First of all I have to say I'm totally exhausted at the moment as the trip to the gig and back was quite an adventure. Firstly, I only noticed they're playing in Helsinki last weekend and had to arrange my trip here quite quickly. Ordering ticket was easy but then I could find absolutely no info about when excactly the concert starts. The people at the ticket office had no clue and the only other phone number I found went to some asswipe's cellphone who just bluntly said he ain't got a f*cking clue about it and hung up... Well, to make it safe I left work a bit earlier (don't tell my boss) and got to the club (which was further away than I thought and damn hard to locate) early enough. I also had to fix a place to sleep for tonight, and as my brother (known here as steven - the soppy bastard) lives in Espoo, close to Helsinki, his flat was the obvious choice. However, he's having a party with his schoolmates at some cottage and so isn't home to let me in. So, he told me that he left the only key for his flat to some dubious pub next door and told me to go and get it from there as I get to Espoo. Only problem here - there was only one train leaving to Espoo late enough for the gig to end and early enough for the pub to be still open. Well, I just thought - to hell with it, I'll enjoy the show and worry about that later. As I arrived to the Stella Star Club around nine, the first support band 'Damn Seagulls' started to play soon after my arrival. They played what I thought was basic punk, and though I'm not that much into that sort of music they at least got the audience going and made a lot of noise. Albeit all their songs sounded the same to my untrained ear Leaving the Seagulls and following opener 'Wasted' (another punk group) playing, I headed for the Molly merchandise disk where violinist Bridget Regan was selling t-shirts etc. she was a really nice and down to earth person and I chatted with her a while since the're weren't that many people at the merchandise booth at that time. Some other band members (Dennis Casey & Bob Schmidt) hung around the booth as well but they were so concentrated on drinking pints of Guinness that I didn't bother to interrupt them too much Got a cool t-shirt and another one for my brother (as thanks for using his apartment ...should I ever get there) And finally - Wasted stopped playing and people were getting really excited about the upcoming main act. The venue was so remote that all the people were fans, not much chance that anyone would've wandered in by accident... and it was sold out anyway, maybe 'round 400 people. And the room was very small and ceiling low. As there were no raised stage, I thought I should try to go as front as I could to have a good view on the stage. And that's when things got ugly... Even before the band got on stage, lots of people were ramming towards the front rows and that was a crushing experience to say the least. I tried to keep my position at front, but that was impossible as hundreds of people were pushing each other uncontrollably about the room. And all this while only stage techs were on the stage... sheesh, before I had a slight concern of how to get to Espoo through some shady Helsinki neighbourhoods, but there amongst the manicly flailing people I decided that if there would be a chance to get some broken bones and dislocated limbs this would be the place.... Then the show started - and man, from then on it was one big party! I've been to many concerts but I have to say that this one had the best atmosphere because every single person on the floor was jumping, dancing clapping hands and waving fists during the whole show, and from the first song they played (The Likes Of You Again) almost everybody in the audience was also singing along. What a rush jumping around in that mass of Molly fans, that's how all shows should be. And no - I didn't even hurt myself or anyone else either Only thing slightly worth complaining is that being pushed to back rows I only saw Dave King's head all the time, then only glimpses of other band members... The band was great, and if I loved them before, seeing them live boosted that opinion through the roof. This is a live band, folks - you might like their albums but you don't know them before you go to one of their gigs. Impossible to describe the feeling, but they really rock the place! The playing was good, Dave King was a funny guy with his speeches (a lenghty apology to the whole world on the behalf of the band about USA having George W. Bush for example...) And all the songs worked really well live. My favourites like Drunken Lullabies, Devil's Dance Floor, and especially Black Friday Rule were great live and for instance Worst Day Since Yesterday which I never liked that much, was amazing live. Great show! The setlist was this (as I can recall, the order may be a bit off) The Likes Of You Again ....can't really remember if they played also 'Every Dog Has His Day...' That's it about the gig. I had to leave while they stopped after Sentimental Johnny, so if there were any second encores I missed them, but I noticed I was already in a hurry to get that last train to Espoo. And I was soaken wet with sweat and water thrown to the audience (it was like sauna in there) so I really had to get to my bro's place and have a shower lest I would surely freeze to death outside. To bring this long story to a quicker end - I'll just say I made it to the train just on the last second after running half the way to the station and taking a cab for the last half, almost took the wrong train and nearly didn't get in that dubiuos pub to get the key as it was already closing. But now I'm here at my brothers place, fresh after a quick shower and ready to have a few hours sleep before going back home. I can't hear a thing and it'll probably take months till I can get any voice from my throat but damn it was a great gig. When they come close to you, do yourself a favour and go to the gig, no matter if you ever heard them before. Just do it. |
FLOGGING
MOLLY |
STELLA
STAR CLUB HELSINKI 5. 12. 2003 |