The Post-Apocalypse (APOst)
Review of Apocalyptica concert in Portland (by Larsengirl)
25 September 2005
Did I say Seattle was an incredible show? Don't know what the hell I was thinking, Portland surpassed everything!
Eyes of Fire had a really, really, really rough time. The venue is an old theater complete with theater seats so sure enough, everyone sat. We were front and center of course but I'm a bunny and a.) didn't want to stand up front alone and b.) didn't want to chance going up front and being sent back by the 350 pound WWF stars wearing security shirts after I'd lost my front row seat.
Eyes of Fire took the stage, Matt says “We're just waiting for you to get up here.” and all….seven of us charged the stage.
Pity, they actually played a better set that night than in Seattle but by the end there were only enough people up front to line the stage. I apologized profusely as they were breaking things down, each of the guys took a minute to come up and talk to the people along the front. Apologized again afterwards when I bought their cd and Nick (drummer) was signing it. They were really good sports about it but still commiserated over the fact that it's difficult to play metal for a “fucking dinner party”.
There was a group of four guys wearing shirts from Eyes of Fire's early days (can't remember the original name), they contributed a lot of drunken head banging energy to keep the band revved so kudos to them!!
Enough of Eyes of Fire (buy the cd, they're actually pretty good!)
Same set list as Seattle for Apo but this time in order. Apo (or maybe Perttu and Eicca) of course drew the fans like moths to a flame so the floor was packed for them. Couldn't see much behind me after that but Paavo spent a lot of the night pointing to the back of the house trying to get those people involved.
Still can't remember everything at the moment, keeps returning as euphoric flashbacks but Eicca was more into it than I'd seen in either of the previous shows I've been to. We were screaming until it hurt and I think it worked. A lot of Finnish grins in our direction.
Throughout the night, I was treated to ‘cellos 3 inches from my nose, Eicca screaming in my face (followed by Perttu during Refuse/Resist) and whipped with Eicca hair during some frenzied head-banging (uh, yeah – I lost control on that one too. Amazing what a giant blond Finn can provoke this little head-nodder to do when he's right in my face).
Screamed for Mikko after the insanity during Somewhere Around Nothing, enough to get a look from Eicca to Mikko and back. GOD, Mikko rocks. Definitely needs a lot more attention than he seems to get.
Eicca couldn't seem to stop smiling, Paavo mugged for the camera all. night. long. and Antero even seemed a bit more comfortable the second night. Maybe because fans weren't able to reach out and snatch him from his seat. He too kept looking over, caught it on film once.
Poor Perttu though had serious wireless issues. His earpiece blew early on so he spent a lot of the night going off and on stage trying to get it fixed. He ended up playing the majority of the show without an earpiece but until he told us afterward, we had no idea. I can't believe how in tune they're able to play, especially Perttu that night while hearing pretty much only what the audience was hearing. He was frustrated and Refuse/Resist got intensified several degrees because of that.
Eicca and Paavo both converged on Antero to get a reaction. Nothing quite like Finnish asses shaking in leather pants. They got a grin out of Antero, tried to catch it on film but the best shot was blocked by Eicca's bridge. Ah well, I saw it live – much better!
Enter Sandman with Eicca was incredible all over again. Saw some insane bow work and then a spinning ‘cello up close and personal. Again, don't remember a lot of that one either but at one point I guess there was a fear on behalf of my friend that I'd be crushed by a falling Finn and his ‘cello. What a way to go – sign me up!
Afterwards, more merch in hand (can you blame me?) we waited away from the mob again by the bus. Saw Antero slip right through the crowd unrecognized until it was too late, he's really very skilled at that. Talked with another crew member at length, apparently they spent their day off in MY CITY about two blocks from where I work. GAH! They all had really nice things to say about it, which was good since it encouraged me to take another look from an outsider's view. Boise really is very pretty.
Talked with Perttu for quite awhile, he had some funny stories when he stopped being too shy to talk (like I have any room to criticize, bunny that I am). One of the best laughs I got was watching him sign a shirt for a girl.
They sold shirts with “Play Me” written across the front. As he's directing her on how to hold it so he can sign, he looks over and says “See, if I sign it here it says Play Me, Perttu.” then went on to describe how they came up with that particular shirt. “All these girls are like, Perttu marry me, Perttu I want you to play me like your ‘cello. So? Play Me.” Might post more of that convo later, might not.
Antero was really nice, talked a lot about how crazy the fans are in Europe, especially one who tattooed his face on her ass. He loved walking along the river in Boise and we exchanged e-mails so we can keep in touch (just seeing if you're paying attention).
Got a huge laugh from Paavo when he leaned over to sign my shirt and then looked up to read what it said (Soita Alasti). “We've done that you know!” “I know, something about a sound check in France?” Grabbed me so hard for a picture that I actually lost my balance and fell into him, just barely straightened up and got my hair out of my face when the flash went off. My friend, the photographer, got a big kiss on the cheek and Paavo was off to the bus leaving two twitterpated grinning girls in his wake.
Eicca was last up that night, signed my shirt and as we're looking at the camera I hear “So, what was Perttu complaining about?” I fired back one of the topics and was rewarded with a laugh. Amazing how much he keeps a constant eye on everything.
We were last to leave again and as we're walking back to the car at 1:30am on a cold, dark Portland street hear <honk, honk, hoonnnnnnk> and turned just in time to wave goodbye to the tourbus on it's way to San Francisco.
Two regrets, one - didn't get a chance to talk to Mikko, he was on the bus early in Seattle and I was chatting with Perttu when he got on the bus in Portland. And two, I didn't get my Portland photo with shy Meelis. He kept a watch on me all night in Portland, not sure if he was finding the courage to say something or waiting for me to turn into Cujo and run him down. Lol!
So…now that my fingers will need to be wrapped as tightly as Perttu's (nerve damage by the way, he didn't have them wrapped after the shows but they were still painful, especially the ring finger. I can't believe they didn't cancel the rest of the shows and I can't believe how dedicated he is to keep playing).
Steph