Sara Hammerzmith

So… the last day. And this was REALLY the last day… It was with very, very heavy hearts that Nathan and I firstly almost overslept, and secondly, left the hotel for the last time. I requested very shyly of Nathan if we couldn’t go to Espresso House, which is like, my favorite coffee house, their Caramel Latte is to die for, really, so, after a few ifs and buts we finally found a place and we sat down to enjoy one last drink and meal together before heading to the airport.

After this, off to the airport we go. Nathan was getting rather stressed, and I was just there like “Calm down, it will be okay”. And once at the airport.. the line for checking in luggage was fucking massive. But, as the positive thinker I am, I told Nate that – “It’ll be fine, I promise”.

As we wait in line, we see some people with a lot of luggage approaching us, and I whisper to Nathan “Ey, it’s a band!” and when they got closer we saw that it was no other band that Gojira, that actually played Tuska the day before! It was intense!

The lane for bags picked up the pace, and we made it in good time for Nate’s flight. It was, again, one of the most heartfelt good byes outside the passport control for UK travels and after that I wandered off to my own gate only to see that the flight had been delayed. Awesome. Not.

But despite that – flight home when good, so did bus.

I want to take this moment to thank every single one of you people – Nathan, Sophie, Marianne, Nicolas, Nicolas, Lea, Niki, Vickie, Saana, Laura, Juuso, Markus, Elodia, the staff at Weird Antiques, Lordi, Avantasia, Toxic Rose, Swallow the Sun, Myrkur, Delain and Children of Bodom for this amazing weekend. We didn’t see a lot of bands, but we did have a lot of fun the entire weekend. And it’s all because of all of you people mentioned in this post. I love you all.

Thank you!

// Sara

So yes.. after that incident, we decided to walk our way back into central Helsinki, or to be more specific, towards the Helsinki Cathedral. I’ve been in Helsinki many times, but never once have I visited the cathedral. We stopped halfway to get something to drink as our throats were still burning from the pepperspray. As I read my entry, I notice I failed to mention that it was pepperspray that had been sprayed inside the exhibition, so now you know. After walking for a bit longer, we reached the majestic building that is the Helsinki Cathedral. It is, honestly, quite the view.

We hung around for a while before we decided to go home to change our hotels. Nathan and I, booking you know, just a few days prior had two different hotels so we sort of needed to fix that. BUT. Not before Nathan could partake in the Vegemite challenge! He was objecting it a lot at first, but then he took a spoonful (why?) and then he kept chasing Sophie around the trainstation. Haha.

So, said and done, we changed the hotels, got changed, freshened up and then decided to meet up with Sophie and Marianne at the trainstation for some real late dinner. By Mariannes request, we headed over to Burger King and enjoyed a good meal. We had a lot of fun together before realizing what time it was… It was fifteen minutes until Ghost’s set would be over.

Well you know. That’s how it goes when you enjoy yourselves, I guess! Around midnight we parted ways and Nathan and I headed towards Bar Bäkkäri to catch at least ONE live show today – Toxic Rose.

There were various clubs that held various afterparties, mostly with gigs with smaller bands, which was very nice to see. I’ve been wanting to see Toxic Rose since I last saw them, so it was very convenient.

We came somewhere in the middle of the band playing before, got ourselves drinks and found a nice spot fairly close to the stage, but not up their businesses you know. They got on stage right on time and delivered a great and energetic set, despite the crammed venue. It was a decent amount of people, I must admit that were there so it was a good night.

After Nathan’s said a few compliments to the bandmembers we headed home and crashed on the bed, preparing for next day, which was heartbreakingly enough the last.

// Sara

So, I came to the hotel. And tried the code. It didn’t work. Why? Because I’m stupid, you know. I repeatedly entered the wrong code, so I had to call Nathan to come down and pick me up. However, while  I was waiting this adorable couple came and let me in, so I called the elevator and when the doors open… A wild Nathan appears!

Firstly, he had a HEARTATTACK seeing me already inside. And then, it was hugging party. Like, I felt like I was about to squeeze the life out of him, that is exactly how much I’ve missed this guy! And DAMN! GUY’S GOT A BEARD NOW! I was like WHOA, Nathan just aged a lot!

We also took the moment to alert Sophie on Snap that we had found each other and we were alive and safe and sound.

So, we went back up to the hotel where I took a shower and started getting ready for the show, while Nathan and I were catching up. I had a hard time deciding on what to wear, since the weather was you know, pretty nice so my long sleeved bodysuit sort of wouldn’t do it. I eventually settled and also brought my Korpiklaani tank in case of heat or something.

After that, we headed over to the legendary McDonalds we always eat at while in Helsinki, or well, it was Nathan’s first time really, but you get the point. We caught up even more and you know… sitting there. With someone you see so rarely, but you love so much, being able to really TALK about Lordi… that is something else. With someone who also knows like everything, if not more than you do, who knows about every single little person so you don’t have to explain anything… just talk. That was beyond nice.

So, after this began the long ride to try to get to Tuska. At first we were a bit unsure where to go, what subway to take, but eventually we worked it all out. I was starting to get a wee bit stressed – I really wanted to catch Delain, or at least most of it, so yeah, hurry hurry!

Once we got to Suvilahti we were like “and now what?” but as always when you’re at a gig at an unfamiliar place – FOLLOW THE METALHEADS! We found one in particular we started stalking, joking a bit about how creepy we must be. But thanks to that, we made it to the festival. And of course, right when Delain was playing my favorite song “Here Come the Vultures”. I was hoping that maybe we’d get in before the song is over, but I tell you this shit:

The moment we were on the other side of the gates, Charlotte did the last “I’m in it for the beat” and done. And I was like “Of fucking course. Why not”. So, instead, we headed immediately for Lordi’s stage, securing some front row spots on Amen’s side of the stage, very much on the side, but we figured it’d work out later. Nathan stayed put to watch the spot, and I did my little tour to say hello to some of my friends – starting with Marianne from France and Saana from Turku. After catching up with them, I went to Delain’s stage, after all, looking for Sophie and the rest of the French people.

At first I found Lea, Nicolas and Nicolas, and once I had found them I also found Sophie a few rows ahead of them and… again, HUGPARTY DELUXE. Like, squeezing the life out of someone deluxe. We enjoyed the last one or two songs together of Delain before heading back to Lordi’s stage. Sophie decided to remain with us on Amen’s side while Lea and the Nicolaus’s went to Marianne.

So, this led up to the amazing moment where I got to introduce Nathan to Sophie. It was majestic, and naturally, the first thing we start bonding over is Lordi. And catching up on everything. Literally everything. Soon enough, Swallow the Sun started, the band performing before Lordi and…

It was a snoozefest. The first thing Nathan said after the show was “Wasn’t that just the longest thing ever? And the songs… were soo long?” and yes, yes they freaking were. I’m usually not bored with bands, but I’m sorry, I really could not enjoy this. What I could, however enjoy, was what was about to get on stage next.

TO BE CONTINUED

// Sara

Oh wow. This has had a long time coming, I’m sorry about that! The reasons are 1) I forgot my powerchord to the computer at home, and 2) I’ve been working 12 hours a day, I haven’t really had the chance to properly sit down, and it will probably take some time before I actually get this done as well. But we take it day by day, alright?

So. Sick as a hell, it was finally time for me to head back to Suomiland, and for me to attend a new festival for the first time – Tuska Open Air. However, my travelplan looked a bit different this time around. As you know, I usually fly, but I figured this time it was time to try something new – and hence booked a ferry with a cabin in it where I could stay. Said and done. Around 14 o clock I left my home in Karlstad for what would probably become the longest trip of my life. Or well you know.. I guess going to Australia was technically longer, but it didn’t feel that way.

First, I got to Örebro where I had a train change to keep on onwards Stockholm. Once in Stockholm, I managed to get to the docks after a few ifs and buts and a few rages later. And it was so weird. To see the big ship, you know. And going through and boarding it was the weirdest thing I have ever done, seriously. But I liked it. I really did. I had a very very cheap cabin (The point was to make it as cheap as possible) so I had no poweroutlet or anything, which was interseting.

I went on top deck for departure and I must admit, I was feeling like a little child on Christmas when the ship left coast and we took off toward Turku. Like, I’M ON A SHIP!

After a while, when it started to get late, I headed down a few floors to reconnect with Nathan who had just landed in Helsinki trying to find our hotel, and once that was done I took a shower and went to bed, probably a bit later than I would have wished.

At 6 am sharp the alarm I ordered from the boat rang and it was.. well, heavy to get up really. I don’t like going up early, especially not after not sleeping properly. But yeah. I got up, packed my stuff and much to my happiness, there were barely any people at all in the lobby, which made getting off the cruise fairly easy. Once in Turku, I made it to the busstop and then to the busstation. I was sitting at Turku’s busstation snapping Sophie being like “I’m almost there!”. Seriously. This is by far the longest it has ever taken me to get to Helsinki.

So… My bus arrived. I got on it. I tried to sleep, and I guess I must have fallen asleep because when I woke up it was about 20 or 30 minutes left ’til Kamppi busstop and you know… You all know how much I love Helsinki, right? So stepping out of the bus in Kamppi.. I’m home. I’m just home.

And then, I walked toward Lonnrotinkatu (Yrjonkatu was sold out this time) to attend the reunion of the century.

TO BE CONTINUED

// Sara