I got tickets to see Korpiklaani, Einsiferum, and TrollfesT in May!
When I was in college, I was really into folk metal. Like, really into it. As an extension of this, I also got into a few troll metal bands.
I’ve always really liked Korpiklaani, but I have never actually seen them live, so I am pretty excited about this show. Shame I didn’t get around to seeing them before they had to replace Jaakko (their violinist) due to health issues.
I mean, just look at this guy in the Wooden Pints video:
I cannot stop watching that video, by-the-way. It is so… nonsensical. And bad. And for this, I love it.
My synopsis: A man hacks into a stump with a hatchet. Another man pops out of an outhouse and starts playing a violin on his hip. He then periodically teleports back and forth between the outhouse and another location where the rest of the band is, including a man wailing on a single drum with a large branch. What is happening??
What’s a good Korpiklaani album to get started with?
When I was in college, they only had 3 albums out: Spirit of the Forest, Voice of Wilderness, and Tales Along This Road. I haven’t really been keeping up with them over the years, sad to say.
In fact, when I first heard about them and when I was really into metal, I believe they only had “Spirit of the Forest” out, unless you count the stuff they released previously under the band name Shaman (which, try as I might, I never could find any recordings for back then, I’m sure this wasn’t helped by the ambiguous band name).
So, for me, Spirit of the Forest is what I consider “Korpiklaani,” through-and-through, because that is all I had from them. Looks like they’ve released billions of albums since then, though, so I might have to do some catching up!
Oh man! I love Korpiklaani! I was going to see fellow finish folk metal (though rather heavier) Finntroll earlier this year but got sick. They were also playing Slim’s iirc. Perhaps I’ll see you there, though $31 is nearing my limit… I’ll probably be the one dude with a bowtie at the metal show (as usual).
I love love love Finntroll, but… they were very bad live when I saw them 🙁
I saw them twice at the DNA Lounge, and both times I was hugely disappointed.
Fortunately, Einsiferum opened for them and they were really really good live.
Maybe Finntroll just had some off-nights when I saw them? Maybe their live performance is better now? I don’t know. But it did break my tiny little troll-heart to hear how bad they sounded.
I will say though, that word on metal blogs and forums seem to agree that Finntroll are not good live, whereas Korpiklaani do an excellent live show. Ironically, I much prefer Finntroll’s studio recordings to Korpiklaani’s, but I guess that’s life!
Haha, well if Doc wears his bowtie, then there will be at least two of you!
I agree, the price is pretty steep. But I’ve missed Korpiklaani so many times when they were in town, and they seem to be universally praised for putting on a great live show, so I decided I had to do it.