Happy New Year 2021! | Rest in Peace, Alexi Laiho

Long time, no hear... Happy New Year 2021, everyone! ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Due to the ongoing corona pandemic, this New Year's Eve looked a little different than usual: No gig, no trip and certainly no "gig trip". Well, health comes first. Always. And so we actually spent the turn of the year 2020 / 2021 at home and watched all four seasons of "The Crown" that have been released so far. A positive surprise, I must say. I do have a few favourite series, but I'm not a fan of watching one series after another, and I'm particularly sceptical towards all of these "Original" productions...

... because there are sooo many and I just like to spend my time differently. More meaningfully. 

Then, at the end of November 2020, the fourth season of "The Crown" was released, featuring the love triangle between Charles, Diana and Camilla. I was curious and watched the first episode of season 4, positively surprised by the fact that "The Crown" is not a pure drama series solely revolving around the British royals. No, you also learn a lot about the politics of the time and about certain events in world history. So it's a mixture of entertainment and education, and if you have a certain affinity for the UK like I do, then the whole show is even more interesting to watch. In other words: I was sold. And so the decision to spend the turn of the year with popcorn and "The Crown" was made quickly. No regrets. 

 

Four days into the new year, news broke that Alexi "Wildchild" Laiho (Bodom After Midnight / Children Of Bodom / The Local Band / Sinergy) died aged 41. Exactly one week has passed since those news broke, and it's still hard to grasp. So young. So sudden. 

Now, I'm feeling even more gratitude to have travelled to Tampere / Finland in March 2018, in order to celebrate our birthdays with The Local Band. 

 

Once I even saw Children Of Bodom live, at least partially, at the Ankkarock festival 2010 in Vantaa / Finland. 

I still remember those green lights and that a plane from the nearby Helsinki-Vantaa airport flew over the festival area while Children Of Bodom were performing. Though, I had completely forgotten the amusing fact that there was also a group of singing Christians with huge crosses right outside the festival area, trying to save "lost souls" because of bands like Children Of Bodom. 

Rest in Peace, Alexi Laiho.