26.5.2018 Stam1na: Raja 10 @ Jäähalli, Helsinki

It was the year 2008, when Stam1na released their very successful album Raja. It’s ten years later and Stam1na are still standing and still marching with a steady pace on the path of success. Even though their lyrics are in Finnish, internationally Stam1na is well known and very loved. To celebrate the 10 year anniversary of Raja, Stam1na decided to have a stop at Helsingin Jäähalli to have a party with an enthusiastic audience. The show was sold out.

First one in line to perform was the Icelandic folk metal band Skálmöld. Not everyone had arrived yet at Jäähalli, but the ones present sure seemed to like the set of the sextet. And if you want proof, you may wanna ask the ones headbanging and throwing their fists in the air. The fact that the songs were in Icelandic, wasn’t really that much of a dealbreaker, the music was really refreshing and all-in-all the band played a great 45 minutes live set. I wasn’t yet familiar with the band, but I’m definitely planning to look more into them, as they really were convincing.

In between sets was a tape playing, at first I thought some old drunk guy had managed to get onto the stage and was shouting in some microphone, but it was a tape. It kept playing on and on. Up until the moment that Rytmihäiriö came on stage. Again, I had never seen the band live, nor listened to them that much. But I have heard that they are quite legendary around Helsinki.

I understood why, they really are a crowd pleaser, I could see that in one of the biggest circle pits I have encountered in Finland. The guys played a very energetic set and I have to say that the stage was looking very nice with all the props, even though the photopit soon filled up with the smell of red wine.

After these two acts whole Jäähalli was completely filled up with people. Due to the energy of the band and the crowd who genuinely were celebrating with him, the whole venue seemed more like a sauna, instead of a venue for ice hockey. I think Jäähalli at least must have had a gigantic profit of booze, as everyone seemed to be sweating so much and craving for refreshments. But luckily that didn’t stop anyone.

The band was welcomed on stage with a gigantic applause and from the first second until the last people were singing along all of the notes on the whole album of “Raja”. Songs like “Vartijaton”, “Susi-ihminen”, “Voima vastaan viha”, “Murtumipiste”, “Muuri” all passed by along the night. Once in a while some special guests appeared on stage, such as Tommy Tuovinen (Oceanhoarse). “Raja” was played in its entirety.  This was the first part of the show after which Stam1na decided to take a break.

I personally was a bit confused about the 15 minute break, because I was a bit worried that along with the musicians gone, the atmosphere would disappear as well, but the truth couldn’t be further from that. After the band came back they made sure to play some of their hits for the fans such as “Elämänlanka”, “Panzerfaust”, “Kadonneet Kolme Sanaa” and “Lääke”. The show concluded with a Stone cover “Get Stoned” upon which Stam1na welcomed a lot of special guests on the stage, such as Janne Joutsenniemi (Stone), Joonas Koto (Omnium Gathering), again Tommy Tuovinen and Rytmihäiriö. The whole stage looked like it really was the place to be of the evening, and the crowd celebrated enthusiastically with them. After “Paha Arkkitehti” Stam1na delivered a steady, amazing, mindblowing show.

Now how can we conclude this wonderful evening? In Metal Capital of Finland, Antti “Hyrde” Hyyrynen has been looking for the metal capital of Finland. Perhaps, during the evening he realized that there is no competing with Helsinki. After all, everyone present for the band was solely there for them and would have given anything and the whole evening truly felt like a party and celebration. An amazing night.