Location: Tampere (Finland)
By: Sabine van Gameren
Are you feeling lost when entering the world of MySpace in your search for your new favorite band? Do you have the feeling that there is an overkill of bands and no idea which of all those thousands of MySpace bands are worth to check?
Lost in Music festival is there to help you by selecting a range of Finnish bands which are worth to take a look at.
19-10-2007
I got some slight hints from some in habitants of Tampere to go to Pakkahuone this evening. A few of the most popular Finnish bands would play there tonight.
Later this evening I would hear that some people had been sleeping two days in front of the venue to make sure they would get a nice place at the front row. Seems to be a typical girls night out. I have only seen girls in Pakkahuone.
As soon as the first band started, you could also hear that. Heijaste was first tonight. The band sings in Finnish, so in the first minutes I wondered if the band would ever gain international success.
Viewing some MySpace pages learns me that they have fan pages in different countries. Musically they make some ordinary pop/rock with some punk influences. They have their home base in Tampere, which guarantees them of quite some fans in the audience. Their show is worth mentioning. A huge star of lights hanging behind them and the colored light effects really add something to their performance. Fans scream their lungs out but for whom of the members it is, is quite unclear to me. I think I heard shouting most for the drummer and the guitarist, but it could be equal.
A huge smile and a lot of energy runs on stage next. The band Naked is there. Typical teenage pop music. I don’t know if it is the grin of singer “The Muff” or the energy they give with the total band which makes me like this band. Musically, I would not call them the best, but there is something else.
The incredible attitude of the singer. He easily communicates with the audience and makes you pay attention. Not every musician is gifted with an emanation like “The Muff” has. Then the catchy songs make it fun to be there. “Let’s get naked, and start a revolution” is one of the lyrics sung. A little tricky with such a young audience I would say, but people do not seem to take it all too seriously. You should not! Just enjoy this and have a good time. “Hallelujah!”
When Lovex comes on stage I get a little intimidated. So many screaming girls that it kind of scared me. The band seems to be used to it already and just smiles before they actually start playing. They seem to be very well-known in Germany as well and I even spotted some German fans in the audience. Last year they tried to be the follow up for Lordi to represent Finland at the European song festival, but unfortunately they were not chosen.
The sweet voice of singer Theon does not thrill me though. It was sweet as sugar, maybe even sweeter. We all learn that too much sugar is not good for your teeth. But still, almost everyone likes it. That feeling is comparable to the feeling I have with Lovex. Everyone seems to like it. They did a good show. Musically they were better than Naked, but for me it just did not work out that well. Like with sugar, after you swallow the satisfaction is gone.
Last band of this evening in Pakkahuone is Negative. I saw them earlier in Radio 957 festival so I already was warned for what was coming up. When the circus tunes of the intro started I was happy that I already had my earplugs in. the bands walks on stage with the faces like someone just told them someone close died. When I saw them before, I saw an entertaining show. Here the band seems stiff and unmotivated. The only one who gave the audience a smile was guitarist “Sir Christus”. Overall it seems like the band did not really want to be there at that moment. I slightly feel sorry for the girls who have been sleeping in front of the door from the venue. Was this what they came for?
All the attributes on stage with happy colors look so sad now. Like you are watching it in black and white. And that while this band is made to bring some color. Slightly dramatic hour here. Too bad. I know they can do better, but if it was the first time I saw them I would not recommend them to anyone.
20-10-2007
This day I got several recommendations from the insiders. Mostly in different venues so I was guaranteed that I got my daily exercise by running from venue to venue. Also good that there will be different sorts of music for me this evening.
| My evening starts in Inferno. Here played Morian. Morian has several fan pages in Europe, so I was really curious to what they would bring me tonight. Started in 2002 the band has quite some experience already. The band brings metal, with a little pop edge. This mostly, because the vocals are very clean and the keys make it very listenable for people who are not particularly interested in metal. Fans of bands like Poisonblack and Charon will probably enjoy listening Morian too. I would love to make a compliment on the drummer, since he fascinated me by his enthusiastic drumming during the gig. He seemed to be completely into the music which makes it fascinating to watch. |
| In Klubi were Damn Seagulls about to play. The show was recorded for Finnish television and Klubi was pretty full with people who wanted to see them. This band really makes some unique music. Whether you like it or not, you can not deny that there is something what separates them from the rest. They make a mix of rock, soul, funk, punk and even a little jazz. The attention of the audience is spread between vocals, saxophone and trumpet or the rest of the band. I felt almost sorry that was quite filled, because the music gave me the need to dance. You definitely see the experience, the band gathered in their 10 years existence. If you are in for a party, and have the chance to see them I would hardly recommend them to you. It is worth to see this excellent musicians play. |
| After seeing this band, I had to run back to inferno, where Velcra would play. Because of their arrangements it took them a while to get everything prepared so the show started a little later. Good for me, since I had time to get a drink and get a short rest before they would start. Inferno was filled from front to the back. Seems like Velcra attracts quite some audience. Their industrial music is also a huge change from the band I heard before and where I got stopped from dancing before, I got it going on here. Because everyone did. They played much songs from their latest album “Hadal” and the audience seemed to appreciate it a lot. Unfortunately they could only play for 30 minutes but the audience gave them huge applause. Although they probably knew they were not allowed to play more songs, the audience kept on clapping and cheering for them, just as long that they could not do anything else then returning onstage. The organization did not want to allow them to play more, but it seems like they are the only ones in inferno which thought that way. As seen here, Velcra is running up in record speed and be prepared for them to gain world domination! |
I had to leave inferno for, what later seems, the last venue change. Hellä was giving us Shamrain and since they have a new album coming up I was specially interested in seeing them. Shamrain is a band with the singer from Entwine.
Doomish, tragic and depressive music seems to be a description of the band. I can hear a little bit of the spirit of Joy division in it. Though, I am not sure if I really liked this performance. After the other band I saw earlier I am not really in the mood for this. And for that reason I can not listen concentrated. That is what this music is specially asking for. To be listened concentrated. On stage there was not much going on. Not that I expect a active performance, that just does not suit the music, but if I compare it for example with a performance of My Dying Bride then I have to say I miss something. My Dying Bride singer brings emotions not only with his voice, but shows the drama with his eyes and his tragic moving around on the stage. If Shamrain would get a little influenced by this way of performing I think I would be more impressed by them.
While having a choice where to go next, some people convinced me to stay in Hellä to see Murena. Since they sing in Finnish I first considered it would be less interesting to write to you, but as said before people convinced me to stay and I am glad I trusted a strangers advice on this. There is no need to understand lyrics on this. Musically you will have enough to enjoy. Quite experienced musicians I would say! I wonder about guitarist Joni Tanskala. He seems to be the youngster in the band, but don’t think he is not able to keep up with the rest. Nice band.
The last band I would see on this festival is The Machete. Not only they were the last, also the hardest. No complains about that though! They started really late, but still there were loads of people to see them. This year the band released
their second album “untrue”, which got 25th into the charts in Finland. They also released a video of the song “Warmonger”.
Hellä has a fence on the stage and on the front row there were many guys holding it to prevent them from falling during head banging. Probably needed since around 02.00 o’clock most of them already had many alcohol. I like this band for their aggressive vocal style and performance. Here the vocalist spitted fire with his eyes, to give his statements. The Machete is a band which was a very good close of the festival. I feel a little less Lost in Music now. I hope we helped you getting a little less lost as well.
Photo’s by: sabinevangameren.com
Links:
Lost in Music
Heijaste Myspace
Naked Myspace
Lovex Myspcace
Negative Myspace
Morian Myspace
Damn Seagulls Myspace
Velcra Myspace
Shamrain Myspace
Murena Myspace
The Machete Myspace
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