Well, I didn't drown in some water puddle yesterday, despite the forces of nature trying their best to accomplish that, so I've returned to offer an opinion on the concerts I saw yesterday at Metaltown 2005. Vengeance is mine! etc.
By the way, I can never be objective about concerts when I like the bands.
The first couple of bands I didn't really pay that much attention to because I had not come there for them, but Enter the Hunt seemed kind of boring to me, though All Ends were alright.
And then it began pouring down.
Enter
Tiamat. I <3 Tiamat. And even more so when they open with "Vote for love". All in all I think they did a very nice job, a shame they only got about 35 minutes. I was really pleased with their show though, and Johan Edlund looked like... Johan Edlund. I think it would be very hard to find a doppelganger for that man. I think that's why I had fully grown men around me shouting his name, as if they were little girls and he the member of a boyband. Oh the thrill when a guy standing just behind me called out his name and he looked over, waved and said "hi"... That man must have gone home happy.
'Twas also the first shift for a certain keyboardist, if my eyes didn't betray me
Here I began regretting not trying to smuggle my camera in (I know how I could've done it, too!), but I had not yet resorted to using my terrible phone camera. A shame, really.
And on to
Dark Traquillity! As I stayed to watched the end of Tiamat, I came to the other stage a bit late so I couldn't get up front, which would've been fun. Having never seen DT live before, I was in for a great experience. They seemed genuinely thrilled to be there, and if Stanne is as energetic in every other show they play, it's a wonder the man doesn't burn out after every tour. They all really put on a good show and, like I said, seemed to be enjoying themselves a lot - and if they weren't, they should all go into acting. At any rate, at least their joy was very inspiring to me, and I bet to most of the people there who were getting thoroughly soaked by then. Oh, and as for the setlist, don't ask me. Can't remember. I just know that I enjoyed "My Negation" and "The wonders at your feet" very much.
Now, many a fanboy and fangirl will proclaim their musical heroes to be "gods". I wouldn't go so far, but I'd say that DT and perhaps Stanne in particular must be members of some secret cult with the power to control the weather, because it stopped raining during DT's gig. And for that, gentlemen of mystic powers, I will be eternally grateful.
Also, I was beginning to itch for my camera because few things are as photogenic as a man with good hair headbanging, and that certainly applies to DT. So I hauled out my phone and took this:
Next,
Sentenced. They enter the stage to a funeral march, Ville Laihiala with a bottle of beer that never left his hand during the entire 60 minutes they played. I can't help but love Finns.
Seriously, I thought it was a good show and I was enjoying myself, but when it was over I overheard some people thinking it was boring, so different strokes for different folks, I guess. Again, I can't remember a setlist, but I do believe that Sentenced are members of the same cult as DT, since shortly after they played "The rain comes falling down" it started raining again. Thanks guys. It was a bit sad when it was over though and you realised that this was the last time you were ever going to see them live. I'm glad I got the chance.
As for a near-celebrity-experience, I almost caught the drumstick the drummer tossed to the crowd. I gripped it, but I lost my hold. Bugger.
After that came
Apocalyptica. I missed the beginning because I had to eat something, but I saw most of the rest of their set. Very beautiful, sometimes heartbreakingly so. This may sound silly, but they really made the lighting work for them, just the right colours for the songs... some of the slower stuff nearly brought me to tears. Also, it's always fun watching guys headbang as they play the cello. Again, a camera moment...
It hadn't stopped raining since Sentenced made it start again, so I was soaked and tired and couldn't be bothered remaining at a concert very long, so I wandered around and caught glimpses of
Hammerfall and
Beseech. Both looked like they were doing their jobs well.
Finally,
Rammstein. I hate the rain, by the way. If it hadn't been raining, I could've sat down somewhere and got some rest, and I wouldn't have been wet and freezing and tired and then I could've made an effort to get up front, which I imagine would've been a lot of fun. Because Rammstein are simply awesome live. They're so incredibly
German and they like to play with fire, which is an irresistable combination.
So, instead of getting up front I was standing quite far back, so that I could just discern the men on stage (Till looks so manly *swoons* especially when he plays with flamethrowers and whatnot), and I was sipping tea while singing along to "Reise Reise" which they opened with. I only own two of their albums, yet I recognised pretty much every song they played. It was good fun, their show, I really enjoyed it.
These are actually giant flames, althought it's difficult to tell:
Different lighting
More fire
And as for near-celebrity-experience during Rammstein, I do believe it was Mikael Stanne, or someone who looks very much like him, I spotted leaving (or possibly moving further back) during "Keine lust", walking past me just a few metres away. 1337.
That also made me think. With DT being a very good and energetic live band, how good wouldn't they be with some of Rammstein's pyrotechnics? I'd say awesome. Imagine Stanne leaping between two giant flames as an entrance, for example. I know that stuff costs money, but I'm sure a sponsor could be found? Bofors, maybe?
Yeah, and it also rained. A lot.
