The Helsinki Vampires’ presence is undeniable. Even after more than 30 years of performing, they still give their fans exactly what they want. Their show feels like a spell—like a kind of vampiric hypnosis cast over everyone watching and listening. With singer Jyrki 69’s slow, enticing hand movements and his operatic bass-baritone voice, it’s impossible not to get swept up in a trance. That spell is only strengthened by lead guitarist Bazie and rhythm guitarist Timo-Timo, whose playing is nothing short of incredible.
Credits: Evelyn Kutschera
Their sound moves effortlessly between dark, melancholic moments like The Chair and high-energy glam-metal anthems such as Lost Boys. Bassist Archzie anchors the band with steady, powerful basslines, while Jussi 69 drives the show forward on drums, never letting the energy drop for a second.
The band seemed noticeably more energised than at their last concert in October 2024 at Dynamo and engaged with the crowd much more this time around. Long live Goth’n’Roll!
Credits: Evelyn Kutschera
That same evening, I saw the Danish cowpunk band D-A-D (Disneyland After Dark) live for the first time. A little after 9 p.m., they stepped onto the stage and instantly made an impression.
Jacob Binzer on guitar looked like a magician in his red shirt, vest, and top hat; Laust Sonne appeared behind the drums in a glam-rock overall; singer Jesper Binzer embodied a modern cowboy in a denim jacket; and most striking of all was bassist Stig Pedersen, who looked like a ’70s star man in a shiny silver top, short shorts, and massive boots. I was genuinely surprised when Jesper spoke almost fluent German between songs, which added to the band’s easy charm and connection with the crowd.
Their sound was strong and instantly transported me straight back to the ’80s—not that I ever experienced the ’80s. The set featured plenty of instrumental sections, giving every musician their moment to shine. Definitely worth mentioning were the many different two-string basses Stig used throughout the show. They were unlike anything I’ve ever seen and never failed to make me smile, especially when he was handed an even more absurd-looking one than before. Among them were a reversed bass, a rocket bass, an iron cross bass, a car bass, and even an “olive on a pick” bass.
One of the most beautiful moments of the night came when the singer stepped into the crowd and sang directly to and with the fans. They wrapped up the encore with the perfectly fitting It’s After Dark, rounding off a fantastic show.
Credits: Evelyn Kutschera
