Rock band Alestorm live in action at the O2 Academy Birmingham (Photograph: Jack Kirby)
Ahoy there me heartie! Settle down and listen to the tale of Birmingham being rocked by pirates and heavy metal!
With Alestorm currently storming around the UK on their Piratefest tour, with Red Rum and Lagerstein supporting, the O2 Academy Birmingham was full to the brim on Thursday.
Flying the sails of rock, Nottingham band Red Rum kicked off the ‘night of pirate metal’ (Photograph: Jack Kirby)
Red Rum, a Nottingham based pirate metal band, kicked off the night as the first crew onboard. With a sea of listeners, many joining their ‘Captains of Rock’ in similar pirate attire, the members piled onstage, almost spilling over the edge.
Suddenly the band launched into their set, complete with a Bouzouki, Flute and Mandolin. Their set turned the crowd into a sea of arms and cheering and a highlight of their set started with the piano playing the Lord of The Rings main theme, which erupted into a metal version of ‘Taking the Hobbits to Isengard’.
Australian band Lagerstein warmed up the crowd before Alestorm came on the main stage (Photograph: Jack Kirby)
Beer bongs, Stella Artois and more bandannas and pirate hats stormed the stage next, as aptly named Lagerstein were cheered onstage by the crowd. Once again, the sound of Pirate Metal filled the air, as the Australian based band showed why they had ‘sailed across the world’ to get there.
However, pirates are not always safe from the law, as they told the tale of being detained by ‘the scurvy’ of visa issues as they flew to the UK, causing them to miss their first UK show. With many a brew being drank through the set and, of course, the beer bong being used thoroughly, the band smashed their set.
Piratefest stormed Birmingham’s O2 Academy and left it drunk and bruised (Photograph: Jack Kirby)
>> GALLERY: Alestorm at Piratefest at the O2 Academy Birmingham <<
After being warmed up from two more than impressive bands, some would say that the crowd could have had enough of pirate rock. But if anyone had told the crowd that, they’d had been forced to walk the plank, as chants of “Alestorm” filled the air.
The ‘True Scottish Pirate Metal’ band were welcomed onstage by the packed out crowd. With a wink and a dramatic intro instrumental, the five piece band exploded into their set, with beers in hand and an impressive setup of a bottle of whisky and a bottle of rum attached to their drum kit.
Not only was the drink and apparel impressive, but the set was fantastic. Opening with a fan favourite of ‘Walk The Plank’ and various others (including ‘Drink’ and ‘Pirate Song’), the setlist caused the sea of fans to cheer along, with crowdsurfers all around and many others climbing the crowd to get a better view.
With a final encore, the band welcomed onstage members of both Lagerstein and Red Rum for a cover of Taio Cruz’s Hangover. So ended the tale of Piratefest UK in Birmingham, but it be one that won’t be forgotten!
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Jack Kirby
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