#trash fest

Latexxx Teens don’t fare so well, as it mercilessly shows in the quota of people checking their smartphones during their set. They might have done better without the clobbering drums, though the main problem is that Kami Kopat’s vocals are barely audible. Yet, they manage to get the crowd to sing along to the old KISS ballad “Beth”, before the Helldustrya guys enter the stage and pull of a surprise set with songs like “Melancholia”. Steven Lynx is more than a decent singer, though the guitars remain very basic.

Apollo’s Child are next. Their songs aren’t bad acoustic, but just like last night, they’re not that convincing, either, and they sound a bit alike in the stripped-down arrangement. Jaakko Turunen tries his best to infuse them with all the energy he has, even going for a rather unexpected full metal scream, but they still don’t really shine. It doesn’t help that Malice In Wonderland now mingle with the audience, getting asked for photos by fans, thus drawing some of the attention from the stage. Later, Chri$ and Tracy retreat to the mixing desk, and before Murder FM come on, we talk a little about their “Live For Today” video shoot and Chri$’ fascination for creeping and crawling animals.

The biggest surprise of today’s event are Murder FM. Even when playing acoustic, they’re louder and harder than the other bands on the bill, and though it can’t have been easy to accommodate their electro sound to an unplugged setting, the songs prove to be a lot more structured, dynamic and melodic – in short, a lot better – than their gig last night suggested. Sure, a Cure cover (“Burn” from The Crow soundtrack) will always get me, but I am also impressed by the dark and hypnotic quality of the rest of their set.

Norman Matthew dedicates “As Beautiful As You Are” to Mama Trash, before making way for Jaani Peuhu from Iconcrash. I remember the band vaguely from one of the bygone Trash Fests, but the set up now is rather adventurous – vocals and guitars, okay, but a tuba? Strangely enough, it works – the tuba brings a blast of fresh air to the usual singer-songwriter arrangement, providing a strong rhythmic structure.

[Private Line Acoustic Trio]

The finale is left for the true house band of Trash Fest, Private Line, or rather, their acoustic trio, consisting of Sammy, Jack and Ilari. Sammy has dressed up in a silver lame jacket for the occasion, Ilari wears a shirt, though not a tie, while Jack personifies the rock spirit. Their set today might be not as loud as the one on Friday, but it has the same energy, and judging by the moving lips around me, many people in the audience know the songs by heart. It’s a last great experience of community, proving that the Trash Fest spirit also lives on in quieter moments. And when the last bars of “Live, Learn And Grow Apart” die down and the house lights come up, it’s time for a last chat with old and new friends, and for making plans for meeting up next year, for another three or four days in a unique parallel universe.

Whatever bands will be on.

Because in trash we trust.

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Ben Christo also takes over the MC duties for tonight, since Chrystle Harms is probably busy backstage getting finally rid of any false eyelashes and applying the signature Lord Of The Lost black body paint. The next band, however, is introduced by Mama Trash herself, since Murder FM are one of the more recent additions to the Trash Family and fellow Americans. They play loud, noisy industrial, which the poor sound reduces to a wall of noise and hard-hitting drums, pierced by some serious shouting from singer Norman Matthew. They’re trying hard, no doubt about that, and maybe it’s just a question of personal taste that they don’t reach out to me; maybe they’re just trying too hard. The only song that sticks in my mind is a – admittedly rather decent – cover version of Simple Mind’s “Don’t You Forget About Me”. Sorry guys, but it seems like it’s time to see what’s going on in the upstairs foyer.

How do you become aware of bands that might fit the Trash Fest bill?

“Murder FM I contacted, because my assistant suggested them, but 99 per cent of the time, the bands approach me, I listen to them, decide if I like the music … basically, it’s just my opinion, but in most cases, it works. I am pretty lucky with the bands that come to me.”

– Mama Trash

AJ from New Generation Terrorists is at the bar, and we chat a little until we’re interrupted by a guy, asking AJ ever so politely if he would come and grab his girlfriend’s ass, “because she’s rather shy and wouldn’t dare to ask herself”. The kind of obligation you have to fulfil as a rock star, presumably. On my way downstairs, I run into Mama Trash who spontaneously agrees on a little interview, and we retreat to a table in the foyer and talk about her current obsession with Lord Of The Lost. They are, by her own admission, her favourites at the moment; she wants to bring them to the USA next year to do a tour with Murder FM and Fashion Bomb. “I’ll be tour managing,” she enthuses, “the only girl with these three bands – that shall be interesting! My mum was going: You’re going to be on the road with 15 men? And I’m like: Yep! I trust them!” Since I’ve just witnessed that some serious ass-grabbing is part of the rock star job description, “trust” is probably a matter of definition here.

[Yours truly & Mama Trash]

Inside the venue, Malice In Wonderland are already on stage, treating us to their most recent single, “Live For Today”, followed by a rocked-up cover version of Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy The Silence”. They are probably the smoothest band on this year’s bill, with their melodic, accommodating sound. Okay, singer Chri$ has added a “Wicked” to his name, and underneath the long sleeves, he may sport as many tattoos as the next man (or woman) in the place, but he’s looking a little clean-cut in comparison, with his blond bob and the waterfall-neckline t-shirt. Last year, he demonstratively wore a black feather boa to underline MIW’s glam side, while his outfit now is a lot more straight. Still, the grand gestures of the diva are there, the outstretched arms and Freddie Mercury poses, and even though I later hear people making some snide remarks about just that, I feel they go rather well with the emotional approach of the band. Besides, the Wonderlanders certainly know how to rock, even if they are on the opposite end of the washed/unwashed scale from Latexxx Teens.

[Malice In Wonderland, photo (c) Lilacviking]

Songs like “New Year’s Eve” have a great anthemic character with their soaring riffs, just like The Mission used to do them in the good old days, which is never a bad thing in my book. Malice In Wonderland also handle “Rain” by The Cult rather well, before switching back to their own material like “Lucifer’s Town” from their first album, which is greeted by loud, well-deserved cheers from the crowd. It’s also the last track in their half an hour set. I could have listened to them a lot longer – in spite of being a bit pussy-footed, they were and are my Trash Fest favourites with their clever balance between melody and noise.

For the five Scotsmen of States Of Panic it’s the first Trash Fest outing, though I have a feeling that we might see this lot again in one of the following years. Under their former moniker Peepshow, they already released two albums before changing their name earlier this year, and they describe themselves as glam metal, though their songs have a strong undercurrent of New York street punk. They open their set with the fast and noisy “One Of Us”, before singer Johnny Gunn asks the crowd once again to “make some fucking noise”. The crowd is happy to oblige and also, as the next song suggests, to “Scream Your Heart Out” – States Of Panic receive a really enthusiastic welcome.

[States Of Panic, photo (c) Lilacviking]

Particularly bassist Hex seems to be the centre of attention, though personally, I find the five of them looking surprisingly alike in a rather endearing Ramones kind of way. They offer a decent, energy-laden show and have a number of strong songs, like “Waking The Dead” or “Violate” – just the right soundtrack for a bit of serious head banging and jumping around. Not my first choice for listening to at home, but definitely a good live band.

“Lord Of The Lost are definitely my favourite band right now. Obviously, I like all of my bands, otherwise I wouldn’t have them. But there are going to be some changes because some bands have been with me for a while and I have grown out of them a little … it just happens. So next year, we’ll bring a few new bands on.”

– Mama Trash

[Lord Of The Lost, Chris Harms, photo (c) Lilacviking]

Lord Of The Lost are Trash Fest veterans, and besides, they are not just Mama Trash’s favourites but clearly the audience’s first choice, too. By now, Chris Harms wouldn’t have to tear his t-shirt any more (although he dutifully does it later on) – it’s enough to stand behind the mike and voice the first few lines of the catchy “Prison” chorus to make the whole floor join him in a wistful “what is heaven for”. Not bad for the second track into the set, and just to make sure, the next crowd pleaser, “Undead Or Alive”, is only a heartbeat away. “Sex, death and rock’n’roll”, chants the audience with conviction, while Harms promises everyone to “fuck you to death”, charming man that he is. At first glance, it might look as if the show was less focussed on Harms and his personal charisma as it used to be; instead of playing the blond, goth-industrial sex god singer, he tries to present himself more as a part of the band by playing guitar or tom toms, which makes him the blond, goth-industrial sex god guitarist/drummer for a change. But keyboarder Gareth Dirge gets a bigger slot in the limelight, too, stepping to the mike a few times, and guitarist Bo Six and bassist Class Grenayde have their own fun during the Roxette cover of “Sleeping In My Car”, going for some synchronised Pete Townshend windmill motions.

[Chris Harms, photo (c) Lilacviking]

Anyway, the biggest ace Lord Of The Lost have up their sleeves is their great sense of humour: they don’t believe in their own image one bit. “This is very, very tasteless, but this is Trash Fest!” announces Harms before prompting the fans to sing a cheap synth melody, thus bringing the stomping “Blood For Blood” with its “2-3-4 to the floor” chant dangerously close to German techno blockheads Scooter, while sporting a bright pink vest that is of course a nod towards Breast Cancer Awareness but still clashes slightly with the usual LOTL attire. But then again, this is the goth-industrial band from Hamburg who covered the Backstreet Boys without batting an eyelid last year. At the end of the set, which of course contains all the tried and trusted LOTL hits, from “Sex On Legs” and “Black Lolita” to the trusty old Lady Gaga warhorse “Bad Romance”, it gets even more trashy and colourful, when all five Lords drop their trousers to reveal bright pink briefs with their names written over their butts.

[Lord Of The Lost go pink, photo (c) Lilacviking]

Before the All Star fun is about to start, there is a short acoustic interplay by VDiva from German-Italian electro-rockers Lost Area. It is a brave move to enter the stage after Lord Of The Lost, all alone with a guitar, you have to give that. Still, his performance doesn’t work for me, but that might be simply down to the fact that at this moment, I wanna rock’n’roll all night and party every day, as KISS used to put it, and not sit down and listen, however good the songs might be. Indeed, there are a number of people leaving.

But then, Chri$ Wicked is back on stage, shouting “Reach out and touch me!”, thus introducing the first All Star number of the night, with Hex from States Of Panic on bass and Ben Christo on guitar, whose grinding riffs provide a fantastically harsh and rough backdrop, while Wicked (now in short sleeves and indeed sporting some tattoos) proves once again that his voice is perfect for the cool emotionality of Dave Gahan. WASP’s “Wild Child” is next: Jaakko Turunen gives his best Blackie Lawless impersonation but struggles with the higher notes, and Daniele Panza, who by now supports Ben Christo on guitar, pulls off a fantastic solo.

[Mama Trash All Stars, photo (c) Lilacviking]

A few new faces turn up on stage now and come up with a rather surprising number for this kind of event: Steven Lynx from Italian rockers Helldustrya takes over the lead vocals of a hard’n heavy version of “Smalltown Boy”. There are many puzzled faces in the audience; clearly, the rock crowd isn’t too familiar with 80’s synthpop songs, especially not with those openly addressing gay issues. As it happens, the abrasive guitars of Christo and Malice In Wonderland’s Tracy Loveless suit the old Bronski Beat hit perfectly well, and Lynx sings with deep conviction. (I later get the chance to ask him what this particular song means to him. “I’m not gay,” he says, “but I was badly bullied at school when I was young, and I could always totally relate to the lyrics.”)

 What kind of music did you grow up with?

“Heavy stuff. Anthrax, Megadeth, Manson … And earlier, Alice Cooper.”

– Mama Trash

Meanwhile, it is getting rather crowded on stage. Mama Trash is there herself, reading the names of the participating musicians from a sheet of paper which is understandable, since the coming and going of guitarists and bassists and singers and drummers is a bit confusing, but feels unnecessarily formal and stiff. Half of Lord Of The Lost’s line-up, including former drummer Any Waist, now join the Murder FM guys, Hex Panic and Jack Private Line for a dark and growly “(S)aint” by Marilyn Manson. All those who are not playing stand at the back of the stage now, singing and rocking with those in front of the microphones. AJ from New Generation Superstars and Jack from Private Line nod their heads in unison. Goran Toxicrose who is more than a bit inebriated, to say the least, sways from one side to the other until he finally puts his arm around VDiva. Chris Harms admires Daniele Panza’s masterful licks when Bowie’s “Heroes” gets a tough tackling. And when the last song comes up, almost everyone whom we have seen and heard in the past three days is taking part in the great finale, a smashing, soaring version of Billy Idol’s “White Wedding”, with VDiva, Goran and Chris Harms shouting into one mike, while Chri$ Wicked tries to free himself from Davey Superstar’s bear hug to join them for the chorus, too. Mama Trash is amidst the whole melee, taking photos, and after the last note has been played, she steps to the mike to loud “Mama, Mama” chants from the audience: “See you next October!” Goran is the first to get down on his knees in front of the promoter for the “We’re not worthy” bow from Wayne’s World, and within a second, all the guys and girls on stage follow his example. While it’s clear that this gesture is to be taken with a pinch of salt, the wise words of old Aragorn come to mind, when addressing the ring bearer towards the end of The Return Of The King: “You bow to no-one.” Yet, it’s true: Without Mama Trash, there would be no Trash Fest, no all stars, no three days of rocking fun.

[Mama Trash All Stars, photo (c) Lilacviking]

Before the story continues in part 4, Fantasmusica would like to thank

- Karen Davidson for supplying much needed background information and proof-reading

The family looks more colourful than last year; Mama Trash has dedicated this year’s fest to breast cancer awareness and therefore called for everyone wearing a bit of pink. Still, black is the predominant colour. When we come in, Crystal Rain are already playing, a quite melody-orientated Finnish band with a striking female bass player, Anita, and singer Ryan Slade, who is striding along the well-trodden Ville Valo way, with his dark voice and woollen hat. They shine particularly when guitarist Johnny Fire is let off the leash and comes up with some brilliant, soaring licks; there is clearly some potential there, though they sometimes appear slightly under-rehearsed. They close their set with their new single “Halo”.

The host of the night is an old friend from previous Trashfests, Chrystle Meth Harms, who of course is none other than Lord Of The Lost’s front man Chris Harms, albeit in drag. After being platinum blonde in 2011 and black in 2012, she sports a pink bob this year and has donned a stunning white latex dress in honour of the next band, Latexxx Teens. “Italians have the biggest cocks in Europe”, Chrystle claims, before throwing the pink wig into the audience. Not to forget, the motto of the whole event is “In trash we trust”, as the video screens left and right of the stage proclaim again and again.

Latexxx Teens have been part of the Trash Family for some time, and their gritty, dark metal has me hooked immediately. They look fantastically unwashed in a delectable Motörhead way, though their dark riffs, fast guitars and relentless drums suggest a closer relationship to Ministry or Manson. Their painted faces clash with long hair and beards, but clearly, this set is not about fashion or what goes with the in-crowd, but about doing your own thing and rock hard. Their sound leans towards the inimitable third Sisters Of Mercy album, “Vision Thing” – singer Kami Kopat even lowers his voice to a similar baritone in “(s)ain’t (r)evolution”. Particularly the new songs from their soon-to-be released album Cold Heart And Old Scars work extremely well: “We Only Come Out At Night” and “Edge Of Insanity” are highlights of their set, and even though “Love Me To Death” might not be the most inventive title for a song but comes with a fantastic riff and great nasty feedback, while the quite substantial crowd is headbanging in unison in front of the stage. The Sisters connection comes even more to the fore, when Lord Chris Harms – now largely back to his male self, apart from the false lashes he’s still wearing – joins them for a ground-shaking cover version of “Temple Of Love”.

And since Latexxx Teens are still on stage, it’s the perfect moment for another cooperation with a more serious background. Mama Trash enters the stage to remind every one of this year’s breast cancer awareness motto and introduces the family super group that has recorded a song for this occasion: “Warriors” was written by Latexxx Teens and AJ from New Generation Superstars, and now the guest singers step to the mike: AJ, of course, Chri$ Wicked from Malice In Wonderland, Chris Harms, and VDiva from Lost Area, whose band isn’t playing but who has come nonetheless for the fun of it. This is what Trash Fest is about: seeing bands and singers playing together, interact, have fun on stage. The famous Mama Trash All Stars, a regular treat at the end of each Trash Fest, comes early this year.

Toxicrose should have been next, but since they’ve cancelled at short notice, New Generation Superstars agreed to step in with a second gig this weekend. (Goran from Toxicrose is around, though, off stage and on stage, obviously enjoying the show and getting drunk with mates.) I run into photographer Mandy Privenau and we have a little chat, comparing previous Trash Fests. I am surprised to learn that it is indeed cold right in front of the stage, a place where, during a concert, it should be hot and sweaty, but obviously the Gloria guys have invested in some serious air conditioning. They probably also invested in some serious new sound equipment, or maybe it’s just a new technician – the sound is a lot clearer, brighter and overall better than it used to be. In the meantime, AJ is trying to get the temperature up in the front rows: “Come over, make it an intimate night!” Which is, of course, only the introduction to the eponymous song. Tonight, it’s a bit more difficult for NGS to shine, simply because Latexxx Teens are a tough act to follow, being meaner and darker, compared to the more good natured punk fun of the Superstars. But when “Hell City” comes on, a track from the new album “Rock’n’Roll Or Die”, the crowd take it as the perfect hymn to their Trash Fest hometown, and all hands are up in the air. All hell breaks loose indeed when another small all stars moment approaches and NGS are joined by Latexxx Teens, Joni from Dusty Road and Goran from Toxicrose for yet another stomping rendition of “Blitzkrieg Bop”, leaving the well-worn shouter “Guess What” for the finale.

Headliners tonight are Private Line, Helsinki’s finest and Mama Trash’s “house band”, as guitarist Jack Smack points out once they’ve entered the stage to the doom-laden sounds of Ennio Morricone’s “Once Upon A Time In The West”. They have played each and every Trash Fest so far and their melodic sleaze rock is certainly one of the main attractions for the fans from overseas, as the raised hands and loud applause unmistakably show. It’s a delight to hear them again with full force after watching a number of acoustic shows over the past year, as good as those have been. Private Line’s music is meant to be played loud, with proper screaming guitars and booming drums, not to forget Sammy Aaltonen’s bright, piercing vocals. And they are in good form tonight, especially the two guitarists Ilari Heinäaho and Jack Smack. As usual, it’s Jack who conveys the classic rock’n’roll idea of mystery and image, even though he is all in white today apart from his trademark black hat over the trademark long black hair, but Ilari, in t-shirt and jeans, unleashes just the same tuneful energy. Still, the one who really commands the stage is Sammy, the ultimate front man, long blond hair and killer smile for the “How are you doing, Helsinki” moments.

Their set is a best of compilation of their three albums – from “Dead Decade” and “Prozac Nation” to their early signature tune “1-800 Out Of Nowhere”, supplemented by all the epic rock songs like “Billion Star Hotel” or “Broken Promised Land”. It doesn’t take much to have the crowd clapping along to “Uniform” or joining in for the wistful chorus of “Live, Learn And Grow Apart”.

[Sammy Aaltonen, introducing the band: "What do you want me to call you tonight?" - Jack Smack: "I don't care."]

And in contrast to the other bands this evening, the headliners get the chance to come out again for an encore, the abrasive “Evel Knievel Factor” with its “hey-hey-hey-hey” and “whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa” call-and-response between band and audience, a final moment of communion before the house lights come up and the show is over – at least for tonight.

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And now, six years later, it still feels like a family gathering. Many of the bands are regulars, just as the audience, which consists to a great deal of Germans, Swedes, Italians and Russians, plus a few Americans from Mama Trash’s entourage, with all the fans from abroad clearly outnumbering the Finns. And yet, the event feels explicitly Finnish in its down-to-earth friendliness – not just because every second member of the audience clutches a glass of the famous Finnish gin-grapefruit long drink, the so-called lonkero. Most of the bands will mingle with the crowd once their set is over, and you stand a good chance of bumping into Chri$ Wicked from Malice In Wonderland on the way outside for a smoke or of standing right beside AJ from New Generation Superstars in the upstairs foyer bar. It is this sense of camaraderie that makes Trash Fest so special – the Mama Trash All Star jam session taking place at the end of the nights is testament to that.

How did the Trash Fest concept develop?

“I had been promoting bands for four years just for fun and I was working with Trashlight Vision, the band of Acey Slade, who was my best friend at this point. I went on tour with them in the UK, and fans started calling me Mama Trash, because I had quite a maternal nature with the bands. In London I met Jyrki from 69 Eyes. I liked their music; we became friends and worked together for six years. Then I had five or six other bands from Finland and Sweden, like Private Line, Stereo Junks or Sexydeath. Private Line played every single show from 2007 until now. Sammy and I just found each other on Myspace at the time. Him, Anzi from Stereo Junks, Henry Lee Roots from Sonic Roots and Alex from Sexydeath – those were probably the four Trash Fest originals.”

– Mama Trash

This year, Trashfest starts with a kick-off party at the On The Rocks, a basement club near the magnificent Helsinki railway station. A glass of beer or lonkero comes up to 6.10 Euros here – it’s certainly damn expensive to get plastered in Finland, but it’s also damn fun. By the time we show up, Dusty Roads from Finland have almost finished their set, and the local lads from Cold Cold Ground, a lot with white facepaint and the corresponding new metal and industrial sound, enter the stage, appropriately asking: “Are you drunk yet?” In spite of being asked to clap and join the fun, the audience stays quite reluctant at first, rather reading their facebook entries than watching what happens on stage. It’s not the most inspired music, even though the drummer shows a few tricks with his sticks, but energy and loudness don’t make up for ideas. Their set is getting more melodic and punk, though the death metal drums still aim for speed.

To the sound of the old classic “16 Tons”, New Generation Superstars go onstage, and now it’s time for punk and fun and rock’n’roll. NGS have been described as being “too punk for the rock crowd and too rock for the punk crowd”, and that is a pretty accurate description of their sound, borrowing from The Lords Of The New Church or the Backyard Babies just as much as from The Damned or even The Stooges. They don’t need to ask the audience to join the fun – with so much fun around, people simply do. The aptly titled “One More Drink Then It’s Time To Go” signals that we’re coming to the end of their set, which closes with a rousing “Hey ho, let’s go” – the old Ramones classic “Blitzkrieg Bop.”

The Fallen from York in Britain are next – posers, compared to the sweaty, tattooed rough boys from NGS. Carefully, some screens and more lights are set up on stage, and when the band comes on, the perfectly choreographed turn to face the audience and the in sync headbanging are a bit too much. It would be okay if there was at least a slight twinkle in their eyes but they take themselves dead seriously, thus spoiling the fun a bit. Considering that beer and lonkero are still 6.10 Euros, we decide to make it an early night. After all, there will be more fun in the days to come.

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