Folkstone is an Italian Folk Rock/Metal band from Bergamo, born between 2004 and 2005. The idea of this project is to bring back to life ancient sounds with a Extreme Rock/Metal alcoholic mark. At the beginning the band finds inspiration in transalpine bands, remaining closed to traditional electric instruments: Fore at drums, Ferro at bass and Angelino on guitar. The frontman is the orobic Lore with his strong voice. At the end of the year medieval bagpipes, bombards and the traditional north italian bagpipe – the Baghèt – make their appearance…giving the band the own final sound. Teo is the first piper, then Roby joins the clan and at the end Andreas completes the line up.
So 2007 comes. In this year Folkstone records their first demo Briganti di Montagna, that receives good responses, so work goes on until the debut full-length, Folkstone. In this album a new member joins the band, she’s Becky, who spices the sound with the celtic harp. In the meantime Angelino leaves the group and Ghera replaces the guitar. In 2008 the album is ready and its release is followed by an intense live activity in Italy and north Europe, at festivals like Wave Gothic Treffen (Leipzig -D), Cernunnos Pagan Fest (Paris -F), Sauzipf Rock Festival (Döbriach -A), Fiesta Pagana (Zürich -CH), Medieval Fest (Selb – D), Tanzt! Mittelalter Fest (Keindorf –A) Hoernerfest (Hamburg -D) and so on…
…until the end of 2009. New year, new changes! Ghera goes away and Luca takes his place at 6 strings. At the end of the year, Folkstone write and record the second album, Damnati ad Metalla. The album announces important collaborations…like the one with their sound engineer and artist producer Yonatan Rukhman. During songwriting, Becky decides to leave the band and Clara takes her place at the celtic harp. The new year comes with a new album, new formation…and a lot of beer of course! 
On 14th March 2010 the new album Damnati ad Metalla is released, received very positively by critics and fans. Since the first gig, the eclectic multi-instrumentalist and composer Mauriziojoins the clan with acoustic instruments, but when Luca leaves the formation he takes his place as guitarist until the end of tour.
An intense live tour begins, with the partecipation at important festivals such as Rock in Somma (VA), Fosch Fest (BG) of which they’re also promoters, Ambria Music Festival (BG). As well as great italian live clubs, as Siddhartha (PO), Target (BA), Boulevard (RN), Black Out (Rome), Rock’n Roll Arena (NO)…this concerning Italy, while in foreign countries Folkstone partecipate at Beltine Festival in Prague, Norhern Light Festival in Reichenthal (A) and the Feuertanz Festival 2010 in Nuremberg (D) – as the only Italian band – with In Extremo, Die Apokalyptischen Reiter, Subway to Sally…
So an intensive tour, that includes – among other things – the release of a new arrangement of the song Vortici Scuri (Damnati ad Metalla, 2010), in acoustic version, revisited with the sweet sound of harp, fascinating low whistles and ancient hurdy-gurdies. Thanks to the appreciation from the audience, the band decides to record the song and made it free downloadable from the web. In September a new change in the line up. The first drummer Marco “Fore” leave the formation and Edoardo Sala takes his place. At the end of the tour, the historical bassist Davide “Ferro”also announces his retreat.
And here we get to 2011. While the “mountain bandits” write new songs for the next full-lenght and record a acoustic medieval album (scheduled release in late April), a new tour restarts at Live Club of Trezzo d’Adda (MI). Here we see new musicians following the band during the gigs, Federico Maffei at bass and Walter Franchi at guitar, while Maurizio come back to his woodwinds and traditional strings.
A new amazing season has just begun…of concerts and drinking…full of Medieval Rock!
See you live!!
Acoustic Formation
The FolkStone Acoustic Formation was born for the purpose to bring to life the ancient job of the minstrel..who wandered from place to place for the entertainment of people.
“Benvenuti Lor Signori!..li barbari Folkstone nello Vostro Borgo sono arrivati e li soni antichi son tornati..tra sacro et profano..tra foco et tamburo..che Voi balliate con passo sicuro!”
From the artistic fusion of Daniele lo Miserabile at his rocking davul with the ancient bagpipes, rauschpfeifes, woodwinds and percussions, original and rearranged songs have been brought to light by FolkStone‘s inspiration. In the middle of the show, the curtain opens and amazing fire shows follow the pipes and the beats, flaming ropes and flying torches capture the people! 
