Flying home for Apocalyptica and Vamps

It's got to be said, last night was probably one of the best gigs I've ever been to. It's most certainly up there. Wow.

It was really strange, a few weeks back I was talking with the wonderful Gemma about Apocalyptica and I was half joking about flying to England to see them again with her. Somehow that joke ended up becoming real!

With Eicca

The show itself was in Wolverhampton's Wulfrun Hall, a  venue I'd never been to before but has hosted quite a good variation of musicians over the years. I have to say, I didn't really rate the venue itself. It was okay but the security staff were a bit, well, acerbic. I mean, understandably, in the wake of the tragedy in France they had to search us all thoroughly but, to give you some idea, the woman who was supposed to be searching me got so confused by the fact I had a little camera and was so busy telling me off for having it that she actually forgot to search beyond the camera that was on top of my handbag. She then went to check, after telling me off, and turns out that my little baby camera was allowed anyway. This seemed to be the basic interaction between security and visitors - if in doubt be strident. Actually, when meeting the band a couple of other girls and I were joking that the whole process was how we'd imagine it if we were convicts going into prison. It's a shame because there are plenty of venues that have brilliant security who are able to be friendly along with it!

Right, that's enough moaning for me!

Before the show, I met Apocalyptica which was completely and utterly surreal. These gentlemen were incredibly important to Tiny Me, just starting to play the cello herself and really into the rock and metal genres. They were one of my earliest inspirations and have therefore been rather significant over many years. Of course, I didn't manage to tell them that, and nor did I plan to! Instead I stood awkwardly and lost all social skills. Seriously, I know I'm generally shy but I think this is the closest I've ever been to "Starstruck". That aside, they were all complete and utter gentlemen, in the truest sense of the word. They were happy to just generally converse and actually spent quite a lot of time talking both about the band and random other things. I mean, Perttu asked me to tell him the vague geography of where we were in England.... for someone who just flew over herself, that was hard!

With Paavo

The rest of the audience slowly filtered in and I was joined by my darling Gemma and Dan, a lovely chap who had come out to Amsterdam the week before. And it was time for the music.

Did I mention that the band supporting Apocalyptica, Vamps, was a band I used to listen to a lot when I was a bit younger and fronted by one of my favourite singers from my early teens? No? Well, you can imagine how surreal this entire line up was then!

I get the feeling that, other than the large Japanese group who had come over to see them, I was one of the only people in the audience who knew Vamps at all and I think the band were aware of their inability to get the audience on side which is a real shame. They're a great group but just not what people were used to, I think. Anyway, I'm over the moon that I got to see them and would really like to see them again, actually. Considering I never thought I'd get to see them at all, last night was really wonderful. I also have to mention how Dan (assisted by the gorgeous Gemma, of course) helped to make my night by not only catching  Ju-ken's pick but by actually giving it to me. Seriously, it seemed that everything was lined up to make Teenage Me exceptionally happy.

In-Denial-About-The-Fact-She's-An-Adult Me was pretty much pleased as punch too.

With Mikko

And then was the main act, in the shape of Apocalyptica. I really do not know how to describe their shows and especially not having attempted to do it already just a few short weeks ago when I was lucky enough to see them in Amsterdam.

This band has such an energy on stage. They are all amazing, amazing musicians but all of whom bring something totally different to the stage experience. Paavo is probably the one who interacts most directly with the audience and does not fail to get them to interact with the music. Mikko also tends to take on this role but, I have to admit, I dislike the stage/drum riser set up as I quite often just didn't watch Mikko as he faded into the background too much. Perttu is, well, 'energetic' on stage, shall we say, diplomatically. I mean, the hole in the back of his cello probably sums up the way he tends to behave, as did the moment when he started to play in an exceptionally suggestive fashion. I've said it before but I still feel it, Eicca grounds the group on stage and is one of the key figures for creating the atmospheric (and probably musical!) harmony.

With Perttu

Of course, there's also the touring vocalist, Franky Perez who has completely won me over. His vocals are strong but sensitive and his stage performance is high impact, full of energy. He balances interacting with the crowd with interacting with the band and, or so it seems, thoroughly enjoys his time on stage. I get the feeling that he's just around for the Shadowmaker tour but I really do hope he stays.

There were some technical difficulties but they didn't really detract from the show and were dealt with in such a professional manner. Apparently they were caused by the UK plug system being different from the European one: "We're used to putting our things into different holes". Oops.

Anyway, with the evening over, Gemma, Dan and I escaped the press of people. They bought themselves shirts and I realised that I had only brought euros because I'm a prat and couldn't. I headed home and spent the entire night super ill (yay) and had to rearrange today's flight to tomorrow. Not sure if I'm going to be up to it tomorrow but no choice. On second thoughts, now I'm having to pay a lot for flight changes, maybe it's a good thing I couldn't spend all my money  on merchandise!!



The photos included in this post were kindly taken by a couple of people, Zoe and Jenny, as the whole camera confusion caused a few issues and they had a camera phone (which caused no confusion because there is no logic in this world) and hence they saved me!

Not for facebook

Gig time: Apocalyptica supported by Tracer

To be sitting in class until 5:30 prior to a gig seemed like a super bad idea. I wasn't about to skip the class, although it was tempting, yet my mind kept sending me images of an ever growing queue and I sat there in the knowledge that I was not going to be anywhere near the front this time - a.k.a. at the back because I actively avoid the centre at gigs but that's another story!

Thijs and I arrived about an hour before doors opened. There were some people lurking in the area but no real queue. When doors opened we had time to put our bags in the cloakroom and then stroll to the stage. Other than the V.I.P. ticket-holders we were at the front (in reality, this meant we were second row so that's all good). Can I just point out how different this is from the majority of UK shows?

In fact, there were quite a lot of differences compared to the U.K., in the end, although it'll take a few more gigs to work out how generalisable these are. I had my personal space for the entirety of the show except for one moment when a photographer accidentally tapped me with his camera... which suggests the calmness of the crowd is pretty normal because I would not dare take my proper camera to a rock/metal show for fear of, well, a dead camera. Interestingly, I got more squished, and my hair more tangled up, as we attempted to leave at the end.

Anyway, I digress from the show itself.

The warm up band was Australian rock band Tracer. I'd heard some of their stuff before but didn't know them all that well, Thijs hadn't heard them at all. It's pretty fair to say that, by the end of their set we were completely sold. We also met the band briefly after the show and they're delightful guys so an all round good mix. Apparently, they're coming back in the New Year so Thijs and I agreed we should go catch them again and if he pulls out he'll be in trouble ;-)

And Apocalyptica, well, they were awesome but what do you expect? I was lucky enough to see them with Maria a few months back, before they started playing with their new vocalist, Franky Perez. I only say "lucky" because it allowed me to fully appreciate the new dynamic not because I felt that the vocalist detracted at all. Franky is blooming brilliant. He has a great voice, something we knew from Shadowmaker, and is a wonderful live performer. I mean, it's clearly different to the full instrumental performances but it's a good kind of different.

Other than that, I guess the highlight of this show, for me, had to be Eicca's super, super quick string change. I mean, I know he had assistance but that string was on in a few seconds, under a minute, I'd say. I'm as impressed by that as by the music itself!!

I'm not going to spend too much longer writing about this show because, as always, I find it hard to put this kind of experience into words. However, I did book to go see them on the UK tour so I think that gives you some kind of idea as to how much I enjoyed it!

Not for facebook

Wow, wow, and wow once again!

I don't normally write blog posts straight after shows - I'm incoherent even when I'm mentally at my best - but this one time I feel an exception must be made. I've just come back from seeing Apocalyptica with Maria and I simply have to write.

I don't normally feel both as exhausted and exhilarated as this after a gig. I guess the cycling home burned off the post gig adrenaline while my mind is still on fire from the experience. 

I didn't expect the band to be quite that amazing. I expected brilliance but they surpassed it. Wow.

Everything ready to go!

Apocalyptica are one of my childhood bands. I first discovered them back when I was first developing my own music taste. As I started to play the cello myself they became an inspiration. Seriously, one the first proper pieces I learned to play was one the parts of 'Cortege'. They could have been pretty disappointing and it still would have been an amazing night but, trust me, they were anything but disappointing.

Waiting for the show to begin, I tormented Maria with my excited bouncing. Poor girl, she kindly agreed to accompany me even though she wasn't a fan herself and then was subjected to an excited me! We decided to sit on the balcony which is not my usual style but was actually an excellent choice. The view was brilliant of both the stage and of the band. It was really interesting to watch the crowd dynamic from this angle - you don't see the patterns when you're a part of it even if you're aware they exist. It would have also been a great place to take photos but I gave up in the end because the lighting was not nice to my little compact and, with the number of pro photographers there, there will be plenty of images floating around in a few days :-)

Anyway, you'll notice I'm avoiding talking about the show itself. It's really hard to work out what to say, how to put it into words. The music was great. They're talented live musicians not just talented recording artists so that was not surprise. I guess the tech was a bit odd to start with as the drums were too prominent but that was quickly resolved and then everything was great.

What did surprise me was the dynamic on stage. Something that's to Apocalyptica's credit is the way in which each member has their own role within the band's sound. They're not just several cellists, and drummer, attempting to play coherent music but they're a band with defined roles melody, rhythm, bass... drums. While they make stray from this format from time to time it gives their music a real structure. But this wasn't what I was wanting to say... oh what was it? Yes, the fact that, on stage, there is also a clear structure. Eicca seems to be cool and in control, Paavo really interacted with the crowd and got them involved, Perttu was 100% full of beans and all over the place, and Mikko drew it all together with the drumming. In this sense, you have a really rounded stage atmosphere. There was a real feeling of fraternity amongst the band and that was lovely to see as an audience member. It felt like they were loving being on stage and that simply transferred. Yeah, it was great.

Not only was the potential of the important bits of music and performance fully realised but the design of the performance, both visually and set-list wise was also on form. I will admit that there were times when the strobe lighting was simply to flashy for me but then there were also moments of beautiful lighting design that really set up an atmosphere to compliment the piece in question. The louder, faster pieces saw the stage divided with beams of light and colour while the quiet, peaceful numbers received a more harmonious treatment. And the balance between those fast and slow pieces was just right. While the majority of the set was centred around, as one would expect, Apocalyptica's heavier pieces, it was interjected with two moments of calm. Not only were the tunes played in those moments stunning but this division of the set ensured that the heavier tunes did not fall into a monotony, allowing the audience to appreciate every moment.

So, a wonderful night? Undoubtedly. Did Maria enjoy it in the end? Well, from her grin at points during the show and from the brief discussion we had afterwards... I think she might be a convert ;-) Sadly, we didn't manage to meet the band afterwards (and I couldn't get my scrap-book signed!) but as I'll be seeing them next year I think I'll survive! Truly cannot wait to see them again - they've set themselves up at near top of my 'best live bands list' and exceeded the already high expectations I held. Wow.

Sorry for lack of decent images. I only took about 20 as I thought they were coming out even worse than they were. Of course, that means the semi-decent ones, and I use that term very loosely, are limited to no more than a few!