Soundi 6-7/2009
Sauna Open Air, Provinssirock, RMJ, Tuska Open Air, Ruisrock, Seinäjoen Vauhtiajot... Nightwish or Volbeat will be the attraction on many huge events this summer. The bands sped up towards the summer festivals on a joint USA tour.
From North-America to the summer of Finland
Ankkarock 2008
The beginning of Sunday is sleepy. Towards the evening the mood warms up though and for example Opeth, PMMP and Disco Ensamble are nothing short from sovereign. The biggest winner of day is Volbeat though who performs to a full audience. Not bad for a band no one had heard of a few months earlier.
Singer-guitarist Michael Poulsen, guitarist Thomas Bredahl, bass player Anders Kjølholm and drummer Jon Larsen reveal to be friendly but a bit abrupt, said with permission. Perhaps the music business hasn't had the time to grind these men's edges. Or than it's just nerves. For the musicians seem quite tense though they have earlier experience from large festival shows. The quartet has played for example on Roskilde's main stage and opened for Metallica. The singer-guitarist Michael Poulsen, who has gotten a commendable size Elvis Aaron Presley tattoo on his arm, likes to remember the last-mentioned event.
- Elvis is one of my big idols but from modern bands Metallica might be my biggest favourite. It was unbelievable to meet James Hetfield and especially Lars Ulrich. He's a huge idol to almost any danish musician.
Volbeat's popularity is one sign of the power of good music. The band doesn't have a large advertising campaign from a big record company machinery behind it but the band's success is based on the catchy combination of different music styles. Nightwish's Tuomas Holopainen agrees.
- Volbeat's secret lies in the diverse but original concept. They've developed a rockabillymetallica-band that works. It's done with style, the guys have charisma and they have enough humour, especially at gigs. Volbeat is a frigging good live band.
Poulsen, who's been releasing music since the early 90's denies doubts about being calculate.
- I was sure that no one would be intrested in this musical mess. I played earlier in a death metal band but had enough of that after four albums. After which I decided to combine all my favourite styles. Rock'n'roll, rockabilly, psycobilly, punk, metal and so on. I didn't plan Volbeat any more than that.
New York, May 2009
The joint USA tour of Nightwish and Volbeat began yesterday in Hartford. Both groups are still suffering from jet lag. While the clock in Manhattan is only 5 pm but the inside clock of the northern people is ticking near midnight. The Nokia Theatre concert hall located in Times Square has many resting musicians inside.
Nightwish's previous show in New York was cancelled due to Anette Olzon's illness so the band is motivated despite the exhaustion. Then, late September 2008, the Nokia Theatre which has room for over 2000 people was sold out and "Nightwish - Sold Out" light banners can be seen from far away in the tourist jam at Manhattan now as well.
- Last September was so annoying. We had waited for the New York show for so long and than it didn't happen. We just gave autographs and watched Sonata Arctica, who toured with us, do a good show, Nightwish's drummer Jukka Nevalainen remembers.
Now Volbeat tours with the band from Kitee. Nightwish's background people's liking to Volbeat is no secret and manager Ewo Pohjola is happy to tell that "we left them an inquiry about joining the tour and to our pleasure they accepted the proposition."
- Volbeat's participation was at stake 'till the very end. At some point they were cancelling everything due to swine flu and we really didn't know before the first gig if they'd show up, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen says.
However at Volbeat's backstage contentment radiates.
- Nightwish tour is a really great thing for us since we get to play for large crowds. All that's left is to succeed perfectly and make a positive impact on the people, Jon Larsen laughs.
- Some think that there's no sense in us doing a joint tour with Nightwish. We think it has a lot of sense. Our bands have different music styles but we both play heavy stuff with melodic singing. We have been offered earlier an USA tour where we'd be part of six death metal band-package. That would've been insane, Anders Kjølholm shakes his head.
The danish are of course very excited to get to tour North-America. The land of Metallica, Johnny Cash, Misfits, Elvis and countless other idols.
- Hey, you forgot Cadillacs, Poulsen exclaims.
- But you're right, this is very important to us. I've done a pilgrimage to Graceland, but the other members haven't even been to the US. We're not planning to conquer America though, at least not with the Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood-album. We've just gotten this thing working in Europe and that's our bread and butter. Thinking about the American tour it's more like how much money are we loosing.
- United States is a great opportunity for us though. In the same way for example Germany felt like an unachievable dream a few years back. Of course the US is bigger and you'd have to tour here constantly. When the tour starts from the east coast, by the time you've gotten west the east has forgotten you. It's clearly a fast food culture here, Larsen thinks.
- And it's more scary here. The promoter may say that you don't want to walk the streets near by. And in fear of muggings kiosks are holes where you can barely cram a rolled-up newspaper through, Kjølholm complains.
- I've also noticed that here you have to walk on stage like a full winner, too proudly in a way. Like "we're the best, fuck the rest". Europe waits more a mix of humble and a winner, Larsen laughs.
There's no sign of being humble when Volbeat climbs the large stage of the Nokia Theatre. The off-stage a bit stiff Poulsen seems to catch flames on stage again and again and New York is no exception. Quite the opposite. The musician might prefer Memphis but the Big Apple seems to be excellent too. The band performs a sure hit complication and the singer-guitarist's funny speaks are the cherry on top of the cheerful set. Poulsen's funny speaks are much more inventive than the average (read = boring) rock speaks. The audience learns Poulsen's ways after a few stories and in the end the man gets great applause for just talking.
- Volbeat is just the kind of band you'd think would make it in the US. It's all there. But you have to tour America diligently, come to these people. Nightwish still has huge challenges in the US but the gigs are fairly big. And Dark Passion Play has sold over 100 000 copies on the side, Tuomas Holopainen says.
After the show it's hard to look at Poulsen. He's managed to get sick right before the tour's zero hour and the man is sweating backstage like in fever delirious. Practicly not a peep comes from his throat. The show ended not a moment too soon.
Nightwish prepares for it's show in many ways. For example signing autographs to over a hundred fans. Many fans have some sort of gift with them and the musicians leave the over an hour long event with large packs.
The feeling of enthusiasm already at the signing carries through the concert. Nightwish is still a new thing for many Americans and the band's performance creates a certain extacy. The backstage area soon after the gig turns into chaos when acquaintance and unknown people find their way to congratulate the band. Cameras flash and murmur soon turns into noise.
Tampere, June 2009
Holopainen's favourite team's Anaheim play-offs and many other things have fallen on history's leaves. Tampere has already partied a few days in Sauna Open Air with Mötley Crüe and Thor. The festival's ending slot is however received for Nightwish and the band climbs on stage in the cooling Sunday evening before ten thousand people.
The Nightwish camp is clearly in a good mood before the show. The musicians haven't seen eachother in a while and "how did your summer start"-questions cross the air. Emppu has tested a motorbike, Tuomas has been tending his vegetable garden, Marco has performed with Tarot for example at Polvijärvi and so on.
- The little small festivals are great events. For example at Alavus' Rantarock 1986 Tarot played after Twisted Sister. After us it was Smack's turn but the gig was cut short. The police stopped the event after the licence ended, Hietala sneers.
Even Holopainen, who isn't a great fan of festivals, seems to wait the Sauna Open Air-gig with enthusiasm.
- Even the best festival show is usually equal to a medium club show. There's too much noise at festival, no time for soundcheck and so on. The feeling just doesn't rise as high as on our own gigs. But despite that it's great to be able to play again!
Bye Bye Beautiful - a great festival song - is no longer in the set. Due to the lyrics?
Последний раз редактировалось: Hevein (26 июн 2009, 18:18); всего редактировалось: 1 раз
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фотографии из статьи можно посмотреть здесь http://lotta.yle.fi/ijulkaisu.nsf/sivut/minunkaupunkini_ohjelma?opendocument&pageid=Content142443E866E знакомые места,не правда ли? 
Ее любимая композиция - Meadows of Heaven!))
А жаль, с Нетти оно бы хорошо звучало.
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