I was originally scheduled to cover the Alestorm‘s New York City appearance on December 2, yet it ended up being a 3-day party saga that was surely nothing less than memorable!
One of the last few stops of this year’s Alestorm tour was hitting the Great Apple. Gypsyhawk was in charge of starting out the night. They found some warmth among the New York City fans – far from the cold temperatures of Canada, where they had just come from. They showcased California Rock n’ Roll at it’s finest (having persevered though the struggles of a broken down car) and delivered an energetic performance.
As always, it was expected that Trollfest would have the crowd in constant motion with everything from mosh pits, walls of death, crowd surfing and, of course, lots and lots of dancing. Since their last appearance in the city during the annual Paganfest, the local crowd has grown immensely. Their performance was quite the fun-fest. Not only did the silliness of the band make it so much more exiting, they interacted a lot with the fans; at some point they even played in the middle of the pit, as fans danced around them.
And when you think it doesn’t get any better than Trollfest, Pirate Metal comes along. Alestorm brought the party full circle as they delivered one of the most exiting and energetic set. The crowd surfers rained towards the front, as everyone else was dancing and singing along to the drunken pirate lyrics. Again one cannot emphasize enough the fact that the band takes the time to bond with their following. They brought some girls on stage to dance with them, and just joked around in between songs.
I’ve seen so many shows throughout the year, and I have to say, not only was this the top one for me, but it was the cherry on top to end this memorable year of gigs.
Follow Kassandra as she continues her 3-Day adventure.
Eastbound Jesus
Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown
Solaris Neon
Pearl Jam at First Niagara Center, Buffalo 10/2
Phish at Glens Falls Civic Center, 10/23
Rest of the Best
Now, 24 hours after the announcement, fans of the heavy metal rockers out of Iowa, are still seeking answers as to why?
i am. it is. you should be. never gets too loud but is bold in the direction of some songs and the ambitious length of the 11 tracks on the album showcase Colby’s range. “Two” starts the album with soft ’70s rock, ala Jim Croce and Don McLean, with a long and paced acoustic melody binding the music to the lyrics. A little country grit is exhibited on “Forget This”, but not too much; there’s even a hint of Bon Jovi in this track.