Introduction

It was my first trip to Helsinki and my first Finnish festival ever. The decision to join webmistresses from this site Crimson Dawn came all of a sudden, and I knew only Key at that moment. The good reason for visiting Tuska was also a thought that I MUST get any impressions from such kind of Finnish festival, and all the people who have been there before were totally impressed.:) We have had some troubles with receiving our visas, but it is typical problem for Russia and is not worth mention.

I bought tickets for "Lev Tolstoy Moscow-Helsinki" train, packed a small bag with summer clothes, because the online meteorological agency Gismeteo had promised a fine warm weather - it was my fatal mistake, because in fact the weather was really cold for July and I hadn't any warm pullover with me at all. In a train compartment my co-travellers were three men, they were very quiet. By day. And at night first the one began to snore, then the second began to puff, and at least this orchestra arranged a little festival warm-up for me. There was nothing left for me but to laugh in a pillow and to watch the darkness. Helsinki surprised with a cold weather and a ghost of Key, who had been hanging around in bars of Helsinki and hadn't enough time to sleep almost a week. After cheking-in in Finn Hotelli we had "international" breakfast in a small cosy cafe with two girls from Germany and Italy and a Finnish guy, who also came to visit Tuska festival.

After breakfast we went to Kaisaniemi park, the way took 10 minutes. Helsinki is a small city, how cute!!!

Day first

The first leaping to the eyes thing near Kaisaniemi park was a crowd of people, dressed totally in black, like it should be of course... There was a great queue, and this stressed me a little, because I don't like waiting. But then suddenly the second gate was opened and I rushed to it. The thing that impressed me was the situation when the second gate was opened and a girl there was waving hand to all the people in a queue, but they kept on staying stubborn in the first queue.

There were one main stage and two smaller stages covered with awnings at a Festival's territory. And two drinking zones, I don't really know why it wasn't allowed to get out of them with alcoholic drinks bought. =/

All the people dressed in black. Morticia, the owner of gothic boutique, with her crimson lashes, hair and some other crimson fetishes was only standing out against black. I liked some showy gothic girls with their freakish dresses, striped stockings and like with watercolours coloured hair. Typical for Finland, but not typical for Russia : many guys with very long hair... There was a lot of funny stuff brought for waving: inflatable cudgels, green teddybears, flowers... When you have nothing special - a bottle is enough for waving.:) It was nice to see a girl with a scythe! Some people were already drunk from the very morning and were sleeping resting against the fence with the sunglasses on, of course!, but showing white socks with Disney-heroes. ;)

As we came the vikings from Moonsorrow occupied the main stage. The band looked like an angry grouping of true vikings coated with blood \probably of enemies :)\. And one question bothered me, namely: where have they got so much blood? The band is also known for having troubles with other Finnish band Norther - at other festival guys from Norther showed their asses to the stage where Moonsorrow played gig at the same time. On stage Moonsorrow were certainly "in image" and roar frightening how they will struggle with dragons and to rescue mankind from evil spirits. Among Finns appeared loads and loads vikings fans which echoed with harmonious voices and waved with "goats" and teddy bears. I liked enthusiasm of performance and the real rocking of brothers viking, especially when Henri sang with. In general, Moonsorrow have adequately opened the fest and have created corresponding mood. Well, I did not see, how they went then backstage with cleanly washed up faces.;)

Absolutely noisy metallbands on lateral stages I, as a rule, did not watch almost, therefore Amorphis have happened then. Theatrical behaviour of Pasi, he looked proudly over the crowd, extended hands and pressed a microphone to all parts of his body, and people scanned back to him in love. Very successful gig, in my opinion. Pasi has been then noticed in a club in a drunk condition where slightly rowed, climbed on a stage and stuck to a girl though should, according to rumours, marry in the near future. %)

And on a lateral stage were Sentenced. Also there was a grandiose crush among people in this occasion. Plainly nothing was visible. Two-meter high Ville turned out very funny in photos. And he was in a T-shirt with an inscription "Supergay"! Humourous... Still Ville appeared, from words of Key, very lovely in dialogue, impressive and hang around in crowd with beer before his gig.

Type O Negative ! The other girls from our team don't like them, but I do! Pete began with mention that they weren't been to Finland for seven years and now he is pleased to be here. And they have started with "Unsuccessfully Copying"!! It's cool when people sang together I Know U R Fucking Someone Else. Still they were allocated on a background of gloomy blacknesses of the crowd with their hospital green suits. In crowd there was a girl with a green flag so she was taken to the stage to wave it there. Also Pete said that he wants some "action" and asked whether anybody will catch him if he suddenly will decide to jump in the crowd. They have played "Black*1" and "Christian Woman" and "Everyone I loved Is Dead" and some new songs. Pete joked with people, behaved very confident and hmmm… sexually. And Key on not knowledge has pushed on backstage their guitarist. %).

My dream has come true - I have seen Type O Negative themselves. It is insulting that I had adorated them alone. Kris has preferred vikings to hospital attendants. :)

On it all has ended also and all the people rushed outside. In a civilized way, it is necessary to notice!!!!

I felt really bad - I have frozen, many thanks to Melamory for bringing saving pullover. The staying days of Tuska have passed in a fever and will be remembered precisely for a long time. %).

Day second

Groaning I have dragged my poor transitory body for second day of Tuska.

I don't like Edguy very much, but their gig, nevertheless, has made a good impression on me. Their vocalist is remarkable for rare nimblenes and rushed on a stage for a second from one edge in another. I wondered if he would stumble. Most charismatic person in the band is their smiling, very charming guitarist. In general, Edguy represents extremely positive power and optimism. For all that I can forgive them high-frequency vocal. Faaaallen Angeel... Heh, I like it more powerful.

Lullacry haven't made any impression on me worth mention. I patiently waited for Lordi, Key's favourite band. Which have disappointed… it was only interesting to watch them, first ten minutes. Monotonous enough performance which any elements of circus - theatre as rag skeletons which the vocalist shaked with a severe aspect, buckets with fragments of bodies which he pretended to eat, do not rescue. All ethe set I examined Lords' clothes: superimposed long fingers, skulls everywhere, a microphone on the rack as a poleaxe, the wings of a bat which were carefully tightened up by the crawling behind technician.

Lordi - is a gloomy parody on Kiss. The ominous monsterwoman behind the keys with all her body, swinging with her hair, showed the groove. Their mighty vocalist went terribly on a stage and growled "Would u love a monsterman????" And I began to laugh. In general, simply it is necessary to look through the photos.

Hippopotamuses rocked, but I caught only a glimpse of it, as I have crept in a beer zone where has communicated to the Finnish youth. I took an interest in for what they came here, it was found out - they wanted Soulfly . We have discussed the crisis of Nokia, and at the same time Suomi in general. The guy has stated huge respect to Petersburg \he has struck, that there live more people, than in all Finland of time in two, hehe - he haven't been to Moscow!\ and at the same time both Russian and Russia, that has pleased me :) . Then still drunk Finnish youth wanted to know from me how many Finnish bands I know, and I diligently listed them all that climbed then in a head. Then I have added HIM and enjoyed expression on their once wrinkled faces. In that case they appeared antipatriots. I have asked them about TATU. I found out that they count them victims of promotion and do not like and do not count being Lesbians as an occasion for success. In general, correct Finnish youth! One more thing surprised me : when I was in other parts of Europe people somehow intuitively feels a foreigner in me, but Finns at once start to talk to you in Finnish and look surprised, when you do not speak Finnish. %)

And now one more time about TATU. Their song "Not gonna get us" was an intro before Norther show . And the scandalists themselves were delighted with their own joke. As poured a rain me and Kris have climbed under an awning of a stage and set down direct before a stage where Norther had soundcheck. They went all over serious and dressed in three jackets at once (with inscription Fuck U on a back), and were then naked, also the vocalist sang in shorts.:) They have played well, aggressive enough:).

Children of Bodom have adequately finished the second day of Tuska. People have already had time to get drunk and were ready to perception and emotions. My jumping neighbours began to tread on my foots, and drunk Finnish began to fraternize and embrace among themselves. Aleksi can very picturesquely spit in a crowd %))). It is necessary to hope, that they will reach Moscow. In my opinion, Children were directly exemplary headliners and they are real mega-stars!!! I think Kris should write something worthy about them.

The second day of the Fest, when poured a rain. It was memorable cause of a very funny guy, walking around naked in a transparent raincoat, having reeled up for questionable decencies a black rag on a causal place and sparkling with his naked ass.

Day third

Because of bad physical conditions this day I have watched only a pair of bands, but what for the bands were they!!!

Coming to the end of Soulfly's gig which had all chances to impress me in any other day, I have found Kris near the stage where Swedes Arch Enemy should play. I had not never heard of them before. I have prepared to be bored for forty minutes, but then have appeared Arch Enemy and I was totally "smashed"!! What a person their vocalist Angela is! Like a hybrid of Sandra Nasic and Madonna, and what! She is able to sing and to growl and simply effectively to yell. Fairly, I could not listen to their music at home, but to the concerts I would rush with pleasure. And guys in the band played harmoniously, especially the guitarist with crimson long hair tried. Directly exemplary metal - band with a female vocal though my tongue does not turn to name a vocal typically female %).

Well, and headliners for me that day were The 69 Eyes. Though they have performed quite standard, for Tuska rather light-weight. Jyrki sang indifferent, in my opinion, after the gig at once has faded away, not like the others. He was wearing something like Gothic pyjamas, was unshaven and in slippers. He has somehow boringly fulfilled put time, has not to dance much Elvis like, but it is even good. %) Jussi was in a fine mood, was laughing about jokes of Jyrki, which he said in Finnish. Bazie in general two days of festival hang about in a crowd, close to people, then has been noticed in clubs, has crept out to see the Type O Negative, and (ohh, a civilization) nobody bothered him and did not pay to him any attention.

The 69 Eyes have performed a brand new song "Lost Boys" (Jyrki: "First time ever of course" - though they already constantly play it:)) which has pleased me, the real goth'n'roll!! There so lovely sang together Archzie and Bazie. %) It is thought, a new album will be heavier and more dynamic than previous one.

Digression

And next day, when we left, a heat has burst. %) And downpours. We spent all the day by shopping some rubbish, such as cards with devils, rings, water colors, dolls in coffins, disks, gloves, bottles… the photo accessories, ordered to me, which does not exist in Suomi %).

And when we eventually approached to the railstation, a thunder has burst. So solemnly we passed by empty, cleaned park Kaisaniemi...