The date: 28.5.2005
The place: Kouvola, Rytmikatti
The album: Signs of Life
The night started with promising signs.Me, LDG and Anya heard pieces of
the soundcheck and it sounded amazing! We actually heard Don't mess
with me three times during the evening, twice during the soundcheck and
once in the actual gig. During the soundcheck we danced,laughed and
enthused like a bunch of teenagers, behind the bars that blocked the way
to the downstairs.
But it was all because of the music! (or the hormones *grin*)
When Mark sang a piece of a song that sounded irish, I can honestly say that it knocked my socks off. It would be so fine if Poets would play some irish songs sometimes, like during the St. Patrics day next year ;) And it was really nice that Mark and Ollie waved at us and talked to us a little too.
When the iron bars were finally opened, it was almost a two hours
wait for our fave band, and there weren't even a supporting act to keep
us warm. But luckily there were an exellent dj who played Manboy, Live,
Velcra and other great bands. So those hours went by pretty quicly,
thanks to also LDG and Anya!
When the gig started we were in the front as usual. Mark climbed up to the railing more than once, shook hands,
made the audience sang along and jumped all around the stage. But it was a strange gig for me.
I was in the moment, but I wasn't in the feeling at all times. There
were moments when I felt disconnected somehow. I don't know, was it the
heat (sweat was running on the stage and off the stage ), the audience
pulling and pushing, the railing (my arms are still sore for the
hanging) or the camera (when Im shooting, I don't have time to
concentrate
on everything that goes on). Perhaps all of those.
But those moments passed and I was in the feeling again. This time
around I focused on Ollies solos and watched closely the way his fingers
danced on the guitar. He has beautiful hands.
Mark also was giving a lot of attention to Olli; he rubbed his back, held hand on his shoulder while singing someone special,
mimicing his solos etc. It was sweet *smiles*
And they played Sleep.Huh, it was the first time that I heard that
song live and it sent shivers up to my spine, gave me goosebumbs and
made me somehow sad.
When the gig was nearing it's end, Mark came in to the stage (from backstage) a bowl of
chips in his hands. I gestured a little and he did offered those to me. Good chips they were, thank you very much =)
After it was all over, they all hugged people, gave autographs, shook hands and allowed photos to be taken.
I got my t-shirt Morpho signed by Mark and a hug too.
On the way home I finally figured out, why PotF is so addictive to
me. Usually I live in the past, in the future or in my dreams.I rarely
even want to think about the present (because I sometimes feel I don't
belong here, in this time or in this planet for that matter).
But when I am in their gig, I don't think about work, school, the past or the future.
There's just the band, me, the audience, camera and the music. I'm in that moment.
sunnuntai 29. toukokuuta 2005
perjantai 6. toukokuuta 2005
In the vocals Mark and why wouldn't he be
The date: 5.5.2005
The place: Seinäjoki, Palaveri (acoustic set)
The album: Signs of Life
Palaveri was a cozy little place in the downtown of Seinäjoki. The gig was said to start at 10.00 pm but the venue warned that anyone wanting to get in should be there well before it, since it was such a small place. So I went there 8.30 pm and the place was already packed, there wasn't any tables left. Luckily I was
able to get in and after a while found Carpe Diem and her friends. So I sat with them and got to know them a little bit. I was very grateful for that, it would have been so boring to be there by myself because I didn't knew anyone else there.
I have never seen the boys in such a good mood. Ollie was this time a little more in the sidelines, but Marko and Jake... They were hilarious, giddy as schoolboys even. And we loved it of course! The mood was relaxed and warm, just like a bunch of friends had just got together to spend some time. We heard some silly bits of songs, including that Smurf-version of Late Goodbye. It went something like this:" Smurffilaaksoon ajellaan, siel' on Pappasmurffi ja Smurffiina..."
Mark had some funny speeches and also said something (I don't remember what anymore) with that gorgeous Irish accent of his. He also sang some doobydoos here and there and got exited when audience snap their fingers with some of the songs. Then he asked the audience to snap their fingers again and started to sang something in a low voice for a while. Jake told jokes and his motto for the evening was: Laulussa Marko ja miksei olisi? (translated: In the vocals Mark and why wouldn't he be?).
Sometimes before they started some song, they wondered if they could play it and Mark (or was it Jake) said that if we ever wondered how was it like when they rehearsed, this was like it.
But don't get me wrong, when they really sang and played the songs from the album they sounded as good as ever, maybe even better. Mark had a bit of a cold, but he said that his mother had gave him something along the lines of Echinaforce and it had made his voice all the better. (yay, Im all for natural medicine). Also Jake's voice matched really nice with Mark's and Ollies fingers conjured up such beautiful sounds from the guitar.
Mark made the audience sang along with him in some of the songs, but few of us sang along almost the whole gig. Because of the stage was so small, they couldn't act wild like they normally do in gigs, but that didn't stop Mark from trying. He got up and stood on his chair, but he came down pretty fast,
because the chandelier was about to fall on them (Ollie had done the same thing a little bit earlier, causing the chandelier to swung that is, not standing). Dangerous those lamps =)
But at least I didn't miss the jumping around, it was more intresting to see how Mark made the songs alive with his expressions and hands.
After the gig was over, the audience didn't settle for that, we demanded more. So they played Maybe tomorrow is a better day, which was a very nice surprise. After that the boys didn't disappear, but stayed for a while. They talked with the fans, gave autographs, allowed pictures taken with them, shook hands and hugged people. That is one of the reasons I love them, they connect with people and really seem to enjoy it. You don't have to go to them, they come to you. That is very rare these days and I hope they don't get tired of it anytime soon.
For me this was the best gig that I have been so far. And that was because they weren't just a megapopular Poets of the Fall, they were also just a bunch of guys having fun, playing with lyrics and playing really good music to the audience. I really really hope, that they keep doing these acoustic gigs every now and then. In electric gigs you can see an awesome show, but in acoustic gigs you can really listen to the music and lyrics and see the boys for who they are.
The place: Seinäjoki, Palaveri (acoustic set)
The album: Signs of Life
Palaveri was a cozy little place in the downtown of Seinäjoki. The gig was said to start at 10.00 pm but the venue warned that anyone wanting to get in should be there well before it, since it was such a small place. So I went there 8.30 pm and the place was already packed, there wasn't any tables left. Luckily I was
able to get in and after a while found Carpe Diem and her friends. So I sat with them and got to know them a little bit. I was very grateful for that, it would have been so boring to be there by myself because I didn't knew anyone else there.
I have never seen the boys in such a good mood. Ollie was this time a little more in the sidelines, but Marko and Jake... They were hilarious, giddy as schoolboys even. And we loved it of course! The mood was relaxed and warm, just like a bunch of friends had just got together to spend some time. We heard some silly bits of songs, including that Smurf-version of Late Goodbye. It went something like this:" Smurffilaaksoon ajellaan, siel' on Pappasmurffi ja Smurffiina..."
Mark had some funny speeches and also said something (I don't remember what anymore) with that gorgeous Irish accent of his. He also sang some doobydoos here and there and got exited when audience snap their fingers with some of the songs. Then he asked the audience to snap their fingers again and started to sang something in a low voice for a while. Jake told jokes and his motto for the evening was: Laulussa Marko ja miksei olisi? (translated: In the vocals Mark and why wouldn't he be?).
Sometimes before they started some song, they wondered if they could play it and Mark (or was it Jake) said that if we ever wondered how was it like when they rehearsed, this was like it.
But don't get me wrong, when they really sang and played the songs from the album they sounded as good as ever, maybe even better. Mark had a bit of a cold, but he said that his mother had gave him something along the lines of Echinaforce and it had made his voice all the better. (yay, Im all for natural medicine). Also Jake's voice matched really nice with Mark's and Ollies fingers conjured up such beautiful sounds from the guitar.
Mark made the audience sang along with him in some of the songs, but few of us sang along almost the whole gig. Because of the stage was so small, they couldn't act wild like they normally do in gigs, but that didn't stop Mark from trying. He got up and stood on his chair, but he came down pretty fast,
because the chandelier was about to fall on them (Ollie had done the same thing a little bit earlier, causing the chandelier to swung that is, not standing). Dangerous those lamps =)
But at least I didn't miss the jumping around, it was more intresting to see how Mark made the songs alive with his expressions and hands.
After the gig was over, the audience didn't settle for that, we demanded more. So they played Maybe tomorrow is a better day, which was a very nice surprise. After that the boys didn't disappear, but stayed for a while. They talked with the fans, gave autographs, allowed pictures taken with them, shook hands and hugged people. That is one of the reasons I love them, they connect with people and really seem to enjoy it. You don't have to go to them, they come to you. That is very rare these days and I hope they don't get tired of it anytime soon.
For me this was the best gig that I have been so far. And that was because they weren't just a megapopular Poets of the Fall, they were also just a bunch of guys having fun, playing with lyrics and playing really good music to the audience. I really really hope, that they keep doing these acoustic gigs every now and then. In electric gigs you can see an awesome show, but in acoustic gigs you can really listen to the music and lyrics and see the boys for who they are.
sunnuntai 1. toukokuuta 2005
I Raise My Glass and Say "Here's To You."
The date: 30.4.2005
The place: Tampere, Klubi
The album: Signs of Life
The gig was more aggressive than the last gig at Klubi, in regards of sounds and also movement. Mark was very energetic, jumped around the stage and one time off it, to a kind of pole that was near the stage. When last time his movements were dramatic poses, this time they were kind of adaptation of bouncemetal, at my opinion at least *laughs*
He shook hands, stole someones hat for a moment, waved Klaara (the pink hippo that LivingDeathGirl and Anya gave him) and generally had a blast. Ollie was phenomenal with his solos (as usual) and Captain was great as well. Also the other guys seemed to have fun in the stage.
The audience was great, they really did sang along and not just during Lift and Late goodbye but also during 3 a.m and Someone special among others. But that jerk who threw the pint up to the stage, should be strangled, very slowly. But quite frankly, I was surprised that there weren't more trouble, because it was the first of May. And the first of May is here in Finland national drink-like-hell-and-act-like-an-ass-day.
I was again at the first row, enjoying the Show. Because it really was a show, with a capital S.
But in the front row the sounds could have been better, the bass was sometimes overwhelming and Mark's voice accasionally was drownded in it. But that didn't matter too much, only a minor setback in otherwise splendid show.
At the end of the show Mark really went wild, taking his shirt off and sprinkling water and shampagne all over the audience.The boys don't usually drink on the stage (besides water) but this time they all drank a glass of
shampagne, it was vappu afterall.
Another great gig gone by.
The place: Tampere, Klubi
The album: Signs of Life
The gig was more aggressive than the last gig at Klubi, in regards of sounds and also movement. Mark was very energetic, jumped around the stage and one time off it, to a kind of pole that was near the stage. When last time his movements were dramatic poses, this time they were kind of adaptation of bouncemetal, at my opinion at least *laughs*
He shook hands, stole someones hat for a moment, waved Klaara (the pink hippo that LivingDeathGirl and Anya gave him) and generally had a blast. Ollie was phenomenal with his solos (as usual) and Captain was great as well. Also the other guys seemed to have fun in the stage.
The audience was great, they really did sang along and not just during Lift and Late goodbye but also during 3 a.m and Someone special among others. But that jerk who threw the pint up to the stage, should be strangled, very slowly. But quite frankly, I was surprised that there weren't more trouble, because it was the first of May. And the first of May is here in Finland national drink-like-hell-and-act-like-an-ass-day.
I was again at the first row, enjoying the Show. Because it really was a show, with a capital S.
But in the front row the sounds could have been better, the bass was sometimes overwhelming and Mark's voice accasionally was drownded in it. But that didn't matter too much, only a minor setback in otherwise splendid show.
At the end of the show Mark really went wild, taking his shirt off and sprinkling water and shampagne all over the audience.The boys don't usually drink on the stage (besides water) but this time they all drank a glass of
shampagne, it was vappu afterall.
Another great gig gone by.
Tilaa:
Blogitekstit (Atom)