Herd of Cows

The Date: 9.6.2006
The Place: Kivenlahtirock, Espoo
The Album: Carnival of Rust
 
My journey started when I entered the Tampere-Helsinki train. Jariq and Hexalius were already there and the hugging started. We went to find the restaurant in the train, but it was so full that we decided to look for a better place to chill and talk.
The train was packed, but we were able to find a little place above the stairs in a corridor. We spent the whole trip talking, laughing and having a good time.

When we arrived, our train was 15 minutes late, but luckily the other foruminians had waited for us. Then the hug fest started again! We headed for the pizza hut to get something to eat. There were so many of us that we occupied two long tables. I wondered, should I have continued the line that I started at previous international meeting in Berlin (eating only desert) but I was actually hungry.
So I ordered a pizza with sweet and sour-sauce on it (among other things), at special size (other options were pan pizza and small). Danny's friend was sitting next to me and when I was finished, he said jokingly: I never had thought that you could have eaten all that!

After eating we decided to leave for Kivenlahti but we made a little detour and stopped by to listen some Happoradio, who were on a gig at the top floor of buss station Kamppi. The buss ride took about 30 minutes and when we got of the buss, most of us didn't know where to go or where we were. So we just followed the cheerleaders blindly, like a herd of cows...
At the gate my water bottle was taken from me, I just hate that! When we got to the area we scattered around, it was a while before the gig started. Me and Jariq tried to find a good place at the front row,but it was packed with teenagers. But we were able to get fairly good places from 4th row.

At the audience there were also two members from Uniklubi (Finnish love metal band) and they were actually holding court there. They were surrounded with teenage girls that tried desperately to impress the band members by giggling and shouting. All through the gig. Those people weren't interested at all about PotF-gig and still they occupied the second row.

The gig itself was really awesome! We were told, that Ollie's and Captain's hometown is Kivenlahti and it did show on their show. They were giddy, energetic and wild, even more than usual! They kind of reminded me of young calves that were allowed to go out and play for the first time after a long winter. During Late goodbye when Marko and Ollie did their contest-thing (Marko goes oh we keep on driving in toooo the niiiii-i-i-i-ght" and Ollie goes "tviviiuiuiuuuuuu") they both were actually crawling down on the floor of the stage with hands and knees, but never missing a tune.

When the gig was almost over, Uniklubi-guys vanished from the audience and not long after so did their 'entourage'. I was able to invade a space at the front row for a couple of songs time. When I had been there for a while, Ollie started waving his hand and when a girl next to me turned to watch me, I concluded that he was probably waving to me. I waved him back, puzzled but pleased.
After the gig was over, we forum-peeps gathered and we were led to the area behind the stage. We had to wait a while for the band to show up and in the meantime we did some last minute preparations. Tiia had assembled really awesome fan book and I really regretted that I hadn't had the time to make something for it. So I just settled to write a few lines there, thanks really.

Then those who wanted to give the presents (silvery key rings) to the guys, drew a kind of lottery, to whom one would give the present. I got Ollie, as I wished. When the guys appeared, at first we gave them the fan book. They actually thought, that it was the only present and were truly amazed, that we had something more. Then we who were responsible for the giving of the gifts went to the guys and handed the small boxes and hugged them.
The looks on their faces were indescribable when they opened those boxes. They were very pleased and amazed and we fans just glowed. Jani said that the next time THEY would have to get US gifts and we all just laughed. But seriously, their music and awesome mind-blowing gigs are the all the gifts we need. Plus a little exclusive gig for us foruminians, please? *laughs*

Then we took some group-photos, talked a little and it was already time for the guys to leave. It was a lot shorter meeting with the band than last time, but we were really happy for this too.
After the guys left, our group just scattered too and I had to leave to my aunt's place where I crashed.