Poets of the Fall – Arena Hall, Krasnodar; March 24th, 2013
After the Moscow gig I got a meager three hours of sleep before I had to go to the airport. The traveling was taking its toll and all I wanted to do was sleep. I managed to stay awake until I was on the plane, but already missed the start. When we landed in Krasnodar, I felt a little better. Had airport pickup agreed with my hotel, but nobody came to get me. Luckily there was a really helpful taxi driver, who, even though he didn’t get any business from me, helped me find someone who spoke English and called my hotel. They did send me a car after all. Hotel was nice, but nobody spoke English there either. I ended up communicating with them via Google translate. Note to self: get Russian phrasebook!
Didn’t have time for sightseeing or resting much, but managed to get some food before I set out to find the venue. It was surprisingly complicated since it as in one side building of a large shopping mall. Arrived around 3 or 3:30 and was the second person at the door. Good start! It was also nice to have a roof over my head and the weather wasn’t nearly as cold as in Moscow. I didn’t feel very communicative that day so I spent much of the waiting time listening to music and watching the local street team blowing up red balloons (many of which were killed before we even got in).
I can’t remember when they opened the door, but for some reason they could not read my eTicket and everyone was running by me while I waited. When they finally did let me in, the front row was pretty much take already. I ended up on the far right side. Not a spot I was happy with, but nothing I could do to change it. Shit happens! I was also sorry I hadn’t brought my camera since they were allowed. Only when I found out it was too late to get it from the hotel.
However, all the negative thoughts and emotions fell from me when the intro started. No matter how I feel, Poets of the Fall always manage to put a smile on my face. Lots of red balloons flew on stage as the guys walked out and they had much fun kicking them about. Marko took a particularly big one, read what was written on there (I could not see it) and put it up on his mic stand. It fell of though and he kicked it about a bit, always hitting the ceiling, until it finally ended up behind the drums. It made a reappearance later when Captain picked it up and kicked it into the audience, it came right back. Ollie tried kicking it off again, but failed, hitting the speakers that hung from the ceiling. Jani and Jaska tried and failed the same way at different times during the concert – it was hilarious. Finally Jani stepped on the balloon and popped it. The satisfied smile on his face was just priceless. 😀
It was such a relaxed show for the guys and they were all going a little bit crazy that night. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Ollie dancing across the stage and turning on the spot this wildly and I’ve seen him do it many times. Everyone else was going just as crazy and they all wore very happy smiles on their faces – with good reason I’d say. After the filming went so well they should be happy. The good mood carried over to the audience as well. Everyone looked like they were having a great time. I felt sorry for the guy next to me, because I sang along loudly and only later realized he was filming – that can’t have sounded good.
Since I was not on my usual side of the stage it took the guys a little while to see me, but they did eventually. 🙂 At one point Marko even came over to shake my hand. <3 Since the front row was closer to the stage than at the previous two gigs he took the chance for close interaction with the audience a lot. At least when he was not busy dancing across stage like crazy, twisting and turning round and round with the micstand in both hands. During ‘Kamikaze Love’ he picked up a heart shaped balloon, took it close to his chest and made it move like a beating heart.
Jani and Jaska both had trouble standing under the speakers that hung from the ceiling on the sides of the stage, because they were just hanging too low. Later on, when Ollie stood under there, Jani came over and said something, pointing upward. I imagined it being along the lines “You’re the only one short enough to stand under those”. XD Either way, they were both grinning.
The whole show was fun and all the songs were amazing. I enjoyed having some space to dance and jump around instead of being squeezed in. Too soon the encores came along. Marko noted he had put his striped shirt on backwards. 😉 Everyone rocked out and/or sang along for the last few songs, jumping, dancing, having fun. The Poets surely gave Krasnodar a great first show.
Afterwards they all came out, Jani was jokingly wondering who I was and I got hugs from him, Ollie and Captain. I told them I enjoyed it and that we’d see each other in Yekaterinburg. 🙂 On my way back to the hotel I tried to find some food, but everything was closed so I had to make do with some candy. A few hours of sleep, then I was on the road again.
Poets of the Fall 10th anniversary tour – 5 gigs down, so far 5 to go. Next stop: Yekaterinburg.
Setlist
Delicious
Lockig up the sun
Kamikaze Love
Jeremiah Peacekeeper
Given and denied
Don’t mess with me
Temple of Thought
Everything fades
Cradled in Love
Stay
Running out of time
Illusion & Dream
Diamonds for tears
Late Godbye
Encore
Sleep
Dreaming wide awake
Carnival of Rust
Lift
The Happy Song