Poets of the Fall – Arena, Moscow; March 23rd, 2013
Moscow, the show I had most anticipated as well as the one I had most feared. Ever since the DVD filming was announced for that show I knew two things: a) it was going to be even crazier than usual and b) I absolutely had to make it to front row for this one. Remembering the previous year’s chaos, I was convinced I didn’t have much chance of making it.
We arrived in snowy Moscow at ten in the morning. The guys weren’t there yet and didn’t arrive on the next two trains either. Since I needed to find my hotel, this was as much waiting as I could do so there was no saying hello at the train station this time. I said goodbye to my friends for the time being, N. helped me find the subway in the right direction and off I went. Found the hotel, had just enough time to take a shower and change before I had to go to the venue. Arrived shortly after 2 pm to about 20 people already waiting. To my great relief the ramp that led to the doors and had been all ice last year was covered with a carpet so there was less danger to fall on the way in. Phew. Some friends were already there, others arrived soon and we huddled together to keep a bit of warmth in the icy wind. I went to a nearby cafe for a little while to get food and hot tea, but that was early on. What followed were endless hours of waiting and freezing, without being sure I still had all my toes. Of course it got chaotic and pretty squishy, but that was all not as bad as the year before. About an hour before they opened the venue staff came out and brought us hot, sweet tea. Such a wonderful caring gesture – there haven’t been many times I’ve been this grateful for a sip of hot liquid running down my throat. It only warmed us momentarily, but it helped a great deal. 🙂
Then the doors opened and naturally everyone tried to get in at once. I made it up the ramp and through the doors. I ran and I arrived in front row between Marko and Ollie, waiting for my friends. They settled for a spot a bit further to the left on the other side of the camera that was set up in front of the stage. The relief I felt was unbelievable. I took off several layers of jackets, settled in, put up my banner and took a look around. I saw two cameras in front of the stage and two on stage plus one on one of those moveable arms. More and more people came in, there was not much room to move, but I had made it. I could hardly believe my luck. So much happiness ran through me and put a huge smile on my face. 😀
I watched Einari preparing the stage, tuning guitars, bringing towels and drinks, putting the red feather boa up on the micstand and finally switching on the microphone. The camera crew came and took their places, a few photographers walked in. Not long now. I felt the excitement grow all around me, the entire hall was buzzing with anticipation. When the intro started all of that unloaded in thunderous applause and a deafening roar from the audience. “Good luck, guys!” I whispered, then screamed at the top of my lungs along with everyone else. If I had wondered a little beforehand, why they picked Moscow to record the DVD when it’s somewhat complicated to travel to for anyone not Russian, there was my answer. I have no idea if the concert was sold out, but I could feel every single person in that hall loved these guys to bits and didn’t want to be anywhere else in the world at that moment. The guys walked on stage one by one with slow, determined strides, taking their places. Ollie smiled when he saw I had made it to the front and gave me a thumbs up. I smiled right back at him. “It’s OK dear, I could not let you do this alone now, could I?” Had I thought the noise from the crowd could not get any louder I was proven wrong when Marko walked out. That must have been audible even through the in-ear monitors. He gave me a brief nod when he saw me and I responded likewise “I’m here to support you, this is home.”
I knew the setlist, I had seen the “rehearsal” the previous day and still I was blown away by the sheer power the guys put into their performance. If they were nervous about being filmed they didn’t show it. They drummed, played keyboards, guitars, bass and sang as if there was no tomorrow. The crew outdid themselves too: the sound was brilliant and the lighting just perfect, somehow more accentuated than usual. When the first song ended with the words “It will be delicious” I had no doubts whatsoever. It already was.
Marko got rid of his jacket quickly – it must have been hot on stage with all these lights. He told us that spring wasn’t there yet and he had the feeling someone was locking up the sun. Time to rock out! I realized I could not jump much, because the people behind me didn’t jump along with me, but I tried a little anyway. Along with Marko I held out my hand and turned back time, danced, headbanged and kept it up through ‘Kamikaze Love’ as well. Finally ‘Jeremiah Peacekeeper’ gave me a chance to take a deep breath and just listen. The song never fails to give me goose bumps and as I watched lighters going on around me I was sorry I hadn’t brought mine. Thus, waving my hand had to do.
It was almost impossible to take everything in and I sometimes wondered who the cameras were focusing on. Jari in the back, often drumming like a madman? Jaska, Jani and Ollie sharing solos, dueling, watching each other and always smiling appreciatively when something went well? Captain, air drumming behind the keyboards and pointing at the others when it was there moment to shine? Or Marko who hardly ever stood still? “10 years people! It is time to look back” he introduced ‘Given and denied’ and before ‘Don’t mess with me’ he asked us which song from ‘Signs of Life’ we wanted to hear.
Everything was beautiful, every move was right, every note perfect. So many sweet little moments that I can’t recall in detail, but made the show more real. One thing I love about this band is that with all their perfectionism and sense for a well scripted show, there are times when they just lose themselves in the music and in the moment, when their passion shows and it become clear how much the enjoy what they are doing. These little things are the ones that count and they set them apart from other bands. Even with the pressure of having only one shot at this DVD they apparently had fun. The guys might have tried being a little less crazy than usual at the beginning, but once the show was on the road they just forgot all about that and gave everything they had to give.
“Every person is sacred, everyone is a temple of thought” – chills down my spine indeed. This whole concert was so emotional, I felt the music in my entire body, went with the flow, lost my sense of time. ‘Everything fades’ was once again a high point for me – the first Poets song I ever fell in love with. For ‘Cradled in Love’ Marko asked us to sing along and sing we did – it was beautiful. Some people again held lighters, others held hands. Somewhere along the way, Marko introduced everyone and they got well deserved cheers. ‘Stay’ was another great sing-along and ‘Running out of Time’ started with Marko panting as if running. I don’t remember when, but at some point he climbed off stage and went to hug people in the front row. And before the encore Ollie threw us water bottles. He also played a solo down on his knees and when he looked up after, I showed him a double thumbs up.
The whole show was just unbelievable and when ‘Illusion & Dream’, ‘Diamonds 4 Tears’ and ‘Late Goodbye’ had ended the main set I wondered how that had happened so quickly. Didn’t I just run in through those doors in the back? No time to think, to great cheers the guys were back on stage, Marko asking us if we were feeling sleepy. Hell no! Hearing ‘Sleep’ was still welcome and a chance to relax before the madness of ‘Dreaming wide awake’. More jumping, then standing still again and listening in awe to ‘Carnival of Rust’. This is one of the songs that never get old for me. I could hear it a million times and still love it just as much. Many in the audience seemed to share my view. 🙂 If I had thought there could not possibly be more energy left in anyone, I was again proven wrong – ‘Lift’ brought out the last of it and continued into ‘The happy song’ with almost everyone on stage and in front jumping up and down. One last “thank you”, one last scream or a few from the audience while the outtro sounded and the guys walked off stage. Jari threw a few drum sticks and the show was in the can. That’s going to make for a great DVD.
This time all of the guys came out and I wanted to hug them all, but there was absolutely no room for that. Thus I told them how amazing it was “11 on a ten scale!” Captain was very happy about that. Ollie admitted to being nervous and I told him “You did well!” that made him smile. A few words with each of them before they left. I looked at my friends and we agreed it had been amazing. “WOW !” was what came to mind. We gathered our things and walked out, happy, thirsty and lost for words. There was one feeling we all shared though: LOVE – for the music, the Poets, each other and we knew these memories are going to last for a lifetime.
Poets of the Fall 10th anniversary tour – 4 gigs down, so far 6 to go. Next stop: Krasnodar.
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