RAAAAAASMUUUUUUUS!!!!!
May. 22nd, 2012 09:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alobearYes, well.
The Rasmus were in town last night - for the first time in three years - so, of course, I was *right there*. I don't go to many gigs, but my all-time favourite Finnish emo band I just won't miss.
The crowd was more eclectic than I had anticipated - ie it wasn't just me, a load of fourteen-year-olds and their mums. The youngest contingent actually seemed to be late teens to early twenties, but then I guess they've all grown up a bit in the last three years, so that kinda makes sense.
Doors opened at 7pm and I really wasn't sure what time to get there. There was no mention of a support band anywhere I could find, and I really didn't want to risk missing any of the main event, but when I turn up to gigs on time, my feet tend to hurt by the time the headline act appear, and my knees aren't too keen on me standing for long periods. Still, this was The Rasmus, so I dutifully shuffled into the O2 Islington at 7:30pm and stood around for half an hour, soaking up the anticipation.
The support band went on at 8pm for half an hour, and were actually really good, so I was glad I caught them. They were called Mallory Knox and I will definitely be keeping an eye out for them in the future.
Then there was the obligatory half hour of standing around again, before The Rasmus themselves finally appeared at 9pm. They did a full 90 minutes, which was *excellent* value for money, and I can guarantee nobody left in any way disappointed. However, the first few minutes were marred somewhat by the fact that all I could see were phones raised high to record the opening song - why can't people just enjoy the moment any more?
Lauri, the lead singer, was wearing his trademark crow feathers in his hair, along with a thin black long-sleeved t-shirt, black leather trousers and - yellow wellington boots. Don't ask me... I don't know if it was the lights, the fact that it was the last gig of the tour, or if the picture in his attic has finally started to fail, but he didn't look well, and his voice was a little off, at least to begin with. He's always been very thin, but his face looked really hollow, though he sounded chirpy enough in the talky bits, and certainly gave it his all for the whole set.
I was a little worried during the build up that I'd ended up too far into the crowd (I usually like to hang out at the back of the bit where it really starts to get crowded, but last night I was right in the middle), but I had forgotten - emo kids don't mosh. They make hearts with their fingers and weep as they sing along (okay, maybe that's an exaggeration, but the finger-hearts is true). There were about three people in the crowd who got really over-excited and were jumping up and down - aaaaaand, one of them was me...
My left knee is very unhappy with me today, as I knew it would be - but I just didn't care at the time, and it was most definitely worth it.
I was impressed by the security guards, who made regular patrols along the front, handing out free cups of water, not something I've seen at gigs before.
Overall, it was *all kinds of awesome* and I just wish it was the kind of thing I could go to three times in a row (a la Avengers) rather than having to wait until the next time they grace London with their presence.
The Rasmus were in town last night - for the first time in three years - so, of course, I was *right there*. I don't go to many gigs, but my all-time favourite Finnish emo band I just won't miss.
The crowd was more eclectic than I had anticipated - ie it wasn't just me, a load of fourteen-year-olds and their mums. The youngest contingent actually seemed to be late teens to early twenties, but then I guess they've all grown up a bit in the last three years, so that kinda makes sense.
Doors opened at 7pm and I really wasn't sure what time to get there. There was no mention of a support band anywhere I could find, and I really didn't want to risk missing any of the main event, but when I turn up to gigs on time, my feet tend to hurt by the time the headline act appear, and my knees aren't too keen on me standing for long periods. Still, this was The Rasmus, so I dutifully shuffled into the O2 Islington at 7:30pm and stood around for half an hour, soaking up the anticipation.
The support band went on at 8pm for half an hour, and were actually really good, so I was glad I caught them. They were called Mallory Knox and I will definitely be keeping an eye out for them in the future.
Then there was the obligatory half hour of standing around again, before The Rasmus themselves finally appeared at 9pm. They did a full 90 minutes, which was *excellent* value for money, and I can guarantee nobody left in any way disappointed. However, the first few minutes were marred somewhat by the fact that all I could see were phones raised high to record the opening song - why can't people just enjoy the moment any more?
Lauri, the lead singer, was wearing his trademark crow feathers in his hair, along with a thin black long-sleeved t-shirt, black leather trousers and - yellow wellington boots. Don't ask me... I don't know if it was the lights, the fact that it was the last gig of the tour, or if the picture in his attic has finally started to fail, but he didn't look well, and his voice was a little off, at least to begin with. He's always been very thin, but his face looked really hollow, though he sounded chirpy enough in the talky bits, and certainly gave it his all for the whole set.
I was a little worried during the build up that I'd ended up too far into the crowd (I usually like to hang out at the back of the bit where it really starts to get crowded, but last night I was right in the middle), but I had forgotten - emo kids don't mosh. They make hearts with their fingers and weep as they sing along (okay, maybe that's an exaggeration, but the finger-hearts is true). There were about three people in the crowd who got really over-excited and were jumping up and down - aaaaaand, one of them was me...
My left knee is very unhappy with me today, as I knew it would be - but I just didn't care at the time, and it was most definitely worth it.
I was impressed by the security guards, who made regular patrols along the front, handing out free cups of water, not something I've seen at gigs before.
Overall, it was *all kinds of awesome* and I just wish it was the kind of thing I could go to three times in a row (a la Avengers) rather than having to wait until the next time they grace London with their presence.
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no subject
Date: 2012-05-22 09:47 pm (UTC)I'm wondering how many Finnish emo bands there are ;)
It sounds like you had a fabulous time. Yay \o/
no subject
Date: 2012-05-25 07:10 pm (UTC)Run your eye down the names on this list, and I think you'll come to the conclusion that there are quite a few:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bands_from_Finland
It's very cold and dark up there, you know... :o)
no subject
Date: 2012-05-23 05:53 pm (UTC)"...all I could see were phones raised high to record the opening song - why can't people just enjoy the moment any more?" Hehe, I think things like this all the time, and then realise that I have morphed into an Old Person ;-)
Love Lx
no subject
Date: 2012-05-23 07:31 pm (UTC)Ooh, liking the retro reference (although it's suddenly kinda worrying that I have to refer to something from my university years as "retro")
>emo kids don't mosh. They make hearts with their fingers and weep as they sing along
*grins*
>handing out free cups of water, not something I've seen at gigs before
Yeah, it's common enough at festivals, but I've not seen it much at (indoor) gigs.
>*all kinds of awesome*
Hurrah for awesome-gig-ness! I have a number of gigs coming up in June which I'm hoping will be equally cool.
no subject
Date: 2012-05-26 06:57 am (UTC)What's the reference?
And who are you going to see in June?
no subject
Date: 2012-05-26 03:12 pm (UTC)June's gig list is busy.
Next Saturday I have a big trad goth gig, featuring Danse Society (reformed 1st generation band), Pretentious, Moi? (my current favourite new-trad band) and two others.
Next Sunday is the Apple Cart festival. On the music front, that means Billy Bragg and Adam Ant & The Good, The Mad & The Lovely Posse. (There's also comedy and cabaret, and I suspect I will spend much of the day in those tents.)
Mid month, I have another two-gig weekend planned, with March Violets (another reformed 1st gen goth band) on the Saturday and She Wants Revenge (genre is debatable; I'll stick to 'darkwave') on the Sunday.
no subject
Date: 2012-05-24 08:29 pm (UTC)sounded emotastic! :-)
Must do lunch again soon, so I can read more of your story!
no subject
Date: 2012-05-25 07:13 pm (UTC)Apart from yesterday (major work thingie that morphed into dinner and late drinks), I've worked on my novel every day for the last two and half weeks. I'm about five thousand words further on than last time you saw it, though I'm not convinced the latest section is all that good. I'm making progress, obviously, but it's more a case of just getting stuff down than really thinking about how it's all coming together, so it may need some work...