Rock the Beach Helsinki June 29

Ich Will: Rammstein!!! Rock all the Beach from 15:00-23:50

Perhaps it’s the third day of the festival, or maybe the fans are still at Friday night hangover, at 15:00, Nokia Musiikii stage seems a bit desolate. But Huoratron, the brainchild of Finnish electronic music producer Aku ‘Huoratron’ Raski, who starts it as a musical project in 2002, makes the whole sandy land a bit alive. At 15:15, heavy metal band Kotiteollisuus (Home Industry) of Finland begins the melancholic ‘Mahtisanat’(its music video is based the concept of Finnish epic Kalevala, very cool enough). Long frizzy beard, military green vests and Scottish pleated skirt, the lead vocal/guitarist Jouni Hynynen and members tease their old fans now and then between songs, though some of their jokes a bit vulgar, still, provoke quite some laughter. It’s surely a somewhat disappointed that my favourite ‘Minä olen’ not rocking ‘n’ rolling on stage.

Kotiteollisuus

The festival is accessible, very considerable for those whose disability

Before 21:00, we folks know Rammstein would take out loads of our energy, so we decide to take a good rest on the grassland, enjoy super expensive shared kebab dinner (10e for big plate, but the portion is rather small, we even have to be very careful not got stolen by countless sea gulls), then drink freebie coca-cola and energy water. Sometimes we need to pay a visit at mobile toilet (quite clean and not smelly and free toilet paper), or just sit on the sand to enjoy music, take a look of band merchandise stalls (I would like to collect some band tote bags, EVERY of them is over 20e, so I have to give up), walk around at beer area, or fill our empty water bottle up.

Our equipment!

I am wearing: American Apparel shirt, A&F bikini top, earrings from Kenting 

19:30-21:25

I haven’t heard of Danko Jones until they play ’Just a Beautiful Day’, which, the guitar is bold and vigorous strokes. From Toronto, Canada, established in 1999, and band members have been switching an amount of times until vocal/guitarist Danko Jones settles it up. His jokes on commenting how beautiful of Finnish gals are quite cheesy and bad, but while the band takes up another single ‘I Believed in God’, the rock mood is back. GO and check ‘I Had Bad Thoughts’ and ‘Full of Regrets’ music videos, quite surprising actors astonish would pop up at your eyes: Selma Blair and Fordo Baggins. From Tennessee, U.S.A, Paramore is also undergoing band members leaving. Front lady Hayley Williams on stage looks and sounds not that as diva as Farro brothers’ accusation. Light orange mid-length hair, black-and-white stripe shirt, hot pants and stockings, in fact, I quite like her performance, speaking and attitude. Noticing Paramore from Cosmopolitan magazine, I like their new singles ‘Now’ and ‘Grow Up; ‘Still into You’ has a strong political pursuit, still, quite a catchy tune.

Danko Jones

Hayley @RocktheBeach

21:30-23:50

Anticipating industrial metal band Rammstein at the beach, shortly I thought I was in Germany. Famous for pyrotechnic and theatric performing at shows, at the beginning the supernova-like fireworks excite ALL the audiences. When lead vocal Till Lindemann, coating a strawberry pink fur, male burlesque outfit underneath, furnishing Cote D’Azur eyes shadow and lipstick, and singing ‘Du Hast, Du Hast, Du Hast Mich’, ALL the beach goers are nodding, rocking, singing in German and like propaganda believer non-stop. During ‘Ich Will’( I Want) and “Ich tu Dir Weh’ thankfully that my dear lifts me up for some minutes, so I can enjoy the clear view, otherwise there are uncountable bold-head macho guys raging and jumping in front of me, I barely can see anything (yeah, only those countless shining domes).

Rammstein @RocktheBeach

Tough it’s too a bit dissatisfying that Rammstein doesn’t include ‘Amerika’ at play list, it is, no doubt, very obvious that Rammstein show definitely the most rewarding concert of the three-day festival: the torn colourful paper pieces shot out from a huge machine gun, the actual flame flittering from the industrial tubes, the phallic symbol-like equipment splashing water as erection climax. Combining with Till Lindemann’s devilish and hoarse bass voice, the whole atmosphere is more like a religious Mecca, but wrapping metal rock music as disguise. And guess what, Lindemann writes most of the songs/lyrics of Rammstein, and band members have never been replacing since 1994.

My new inspiration after Rammstein: being an as skillful and rock ‘n’ roll keyboarder as Doktor Lorenz. Ja, Ich Will, Ich Will eure Phantasie; Ich Will, Ich Will eure Energie!!

Ich Will. 

Photography: Mindy Yuan & www.rockthebeach.fi

Special Thanks: JMH