Saturday, December 6, 2008

St. Petersburg, Russia




29.11.08 Pietari, Venäjä

Saavuimme yöjunalla Pietariin. Siitä hotellille aamupalan kautta jatkamaan unia. Iltapäivästä meidät kuskattiin keikkapaikalle soundtsekkiin. Keikkapaikka oli aivan valtavan kokoinen areena, josta oli lohkottu meille sellainen pienempi loossi. Alkuperäinen keikkapaikka oli lopettanut toimintansa, ainakin toistaiseksi. No mutta eipä siinä, vieressä rakennettiin seuraavalle päivälle hieman isompaa produktiota Boney M-nimiselle "aktille"...

Keikka oli Unia-kiertueen viimeinen, ja hyvin se meni. Vähän haikeat, mutta samalla huojentuneet ja iloiset tunnelmat oli. Vähän siinä hassuteltiinkin. Henkka ja mä vaihdettiin soittimia, jossain kohtaa vedettiin "Dallasia" ja ties mitä. Meidän kiertuehenkilökunta oli vaihtanut meidän "Band of Brothers"-outron "Vieläkö on villihevosia?"-kappaleeseen. Siinä sitten kumarreltiin yleisölle.

Loppuun vielä hehkutukset. Puolentoistavuoden Unia-kiertue on nyt takana päin. Päällimmäisenä on nyt tällä hetkellä yksi asia: uni... Tässä mielessä rundin nimi on ollut osuva :-) No ei vais, minulla on ollut ilo tavata mukavia ihmisiä, faneja, muiden bändien tyyppejä ympäri maailmaa. Ollaan käyty about 27 eri maassa soittamassa.. Kiitokset kaikille, henkilökunnalle, joka on venynyt välillä jopa ilmiömäisiin suorituksiin todellisuuden lyödessä kasvoille, Kiitos kaikille faneille, kaikille bändeille joiden kanssa olemme soittaneet. Nähdään pian! Toivottavasti jo ensi vuonna!

11/29/08 St. Petersburg, Russia

So, we got to St. Petersburg in the morning. After got the the hotel, had a fast breakfast and back to bed...In the afternoon we got to the venue for a sound check. The venue was this huge arena and it was divided with some curtains for us. The original rock club intended for us was shut down for some reason..But what the hell it was still ok. Next t our stage they were building a bigger stage for Boney M...

This show was the last one on this Unia-tour and we had a really good time on stage. I think we all felt a bit sad but at the same time relieved, and glad! At some point Henkka even played my guitar and I was handling the keytar! At some point we decided to play some "Dallas"-theme...Our crew had changed our "Band of Brothers"-outro to "Vieläkö on villihevosia?"-song..really weird stuff going on!

Finally I want to say to everyone who´s reading this, now that the "Unia-tour" is behind, after a year and a half, 27 countries, 150 shows, I´ve had a real pleasure to meet awesome and dedicated fans all around the world. I want to thank all of you fans, all the bands we´ve played with, our magnificent crew and all the local crews all around the world, the promoters, I mean everyone! I´m hoping t see you all soon, hopefully next year, who knows?! In a meanwhile, stay safe and remember to enjoy every moment of your life!! Rock!

Elias & Sonata Arctica

15 comments:

Mariko said...

Thank YOU, Sonata Arctica, for your music and for everything!!! =) =)

All the best for you

Dea_al_Mon said...

Thanks for all the great posts, Elias! It was wonderful to meet all of you. Enjoy your time off with your families, and I look forward to seeing you again in a year or two. \m/

Claudia said...

please please please, i need to read more about you, to feel like i am where you are. I was in the concert at "la riviera" in Madrid, and you were fantastic, incredible, amazing, i can't find the words. I can't wait one year to see you again, i need more sonata, you change my world and my way to see things, and now all i want is to play my guitar
i love you guys

priscila b. said...

How about coming back to Brazil, hum? =)

mirai_moon said...

Thank you very very much for your Great music XD !!!!
"Sonata Arctica" 4ever XD XD XD !!!!


P.S.
Woow 8-> !
Nice pictures :D !
It is ..bottle.. coool of the vodka :D !

Stern said...

Come and visit Vienna again ;) I'm that generous, I will show you this wonderful city for free *g* Compelling offer, hm? ;)

LindaH said...

hey elias! its sad the tour stopped, but you guys deserve the break! cant wait for the new album, and i'm realy curious how its gonna sound with you on the guitars :P
anyway, i went to 2 concerts this year. Melkweg in Amsterdam and Tivoli in Utrecht. Those 2 evenings were fantastic! cant wait till you guys come to holland again!
kisss & greats from me

Hellyöth said...

Hey Elias!

Thanks for your tour diary! I went to your gig here in Sao Paulo Brazil and you guys really rocked =) Reading your blog almost made me feel like if I were with Sonata Arctica on tour!

I'm really happy with the end of the UNIA tour... It was an amazing album, but I think now it's time to have some new great songs! Please, post here some information about the new album!

Thank you! Cya!!

XxXRonirXxX said...

Hi Elias! I sent an e-mail to tony (tony@sonataarctica.info), can you ask him to read it? My e-mail account is elessar_band@hotmail.com
I will be extremely grateful if you hear my band.
Here is a youtube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-vTsLNvLbU

Thank you very much Elias!

XxXRonirXxX said...

Sorry my english, I'm from Argentina.

Asrahn said...

I was supposed to see you guys in Sweden, Stockholm. The day started with me accidentally stabbing myself with a knife while trying to open a stubborn plastic package, then failing to change tires on my car since one of the screws broke. I didn't fancy losing a tire halfway to Stockholm, so I borrowed my grandfather's car.

On my way there I started bleeding a copious amount of blood from my nose, and eventually crashed my grandfather's car (totalled) into a moron who decided it was a nice idea to hit the breaks for no reason in the middle of the motorway. I lost my lunch, got a bunch of bruices and my bloody coke went to hell as well.

I spent roughly 5 hours in a hospital instead of seeing your concert. Seems like I simply wasn't meant to go see you guys. Up to date I've seen you once only, a car crash punctuated my second attempt.

I've been following you since the very beginning, and I am yet to find any other band that is even remotely close to having the same chemistry, passion and general epicness.

Now this may start to sound stalker-ish, but the fight is not over!

The next time I'll just catch a bloody train! Come to Sweden again, soon!

Andre said...

that's the Moscow train station)

Paula Belén said...

Pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaase come to Chile agaaaaaaaiiinn!!!

=(

Thanks Sonata for ur music!

Paula Belén said...

Thanks Sonata for ur musiiic!!!!



PLEAAAAAAAAAASEEE COME TO CHILE AGAIIIN!!!!
=(

bye!

Hard Rock Passion news said...

S.A : great band !!!!!!!! it's a please to listen your music...
Cheers !!!
HRP
http://hard-rock-passion.blogspot.com/