Last weekend, pure A-W-E-S-O-M-E-N-E-S-S!!!! *instert a series of Finnish curse words here* The best damn weekend in my life! (So far anyway). Didn't see many bands, but the quality is what matters, 'cause all the bands I saw are in my top 10! It was perfect! I tok some sweet pictures, but more about those later..

..ja N&N, jos luet tätä, en aio suomentaa tätä tänne, koska on aika helvetisti tekstiä, soita tai msn ni voi hehkuttaa sulleki

Here's what I did last weekend..

Thursday, June 12th
I had no idea if I had a friend to be with at Provinssirock next weekend, so I was beginning to be a little desperate. It's not a problem for me to go to a gig alone, or a 3-day festival, been there done that and had fun, but still, it's a little lame to party alone. Anyway, two friends of mine invited me to tag along, of which the other didn't have a ticket in. So, my weekend was pretty muich saved, since the friend, Vilma, who had a ticket shares the same musical taste as I do. Yay!


Friday, June 13th

The big day, D-Day, or whatever you want to call it, Provinssirock 2008 is here! But before getting my ass in Provinssi gear I had to go to work for 6,5 hours (normal day is 8h), and it was a damn busy day. I was happy to get out early to get ready, and biking home was all but fun since it was raining like no tomorrow. So, I went home, got ready to rock and left to my friend's. It was the first day I had ever drank beer, I had always drank only long drink. It wasn't as bad I had expected.

We (Me, Vilma and her friends Niko and the girl whose name I can't remember, and sanna who had no ticket so she couldn't go in) didn't go in the festival are the minute the gates were opened (at 18.00), because that'd been kind of stupid since we would've had to wait ages to get in for the queues (the weekend was sold out). We took our sweet time and around 19.30 we left the apartment. We went straight to the band t-shirt booth, I got myself a Linkin Park tour shirt and for my friend Foo Fighters shirt (she gave me the money for it because she didn't want to miss Coheed And Cambria, who began playing at the main stage when we were standing in the queue). I'm not a fan, but C&C were pretty good.

I didn't find my friends for hours after they left me at the shirt booth, but that doesn't matter, because I saw Linkin Park! Int front row! Well, not right next to the stage, but I was touching the railing. I don't know what it's called, but the railing made this curve thing in the middle, and I was at the curve, with a straight view to the stage. The stage was pretty far away nevertheless, but that's better than nothing. The gig itself was AWESOME!!! Totally worth my €uros. Chester took a tour in the curve, too bad I didn't have my camera on at the moment he walked past me, but I got one shot of him almost getting swallowed into the ocean of people. At some point someone from the right side of the audience threw him a furry cap, it was hilarious! All the band members seemed to be a little amused about it.. can't imagine why.. So, Chester put it and sunglasses on and sang a song, can't remember what, but it sure looked cool. Shame he threw the hat back at the audience; at the opposite side from where it was thrown from.
I could rant on and on about how wonderful it was to see them, after being a fan since around 2000 or 2001, but then I'd sit here typing this down till tomorrow.

After LP I went outside to meet my big bro and our cousin. They were happy to introduce me to a forlful of vendaces.. Can't say I enjoyed the delicacy.. Luckily I found my friends again before my bro could find something else to torture me with, like buying a matching pair of stetson hats, glittery green for him and a pink one for me.

I did the stupid mistake of going home for the night, luckily I live only maybe two or three kilometers away from the festival.

Saturday, June 14th

In the morning I watched Monster Allergy on tv. It's a stupid kids' cartoon, but i'm so addicted it's not even funny.

When I went to my friend's again, all the poeple who had stayed there for the night were more or less hung over or "comatosed". I had had my fair share of alcoholic beverages the day befofe, but I felt pretty chipper and ready to rock n' roll.

Vilma's friend managed to smuggle a bottle of booze in his pants.. sucks to be a woman sometimes. We spent the whole evening by the main stage, so he had to go back and refill the botthe while we stayed at the good spot we got in front of the stage. But before we went to the main stage I bought a Disco Ensemble shirt. It's a little too big, but who cares, it's awesome.

The first band we saw that day was Apulanta. They were incredible as always. They ever filmed a video for their new song "Paha Ihminen". It was cool. They performed a few songs acoustic, said something like hoping it's not a mistake to go acoustic. WRONG. Not a mistake, so not a mistake.
After "Apis" was Danko Jones. I've got to say they rocked harder than any band I've ever seen, pure awesomeness. I don't think I've ever jumped that much (that's before I saw Foo Fighters). I actually didn't know Danko Jones before it was announced they were coming to Provinssirock, never heard of them, but now they're one of my favorites. Every time I'm having a bad day I just listen to their songs and I'm in a good mood again, just like that!

I hadn't really listened to Serj Tankian or System of a Down before Saturday, but I knew a few songs by both. The last to perform that day was Serj. It was great, I liked the lighting of the stage. Heh, it became pretty tight place to be where we were standing in the front row, I swear if I lifted my legs of the ground I would've stayed where I was.. Stuck.

After the show there was a little surprise for everyone: Fireworks! They were huge! At first I though they were part of Mr. Tankian's show, but then I realized it was the 30th birthday of Provinssirock! Happy B-Day btw!

While people were going away from the main stage, some started to sing a few kids' songs. I don't know what the English equivalents for them are, but we sang "Jos sun lysti on niin kädet yhteen lyö (clap clap) [x2], jos sun lysti on niin tiedät sen ja varmasti myös näytät sen, jos sun lysti on niin kädet yhteen lyö"

oh I just googled it:
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands (clap clap)[x2]
If you're happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands. (clap clap)

I'm such a pro

Anyway, after the getting away from the Main Stage we went to the Island Stage where Herra Ylppö & Ihmiset started their gig. I've heard only one song by him before, so it was a nice experience. His mic stand broke somewhere in the middle of the show, but a staff member got it fixed. Cheers.

My only meal that day: a chicken dish, with one chilli pepper. Damn did I love that chilli. And I fell in love with a pineapple I saw in one food booth.. I so should not drink anything stronger than water..

Sunday, June 15th

Sadly, this was the last day of the festival.

This time I spent the night at my friend's. I woke up in the morning after sleeping about 5 hours (which is way too short time to clear my head), an hour before my cell phone's alarm should go off and wake us all. Typical.

Today, we had desided tp spend the WHOLE day by the Main Stage, because 1)Billy Talent, and 2)Foo Fighters. That also meant we couldn't use "bajamajas" for, uhh, at least nine hours, or eat anything without losing our good places in front row (again!). We're so obsessed..

So, we saw Popeda, who also spend their 30th birthday this year, they performed in the first ever Provinssirock in 1979, too. It's a fun band, great show. Sadly, they didn't play Ukkometso, despite a popular demand.
The there was Lauri Tähkä & Elonkerjuu. They sing in the Southern Ostrobothnian dialect, which I, more or less, speak. It was a fun show, Lauri came down to the audience while singing, he's a hottie

After those we had a long wait before Billy Talent, and goddamit was I hungry. And the worst part is, by now the area closest to the stage was already crowded, so we couldn't leave anywhere without losing our places, and across from us on the other side of the place between the railings (lol, still don't know what it's called and don't really bother finding out..) there was someone eating tomatoes.. and I love tomatoes! Luckily the security men were kind enough to give us water.

Billy Talent.. OH, MY, GOD!!! They're the best EVER! Got some awesome pictures of them (well, mostly of Ben, since he was the closest and well, he's Ben!). I really have no words to descripe the show, it was just so unbelievable to see them! They ever played a new song which they had played only once before that day. Awesome song, I recorded a short clip of it with my camera, it can be found in my youtube account (a link at the end of this update). Ben has a funny voice, it's like he's on helium all the time.

The last band to perform in the whole festival was Foo Fighters. It's the most expensive band ever in Provinssirock's history, but so worth every €uro. They played almost 2 hours. Dave chatted with the audience and introduced the rest of the band, and made the percussionist to give us a triangle solo!! He said that if the guy wouldn't do a solo, there'd probably be a riot. True, most likely. It was an awesome show, the place was crowded till every corner (like I heard it was in Linkin Park's gig as well), must've looked interesting from the stage. I don't think I've ever jumped and screamed so much in my life, and I didn't even get as sore as I do at work! It's weird! 3 days of jumping is less tiring than one day at work.. But I did get sore, right now my sides and arms are sore, but no bruises or anything, surprisingly.

All in all, it was a perfect weekend, it did rain a little on Friday and Sunday, but not enough to make me miserable, maybe a little uncomfortable, but definitely not enough to ruin my weekend.

I saw:
Coheed & Cambria
Linkin Park
Apulanta
Danko Jones
Serj Tankian
Herra Ylppö & Ihmiset
Popeda
Lauri Tähkä & Elonkerjuu
Billy Talent
Foo Fighters

I missed:
Disco Ensemble
Smokesuit
Paula Koivuniemi (lol)

my youtube account, where I uploaded the videos
clicky here

..and here's a few pictures, it was really hard to choose which photos I should upload here, since I took so fucking many pictures last weekend (over 400), but here's the best ones, imo.



The pictures
(I had to copyright them because, well, there is lamers out there on the Internet who could steal them)



























































triangle solo!








See you next summer!

and this is probably the longest journal I've ever posted (or ever will post) here..