Poets of the Fall – Pumpehuset, Copenhagen September 6th, 2022
Beautiful, beautiful Copenhagen… isn’t it how the saying goes? Whether it is or not, Copenhagen is absolutely stunning ❤️. A few days before Poets of the Fall’s gig at Pumpehuset, I visited a little and I was blown away. The serenity I felt in this city filled me with joy. My friend Ana was not only the best company, but also the best guide 🥰. I’ll spare you the details of my visit, but suffice it to say that I went on a boat tour, saw the Tivoli by day and almost night and wandered the streets a bit. The day of the gig, we went on a nice walk on the beach and watch some guys kite surfing, that was awesome. Had I not been so unlucky, I could have seen the library – or black diamond – and the little mermaid from the front. Oh well, next time 😂!
New friendships are born
I never say it enough, but at every Poets of the Fall gig, I meet new wonderful people and Copenhagen wasn’t any different. Ana and I arrived at the venue, Pumpehuset, at around 14:45 where Charlie, Viktória, Rikke and Mia were already waiting in the cozy courtyard. We had loads of fun, chatting and exchanging Poets and all other sorts of memories. I was very happy to see Anja again and some other very familiar faces. The places for first row were safe and the queue started to grow out to the street very late, like maybe half an hour before the doors opened. I had never seen that 😂.
While we waited, we listened to the soundcheck and the thrill of what was to come danced in the air, like a balloon trying to evade our hungry hands. At some point, of course, the sun played hide and seek with the clouds, more hide than seek actually… and the cold took hold of some of us. All in all, so well-worth the wait.
Take that in though, Poets of the Fall audience in Copenhagen was a culture mix, so beautiful. Danish people of course were the main audience and they had the company of Great-Britain, Ukraine, Poland, Finland (I think I heard speak Finnish somewhere in the crowd), Germany, Portugal, Sweden, France, the USA (thanks Anna!) and probably other countries I was not aware of that evening. Poets really bring people together in such unity, it is pretty amazing and worth mentioning… if I forgot your country, sorry, please add it in the comments below 🥰.
Technical harmony
We went in at 19:00 and were treated fairly by security who let the right ones in first, i.e. the gang (my friends & yours truly) 😎. All was perfectly well and so the wait started… again. The opening act played by pretty quickly, and then the treat of pre-gig: watching others work 😂. Glen Loit, sound engineer extraordinaire & backstage maestro, in harmony with his team unplugged and re-plugged… moved cables and set the stage up with a main de maître, et voilà! Although, the red button was such a temptation, very enticing 🤣… but we resisted, thanks for the trust Glen 😉.
The spell is done
There is always a playlist in the background while we wait, but that day I did not pay any attention. Too much was fascinating me on stage… then the music that acts as a countdown to the band’s entrance started playing and my heart raced like crazy. I barely had time to catch it and put it back in my chest that the show started with the amazing intro from Requiem. Leaning on to the stage, avoiding the red button – easy peasy thing – I took in the guys coming in during the Intro. It felt like these first notes were a magic spell and each band member coming on stage reinforced its bond on to the audience until Marko came in, and the spell was done, the symbiose complete. Requiem for my Harlequin intro gave room to the frenzy and the song set the pace for the entire show.
Fever took the audience by storm and we all sang along with Marko, no matter how hot it was in the venue, we were all as one with the music. There was this girl beside me, with her boyfriend, and she looked as happy as I felt. You all know by now that I have a soft spot for Jani’s smile 🥰, and he was not shy of them. He lit up the stage with them and so did Jaska and Ollie, I don’t think I ever saw Jaska smile that much… beautiful! How it must have felt like for the band to get those smiles back from the crowd! It gives me chills just thinking about it 😁.
High in emotions and mind blowing performance
Every Poets gig is high in emotion, and this time more than ever. Last the band played in Denmark was 2007, so this was long overdue and the welcome they received was to the measure of the long wait. From where I stood, I only got a slight insight of the energy coming from the audience, but by the look of the band on stage, it must have been incredible. My dominant emotion was happiness, no tears but a smile from ear to ear for 1,5 hour show and chills that probably did not leave my body the entire gig. The setlist was pretty much the same as when they started the tour, a winner if you ask me, although… I wish that “Hello Cabaret” was part of the setlist. If only we could get it in Paris… it’d be fitting too 🙃.
The happiness invading my body when the first notes from Requiem hit us was nothing compared to what happened when Firedancer came into play. High energy and I can’t explain why I feel that way, but this song gives me such strength. It is almost indescribable.
The setlist is packed with energy with the slower moments brought by “Sounds of Yesterday” and “The Sweet Escape”. I cannot help comparing with Helsinki’s show, as – although great – it had not the same stamina. The same setlist sounded entirely different in Copenhagen. Marko hit all notes to perfection yet again – I should not be surprised by this anymore, but it always leaves me speechless, and Ollie with his magic fingers got the better of me. They all have an impressive presence on stage and every time, it feels like the first time I ever saw them. This was also the first time I got to see Tuomas play in the place of Jari. Shoes well filled indeed. It was lovely meeting you Tuomas.
Sounds of Yesterday is an amazing song, and I think – correct me if I’m wrong – it was during Ollie’ solo that Marko sat down on the stage to listen to him play. I believe he said at the end something like “Damn, you got me all teary for a moment there”.
Funny moments
Before “Choice Millionaire”, Marko borrowed a baseball cap from the audience. I think the lender’s name is Anders, kudos to you sir! If it is not the right name, please let me know in the comments. This song is one of my absolute favorite from Jealous Gods, though I can only sing along the chorus… my brain and mouth cannot synchronize over the main lyrics 😂 not even when I read them. Fortunately, Marko has given up on trying to have me sing something along… 🤣 Just joking, but even if I could sing it, I would not be able to, that man’s aura renders me completely useless😊. Anyhow, Choice Millionaire’s live version will forever remain the best version to me.
My other favorite from that album is Rogue of course, and live, it is filled with those funny little moments and complicity between the guys and also with the audience. This piece is simply unbeatable, and at Poets shows, it is emphasized by the band’s smiles and thrill to be there – although, I find it to be pretty much the case on all the songs during the shows.
Alright, music aside, Jaska… what’s with the golden harem pants? 😂 Don’t get me wrong, they suit you and they look kinda comfy, but they do tend to have a life of their own at times, do they not? 🤣 Don’t think we did not notice when you sat down and showed your pants transforming into a balloon to Glen, I almost lost my footing I laughed so much.
Phenomenal Copenhagen
When came lift, I was thrilled and got in the groove of the audience – as much as my body would allow, but at the same time I felt a pinch in my heart because I knew there was only one song left: “Carnival of Rust”. Gents, your emotion after Carnival was palpable and I saw it on all of your faces, beautiful moment to witness. Poets of the Fall, the best magicians in the entire world ❤️, this is what I said to Kapu once about the shows. I told him they created magic up there, he did not believe me… When I said the same thing to Jani after the show, he told me to keep saying that kind of things… Happy to oblige ❤️. Copenhagen was phenomenal!
Since Pumpehuset courtyard had benches, we stuck around after the show, until we kinda got lucky and met the band – but one. Photos were taken, laughter and chats with Ollie, Jani, Captain, Tuomas… I missed the opportunity to talk a bit with Jaska… still got Paris, though it might not be as easy there. The experience was absolutely amazing, punctuated by a treat I had only dreamed of until now. Oh, and this time I shut up while my picture was taken 😂 Thanks Ana!
The unlucky bit
Life has a way of reminding you that everything can change in the blink of an eye, and the happiness I felt during that evening could have very well ended up in deep sorrow. Lucky in my bad luck, I wasn’t badly hurt and I am already laughing at it… but when it happened, not so much 😂. A bite to eat in a fast food after the show and then we headed to the tube… my left foot got stuck on one of the anti-slip thing-y from the stairs, and then the right one got stuck the same way on the next step. Result: I fell down about half a flight of stairs I think it was. Nothing broken, my head did not hit anything, so I am fine, just very bruised on the side of my left leg and arm. My handbag dampened the fall but there was one tragic casualty: my sunglasses are dead 😭.
Anyhow, I’ve got 2 weeks to get better 🙃, fortunately I can work from home 😁.
Life made sure that I would go back to Copenhagen by preventing me from visiting the places I wanted to visit the day after the show 😅, could have found a less painful way though 😎
Don’t take anything for granted and as Marko said at the end of the show “Take care of yourselves so that you can better care for others. It matters to us.” At least, I think it is how he said it and I am repeating this to myself everyday.
As I finish this article, I feel already excited about Paris…
Be well friends,
See you, talk to you soon ❤️
Poets of the Fall European Tour continues, so if you haven’t yet, get your ticket here now: https://poetsofthefall.com/tour
Ghostlight Tour 2022 setlist:
2 Comments
Anna Tomczak
Hi. You can add another country representative in the audience. I’m from the USA and live in Denmark since 2018. I’ve loved POTF since first hearing them in 2009 and Copenhagen (which is a 3.5 hour drive from our home) was my first real opportunity to see them. My Danish husband who is much more into the heavy metal scene here, had not heard poets much before, really knew no songs by them and had no expectations, has since remarked repeatedly how he was blown away by the experience. We both really enjoyed the concert and I love Ghostlight. Two songs that I would love to see done live some day is Hounds and Dying to Live. I’m digressing. In closing, fantastic show and hope to see POTF again in Denmark as soon as possible.
Claire Perez
Hi Anna,
The USA have been added ❤️. Thank you for taking the time to comment and I sure am glad you and your husband enjoyed the show so much.
Stay safe,
Tack care
/Claire