SunriseAve ITALY

Oslo at night after Sweden (1:18 AM) ...from Sunrise Avenue Diary

Here we are in Oslo Norway. It's actually the first time in my life in this country and I must say it's really nice. I woke up at 11 AM in the bus as we were still driving towards the capital and we sat in the upper front lounge with Raul "the Nutcracker" and it looked so beautiful. I don't know if it's the approaching winter or just the fact that Oslo is so close to the big sea, but the air here is so fresh. It's good for you they say.  
 
We slept the whole day at the hotel and Riku woke me up as Aku, Jukka's and my studio partner had woken him up to get a contact with me. I had to pay this invoice for a mixing console we had bought for our studio in Helsinki and I had totally forgotten the whole thing. After sending the money to Sweden we walked to the center with Riku and had a nice non-fat-free dinner at Fridays. Riku kept on inviting the locals to the show tomorrow as I focused on getting my stomach full…  
 
The three first shows in Sweden are behind now and tomorrow we play for the Norwegians. The first show in Stockholm was not probably the best we can do on stage but in Gothenburg and Malmö we were a lot more relaxed and things worked out better for the whole crew too. I guess it's kind of a "first game of the season" that also goes for the first show of the tour. All three shows were still very much fun and I must say the Swedish audience was really cool again, even though all the clubs weren't sold out at all.  
 
I was also a bit worried how they'd take Riku on guitar after the change in the band, but after we all saw how he took the audience in all the cities, the new guy on stage hasn't bothered us at all anymore. We had heard a lot of good about him before we got together and got on stage together, but when we really were up there with him I understood what the people had been talking about. He is awesome.! 
 
The setup is not easy for him either. He has to fill the bots of the former lead guitarist and even if it's only a handful of fans that have insisted Janne back in the band, I'm sure he kind of realizes the past of the group. I just hope Riku will get the peace to do his job and we could all remember that he has nothing to do with getting rid of one past band member. He is actually the one who is saving the tour. And all this really went well in Sweden – 10 points for that. Tack so mycket. Vår mamma sager att vi måste äta mycket mera grönsaker! 
 
The band has never been as good on stage as it is now. It amazing in a way because the challenge to find a new guy and all on stage + a new monitor mixing guy Tuomas after MP started working as the second back liner has kept our hands full. Actually we didn't have a chance to practice the set together before the Stockholm show but now we are back on track. We had a few glasses of wine at this jazz bar this evening and Sami and Raul said that they haven't been this happy for the whole time they have been playing together with me and I must share their emotions. The atmosphere is just awesome.  
 
The show must go on. I can't wait to get back on stage again…. Rock you all soon!