REVIEW: Ally the Piper Gets that Bag(Pipe) at The Egg

Apr 2

3/30 @ The Egg, Albany

“From the get-go, Ally established herself as a force to be reckoned with, with her stage presence matching her musical prowess.”

Ally Crowley-Duncan, known by her stage name Ally the Piper, brought a taste of Scotland and the Great Highland Bagpipes to The Egg on Sunday, March 30th. Performing to an energetic, sold out audience, the Shaker native and viral sensation amassing more than 4.5 million followers across social media brought the medieval instrument to a modern stage playing a healthy mix of Scottish classics, contemporary rock tunes, and original music.

I walked into the theater unsure of what I was about to see and hear, but from the get-go, Ally established herself as a force to be reckoned with, with her stage presence matching her musical prowess. She began her set with a fierce cover of the Game of Thrones theme (originally written by composer Ramin Djawadi) and with each and every song on the setlist continued to prove why she had all those followers and views—not that she needed to prove anything.

Ally wasn’t on stage alone. She was accompanied by drummer Dominic Marraffa, guitarist Preston Ross, and bassist Ian Ross (the latter with an uncanny resemblance to actor Ben Whishaw), each of which were competent musicians elevating not just Ally, but each other. For her performance of bagpipe-essential tune “Amazing Grace,” Ally brought out two musicians from the Capital District Youth Pipe Band. Sadie and Brennan’s presence for the classic hymn made the moment really special to see and hear.

Ally’s musical talents weren’t limited to the bagpipes—she smoothly played the penny whistle throughout the set, and offered her vocals to a few songs, including to her version of “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses, which also gave the audience a rare chance to hear the bagpipes tuned to a different key. In the same medley containing Guns N’ Roses, the audience was given a real treat. Eiffel 65’s “Blue (Da Ba Dee)”, Dragonforce’s “Through the Fire and Flames”, Darude’s “Sandstorm,” and the iconic guitar solo from Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird” were woven together as she showcased the nimble fingers and breath control necessary for playing the pipes well. Remind me not to compete against her in Guitar —er, Bagpipe—Hero.

Closing out the main part of her set, Ally played some more notable crowd favorites, including a Metallica medley, Hans Zimmer’s Pirates of the Caribbean theme, and Dropkick Murphys’ “Shipping Up to Boston.” As an encore, she played her original tune “Follow Through” and finally, a wildly fun and expert rendition of Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train.”

Her mother, seated directly in front of me, cheered her on the whole time—the joy and pride palpable with every “WHOO!” she shouted. But, it wasn’t just her mother. It was clear the audience at The Egg had a grand time with Ally, her band, and her bagpipes. At the end, she received a well-deserved standing ovation for the last stop, and hometown stop, on her tour.

Ally’s musical skill and showmanship should sow pride from the 518. She’s another example in the long list of excellent musicians to rise from our humble little nook of New York State, and prove how there is a niche for every sound and genre out there. I look forward to seeing what she does next with her career, and hope she continues to receive sold out crowds no matter where she goes. She deserves it!

To learn more about Ally the Piper, visit https://piperally.com/