Hall Of Fame.

I just witnessed one of the cutest situations today. Neighbour´s cat was stalking a squirrel that was jumping in our apple tree. It was so sweet. Not that the cat would have had any chance to attack as it is on a leash, but still. This coming from a more of dog than a cat person.

Bad news for all of us Tomas Rosicky fans. (I am starting to doubt there aren´t many of us anymore.) News tell his recovery has taken a setback and he most likely will be ruled out until next year. Sad sad sad. Should he ever get over this strange injury he´s suffering from, how likely is it he´ll be back in the pitch? After this stint to the hospital he´ll need to start recovery again and around that time I´d say he´s been out of the field for a year. I am no expert, but I´d guess getting back fit to play this season is so very unlikely. Or, like Em once said (jokingly) is this knee injury story something they came up with to cover up a bigger problem? Hope not, but Rosicly being able to be as good as he once was... I hate to even think it, but the end of his career might be closer than any of us want to believe.

And other news today. British Bloc Party will be playing at Helsinki´s Ice hall on February 26th 2009. I am going provided that I manage to get a ticket. The price is a bit salty 44 €, so I hope they´ll have a flaming good support. Ticket sales start next week, check Tiketti or Lippupalvelu for the date as I can´t remember it right now.

I have completely to write about the Die fetten Jahre sind vorbei movie. The English title is The Edukators, but I prefer the original. I am trying to find as much use to my mediocre German as possible. Anyway, it was fairly good. The idea was good, not the most original, but good. Not too much characters, so the main three or four stood out. The plot had some very clever points. I´m not a huge fan of the Bavarian counrtyside, but it looked fine. I really hoped in the end that one of the characters would keep his promise, but like the movie stated, "some people never change" and it ended in a way traditionally. I wish they had aired the longer version with one more scene after the credits, as it would have lighted what happens later, but no. Ths soundtrack was nice, I admit, I am a sucker for Buckley´s Hallelujah.

And the most vital thing about this movie. The guy who plays Peter, a Croat named Stipe Erceg. Seriously, where has he been hiding? If we were making the playing cards now, he´d have to featured. I know my taste of men sometimes clashes with others big time, but I hope someone agrees with me on this one. He is also acting at the much discussed Der Baader Meinhof Komplex movie premiering here in a forthnight. I want to see that movie, not because of this guy, but because of the theme. Yes, the German history is one of my biggest interests.

Actually I came here to write about live music today. I was listening to The Sounds last night and remembering their set at Provinssirock last summer. One of the most intnse gigs I´ve ever been to. There must have been thousands of people in the tent. Mari and I were closer to the front than the back and the spirit of happening was insane. Everyone was jumping and it was so crowded. A bit too crowded, but at the same so cool. The Sounds is always great live and this time when we finally got out of the tent there were fireworks to crown the evening. Magnificent.

Finland´s bet live band has to be Disco Ensemble. They absolutely rock. And Miikka talks the funniest things between songs. They have such energy. And they aren´t too big yet. Lapko might be the second best. I have seen too many bands to decide, since Apulanta, not my favourite by any means, is always a good ans solid live band.

I have seen some strange bands. I usually don´t listen to Children of Bodom, Hanoi Rocks, Diablo, Uniklubi, Strapping Young Lad, In Flames, Soulfly, Familjen or Linkin Park, but I´ve seen them all. Hanoi Rocks twice actually.

Best gigs ever. Well, Disco Ensemble at Ankkarock 2007 should be one of them. Foo Fighters at Provinssirock 2008 definitely, after years of wanting to see them, I was ecstatic. Billy Talent and Justice at the same festival were great, though I don´t get much support for this Justice. Unless you count all the music mags blazing it. Rufus Wainwright at the Culture House in April 2008 was fun. He wasn´t at his best I´m sure, but still pulled off a good set. He would make a decent stand up comedian also. Seeing Kent at second row in January 2008 was effin amazing. The athmosphere was undescribable.

One of the biggest disappointements was Placebo at Ice hall in May 2007. Maybe it was the seat, maybe it was the set or maybe it was the fact that Molko lacked contact with the audience, but is was only a fine concert. Down in the pit it must have been great. Von Hertzen Brothers have managed to disappoint me too, sometimes they just don´t nail it. They play well, are very talented, but every once in a while the songs just are too long and I loose my focus.

I remember so much funny things from gigs. Danko Jones (the guy himself) hitting his head at the microphone at Ankkarock 2006, Jarkko Martikainen not getting a water bottle uncapped at Provinssirock 2006 (very intimate gig by the way, it was great), the singer of The Flaming Sideburns walking on his hands at Heinolassa Jyrää 2006, pretty much all the lines said between songs (Miikka of DE, Ville of Lapko and Ola of The Ark are masters on this one).

But the best concert experience ever? Nine Inch Nails at Ankkarock 2007. Still. I loved the set, the layout of the stage. They played damn well, The Great Destroyer and Sin were absolutely highlights, and after all this time, I have to say Head Like A Hole still manages to nail the set. The band was in a good mood. It is still the most hot gig I´ve been to, because it was a bit hard to get jeans off when going to bed as they were so sweaty. Not to mention the shirt. And most of us remember this special because of the fireworks that were kicked off too early and interrupted Hurt. Even Reznor was baffled, but finished the song and lost his temper after the festival had ended. So, until I get to see NIN again, this will be number one.

I´d love to hear about other people´s great concert moments, but the disappointements are also welcome. While waiting for that, I´m off to read the news of today and after that do a bit more revision today before I spend an hour with Anthony Bourdain No Reservations. Yes, I like the show. See you, have fun and take care!

IWFT