LIVE FROM THE PIT: Lzzy Hale & Joe Hottinger Unplugged

“We’re not here to roast some marshmallows around a fire… we’re here to party!” LZZY HALE shouted to an already ecstatic crowd. The Garage in Glasgow was a far cry from the arenas that she and JOE HOTTINGER were used to filling with their band HALESTORM, especially having headlined the Opus Stage at Download just two days earlier. With countless hits and a legacy already firmly cemented in modern rock, a more intimate approach was looking to be a welcome break. Judging by the reception, it was clear that their dedicated fans welcomed this, especially considering the usual experience would be mosh-heavy and draw in thousands. 

As HALE and HOTTINGER stepped onto the stage armed with nothing but an acoustic guitar and a microphone, it almost felt as though they were your friends playing an impromptu gig at a local pub; a level of intimacy not often achieved by musicians who usually command arena-stages. After introducing themselves, HALE shared a laugh with her partner before asking, “Do you wanna start, Joe?” and diving headfirst into I get off. Despite being just off the back of a huge show at Download, it was immediately obvious that HALE’s vocals weren’t affected at all. Her voice remained as commanding as ever, and she had such a sheer level of power that she arguably didn’t need a microphone at all. With a set mostly built around HALESTORM favourites, the combination of HALE’s soaring voice and the understated charm of HOTTINGER’s acoustic accompaniment created an utterly captivating dynamic, proving that none of these songs have less intensity when stripped back.

The chemistry shared by the pair, who later disclosed that they had been together for nearly twenty-three years, only added to the intimacy. Nowhere was this more evident than during The Silence, which the pair introduced as a song about how they met and built their lives together. It was in these moments that the mental barrier between artist and audience faded, making it feel less like a performance and more like we were being welcomed into a deeply personal chapter of their story. 

Working through favourites such as I Am The Fire and I Miss the Misery, HALE took several moments throughout the set to acknowledge pride month and her bisexuality. HALE has been a vocal supporter and made brief references to her queerness since 2014, but it was only 2022 when she declared herself “unapologetically bisexual,” and since then queerness has had a more prominent role onstage and in their music. In the current cultural climate, it was genuinely uplifting and encouraging to see her embrace her queerness so joyfully. Before launching into Like a Woman Can, HALE revealed that the first spark of the song came from the question, “Why can’t you love me like a woman can?”, before quickly laughing and ensuring the crowd that “this isn’t about Joe.”

A brief interval, followed by a difficult scramble to the bar, ensued. The second half began on a far more reflective note, with HALE quietly taking her place at a piano. She spoke warmly about the fans she’d met on the streets that day, before explaining that “this song is in tribute to one of those fans' mother, Grace,” and played an emotional rendition of Dear Daughter that hushed the room. One glance around made it clear that the duo had garnered a fiercely loyal fanbase over the years. The audience definitely skewed older, and the venue was a sea of people clutching home-printed tickets and proudly sporting tour tees from HALESTORM past runs, which created an atmosphere of genuine long-term admiration. Yet, the intimacy of the venue had its drawbacks. With the room packed from the barrier to the bar, movement was borderline impossible at times, with the overcrowding detracting what was otherwise a warm, nostalgic evening.

Part of what made the evening feel so warm was the commentary from the duo throughout the set, offering sincere insights into their creative processes and their life more generally. Before launching into Break In, HALE reflected on her close friendship with fellow industry veteran Amy Lee of EVANESCENCE, sharing a story that had the room laughing. “In this song, there’s a line that goes, “I’ll follow the echoes”, and she said thought it said “I’ll follow the Eggos”, so now I can’t stop thinking about Eggos when I play it,” HALE joked before settling into yet another piano-driven ballad. The set wasn’t limited to just HALESTORM tracks, either. They also delivered a few inspired covers, such as Bad Romance by LADY GAGA and Gold Dust Woman by Fleetwood Mac. While they are big crowd pleasers, it also highlighted the pair's versatility as they effortlessly moved between genres.

Bringing the evening to a close with a fitting, stripped-back version of Here’s To Us, HALE and HOTTINGER left the stage to a ferocious applause, only for the crowd to linger for a good five minutes after to see if there was one more song to give. Shows like this really do make you feel like you’re a part of a band's history. After an evening filled with laughter, stories and witnessing the emotional core of your favourite songs, it was easy to see why they’d inspired such intense loyalty over the years.

Words: Chloe Sodeau

Photos: Laura Davies