Insomnium / Shear / Kuolemanlaakso
10. May 2014, The Circus, Helsinki, Finland (Photos by Tina Solda on Flickr)
The Eurovision Song Contest final that took place the same evening could not really have been the reason why the club was pretty empty when I arrived shortly before the first band was due. Well, it admittedly started a very early for a Saturday in Helsinki… and many, as it turned out, were just interested in watching the headliner.
Kuolemanlaakso,
therefore, had no easy stand, but luckily with the first songs the empty pit filled up nicely – either because more and more people showed up, or because those who had inspected the bar in the very back were drawn to the front because of this damn good melancholic doom sound. The program, a nice mix of new material from the latest release Tulijoutsen and old hits like “Minä elän”, earned well deserved cheers, and later at the merch stand you could see that the band has indeed found a number of new fans… the only negative aspect for me, this pretty much perfect gig seemed waaaaaay too short…
Shear
had been supporting Insomnium on this mini-tour – and in a way it was the contrast program to the previous band, thanks to a hyperactive-talkative female at the microphone and a somehow happier sounding Prog-Powermetal mix – somehow I had to think of the old Queensryche. Great show, where vocalist Alexa Leraux had again every chance to shine, supported by a strong string section that also enjoyed posing. Shear´s new album “Katharsis” offers in my opinion the best mix of the mentioned elements, which were present from the very beginning of this band, plus a lot of pretty catchy songs.
Insomnium
In the meantime the club had filled up that I even assumed to find a “sold out” sign at the door… In other words, this is what I had expected, because this band, founded 97 in Joensuu, had created a solid fan base with a number of great albums and flawless gigs… the crowd – as expected – went nuts just because of the intro, and carried by this enthusiasm in the hall (people went nuts even in the very back!), the band was encouraged to give their very best. When back then you could have complained about a certain absence of stage action, those days are long gone, Niilo & Co delivered an intense stage show that induced several gooseflesh moments, and I am not even such a big fan … A great band you should not miss checking out when they end up playing a show in your town!
Summary: Great and pretty much perfect evening! Another positive aspect of the early start, I could still watch the exciting Eurovision voting process at home – and being Austrian, I can say it was worth watching it 😀
Insomnium Setlist:
The Primeval Dark
While We Sleep
Revelation
Down With the Sun
Drawn to Black
Ephemeral
Through the Shadows
Only One Who Waits
The River
Unsung
Change of Heart
The Promethean Song
Encore:
The Killjoy
Where The Last Wave Broke
Weighed Down With Sorrow
