HIM
October 24, 2007
The Docks

Given the choice between going to the CASBY’s to see a bunch of bands I’ve already seen or finally getting out to a HIM concert, it was no contest. Especially considering how great the band’s new album, Venus Doom, is. Granted HIM is well known as a favourite of Hot Topic shoppers, goth teens, their own genre ‘love metal’ or even just being known for their logo, the heartagram, over their music. And in the general music community, admitting you like them is right up there with liking Nickelback. But damn, the band writes good songs. So with a couple HIM songs stuck in my head, I headed out to the Docks to finally catch them live.

Missing the opening band, Bleeding Through (which I’m told is pretty much a tragedy); I got there with a couple minutes to spare before HIM hit the stage and noticed one thing right away. HIM fans are in a league all their own. Considering the band is basically a Finnish Type O Negative light, their fans definitely reflect that. Black was the colour of choice and the girls were rabid for singer Ville Valo to hit the stage. And when he did, there was nothing but a chorus of screaming.

Playing a good chunk of material off Venus Doom, as well as some of their hits like “Wings Of A Butterfly” and “Join Me In Death,” it was “Buried Alive By Love” that was the first real sing along of the night. Without any prompting, any time Valo stopped singing the crowd took over. Every single time.

Though I’ve heard both amazing and horrible things about HIM live, this was clearly a good night. Valo’s vocals were particularly strong and the entire band seemed to play all the material as if they were recording it. Guitarist Mikko Lindström’s solos were just as good, if not better, than most generally ‘acceptable’ bands, which just goes to prove that there’s a reason for the band’s success other than Valo being pretty. But even though Lindström was considerably more interesting to watch, Valo has a presence that is totally unexplainable, yet you couldn’t help but watch him basically do nothing but lean forward on the mic stand, smoking while he was singing.

In any official picture you see of HIM, Valo looks like he isn’t even capable of cracking a smile but apparently he is because he was smiling for most of the set, even going so far as making a small joke after the band played all ten minutes of “Sleepwalking Past Hope,” saying “What’s the slowest thing you can find but still call epic? That song.” The ironic thing there was the song didn’t even feel all that long.

By the time the band was done, the more than hour long set seemed like it had gone by in minutes, even with 16 songs. And I left feeling like I made the absolute right choice. I’ll probably even skip out on other more important things in the future if I have the option of seeing HIM. Next time the band hits your town, give them a chance. You never know, you may end up as a heartagram wearing fan after all.

Set List:

Passion’s Killing Floor
Wings Of A Butterfly
Buried Alive By Love
Wicked Game
The Kiss Of Dawn
Vampire Heart
Poison Girl
Dead Lovers’ Lane
Join Me In Death
It’s All Tears (Drown In This Love)
Sleepwalking Past Hope
Killing Loneliness
Soul On Fire
Bleed Well
Right Here In My Arms
The Funeral Of Hearts

- Alyssa Caplin 

Photo by Spencer Lavigne
For more photos click here...