Ben Granfelt Helsinki 5th June 2015

[HAIRY COLIN]

This was a special gig at On the Rocks to promote a new release
- BEN GRANFELT BAND 20TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR DVD/2CD.

As some of you will know On the Rocks is an intimate subterranean venue close to the main railway station in Helsinki.Sporting a smart l'm getting married soon haircut Ben bounced on stage at 10.15 which was unusually early by Finnish standards.Supported by John Viherva on bass,Marko Karhu on second guitar and Kai Jokiaho on drums Ben played every track from the new release apart from Breathe ( his cover of the Pink Floyd classic)
Several words spring to mind - energy,skill,melody,madness,faith,hope and love. The crowd well ebullient loved every second especially the bullshit in Finnish whilst guitars were retuned.Switching to English to introduce Faith,Home and Love for us was a lovely gesture.

Setlist
---------
Baker Street
Turning Point
Musicland
Strat Strut
Can't wait Another Day
Melodic Relief
Instrumental Madness
Dead in the Water Ac
Bright Lights AC
Cocaine Ac
Get up and Go!
B.L.U.E.S
Check Up
Faith,Hope and Love
Almighty Blues
*********************
Going Home

So a balance of tracks from Ben's 12 album solo career. Instrumentals, an acoustic interlude for his band to recharge their glasses with the local brew Kof,and not forgetting the epic tracks F,H&L and Almighty Blues which we all know from Ben's period in WA.

Superb musicianship and a fantastic evening. Kokkola,Sheffield and Crewe you missed a good one.

The DVD/2CD was recorded live at Earth Music Hall Wetter Germany 19th September 2014 and should be available at all the usual outlets.

Why visit Helsinki for the 20th time? ---it's so vibrant and young ( l feel like Peter Ustinov in Logan's Run --where are all the old people?) Music is everywhere not just small venues as l have seen Dream Theater twice at the Ice Hall.
Even on this trip we found new parks to walk beside the sea,spotted geese and goslings waddling past the parliament buildings and a samba parade diverting the trams. Not forgetting the Swedish austere architecture and the Russian influence, Finland is a mixture of west meets east but dress up in the winter. Brrrrrrrrrrr

[valediction]

Excellent review Colin - Seems like myself and your previous travelling companions from the Uk and Finland missed a belter . Your mention off the local brew Kof reminds me off the time I went up to the bar in Tampere and said to the barman FOUR KOF please only to get not only a funny look but told by Rainer we could order no more than two .Happy days on tour .

Ben ( the real deal )

[Rainer Frilund]

[Plantman]

(moved to correct thread)

[Foxy]

Yeah, great review Colin - thank you. Seem to recall when we did this together we walked on water

[HAIRY COLIN]

Not this time just strong winds and expert wind surfers.The coffee shop where we warmed ourselves after our walk on the sea ice was doing a roaring trade. The only English ale they were selling was believe it or not was a local Kentish brew - WHITSTABLE BAY ORGANIC not any Yorkshire bitter whose name l forget.

[slipkid]

I picked up the new live album a few weeks ago and have the DVD playing now. Great stuff! Highly recommended :D