Born in the 2000’s rock scene, CastorTroy rose from the post- Katrina gulf coast and was a name any fan of the area’s hard rock music would come to know well. They hit the scene hard through the last half of the decade, touring the region and sharing the stage with high profile acts like Rev Theory, Egypt Central, Black Stone Cherry and many others, culminating with a killer opening set in front of a huge coliseum crowd at CPR Fest X.
While CastorTroy were running strong for those years, it came to be that they had run their course not long after the CPR Fest appearance, and the band became a fond memory to many gulf coast rockers… until now.
CastorTroy returned to the gulf coast scene this summer, performing two shows at Hard Rock Cafe in Biloxi. The return to the stage after an incredible 14 year hiatus and everything that went with it, including vintage merch items that had been stored away all this time, undoubtedly dug up a great deal of nostalgia for the band and longtime fans… but make no mistake, this reunion wasn’t a one-off jam for good times.
The band is back.
“The time is now,” said guitarist Michael Dunnaway. He and drummer Matt White, who trace their musical history back to their childhood jamming together at family gatherings, have played in other area bands and kept the music flowing throughout these years, as has bassist Stacy Griffin. For vocalist Christopher Scott, who had been living happily with his off stage family, the reunion marked his first live performance since the band’s hiatus began.
“The first couple practices were rough, I’m not gonna lie,” he said of picking up the mic again. “You gotta knock the rust off, you gotta get back in it. Once you start going full blown… I got a little more comfortable. Playing with these guys- we’re a brotherhood, we’re always gonna mesh.”
“I’ve missed it for fourteen years,” he continued. “I really have, and I’m so happy. It’s brought a whole new life, juices are flowing.”
“I’ve been wanting to do it for fourteen years!” said Matt, sharing the same sentiment. “I just had that itch to get back and do it… I’m all about the scene down here. Writing original music is what it’s about for me. It kind of came together full circle… It just kinda happened within the past six months.”
