Project Description
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ALESTORM
+ Nekrogoblikon
+ Kimura
@ Metropolis, Fremantle, Perth,
25th February, 2025
(Live Review)
Review by Chris Reid
Photos by Adrian Thomson (@_awii_)
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Alestorm / Photo – @_awii_
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Heavy music is a deceptively wide reaching term. Despite the typical staunch and serious intent of a lot of acts, at certain ends of the spectrum a handful of bands exist that don’t take themselves too seriously. Alestorm are a notable band of this ilk in today’s scene, playing a brand of metal that is part rum-infused-pirate-metal, and part beer-guzzling-party music. Their sound in recent times is a fusion of Oktoberfest beer hall sing along hype music, pirate themed folk music, and epic melodic metal. This combination of music styles has garnered them legions of fans around the globe. Alestorm’s success has spawned numerous imitators, however they’re clearly the most enduring example of this type of music. This Australian tour is the latest of numerous visits to our shores.
On this tour they are joined by Nekrogoblikon. Another band that doesn’t take itself too seriously (indeed, their live show includes a hype man in a goblin suit). This bill isn’t your typical heavy metal double header…..The punters that filed into Metropolis Fremantle on this Tuesday night came looking for a light hearted good time (many of whom had come dressed in their finest pirate garb).
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Kimura / Photo – @_awii_
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Doors cracked open 30 mins later than advertised but local groove metal / metal core act Kimura took full advantage of the sold out crowd’s pent up energy and enthusiasm for the evening. Kimura played a tight and energetic set that was well received by all. Kimura have been an active band honing their craft in the local scene for a long time, so It’s great to see this latest incarnation of the band get an opportunity to play to such a large and enthusiastic crowd.
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Nekrogoblikon / Photo – @_awii_
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Next up was Nekrogoblikon. I’m still reeling from this set. The 6 piece play a completely scatter gun style of music, seemingly for people with short attention spans! They fuse a lot of wildly different elements across each individual song, let alone over the course of their entire set: high pitched extreme metal vocals, anthemic pop style clean vocal hooks, low gutturals, death metal riffing, shreddy keyboard solos, electronic dance music and synth pop. Nothing is off limits, and this wide array of styles makes for a wild live spectacle. On this occasion their live mix lacked some low end (unsurprisingly given there is no live bass player to be seen), but they put on an entertaining show. Certainly they’re a great choice for a touring package with Alestorm. Nekrogoblikon’s goblin shtick was novelty and smile inducing, although I could probably make a case to pass on the mid set faux stand-up comedy routine – the numerous misguided references to Foster’s Beer and the unnecessary bottle-o-water-shoey might well be refined as the tour progresses. With all that said 6 piece’s set was genuinely fun – there’s no doubt they lifted the mood in the venue and had significant crowd support.
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Alestorm / Photo – @_awii_
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The crowd were close to fever pitch by the time Alestorm’s iconic (and massive) inflatable duck had been deployed on centre stage. Queen classics were blasted over the PA as the roadies soundchecked the headliners equipment, met by hearty sing-alongs and crowd surfers in the pit area before a single note had been played.
Alestorm opened up their set with the up-tempo singalong Keelhauled, and from the very first note the Scottish band had the crowd eating out of their hands. On this tour they are playing as a 6 piece, with Patty Gurdy joining the band adding her vocals and Hurdy Gurdy to the mix. Visually the band’s live show is really great, with the enormous inflatable duck, front man Chris Bowes captivating demeanour supported by a jet black keytar, and a wide array of individual shenanigans form the rest of the band. There is always something entertaining going on on-stage as they churn through their set of boozy singalongs. Alestorm might be a light hearted band at times, but make no mistake they are a band of seasoned professionals. All of the players are top shelf musicians and their live set has been fine-tuned and polished after years on the international touring circuit. Musically the band have also have really clear vision and sound, and clearly put emphasis on every song having a ear-worm, singalong chorus. The set was chock full of everything you’d have wanted to hear form them, with stand out tracks to my ears being Mexico, Alestorm, Fannybaws, Zombies Ate My Pirate Ship, Voyage of the Dead Marauder, and Nancy the Tavern Wench. The latter was met with the majority of the lower section of the venue taking to floor to row an invisible long boat in time with the mid-tempo plod. Epic stuff. The way the venue’s disco ball was deployed during P.A.R.T.Y was also very memorable, along with some unexpected indoor pyro tricks set off throughout the set. Alestorm put on a clinic in light hearted heavy metal entertainment.
The show wrapped up shortly before midnight to the warm applause of the capacity crowd. Looking around the venue there were plenty of fans who had taken Alestorm’s ‘Drinking’ ethos very seriously – no doubt there will be plenty of sore heads amongst those that didn’t let the Tuesday night billing get in the way of embracing the Alestorm way. The show was a raging success, and a hell of a good time. Don’t sleep on it when it comes to a capital city near you.
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Alestorm / Photo – @_awii_
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Check out Adrian Thomson’s (@_awii_) full gallery of this event HERE
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Alestorm / Photo – @_awii_
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Follow ALESTORM
Website – Instagram – Facebook – Spotify
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Alestorm / Photo – @_awii_
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Press Release 1st February 2025 (below) HERE
ALESTORM
Australian & New Zealand Tour
February 25th – March 8th, 2025
with guests
NEKROGOBLIKON
– Australia only
Tour starts later this month
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