So when we got there, we heard Trollfest from the outside. Then as we got in after some minor issues with tickets, we saw a ton of people...on stage. There were probably 150 or so people there, a pretty good showing for the middle of the week, with a weak lineup.
The crowd was pretty odd, from hippies (for Gypsyhawk I guess?- it was like a few people were there to see Stevie Nicks), metalheads, some guys w/ pirates outfits, hippies w/ dreads, some younger people in nerdy shirts, a couple bros, and even a couple guys in polos. I don't know what all was going on, but most everyone was having fun in a responsible way.
There were about 12 people on stage, Trollfest, half of Alestorm, and then probably some guys from Gypsyhawk. All with instruments and/or substitutes- umbrella, vacuum cleaner, whiskey, etc. So that was pretty hectic, for their last 2 songs. It just sounded loud and a mess (tho an energetic mess). I don't really get those guys, so I didn't really enjoy those last 2 songs. but many people seemed to dig them, so what can I say?
I roved around, said hi to many people, and then we discovered that Alestorm was on next- we had completely missed Gypsyhawk. So we may have missed out. OH WELL. As we checked out the merch, we noticed that Alestorm had 1 hoodie and maybe 2 shirts and their new DVD ($20). I don't know how in the world they didn't have much merch. Gypsyhawk had a huge table of CDs, LPs, shirts, etc. Trollfest had some stuff, but I didnt' really take it in, they were sharing with Alestorm's merch table.
Alestorm marched on stage to their chiptunes remix and pretty rowdy fans. I thought they started off kind of weak with "The Quest," but then things got going and certain way rowdy with "Wenches and Mead." Hell, I think there was a pit or jigging on each song. The disappointing "Midget Saw" was played... but there was a Steel Pantheresque moment when the band demanded to know if there were any little people in attendance... and then that got changed to short people. Of course that got changed to cute girls who are short. So there was a line of cuties, including one tore up chick in blond dreads. So they went somewhat wild for that lame song. Afterwards they walked or jumped off the stage. They slowed it down with "Nancy...," and the jig was screwed up by too drunk people. During one song, there was one cute redhead crowdsurfer who had a 'cheeky moment' after getting up on stage ;3. There was a ton of movement, and once about 1/3 in people seemed to get really into it. And of course there was the silly cover of "In the Navy" ( why not play the way superior "You are a Pirate?"), which went over not as well as I thought it would have, but still was good.
There were some technical difficulties during some of the earlier songs ( the guitarist's rig or something looked /sounded like it cut out), but they eventually got smoothed out. I don't know why but they had Christopher Bowes on keytar AND a keyboardist. They sounded pretty solid otherwise- tho the vocals were a little bit low in the mix. Chris's eyeshadow made it hard to see how much rum he had before, but at the end of the night he took a few swigs of Kraken!
The oddest moment was when Ethan/Admiral Derek had his Alissa Glutz-White moment and jumped on stage to do the harsh vocals for "...Terrorsquid..." and DanPaytas also was there too- perhaps not planned. It was pretty cool seeing a hometown hero up there with them, but I think DP got some sideways glances for Mr. Bonded By Blood singer Mauro to put the boots to him, medium style. So after that, during a "...Drunken Sailor" interlude some guy (I think it was from Gypsyhawk) was a bit trashed, and had Alestorm... sign his butt. So that was mildly amusing. I dunno what else to say, other than it was certainly a party! There was a drum solo during "Set Sail..." and I howled a cry of disdain, heard throughout the venue.
At the end, Chris B crowd surfed, and demanded "TO THE BAR!"... but was led back to the stage instead. OH WELL. They did have an outro- dubstep remix of one song (I can't recall what it was now- probably Shipwrecked).
Afterwards, we got a picture with Chris Bowes, and I proved to John it WAS that guy from Bonded By Blood who was helping out Alestorm (roadie? enforcer? all the above)! He thought it was silly that I mentioned it was either Claudio Sanchez or him as to who it was on stage. They really could have played a little longer, but with the interludes and all, it was an hour and a half. So OK, I can deal with that. We also met some new people, so that was also fun.
Overall it was a better night than anticipated, and I got really sweaty.
Photos:
Setlists:
Trollfest
Alestorm
What is this, a Stevie Nicks show?
Alestorm w/ Ethan
Alestorm w/ Ethan and... DanPaytas
Alestorming
More Alestorm
with Christopher Bowes
Mauro Gonzales from Bonded BY Blood
Trollfest (~8:48- )
- ?
- ? (there was barking)
- The Quest
- The Sunk'n Norwegian
- Leviathan
- Shipwrecked
- Wenches & Mead
- Surf Squid Warfare
- Midget Saw
- Nancy the Tavern Wench
- Back Through Time
- In the Navy (Village People cover)
- Death Throes of the Terrorsquid
- Keelhauled
- Rumpelkombo
- What do You do with a Drunken Sailor (instrumental)
- Set Sail and Conquer (w/ horrible drum solo)
- Captain Morgan's Revenge
- Rum
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