#at 2C I'd at most be wearing a coat

[six-improbable-things]

Seeing people from California describe extreme cold is very funny to me. Like, if it's warm enough for snowflakes to melt, and you're all bundled up, you shouldn't be that cold? And your breath fogs even when it's not that cold. Like, I've been walking around, totally fine in just a sweatshirt, or a t-shirt and a coat and still had my breath fog up.

[tiikerikani]

Stuck in the middle with you Senpai a pillar

2023.03.25 Tavara-asema, Tampere

Part 1. Waiting for Senpai (art-house cut)

Senpai arrived at the stage door with the gear trailer at exactly 3:22 PM. This time he was riding shotgun. I waved. I had been hovering around there since a little bit past 2 o’clock. It was something like -2C out, I'm in my kilt and a t-shirt under my coat, and nobody had expected it to have snowed overnight so I hadn't packed leggings. I was starting to lose the feeling in my fingers. Yet I persisted for some reason. I really didn’t want to bother him too much so I apologized for being clingy last week (ironic considering how I was doing this) and passed a tiny note in tiny lettering. This was a bit of an impromptu one I composed last night, so I just used a sheet from the random notepad I keep in my bag, hence the tiny paper. More on that later (probably another post).

He said that he doesn’t really do the social media stuff [1][2], but their social media guy told him that I made that (terribly unpolished but actually pretty okay) cover the other day.

I went back to my friend’s place to thaw out before heading back in the evening. When I got back out there a bit past 6 (doors were at 7), superfan couple and blonde fangirls were already there (as well as like 2 other people I don’t recognize well enough to have nicknames for).

(But if you think about it in a different way, they didn't start the queue, I did. At 2 PM.)

The show (and indeed the entire tour) was sold out, and by the time they let us in, the queue extended past the entire length of the building.

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Part 2. The Pillar

This was a very new (it only opened last month) but very strange venue. It’s a converted warehouse and there’s a structural pillar JUST off-center abutting the stage. I had parked myself right in front of the pillar at first (FAIL), but as more people arrived and things started getting squishy I ended up right at the center?? It’s WEIRD being dead center??? I don't WANT to be there necessarily but I suppose if you're giving me that opportunity, then sure.

Superfan couple was on one side of me and on the other side was a local couple who was super lovey-dovey and the woman was a bit out of it and was trying to make conversation with me but kept saying the same few things over and over again. But whatever helps me pass the time, I guess. She's a newer fan (like 2 years) and was also at Joensuu last summer? What drives (pun intended) even the more casual fans to drive across the country chasing them around?

Later she would say that she found the new album too depressing but was impressed that I'd already learned (most of) the lyrics. But hey that's what happens when you've had it on repeat for 2 weeks.

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Part 3. The Gaggle Returns

I'm not entirely sure where the German guy from the gaggle was hiding (I did see the whole trio afterward), but the two gaggle ladies were taking up space beside the blondes and, for some reason, wearing Rauman Lukko hockey fan attire (they're from there, that much I know. Maybe just repping their town?? Was there a game here yesterday??? Tampere is a hockey city after all). The ladies also had their name tag badges, this time making an appearance on black cowboy hats.

If I had to assign the gaggle (ladies) a role like I did in my previous concert post, I'd say they are the cheerleaders. They like to shout things and one even brought light-up sticks to wave around????? (Are they just doing the hockey fan persona????)

To be honest, I found it rather obnoxious. But dang, my calligraphy banner/sign was definitely super-tame (but classy!!) in comparison.

When I declare myself "number one (non-Finnish-speaking) fan" I am directly challenging the gaggle (in my imagination), since they're the only other foreign groupies I know of.

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Part 4. Okay, Okay, but What About the Music??

Because the Pillar, Senpai moved over to the other side of the Pillar for some songs so that everybody could get to see him. Consequently, the front was actually kind of the worst place to be unless you're directly in line with the Pillar and can lean over to either side. But you'll never be able to see the entire band at the same time.

Samaan mutkaan kaatunut sometimes brings me to the verge of tears but I couldn't hold it back tonight because the lyrics were on my mind. The reason for this is elaborated in the tiny note I handed to Senpai, so I will discuss it later.

The set was the same as last week, except that this is one of the 3 performances with the expanded ensemble (as if it ISN'T LARGE ENOUGH ALREADY), so both backing singers were joined by their sisters (they're normally the alternates anyway), and a French horn and trombone were added to the instrumental department. The trombonist is Ukrainian and I was very tempted to shout 'Slava Ukraini!' when he was introduced but the connection between my brain and my mouth is a few seconds too slow.

Anyway, I didn't feel convinced that the extra players added anything substantial to the overall orchestration. It didn't help that the brass players were at the back behind the keyboards so I couldn't tell when they were actually playing. Coincidentally I also have tickets to the other two expanded ensemble shows, so I'll see if the concert hall setting (i.e. SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP) helps me figure out how exactly they contribute.

I'm not even sure why this was one of the special shows.

Another difference from last week is that they made the last 3 songs a normal encore section. (Cue "WE WANT MORE! WE WANT MORE!" from the gaggle ladies.) Last week they walked off the stage after Hetken ikuinen trying to get the audience to continue with the refrain before coming back but people were really confused. (But that's what you do with any new act, you tweak the things that don't work.)

SPOILER ALERT!!

The broken guitar bit is a gag; that's why he faceplants so elegantly. However the follow-through was different this time and more clearly signaled that it was for comedic effect.

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Appendix: Other stuff

They had received a second batch of pendants but I didn’t see any on the table so they must have sold like hotcakes the night before.

Jepa says I should keep making covers. Well there's no shortage of songs I still want to learn, but it hasn't earned me the reputation in the community that I thought it would. (This was a conversation about #foreveralone.)

I dislike these places where they very actively start kicking people out after the show.

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Footnotes

[1] This makes it even more remarkable that time he reached out to me about the address label.

[2] Which means that the best way to know whether somebody in the band has actually seen your post, is to see if it managed to catch Teemu's attention (and his like button).

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Pictures or it Didn't Happen below

The got-dang Pillar

The two pairs of siblings.

And probably the only time I'll ever get a picture of him looking at me (it's not worth the effort lol). It's a split second late after his gesture...

The guitar gag (now that I know it's a thing I'll try to get a picture of his faceplant.)

How many people is too many people on the stage???

Here's the view from the landing in the middle of the stairs, so you can better see The Pillar.