The Regent Theater in Downtown LA became the center of attention for an unforgettable evening full of metal chaos as Korpiklaani, Ensiferum, Trollfest, and NiNi Music banded together for Folkfest Of The North, delivering a spectacle of sights and sounds of Folk Metal from The East and The West unlike any other. The intensity in the venue from the moment the doors were opened was pure electric—whether you came for the loud noise and riffs of dark heavy metal music, the folk-style melodies and sounds, or just to party like it’s 1999, this show had something for everyone.
Written by Don Marcelo
NiNi MUSIC – An Alluring Amalgamation of Folk Metal where East meets West.
Spearheading off the night, NiNi Music set the tone on stage as the first act with a performance that blended ancient Chinese Instruments with modern metal music. Frontwoman NiNi commanded the crowd with her charm and energy and her mastery of playing her Ancient Chinese instruments, the Ruan, Liuqin, and Sanxian, where she seamlessly integrated traditional melodies into hard and heavy metal compositions and riffs. The band’s overall performance elevated the energy of the place that put the mesmerized audience into a world of perfect harmony where East Music met West Music in total synchronicity. NiNi’s stage presence alone was nothing short of captivating from her elegant Chinese regalia, to her fire make up, to her mastery of playing her instruments. NiNi Music definitely set the tone for the night showcasing a unique and different style of Heavy Folk Metal Music—East meets West Folk Metal Style.
NiNi Music links
Photo Gallery of the performance by © Don Marcelo Photography 2025
TROLLFEST – An Absolute Pandemonium of Men dressed in Pink Flamingo outfits, a dancing and Beer-Drinking Bedlam Band.
If NiNi Music can be defined as the epitome of pure elegance and allure of Folk Metal Music, Trollfest can be defined as the total opposite of elegance–they are pure madness, mayhem and fun all mixed as one. Trollfest jumped in as the next act after NiNi and pounced the audience with pure, unfiltered adrenaline-driven chaos, and beer-drinking bedlam . The Norwegian PARTY-PEOPLE, PINK FLAMINGO TROLLS turned The Regent Theater DTLA into a beer-soaked carnival of uproar, reminiscent of college frat parties without the cops breaking up the party. Dancing like a flamingo was considered normal just as head banging, after all, this is a metal show. Songs like “Kaptein Kaos” and “Hen of Hades” had the crowd prancing and bouncing around uncontrollably as if the band put a spell on them and forced them to buy more beer from the bar and empty the kegs. But the real game changer of the night was when they played “Dance Like a Pink Flamingo,” which made the audience flail their arms and run around in circles on the floor like a chicken with its head chopped off. One of the members even got off the stage and started a party train with the fans. With their absurd antics, crazy costumes, inoculable humor, and endless shenanigans on stage, Trollfest proved to their fans once again why they are considered to be one of the most entertaining bands who are unstoppable with their madness in the folk metal scene.
Trollfest links
Photo Gallery of the performance by © Don Marcelo Photography 2025
ENSIFERUM – A Valhalla-Like Heavy Metal Assault Experience.
After Trollfest’s beer bedlam performance, Ensiferum, the co-headliner, brought a sense of Heroic Glory to the night with their narrative and signature style of Metal sounds. Their signature sounds of melodic death metal macerated with folk music elements and tales filled the venue with an atmosphere like of sword-swinging Viking Warriors ready for battle and prepared to meet Valhalla if things don’t go their way. Songs like “In My Sword I Trust” and “Victory Song” turned the fans into a sea of uncontrollable head banging combatants. The cinematic stage with its dark lighting infused with heavy fog and hard-hitting melodies combined for a truly exciting and gripping experience, making it feel as if the audience had stepped into a fantastical battlefield armed with swords and shields and a fight to the death.
Ensiferum links
https://ensiferum.com
Photo Gallery of the performance by © Don Marcelo Photography 2025
KORPIKLAANI – The Ultimate Folk Metal Onslaught and Party
Last and certainly not the least, the other co-headliner Korpiklaani took the crowd to a different level with their high energy and signature folk metal style of music. Every song and every note they played with their instruments felt like a celebratory toast to the Joys of Music and Life. The exciting violin and accordion-driven melodies coupled with the heavy and hard sounds of metal constructed an environment that was part performance art, part traditional festival, but all Metal Mayhem as fans moshed, danced, waved their arms around, and raised their drinks in triumph and praise for an epic night and performance by the band and all the other bands who performed before them. The Korpiklaani’s perfect musicianship made every song an absolute immersive and earth-shattering experience, reminding everyone why Korpiklaani is considered as the king of folk metal jollity and revelry.
Korpiklaani links
Photo Gallery of the performance by © Don Marcelo Photography 2025
IN CONCLUSION: A Magical, Mythical, and Apocalyptic Party Night Experience of Folk Metal Force was had by all.
Folkfest Of The North at The Regent Theater in DTLA was not just a concert—it was an all-out celebration of folk metal style. It was a celebration of Music. It was a gathering of Party People. It was a celebration of Life. From NiNi Music’s exciting and distinguished fusion of East and West Folk Metal Music to Trollfest’s antics, chaos, beer-driven bedlam, and shenanigans, from Ensiferum’s Valhalla-like anthems to Korpiklaani’s alcohol driven festivity and mayhem, each band contributed their own unique style and charm to the stage, captivating the audience attention and making them want for more. It was a night that fans will never ever forget.
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