Edmonton - In My Sword I Trust

Band: Ensiferum
Venue: Starlite Room
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Date: April 9, 2013

The final act of the night when I attended PaganFest in Edmonton was Ensiferum, a "heroic" folk metal band from Helsinki, Finland.
This was the band that I was most looking forward to seeing at the festival, and although it was great, it wasn't quite what I had expected. On the albums, there are a number of additional sounds provided by session musicians, however the live show is pared down to include just the bare essentials (including keyboards.)

Ensiferum closing out the night at PaganFest in Edmonton

About 3/4 of the way through their set, I was getting really overheated. The moshpit wasn't terrible, but it was getting really hot, so I 'tapped out' and headed back to the far back bar for a drink of water. The guy behind me in the audience offered to save my place, which was really nice, but I thanked him and said no-thanks... I knew I needed to cool off instead. The water was free (rare!) so I tipped extra-generous instead, and got some photos from further back in the room.

When the band came out for a short encore, they started it off by singing 'happy birthday' to their keyboard player, while the bass player tapped away at her keys to provide the melody.


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Edmonton - Winteroorlog

Band: Heidevolk
Venue: Starlite Room
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Date: April 9, 2013

The third band of the PaganFest metal festival was Heidevolk from the Netherlands. All of their lyrics are in Dutch, but their lyrical themes are inspired by nature and history/mythology.

Heidevolk at PaganFest

I didn't know this band before the show, and was a bit surprised to see two male singers (who didn't play anything more than frequent air-guitar) fronting the band, one handling the clean vocals while the other managed the harsh vocals. Since the show, one of the vocalists has left the band according to Wikipedia.



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Edmonton - TrinkenTroll

Band: Trollfest
Venue: Starlite Room
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Date: April 9, 2013

Trollfest is a Norweigian Folk Metal band, and probably the most surprising act of the night when I attended PaganFest in Edmonton.

The band came out on stage with bumblebee headbands, white fishnet tank tops, and other wacky costume elements, and the songs featured all of the expected metal instruments (guitar, bass, drums, vocals) but also an accordion, a mandolin, a saxophone, a cowbell, and a tambourine.

Trollfest, the second act at PaganFest

What I really loved about this band was not just the light-hearted humour (not taking yourself too seriously plays right into the Canadian sense of humour) but also the regular "connection" that I felt with the band when they were on stage. I have several shots of band members sticking their tongues out at me when I took a photo, and they seemed to really play to the crowd, not just play their material. After their set the members were back at the bar (trying to distinguish their Canadian change from the American change in their pockets while ordering vodka shots) and after their set the bassist directly handed me the setlist (hurrah for souvenirs!). While I couldn't understand their lyrics, the songs were upbeat, fun, folky metal, and I bought a CD from the merch booth at the end of the show.( The liner is just as hilarious too...)


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Edmonton - Hail to the Hammer

Band: Týr
Venue: Starlite Room
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Date: April 9, 2013

Edmonton isn't far from home, so I've been there a number of times before.  For this trip I headed north using Greyhound bus, and stayed in a hotel basically across the street from the venue.

Týr was one of five bands performing for PaganFest (or more accurately, PaganFest America) and possibly the highlight of the evening for me.


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Of course, after reading more about Týr and their homeland, the Faroe Islands... I think that I have a new destination on my travel wish-list! Want to know more? Read this article about music in the Faroes!

Singer Heri Joensen

Edmonton - Honour Thy Valkyrie

Band: Helsott
Venue: Starlite Room
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Date: April 9, 2013

Helsott, from Menifee, California, USA was the first act to open PaganFest in Edmonton on April 9, 2013. The band combines American Thrash/Death and Pagan Metal, and put on a very well-received show to what I felt was a fairly small audience in the upstairs Starlite Room venue.

Helsott playing PaganFest

I was actually a bit surprised to see the show not only start on time (likely because there were five acts for the night, and because they were on the road again immediately after) but also to see the audience immediately get into the spirit of the show - credit probably to the opening act, and the multiple bars in the venue.


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