Wednesday 14.1.2015 - Superpark, Oulu
Back from the Holiday break !! We (me, Tony & Tommy) took the train to Oulu in the afternoon, making it to the venue a good hour before soundcheck. It was nice to meet all the dudes since it’s been over a month that we did anything together. During the soundcheck we started to get the feel for it, being a bit rusty but that’s how it goes sometimes. In the evening everything was much better and the band clicked like before…back on track so to speak. Went straight to the hotel after the show and watched some netflix before I fell to sleep. Nice to be back playing shows.
Thursday 15.1.2015- Baltic Princess Turku-Stockholm(Sweden)
Managed to get a quick breakfast before we boarded the bus in the morning and I slept quite awhile during our 10+ hour drive down to Turku. On board our crew started to set up the show and we went for dinner. The schedule was kinda hectic so there was no chance for soundcheck. Just before the show we watched some monitor backstage which showed the front of the stage….we counted 9 people and were beginning to suspect that this was going to be a complete disaster. That wasn’t the case however and as soon as we hit the stage the front was packed and the whole restaurant had a good turnout….and the show itself went really well, even better than the day before. Afterwards we had some beers and mingled with people at the bar.
Friday 16.1.2015- Baltic Princess Stockholm (Sweden)-Turku
I got a wake up call for the soundcheck at just after 10 and after that it was time to rest a bit before the show. Todays event was an acoustic 30min + a signing session. The show was ok and the crowd seemed to enjoy this afternoon entertainment bit. We spent around an hour signing stuff afterwards and then it was time to pick up our stuff and leave the ship and head for Tampere. I got a few beers too many on the way and after picking up a pizza my night was over.
Saturday 17.1.2015-Pakkahuone, Tampere
Had a really good and long nights sleep which always is appreciated on the road. Woke up in the afternoon feeling allright and ready…at the soundcheck we ran through some stuff that we’ll be playing next weekend at the Snowcastle show in Kemi. I think the biggest concern there is the weather, if it’s too cold (which it probably will be) it’ll be pure hell to play…although we only play a few songs so I guess we survive somehow. Anyways, Tampere had a really good turnout and this was the best show on this stint in my opinion. At the end of the show we had The Preacher (who’s talking on X-marks the spot and at the beginning and end of our shows) go on stage and do an improvised outro speak live. People where stunned and it was a truly magical moment…for the band as well. Since we were gonna spend the next day in the bus, I went to the hotel and spent my nights watching movies and going through some merch stuff with our merch guy.
Sunday 18.1.2015-Travel Day
Got up in time for breakfast which was excellent…and probably the highlight of my day since the rest of it was spent driving back home. We started at 0900 and at around 1900 I was at home (the second highlight of my day). Next week we play a couple of songs at the SnowCastle and the week after that we have 2 more shows in Finland before getting ready for the extensive Latin American Tour which will be the longest one we’ve done so far. See y’all !!
cheers,
Henkka
Agreed, the Tampere show was phenomenal! The good light/sound combo of the Pakkahuone helps but yeah. It was nice.
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for inviting us to the "mingling". It was...special ;) definitely a good way to start the new year!
Hopefully Tony feels a bit better after sharing his flu with us? LOL
You cut your hair again didn't you? What happened? ahah
ReplyDeleteSometimes you have to do stuff, the long hair really started to bug me so...
DeleteWhat is this snowcastle show? Never heard about, it doesn't even appear on the tourdates
ReplyDeleteIt does now ;-) We're just participating in the grand opening for the Snowcastle by playing a couple of songs...
DeleteOh! Btw I didn't get the chance to tell you on the ship but you look great with the new hairdo :) the short hair might not be very metal but it really suits you ;)
ReplyDeleteHey, thank Punkki for the lights in Pakkahuone - they were great! (And so was the sound) It was a first time in I-don't-even-know-how-long-time when the strobos weren't killing my eyes at all.
ReplyDeleteBut yeah, we had a blast, so thanks. Those were great three days and looks like I have to do another roadtrip and go to Joensuu and Kuopio as well. (25th Sonata gig and 25th birthday - so why not?)
What Sallis said.
ReplyDeleteThanks also to your management/promotion for the good old Pakkahuone!
What? No NHL highlights? What could be more important on Netflix than NHL hockey?! Just kidding. :-) Anything interesting?
ReplyDeleteHey, I read recently somewhere that the Snowcastle in Kemi made it in to the Guiness Book of World Records a couple of years ago. Any chance you might post some pics for us to see?
Awe, sorry to hear Tony caught the flu again. Hopefully it didn't hamper his vocals, if at all. Hope he's feeling better...but I guess he(and the rest of you too) is since you'll be doing the show in Kemi.
Would love to see that new hair cut of yours! Though I also love your long wavy hair, I thought it looked really good when you cut it a couple of years ago. So, is it similar to that or is it shorter?
And speaking of the X-Marks The Spot preacher doing his live outro, I've been wondering if he is the same guy who says, "That's all I got, man!" at the end of the I Can't Dance video. He looks kinda familiar. Who is he?
Stay warm!!
I'll check if I find some snowcastle pics somewhere, my hair is about the same as it was during the SGHN tour and the guy at the end of I can't dance is actually our drumtech from that tour so no, not the same guy ;-)
DeleteAh, I see. So it's possible I've seen him in some of SA's tour blogs during that tour, hence him looking familiar. I don't know why his voice reminded me of the preacher in XMTS...though it could have been possible. Voice-over actors change their voices all the time to have a certain character created...not that he is one.
DeleteI saw some pics of Tony's outfit too...is it reindeer pelt? I heard him talking about how very warm they are in...I think it was a "Making of SGHN" video. I may be one of the odd ones out here by admitting I acually like what he was wearing.:-/...don't think I've seen anything quite like that, but I like it. Ah well, at least he looked warm. :-) I do hope it wasn't too beastly cold!
Will you guys perform at the Emma Gaala?
ReplyDeleteFebr. 27th - Osasco, Brazil...
DeleteAny chance to keep Shamandalie in your setlist, just for a gig or two? Pretty pretty please... :)
ReplyDelete...we'll have to think about it....
DeleteEven if it "wasn't your fault", I still want to thank you and all the guys for playing it. So thanks!
DeleteOk I've seen the pictures from the Lumilinna and after the first HAH reaction to Tony's fuzzy pelts it got me curious. Do you know if it was just for shits and giggles (and warmth!) or there was a meaning to it? It reminded me of Saami clothes and stuff....
ReplyDeleteI have no idea, maybe he was on his way to go hunting or something...
DeleteMaybe he'd just skinned a muppet ;) gotcha, never queste Tony's fashion choices!
DeleteThanks for the blog entries. It helps with SA fix. Hope you kill it on the Latin America tour. Any talk about another live DVD in the futur?
ReplyDeleteNo talks about the next DVD yet...
Delete