There is always a sense of relief when summer begins to edge closer, especially after a long Finnish winter. In a country where daylight itself can feel like a small miracle, the return of the sun becomes more than a seasonal change: it feels like a quiet victory over the dark. “The Light,” the second album by T. JARVA & THE DARK PLACE, was released on May 8th, 2026, with its release party taking place at G Livelab in Helsinki on May 9th. It had not been long since I last saw them live, but this was still a night I did not want to miss. G Livelab, with its elegant setting, excellent sound, and generous selection of beers and drinks, is the kind of venue that makes the whole experience feel a little more luminous, but first things first.
Taneli and Sami took the stage at 20:00 sharp and, as usual, Taneli greeted the audience and shared a bit about the project, which they began seven years ago as a duo. They opened with “Flying Shoes” and “Kathleen” by Townes Van Zandt, the latter holding a special place in their hearts. Right after that, he called the rest of the people they’ve been surrounded by over the past four years: Janne (keyboards), Sami (drums), and Ari (double bass). He then announced “Can’t Let Go” from their debut album as the next song, on which the guitarist and keyboardist backed him up with vocals.
The place was quite packed by that point, with many people standing since the tables sold out fast. Some were sipping “The Dark Place” beer, kindly brewed by Masis Brewery, an excellent salmiak porter you don’t want to miss whenever you have the chance to get one (or two, or three), mainly at T. JARVA & THE DARK PLACE live shows and at the brewery. Now you know.
Speaking of which, the next song was “A Drunkard’s Prayer,” whose weirdly uplifting vibe always makes me want to sing along, and once again I wasn’t the only one. Taneli thanked the crowd warmly, took a moment to say how good the venue was, and pointed out that there would be two different sets with an intermission. He suggested making the best of the break and grabbing some drinks. He also announced “Dagger Moon” by DEAD MOON as a track that has been part of their setlist since the very beginning. Ari grabbed the bow, adding a deeper, more dramatic vibe to the whole thing, and Sami’s guitar solo was top-notch. Someone from the audience shouted “WOW!”, and I couldn’t agree more.
“Calamity” followed, one of the strongest tracks from the debut album. As Taneli pointed out, its lyrical themes of shame and addiction connect directly with the previous song. He also mentioned that their new album, “The Light,” had just been released the day before, and the number of people who clearly had already listened to it was impressive. I wasn’t that surprised, though: the hype was real.
Taneli then said they were about to play some new songs with a special guest on percussion, Christian Schäfer, who had come all the way from Germany. His name should ring a bell for many: he’s the drummer from POISON WHISKY, where Taneli sings and plays bass. Christian was warmly welcomed with applause and shouts.
The first song was “Pray for Death,” which is essentially a live combination of “Pray” and the instrumental “Last Exit to the Light,” on which I cannot help but point out how impressive the drum-work provided by Sami Käyhkö was.
It was also quite strange, at first, to see Christian in such a classy environment, with his beautiful curly hair and precise, controlled approach to various instruments, but he fit in perfectly. In fact, he seemed so at home that I started thinking he should join the band more often, but I’ll come back to that feeling in more detail later.
The tune is a calm yet heartfelt ode to death as the end of suffering, delivered from a respectful and accepting perspective on something every human being cannot avoid. I got goosebumps during the instrumental part, and I’ll admit I almost got teary-eyed.
Half of the set was done when Taneli announced a 20-minute break before the second part of the show, giving me just enough time to decompress and grab one of those beers. They came back punctually, Christian included, now joined by the choristers, Hanna and Tarja. Riina wasn’t there, as she was opening for CEMETERY SKYLINE with FOR MY PAIN in Oulu that same night.
“Hades Children” opened the second set. It’s a new song that hasn’t been played live all that often, but I can easily say that, compared to the last time I saw the band, this version had an extra kick thanks to Christian and his contribution on percussion. The track draws from bossanova as well, so his role ended up being crucial in making the sound fuller, thicker, and closer to the studio version. Taneli’s theatrical attitude made it even better: he pointed his finger at the audience on the line “are you questioning humanity?”, literally calling us into question, and tearing down any wall between us and them.
He thanked the audience again, introduced the two choristers, and then moved into the next song, “Bride of Jesus,” which should be very familiar to the crowd by now, backstory included. It’s still one of my favorites, no matter what. A music stand was brought on stage as Taneli explained that the album had come out just the day before and he definitely needed to read the lyrics. He also joked: “This is what professionals usually do, and I’m apparently the only professional in this group!” We laughed, he laughed.
“Mangled Dreams” was another new song they played, one I’d only listened to a few times before. The spoken part was incredibly powerful, and a moment of silence fell at the end of it, proving just how deeply involved everyone in the room felt at that point.
A stand-up comedy moment followed while they tuned their instruments, joking about the “fine tuning” those acoustic instruments require from time to time, getting ready for the album’s title track, whose video was released just a few days before. Sami also shared the great news that “The Light” had been chosen by Radio Helsinki as the album of the month. As surprised as he may have sounded, we’re quite sure it was a smart and natural choice. This spontaneous exchange with the audience felt like meeting long-time friends, sharing their highlights without ever taking their success for granted. Lovely.
The next song, “Grand Central Blues,” is a breakup song Taneli wrote from another person’s point of view. It was composed in a hotel named Grand Central, which explains the title. Its hypnotic melody and melancholic vibe make it an incredibly classy, slightly old-fashioned tune that carries all the main features of T. JARVA & THE DARK PLACE, and I bet the next time we’ll be singing along to it. Sami’s guitar solo was outstanding, and once again, Christian’s presence took it to the next level. I spotted him singing along to “Venus Is High” and “Golden Girl,” older songs the crowd never gets tired of.
Whining dog sounds filled the air and, exactly as last time, they turned out to be the intro to “Pompeii Dog,” kindly provided by Taneli‘s dachshunds, Mefisto and Rusina. Sami promptly asked, “Mefisto, is that you?”, keeping up the stand-up-comedy vibe that added so much charm to the night. The dogs are even credited on the album, so we might as well pay them some respect. “Pompeii Dog” unfolds like a dark, mystical journey, with echoes of THE DOORS wandering through its sonic landscape. Layers of tension build underneath, creating a sense of unease and pull that, for me, crowns it as one of the finest songs the band has ever crafted. In the live performance, Christian’s percussion added extra depth and groove, sharpening the song’s rhythmic pulse and making the whole thing feel even more intense and alive. Sami pointed out how great Tarja’s performance was, since she had also actively contributed to the arrangements. Then Taneli added that the choristers (Riina included, who wasn’t there that night) really make the band sound so good. It might sound a bit naive from my end, but the mutual gratitude they show for each other is really heartwarming, and proves that making music together is not just a pastime, but rather a meaningful way to express themselves and be part of something bigger.
The concert was drawing to an end, so Taneli decided to dedicate the next song to the stage manager, who had taken such good care of them: “The Crossroads’ Song,” soothing and classy as ever. He introduced “Still and Cold” as the closing tune, which was released as an EP in between the two albums. It is a passionate homage to all those who have left too early, and as I have witnessed before, it always touches many people’s hearts, especially the final part, where Tarja delivered an incredible, hair-raising solo.
They all left the stage while we were clapping enthusiastically, to the point that they came back almost immediately. Ari took a well-deserved sip of beer, and everyone took their designated place to play the last song. Taneli said “yks vielä” (“one more”), and someone from the crowd replied “two,” while someone else shouted “ten!”. It was clearly one of those live shows you don’t want to come to an end, so they guided us to the end of this journey on the notes of “Mercy Curse.”
Taneli thanked us warmly and encouraged us to meet at the merch table. The mutual gratitude was tangible, and even though this was the umpteenth time I’ve seen the band, I’m always happy and grateful to see them surrounded by so much support, friendship, and genuine love. May “The Light” be the light we all need.
Written by Licia Mapelli
Photos by Mirko Luparelli
Setlist
- Flying Shoes (Townes Van Zandt cover)
- Kathleen (Townes Van Zandt cover)
- Can’t Let Go
- A Drunkard’s Prayer
- Dagger Moon (Dead Moon cover)
- Calamity
- Pray for Death (Pray + Last Exit to the Light)
- Hades Children
- Bride of Jesus
- Mangled Dreams
- The Light
- Grand Central Blues
- Venus is High
- Golden Girl
- Pompeii Dog
- The Crossroads’ Song
- Still and Cold
- Mercy Curse
