'BACK IN BLOOD' TOUR 2010

CROATIA, ZAGREB, BOOGALOO
24.01.2010

“BEEN RUNIN’ AWAY SO LONG FROM THE DAY
INTO THE STRANGE NIGHT OF STONE TO FADE AWAY…”

Those who know me maybe will be surprised with the story below. Because, although it should be told easily like a feather in the air and carved into every pore of life until the moment it will gone, this story will be different from the one you'd expect. There are too many words; told and untold for this story to be just one in a series of reviews on something that is always valuable and special. But this time it is even more valuable and more special. And dedicated to those who, knowing and not knowing that, shared with me all these years. But it is dedicated also to those others who think they know something about people... really, do you think you understand? Who knows, maybe in the end of this text you get the answer.

„COULD THERE BE ANOTHER THOUSAND STORIES LIKE YOU AND ME?“

Almost midnight. Gates to a new day are slowly opening; new thoughts are inspiring, the same dreams and some new but still the same hopes. In some certain number of years, when this chapter would be closed, on the paths of one very special story will stay scattered dreams of unforgettable years. Of us. But now is almost impossible to remember that turning point before my dreams led me to the dark side of the moon. However, my memories are crystal clear from the moment one vampire dream had carried me over the rose garden to the place I've never been before. It was in winter of 2001, on the beginning of a new millennium. And now is the winter of the year 2010, the beginning of a new decade.
 While in the beginning of 1990's up there on North, in Helsinki, Finland, five guys discuss their future and plan their career upon of a dreams, thousands miles away, in a little country on the cultural border between East and West, in Croatia, is a war and for the most of time it seems nobody dreams of love, full moon and smell of roses spread by gentle winter in spring. But those five were ready to be thrown in adoring world and on their way sometime in the future come to the mentioned country at the crossroads of two cultures.
Nearly two decades later, only few nights before viewing the full moon, I found myself on the verge of achieving this desire... desire for the moon, wine and roses somewhere in the dark, smoky hall in the heart of Zagreb. I was standing in the crowd, watching the blue lights directed from the stage go fill the hall with some special, magic mood note and waiting for idols of the whole vampire generation to step out in front of their Croatian brigade and take it on hypnotic waves to the land of those who now wanna live fast in the night.
When we met, that forenoon, in the backstage room, there weren't many words told. Why? I don't know. But that winter day at the beginning of a new decade hasn't only brought new memories but also something that, now a week later, I still cannot find out. Was it coincidence or not, to meet these guys we all know as The 69 Eyes, almost a decade ago, I don't know. But I know that one winter day in Zagreb brought some new color lines.
Because, the truth is there are vampires true as real vampires. And in the moment when in the club Boogaloo bursted "Cry Little Sister" and announced the appearance of vampires from Helsinki on the stage in Zagreb I realized that every conceivable moment had been dedicated to this feeling that is impossible to describe by other word but magic. It was dedicated to me to find those with whom I will, at the end of gloomy day, share the real world outside of the norms and definitions. Soon... Just another moment and their faces reflected in my eyes for the first time in my town. I smiled. Five men dressed in black. Black hairs. Dark sunglasses is hiding Jyrki' eyes. And in my mind that good old one: "Sleep All Day. Party All Night. Never grow old. Never die. It's fun to be a vampire." Images were swimming straight into the ocean of meaning. The message was delivered. The image cascades in the temple of thoughts above the ocean. It's finally whole. Timeless. Eternal. Forever.
After the intro song "Back In Blood"... crimson hypnotic wave and I've lost myself into the lines that I waited so long, relieved me from the thimbles that have tighten. The group opinion was ultimately irrelevant. And verses that followed, from beautiful "Lips Of Blood" and "Kiss Me Undead" then in many ways unique "Wasting the Dawn" tonight devoted to Croatian The 69 Eyes fan club (Thank you my dearest! – this isn't enough but I don't know better words.), exceptional "Feel Berlin" or the amazing "Hunger" to the closing classics "Brandon Lee" and "Lost Boys" were as they came out of my mind... The silent fear that has been present for weeks was finally locked. Paralyzed, as someone said "by exotic drugs" for my mind, hypnotically, deep voice saying: "victims, aren't we all?". Another scream of approval bursted the hall and I thought: "Yes, this is the way to spend Sunday evening. Surrounded by people who understand and who are above the average tensions that are every day trying to plan in our minds, people who hasn't sold their souls to 'be average'". But only 24 hours earlier I was convincing myself that the nerves are for tomorrow and I was wandering will everything will be all right. Now "tomorrow" was "today" and, already, it belonged to eternity. And today was for love that accrued even grey clouds that were ominously blazed in the shy above the grey streets we passed today illuminated by thousands of lights that ripped the cold night into the metropolis. Because in that 'today' the love conquered Boogaloo and the music which once again brought the sence of the romantic traces of light in the darkness at the beginning of the new decade was the feeling on the skin. Mixture of ghostly and romantic. I closed my eyes for a moment and in my mind I could only see the crimson, color of the living heart. I wasn't thinking, just feeling.
The guitar roar revolted through the smoke, through the storm of notes and just for a while calmed the adrenalin flood that is ripping the veins. Hairs black as crows feather. Voice deep as the ocean. Deep, melancholic and vibrates with the feeling. Everything rocks in the perfect tone while waves of notes are going into the night and the roar of guitar strings vibrate in so beloved melodies. The end of the evening was burning crimson. The band, playing with the adrenaline excitement filled all the gaps, all desires, all the long waiting. This could be the most precious of the jewels. The reflection of the evening was like a fairy tale. Sitting later with the band and talking was probably the game of fate. To meet The 69 Eyes almost ten years ago was a dream. Now it is reality sensible as satin sheets on the skin. I'm still on adrenaline, in the claws of insomnia.
And now I ask you, paraphrasing verses, do you really think I understand what I have in my head and that is easy to carry all notes and verses of this love?

In the end, from the deepest bottom of my heart and soul I want to thank to Archzie, Bazie, Jyrki, Jussi and Timo for being – The 69 Eyes!
Thank you for all this years of beautiful memories and for sharing with me, when you know and when you cannot know, some of the happiest but also saddest moments in my life. Thank you for you honesty and understanding and for that you will always be part of my world, that "secret" one which exist inside of this one we walk through limited by everyday life! And don't forget – FOREVER!

Related to The 69 Eyes concert in the Boogaloo club in Zagreb on January 24, 2010 The 69 Eyes Croatia thanks to: Twilight Promotion, Halbe Miete Management, Helter Skelter Booking Agency, Nuclear Blast, EMI Finland, Terri Garey for sharing the fire (you rule 100%!), Anastazija Vržina, my vampire twin sister Darkness69 and hers The 69 Eyes Bosnia web site (luv ya, sis!) and all you, people, who supported the concert!