Concerts update

Also, Lake of Tears, on the 25th of June. I should probably get a second job.

Told u so.

Sonata will play on the second day of Artmania. Nope, u did not hear that one from me:D

Details here (only in Romanian for now, but u can get the idea).

Now, I'll be back later. Going to get mildly tipsy.

The hitchhiking rocker's guide to the rock concerts' galaxy

Kind of like last year, 2011 promises to be a pretty full year, in terms of concerts. Rock/ metal concerts, because that is what I am most interested in. After seeing, last year, among others, Kamelot, Serj Tankian, Manowar and Sabaton (concerts I've had most fun at), I did not really expect to have any big surprises this year, but so far, I've had quite a few.

Impaled Nazarene will be here on the 1st of february, but since I'm not a fan of their music I won't probably go to the concert, despite some of my friends doing it. Their genre rarely appeals to my tastes and this is not one of those rare times, so I'll probably pass.

Theatre des Vampires are having a concert on the 19th of march and so far, I'm pretty tempted to go, although the band isn't really one of my favorites, but I kind of like the whole atmosphere, plus the company I'd have if joining. Also, I must admit, they're cheap enough not to really care if I won't have that much fun.

10 days later, there's Epica. I must say now, Epica was far from being one of my favourite bands for a long time, just like Kamelot (whom I've hated passionately until the Artmania concert last year and loved ever since). However, I have to admit that Simone Simons is both a talented and charismatic front-woman, and lately I've grown to like quite a few of their songs. I already got the ticket for Epica, anyways, so wish me luck.

Children of Bodom are here, the 20th of april (with Ensiferum) but I'm not sure if time will allow me to see them since that's about the same time as my exam session. Meh.

Blind Guardian, the 1st of May and this time no one's stopping me. Having seen the Germans before, I must tell I'm really looking forward for another gig. Hansi Kursch is one damn talented vocalist (on about the same level as Roy Khan, I'd say, minus the hotness, though), and for a couple of hours I'll be back in Middle Earth through their music. Once again, I'll scream my lungs off to Nightfall or discretely wipe a tear during The Bard's Song (In the Forest).

I've also bought the ticket for the Artmania festival this year, although only Nevermore and Lacrimas Profundere have been announced so far (and Sonata Arctica are rumored but shh, you don't know it from me). Nevermore would have been a good enough reason anyways, plus the whole Sibiu adventure I can't wait to repeat, together with my friends.

Bon Jovi's also coming to town, but I don't plan anything. First of all, for only a couple of songs I love from them (Blazing Glory, Living on a Prayer), they're gonna be insanely expensive. So no thanks, unless someone buys me tickets. Anybody? ;;).

Also, as a rumor, I've heard from about 4 sources, plus what they've said themselves, that Manowar are returning, which I'd really love, despite seeing them for two years in a row now and passionately hating their new album. I have to give it to them, they do put on a huge show.

That's all for now. Anyone want to join?

Zic si io, reloaded.

Ca sa ne fie clar. Nu aprob comentarii incorecte dpdv gramatical, cu "k" in loc de "ca" (se scrie "daca", ok?), cu "i"-uri lipsa (daca va e foame, try KFC, kids), fara cratima, etc. Asta asa, ca sa nu se umple p-aici de cretinisme.

Have a nice day.

Zic si io.

Bai, toti astia care-mi sunteti buni prieteni numai cand aveti nevoie de ceva, toti care imi uitati nr de telefon/adresa de e-mail pana in momentul in care n-aveti la cine sa va plangeti sau n-are cine sa va ajute, toti cei care ma pupati in fund cat timp va trebuie ceva dar sunteti foarte ocupati cand la randul meu am nevoie de ajutor (ceea ce oricum se intampla foarte rar) sau doar de o vorba buna, toti care nu stiti decat sa cereti,

Duceti-va dracului, ba.

A new GOD has risen

capitolul 1 - Nasterea unui Zeu

Personaje ce participa la discutie: 

Vladu' (16 ani - care crede cu putere in fiecare cuvintel scris)

Fallen Angell (care s-a transformat pe parcursul discutiei intr-un troll interesat de subiect si caruia ii multumesc pentru cele nu mai stiu cate zeci de minute de crize de ras isteric)

+ Tiu sau Mihai care era langa Fallen Angell in momentul fascinantei discutii pe YM (despre care nu stiu nimic)

Personajele din discutie:

Livia (moarta si inviata)

Marius (uber godlike doctor)

partea scrisa cu italic e o completare de-a mea

Asa.. urmeaza discutia: Un pic mai luguta, dar merita fiecare secunda acordata.

ENJOY:

Fallen Angell: Vladu` 
Vladu`: Da.
Fallen Angell: ce specializare zici ca are DR. ala cu care zici ca ai vorbit ?
Fallen Angell: intreaba Tiu
Vladu`: Neurolog-chirurg
Fallen Angell: auzi te mai intreaba Tiu cate ceva
Fallen Angell: unde a facut facultatea ? 
Vladu`: Londra
Fallen Angell: cati ani a facut facultatea
Fallen Angell: si cati ani are 
Vladu`: Ce e cu intrebarile astea?
Fallen Angell: Tiu
Vladu`: Vrea sa-i zic si copii? 
Fallen Angell: nu cred ca vrea Tiu sa afle asta\
Vladu`: Pai...
Vladu`: A invatat in total 3 ani, la Londra
Vladu`: In astia 3 ani a intrat 2 ani intr-unul, deci din 3 ani de facultate normala a facut 2, iar in acelasi timp a dat rezidentiatul 3 ani.
Vladu`: In total a stat acolo pentru a se instrui 3 ani.
Vladu`: Are 23 de ani acum.
Fallen Angell: ok
Vladu`: A iesit neurolog-chirurg la 21 de ani.
Fallen Angell: te mai intreaba Tiu cum il cheama
Vladu`: Ca reper, de la 18 pana la 21 a invatat
Vladu`: Marius, il stie.
Fallen Angell: Marius ?
Vladu`: Da.
Fallen Angell: care Marius ?
Fallen Angell: Maw ?
Vladu`: Era tipul ala, doctorul Liviei.
Vladu`: Tipa aia de a avut probleme multeee
Fallen Angell: asa ...e cumva tipa de pe skype ?
Vladu`: Da.
Fallen Angell: bun
Fallen Angell: e on ?
Vladu`: Da, dar nu o intreba absolut nimic, te rog.
Vladu`: Iti explic altadata, daca vrei, dar te rog nu o intreba nimic.
Vladu`: Nici in legatura cu ea, nici in legatura cu Marius.
Fallen Angell: vrea Tiu sa stie pentru el
Vladu`: Ce anume?
Fallen Angell: anumite chestii pentru specializare...ca si el vrea sa faca rezidentiatul in strainatate
Vladu`: Nu il poate ajuta Marius.
Vladu`: Marius e mort deocamdata.
Fallen Angell: cine dracu`i marius ??
Vladu`: Asa ca va, rog, fara intrebari la Livia sau la Marius.
Vladu`: Doctorul ala, mai.
Fallen Angell: si ala`i mort ??
Vladu`: Momentan da.
Fallen Angell: Dr. ala e mort ?? deocamdata e mort ?? 
Fallen Angell: o sa revina din morti ca Jesus ???
Vladu`: Nu e o gluma buna.
Fallen Angell: pai nu inteleg 
Vladu`: Si pana acum da, si-a revenit o data din morti, ca Jesus.
Vladu`: La fel ca Livia, de vreo 5 ori.
Vladu`: Sa nu faceti cumva vreo prostie sa o intrebati pe Livia despre asta, va rog.
Vladu`: Ca produceti probleme.
Fallen Angell: ma refer dupa ce medicul de garda l`o declarat decedat ...o iesit din frigideru` de la morga ?? batea in usa ca ii era frig ??
Fallen Angell: stai calm nu`i zic nimic
Vladu`: Nu l-au dus la morga, cred.
Vladu`: A fost declarat mort, au fost rudele tinute la distanta si au zis doctorii ca se chinuie sa-l salveze.
Vladu`: Si nu au putut sa-i faca nimic, dar il tineau in aparate.
Vladu`: Si si-a revenit pentru putin timp.
Vladu`: Am vorbit putin cu el azi, dupa care a zis ca nu e stabil si ca va pica iar.
Fallen Angell: aici e vorba de Marius sau de Livia ??
Vladu`: Marius.
Vladu`: Livia e bine acum, nu mai are probleme de genu'.
Vladu`: Mici probleme, dar nu mai da pe la spital, e acasa. 
Vladu`: Iar Marius a fost in concediu prin Canada, nu stiu ce si a avut un accident la antrenamente la motoare.
Fallen Angell: ma bucur pentru ea 
Vladu`: Si eu.
Vladu`: Care esti acum?
Vladu`: Mihai?
Fallen Angell: da
Fallen Angell: Mihai e langa mine la cafa
Vladu`: Vrei rezidentiat in strainatate?
Fallen Angell: Tiu: da
Vladu`: Nu stiu cum il faci, dar stiu ca te costa mult.
Vladu`: Marius a studiat dincolo ca a prins bursa la liceu.
Vladu`: Si i s-au oferit 3 locuri: Anglia, Germania, Franta
Vladu`: Si a ales Anglia.
Vladu`: Si rezidentiatul, din cate imi aduc aminte, nu avea voie sa-l dea in paralel cu studiile normale.
Vladu`: Dar nu stiu ce-a facut si l-au lasat, ca sa faca doar 3 ani.
Vladu`: A invatat mult.
Fallen Angell: aha
Vladu`: Intrebare pentru Mihai
Vladu`: Ce specialitate vrei?
Fallen Angell: paiu cam tot ceva ca el ca suna a fi rapid
Vladu`: Rapid dincolo, aici ma indoiesc.
Vladu`: Acolo, pentru specializarea asta se fac doar 3 ani + 3 ani rezidentiat.
Vladu`: Aici cred ca se fac mai multi.
Fallen Angell: io aici
Fallen Angell: ma aici se face 6 ani de facultate plus rezidentiat variabil in functie de specializare
Fallen Angell: el a lucrat pana acum ca rezident sau are rezidentiatu terminat ?
Vladu`: Are rezidentiatul terminat
Fallen Angell: ca m am incurcat in cifre 
Fallen Angell: si nu a mai facut ceva in genu cum fac eu 6 ani ?
Vladu`: Nu.
Vladu`: El ar fi trebuit sa faca 3 ani facultate
Vladu`: + 3 ani rezidentiat
Vladu`: Adica 6 ani in total.
Fallen Angell: eu vad specializarea in tp facultatii...ca acolo o sa iti alegi in functie de ce o sa iti placa
Vladu`: Din aia 3 ani de facultate a facut 2in1, deci doar 2 ani, iar rezidentiatul i s-a dat voie sa-l faca in paralel.
Vladu`: Ah, ok. 
Fallen Angell: si livia e pacienta lui ? sau cum de se cunosc?
Vladu`: A fost pacienta lui. 
Vladu`: Acum ti-am spus, e acasa.
Vladu`: Dar tin legatura.
Fallen Angell: in ce oras e spitalu ala ?
Fallen Angell: ca nu cred ca e csb
Vladu`: Pai Livia e din Resita, dar a fost mutata la spital in Arad.
Vladu`: Iar Marius lucra la cateva spitale din Bucuresti si a auzit de cazul Liviei, asa ca a venit la Arad, sa preia cazul.
Vladu`: Si a stat vreo 8 luni cu ea in spital.
Fallen Angell: si cu marius unde s-a intalnit ? in arad sau in resita ?
Fallen Angell: ahaa
Vladu`: Am explicat mai sus, deci Arad
Fallen Angell: ma dar ar fi trebuit sa aud si eu de vreun roman asa bazat....plm sa faci 6 ani in 3 in londra....trebuie sa fii beton 
Fallen Angell: de curiozitate , marius si mai cum il cheama ? 
Fallen Angell: ca nu cred ca e caciulescu
Vladu`: E belgian, dar are si nationalitate romana.
Vladu`: Uite, asta nu stiu. Stiu ca a fost adoptat, dar pot doar sa presupun ca de o familie din Romania
Fallen Angell: belgian ??????? 
Vladu`: Da.
Vladu`: Il cheama Robilliard Marius Ckristian 

(e deja evident ca nu e nimic pe google, nu?)
Fallen Angell: wow
Fallen Angell: ce nume
Fallen Angell: si a pastrat numele deci .... 
Fallen Angell: si el de unde a avut fonduri atat de multe?
Vladu`: Pai nu ti-am zis ca a primit bursa.
Vladu`: I-a acoperit bursa tot. Adica... Studii, cazare, alea, alea.
Fallen Angell: ce pacat ca nu sunt si eu adoptat 
Vladu`: Pai asta l-a ajutat mult, cred.
Vladu`: Ca a fost o familie mai saraca, asa, dar nici prea saraca. Si a invatat, ca altceva n-a avut ce face.
Fallen Angell: pai presupun ca marius e numele de roaman
Fallen Angell: nu ?
Vladu`: Cre'ca.
Fallen Angell: pai si marius din ce oras e? din buc?
Vladu`: Da.
Fallen Angell: de unde ziceai ca e la mai multe spitale ?
Fallen Angell: .....
Fallen Angell: lol
Fallen Angell: pai ce scoala a facut ? 
Vladu`: Liceu?
Vladu`: Nu stiu.
Fallen Angell: ok 
Fallen Angell: multumesc de informare
Vladu`: N-ai de ce.
Fallen Angell: ma dar plm...in legatura ci livia
Fallen Angell: ca m-ai facut curios
Fallen Angell: si nu ma lasi sa vb cu ea
Fallen Angell: ea e super woman ? ce a avut de a fost de 5 ori moarte clinica?
Vladu`: Si-asa e foarte suparata pentru ca Marius a patit alea.
Fallen Angell: adica din ce cauze , daca nu te plistisesc
Fallen Angell: dar mor de curiozitate
Vladu`: Are organismul puternic si fixata in creier ideea ca nu tre' sa moara, ca ma dezamageste pe mine.
Fallen Angell: pai plm , nu asta vreau sa imi zici
Fallen Angell: zi-mi ce a fost
Vladu`: E mult de povestit.
Fallen Angell: ca de 5 ori in moarte e greu de ajuns si de revenit
Fallen Angell: scurt in cateva randuri
Vladu`: Pai au fost momente cand mi-a zis Marius ca e in moarte cerebrala
Vladu`: Destule momente.
Vladu`: Am zis 5 o cifra aproximativa.
Vladu`: Cred ca s-a intamplat de mai multe ori.
Vladu`: Asa...
Vladu`: Mi-a zis Marius aia...
Vladu`: Si-a revenit Livia...
Vladu`: Si tot asa.
Vladu`: Apoi a venit un idiot care ii dadea droguri, ca s-o omoare
Fallen Angell: maaaaaa ce a patit de prima data ....incuiat mai esti. stai calm ca nu vb niumeni cu ea , deaia te intreb pe tine 
Vladu`: Pai a dat cu capul la patinoar, cred ca de-acolo a pornit tot.
Vladu`: Si n-a avut nimic.
Vladu`: A fost acasa...
Vladu`: Cred ca a doua zi s-a dus sa isi ia o sticla cu apa din bucatarie si-a lesinat si a dat cu capul de zid.
Vladu`: Si au venit doctorii de la Resita la ea acasa, au zis ca n-au ce sa-i faca, doar daca-si revine ea.
Vladu`: Si si-a revenit, ma rog...
Vladu`: Au dus-o la spital la Resita de unde ea a fugit, ca trebuia sa se duca la scoala 
Vladu`: Au aparut complicatii...
Vladu`: Nu stiu exact ce fel de complicatii.
Vladu`: Apoi au transferat-o la Arad.
Vladu`: Acolo a venit unul oarecare de pe strada si a batut-o.
Vladu`: De vreo 4 ori.
Vladu`: Doctorii o lasau sa moara, ca le era lene sa se ocupe de ea.
Vladu`: Ea avea hemoragie interna si stia asta si-l trimite pe varu-su (5 ani) sa ii spuna doctoritei si aia a zis "Ah, lasa, ca nu e important, vin mai incolo! "
Fallen Angell: eeeee...ala de care ai zis ca nu se bagau aia de la securitate ? ca stateau si se uitau ? ca acum imi mai amintesc cate ceva
Vladu`: Da.
Vladu`: Si intre timp a venit Marius
Fallen Angell: hemoragia era craniana ?
Vladu`: Dupa aia a venit tipul ala de-a batut-o cu inca 2 si s-au luat la bataie cu Marius si cu inca 2 prieteni de-a Liviei.
Vladu`: Nu, pe la burta.
Fallen Angell: si deci , cu alte cuvinte marius a salvat o ?
Vladu`: Da.
Vladu`: Ma rog... Dupa ce a scapat de aia 3...
Vladu`: 2 au intrat in puscarie, 1 dintre ei s-a imprietenit cu Livia si-a zis ca daca stia ca e vorba de o fata nu venea.
Fallen Angell: aia care o agresau ?
Vladu`: Da.
Vladu`: Si dupa aia si asta care s-a imprietenit cu Livia i-a facut destule 
Vladu`: Ma rog...
Vladu`: Directoru' spitalului ii dadea heroina Liviei.
Vladu`: Pana la urma a ajuns la inchisoare.
Vladu`: A iesit pe cautiune cu gandul sa-l omoare pe Marius si pe s-o omoare pe Livia.
Vladu`: A drogat-o...
Fallen Angell: pai si de unde avea ala heriona ? 
Vladu`: A "omorat-o" de multe ori, a dus-o personal la morga...
Vladu`: De-acolo si-a revenit.
Vladu`: Pai de la ma-sa, nu stiu.
Vladu`: Lu' Marius ii placea chimia, ma rog, a studiat cate ceva si a gasit substante care sa contreze efectele heroinei sau ale altor droguri, ca nu i s-a dat doar heroina.
Vladu`: Si a facut-o bine de fiecare data.
Vladu`: Si a vazut directoru ca nu moare Livia nici cum, asa ca a rapit-o, a dus-o intr-o cabana, undeva si-a torturat-o.
Vladu`: Si-a batut-o si i-a injectat regulat cate ceva.
Vladu`: Si a fost praf.
Vladu`: S-a dus Marius dupa ea, a fost impuscat 1 data in burta.
Fallen Angell: si asa a ajuns ala la inchisoare ?
Vladu`: Dupa aia l-au prins pe director, l-au dus undeva cu gandul ca-l lasa sa moara de foame si gata. Si era pazit de 6 oameni.
Vladu`: A ajuns la inchisoare ca a facut manevre cu heroina.
Vladu`: Cre'ca doar pentru asta.
Vladu`: Ca pentru altele nu prea erau dovezi.
Vladu`: Cred.
Vladu`: Si era pazit directoru de 6 oameni.
Vladu`: I-am zis lu' Marius sa se duca sa vada daca mai e acolo, ca mi-e teama ca scapa idiotu'.
Vladu`: Si a fost si erau toti 6 oameni morti.
Vladu`: Si ala fugise.
Vladu`: Si s-a dus Marius sa-l caute.
Vladu`: Si a venit impuscat inca de 4 ori.
Vladu`: Si Livia era varza in perioada aia.
Vladu`: Nu stia nimic despre nimeni, nici despre ea.
Vladu`: Si a pus-o pe ea sa-l opereze, sa-i scoata gloantele.
Vladu`: Ca stie medicina si Livia, destula. Si o avea in subconstient, chiar daca nu stia.
Vladu`: Si l-a operat...
Vladu`: Ma rog... Si-a revenit si Livia, intre timp...
Vladu`: Si invierile alea fantastice nu stiu sa le explic.
Vladu`: Pur si simplu au fost, fiind presata de ideea ca nu tre' sa moara.
Vladu`: Si-a revenit, s-a trezit la morga, s-a speriat, a invatat lectia, apoi a furat cheia de la morga si-a facut o copie.
Vladu`: Si cand se trezea la morga, iesea pe usa, pur si simplu.
Vladu`: Si gata.
Fallen Angell: ma tu iti bati joc de mine ? ca asta pare ceva ............. plm asta e genu` de poveste fantastica de nici un copil de 7 ani n`o crede
Fallen Angell: ba! man tu mai crezi inca in mos craciun ???
Fallen Angell: zâna maseluta ?
Vladu`: Nu prea isi avea rostul chestia asta. 
Fallen Angell: pai da ma , da cine erau aia 6 oameni ? si pana la urma cum a fost ala prins daca a fugit ? ca asa nu inteleg 
Vladu`: Aia 6 oameni erau adunati de Marius dintr-un cartier de bazati.
Vladu`: Cre'ca erau tigani.
Vladu`: Nu ti-am zis c-a fost prins.
Vladu`: Toate alea s-au intamplat dupa ce-a iesit de la inchisoare pe cautiune.
Vladu`: In fine, tot a fost prins.
Vladu`: In timp ce Livia il opera pe Marius si-a facut si directoru' aparitia, cu intentii rele, dar nu stia ca Marius pusese oameni si in spital sa o pazeasca pe Livia.
Vladu`: Si l-au luat aia.
Vladu`: SI l-au pus undeva sa moara de foame.
Vladu`: Intre timp a murit.
Vladu`: Si gata.
Fallen Angell: man tu crezi povestea asta ?? sau acuma ai scormonit`o pentru noi ????
Vladu`: N-am decat o rugaminte: sa nu-i ziceti nimic Liviei despre asta.
Vladu`: In rest, numa' bine!
Fallen Angell: ok
Fallen Angell: pe livia o stiu doar eu ....nu si tiu
Vladu`: Pai a fost si pe la mine.
Vladu`: Si intr-o zi i-am aratat, care cum sunteti.
Vladu`: Ca erati amandoi, dar erati la distanta.
Fallen Angell: ma anunti si pe mine cand mai trece....vreau sa fac si eu conostinta cu fata asta extraordinara
Vladu`: Nu stiu cat de curand va trece, dar e aiurea sa iei peste picior pe cineva.
Vladu`: Nu inteleg de ce va e greu sa credeti toate astea...
Vladu`: Faceti si caterinca aiurea.
Vladu`: Nu e chiar o chestie de gluma.
Vladu`: Ca sa stai 8 luni in spital si sa treci printr-un iad de-asta nu e usor.
Fallen Angell: ba iti zic sincer Dante Aligheri cand a trecut prin toate crecurile iadului a suferit mai putin

Un mic bonus la discutia de mai sus o sa ajunga cat de curand si pe blog. ;)

In rest, fara rautati din partea mea.. Discutia in sine spune deja prea multe

Lament of the Valkyrie (p2)

I once knew a man, a man who had come from distant lands and over the seas and that man took my heart. He awoke me from the frozen slumber I lay into and poured life into me together with himself.

I once knew a man whose face lit the whole of the world for me, whose heartbeat was the only sound the world ever made for me. He gave me life again and warmth, with his love. He gave me a heart.

I once knew a man, the blood of Vikings running through his veins, who fought all, come hell or high water, to find me and bring me to life. He taught me how to live and, more than anything, how to love once more.

I once knew a man I loved and who once loved me back. Now that man is away and, although my love for him is unaltered still, he has forgotten me, in a land far from here where he found another to claim his heart.

My lord, my saviour, my love is away, both in distance but in heart too. He has forgotten the maiden who awaits for him still, in a land surrounded by ice, just like my heart is becoming once more.

My Sigurd has forsaken me and now he comes to claim me once more, but not for himself, but merely to gift me to another man. I am a valkyrie still and although my heart still yearns for him, this will not stand.

You came to me when all was cold, you came to me when all was frozen, my love, and now that cold is coming back once more, biting into my heart itself and closing itself upon me in this blighted place of doom. You came back, but not to me, my love. You came to heal yourself, Sigurd…

Swedish War Machine, Pirates and Men in Tights.

As luck goes, it's obvious that two of the bands that I really wanted to see, both of them Swedish, had to come to Romania when I'm in Sweden. Those two bands are Sabaton and Therion. But that doesn't really stop a metalhead from her purpose, does it? Therefore, on the 27 of November, 10 days after the concert in Bucharest, I got to see Sabaton, together with support bands Alestorm and Steelwing, in Stockholm's Arenan.

The road there was as adventurous as it can get, apparently SJ and CFR are twins, whereas stockholmers can't give you directions for the life of it, but that's something I'll develop in another post.

Once we got to the right place (and that took a while), me and the friend who was with me (hi, Rin!) noticed a queue surrounding a huge building, half of them sporting either camouflage pants, or Joakim-like hairdos, and sometimes both. Cold as f**k, but nobody really seemed to care. And then there was a long-haired guy in a long overcoat, sitting right behind us. We became friends and it happened fast and unexplainable. But that is something completely different and not really to the point.

The concert venue was something I was not really fond of. Don't get me wrong, indoors was the only way they could play on such a Swedish weather, but I'm not really a fan of the dark room that is Arenan.

The concert started at 19 30 with the Swedes from Steelwing, a band a friend introduced to me a while ago, the both of us being Mad Max fans. The theme of the songs is therefore nice to us, but not the band itself. The Men in Tights, as I'll call them henceforth (hey, they chose it as an intro!) are not really my cup of tea. Surely, they're not bad, but there are two things that will stop me from really enjoying their shows. First off, there's no originality in their music, beside lyric-wise. They sound like about a dozen metal bands put together. The second thing that really gets on my nerves is their vocalist. Not that he's really bad, on the contrary, he can reach pretty high notes, but the problem is he does that one all the time. It kinda ruins the whole unity of the song, plus, you ain't no Bruce Dickinson, babe. Try again. Me no convincey.

About an hour later, the stage was invaded by some drunken-Scot lads. Their name is Alestorm and they're half the reason I went there in the first place. I like them quite a lot. The thing with Alestorm is that they're far from being masters in music, while their vocalist is far from being a new Eric Adams or something. Being none of those does not, however, stop them from being one of the most entertaining live bands I've ever seen. Their simple, booze, women and raids-oriented songs are catchy like hell and have the gift of making the public act pirate-wise, beer (pardon me, mead) included. Their gig (last of the tour for them) included a new song, called... how else, "Rum", and I've noticed my skeptical Finnish friend buying one of their t-shirts at the end of the night so they must've done something right, neh? (am I wrong on this one, Arto?:P )

And in came the headliners of the night, Falun-based band Sabaton. Hell broke lose, I almost broke a nose (not my fault they started a mosh pit next to me) and the Swedes did their jobs flawlessly. Although their war-oriented theme is not the most original, what makes Sabaton so special is their dedication to it and implication in understanding the realities of WW2, together with their tendency of praising soldiers themselves and their heroic facts, rather than the "big men" in lead. Sabaton's power metal is not any huge novelty but it's serious, stout and professional nonetheless. During The Final Solution, a song about the Auschwitz-Birkenau, the whole venue went silent, their lights up in the air, in memory of the 1 100 000 victims Joakim reminded us of. Little by little, Sabaton conquered their public once more. And damn did they do it.

The night was an awesome one. Ended with some "ale" (not at Nancy's tavern, unfortunately), and seeing a drunken sluttish chick trying to put on a strip-tease number to Holy Diver. But that, my friends, is another story.

On history

Lately, I've listened quite a lot to a Swedish band called Sabaton (I'll write about their concert as soon as I'm done with this). They play mostly about 2nd world war and its battles and heroes. A bit earlier on I was reading an interview with Joakim Brodén, the vocalist, interview in which he said something which went along the lines of how history, if not properly known, tends to repeat itself. A thing which, apart being completely true, reminded me of a discussion I've had a couple of months ago with this lady here.

I don't really remember how the whole thing was brought into attention (I think it was during a class, correct me if I'm wrong), but what she said went along the lines of "the best way of keeping history from repeating itself is to hide it from the children, so that they do not know about the problems in the past."

I remember being as scandalized about her statement as I am now, remembering it, but it was a time when I did not write in here and, shame on me, it had faded into oblivion until today. I will start by saying that there have been these kind of opposition discussions since that one, between me and her, and I can't stop noticing we rarely if ever come to an agreement. But that is not the issue here and I will try to make this post as impersonal as I can.

Thing is, what this lady here was saying was, practically, to deny our whole history and hide it from our kids, as if it never were. Besides the obvious 1984 link (although I deeply doubt she's ever as so much as heard of the book), the implications have much more serious grounds.

First of all, denying and erasing one's history is a clear manifestation of dictatorship, of trying to manipulate ideas and feelings (not that it doesn't happen as it is in this "democratic" world of ours) into your own interests.

Second, history tends to repeat itself more often when it is unknown and therefore can't serve as a model and warning. Hell, history has repeated itself even when similar precedent events were well-known, let's take Hitler's failure into Russia, like Napoleon before him, as an example. Not that I complain about that one, though.

Knowing your own history also has a lot to do with respect and paying homage to those that have influenced it in a good way. My great-great granddad fought the First War. My great-granddad, the Second. I have never met them, but I've been told about them and their being prisoners during the conflict. They haven't single-handedly saved a whole village nor defeated an enemy battalion. But they are, just like their brothers in arms, of whom not all have returned from the war, a hero on their own level. It is simple soldiers that make a war. And denying everything will make their deaths even less meaningful than they already are.

Let me get this straight, I do not glorify war in any way. Most of the times, it is an useless, ambition-driven conflict that claims too many lives over too unimportant things. But as much as I hate it, once it's happened one can't simply throw it aside like a dirty sock, because if that is the case then all that have fought it are simply denied their own existence.

So, dear lady, instead of preaching me about how we should lie to our children, you'd better teach yours to accept, not hide under the rug that which has already happened, to love and tolerate. This ain't no fucking hippie message. It's a simple truth. People have to be taught to put differences aside, not sheltered from painful realities. But then again, you, lady, don't really seem too good with tolerance yourself, do you?

Lil' change

Because some friends have asked me to do so, from now on, some of my posts here (those that might interest them that is), will be written in English. Sorry for any inconvenience.