Catching up with Babe Haven in Nashville alongside Die Spitz

They say ‘third time’s a charm’, but in the case of Babe Haven’s third 2025 performance at Nashville’s Blue Room, it’s been nothing but charm — each time. If you can believe it, this was supposed to be their fourth time in Nashville this year, if it hadn’t been for a cancelled Jhorts Fest appearance. I first encountered the band this past April while they were opening for Teen Mortgage; it was one of those rare concert moments when you don’t merely acknowledge a group’s talent, you recognize something beyond technical proficiency… something even the most skilled players can’t manufacture.

I’m talking, of course, about the elusive ‘it factor’ — that intangible spark music fans instinctively feel the moment it appears.

I spend a lot of time at concerts and listening to music and, while I would never call myself an ‘expert’, I just know in my musical heart that Babe Haven has something special that most bands only dream of having. It’s a mixture of songwriting talent, technical proficiency with their instruments, and charisma you just can’t teach.

Prior to their second sold-out night at the Blue Room with Austin, Texas–based band Die Spitz, I once again had the chance to sit down and chat with Lilly and Naomi of Babe Haven — two of the nicest metalheads you could ever meet. I don’t know how often they have to experience pre-show interviews and I can only imagine, with all the things going on leading up to a show, it’s probably the last thing any musician wants to focus on. However, they answered my questions with smiles and seemed like they could chat with me for hours.

While talking to them, we caught up on what had been happening since we last talked. The two let me know of some potentially massive tours that I can’t speak about yet, but let’s just say they would be the biggest of Babe Haven’s career to date! We also talked about the road grind of 2025, as well as the highs and lows of touring life. The highs included a completely sold-out run opening for Die Spitz. According to Lilly: “It’s definitely our favorite tour that we’ve been on [to date]. I think, for one, it’s also badass to be playing with a group of girls that are around our age. I think that their youthful, chaotic energy definitely mesh really well with ours. Also, their whole crew has been so nice and we just get along really, really well.”

As far as the lows, well… Jacksonville, Florida. If you know, you know. 

When Babe Haven finally took the stage to open for Die Spitz at Nashville’s Blue Room, the place snapped into focus and — despite the cramped feel of a sold-out 300-person venue — the crowd moshed and moved as much as space would allow. Their set was ferocious and fun; it definitely didn’t feel like they were openers. In fact, it felt like a dual headlining tour.

In my opinion, Babe Haven could easily headline on their own, but, according to Naomi when it comes to being ready to be a headliner: “Right now, I prefer support just because I kind of like to surprise people. You know what I mean? I love that kind of ‘wow’ factor that people get from seeing us.”

Midway through the night, as the riffs thickened and the tempo surged, something awesome unfolded: one by one, fans raised their phone lights to engulf the entire room like a sea of fireflies caught in the pulse of the music. It wasn’t prompted at all — just a spontaneous, communal surge of energy that collided beautifully with the band’s own. Babe Haven leaned into it, smiling as the glow extended across the crowd, creating a moment that felt both explosive and intimate, the kind of scene people talk about for days after. This night was probably my favorite show of the entire year. One of those electric nights where you feel like you are on a rollercoaster from start to finish. Oh yeah, then there was Die Spitz to close it all down. Talk about a wild finalé!

Photography by Derek Jones

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