[Gigs] Them crazy Finns

[karohemd]

Got out of work in time to catch the 5:45 to Kings X which meant I got to The Forum as the doors opened. Handy, I thought and walked along the queue that wouldn't end but eventually I did find the end. Didn't see anyone I knew to jump it, either. Still, it meant by the time I got in, I only had 15 minutes to wait for the show t to start. Got a spot in front of the mixer desk, too.

The lights went out at 8 on the spot, the stage went red and eight half-naked norsemen in furs entered and proceded to play some of the most awesome music I'd ever heard. They are called Turisas (myspace link), also from Finland, and play a crossover of Black Metal and Folk. Imagine an unholy union of The Levellers, Subway to Sally and Haggard and you get a rough idea. Bouncy, fun, melodic, crazy, making faces, stomping and poncing around the stage and really connecting to the audience in the way that the whole front half of the downstairs was jumping up and down. This has to be the most well received mostly unknown support band I've seen in a long time (the last time being The Inchtabokatables supporting The Levellers in '92).
The manic fiddle player played a mind-boggling solo thing that made his electric violin sound like a guitar (think Satriani type fretboard wanking), which was another highlight of the set.
45 minutes wasn't enough for me and I could happily have bounced along to some more but unfortunately, they were only support.

So, if you ever have a chance to see Turisas, do, you won't regret it (and he said they'll be back next year).

Oh, Lordi played as well and I'm much with purplehez here. It's a gimmick that's cool when it wins the Eurovision Song Contest and despite the costumes and cheesy tricks and props, they didn't hold my attention long enough so I left early and was in Cambridge by midnight. Still worth going, though, especially because of Turisas.

Comments

[slev.livejournal.com]

Lol.

I saw them months ago at BOA, where they where already more popular than the headliners, and only recieved second billing as said headliners are bigger on the mainland.

I never liked them myself (too much BM), and went to the car to take a nap. I woke up to find them playing the Ra-Ra-Rasputine & dallas covers. Now that was surreal!

[slev.livejournal.com]

Sorry, talking about Turisas here, only realised it might not be obvious to some - most of my friends went to Lordi for the support...

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

The Ra-Ra-Rasputin cracked me up, too. :o)

[fried-chicken.livejournal.com]

"...an unholy union of The Levellers, Subway to Sally and Haggard..."

I think trying to imagine that at this time in the morning may have broken me for the rest of the day.

[morgenstern23.livejournal.com]

I knew you'd like them. :)

I really hope they do come back next year, and maybe bring another BM/folk band with them!

Sounds fantastic!

[the-magician.livejournal.com]

I don't suppose there are some MP3s somewhere (in theory I could go follow their myspace link, except I've developed an unreasoning dislike for myspace ... partly because it's "popular" (and therefore not exclusive/geeky enough for me!), partly because I hated the setup when I created my own (and found all my usual nicknames already gone), and partly because at least one person has set up their Myspace and posted a public email address that's actually on one of my domains, so I keep getting Myspace notifications of "new friends" and such but they are for someone else's myspace page.

Re: Sounds fantastic!

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

You don't need to be logged in to listen to the myspace bits.
Their website (http://www.turisas.com/mainpage.html) (Downloads) only has Battle Metal.