Halestorm Turns Hollywood Casino Into a Pennsylvania Homecoming

May 20, 2026

By Renee Clark Quade

Central Pennsylvania has always been part of Halestorm’s story, and Saturday night in Grantville felt like a reminder that the band hasn’t forgotten where it all started.

Joined by Small Town Titans and Hinder at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course, Halestorm delivered a performance that felt less like another stop on a tour and more like a hometown reunion. Longtime fans, family members, and familiar faces filled the venue, creating an atmosphere that carried emotional weight from the moment the gates opened.

Small Town Titans kicked off the evening with a confident set that blended hard rock grit with hometown pride. Songs like “Rufflin’ Feathers” and “The Man” showcased the band’s heavy sound, while their cover of Michael Jackson’s “Black or White” energized the crowd early in the night. At one point, Lzzy Hale herself could be spotted side stage watching the band perform, a small but telling moment that reinforced the community feel surrounding the entire night.

Hinder followed with a set packed with nostalgia and sing-along moments. Tracks like “All American Nightmare,” “Homecoming Queen,” and “Bring Me Back to Life” kept the energy high, while their cover of Collective Soul’s “Shine” had the audience loudly singing along. By the time the band launched into “Lips of an Angel,” the crowd was fully engaged, proving the song still carries the same punch it did years ago. Even after more than a decade fronting the band, some concertgoers still seemed surprised that Marshal Dutton had taken over lead vocal duties, but the audience embraced every minute of Hinder’s performance.

When Halestorm took the stage with “Fallen Star,” the energy shifted immediately. The stage production was more stripped down than some of the band’s recent tours, with fewer props and visual distractions, but it allowed the focus to remain squarely on the performance itself. Halestorm didn’t need elaborate production to command the crowd. Their chemistry and presence carried the night effortlessly.

From the start, it was obvious this show meant something extra to the band. Lzzy Hale, Joe Hottinger, and Josh Smith spent much of the night pointing into the crowd, waving to familiar faces, and interacting with fans who have supported the band since their earliest club days throughout Pennsylvania. That connection made the performance feel far more personal than a typical rock show.

Before launching into “Freak Like Me,” Lzzy reflected on Halestorm’s early years playing bowling alleys, bars, and small clubs across the region, reminiscing about the venues that helped shape the band long before international tours and major festival stages became their reality. For longtime fans who remember seeing Halestorm in places like Crocodile Rock and Eleanor Rigby’s, the moment felt especially nostalgic.

One of the night’s most powerful moments came during “I Get Off.” Before the song began, Lzzy Hale dropped to her knees and delivered a haunting reworked intro inspired by Heart’s “Crazy on You.” Altering the lyrics to reflect the current state of the world, “Cause the world outside is burning, and the wars keep coming / There’s no way to breathe easy, there’s no time to be young,” the performance took on a heavier emotional weight that immediately pulled the audience in. The stripped-down delivery seamlessly transitioned into “I Get Off,” transforming the longtime fan favorite into something darker, heavier, and far more personal than usual.

Throughout the night, Halestorm balanced raw emotion with the kind of confidence that only comes from years of experience together. Joe and Lzzy’s synchronized double-neck guitars during “Mz. Hyde” instantly became one of the evening’s standout visual moments, while Arejay Hale’s drum solo brought the crowd to life with his usual larger-than-life energy. During a quieter moment in the set, Lzzy referred to bassist Josh Smith as the band’s “glue,” a statement that felt fitting watching the effortless chemistry between all four members onstage.

Songs like “Shiver” and “I Am the Fire” delivered some of the evening’s strongest emotional peaks, while newer material, including “Everest” and “I Gave You Everything,” blended naturally alongside longtime fan favorites. Before performing the latter, Lzzy joked that anyone feeling “saucy” could dedicate the song to an ex or even a boss, earning laughs from the audience before diving back into the song’s emotional intensity.

The encore featuring “Rock Show,” “I Like It Heavy,” and “Here’s to Us” closed the night with exactly the kind of communal energy a Pennsylvania Halestorm crowd thrives on. From beginning to end, the audience remained on its feet, screaming lyrics back toward the stage and celebrating the band that so many of them have grown up alongside.

After nearly two decades of covering and attending Halestorm shows, what continues to make the band compelling live is not constant reinvention. It is authenticity. The songs still resonate, the chemistry still feels genuine, and the performances still deliver the same adrenaline rush that hooked fans years ago in packed Pennsylvania clubs.

Saturday night in Grantville served as a reminder that while Halestorm has become one of hard rock’s most recognizable live acts, they still carry the spirit of the local band that started it all in central Pennsylvania.

Halestorm Setlist – Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course – Grantville, PA

Fallen Star
I Miss the Misery
Love Bites (So Do I)
WATCH OUT!
Freak Like Me
Crazy On You (snippet)
I Get Off
Like a Woman Can
Shiver
can u see me in the dark? (Halestorm & I Prevail song)
Bad Romance (Lady Gaga cover)
Familiar Taste of Poison (snippet)
Rain Your Blood on Me
Drum Solo
Back From the Dead
Mz. Hyde
I Am the Fire
Everest
I Gave You Everything