Sara Hammerzmith

So! It’s time for my lookback at 2016, and it feels like this year, has been QUITE the year, actually.

January

Started off the year with the best of the best in SlipKnot – Two shows, one in Helsinki and one i Gothenburg. The shows were.. they were good. I was sort of set off by the fact they actually opened the shows with “The Negative One”, but what can you do. In Helsinki, I also had the opportunity to meet them, which was amazing! In Gothenburg I met Fritiof and Sebastian as well, which was amazeballs! I wrapped up the month with my annual visit to Sofia, which was amazing!

February

February was a bit of a month! The last preparation for the upcoming trip was happening, but most importantly, it was filled with some gigs – Toto and Grave Robbert in Stockholm. Both gigs were amazing, and I had a lot of fun!

I had to re-install my The Sims 4, and because of that, I made Aria Cavanaugh. I still miss Anna to this date, but Aria is a good go still.

At the end of the month, I started my trip to Australia with a pitstop in Norwich to catch Sabaton and Alestorm on their co-headline tour, support by Bloodbound. Incredible gig with an incredible line up! But of course, I didn’t leave before I could say good bye to Nathan.

March

Most of March was spent in Australia and New Zealand. It was amazing meeting one of my close friends of almost ten years for the first time, but also to discover countries completely different from our own. Looking out the windows seeing, what for me, is tropical trees, going outside while dark and it still being warm, breathless views over waterfalls and forests… I can’t even begin. And not to mention, the amazing gigs by Epica in Auckland and Brisbane! Was so good to finally catch the Quantuum Enigma tour.

End of March was spent in Germany, hanging out with Daniel and walking around the city.

April

April started off with a bam together with the mighty wolves in Powerwolf. Two shows – Frankfurt and Clermont-Ferrand in France, which was an epic journey! There’s nothing quite like getting to the trainstation at 6 am in the morning, meeting up with an equally tired Madlen embarking on a 9 hour long journey to Clermont. On the stop in Paris we picked up on Sophie, and they both tested Vegemite which I so lovingly, on Sophie’s request, had brought home. Or actually not, I got it at the Australia shop in Frankfurt, but!

Once in Clermont we met up with additional friends and basically had the night of our lives. It was a great evening, to say the least.

The month was pretty filled. Catching up with a lot of people here at home, forcing Vegemite down their throats, and a lot of travels to Stockholm, partly as preparations for what was coming in May, but also to catch Butcher Babies and Sumo Cyco. Sumo Cyco, what a band! And Butcher Babies. Ah, I love them.

May

May was a big month for me, as I finally fulfilled my dreams of working at the Eurovision Song Contest. It was an amazing experience, and I’m so happy Stockholm City allowed me to do this, and thanks to Robert for letting me stay at his place.

In May, I also celebrated ten years as a Lordi fan. What a perfect way huh?

June

June was all about Sweden Rock! Our amazing monstars played the festival for the first time, and I couldn’t have been more proud of them! The festival all in all was pretty great, aside a massive betrayal, but what can one do? The bands, some of the friends were great – and the shopping was great as usual!

July

July… July started off so great. Tuska Open Air Metal Festival – 10 year anniversary since The Arockalypse tour, and a show replicating most of the show from the The Arockalypse tour. The show… the show people. This is easily one of the best Lordi shows that I have seen to date, but what made this trip so amazingly special was the people. Sharing this amazing and special show with Nathan and Sophie was the best thing ever. The next couple of days we had shenanigans at the Lordi exhibition, playing around, getting peppersprayed, making new friends in Niki, Vickie, Saana, Juuso, Markus and Elodie. And not to mention… The last dinner at the pizzeria. That was seriously one of my favorite moments easy – chilling for hours, eating good food and not wanting the night to end because it meant departing.

Tuska was one of the best experience.

And oh. Lordi released their new costumes and everybody pretty much just lost their mind. It’s like Sophie said – “You are just waiting and waiting and hoping they will release it, but as soon as they do you are completely not ready and your losing your mind”.

August

August was festivalmonth! Started off with the best smallest biggest coziest festival in the world. I went alone this year, meeting up with occasional friends at the spot, and had an amazing time. Seeing great bands like Quiet Riot, Art Nation, Haunted by Destiny, Kamelot and Hardcore Superstar. It was very pleasant.

This was also the month Delain’s “Moonbathers” was released, “The Last Stand” by Sabaton and single drops from HammerFall (“The Sacred Vow”), Amaranthe (“That Song”) and Lordi (“Hug You Hardcore”)

Toward the end of August it was time for Sabaton Open Air. I haven’t been on this festival since it’s very first one in 2008, it was nice being “back”. Well, “back” since they moved the location since then. The main reason I was there was of course Lordi, but I was happy to see amazing bands such as Hysterica, Bloodbound and not to mention – Sabaton. Oh, I also turned 25!

September

In September, I celebrate ten years since I saw Lordi live for the first time. But aside that, it was a pretty slow month – we mostly planned November’s endeavours. On the other hand, we had a lot of single releases and album releases. Or perhaps not a lot, but Lordis new, long awaited album came out, and it was mindblowing! Same thing for The Lounge Kittens “Sequins and C-Bombs” and a number of singles from HammerFall and Sumo Cyco amongst others!

October

October means Powerwolf+ Civil War tour! I did two shows in the tour, which is a little on the low side for me, but I had to put most of my fire into the two week tour in November.

But, the two gigs I did see was great – great catching up with Dani, Toni and Madlen, as well as meeting Claudia and Sandra!

November

November was amazing. I guess this is one of the highlight months, completely. Started off my major tour in France and Paris, where I saw three amazing gigs – Kissin’ Dynamite, Amaranthe and Delain. I got to spend time with some great friends – Sophie, Laura, Cyril, Florian, Emilie, Ambre and Elodie, and see amazing things. After France, I set off directly to Ireland together with my amazing crew Sophie, Nathan and Paula to have a couple of amazing days in Dublin and seeing two amazing gigs by Lordi, and not to mention the crazy amazing gig in Galway. TOP SHOW. Wrapped it up with seeing Delain again, amazing tour!

I also did a spontaneous last minute trip to London with Nathan, Paula and Niki to see the beloved monstars just one more time, and additionally, seeing Reckless Love at the legendary Electric Ballroom!

December

December was a slow month. Didn’t do a lot, mostly planning and preparing for the new year, which will be INCREDIBLE!

So… That is my year in review. There has been some extreme dips, but also some extreme highs. It’s been an amazing year. Let’s see how many of my predictions came through:

• Make it to 400 CD’s. Let’s make it a little more… achieveable.
• Travel somewhere new. Aside what we have already planned.
• See Civil War live again
• Get somewhere new.

Well… It’s a few anyway! I don’t think I made it to 400 albums, sadly, but I got a good way!

So, for the next year:

• Make it to 500 CD’s. Despite not finishing my goals last year, I raise the bar.
• Travel somewhere new aside what is already planned.
• See Van Halen live
• See Bon Jovi again
• Start writing somewhere new.

I think that will do for now.

And now; Thank you, to all people that were a part of my year, and all the things we did together. I love you all, and see you next year!

// Sara

This entry was posted on December 31, 2016 at 11:09 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.