Black Ship Sky

Local modern rock quartet Black Ship Sky plays everything from punk based hoppin' tunes to gorgeous classic rock ballads, with fluid fast licks, blitzkrieg vocals, seamless rhythms and technical precision. They might remind you of a modern day Stevie Ray Vaghan or Led Zeppelin, with a little bit of blues and a fist full of rock in roll fury. - Metromix orlando

Spring Break resembles the unknown, the unpredictable and the finer things in life that are meant to be enjoyed. This past week falls in line with those three points. I visited a friend of mine in the greater Orlando area for a few days and just like typical college-aged men do, we hit up the local bar. We stopped into this humble abode called The Haven Lounge in downtown Winter Park for waterfalls of beer, bulls-eyes of darts and racks of pool. The two of us didn’t possess a clue as to who would be performing the show. Needless to say, after a pitcher of Heineken set in and two sudden death rounds of pool, the first band took the stage. Yep, you guessed it the first band was, aptly named, Black Ship Sky.



Hailing from Orlando, Black Ship Sky is a mixture of different cultures. On their MySpace, the band describes itself as “A freakin’ United Nations of rockers!” Why not? Diversity always works. Black Ship Sky performs their blend of rock & roll with the ferocity and intensity of a twisting tornado. Think “Twister” with Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt, 1996. The final scene where both of them tie leather belts around the pipe to avoid being sucked up by the chaotic twister. Take that image, and put some Black Ship Sky numbers on it. You’ve got yourself the spirit of rock & roll that is Black Ship Sky.

On their songs such as “Black & White” and “Quidditch,” the band’s lead guitarist, Simon, lays down some impressive, blistering solos. For a band that’s still a fledgling act (they’ve been around less than a year), BSS is on its way to take Orlando by force.

The Orlando quartet currently is performing a few shows in the downtown Orlando area. Not only are they all a nice bunch of dudes, they play better live than what their EP has to offer. No lie. Check them out, have a beer, relax, unwind and board yourself on the Black Ship Sky!

- consequence of sound

"I got a chance to see Black Ship Sky on a recent trip to Orlando on
March 13th. The venue was the Haven, a self-described "alternative bar"
known for it's down and dirty atmosphere and for the hard-rocking
metalhead bands that always materialize at it's many open mic nights.
The band is fronted by lead singer Kris, who after introducing the band
and strapping on his signature 12 string, forced the audience to move
with his blitzkreig vocals and falsetto. With a leopard print cowboy
hat perched high atop his apparently 10 foot tall frame, lead guitarist
Simon brought the heat with fluid, fast licks, seeming to take great
pleasure in rousing the crowd by taking up vocals on "Quidditch Song," a
power-pop local crowd favorite. A flowing, clockwork groove formed by
bassist Thuan meshed seamlessly with the drums, which came heavy and
fast, with a technical precision and pocket feel that hint at years of
playing by percussionist Dave. Overall the setlist was diverse and the
crowd got what they came for: cheap drinks and the unsinkable Black Ship
Sky."

- Josh Hedding