Words about the world opening up again part 2? Part 3? Hopefully the last part anyway… ah to be at a club gig again! The Frozen Oceans Abyss tour played in Tampere’s Olympia-Kortteli on March 18th. Local band Kuoleman Galleria opened with full energy and edgy yet funky energy, followed by the fan favorite Frosttide and the black/industrial headliners who had their comeback right as the epidemic was birthing, And Oceans.

The club gigs post lock down these past few years have all had a similar “getting back on our feet” aura about them… people are happy to be out but it feels a bit rusty and unfamiliar. Although there were not restrictions on time, or capacity, people tended to stick to the sidelines and came and went through out the gig. It felt there were more people in the audience in the beginning than the end, and the crowd wavered through out the night.

Kuoleman Galleria had a surprisingly solid and enthralling performance. With no previous knowledge of the band, they left me wanting more, or more like a “what did I just watch, I need to see that again” kind of lasting impression. Unexpected, unpredictable and a unique twist to the evening wit their dark yet groovy sound, and somewhat eccentric stage presence. Hope to see again soon!

Next up was Frosttide. Familiar faces and sounds all around! Somewhat comfort food of the evening. The audience was obviously full of hard core fans, and it felt like an intimate family gathering. Although the band seemed to take a little while to warm up after the all to well known hiatus of live performance, the crowd was pleased and they definitely woke the venue up for the final act.

And Oceans never fail to impress. With a balanced mix of new and old songs…and new and old members… they didn’t miss a beat. They played from start to finish as if there had never been a break in live gigs, and as if they had all been playing together since the start. The energy and chemistry between the band themselves and the audience was flawless and began to fill the void of gigless months. Although the crowd and atmosphere of the gig still had holes and an obvious unsettled, unfamiliar feeling, it faded once they hit the stage. Lets hope it fades all together and we can truly get back to this essential part of life!

photos and report by Serena Solomon