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In the annals of 21st century alternative rock history there are few artists who cast a longer or more peculiar shadow than Finnish Love Metal pioneer Ville Valo. After all, his band HIM were easily among the most iconic and idiosyncratic groups of the millenium. Zealously revered, gleefully reviled but impossible to ignore, their music left an indelible mark on a worldwide legion of fans. The scarlet letters stood for His Infernal Majesty. Their founder stood for something delightedly out of step with the status quo.
"We only hoped to temporarily redirect hard rock's blood flow from the nether regions towards the heart", reminisces Ville Valo, the singer, songwriter and primus motor of HIM. Judging by the monolithic presence of the Heartagram in any account of music this side of the millennium it's apparent that he succeeded.
Inspired by everyone from Poe to Bukowski and tinged by a penchant for perfumed Sabbathian gloom, Valo's creative lovechild would produce eight era-defining studio releases and over ten million record sales, not forgetting a Grammy nomination, countless magazine covers, critical acclaim, and the veneration of a generation. Thus it came as no surprise that the news of a farewell tour in 2017 was greeted with shock and disbelief among devotees and endless speculation as to what or who was to take up the velvet mantle.
"As fun as the funeral rites for HIM were, it took me more than a few moons to lick my wounds in the shadow of the Heartagram and come up with an excuse to strum and hum again. Eventually I decided put a leash on my beloved black dog and we started howling together instead of barking at each other. That's how Loveletting was born".
Loveletting, the first single off VV's debut album 'Neon Noir' out in early 2023, suggests this new infernal mix of light and shade is nothing short of a landmark release from one of modern music's most distinctive and intriguing voices. It belongs to the same forlorn world of woe and whimsy once conceived and governed by Valo in HIM, but with the nuanced notes of a fine aged Cabernet.
"Artistically speaking the main difference between HIM and VV is the extra line in the Heartagram, but what an exquisite line it is! It's the Mamas and the Papas dressed up as Metallica on their way to a Halloween bash at the Studio 54, and now who wouldn't want to witness that?"
Throughout their career, VV has drawn massive crowds of fans, packing venues like Theatre of Living Arts, the Depot and Summit to capacity.
the crowd was cheering and the bands were playing their hearts out!! Best concert ive seen in a while!!, H.I.M is amazing live, and They don't Disappoint!! Dont miss one of their shows because you'll if your a H.I.M fan! Trust me!
Awesome concert with great bands!!!! Small intimate setting!
I saw HIM in Nov. 2007 at the Warfield. It was my first HIM show, and it was amazing. The sound was crisp and clear, Ville's voice was beautiful, and the songs were played back to back one after the other. I was overwhelmed with joy. Ville made eye contact with the audience, looked happy and was into his music. When he did speak, it was short and sweet, very sexy. I was all shaky, I was so happy. This time though.... =( I don't know what was up, but Ville spoke, sang, and acted like a completely different person. He rambled about random things between every song, got angry when there were technical difficulties, walked off stage, and just generally seemed to be in his own little world. To be honest I don't think he was sober. I felt bad for the rest of the band, who had to keep playing while waiting for him to come back. The music was great as always but Ville was not himself. It was also hard to hear him, I don't know if it was the sound people's fault. At some points the audience was pretty much singing for him. I thought he must be just having a really off day. But after reading some reviews from earlier shows, it seems that he did similar things there too. Now I really don't know what's going on.. Also, I thought HIM's set was too short, and with a very reluctant encore. Of course this was partially due to the fact that the 3 (3!) opening bands took a total of 2 hours... before HIM even came out. The opening bands were Drive A (not my type), Dommin (interesting - pretty good sound), and We Are the Fallen, which took the longest and were supposed to be a big deal, but I thought they were pretty bad and just way too typical. Also, We Are the Fallen had their instruments, especially bass, on way too loud so the singer was hard to hear, making it even harder to enjoy. Overall, I had a good time since a show is always fun no matter what, but HIM did *not* give a good performance. I've seen how good they can be!
although the venue was really small, HIM was amazing! The lead singer is so witty and funny! Amazing guitar solos, the lightin was amazing. Amazing voice. Everything was just so great.
The show in San Fran was really good. Ville talked and joked and even when the PA went out he kept his cool and made sure the audience got a great performance.
As always, HIM was amazing. They rarely fail to bring their A-game. It was 2 of the opening bandshowever, that really blew my mind...twice! First; Dommin. I really didn't know what to expect from these guys. They were just awesome. Their take on the 4 minute rock song was really refreshing. Excellent melodies, well crafted song structure and a great stage show. Their dynamic diversity brought a lot of emotion to the show. I would have to favorably compare them to HIM. That is, by the way, no small compliment. I bought their CD during their last song. The defining moment was their cover of "I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight". Perfect! Then, the big surprise! While watching "We Are The Fallen", I found myself comparing the band to "Evanescence" and the singer to that hot, Aussie chick from American Idol, Carli. During the first song I kept leaning over to my wife saying "This girl in nailing all the impossible high notes, ever time!". I looked 'em up during their set and found out who they were. Lo and behold; I was right on both counts! Ben Moody (guitarist, founding member and songsmith from Evanescence) is the guitarist, and the singer really is Carli from A.I. She is amazing!!! I can't wait for their CD to drop. People are gonna be blown away! I was. Also, I bought one of their shirts and had the whole band sign it...what a frikkin' fan-boy... Great band!
We were all there for H.I.M. and Ville Valo did not deliver. The band was good, but Ville walked and talked in circles and even left the stage for an inordinate length of time. Talking (non-sensically) more than singing to the audience with his back turned to them. I really thought he'd put on a more dramatic show. Loved the old music much more than the new Album. Discovered I really like Dommin who performed last nite, great style of music, I will definitely buy their music. Also, We are the Fallen, powerful voice. Drive A are kids that still need to polish up their performance, but they can sure jump high. Regency Ballroom doesn't have the best acoustics, but love a small venue like that.
HIM was great of course, but I've never been in a pit as bad as this. The crowd pushed and shoved so much that many people had to be pulled out of the front by security guards, and after waiting for hours to get a good spot, I had to leave the show too. Why can't people be somewhat civilized? If you want to be in the front, wait a long time, otherwise enjoy the show as close as you can get without ruining the experience for others by pushing your way to the front. Many people had to leave the show because of this reason. Pathetic and unnecessary.
Bands were to loud to hear the lead singer. Security couldn't manage chaos on the floor. HIM was amazing but the 3 opening bands sucked.
HIM was just awesome. My favorite band no matter what they do. (even if Ville talked more and went backstage more than he sang!) Worth every second of the show and I can die a happy woman! But the other bands on the pre-show just dragged out the show. I really wish I'd known the other bands were going to perform for 2 entire hours before HIM took the stage. I wouldn't have rushed there from San Jose to get there early. Also, we weren't aware that there was no seating arrangement. It didn't specify this when I purchased the tickets. So we were unclear on that until we arrived and asked the security.
I loved dommin... hated seeing HIM live especially when the microphone went out.
I missed Drive A, but the second opener, Dommin, were excellent. We Are The Fallen sounded great, but Carly Smithson is definitely not comfortable on stage. She looked stiff and didn't energize and interact with the crowd. HIM was a great headliner. The sound mix was great and so was the setlist. Overall, a really good show.
OMG! this show ROCKED! Dommin was awesome! HIM put on a great show! This is the second time i have seen them and would totally see them again! The show was a mix of their new music and old. They were just AWESOME. Left the concert happy as can be. Was totally stoked to see such an awesome concert!!! The band Dommin was excellent! They just found a new fan.
The opening band from L.A. was very good . Unfortunately, poor Carly Smithson, w/ We Are The Fallen, had a screwed mike and the other band members were SO loud we couldn't catch her remarkable voice unless the other band members weren't playing. Dang! HIM was O.K.
It was a amazing show the band was so sweet and kind made us feel like family I will always go to the Him concert I’m a fan forever. Love you guys thank you and please keep on singing and coming to the USA.
The 4/17 show at the Showbox was very well worth the money I paid for it. The first band, Drive A, was a little more foulmouthed than most music I'm used to, but I was more or less able to put up with it while waiting for what I came for the most. The second band, Dommin, was very interesting with the somewhat symphonic sound that they had in their songs. I'll definitely buy their album. And of course, the best part of the show was We Are the Fallen, for whom I was there the most. The instrumentation was very breathtaking, as were Carly Smithson's vocals. I've loved her a ton ever since seeing her on American Idol two years ago. Of all the individuals performing onstage that night, Carly was totally the best one up there. I didn't end up sticking around for the main event, HIM, because my dad and I had to get going after the WATF wrapped up and get to Fife to catch the last of my brother's gig. I also really wanted to meet Carly, but her band took a long time to get to their merch table, and I could'nt keep my dad waiting any longer. Hopefully I will get another chance to meet her one day, and hopefully it will happen that time. But overall, my experience that night at the Showbox was very satisfying. Big room with plenty of space, great stage and lighting effects, that sort of thing. I highly recommend this venue to everyone who loves going to concerts.
The concert was AMAZING! HIM were incredible. REALLY ENJOYED DOMMIN!!! They need to come back and headline their own event!!
I saw HIM in 2005. It was the best concert I had seen until then. Five years later, they release their best album and put on their worst show. They looked sloppy, wore ratty tee shirts, acted like an encore was going to inconvinience them, and Ville rambled on and on completely uninteligibly. Come on guys, take a shower, sober up, and play like you respect your fans. Also, the Showbox in Seattle is the worst venue for music I've ever been to. There wasn't even room for HIM's backdrop, and they had a few flashing lights, but that was it. The sound was horrible. One bright note, We Are The Fallen KICKED ASS! They were much better than HIM, much more polished, more energetic, and didn't look like they had just rolled out of their tour bus after eating a box of Krispe Cremes and pulling on some clothes from the dirty clothes pile. I'll buy every album HIM releases, but I'll never go to another HIM concert again. Advice: stay at home and remember how good they used to be.
I have attended over a dozen HIM performances and I am never disappointed. The energy of the show, tightness, and band chemistry has solidified in recent years. Vocals are absolutely brilliant. They really look like they enjoy themselves and the crowd responds in turn. They will definitely be top performers for several more decades to come. Fantastic Show !!!! Music always touches the soul. Well Done. Judy (Our Funeral Forgotten)
Pros: HIM put on a great show that was very enjoyable to watch and We Are the Fallen did a great job opening for them. Cons: The venue had little parking and the sound quality inside was really bad.