Starting off the night was Rumahoy, the self-described ‘best Pirate Metal band in the world’. The band took the crowd on a thrilling pirate adventure, brimming with energy and the appropriate level of nautical flair expected of them. From the beginning of their set they seized the crowd’s attention with their unique blend of charisma, strong stage presence, and humorous pirate antics. Songs like ‘Harambe, the Pirate Gorilla’ and ‘Cowboys of the Sea’ from their 2022 album ‘Time II: Party’ resonated throughout the venue with infectious energy driven by strong vocals and catchy instrumentation, spreading a sea of smiles across the packed crowd. My personal favourite track was ‘Not Looking for Love’ which boasted a perfect mix of 80/90’s synthwave, catchy vocal melodies, and exciting guitar work which somewhat reminded me Aqua’s iconic track, ‘Barbie Girl’, but better. Having recently watched Eurovision I can’t help but think this track would have made an absolute killing there as well, which is no small feat.
Captain Yarrface, the band’s swashbuckling and charismatic frontman, led the charge with a boisterous and engaging performance that kept the entire crowd both amused and engaged. Everyone in the room could not help but be swept into the fun, singing along to the band’s catchy choruses and dancing with abandon. Theatrical elements, including pirate costumes and props, further enhanced the overall experience and resulted in what I can only describe as sheer dumb fun, something that is rare to find these days. Rumahoy’s ability to blend humor with musical prowess resulted in a unique and memorable live show experience which I haven’t had before, and I eagerly look forward to briefly joining their crew for more pirate metal escapades in the future.
After a brief musical reprieve the venue lights dimmed and a non-insignificant amount of the crowd readied their inflatable pickaxes for the night’s main event – Wind Rose. From the first note of their set the Italian power-metallers, known for their dwarf-themed aesthetic inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, welcomed the sold-out Sydney crowd into an epic fantasy realm they brought to life through their music. Clad in their elaborate costumes, which wouldn’t have looked out of place in Middle-earth, the band delivered a performance that was both visually and sonically stunning and captivated the Sydney crowd.
The band played a fantastic set, focusing exclusively on their last two albums ‘Wintersaga’ (2019) and ‘Warfront’ (2022) including crowd favourites ‘Army of Stone’, ‘Mine Mine Mine’ and ‘Drunken Dwarves’. The crowd was enthusiastically engaged for the entire set, chanting along and pumping their fists (and pickaxes) madly into the air as frontman Francesco Cavalieri eagerly stirred them into a frenzy. Cavalieri’s powerful baritone voice cut easily through the band’s multiple layers of intricate symphonic elements and complex guitar work by Claudio Falconcini, leading the dwarven charge with a charisma that had everyone from the barriers to the back of the room banging their heads. Each Wind Rose song is a well-crafted blend of folk-inspired melodies blended with catchy power metal instrumentation, showcasing not only the band’s technical skill but also their musical creativity and versatility. The band’s on-stage chemistry and tight coordination elevated the quality of their performance even higher, likely attributable to their almost 15 years together, resulting in a friendly atmosphere which spread throughout the entire venue.
As the band departed the stage and the crowd awaited the inevitable encore, there was only one question on everyone’s mind – are they going to play it? The song which, for the majority of the audience, was likely the vehicle through which they received their first exposure to the dwarven metallers straight out of the Halls of Erebor? Or would the band eschew the track in an attempt to move away from what some have described as a meme? Thankfully the dwarven gods were merciful and as the recognisable drumbeat started the crowd breathed a collective sigh of relief and excitement – we were about to dig (diggy) a hole. ‘Diggy Diggy Hole’ is a track with a fascinating history that typifies the new ways music can be created, produced, and consumed in the modern era (see the bottom of this review if you are interested in a brief summary). The band played both the standard and ‘Dance Mix’ iteration of the track for the eager Sydney crowd, who in response created the first ‘digging’ circle pit I have ever seen, alongside impromptu jigging and general revelry which was a pleasure to be a part of. Wind Rose finished off the night with ‘I am the Mountain’, bidding us goodbye and promising to return to Australian shores in the future.
For those interested – a brief history of ‘Diggy Diggy Hole’
The song started its life innocuously as a short, impromptu song sung in a Minecraft video on the popular YouTube channel ‘The Yogscast’ in 2011. This was turned into fan-made animation and song in the same year. In 2014 Yogscast turned this into a fully fleshed out song and then, 5 years later in 2019, Wind Rose created a cover of the song, injecting both metal and their unique aesthetic into the track. This track exploded, going viral and catapulting the band into the limelight they had always deserved.
Photos by Michael Lueders & Review by Cal McGlinchey
Wind Rose:
Rumahoy:
