Feathers, Hats and Happiness

The Date: 18.10.2012
The Place: Tampere, Pakkahuone
The Album: Temple of Thought

The night started on a positive note as the guy that hang my coat (leather jacket with a hood) complemented it. I made my way to the stage and practically just walked into the front row. I saw an opening and asked if I could squeeze myself into it. Mikko had decided to stay at home this time, since the tickets were a bit pricey.

So I spent my time browsing Twitter. There were a couple of big screens at the both sides of the stage that showed the gig that was going on at Klubi. I have to say, this was one of the most smoothly ran events I have ever participated. Just when Sturm und Drang finished, Poets of the Fall started. My clock was 21.46 so they started only a minute late. The new intro was wicked and Running out of Time is a really great start-up song.

Marko had his feather boa, top hat and a make-up that reminded me of the movie Crow. It is one of my favourites movies and the black lipstick and eye-shadow really brought to mind Brandon Lee's character. The third song was Cradled in love and Marko started the way he has previously started Carnival of Rust: by asking a show of hands of those who have come there with someone. Although I still have a somewhat love-hate relationship with the song, it is right now the one song from the new album that I really know the lyrics by heart. I should listen the album more... During that song Jani grinned and nodded to me and I returned the gesture.

There were a bit of stumbling during the gig: when Marko and Jani were back to back, Jani pushed a bit too forcefully and sent Marko scrambling forward. Later Marko bumped into Jaska. Both mishaps were greeted with a lot of laughter. During the gig Marko blew feathers several times to the audience. The first time it happened the feather floated right in front of me. Me and a girl next to me reached for it the same time. After a furious flurry of motion, I finally lucked out and grabbed the feather and grinned like mad to Marko who had watched the spectacle with a laugh. Later when he sent out more feathers, I stayed back and let others get their share of the boa as well. Now the feather is decorating one of my dragons.

The audience was really really great, I actually felt the good vibes around me while people sang along, clapped and cheered. Before the Carnival of Rust Marko once again started to sing little bit of R.E.M:s The one I love and it always throws people off a little bit. But when the song transforms to the first chords of Carnival of Rust the audience catches on. That moment when they realise it and a wave of applauds and cheers rises up it sends such a rush through my body! I love it!

Marko teased the audience by faking that he was going to throw his top hat to the audience. As if he would ever do that! Someone from the audience gave him a baseball cap though and he wore it like a minute and then gave it back. This time I didn’t have a bottle or soda can with me, so I toasted the guys with my phone during Illusion and Dream. The girl next to me found that pretty amusing and so we laughed about it together. It's really fun to have random encounters like that in gigs, where you connect with someone you have never met over the shared experience.

It was awesome to hear Signs of Life live for the first time! I had a feeling that it might be played, so I bought it just before the gig from the digistore and fell in love with it right away!

The overall mood of the gig was giddy, the house and the band were rocking like crazy and I was excited, jumping up and down and just furiously happy. Even though the gig lasted only 45 minutes, it was a perfect gig for me, after a couple of not so perfect. After the gig I was high on adrenaline and just floated home to my love.