The neo-classical metal cello band comes to the Midway
Review and photos by Ani Heslop
The Midway was packed; the queue for Apocalyptica’s concert circled around the block, filled with people wearing black leather, flannel, and jackets with sewn-on patches. From looking at the line, you would think it was a normal punk, rock, or metal show; but we all knew better: this was going to be a rock concert played with cellos. I had no idea what to expect, but it seemed like the rest of the crowd did.
The parking situation was a nightmare; cars everywhere and not an empty spot to be seen. With the state of the line, my friend and I knew we had some time, so instead of parking, we just drove home then Ubered back to the venue.
By the time we returned, the queue was gone, the opening band was already playing, and it was loud. Heavy rock metal music shook the floor, and people milled about the bars, getting drinks and socializing. Cigarette smoke wafted in from the constantly opening and closing door to the smoke pit. People screamed to each other above the music.
The opening act in this February 21 concert was Nita Strauss, an American rock musician; this was not her first time in Edmonton, but it was the first time she’s played here with her own band. It was loud, hard, metal music; a lot of drums and electric guitars, with a keyboard and bass too, and she was whipping around her long blonde hair as if she was touring with Alice Cooper — which she did from 2014 until 2022.
For the last few songs of the set, she brought out Kacey Karlson from the band Deadlands, a vocalist who added a different dimension to Nita’s lyric-less music. They did sing-alongs with the crowd and she was growling and doing screamo metal vocals. I thought it rocked pretty hard; however no one was really dancing. I was surprised, because it definitely had me tapping my toes and got my adrenaline going. It was the perfect appetizer for the unique band I was about to see. For the half hour between sets, my friend and I made our way from the back of the venue all the way to the front, in the pit. I was glad to be so close to the stage; this is something I wanted to see up close.
I started to get antsy from waiting when the lights turned off and a movie started on the screen, APOCALYPTICA, in a gothic font, with lighting and thunder, shaking the ground… then came the band. Carrying cellos that are almost as big as their bodies, the drums thumped, the band members strutted the stage and pointed at the crowd; raised their bows, and then it exploded with music so loud it felt like it was coming from inside me. They played their instruments with expertise, plucking and pulling the strings in a way that you never expect a cello to be played.
It was clear to me that the entire audience knew the Metallica songs they were playing, and while I was out of the loop, my adrenaline was still flowing and the music filled me.
The mosh pit started almost immediately: a tall moustached man aggressively started pushing people around, and fortunately, the music was so hard and metal with recognizable Metallica songs that the crowd immediately resonated with it and started moshing hard.
The band members were captivating; charismatic and electric, and band member Paavo Lötjönen immediately caught my attention, making engaging eye contact with the audience, pointing out individuals in the crowd — he did make eye contact, point, and smile at me at one point near the end, and I almost collapsed; he was aggressively handsome, despite the soul patch.
Cellist Perttu Kivilaakso had long dark hair that headbangs in a satisfying way, fingerless gloves, a dark goatee and even darker eye makeup. Band founder and leader Eicca Toppinen had long blond hair that also looked good flying around the stage, and was wearing leather cuffs and belt loop chains, really following the metal genre, despite the classical instrument. Watching the three of them play the cello while headbanging, whipping their hair around, and screaming was ethereal, it was genre bending and niche, and we loved it.
I could have sworn they had backing tracks for some songs, I kept thinking to myself, ‘Where is that keyboard and electric guitar coming from?’ They confirmed my suspicions when they told the crowd that for the next song, they were using a bass backing track from Cliff Burton, Metallica’s original bass player.
At one point Perttu lifted his cello to his chest to play it like a guitar, then he hoisted it over his head and played it behind his back. The hefty instrument did not come close to falling out of his grasp, and it might be the most metal thing that I saw at the show.
They took breaks between songs to address the crowd, saying things like, “without you, there is no show,” that they wanted to bring “new perspective and highlight the quality of Metallica’s songs,” and talking about how modern music is “shit, polished, and hygienic”. Being from Finland, their accents were strong and hard to understand at some points.
The atmosphere felt so safe that I left my jacket on the side of the pit, with my wallet and keys inside. I was nervous of theft, sure, but I became increasingly comfortable watching others do the same. At one point, the security had to remove a man who was being inappropriate and harassing women in the mosh pit, and they escorted him out quickly and without fuss. Everyone was there to have fun, be a part of a community, and enjoy their time; that energy radiated through the crowd.
I have not started listening to Metallica since the concert, and I have not downloaded any of Apocalyptica’s albums, not because I’m not interested, but because I believe this kind of music — neo-classical metal, hard rock cello — needs to be experienced in person. When Apocalyptica comes back to Edmonton, and yes, they said that they will, you can certainly find me in the crowd with my own leather jacket, fingerless gloves, and dark eye makeup.
