Yesterday was a strange day for me. I didn't go out. I spent the whole day inside the venue. The venue was Thüringenhalle in Erfurt or close at least. InEx's lead singer is originally from that area so the place was full of his friends and relatives. Of course the venue was full anyway as they have all been. It has been really nice to be an opening act on this tour since the people arrive in time and the places are packed already when we are playing and the audience generally seems to like us as well. We are quite sure that we've got some new fans on these few gigs already. We've for example sold out our CDs already. Depends on the point of view if that's good or bad though.
We again did a small change to the set yesterday. It was the same as the day before except that we replaced Boozer with Norhern Fall. I guess we'll do it like that today as well. Here's the current set:
- Journey Man
- Wooden Pints
- Korpiklaani
- Viima
- Tulikokko
- Pellonpekko
- Paljon on koskessa kiviä
- Northern Fall
- Cottages and Saunas
- Beer Beer
I've missed all InEx starts. I watched the entire show in Hannover except the first song. Yesterday I was really looking forward to finally seeing the beginning because our dressing room was on balcony on the side of the hall so we had a perfect view to the stage. Did I get to see that? No, we had to do a fucking interview!
Afterwards we got a bit drunk. Ok, really drunk. Like totally wasted. The entire crew and bands were having a party afterwards and since we had been having a party already during InEx we were already drunk when we entered that party. I don't remember much. I woke up normally from the bus with all my stuff still with me, including the contact lenses still on my eyes, so I guess all went well last night.
Monday 29 December 2008
Sunday 28 December 2008
Hannover
Sunday morning at the dressing room. I think this is Sunday. Last night I watched the entire In Extremo show. They were really good. I'd love to see them in Finland one day as well. Not at Tuska on a crappy afternoon slot but indoor somewhere headlining with their full production. They even said some really nice things about us on the stage which felt quite nice. Ok, honestly, it felt really good. I got that warm feeling that we're doing something right.
Our own show was better than the day before. Since we're only playing 45-minute sets we first decided to drop some of the harder stuff since we were thinking that maybe that'll suite better the In Extremo audience but we realized that the first set wasn't working that well after all, so yesterday we did the opposite and dropped the slower, softer ones and replaced them with the hard stuff. And we even opened with Journey Man. Yesterday's show was a good one. I guess we'll stick to that set list. It even was exactly 45 minutes.
I didn't buy any ABBA yesterday. And now while I am writing this I am listening to Frank Sinatra. His old albums were probably put together and recorded in a day or something but they are still brilliant. I am a big fan of big band swing and Frank did a lot of that stuff. Anyway, I went to the music store to get some strings since there wasn't any in my bass case. Don't know where they all went on the last tour. I got two sets and while I was changing them I realized that the ball in the end was too big and they didn't fit my bass. Bollocks. Jonne found himself a new guitar strap that matches his cow-like boots and Matson got himself a new double bass drum pedal thing whatever.
And now I'll head for breakfast.
Our own show was better than the day before. Since we're only playing 45-minute sets we first decided to drop some of the harder stuff since we were thinking that maybe that'll suite better the In Extremo audience but we realized that the first set wasn't working that well after all, so yesterday we did the opposite and dropped the slower, softer ones and replaced them with the hard stuff. And we even opened with Journey Man. Yesterday's show was a good one. I guess we'll stick to that set list. It even was exactly 45 minutes.
I didn't buy any ABBA yesterday. And now while I am writing this I am listening to Frank Sinatra. His old albums were probably put together and recorded in a day or something but they are still brilliant. I am a big fan of big band swing and Frank did a lot of that stuff. Anyway, I went to the music store to get some strings since there wasn't any in my bass case. Don't know where they all went on the last tour. I got two sets and while I was changing them I realized that the ball in the end was too big and they didn't fit my bass. Bollocks. Jonne found himself a new guitar strap that matches his cow-like boots and Matson got himself a new double bass drum pedal thing whatever.
And now I'll head for breakfast.
Saturday 27 December 2008
Kantri tulee, kantri tappaa
Good morning! The morning is surprisingly good indeed. It's 10.30, I've just had some breakfast at the venue and I don't have a hangover which is a small miracle itself. We didn't get any red wine yesterday, but at least we had vodka, Red Bull and orange juice. Vodka-OJ worked well. We are real party animals you know. We were just laughing with Cane yesterday that after the show we were just sitting in our own dressing room drinking alcohol and not really interacting with anyone else. But as Cane pointed out, the door was open so everyone was basically invited. Maybe it was the Finnish country band Freud, Marx, Engels & Jung and our singing that kept them out.
It looks like the venue is in the middle of nowhere. For some reason it's always like that when you have plenty of spare time like now. It's only a morning and our soundcheck is scheduled at 17.30. well, I'll have to go and check what the GPS says about our location and Hannover city centre. We've been in Hannover before and that time we found some really nice second hand vinyl stores. Let's see if they are still there. More ABBA perhaps?
It looks like the venue is in the middle of nowhere. For some reason it's always like that when you have plenty of spare time like now. It's only a morning and our soundcheck is scheduled at 17.30. well, I'll have to go and check what the GPS says about our location and Hannover city centre. We've been in Hannover before and that time we found some really nice second hand vinyl stores. Let's see if they are still there. More ABBA perhaps?
Friday 26 December 2008
Another town, another place...
So, here we are in the tourbus again. We just packed ourselves in the bus at the Düsseldorf airport and started our journey to Fürth. That's about 400km I believe. At the same time I am ripping to the hard drive the 9 album ABBA box set that I bought a few hours ago at the Helsinki-Vantaa airport. I've been thinking about byuing that and for 35,95€ it was a bargain. All the studio albums they ever released and a bonus disc full of B-sides etc. Now if I only could find the "Live" album. Seems to be out of print and since it was the poorest selling ABBA album ever I doubt that there's ever going to be a re-release.
Anyway, back to the bus. This is a 4-day mini tour where we are supporting In Extremo on some of their German dates. Venues are supposed to be big and good at least. I just hope that our music works for their audience as well, because I think that even though we're both quite of often labeled under the same genre we're still really different bands and the audiences are not really that much same. We did one show with them in the summer which I believe was some sort of a show case thing so that they could decide whether we're suitable for the support slot or not. I guess we were since we're now here.
This thing goes on now for 26.12.-29.12. We fly back to Finland on 30th and play at Nosturi's new years happening on the 31st, the new years eve with Kiuas and then Moonsorrow headlining. That should be a nice show. And now we have an extra day reserved for Finnair so we hopefully have all the stuff back in Finland by the show time!
Whoa! The soundcheck is finally done at 19. We are 45 minutes late and it was not entirely our fault. We were late though, but then in the end we spend lots of time figuring out the problems with our monitor desk because bass was coming to ALL monitor on full blast and we couldn't turn it down. We thought at first that our desk is broken but it turned out after all that the problem was in InEx's desk that our signal goes through. Oh well. We're done now and the show time is in 40 minutes or so. Maybe some more vodka-Red Bull to cure the head ache.
Ok, the first show is over. I guess it was good. We haven't played a note together after the last tour but all went well. The set was only 45 minutes and I think we also finished a bit too early but we'll fix that tomorrow. We'll change the set list a bit as well. Drop the slow ones and add a couple of faster ones. Full speed ahead from the beginning to the end. But that's tomorrow.
Anyway, back to the bus. This is a 4-day mini tour where we are supporting In Extremo on some of their German dates. Venues are supposed to be big and good at least. I just hope that our music works for their audience as well, because I think that even though we're both quite of often labeled under the same genre we're still really different bands and the audiences are not really that much same. We did one show with them in the summer which I believe was some sort of a show case thing so that they could decide whether we're suitable for the support slot or not. I guess we were since we're now here.
This thing goes on now for 26.12.-29.12. We fly back to Finland on 30th and play at Nosturi's new years happening on the 31st, the new years eve with Kiuas and then Moonsorrow headlining. That should be a nice show. And now we have an extra day reserved for Finnair so we hopefully have all the stuff back in Finland by the show time!
Whoa! The soundcheck is finally done at 19. We are 45 minutes late and it was not entirely our fault. We were late though, but then in the end we spend lots of time figuring out the problems with our monitor desk because bass was coming to ALL monitor on full blast and we couldn't turn it down. We thought at first that our desk is broken but it turned out after all that the problem was in InEx's desk that our signal goes through. Oh well. We're done now and the show time is in 40 minutes or so. Maybe some more vodka-Red Bull to cure the head ache.
Ok, the first show is over. I guess it was good. We haven't played a note together after the last tour but all went well. The set was only 45 minutes and I think we also finished a bit too early but we'll fix that tomorrow. We'll change the set list a bit as well. Drop the slow ones and add a couple of faster ones. Full speed ahead from the beginning to the end. But that's tomorrow.
Tuesday 9 December 2008
Perfect ending
So, the tour is over. It didn't end well. Not even close. The things after the Leeds show went way too far between some of the crew and band members and didn't really get any better when we even had to cancel the last show of the tour somewhere in Wales.
First of all, everything was good in Leeds. The show was really good as usual and since it was the last show of the tour for two of the bands (three in fact, but we didn't know it then) there was a lot of pranks going on. We did a good set. We added couple more songs from outside of the regular set and were even planning to play Ii Lea Voibmi after Beer, Beer but since everyone from the other bands rushed the stage with beers during Beer, Beer it would have been a bit of an anticlimax to still play something so we skipped that. It was a long set anyway.
After the show most of us went to eat with some local friends. I wasn't eating and watching others eat is a bit dull, but I managed to lure one of our friends to a rock bar next to the restaurant to just drink which was nice. Afterwards the things got a bit out of hands and for some of us it turned ugly. No violence, but lots of shouting and "fuck offs". Earlier in the evening the crew had also made quite a crucial mistake, but we didn't know that at that point.
Anyway, we arrived well in time to Prestatyn Sands, Wales. Quite typical UK seaside resort, I'd guess. Lots of houses and cabins, swimming hall, arcade and whatever. I am not going to go into much details of that day. We were just standing behind the stage ready to go on stage, but here was no accordion! It was still in Leeds. Someone remembered that he took it to the bus after the show and since it was not at the venue and not in the bus we thought that it had been stolen. We had to cancel. There's no way we're going on stage as 5-piece. Afterwards there was also some misunderstandings about the catering and the yesterday's shouting continued. Perfect ending for a perfect day. Not fun.
Later of course we found that the crew had just left the accordion in Leeds. Fuck.
First of all, everything was good in Leeds. The show was really good as usual and since it was the last show of the tour for two of the bands (three in fact, but we didn't know it then) there was a lot of pranks going on. We did a good set. We added couple more songs from outside of the regular set and were even planning to play Ii Lea Voibmi after Beer, Beer but since everyone from the other bands rushed the stage with beers during Beer, Beer it would have been a bit of an anticlimax to still play something so we skipped that. It was a long set anyway.
After the show most of us went to eat with some local friends. I wasn't eating and watching others eat is a bit dull, but I managed to lure one of our friends to a rock bar next to the restaurant to just drink which was nice. Afterwards the things got a bit out of hands and for some of us it turned ugly. No violence, but lots of shouting and "fuck offs". Earlier in the evening the crew had also made quite a crucial mistake, but we didn't know that at that point.
Anyway, we arrived well in time to Prestatyn Sands, Wales. Quite typical UK seaside resort, I'd guess. Lots of houses and cabins, swimming hall, arcade and whatever. I am not going to go into much details of that day. We were just standing behind the stage ready to go on stage, but here was no accordion! It was still in Leeds. Someone remembered that he took it to the bus after the show and since it was not at the venue and not in the bus we thought that it had been stolen. We had to cancel. There's no way we're going on stage as 5-piece. Afterwards there was also some misunderstandings about the catering and the yesterday's shouting continued. Perfect ending for a perfect day. Not fun.
Later of course we found that the crew had just left the accordion in Leeds. Fuck.
Friday 5 December 2008
Gay bar etc.
December 5, in a bus outside of Rios, Leeds waiting for load in time. Yesterday definitely was a good day. The show was really good. I have to admit that we haven't really been rotating all three sets. I think we did pink set only twice until it was dropped because Jonne got some throat problems and the "drum set" can only be done at the venues where there is enough room on stage for that.
Anyway, yesterday was good. I think all bands got quite good response. The place was not even nearly full, but since it is in two levels it seemed like a full venue because the upstairs was closed. Each did also a photoshoot before their shows. Someone said something about Metal Hammer but I doubt that. I think the guy was lacking a bit on the professional side.
The venue didn't lack anything though. Everything was perfect. Every dressing room that had vegetarians coming had even vegetarian sandwiches in the fridge. We had everything that is on the rider and even some extra stuff. Really nice. I'll gladly play there again.
The bus call was at 2 but the venue had to be empty by 1 so we had to spend an hour somewhere. We naturally chose the closest thing that was still open. A gay bar. They were really friendly to us and they sold cider. Suits me.
Rios, Leeds at 17. we just returned from the signing session at the local record store. I wouldn't say it was a huge success but it wasn't a spinaltapish failure either. Ok, I'd say and the people were at least nice.
Anyway, yesterday was good. I think all bands got quite good response. The place was not even nearly full, but since it is in two levels it seemed like a full venue because the upstairs was closed. Each did also a photoshoot before their shows. Someone said something about Metal Hammer but I doubt that. I think the guy was lacking a bit on the professional side.
The venue didn't lack anything though. Everything was perfect. Every dressing room that had vegetarians coming had even vegetarian sandwiches in the fridge. We had everything that is on the rider and even some extra stuff. Really nice. I'll gladly play there again.
The bus call was at 2 but the venue had to be empty by 1 so we had to spend an hour somewhere. We naturally chose the closest thing that was still open. A gay bar. They were really friendly to us and they sold cider. Suits me.
Rios, Leeds at 17. we just returned from the signing session at the local record store. I wouldn't say it was a huge success but it wasn't a spinaltapish failure either. Ok, I'd say and the people were at least nice.
Thursday 4 December 2008
Better days
December 4, London, Carling Academy. Just got back from the town. Took the tube to Camden and back. That is a nice part of town. The venue today is brilliant. Presale is around 300 which is not that good since the capacity is 800, but during the past few weeks they've been forced to cancel 6 shows because of bad presales so I guess they are happy with our 300 since we are not cancelled.
Yesterday in Manchester then again was totally different story. The venue was shit. I got drunk and one of the management team members made a mistake and asked me "All ok?". She now knows what I think. The audience yesterday was cool though and the place was packed. Since the venue didn't have even the basics like a shower and also our bus was once again going to be repaired we spent the night in hotel. I don't complain about staying in a hotel, but I hate travelling on afternoons and arriving venues so late that you can't really go anywhere anymore.
Today IS a better day.
Yesterday in Manchester then again was totally different story. The venue was shit. I got drunk and one of the management team members made a mistake and asked me "All ok?". She now knows what I think. The audience yesterday was cool though and the place was packed. Since the venue didn't have even the basics like a shower and also our bus was once again going to be repaired we spent the night in hotel. I don't complain about staying in a hotel, but I hate travelling on afternoons and arriving venues so late that you can't really go anywhere anymore.
Today IS a better day.
Blaah Blaah part 2
December 2, England, 10.20. We should be in Glasgow right now, but we're not. We're somewhere close to Birmingham at "Authrorized Webasto dealer" trying to get the heater fixed. This is the fifth time in a year our bus breaks down. Let's not tell that to anyone. We won't get any buses anymore. My friends from Ireland are coming to see the show and actually are already in Glasgow and I'm sitting here in a garage 400km away. I didn't know it was physically possible but this situation both sucks AND blows.
Last night we played in Wolverhampton. we were supposed to play at Wulfrun Hall but because of bad presale of about 200 tickets. I wouldn't say that it's so bad but we were anyway moved to a smaller stage on the same venue. The club itself was still quite big but the stage itself was just too fucking small. They even cut down our showtimes so that Falchion played only 25 minutes and we had a luxurious 55 minutes, so we had to leave out quite a lot of our normal set. We got a good response anyway. And when the set was over they were demanding more quite loudly but there was nothing we could do. Our closing time was 22.55 and just before last two songs the time was 22.47 so I guess we filled our slot exactly.
The venue itself, Wolverhampton Civic Hall, was one of the best ones. Everything was really smooth and the dressing room even had a jacuzzi. At least some people had used that during our show. I guess it was some Battlelore members. The candy asses! Lierot!
Now there is some talk that we may have to take a train to Glasgow to get there on time. Crap.
At noon. We're moving! Whoopee! No proletarian tube ride for Jarkko!
December 3, Scotland/England, 13.30. The bus is moving again. This time towards Manchester. We also have a guest on the bus. A really small German girl that appeared at the ticket desk in Glasgow asking to get in from the guest list. well, she may have told to someone of us that she's coming but no one remembered that. We got it sorted out and she got in and we also offered her a ride to Manchester since we have an empty bed anyway because the manager aka "Julma sakemanni" is riding on the other bus.
The show in Glasgow was in Cathouse again. We were there also quite exactly a year ago. The place is crap, but again we enjoyed the show very much. I think most of us agreed that this was the best show of the tour. The same thing has happened before as well. Everyone is feeling a bit miserable and down, maybe even sick during the day and thinking things like "it's not going to be good tonight" and then in the evening you find an excellent audience waiting for you and you end up playing the best show of the tour and getting a big boost to go on to a next venue.
Wine club meeting by the way starts right now. I'll write anyway. Just have to make sure not to pour the wine on the computer. I almost did that already with cider.
I'll stop now. I got tired. More wine. Yeah, as if that will cure it.
Last night we played in Wolverhampton. we were supposed to play at Wulfrun Hall but because of bad presale of about 200 tickets. I wouldn't say that it's so bad but we were anyway moved to a smaller stage on the same venue. The club itself was still quite big but the stage itself was just too fucking small. They even cut down our showtimes so that Falchion played only 25 minutes and we had a luxurious 55 minutes, so we had to leave out quite a lot of our normal set. We got a good response anyway. And when the set was over they were demanding more quite loudly but there was nothing we could do. Our closing time was 22.55 and just before last two songs the time was 22.47 so I guess we filled our slot exactly.
The venue itself, Wolverhampton Civic Hall, was one of the best ones. Everything was really smooth and the dressing room even had a jacuzzi. At least some people had used that during our show. I guess it was some Battlelore members. The candy asses! Lierot!
Now there is some talk that we may have to take a train to Glasgow to get there on time. Crap.
At noon. We're moving! Whoopee! No proletarian tube ride for Jarkko!
December 3, Scotland/England, 13.30. The bus is moving again. This time towards Manchester. We also have a guest on the bus. A really small German girl that appeared at the ticket desk in Glasgow asking to get in from the guest list. well, she may have told to someone of us that she's coming but no one remembered that. We got it sorted out and she got in and we also offered her a ride to Manchester since we have an empty bed anyway because the manager aka "Julma sakemanni" is riding on the other bus.
The show in Glasgow was in Cathouse again. We were there also quite exactly a year ago. The place is crap, but again we enjoyed the show very much. I think most of us agreed that this was the best show of the tour. The same thing has happened before as well. Everyone is feeling a bit miserable and down, maybe even sick during the day and thinking things like "it's not going to be good tonight" and then in the evening you find an excellent audience waiting for you and you end up playing the best show of the tour and getting a big boost to go on to a next venue.
Wine club meeting by the way starts right now. I'll write anyway. Just have to make sure not to pour the wine on the computer. I almost did that already with cider.
I'll stop now. I got tired. More wine. Yeah, as if that will cure it.
Monday 1 December 2008
Hittis is awake at 9 AM!
December 1, England, 9.30. Believe it or not, I am drinking cider with Hittavainen, a man who usually gets out of bed 2 hours before showtime. The reason may be the fact that we had to get off the bus on the ferry anyway and we just haven't gone to bed again. And of course we bought some tax free cider. Now we've been listening the recording of the last night's show in Amsterdam. It is quite revealing. Hmm. Good or bad thing? Interesting at least. Yesterday wasn't the best show of the tour. Some techical difficulties through the show and a couple of clear mistakes as well. Atmosphere was good as always in the Netherlands. And in the Netherlands you can actually smell the "atmosphere"...
During the day a friend of mine took us to the record store and Matson and myself managed to buy quite a lot of stuff again. I finally found for example the 3CD box set of Phil Lynott's Grand Slam. Cool.
After the show in the bus I realised that it actually was December, so I prepared everyone a hot mug of glühwein. Nice.
Now Miikka joined us and we changed the music to Popeda again. I guess it's time to have a few more.
Oh yeah, Battlelore changed a guitarist yesterday. Jussi had to leave to work so they got replacement. we were introduced twice but I still can't remember his name. He has dreadlocks like Jussi so he's a perfect replacement! So Battlelore now has two replacements in the band. Any longer tour and the band will have no actual member with them.
During the day a friend of mine took us to the record store and Matson and myself managed to buy quite a lot of stuff again. I finally found for example the 3CD box set of Phil Lynott's Grand Slam. Cool.
After the show in the bus I realised that it actually was December, so I prepared everyone a hot mug of glühwein. Nice.
Now Miikka joined us and we changed the music to Popeda again. I guess it's time to have a few more.
Oh yeah, Battlelore changed a guitarist yesterday. Jussi had to leave to work so they got replacement. we were introduced twice but I still can't remember his name. He has dreadlocks like Jussi so he's a perfect replacement! So Battlelore now has two replacements in the band. Any longer tour and the band will have no actual member with them.
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