ALESTORM THE DREAD CREW OF ODDWOOD/RUMAHOY
A Pirate metal triumvirate plunders the South Coast
the metal scene in Britain’s most famous port city, Southampton’s Engine Rooms is the perfect location to conclude the aptly titled Piratefest 2018 UK tour. After 14 consecutive concerts, the trek’s tripartite bill kickstarts for the last time, commenced by the archaic folk stylings of THE DREAD CREW OF ODDWOOD [7]. Armed with tin whistles, accordions, mandolins and upright basses, the six-piece wisely stand apart from the bombastic power metal that will dominate the remainder of the evening. In its place comes a cascade of acoustic, percussive and surprisingly energetic folk, which captivates Southampton with the interactive When I Sail’d and the alcoholic Raise Your Pints. Following this masterclass of truly traditional heaviness, RUMAHOY [5] feel nowhere near as unique. With the exception of the gruff barks spouting from frontman Captain Yarrface, the quartet specialise in the exact same style of rum-swigging, wench-shagging, shanty-yelling catchiness as tonight’s headliner. Luckily, however, these balaclava-donning miscreants know how to work their crowd; the Captain’s grunted demands for jumping and dancing during Pirateship are eagerly met, while the ale-drenched anthem Forest Party elicits excited singalongs from onlookers united in their anticipation for the anachronistic ALESTORM [9].
Boasting five albums and a lauded live show, the fiery Scotsmen need no introduction, as proven by their choice to begin proceedings with the incessantly popular hit, Keelhauled. The keyboard-powered classic sets expectations high and the enormous choruses of Alestorm, Magnetic North and Mexico immediately afterwards easily continue the hype. The band’s swashbuckling swagger is as drenched with booze and anarchy as ever, a giant, omnipotent, inflatable duck looming behind Christopher Bowes’s merry crew while the jolly outfit chant, clap and dance the night away. It’s also a great testament to their newest album, No Grave But The Sea, that half a dozen songs lifted from it pepper their way throughout Alestorm’s grandiose performance. Such deeper cuts as Pegleg Potion and No Grave But The Sea bravely stand toe-to-toe with the beautifully melodic and subtly operatic grandeur of beloveds like The Sunk’n Norwegian and 1741 (The Battle Of Cartagena); nautical numbers both new and old shine with the same ironclad infectiousness and party-starting pace. The tour wraps up with one final encore of Drink, Wenches And Mead and the inflammatory Fucked With An Anchor, with such a powerhouse combination guaranteeing an end that sees both the beer and that massive duck fly high.