Poets of the Fall – Rock Cafe, Tallinn; May 4th, 2012

It’s almost noon, I’m sitting at Tallinn airport waiting for my flight to Riga with my heart full of longing and lots of tangled up thoughts in my head. I would much rather go home right now, but when I booked the trip to Riga there was going to be a gig and rebooking everything would have been more expensive than just going there so I decided to make the best of it.

So how does it feel, leaving after the last gig on tour? There are so many emotions right now that I find it difficult to put them into words. I have never before followed an entire tour of any band. I don’t think I have ever before seen so many concerts in such a short time span. There are countless happy memories to come back to, beautiful moments to relive and rerun on my mind. They may get hazy over time, but the feelings of happiness and wonder remain…

The Tallinn gig started out with mixed emotions already. It had been great weather and the city is nice, so I enjoyed walking around. When we got to the venue there was nobody in line and even when they opened the doors the line was short. Then the first bummer: They took away my camera and didn’t even give me anything that I could use to get it back like a tag or something. Thus I was very worried I would not get it back at all. The awesome POTF crew, namely Hannu and Petri offered that I could store the camera backstage with their stuff instead. Great idea, but the venue would not give it back to me. 🙁

The place filled very slowly. The guys had two support acts. Neither was to write home about and I got quite bored. Also the people behind N. and me were rather drunk so we both feared the audience might be crappy and not very attentive. So the conditions were all but great. While the stage was set up for the Poets, I felt melancholia get to me. I cried, cried because I knew it was the last concert and because I had no idea when I would see the guys again after this. I wasn’t sobbing or anything, just a few tears burning in my eyes, silently running down my cheeks. Sometimes I love this band so much that it hurts.

And then the lights went out and the intro to ‘Kamikaze Love’ started. I screamed as loud as I could when the guys walked on stage and heard the same scream echoed by the people around me and behind. By the time Marko strolled to the mic, smiling, holding it out to us, the crowd noise had reached even higher levels. My sadness was replaced by joy instantly. Joy at being alive, joy at being able to see my favorite band in the world do what they do best: play live!

I fully fell into the music, nothing else mattered any more. They audience turned out to be great! They knew all the songs and sang along too. 🙂 That participation reflected back on the band. They were clearly enjoying the gig. Some time early on Marko announced that since this was the last gig of the spring tour he would make us fight for the feather boa. He started with trying to figure out which side could yell louder. At one point he pulled a particularly long feather from the boa and handed it to me. It was difficult because so many hands went up for it, but he made sure I had it before he let go. <3

During ‘Diamonds for Tears’ Marko reached out to the audience and shook hands for the first time and cause some commotion behind me from people trying to get a handshake. He also kept teasing with the boa for most of the gig and people tried to grab it whenever he held it out.

My Russian friends had brought Roses so we threw them on stage during the song. I threw mine at Jani (I think I actually hit him which was not my intention *laughs*) – he picked it up and stuck it to his bass. Captain stuck one in his keyboard stand too and I think Marko hogged all the others. Not much tearing them apart this time though, he just threw a few back at the crowd.

For ‘Cradled in Love’ Marko asked us if we had come to the gig with a friend and to hold on to them now. N. and joined hands for the song and so did many other people. The guy next to me held up his lighter the entire time, it looked quite nice. My lighter had died after the first cruise so I could not do the same.

I jumped around a lot at this gig, having some room to move for a change. I just hope I didn’t jump on too many feet. It was impossible for me to stand still during ‘Locking up the sun’ or ‘Gravity’ and lots of other songs. I barely noticed that one of the photographers took quite a few pictures of me in the beginning of the gig. Guess he liked how much I was enjoying it. It certainly shows on the pictures I saw. Apparently I even headbanged. I’m not entirely sure I remember that, at least not during the first three songs. 😀

In the beginning of the show a guy held out a piece of paper with a pen to Marko to get it autographed. He did it too, without missing a note. His ability to multitask amazes me. 😉 Much later, the same guy wrote something on the other half of the paper and handed it over. Marko read it and put it in his pocket. I’m really curious to know what it said, but I guess that will remain a mystery.

All the guys had fun, but I cannot remember anything unusual from them, just lost of smiles and moving about. I got a nice close up view of everyone playing in front of me from time to time. The songs worked well, the audience was much into each one and rocked along. The singing during ‘Late Goodbye’ was great.

The acoustic set contained ‘Sorry go round’ and ‘Someone Special’. They guy next to me yelled for ‘Carnival of Rust’ so I told him they’d play that later. Jani had brought the double bass again, it really made me happy to see and hear it one more time.

Near the end of the show, Marko started the screaming contest between both sides of the audience again and decided he was gonna give one half of the boa to each side. Easier said than done, since it would not come apart no matte how hard people pulled. Lost a lot of feathers though. Marko gave it up to the people and commented there were lots of feathers on it. Next to me two women had one end each and would not let go. Someone tried to burn it apart it the center and for a moment I thought the whole thing would go up in flames, but it finally gave way and each of the women got one half. Funny! 😀

The show ended with ‘Lift’ and more jumping on my side. A last burst of energy on stage and in front before they all left for the last time this spring.

Jari came over and tried giving me a drumstick, but someone snatched it from his hands before I could get a hold of it. I didn’t quite realize at first that it was meant for me because I already have one and when I did, I wasn’t quick enough. Jari looked at me apologetically and I just smiled mouthing “it’s OK. Thank you!” He was the last one to leave stage and it was over.

We stood and waited, chatted, many people left. Marko, Ollie, Jani and Jaska came out to sign autographs. I thanked and hugged all of them, exchanged a few words on how great the tour was and that I didn’t know when I’d come to see them in summer. I was so happy that I got to say goodbye to them properly. It would have felt weird if I hadn’t. Said goodbye to the crew too, before I left, at least to those I saw. Hugged Petri and then we were told to leave.

The night ended at a bar with T. and S. drinking Cider, sharing food and stories. It was lovely and at 3 a.m. we finally made our way home or rather to our respective hotels. 6 wonderful weeks and 16 amazing gigs behind me I felt exhausted and yes – very happy. I also cried some, but as always, the tears were more joyful than sad. It was so worth it and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Now until I find that rewind button, a time turner or a vortex manipulator, I guess all I can do is to fondly look back on these past weeks and smile at the memories. See you in summer guys, take good care of yourselves. 🙂

16 gigs down, none to go. Last stop: home

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

Encore:
Dreaming wide awake
Carnival of Rust
Lift