Flipping through an old issue of Terrorizer magazine (Issue 193, February 2010), I came across an interesting quote in an article on Finntroll. Under discussion was the proliferation of the metal culture in Finland and mainstream exposure for metal artists after Lordi won the Eurovision Song Contest. After Trollhorn explains the embarrassment that the band felt at being associated with mainstream metal by those who do not really know Finntroll’s music, Vreth goes on to say:
Also in some places it screwed up the scene a little bit, because you get what I call ‘metal tourists’ that come here,” adds Vreth. “Most of them come here as there are lots of bands here and they go to the metal bars, just sitting around waiting for bands to show up to harass them.”
Some minor annoyance is expressed at the idea of ‘metal tourists’. Naturally, I began to think about ‘metal tourism’. Is it a good thing, or is it not? I suppose it depends on the context. Without metal tourism, many festivals would not be nearly as successful as they are. Festivals tend to be a place for metal heads from different countries to converge. One only has to look to the most widely known example, Wacken Open Air in Germany, to see the truth in this. Festivals like Wacken typically become something that every metal head aspires to attend at least once. If you’re going to take a holiday and spend money on plane tickets, train tickets or fuel, you might as well center your holiday around a hobby or passion. After all, that is typically what holidays are about.
While this isn’t quite the point the quote was making, it seemed to be an obvious way to introduce other ideas. Referring to the specifics of the quote, and in regards to Helsinki and Finland in general, there are a few thoughts that went through my head. I suppose I could have fallen into the category of ‘metal tourist’ on my travels to Finland. Perhaps not in quite the same capacity as to which Vreth refers, but still a tourist all the same. On my agenda for visiting were activities such as going to metal festivals, visiting well-known bars such as Tavastia, checking out shops such as the Hellsinki Rock Shop, visiting interesting sites around Helsinki, and making a trip to Bodominjärvi (Lake Bodom). While wanting to visit some these well-known destinations in a country known as a hotbed for metal, I certainly had no intentions of stalking or harassing metal musicians in and around Helsinki. I managed to find plenty of other interesting things to do and see.
Most people can empathize with the irritation that ‘metal tourists’ can cause. People who are obvious tourists can be irritating enough, and I generally try not to be an obvious tourist when I travel as this can actually cause problems. Tourists who engage in harassing celebrities are likely even more irritating. After all, to some metal heads, their favorite musicians are viewed somewhat like celebrities. Bumping into a musician in a bar and saying hello or something to the effect of ‘I appreciate your music’ is one thing, but obsessively seeking out that person and interrupting their personal time is something else altogether. After all, that musician out in the bar with friends is probably engaging in the same thing that many of us enjoy doing on the weekends. Especially when they are in their hometown, probably catching up with friends and family and attempting to relax after months spent touring.
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| Find something interesting to do besides harassing musicians; like checking out Suomenlinna. (My own photo) |
