The title is extra fitting today. A few days ago when I was clearing out looking for some of my old shoes, I came across this old darling of mine.
My bag. My precious, effing back. I originally got this bag when I was what, twelwe? To have to school, but when music and concerts starting becoming a major interest, it was turned into my concertbag instead. He was a part of the first few Wig Wam shows I was at, and he was present at my first Lordi gig ever. And trust me, he’s seen many more ever since. I can’t recall when was the last time he was out, but I know it’s been a couple of years.
The bag features a lot of good old memories – we have the big The Ark patch at the top, together with a smaller pin right above the KISS patch. The Ark was a band I followed a lot during 2007 and 2008, but eventually stopped. I didn’t stop listen to them, but the travelling faded. Still a band I hold close to heart, and watching their last show three years ago was heartbreaking. I can’t even understand it’s been three years since they called it quits.
Let’s move on. I guess you all have spotted the golden Panzer Battalion patch. If I’m not mistaken, I bought that patch at Monsters of Mora 2007, one of the best shows in my life. Not because the shows was particularly good, but because I had some amazing company. I originally went alone to the show, but thanks to the awesome company of Pea, Kammo and the rest of the gang, it became epic. I even have old pictures of the banner we made.
Two HammerFall patches. I love HammerFall. I’m not sure what to add to that. The shiny blank metal thing is actually a HammerFall pin, and the patch on the side is a Glory to the Brave patch. Two KISS Patches, because again, I was a very very VERY big fan of KISS back in the days. Just as with The Ark – it faded, although a LOT more than The Ark ever did.
Norwegian flag represents Wig Wam, together with “I like Milk” button. It was a campaign the singer had – about drinking more milk because it’s good for you or something. And everyone was given these pins whoever wanted them. I have a whole bunch here at home.
One Lordi pin. And THIS pin, this GODDAMN PIN is the reason I’ve been looking for this bag for so many years. Back in the days, when the webshop was run by Monstereo, I had planned to buy an additional one of these pins and make a necklace of it. But you know, they sold out the pin and everything, so I only have this one left. I’m still, faintly, planning to turn it into a necklace, but right now, I’m too nostalgic to even touch it. But I guess it’s one of the more rare pieces in my Lordi collection to date, in all honest.
The shiny keyring is also a Lordikeyring. The flash reflects pretty badly in it, sadly.
But. There is one last part of this bag I haven’t told you about yet, and I assume it might even be the part you are the most interested in. This part.
The autographs. From the top to the bottom; In faint, gold pencil ink is Oscar Dronjak from HammerFall, signed at Gröna Lund in 2007. In the middle, we find Teeny from Wig Wam. When this was signed, I have no idea. Last, but not least, is Kicken from The Poodles. I suspect this was signed in Germany in 2007, but I’m not gonna make a promise about it.
I had a plan back in the day to have it signed by all my favorite members, but obviously it never really happened more than with these three. This part is the most sentimental one for me, since it, just as with my Kita shirt, reminds me a lot about the fangirl days. When you were, not like Justin Biebers crazy fans, but just fangirls. When you’d meet the band all the time and wait for them and you’d sit and talk to people about how great Oscar’s hair was or just you know. Fangirl. I still from time to time wait for bands after shows, it depends a LOT on my company, and I still queue at times, so I haven’t exactly lost everything of it. But still. There’s something so special about that time period you know, when all that mattered where these people. I really hope I find my way back soon.
This bag is one of my most precious possessions, and I’m glad it’s made it up to surface again. I’m never letting go of it again, but it’s probably never gonna see a concert again either. The model isn’t exactly made for it, and that’s the major reason I stopped using it. But still. Thanks baggy, for all the good memories.
// Sara
Sara Hammerzmith 