Man was originally founded in 1974 by Tom Walker, Forrest White and Leo Fender. The company helped introduce active electronics to production instruments, while Sterling Ball contributed to the design and development of the StingRay bass during the 1970s.
Ernie Ball also supports artist development through programs for unsigned musicians, giving bands opportunities to perform on national tours, at festivals and during other live events. More information is available at ernieball.com and music-man.com.
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