After fighting with myself all year last year, whether I'd have to chase them to the US to see a show since my last one in 2000, when they last came to Helsinki, it was decided for me in the latter part of 2007 when the Helsinki gig was announced. Ever since I've waited - a lot.

The concert was very pleasing as far as the setlist, the energy of the band (they played like there was no tomorrow at some points, Jimmy's drumming was just as excellent as he can be at best!)

Personal high points: Mayonaise, Rose March, Stand Inside Your Love... and Many others. The only songs that I really REALLY missed were Muzzle (that Billy has himself confessed to perhaps consider one of the songs that he loves best of all their production, at least he did say that in 2000 in the second to last show...) and United States, which is the absolute pinnacle of Zeitgeist. It's power-drumming and solos are mindblowing. So I was kinda expecting to hear at least one of them. But to hear earlier material like Mayonaise live kinda compensated for that, so 5 stars for the setlist, and 5 for the performance. And Billy, the audience was trying to tell you that you have "YSKÄ" (that's how it's spelled in Finnish) - a cough. Hope you're feeling better now, and you guys have a well-deserved break before heading for the down under.

And by the way, I was the guy right side from the stage, very close to the stage (as close as the seating space got at any point) on the first row of the audience that was all sitting, while I was standing and jumping up like crazy when Billy did his routine of first asking the audience on the left from the stage "is everyone all right over here?" and then, from the right side, "is everyone okay here?". I think he saw me jump like crazy among the sitters! :-D (and I was pretty much jumping and jamming along the whole gig, too.)

Thanks for all the Pumpkins for the great show. And thanks for Jimmy in general, one of the best drummers today. Sorry that the old ice hall doesn't have the best of acoustics, that kinda mushed up some of the louder songs, and especially the drumming, which was regrettable. The indoor venues in Helsinki really suck. The place you did in 2000 has sitting room only on the arena, which sucks too for your type of show - even though the acoustics is a little better. Come back in the Summer PLEASE and play a festival or an outdoor show - It'll be 100 times better acoustics and feeling.

Oh and P.S. I was singing along to ALL the songs, not just Cherub Rock, the last song that Billy asked us to sing along with

Jussi-76 from Helsinki, Finland