Sundrifter/ The Forest Forgets Live 5/03/25
Live at The Shaskeen Pub in Manchester, New Hampshire USA *May 3rd 2025*
It’s been quite a while (a few years) since I went to a show at the Shaskeen Pub in Manchester, New Hampshire. Worshipper, Dust Prophet, Sundrifter, and The Forest Forgets are the four bands on tonight’s bill. I was psyched for a local show and it’s only a thirty minute drive from where I live. However, I wasn’t feeling well a couple of hours before the show and almost decided to not go. I was really excited to see Sundrifter live after finally becoming quite impressed with their latest album, 2024’s An Earlier Time (check out the review here). So I decided to tough it out and try and at least watch their set. I arrived at the Shaskeen just after eight o’clock and waited about twenty minutes before the opening act went on stage.
THE FOREST FORGETS
The opening band was a four-piece local act from Manchester. The Forest Forgets played a quick but energetic and varied set of heavy stoner grunge with hard driving psychedelic post-rock. They sounded really good and have only been around since 2024. The lineup consists of: Brandon Curcio on guitars, Brennan McGuirk on bass, James Hagen on drums, and Griffin Romprey on vocals. I purchased their debut five song EP called Of Wind & Willows. The band play tight and have a big sound with the noisy acid blues guitar leads and the monstrous low end bass tone. The drums were solid and the vocals varied clean singing with aggressive screams and growls. The music had a lot of power and emotion behind it and it was a great start to the show.
https://theforestforgets.bandcamp.com/album/of-wind-willows
https://www.facebook.com/share/169LWEk37Y/?mibextid=wwXIf
SUNDRIFTER
Sundrifter ended up playing second which surprised me a bit, but I was ok with it. My stomach wasn’t feeling great and I wasn’t sure how long I would stay. Anyways, I had no idea what the band Sundrifter looked like. They were setting up their equipment and let’s just say that I would have never guessed that it was them. My image of what the band looked like was totally skewed. It only took a few seconds into their first song that I realized that this was Sundrifter playing. “Limitless” was the opener and it is the first track on their latest album, An Earlier Time. It’s a killer song! Beginning with drums, it becomes a cascade of heavy psychedelic space rock. The three-piece consists of Craig Peura on guitars and vocals, Paul Goughran on bass, and Patrick Queenan on drums. They have a very hypnotic and powerful sound that is unique and captivating. “Space Exploration”, the second song from An Earlier Time was next and it too, was fantastic! The band really sounded on point and I was extremely impressed with their performance. I was happy they played “Lightworker” from 2018’s Visitations. It sounded very heavy and powerful! I couldn’t have been more content with the band’s setlist. “Prehistoric Liftoff” sounded pretty brutal and awesome too. Sundrifter delivered an iron clad performance that further boosted my enjoyment of them. Experiencing the songs live really brought new spark of vitality across their music. Craig’s voice sounded right on point the whole set. I still can’t believe that there are only three members in the band. Their expansion of sound to create such a full and head tripping environment is amazing. The last song of their set was the excellent, “Begin Again”, also from An Earlier Time. They really impressed me with how exceptional they are live. Luckily for me, I get to see Sundrifter again in a couple of weeks in Braintree, Mass. They are playing a show with Sons Of Arrakis at the Widowmaker Brewery. I am really looking forward to that one! Anyways, as much as I wanted to stay and watch Dust Prophet and Worshipper, I decided to jet. Despite how I felt, it made the most sense at that moment.
http://sundrifterband.com/home
