Poets of the Fall – Himos Areena, Jämsä; April 7th 2012
This is what I texted to L. after last night’s gig and it’s really all that needs to be said. For sure this was one of the best this year so far! Everything about it was wonderful and hearing ‘Shallow’ for the first time ever was only the icing on the cake.
The night had been short, but I hadn’t expected anything else. We had breakfast with a view of the – now empty – stage, picked up the rental car and were on our way around noon. Special thanks to C. for driving us! The trip was uneventful, except for the fact that it took us ages to find our hotel, but around 4:30 p.m. we had managed that too, went for a walk in the snow and had dinner. The usual waiting, luckily only ten minutes of it spent out in the cold.
The arena looked small, but was bigger on the inside. The stage was large, but not too high and had a sort of wooden railing that angled back and was very comfortable to lean on. It took some time for the place to fill up. Luckily people were nice and did not try to squeeze into front row just before the concert started.
When Einari prepared the stage and walked out with a single sheet of paper that had writing on it I immediately knew this was not the setlist. It was handwritten and there were way too many words. He taped it down where I could not see it, but I was sure this could only be lyrics to a song so I did expect one more of the new songs to make an appearance.
They started playing and I dove right into the music, feeling and breathing every word. All worries I might have had fell away from me and being tired didn’t matter any more. All questions answered right then and there: This is why I take it upon me to travel kilometer after kilometer to follow the band, this is why I learn to survive on far too little sleep, put up with occasionally bad hotel beds and unhealthy food at sometimes strange hours. This is what makes me feel alive and it’s something that noone can ever take away from me!
By now I know the setlist and order of songs. That gives me time to pay more attention to what’s going on on stage, because I don’t have to think about which song might be next. However, knowing there would be a change at some point this time around made it all exciting again. I kept wondering which of the new songs they might play and at which point of the show it might fit.
From where I was standing I could watch everyone but Jari. I had a great view of the drums too but he was hidden behind the cymbals the entire time. The large stage gave everyone room to move and they did, Jaska and Ollie changing places quite often, Jani walking back and forth between the left side of stage and the right. Marko, as usual was all over the place.
All the songs seemed exceptionally beautiful that night. The band gave all they had for an appreciative audience. So much was going on that I had a hard time seeing everything. I watched completely in awe, often leaning on to the railing and even resting my head on my arms, all very relaxed. At other times, the railing was perfect to drum along to the music – it sounded pretty good and was a change from the usual clapping.
Marko again was fiddling with his new toy (the heart rate monitor). He noticed that C. and I were laughing about it and later came over to show us his current heart rate. Why? I have no idea, but it lead to some more laughter. 108, ey – I would guess mine might have been higher at that moment. 😉
I don’t have any specific memory of the songs that night other than thoroughly enjoying each and every one. I do remember some great and funny moments though like Marko conducting the crowd to sing “Paljon Onnea” for Ollie, since the gig was after midnight and it was his 18th birthday (or so Marko claimed). He also got the top hat for the occasion, but later it was stolen by Captain. Jaska seemed to be tired of sharing – he brought his own hat and wore it during the acoustic set. Way cool.
Marko was having fun with water bottles too. He showered us with one and later spilled so much water on stage that Einari had to wipe it off with a towel. All the guys were in a great mood once again playing their hearts out apparently loving every minute of the gig.
When I wasn’t watching in total awe, smiling happily, jumping around, singing along or drumming on the railing, my thoughts kept going back to that sheet of paper Einari had taped down before the gig, wondering which lyrics might be on there. Finally, at the end of the acoustic part we were in for a special treat. When the music started I could not believe my ears. “No way!” I though, “they have almost never played this. It can’t be… or is it?” Then I heard he words “More in my face, than is my taste…” and knew I had not been imagining things. It really was ‘Shallow’. From what my face felt like, I’m fairly sure the expression on it was one of wonder and when I looked around I saw just that reflected on many faces. I thought my heart would burst with happiness. As if that wasn’t enough, Marko came over, held my hand and sang to me for a while. <3
After so much awesomeness the concert could have ended right then and there, but instead they rocked us right into the encores. There was so much energy in the room – on stage as well as in the audience. Just amazing! When they arrived at the last song it seemed as if they made it last extra long this time. Maybe they wanted to leave this gig as little as I did. As the last notes rung out and they walked of stage, we were yelling and screaming for more. And when the lights went back on, everyone blinked, stunned by what we had just witnessed. It cannot get any better than this!
7 gigs down, 9 to go. Next stop: Nilsiä
Setlist
Kamikaze Love
Diamonds for Tears
Temple of Thought
Roses
Cradled in Love
Locking up the Sun
War
The Lie Eternal
Stay
Illusion & Dream
Gravity
Late Goodbye
Acoustic:
Sorry Go Round (Bossa Nova)
Someone special
Shallow
Encore:
Dreaming wide awake
Carnival of Rust
Lift