03-02-2010 The 69 Eyes

Supports: ;Lacrimas Profundere Venue: Batsschkapp, Frankfurt (Germany)
By: Nina Mende

Tonight there were three bands playing at the Batschkapp in Frankfurt /Germany, The 69 Eyes was the headliner for the evening. Due to some trouble at the door I missed the first band.

As I entered the venue it was crowded with Goths. Some even wore shades even though it was already dark enough in the venue, but well, that is a typical 69eyes thing.

First band I got to see tonight was Lacrimas Profundere. .For this tour they seemed to have a different bass player than usual Lacrimas Profundere is a gothic metal band from Germany. Their name means “to shed tears” in Latin. Their stylistic aesthetic has evolved over time, originally a death doom rooted gothic metal band, they have progressively changed their style to a more mainstream gothic style with the late albums. The audience needed a while to get excited about the band playing. But after a few songs many of the fans were dancing along. Lacrimas gave everything to warm up the audience and they succeeded. With old and new songs, even one of the upcoming album, they turned the quiet audience into a dancing and singing mob. Lacrimas Profundere talked a bit with their audience, telling them about their new album and the tour that goes along with it. Their performance lasted for about 40 minutes. With dark light and a deep touchy voice the singer got them all. You could tell the band had fun on stage. It was a great show and I can’t wait to see them again.

Next was The 69eyes from Finland. Initially, the 69 Eyes’ music style was of glam metal and hard rock, influenced by acts such as Mötley Crüe and Hanoi Rocks. However, they began to incorporate more influence from gothic rock bands such as The Mission and The Sisters of Mercy. Their sound was described as a mix of the gloominess of gothic rock with guitar-powered rock’n’roll. Their music continued to show influence from other rock artists such as The Doors, Elvis Presley, Hanoi Rocks, Billy Idol, and The Sisters of Mercy as well as vampire films and literature. The term “goth ‘n roll” is used by fans to describe their style. In recent times with the release Back in Blood, the 69 Eyes have moved back to a more guitar based sound, although gothic imagery and lyrical themes remain forefront in their style. And with this very one they were touring now. With the same intro out of Lost Boys Movie (“Cry Little Sister”) they entered the stage and all the fans were screaming out loud. The Finns went through the album from “Wasting The Dawn” till “Back In Blood” and played songs of all of them. The balance between old and new songs was almost equal. The band seemed in a very good mood and had fun on stage. So did the fans watching The 69eyes perform. Jyrki talked a lot to the audience, laughed and joked with them. Positive vibes were spreading throughout the venue. The light was great. Whatever Jyrki asked his fans to do – whether it was putting up the devil’s horns, the fists or simply clapping – the audience did as he said. Only as he asked the girls to take off their shirts they kindly overheard it. Maybe dead girls aren’t as easy as he might have thought. Anyway, everybody was having a good time, singing along to all the songs. For some songs the audience sang the chorus themselves. The 69eyes played for over an hour plus encore of two songs for which Jyrki left the shades backstage and everybody could see his ice-blue eyes. This show tonight was definitely one of the best 69eyes performances I have ever seen and I have seen them many times! Now I am all excited to see them again at Trash Fest in Helsinki. Till then: Goth’n’Roll!