086 - Andrew Balistreri & Aaron Lane

In this episode of the Metal Chick Podcast, I’m hanging out at the bar with Andrew Balistreri from Thrasher and Aaron Lane from Aces High, and honestly the conversation starts before I even officially introduce them. Sometimes the best interviews happen that way.

We jump right into talking about the music that shaped us growing up, especially the late 80s when albums like …And Justice for All and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son were everywhere and MTV was still playing metal videos. That era had a huge influence on Andrew and the kind of music he still loves playing today.

The real reason we’re hanging out is to talk about the big metal weekend coming up March 13th and 14th. I’ve been recording interviews with several of the bands and people involved to help highlight the shows, and this one focuses on the Saturday night lineup.

Andrew explains how the March 14 show actually turned into his birthday show. He was looking for a venue around his birthday, and when he started talking with Aaron they realized Aces High was already booked for that night. It made perfect sense to combine forces and turn it into a Thrasher and Aces High double bill.

Both guys talk about how well the two bands fit together. Thrasher focuses on classic thrash metal, covering bands like Slayer, Megadeth, Metallica, Testament, Anthrax, and Sepultura, while Aces High is a full-on tribute to Iron Maiden. The crossover between those fan bases makes for a killer crowd whenever the bands play together.

We also get into the topic of setlists and deep cuts. Aaron talks about how Aces High mixes well-known Maiden songs with some deeper tracks that even Iron Maiden doesn’t always play live anymore. Andrew shares how Thrasher used to play a lot of obscure European thrash bands early on but eventually shifted toward more recognizable songs so the crowd could really connect with the set.

At one point I asked both of them if they ever think about doing original music instead of tribute bands. Aaron tells a great story about trying that years ago and deciding it just wasn’t for him. Andrew, on the other hand, still records original material occasionally as a fun side project with friends, but says his schedule is already packed with everything else he’s doing.

Of course we circle back to the upcoming show and what people can expect. It’s shaping up to be a really fun night of classic metal with two bands that bring a ton of energy to the stage.

If you’re a fan of thrash, Iron Maiden, or just loud metal in general, this is definitely a show you won’t want to miss.

Links:

• March 14 Event at Da Bar