SunriseAve ITALY

Saarbrucken - Nurnberg  from SUNRISE AVENUE diary

We had two relaxing days off in Nurnberg historical and beautiful city and everybody was supposed to have all the energy in the world to rock the stage again. Yesterday we had dinner together with our German crew in the center. The crew is doing such an amazing job and all the guys are really cool. It'll be a challenge to find guys like them when they leave us after the tour. Their next project is the Nightwish European Tour.

Unfortunately some of us got this stomach flu from the food we had yesterday. I'm not going to say the name of the restaurant because the illness could be caused by something else too. Anyway. I was feeling a bit odd in the morning and I slept very bad. You know this kind of feeling that you're too weak to get out of bed (actually pretty normal for me in the morning ;) and you feel like throwing up all day.

I was feeling bad all the way to the moment I saw the security guys open the club's doors for the audience today but then suddenly it got better. Jukka had been sleeping the whole day complaining about the same stuff. And also Tuomas, our monitor guy. And we all had the same food yesterday. Right before the show everyone seemed to be ok and usually even if someone has a flu or fever we are still able to make it through the show.

The venue (Löwensaal) in Nurnberg was the hottest place I have ever played at and the amount of sweat was amazing. I saw sweat drops falling from my fingertips already on the second song and that means there's a lot more to come. The light control console broke because of the heat and the crew had to steal Sami's fan that keeps him cool during the show. They needed it more to cool down Aki's lightning desk and equipment. That's how hot it was. When Riku was playing his solo, Jukka said he couldn't make it until the end of the show. He has played for you guys and girls in very high fever just like all of us, but this time the look on his very pale face was more serious than ever. He promised to try to do Fight til dying and Fairytale but then he kind of fell down and had to go to the back stage to wait for medics.

It was a bit strange playing the end of the set only with Sami, Riku and Raul and a keyboard standing alone in the dark. I felt a bit sorry for the people who missed a few songs and most of Jukka-Energy because one soldier was down but hey, what can U do?

Now we are in the bus on our way to Giessen. I'm watching Collateral in the upper front lounge with Riku, Jukka is trying to sleep alone on the sofas in the back. The rest of the gang is either sleeping in their beds or playing play station Soccer downstairs. I hope Jukka gets better for the show tomorrow. I really don't want to skip it.

The MTV EMA stuff went as it did. I don't feel sad or bad about it at all. The only thing I feel kind of sorry for, are all the wonderful people who were fighting so hard to get us there. The truth still is that we have already gotten so much in a very short time and nobody can have everything you see in the horizon. It would have been cool to get there, sure, but especially after I saw how the three finalists were together on stage waiting for the final results, I don't know if I really would have wanted to be there. Just like Miss Europe finalists. There were two losers and one winner. Thanks for all the votes and all the efforts. We will never forget how you fought for us.

I will check Jukka's condition now and then start the next movie with Riku. It's funny how we end up on the same sofas in the front with him almost every night watching a movie, just the two of us. Everybody in the bus have their silly routines. Just like Sami arranging all his DVDs on the shelf above his bed. I bet they are in alphabetical order now too ;=)

Our Driver John will give me only one glass of wine tonight. I had said on TV in Austria that that's how he treats us every night. He gives us one glass of wine and puts us to bed. He had been watching PRO7 TV channel in his hotel room and saw me saying that. He said it's only one glass for me this night since I said it on TV ;=) I will find the hidden bottles... I'll find them!

When we left the venue after two hundred autographs tonight, John took us to the legendary Zeppelin Field in the Nurberg city where Mr. A Hitler used to do his speeches for the huge crowds. A really cool spot. That's also the place for Rock Im Park where we performed on the main stage this summer. He knew most of the SS buildings and stuff in that area and we got a free sightseeing tour and a free history lesson.

I cross my fingers for Jukka's condition and for the show tomorrow....

PS. Jee, Now we are in wonderland where we want to stay together 4ever….. And counting!