Alcatrazz at Skogsröjet
Four decades on from Yngwie’s exit, Alcatrazz is still relevant. Their newer songs rival the classics.
Alcatrazz at the Skogsröjet festival in Rejmyre, Sweden on 3rd August 2024
Keyboardist Jimmy Waldo (New England, Warrior, Quiet Riot, Vinnie Vincent, Blackthorne, Graham Bonnet Band, Warlord) co-founded Alcatrazz in Los Angeles in 1983. Its first lead guitarist was a then relatively unknown Yngwie Malmsteen. Since the beginning, the band has seen members come and go. In the latest version of the band, Jimmy is joined by lead guitarist Joe Stump, lead vocalist Giles Lavery, drummer Larry Paterson and bassist Adam Sheppard (who is filling in live for original bassist Gary Shea who has retired from touring).
They opened this festival set with the excellent song “Little Viper” from last year’s “Take No Prisoners” album. The set featured a number of the band’s classic songs from the 80s, including “Too Young To Die, Too Drunk To Live”, “Island in the Sun” and “Hiroshima Mon Amour”. Like Yngwie, Joe Stump is an out-of-this-world neoclassical guitar player. On stage in Sweden, he did the old songs justice. He also showed us that he is more than someone filling in for Yngwie and Steve Vai (another ex-Alcatrazz guitarist).
“Sword of Deliverance”, from 2021’s “V” album, was the show’s highlight. Another terrific newer song is “Don’t Get Mad…Get Even”. The mighty ladies of Girlschool guested on the studio version of the track a few years ago. At Skogsröjet, Girlschool’s Kim McAuliffe and Olivia Airey joined Alcatrazz on stage for a fun live version of the song.
The songs from the band’s recent albums stood up well to the earlier material. The early classics from the 80s need to be played and they are great. However, the quality of the newer songs, is what makes this band still relevant. 40 years have passed since Yngwie left the band. It is a different band now. They have evolved and put out three great studio albums in the past four years.
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