European Ventures With the Helsinki Vampires "The 69 Eyes"
The moment goth rockers The 69 Eyes stepped onto the stage of their European tour, I felt something I hadn't felt in a long time in music - unity. As the photographer for The 69 Eyes during their European run, I watched a diverse mix of cultures, ages, and backgrounds all come together for a shared appreciation of music. I knew right away that this tour was going to be something special.
The 69 Eyes are an iconic and enduring goth rock band from Finland, aptly coined as the Helsinki vampires. They've been around for about 33 years, with a discography that has left an impressive legacy of tracks that have earned them a devoted fan base. With the release of their next full record Death of Darkness slated for April 21st, this tour certainly ran through in advance of the release. The fans were teased with new material intertwined with the classic, building even more hype for the next era of The 69 Eyes.
The 69 Eyes saw a slew of their supporters come out to concerts, with fans coming from different backgrounds. Despite their diversity, everyone shared the same reverence and passion for the band, no matter the language they spoke or their prior knowledge of the group’s discography. While this display of cultural harmony wasn’t a complete surprise, it was incredibly encouraging to see different European cities rally around performances. I know that The 69 Eyes' fans will continue to enjoy the powerful legacy and deep connection the band created for them.
As the audience cheered and sang along, the setlist took them through a journey of music spanning The 69 Eyes’ full discography, from the newest single Death of Darkness, to the beloved classic, Lost Boys. Without any changes to their lineup in years, The 69 Eyes are still bringing a unique sound to their audiences and a great performance to their shows. Jyrki jumped right in and started singing ‘Lost Boys’ with the crowd, and he really brought the song alive. I loved seeing Jussi running through the crowd while high fiving fans, and Bazie strumming away on his guitar like a madman. It's no surprise that Timotimo and Archzie joined in with their fistbumps and horns up, the compilation of all the band mates having a blast on stage really aided the evening.
The tour moved through traditional theaters such as that in Budapest, Prague, and Hamburg to name a few - to unique experiences such as performing in the smaller town of Trier and an intimate show in Paunchy Cats at Lichtenfels, Germany. Regardless of the venue size, fans packed in tight and let their voices be heard. Each venue brought something unique, and yet the sense of unity among the band and their fans remained consistent in every city we visited. From young and old, this Finnish band clearly brought a unique form of magic that had been growing for decades.
From the tour’s beginning in Frankfurt to its end in Hamburg, the build-up throughout the journey continued to grow. Rooms filled with everyone harmonizing with the lyrics. Touring throughout the various cities of note,, the crowd continued to feed off of the raw energy being thrown out by the band, getting louder and louder as the show went on. Ends of the night left fans waiting in hopes of their favorite vampires appearing from the darkness, a desire that was satisfied by some of the band members during various points of the tour.
What was most notable of this tour experience were the daily “goth walks” (as coined by Jyrki himself) in each city. While on tour, the band was determined to share with their fans an appreciation of the rich culture and history each city has to offer. The 69 Eyes set out to explore the European cities and monuments, visiting spots that held historical significance and that the locals are proud of.
At every stop, we would capture photographs of the band members interacting with the area. They would then post the photographs on their various social media outlets, ensuring their fans were included in the journey of this tour. This initiative was incredibly well received and appreciated by their fans, who were so grateful that their cities were receiving recognition from the Finnish artists. With every photo posted, fans of the music were excited to be able to engage with The 69 Eyes in such a unique and meaningful way. Their enthusiasm for exploring the European cities had definitely enhanced the fan experience.
Anabel Deflux
"Anabel’s teenage love for music manifested in her desire to photograph musicians and their various escapades. Having shot her very first musician portraits at the age of 16 and her first concert the same year, her music photography career began rolling very quickly. Despite the industry’s hardships and tumultuous statistics, Anabel persevered in her desire to be a part of the music industry, albeit in a photographic sense. Since then, she has worked tirelessly with hundreds of bands—from Grammy Award winners to local talent—creating visual content for their projects, albums, tours, and social media."