After the rain on Friday night, it looks like the weather was starting off right on Saturday, with a great sun and amazing temperatures for the whole day. Busy day in the schedule for the FemMetal team, and now I’m going to tell you all about it.

Melrose Avenue

The first band of my day was Melrose Avenue, directly from Australia to bring the party to Tuska. And boy, did they deliver a fabulous show for the packed tent stage. Despite the early hours in which they were performing, everyone was clearly enjoying the set and just having the best time. The highlight of their show was the duet with Lee Jennings of The Funeral Portrait on “Cemetery Friends“, which was a delightful surprise for everyone. They really brought the energy and passion with them, and this Saturday is starting off to be one for the books.

Photo: Niko Sihvonen.

Hokka

After seeing Blind Channel a few times, this is the first time I’m seeing HOKKA, the solo project of the former frontman Joel. And I’m so happy that the two things can coexist, because HOKKA isn’t trying to be Blind Channel and vice versa. Joel is his own man and artist, and he’s showing us what he can do to his fullest potential now. To say that his show was spectacular is a bit redundant, isn’t it? After all we know how amazing he was with Blind Channel, and he’s not lost any of his flair for the dramatic and theatrical sets. And then he played “Dark Side” by his previous band, and frankly I was not expecting it. But hey, that is just the cherry on top of this! The whole band played in such a remarkable way, I was particularly impressed by Jimi Aslak on drums. Sublime!

Photo: Niko Sihvonen.

Shere Khan

Talent is found on every corner of Tuska. Sure, on the main stage, but also on the KVLT stage. My dear colleague Niko talked me into going to see Shere Khan, and I’m so glad to have discovered this band. We see many interesting and unique acts, but I’ve never come across something quite like them. To unite glam metal and metalcore is not the easiest task, and instead they do it flawlessly. Frontman Danny knows how to command the stage and the audience, and the whole group looks like they’re having the time of their life when they are performing. And that’s exactly what we want to see! Moshpits, circle pits, people singing and jumping and screaming, Shere Khan can summon everything and the audience will oblige. One of the most touching moments was when they performed their latest single “Again“, dedicated to a friend that they lost. I had goosebumps! So if you’re ever in need of something fresh and new to listen, Shere Khan is made just for you.

Photo: Niko Sihvonen.

Dogma

I know what you’re thinking. We’re a website dedicated to female artists in metal and you haven’t written a single word about one. And you’d be right. So, now let me rectify this, because I went to the tent stage for Dogma‘s performance. And yeah, they’re a bit of a controversial group for many aspects, but I still want to do things right by the website and the readers as well. I had no idea what to expect because despite knowing about the band, they’re not in my playlists and I have never seen them live before. Their show is very entertaining, almost like you’re watching a movie of some sorts. I don’t know if it was an audio problem or else, but lead singer Lilith at times was a bit difficoult to hear. That being said, the rest of the group was in top shape, and it seemed that they were really enjoying performing for such a big crowd.

Photo: Niko Sihvonen.

P.O.D.

How incredible is it to witness a band’s first show in the country you’re in? Just magical. This was P.O.D.‘s maiden set in Finland, and after catching them at Download, it was just amazing to see them again. Their energy on stage is unmatched, and the crowd was clearly loving it. Of course they performed many songs from their hit album “Satellite”, many from their latest release “Veritas” too, and even a Beatles‘ cover (“Don’t Let Me Down“). P.O.D. said goodbye to Tuska festival with “Afraid to Die” and “Alive“, which sealed the deal on one of the most spectacular performances the festival has ever seen.

Photo: Niko Sihvonen.

Trivium

I saw Trivium just once in Wacken 2023 (the year of the mud), and I don’t know why but I wasn’t really excited to see them again. Maybe it was just the mud that was clouding my judgment, because their show here at Tuska was nothing short of exceptional. Their setlist was quite heterogeneous, drawing from different albums and focusing slighly more on “Ascendancy” from which they played three tracks if I remember correctly. They closed their show with “In Waves“, and I apologize for writing them off too soon. Trivium really brought a fire performance to Helsinki, and I’m glad I gave them a second chance.

Photo: Niko Sihvonen.