LIVE! | 70,000 Tons of Metal: Day 3
February 1, 2012 by Publisher
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by Chris A.
Staff Writer –
A Trip to Hell: The 70,000 Tons Of Metal Day 3
The Cayman Islands
On Wednesday, the heavy metal sailors woke up to find the ship slipping into its anchoring position off the coast of the Grand Cayman Islands. Small tenders soon shuttled several hundred black-clad tourists from the ship to the docks, where we passed through an almost invisible customs inspection. On the island, the metal heads were greeted by an assortment of tours, food, shopping and activities.
During the six hours we had on shore, popular activities included taking tours, such as “Hell,” a small town on the island that featured strange rock formations like demons from Hell. Our crowd fit right in, and Hell apparently was quite a popular destination. Also high on the list were the Rum Cake Factories. which offered generous samples of flavored rum and rum cakes. Before long, everyone on the island was smiling. For many, the only place to go was Seven Mile Beach, where you could hang out on the white sand or snorkel off the shores with stingrays. Others opted for a turtle hatchery, where sea turtles were hatched and eventually released into the Caribbean Sea.
Booze, food and jewelry also beckoned the visitors from more than 50 nations. With four cruise ships in the harbor, the long-haired, black-clad heavy metal sailors attracted great attention. Perhaps the image that best sums up the guests from the 70,000 Tons Of Metal Cruse to the Caymans is the photo of the young man on the beach, flashing metal in front of a “666” that was made out of rocks in the sugary-white, warm sand.
After a day on the island, it was party time on the boat. Bands took to the stages starting at 6 p.m. with Overkill performing on the pool stage, and the day closed out with Tankard at 4:45 a.m. The following day.
Day 3 bands included: Overkill, Pestilence, Stratovarius, Annihilator, Crowbar, Exciter, Nightwish, Children of Bodom, My Dying Bride, Vicious Rumors, Kamelot, Kataklysm, Moonsorrw, Samael and Tankard.
70,000 Tons of Metal Day 3 Photo Gallery
LIVE! | 70,000 Tons of Metal: Day 2
January 31, 2012 by Publisher
Filed under arccon2012
by Chris A.
Staff Writer –
A Sea of Blood: The 70,000 Tons Of Metal Day 2
Steaming toward the southwest, with the coast of Cuba visible on the horizon, Day 2 of 70000 Tons of Metal resumed with abandon. For the next 18 hours, there would be a nonstop assault of metal on the ship’s three stages, with 27 bands scheduled to perform. At 10 a.m., with temperatures approaching 80 degrees on the main pool stage, the first band of the day would be old-school thrashers Whiplash with Crowbar set to close the day’s action at 4:15 a.m. the following day.
It was a day of head banging, drinking and running around the ship as the 2,000 fans went from venue to venue, navigating the narrow corridors with pits stops at the bar and casino. Catching all the bands was impossible, of course, but the atmosphere, beautiful weather and the utter variety of bands kept a smile on everyone’s face. Day 2 was nothing short of kick ass.
Day No. 2 performers included: Whiplash, Megora, God Dethroned, Diamond Plate, Exciter, Spiency, Orphaned Land, Tankard, Suffocation, Pretty Maids, Atheist, Kamelot, Stradivarius, Amorphis, In Extremo, Therion, Kataklysm, Annihilator, Children of Bodom, Virgin Steele, Venom, Riot, Hammerfall, Pestilence, My Dying Bride, Dark Funeral and Crowbar.
