Finnish stoner rockers MANNHAI had not played live for almost a decade and were on hold from 2009 to 2016, so I was quite happy when they announced two shows in Finland to celebrate their 25th anniversary, one of which was held on July 11th, 2025, at On the Rocks in Helsinki. It truly sounded like the perfect opportunity to bring the creature back to life, as well as to meet new and old friends.
One aspect that piqued my curiosity was the lack of basic information about the opening band. The only thing I was able to find out about FEELINGS is that the five-piece act was founded in Lohja back in 1990 and plays rock music that is groovy, honest, and straightforward. The moment they took the stage at 21:00 sharp, I immediately recognized that the guy on drums was none other than AMORPHIS’ frontman, Tomi Joutsen. Spoiler alert: I still do not have any relevant information about the other band members, even after scouring the entire internet. This is quite fitting, considering the underground and DIY attitude of the band, as well as the history of Finnish rock music.
Moreover, I believe that this mystery really adds a sacred and mythical aura to the act itself and makes the chance I had to witness their live show even more valuable in my book. A clear nostalgic vibe from the ‘60s, specifically from the legendary American band THE DOORS, was the red thread throughout the eleven songs they played, not only in the singer’s deep and intense voice, but also in the clever use of keyboards. These are, in my opinion, the first and most distinctive features that come to mind when thinking about that era. A fresh, personal touch in the bass melodies and guitar work was also detectable, as well as a hint of punk here and there. Spotting Tomi singing along and smiling while playing drums was heartwarming.
They included two cover songs in their setlist, which could not have been more different from each other: SLAYER’s “Seasons in the Abyss,” whose distinctive doomish vibe was taken to the limit, and THE DOORS’ classic tune “Break on Through,” delivered with the above-mentioned personal touch that I really appreciated, as I am aware of how demanding covering specific songs can be.
I cannot help wondering what FEELINGS’ future will be like, but I do hope that they will record an album or at least an EP and be more present in the local live scene. As a matter of fact, good old rock ‘n’ roll music still sparks some interest, at least judging by the audience’s enthusiasm. Tunes like “Hurtin’ Good,” “Cruisin’ in the Ghost Town,” or “Funeral Jacket,” among others, deserve to be shared with the world. Their easy-going yet professional attitude on stage gave the impression that they were twenty-year-olds with thirty years of experience under their belts, if you get what I mean. Let’s see what happens…
MANNHAI took the stage at 22:15 as scheduled. Drummer Mikko “Junior” Pietinen, bassist Olli-Pekka “Oppu” Laine (from AMORPHIS, and both play in OCTOPLOID), and guitarist Ilkka “Ile” Laaksomaa started playing “Sweat of Love,” then singer Jani “Joãnitor” Muurinen (also known for being XYSMA’s frontman since 1988) joined, wearing a leather jacket and holding one beer in each hand.
Oppu and Junior provided some backing vocals, Oppu’s thick bass line added a lot of groove to the whole thing, and the overall energetic vibe was almost touchable. I immediately had the feeling that they had been truly missed, since the audience showed a warm and welcoming attitude from the very beginning. Many people were singing along, and someone even started a circle pit at some point. “Heads against the Stones” followed, taken from their third album, “The Exploder.” It is worth mentioning that the 13-song setlist featured tunes from their oldest releases, a wise choice if we take the 25th anniversary celebration into account.
The interaction between them was very easy-going, same applies to the short dialogues between singer Joãnitor and the people in the audience. He occasionally invited us to clap to the beat, and we, of course, reacted accordingly. The band’s knowledge of American stoner rock as a whole really impressed me: not only their skills as musicians are detectable in the songwriting, but also in their ability to deliver a flawless yet spontaneous high-quality live experience, on many levels.
“She’s one of a Kind” and “Gazers of the Red-Hot Stones,” both from their debut album “The Sons of Yesterday’s Black Grouse,” released back in 2001, were played with almost no interruption between the two. The singer left during the instrumental parts mid-song, then he came back, adding more dynamics to the performance. The desertic, psychedelic vibe on “Gazers of the Red-Hot Stones” was, in my opinion, one of the highlights of that night, as well as some slightly more extreme vocals Joãnitor delivered at some point.
“Colourful Dusk” saw him inciting us to clap to the beat, in an intense and engaging moment of deep and heartfelt connection. It was also unexpected and very interesting to see them perform “Forever my Queen” by PENTAGRAM, a cover song they released in 2006 on a split album with Finnish doom metal masters REVEREND BIZARRE. The split album, “Under the Sign of the Wolf,” is technically the very last album MANNHAI have published and features ex-AMORPHIS’ frontman Pasi Koskinen on vocals.
There were a couple of songs left to play. The singer introduced the band members while playing “Spiritraiser,” and Oppu took on the task of introducing him to us. “Black Water Swan” was announced as the last song. Its slower pace made the atmosphere quite solemn, as it should be on such a special occasion. Joãnitor left the stage during the long guitar solo part, then the other band members did not miss the chance to shake hands with those in the front row, showing gratitude and respect for such an affectionate fan base.
Written by Licia Mapelli
Photos by Mirko L.
Setlist
- Sweat of Love
- Heads against the Stones
- No need to Follow
- Laugh like Insane
- She’s One of a Kind
- Gazers of the Red-Hot Stones
- Between
- More than Enough
- Colourful Dusk
- Forever my Queen (Pentagram cover)
- Spender
- Spiritraiser
- Black Water Swan
