Sonata Artica

Before anyone asks how the show went...actually a few people already asked...lmao!

SO!!!! I was orginally a little unsure if I wanted to go see SA because 1. I don't know them THAT well. I only have their latest cd that I got from the music store's going out of business sale 2. Going would require a lot of money in transport to get back to Chicago and then back to Chambana BUT! I AM SO GLAD I DECIDED TO GO SEE SA<3

FIRST OF ALL: FINNISH MEN<3 'nough said. I'm pretty sure that Finnish musicians are amongst the kewlest things in existence. Especially when they are gorgerous Finns (ie Tarja, Tuomas and Tony...no, I'm not gender discrimative). FINNS<3 FINLAND!!!

Secondly: Metal shows are exciting even when you don't know the bands. You can get into the songs headbanging and screaming even if you don't know the lryics! A good act will have LOTS OF ENERGY regardless of how big the fanbase in the crowd is or how well the audience knows the music. It's just even MORE awesome when hordes of people are SINGING ALONG AND SCREAMING! Then there's the moshing...Just push back if you're peaceful (like me).

SO! Here's the important part:

Show started at around 6pm. We got there at 5:45-ish? I don't know. We weren't in THAT big of a rush because I wasn't compelled to wait in line to be first in. I'm really non-violent too so I don't usually push unless my friends are there to push with me but alas, they weren't so only semi-in the front for me. Btw, attending metal concerts is a family affair for me so my mum was there (actually mum comes cuz she wants to see WHY I AM IN LOVE WITH THESE PEOPLE...cuz the first time she went was Tarja and honestly, I go through phases where Tarja is every other word out of my mouth so...yeah...Anyway. We go in, I of course have to use the bathroom (sadly, they took the condom machine out of the House of Blue's bathroom...it was there in winter of '07) and then I got an AWESOME SHIRT WITH FINNISH FLAGS ON THE BLACK (which is slightly too large, but I'm wearing it now anyway...)There was already a large mass of people in front of the stage so we lingered in the back while the first opening act played...

I don't really know what to say about PowerGlove. There's these nutty guys who play old cartoon/ videogame songs. Nerdy much? But really funny! I think a lot of the crowd appreciated them...(correlation between liking heavy metal and video games?) <---Most likey! I for one like both...except the more intelligent side of both...that is RPGS and femme metal (lmao). They played like the theme from Transformers, Power Rangers, Mario, MegaManX and Mortal Combat. They had funny costumes. To quote my mother: "And to think that is someone's son." Me: "There are worse sons..." That aside they were kewl. Some person in the audience was like "They're the kinda of music you don't tell your friends you like." I don't mind telling people they amused me. I even thought of texting a friend and saying that this was amongst the first times I actually enjoyed an opening act.

Next came Mustiny Within. They kinda sounded like generic metal to me. I have their cd somewhere on my computer but don't really listen to it. There's gotta be some STRIKING feature about a band for me to love them. OH! THE SINGER CROWD SURFED THOUGH AND RAN THROUGHT THE AUDIENCE SINGING!!!! Good times! But once again I was thinking...BRING OUT THE FINNS<3 (actually when I saw Tarja a year ago, I actually screamed that at the close curtain...the HoB doesn't close the curtain between acts now though...they just do the set-up/ testing in front of everyone)I think the waits in between acts were less too. I remember DYING OF WAITING in the past but not so much last night.

Before I make STARTLING statement I need to qualify a few things...1. House of Blues has better sound quality than the place I saw Epica 2. I was in a MUCH BETTER MOOD last night than I was when I saw Epica 3. Finns.

Okay.

I enjoyed seeing Sonata Artica more than I enjoyed the Epica show.

There.

The voices in my head: BUT AMY?! YOU ARE IN LOVE WITH SIMONE! HOW COULD YOU SAY SUCH A THING?

Me: *points to statements above* I just had more fun overall. I think SA was the best show I saw since Tarja..who incidentally was the best show I saw since Nightwish...trend of Finnish people much? Actually Tarja was better than Nw by a landslide. I'd say Tarja was the best show I ever saw, but I've seen WT and while seeing them meant NOTHING COMPARED TO WHAT IT WOULD NOW, it's still WITHIN TEMPTATION. But Tarja's Tarja...and OI!!!! WT=RELIGION TARJA=IN A CAGE Conflict Resolved.

Now for a fangirl rant: TONY IS FUCKIN' GORGOUS!!! OMG, WHEN THAT MAN SMILES! (yeah, I get excited about attractive men too...they gotta be Finnish though...or Phantoms of the Opera) He glows. Legit. And he's hilarious. Like a comedian. Multi-talented. Truly Finnish (kinda like a Renainnace Man but a Finnish Man) So awesome! I love Finns! THEY'RE FROM FINLAND!

There was so great band-audience interaction. Tony was like TALKING TO THE CROWD<3 HE'S SOOOO FUNNY! i want one. The best was when he smiled. Defs<3 SO ADORBALE!!! HIS FREAKIN' EYES. HE'S THE GUY WHO I CREATED MY THEORY THAT ALL FINNS HAVE PRETTY EYES AROUND.

Yeah, that show also marks the FIRST TIME I SAW A BAND TWICE. IT'S NUTS! I WANTED THE FIRST BAND I SAW TWICE TO BE WT OR SOMETHING, BUT SINCE IT WAS FINNS<3, I'LL LIVE!!! IT WAS A GREAT SECOND TIME! Tony was also the first singer I saw who was wearing his bands t-shirt! BUT THEN AGAIN all the singers I usually see are like OMG, WE'RE FEMALE SO LET'S WEAR FEMALE STUFF! (yeah, but I'm not complaining...).

The Finns also performed music. They didn't just stand up on stage for me to admire. Sadly, I can't identify most of SA's songs. I picked out "Juliet, Full Moon, Don't Say A Word, The Last Amazing Grays <---My Favorite and Paid in Full" Maybe more. Maybe not. I only have their latest cd so...I did order two more of their cds though so I can look forward to that. SA has great energy. Really. I wasn't too close to the stage so I didn't have a great view, but I knew they were rocking out, and Tony was really moving around (adorablely might I add). I was screaming. My ears HURT LIKE HELL afterward. I was SCREAMING "OMG, THEY WERE AMAZING THOUGH, which means it was worth it. So, so exciting!!!

I only got to like the third row though, but it wasn't that bad except too far for me camera to work. Not THAT many tall people were directly in front of me, but still tall people who stand in the front row suck. I should get to stand on stage with the Finns<3 If I couldn't see, it wasn't THAT BAD because I could still hear and jump up and down in excitement! Which I do! Because I love jumping around!

I don't know how many different ways I can RANT ABOUT HOW MUCH I LOVE SONATA! REALLY!!! JUST<3 I want to scream and cheer and frolic and be merry because FINNS ARE SUPER!!! I love when life confirms my obsessions.

Incidentally my mom likes Sonata too. Said they are her new favorite band (replacing her random obession with Coldplay...) LMAO. Okay...


Moral of the story: GO SEE FINNS IN CONCERT! THEY ROCK! THEY LIKE VODKA AND HAVE GOROUS EYES AND CREATE AMAZING, ENERGETIC MUSIC THAT MAKES YOU WANT TO SCREAM "I LOVE FINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNLAND<3!!!!

I do love Finland.

Not just for the men.

Or the music.

My love is symbolic. I'm an English major.

But really (now for the emotional relevance) seeing Sonata really made me happy ^_^ It was just a great experience. Gorgous Finn+Awesome music=Happy Amy!