Confession: I'm a concert junkie

Toni just saw The 69 Eyes live in Stockholm and I'm starting to feel withdrawal symptoms. It's been too long since I've been to a concert. Way too long. I miss them so bad. I'm a concert junkie. In an attempt to cure this let's take a trip back in time.

I've been to concerts pretty much every year since I was about 10 years old. The annual local summer festival brought interesting bands even for a little girl. At Sommar Rock I saw some bands that I really liked and some bands that just happened to be on the stage at the same time I was hanging out there. Those I remember that I've gone there to see are Antique, Mendez, Bubbles, Style, The Ark (three times), Crashdiet, E-Type, Europe, Hammerfall, Joddla med Siv, Magnus Uggla, Markoolio, The Poodles, Perikles, Takida, Thin Lizzy, and Erik Grönwall. I also distinctily remember the time when Tomas Ledin played there and I got invited to the party afterwards but declined (I didn't feel like going to a party of a middle aged women's idol). Until last year I used to work there with my dad. Official website. Blog post. Blog post.

Then there's also the annual festival in Malmö, which isn't has cosy as the one of my hometown, since it's all over the city. And most of the years I haven't really gone there to see the bands. But I remember seeing Jay Smith and The Sounds there. And The Ark (fourth time). I usually just go there for the market, the food and the festival events, and forget all about the music :P Official website. Blog post. Blog post.

My first real concert was Lordi. Autumn 2006. I was 15 years old and they had just won ESC. I went with Kajsa. Mum wouldn't let us stand in the crowd so we had to get seats. Spent the entire concert sitting on the edge of my seat, waving my arms and singing/screaming my throat and lungs out. This is when I fell in love with concerts for real. Sabaton was the support and I hated their sound.

Second concert was Nightwish. Winter 2007. Went with then-boyfriend Henrik. It was Nightwish with Anette promoting Dark Passion Play. I really liked Anette at this concert. She was very friendly and interacted a lot with the audience. Indica was support and since then I never really could get them out of my head. It was just too bad that all their music was in Finnish until a couple of years ago when they released their first English album.

Third was Stephen Lynch. Spring 2008. Went with Kajsa. He was hilarious. At first it was sold-out, but by chance Kajsa managed to get a hold of two tickets next to each other really close to the stage. Happy!!!

 2009 was a big year for me. Edguy, Lordi and Metaltown. Back then Edguy was the best concert I'd ever been to, which was surprising for me cause I've never been that big a fan of them. But I remember I almost cried when they played King of Fools during the encore. All of those I went to with then-boyfriend Sebastian. For Lordi I also brought Zoy.

In 2010 all I saw was Disturbed in December. I went with Love and he's been their fanboy ever since. But despite it being a joint concert with Papa Roach and Disturbed being the last act (hence it took forever for them to get out on stage) the concert was epic. Blog post.

2011 was a big year. Stephen Lynch, Alice Cooper, Edguy and Within Temptation. To date I've never been as excited about a concert as I was for Cooper. I love him. Gimme more! I was so sad when I wasn't able to see him again in Gothenburg last year. But when it comes to concert feeling Edguy from 2011 still takes the price. Blog post. Blog post. Blog post. Blog post.

2012 wasn't that special in comparison to 2011. At least not concert-wise. Magnus Betnér (twice), Nightwish and Metaltown. Metaltown was easily that year's favourite. Blog post. Blog post. Blog post.

Mostly concerts are about feeling. Being able to scream-sing the songs you love back at the bands you love. Jumping up and down, waving your arms around in the air and headbanging, makes for an aching body but a greater feeling than any exercising could ever give me. The feeling when a song gives you goosebumps or bring you to the verge of tears. The feeling when all the lights go out and the arena is lit up by lighters and mobiles being waved back and forth in the air to a slow, beautiful song. The feeling of buying that perfect T-shirt as proof and memory of having been there. The feeling of buying a large soda and a random hamburger at the closest McDonald's open at night and eat the hamburger while walking back home. The feeling of going to sleep with the songs still ringing in your ears. The feeling of not wanting to wake up the next day cause it'll be soooo terribly long 'til the next time you'll get to feel that way.