Halestorm’s ‘Everest’ Release Party at Gibson Garage: A Week Before the Summit
On August 1, 2025, a week before Everest officially dropped, Halestorm welcomed fans into Nashville’s Gibson Garage for an afternoon of music, memories, and a candid Q&A that revealed the heart behind their sixth studio album.
The session began with a whirlwind recap of the band’s recent adventures, fresh off seven weeks touring Europe with Iron Maiden.
“After seven weeks with Iron Maiden, it was incredible… their hometown show, 75,000 people… nobody’s throwing middle fingers, nobody’s throwing shoes. I think they like you.”
They spoke about connecting with fans overseas, even spending nights off at local bars swapping stories. It was clear the tour had fueled them creatively and personally.
Carrying the Torch
When asked about being the only woman on the bill for a massive festival appearance, Lzzy Hale reflected:
“It wasn’t so much a responsibility… it was more of an honor to represent all of the women who grew up listening to Black Sabbath and heavy metal. This is our sanctuary too.”
The conversation moved into backstage moments with rock icons, from casual run-ins with Tool to a slow clap for Ozzy Osbourne at an afterparty:
“I looked down and… oh, that’s Ozzy… I freaked out, I just did this… and started a slow clap.”
The Everest Approach
The band explained how working with producer Dave Cobb transformed the way they made records.
“He does not do demos… we’re going to sit here and write a song, and as we’re writing it, we’re going to record it live in the moment.”
The first track born this way was Darkness Always Wins:
“It was literally the day before… we were talking about the craziness going on in the world. I had in my notepad, ‘how come the darkness always wins?’ Dave loved it… you can hear us trying to prove ourselves to this guy.”
They admitted it was sometimes nerve-wracking:
“You have to put your ego aside… the tape doesn’t lie.”
But ultimately, it was freeing:
“Let’s never make demos again… making a record in a house that really isn’t overthought ended up sounding incredible.”
The Art Around the Music
The Gibson Garage event also featured photography by Joe Hottinger and paintings by Lzzy.
Joe explained his love for capturing behind-the-scenes life:
“I’m such a fan of photography… it’s always such a story and such a time capsule.”
One standout photo of Lzzy with her Kramer guitar came from a last-minute shoot:
“We needed a photo by tomorrow for a billboard in New York City… it kind of worked, especially with that Kramer and the light hitting it right… the power of the woman exploding out.”
For Lzzy, painting is personal: “It’s very meditative… I paint like a child, my five-year-old self comes out… this is one of the first times I’ve shared these things in public.”
No Rules, Just Excitement
On songwriting, the band was clear: “Nobody knows what’s going to be a hit… the true divining rod for us is, are we excited? Do we want to play this out live? If we’re not excited, we can’t really sell it.”
As for the future? “There’s no age in rock and roll… at those crowds, it was seven-year-olds to seventy-year-olds… I don’t want to stop.”
Everest was set to arrive August 8, 2025, but for the fans inside Gibson Garage on August 1, they’d already seen the peak , not just in the songs, but in the shared stories, laughter, and community that only Halestorm can deliver.
