There’s no standing around at a Michael Monroe show

The audience in club Sulo got their share of Michael Monroe's infinite energy.

Any old Hanoi Rocks fan knows that there’s never a dull moment during a Michael Monroe gig. The warm sun has set a moment ago and if you forgot your gloves, the night feels chilly. The front row is buzzing and the atmosphere is excited.

– Okay! Here we go! Yes! Someone behind me gasps when Monroe’s band get up on the stage.

The opening song ’78 hits the air. I look around and can see one person just standing, but the rest of the crowd, if not jumping around, is at least nodding their heads and stomping their feet.

The first gymnastics split of the evening takes place during the third song. The cold is gone. There’s no time for jokes or intros. No one has time to calm down, not the band nor the audience. Monroe, like always, is full of energy and not even slightly slowed down by age. The rocker runs around like a tornado, which provides job safety for the stage crew. I counted thirteen times when these Sisyphuses had to untangle Mike’s mike.

Michael Monroe overflows with bouncy energy. Photo: Terhi Hytönen

Ballad of the Lower East side pumps up the ambiance, I now can see even the guy from earlier, who in the beginning was just standing, lifting his arms in the air and singing along. The microphone stands swooshes in the air. Monroe climbs onto one the stage towers and sings the second chorus of Nothin’s Alright from up from the air. When he asks if someone wants to hear some Hanoi Rocks the audience cheers. Malibu Beach starts to play and the saxophone gets a solo again. Up Around the Bend becomes a singalong as well as the last song Dead, Jail or Rock’n’Roll.

– Wow, now that was something! says someone in the crowd as the music fades away.

I agree.

Text: Johanna Mikkola
Photo: Terhi Hytönen
Translation: Monica Gathuo