Interview With Bad Valentines Tell us about your latest release ́ Last Days In The Sun ́ was released on 25th of january and is the second single from Bad Valentines ́ forthcoming EP ́Memory Tattoos ́, which will be released in the end of April 2025. What was the recording process like? Was it in a studio or do you do it al yourselves? Pekko Mantzin : We had a pleasure to work with not just one but two great sound engineers / producers. Petri Majuri who has previously worked for example with Michael Monroe, Hanoi Rocks and Franz Ferdinand recorded all the instrument tracks for this forthcoming EP, ́Memory Tattoos ́. He also produced the tracks with us and had really good ideas for some arragements. Great chap. He ́s in charge of mixing and mastering as well. Sammy Aaltonen who ́s also been working with countless of bands, including Private Line and Andy McCoy Band is in charge of recording and co-producing the vocal tracks. How do you guys write the songs Pekko Mantzin : I have written most of the songs for Bad Valentines . Kupe Wessman, my guitar partner has also written songs and our singer, Hon, wrote this brilliant tune called ́Carry Me Home ́ for this release. The process is always old school. I bring the lyrics, melody, chords and some ideas for the arragements and then we start playing the tune. A simple old fashioned way. What were your main influences while writing Pekko Mantzin : When it comes to lyrics it ́s all about the reality. The reality is inspiring in good and bad. I don ́t like fantasies or fairy tales in lyrics. Lyrics should be meaningful. Truthful. For example I do love to slack this Finnish shit nazi government off in the lyrics because it makes me feel good. Probably those cunts will never hear these tunes but this is our way to protest. And we make sure that the audience will know what the lyrics are about when we play live. What is your favourite song on the new release and why Pekko Mantzin : They all are favourite ones. Our first release was ́Mariia ́ which is a pacifist song. It took a long time to get the lyrics done so maybe that song is the closest.  How did you come up with the name of the release ́Memory Tattoos ́ is a very meaningful title. These songs are musical memory tattoos. How did the band get together Pekko Mantzin : Guitarist Kupe and ex-bassman Edu were on hiatus with their band Plastic Tears and the drummer Sirpa ́s and my band Daggerplay was on hiatus, too because covid was still going strong. So when sthing started to calm down a bit we felt like it would be good to start to play again so together we started to play covers like hanoi Rocks, Cheap Trick, New York Dolls and all that cool stuff. For some time it was cool but this idea to start to play originals instead felt very tempting. We wanted to find a famele singer who ́s really good and we were fucking fortunate when we met Hon. She was exactly the person and the vocalist that we desired to find. So from that point we started to practise originals, play the gigs and the recorded the EP. Edu left in the Autumn and our mate Bryan Ugartechea, whom Sirpa and I have known for years, jumped in and we carried on practising and playing the gigs. How did you come up with the name for the band Pekko Mantzin : It was my suggestion. It sounded cool but not too serious at all. Have you got any gigs or a tour coming up where people can hear the song live? Pekko Mantzin : We play all the gigs we can. There are three scheduled ones. Vantaa, Tampere and Helsinki. We do advertise about all the upcoming event on our socials so give us a follow on Bluesky, Facebook , Instagram , TikTok.. What are your plans for the next few months Pekko Mantzin : We are mainly DIY so these nest two montths we ́ll be promoting `Last Days In The Sun ́ and straight after we ́ll be promoting our EP, ́Memory Tattoos ́. And those three gigs will happen within that period also plus of course we ́ll be rehearsing and palying the new songs. I believe it is very likely that we ́ll start to record next two EPs in the end of the Summer.

Our Band By Pvriah How did the band start? We first started in 2023, when Lewis and Sam who had known each other via the local music scene for many years previously, finally managed to get a project going together after being prevented by the impact of Covid. We put out an ad for a bass player and were quickly joined by Matt who completed our lineup. Who were the first members? The three original musketeers were Lewis Larkman (guitars, co-lead vocals), Sam Wood (drums), Matthew Harris (bass, co-lead vocals). How did you all meet? Lewis and Sam came to know each other while they were in separate bands in the local scene. Sam deputised as drummer in Lewis' band for a gig and they quickly realised that they should start their own band together, due to their mutual musical interests in all things heavy and doomy. We met Matt when he responded to our ad for a bass player. What was the first practice like? Really natural. We really quickly understood each other; musical styles and inclinations, and it felt easy to jam together and create something that sounded good. Where was your first gig and how did it go? Our first show was in our home city of Swansea, in a venue called Roadies Rocktail Bar. We were raring to go and make a statement, playing our music for the first time in public. We had a great turnout and response, and knew we had established a good foundation to build upon. What was it like the first time you recorded a single/EP/album? We self-recorded our debut EP shortly after our lineup was completed. We had been sitting on ideas individually for some time, and the songs quickly came together. All instruments and vocals were recorded in our rehearsal space, and a couple evenings a week spent mixing/mastering meant we had it done quite quickly and lined up for release. What has been the biggest and best moments of the band? Our best moments are absolutely performing live. We feel this is where we thrive and are able to deliver our tracks with energy and passion. What has been the lowest and worst moments of the bands? Probably when we were looking for a bass player to complete the band. Being in that limbo where you are itching to get the music out there but can't due to lack of an essential musical piece is difficult. What is it like playing on a stage to fans? Amazing, you can't beat an energetic crowd and band feeding off each other. Seeing people into your music is a great feeling and it gives us the inspiration to keep making the best music we can. How does it feel when people tell you they are a fan of yours? It gives us a real high to know that people have heard us and enjoyed our material enough to add it to their playlists, tell their friends, grab some merch etc. What is the process of writing new music? It is usually a conglomeration of ideas from us all, which we compile based on what flows into what, trying to get a feel for the song and letting it guide us, rather than forcing ideas together just for the sake of completing the track. Lyrics then usually come afterwards based on what the music makes us feel. For example, the inspiration behind our new single Mammoth Stomp came from us listening to the music, and Sam remarking that it sounded like a big mammoth stomping around! Do you have a band ritual before you go on stage? We don't really have any set ritual as such. Maybe a pint together to settle any nerves! Other than the instruments you play, do each of you have specific jobs in the band? ie, who arranges gigs, who runs the social media profiles, who sorts merch, etc. We usually do these as a group effort. One of us might be in work, so the others will reply to any gig offers, one of us might sort CDs and another Tshirts.

Single Review - One Night On The Town - Nightblade OK, I’m sure you’ll all agree here – what the world needs now is some good rocking music. Rome’s burning, Nero’s fiddling but we is rockin with Nightblade . Watching the video you would think a couple of these weren’t old enough to rock, but is there an age limit on rocking? I think not and these guys prove it. To date Nightblade have released five albums in five years, that’s like they did in the old days, before stage lighting was invented, then it went to one in five years. But these boys have been blessed with a large creative spirit, and I don’t mean Jack Daniels. They harness that spirit and put it out into the universe. I’m impressed with that output alone. Although they have had more line up changes than albums in 5 years, the current line up appears to be Mark Crosby – vocals, James Boyle – guitar, Chris Seldon bass and guitar and Elliott Potts drums, and seems pretty stable, this being the line up which has honed their sound down to the rocking Godzilla it is today. Did I say these boys can rock? No? well they can. Their sound kind of reminds me of Thin Lizzy in parts, then Billy Idol, then Judas Priest, then every other hard rocking band that came before them, all smelted down, and hammered into Nightblade. I look forward to hearing their forthcoming album.

Single Review - Erik Flaa - Fiesta For My Failure I reviewed an Erik Flaa single recently, The Fence, and I’m so glad I did, as this turns in another direction completely and the contrast is wonderful. It shows this guy is a true artist and is channeling inspiration from a lot of different sources. I am looking forward to his album. So, Fiesta For My Failure , in a 9/8 time signature which reminds me of early Jethro Tull. Then some distorted vocals come in and it all locks together. An instrumental break really goes into the sonic stratosphere, with guitar, and sax by Tore Brunborg, known for collaborations with ECM and Pat Metheny, which in essence reminds me of John Martyn, circa Inside Out period. Erik states his influences are Radiohead, Wilco Beck and Nick Cave, I think I am hearing in his music the artists which influenced his influences. And all this adds up to a unique artist, so refreshing in these days of everybody wanting to sound like everybody else.

Interview With Frequency Overload Tell us about your latest release. The debut album from FREQUENCY OVERLOAD, Fate Anthropic, was released on March 17, 2024. The album is available on all streaming platforms as well as cd format. It is being carried by SODEH records. What was the recording process like? Was it in a studio or do you do it all yourselves? The recording was engineered by Joey Z, the guitarist of Life Of Agony. We recorded some tracks at Vudu studio, And some tracks at Fat Bottom Studio. Those tracks were taken to Joey Z’s Nest studio, to be mixed and mastered. The two bonus tracks we added were mixed by, by our guitarist Corey Scaefer at Fat Bottom, and Joey mastered them. How do you guys write the songs? Typically the band: Corey Scaefer,(guitars), Kevin Daily,(drums), and Steve Little,(bass), will present a complete work to Mr. Bush,(vocals), and He will take it and write the lyrics. Other times we record our jam sessions and work from that. What were your main influences while writing? For us I believe the main influences while writing are the world around us..emotional and physical challenges, the human condition. What is your favourite song on the new release and why? My personal favorite song on Fate Anthropic, is LOVE AND BULLETS! The song begins with a preacher at a wedding speaking through a megaphone, and ends the song the same way. It tells the story of love gone wrong and the elimination of both families at the wedding. How did you come up with the name of the release? The name of the album is actually an anagram of the opening track, THE PAIN FACTOR! We didn’t want to do the predictable thing and name it one of the songs so we changed it up. How did the band get together? The foundations of Frequency Overload began with guitarist Corey Schaefer and drummer Kevin Daily, who realized they shared a metal history when first connected through their families. Corey’s time in bands like Uncle Jack, Nothing Sacred, Kryonix, Misery, and Misery Kills led to a solid foundation in guitar and songwriting, one which also led to support slots for Devildriver and Kittie. Kevin honed his percussion roots by jamming to Metallica’s Kill ‘Em All when he was 14. Later, a run in Akalamathesia and tenure in Long Island’s iconic Exit Verona led to reigning strong in the Hard Rock scene to include shows at the legendary B.B. King venue in NYC. With a new metal venture in mind, Corey set out to round out a lineup. Self-proclaimed “Chokalist” Mr. Bush stepped into the vocal spotlight, no stranger to the experience with a track record as the frontman of Social Disease, Ironlung, Evileye, Welt, and Pummel, and former labelmate of Dominus-era Michael Poulsen on Progress Records. Steve Little completed the lineup as an experienced bassist of 30 years, playing in Cobalt 60, Intogreen, Image Within, and Ionize, always with an eye out to get involved with new music. The unfortunate loss of a bandmate led Steve to step away from music for some time, but Frequency Overload was just the right project to bring him back on the scene. How did you come up with the name for the band? One night at rehearsal some three years ago, we were bouncing around band name ideas and our bassist Steve, said, “we can discuss this another time, lets overload some frequencies before it gets late!” Boom, the name was adopted! Have you got any gigs or a tour coming up where people can hear the songs live? We have several, local to us, gigs coming up. The most important of these is going to be at Stereo Garden, in Patchogue NY on April, 18, 2025. This will be our largest venue yet and through a legit promotions company. We are cementing a relationship with the promoter to be favored as opener for national acts that come through. We have also now fostered a relationship with Vector Sound Promotions of Portugal to investigate opportunities overseas. What are your plans for the next few months? The next few months we will be hard at work recording a second album for SODEH records. We are excited about their input and pre-production direction of songs. Of Course we will also be playing live gigs here in NY while we record.

Album Review - Midland Railway This nerdy geeky rock band called Midland Railway hail from Manchester. Manchester has always been the home of nerdy pop music if you think about it. From Freddy And The Dreamers and Hermans Hermits whose songs like No Milk Today were written by Graham Gouldman who went on to find his own fame with 10cc, another nerdy rock band, in the beginning at least. Then we had Jilted John and The Buzzcocks, who Midland Railway sound like an amalgamation of. And of course the kings of nerd – The Smiths, who could well have had an influence on this band of geeks. They sing about Pokeman games and serial killers, and have a penchant for lawn tennis. On this eponymously titled 10 track album, the songs are well constructed and there are some great vocal harmonies, with lyrics which go beyond simple boy meets girl, girl leaves boy kind of thing. In other words they have some depth to them, and comedic value. This is a five piece comprising Nick Lote, Sarah MacFhearadhaigh Blemings, Andy Traverse, Kat Donohue and Ben Ambridge, who have played The Academy 2 and the last night at The International Pop Overthrow festival in Liverpool, as well as various other north west venues. I think this band could be a band to watch out for in the coming months, particularly for people of a university going age, and if they carry on developing their skills could easily cross over into a wider market. Check them out on YouTube and Spotify .

Album Review - Sleepless Empire - Lacuna Coil Releasing on Valentines Day "Sleepless Empire" by Lacuna Coil is about to hit you with 11 powerful tracks.  A blend of gothic atmosphere with heavy metal riffs and emotional intensity. This album refines once more their sound into something more accessible yet deeply melancholic, solidifying their place as one of the most influential bands in gothic and alternative metal. From the very first notes of "The Seige" Lacuna Coil immerses the listener in a world of somber melodies, dark guitar harmonies, with both Cristina Scabbia's and Andrea Ferro's distinct haunting vocals.  The production is crisp and layered, capturing both the weight of the riffs and the gothic elegance of the melodies. Personal highlights are "Scarecrow" with clean guitars and a soaring chorus that sets the tone perfectly. "I Wish You Were Dead" One of the album’s most accessible tracks, featuring a huge, infectious chorus and "In Nomine Patris" A more aggressive track that still maintains the album’s melancholic atmosphere. Overall this album bridges the gap between gothic, and alternative metal, appealing to old and new fans exploring gothic or melancholic heavy metal. It’s a perfect mix of sorrow and power, beauty and darkness. Lacuna Coil just announced they are bringing this amazing album on tour through Europe and UK starting from October till the start of December. You definitely don't want to miss this out. Album Review - Sleepless Empire - Lacuna Coil

It has been a while since I got to see Bowling For Soup at a gig, either I was already doing something on the dates they had or I didn't have the money but last year when I saw they were going to be touring, I booked tickets straight away. A few days before the gig, Gary, the drummer, was experiencing some really bad health issues. They had taken him to a doctor over here but they couldn't find what was wrong with him so while we were all in the Winter Gardens rocking out with the rest of the band, Gary was on a flight back to the states to see his own doctor. It was sad that he wasn't there but his health comes first and I would rather he take care of himself to gig again another day, than push himself too much and end up worse. Jaret, the singer, got emotional during one part of the show speaking about Gary and I teared up myself. They are all so close, they are like brothers, and to see Jaret show that sort of emotion to a room full of fans really pulled on my heart strings. I can't tell you how much joy took over me as I saw Jaret walk out on stage with Rob at the start of the show. The start of the show is always the best bit for me, the excitement of waiting for the lights to dim down, the cheer from the crowd as the band comes out on stage. It always makes my heart flutter. I was worried that the band would play more of their newer stuff than the old classic stuff but they did not disappoint. They played some of my all time favourite Bowling For Soup songs like Trucker Hat, Girl All The Bad Guys Want, Home Town, Punk Rock 101 and The Bitch Song. All the golden oldies lol. Hearing Trucker Hat live always brings back awesome memories for me, in year 200(cough cough) I went to see BFS in London for my birthday. I brought myself a BFS tucker hat because it was my favourite song and got it signed by the whole band. Best birthday ever. Jaret and Rob did an acoustic set to start the show off and then Chris joined them on stage. To fill in for Gary, they all took it in turns to play the drums. Members of the support bands either played the drums or guitar so that Rob and Jaret could also take a turn playing the drums. I had no idea whatsoever that Jaret could play the drums so I loved this so much. I get issues with my feet if I stand for too long without something to lean or sit on so I was lucky enough to find a seat free in the seated section at the back of the room. I had a fantastic view from my seat so that I could enjoy the show in comfort until the urge to jump around like a loon took over haha. I grabbed my friend Roxxi and we weaved our way as close to the front as possible. There was such an amazing atmosphere all evening, everyone dancing together, singing and having an amazing time. This is what I have really missed since Covid took over the world. The feeling of being around people all in a venue for the same reason, to listen to amazing music.

This was my first Blind Channel gig and I was seriously excited. I was meant to see them back in January but the tour they were on was rescheduled due to Covid. They were touring Europe with Electric Callboy, they were the main support act so thankfully I didn't have to wait long for them to come on stage. I was so happy that the gig was at the Electric Ballroom in Camden as it is one of my favourite London music venues. I have seen so many amazing bands here over the years. When they walked onto the stage, I couldn't actually believe my eyes. There they were, in the flesh, I had been watching videos of them live for for nearly a year so it was like a dream to finally see them for myself.I was there with my friend Roxxi, who I had met in a Facebook fan group for Blind Channel, so it was quite fitting that we were there together for our first gig. The set-list was:- Balboa Died Enough For You We Are No Saints Over My Dead Body Timebomb Lose Yourself/Snake Bad Idea Left Outside Alone Dark Side The best songs in the set above all else were Bad Idea, Died Enough For You and Over My Dead Body. I couldn't stay still, I felt so alive. It was like the music was electricity surging through my body, waking up all the parts that had been asleep. Amazing. The little dancy bit in Over My Dead Body that's been added in is absolutely fantastic. I haven't heard any other fans mentioning it from other gigs so I don't know how new this is but I loved it. Could definitely do with a studio recording of it for when I'm in the mood to have a boogie I worked it out that it had been 4 years since my last gig so being back in a venue at a proper gig felt amazing. The atmosphere was buzzing, so many happy looking faces, all looking forward to the gig and whichever band they were there to see. As soon as the music started, we were caught up in the amazing energy of the band. Minutes before they had gone on stage, I was complaining my feet were really hurting but the second Blind Channel came on stage, I forgot all about it and started jumping around like a complete loon. I was headbanging so much that by the end of their set, I had a headache haha. I was also stupid enough to not get myself any water so towards the end of the gig, I started to get seriously dehydrated and felt like I was going to pass out. Such a rookie move haha. Thankfully, I had Roxxi to grab onto when I started swaying. Bad Idea is a song that touched my soul from the first time I heard it so hearing it live for the first time was completely out of this world. Looking around and seeing people turning on the flash on their camera so they could wave them around to the music was beautiful, like looking at stars. I filmed this song and have watched it over and over again to relive it. Died Enough For You was just wow, I was completely mesmorised by the song and so were the band all the way through this song. I feel like I have listened to these songs a thousand times, but hearing them live is just a whole different experience. For my first Blind Channel gig, they definitely went above my expectations.

It was quite exciting to finally get an announcement for next years Download Festival, especially when I saw that my wonderful Blind Channel boys will be there! That was definitely the decider for me, I was hoping to go as I heard Slipknot were going to be there but wanted to see what other bands would be there first so that it was worth the money and there they were, Blind Channel. Honestly, I made a weird girly noise when I saw them on the poster lol. The other bands I am really looking forward to seeing are Disturbed, Pendulum, Seether, Evanescence and Within Temptation. I've seen a lot of people complaining about Metallica headlining twice even though it will be 2 completely different sets. I do agree that the organisers could have got another band to headline, I personally would of loved to see AC:DC, Motley Crue or Alice Cooper headlining one of the days but I guess the headliners are set in stone now. I'm still holding out hope for a few of my favourite bands to be announced like Lost Society, Lost Zone, Black Stone Cherry, Alter Bridge, Massive Wagons, Ice Nine Kills, Bowling for Soup and Eva Under Fire. I will have my fingers tightly crossed for those.

I love phone apps, they can make our lives so much easier and what better time than when a trip is involved? I am very much a Google girl, I've had a Google account for years and I don't think there are many of their apps that I don't use. Google Maps What better way to organise your day than plotting out the places you need to go to on Maps. Hotels, nearby shops, venues, car parks, etc. Just about everything is listed on Google so it's a great search tool to find what you need and their websites. I find this really useful when I am driving to gigs so that I don't waste time on the day trying to find places. I usually create a list for each trip so that I keep my locations organised, I find this really helps me find locations quicker when I need them. Google Translate My husband is brilliant at picking up the basics of a language when we go abroad but I am useless so I use Google Translate when I am in a bit of a pickle. I love that as well as translating what you want to say by either typing it into the app, it will then say the phrase so that you can either play it to someone or help you to say the phase yourself. The picture feature has been a lifesaver on my more recent trips, because I have quite bad food intolerances, I have to check what I am eating and being able to take a picture and the app translates the writing has been a massive help. I have even had the app used to me, I was at a gig in Germany and not feeling well, the security guy couldn't speak much English so used Google Translate to ask me if I was ok. Google Photos I take a lot of pictures and videos in my day to day life so you can imagine how many I take when I'm on a trip or at a gig lol (I took over 1000 pictures at my last gig, thank you sport mode on my camera lol). I make sure that everything gets uploaded to Google Photos as soon as possible and then I can organise them into albums so that they are easily found later on. One feature that I do like is once you have everything up-loaded to Google, you have the option of deleting the photos off of your phone. It saves so much memory on my phone and they are then easily accessible on the app if I need them. Skyscanner Love this app because I can plan multi-stop trips that I may need to go on if buses and trains aren't an option and to save a bit of time. I just need to put in the destinations and dates of travel and the site finds the flights. No going to multiple airlines websites seeing what flights are on what day, saves so much time. Booking.Com I use Booking.com a lot for hotel stays and because I am a Genius Level 2 member, I get discounts off of some hotels. The search filter to find the perfect hotel is quite detailed as you can pick if breakfast is included, if it has a pool, wifi, free cancellation, pet friendly, no prepayment, fun things to do nearby, and so much more. I like to fill in the filters and then click to view the results on a map so that I can then pick the best location. I sometimes plan trips in advance so I can make a list per trip and add in the hotels I find that I may want to book or have booked so that they are easy to find later on. Trip Advisor The perfect trip planning companion, being able to see other peoples reviews of their experiences at hotels, tours, attractions, airlines and everything else you might want to do on a trip. You can also book through the site as well but I haven't done this before, I usually book directly through the companies website. I hope you found this useful and may even start using the apps for your trips. Just an FYI, I am not sponsored by any of the companies listed above, this is my personal opinion of these apps.

In November 2022 I finally made it to Finland, but it wasn’t for a holiday or a long weekend to explore Helsinki, it was to go to a Lost Society gig. Me and my gig buddy Roxxi had been talking about going to Finland for a gig for ages but the gigs were always on days when one of us couldn’t get a day off work or we didn’t have the money. Well, the planets finally aligned for us and gave us a gig to go to. We arrived on the Friday night as the gig was on the Saturday, we didn’t want to rush around on the day of the gig. We thought there would be loads of people queuing early at the venue so we got there for 9:30am and ………. We were the only ones there for 2 hours until another person came along lol. We had extra layers on but it was still freezing cold so we did laps walking around the stairs going up to the venue doors and a few times around the venue to keep warm because I kept getting cramps in my thighs. The staff in the restaurant directly opposite, Peloton Cycling Eatery, were happy for us to go in and use their toilets and buy coffees to warm up so they were life savers throughout the day. We did a numbers system in the queue so Roxxi was number 1 and I was number 2, and when the doors opened, Roxxi was in the venue in a heartbeat to get us a great place to stand at the front lol. I seriously think that her spirit animal is a whippet lol. Before Lost Society came on stage, we heard a lot of angry shouting behind us and it turned out that there were some people who had had a few too many drinks and were fighting with each other. It looked like security had sorted it but just after Lost Society’s intro music started, it was turned off because there was fighting again. A lady that worked at the venue came out on stage to show security where the fight was and they removed the people fighting from the venue. She started speaking in Finnish so I asked the lady next to me what she said and it was something along the lines of “music is about love not hate”. Quite possibly the best saying ever! Unfortunately, what we didn’t realise was that our new friends from the queue had problems with drunk people crushing them into the barrier later on in the gig. I feel bad that I didn’t notice or realise what was going on as I would have tried to help. It is a shame they had to deal with people like that. Lost Society was absolutely amazing!! The vibe from the band was just so energised that it felt like they were charging the whole room. They played a lot of the songs from the new album as it hadn't long been released. My favourite song of the evening was Stitches. It’s been my favourite Lost Society song since I saw them supporting Blind Channel back in September. I just frigging love how it gets everyone moving and because Samy doesn’t need to play the guitar on that song, he comes down to the front to sing with the fans and has a bit of a climb on anything he can lol. We especially got a treat when he climbed up on the bar that was keeping the barrier a set distance from the stage and the bar moved so Samy ended up holding on to Roxxi for support lol. She didn’t complain at all, in fact she had the biggest grin on her face. Hearing Suffocating live was such a moving experience. It was just Samy on stage and you could feel the pain in his voice and see it on his face while he was singing that this song was written straight from his soul. I looked around and saw loads of people crying. I think it’s amazing that a song can move people so much that it brings them to tears. The words mean that much to them knowing that they aren’t alone in how they feel and Samy is a brilliant example of how getting help can work because he brought himself out of the darkness that had taken over him and he has become a better and stronger person. Nonbeliever was one that I didn’t think they were going to play but I am so glad that they did, I absolutely love this song as it was brilliant live. They have the best lyrics ever! ‘Nonbeliever, I can see you. You think you are above us all. Nonbeliever, I forgive you. But I can’t win this war before you fall’. I have had so many people who didn’t believe in me and I have proven them wrong so this is sort of an anthem for me. Samy had problems with his guitar during this song but he gave it to Middy to sort out so he wasn’t without his guitar for too long. The legend that is Middy soon had Samy’s white guitar set up to be used while he took care of the other guitar. Hurt Me was a real crowd pleaser, I think that there were more people singing and getting into this song than any other song that was played. And with lyrics that are ‘hurt me, I wanna feel pain. Hurt me, I wanna feel your shame. Hurt me, I wanna feel pain. I’m crazy but you’re insane’, Are you surprised haha? This is a fantastic song live, the album version is brilliant but hearing it live is a million times better as you can feel the vibration of the instruments coming through the speakers and it just makes you want to move your whole body. Like all amazing gigs, it was over way too quickly and it was time to leave. As we had both had such a brilliant time, we wanted to stick around to see the guys and thank them for putting on a great show. It was cold and raining when we came out of the venue but the Peloton had an outdoor smoking area with a wooden roof that at least kept the rain off of us while we waited. It wasn’t long before we were the only ones left outside, everyone else obviously didn’t like the rain haha. Arrtu was the first to pack up and leave, we think he was driving home which is understandable seeing as they have had so many gigs this year, I bet he loves being able to go home to be with his family. Samy came out to put his stuff in the van and then came over to us to say hello. He was so lovely and stood talking to us for a little while. Then Taz came over to chat to us and then he went and got Mirko. I love that they took the time to come out and talk to us so we could tell them what an awesome gig it was. It meant a lot to us that they were that considerate. Even getting drenched by the heavy rain and a car driving through a big puddle completely soaking us didn't bring us down, we were on a massive gig high. I don't know what time Roxxi went to sleep but I passed out at about 2:30am after eating some food and going through all my pictures from the gig, I took over 800 pictures and some videos, thank goodness for sport mode on my camera lol. I had so much fun in Helsinki that I can't wait to go back again for another gig, I might stay an extra day next time though so I can do some proper exploring.