Music is truly a global experience, no tour illustrates that better than the one that stormed into New Haven, CT on a rainy, windy night. The Rasmus from Finland kicked off the night, their country mates in Apocalyptica followed, and the night came to a thunderous climax with The Hu from Mongolia. Three bands, two far off countries, a packed house, all celebrating the power of hard rock.
The Rasmus were on first with their funky mix of gothic and alternative rock. Frontman Lauri Ylonen stalked the stage while his band propelled the songs forward. The band has sold over 6 million records worldwide but still had to win over a crowd that wasn’t familiar with them. The Rasmus were more than up to the challenge. The entire audience was into the band by the end of their 30-minute set, hopefully the band will be back in the states soon!
Finnish symphonic legends Apocalyptica were up next. Apocalyptica reached back to their roots, and their 2024 release Plays Metallica, Vol. 2, by playing a one hour set of just Metallica covers. If you’ve never seen Apocalyptica live, I cannot stress enough how much you need to. The power of the three cellos and drums could easily fill an arena. This isn’t your average cello section either, all three members move around the stage and engage the audience.
Metallica has played their catalogue with an orchestra before, but this is something very different. these are instrumental versions with one cello taking the vocal melody, while the others cover what would be the guitar and bass. The crowd provided vocals on most songs with the emotional peak of the night coming as the capacity crowd sand the final line of the chorus on “Nothing Else Matters”. Apocalyptica has alternated between covers and original music, but when they play Metallica songs it’s something very unique. This isn’t a tribute band by any means. It’s a reinvention of classic songs that must be seen to be appreciated.
While the crowd was still on a high from Apocalyptica, the theater was overtaken with the thunder of the Mongol hoard. The Hu are unlike any band you have ever seen. Traditional Mongolian dress, instruments and singing, the band creates a mix of Mongolian folk music fused with western hard rock for a sound that blows you away.
The Hu sing in their native language, but you don’t have to understand the lyrics to feel the intensity of the music. Fists were in the air, people were dancing, all without knowing what was being sung. The richness of the instruments combined with the deep throat singing created a sound I’ve never heard before, but when the melodies are added, it becomes familiar and moves you until you become one with the music.
The Hu touched on both of their official releases, with radio hits like “Yuva Yuva Yu”, “Black Thunder”, and “Wolf Totem” receiving the biggest ovations. The band also played a bunch of new songs, hopefully from an upcoming record, that fit right in with their classics. Of course, their unique cover of Iron Maiden’s “The Trooper” ended the night and sent the crowd home on a true high.
It is always tough for bands from anywhere other than America or England to gain ground here, but this tour shows that amazing music can be found anywhere in the world. The venue was packed with people of all ages, ethnicity, and gender orientation that were all willing to step outside their comfort zone and find global music that moves them and brings everyone together. At the end of the day, that is what music is all about,
