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Really had no idea what to expect, crowd-wise, as Janes Addiction was a few blocks away and the local FM affiliate was hosting its annual outdoors multi-band bill across the river, with Slash, Halestorm and Stone Temple Pilots, amongst others. Figured to be an underage crowd at the Trocadero, if mom and dad could drop off the kids and still make it to see the former GN'R guitarist, able to witness a dose of Scandinavian metal, under the guise of the Massive Addictive tour.

Nice touch, the Rocky theme intro for Santa Cruz.While Sweden is the current kings of sleaze, it appears some of it spilled into neighboring Finland: Sunset Strip via the Arctic Circle. There's an episode of the classic Star Trek called Piece Of The Action, where an alien world builds a society based on the Chicago gangsters of 1920s. Had the same feeling watching Santa Cruz, as if the young Finns OD’d on too much ‘80s MTV, plenty of peroxide and F-bombs. Opening with 'Bonafide Heroes' it was lots of action, up on the monitors, visually more robust than most bands, regardless of genre. “Let It Burn” and “Bye Bye Babylon” flew by. “Wasted & Wounded” stood out as one of the stronger tunes. Rare to see a lead singer/guitarist take a tethered mic off the mic stand, but Arttu "Archie" Kuosmanen did just that and after ditching his axe for “Aimin High”, he climbed into the unoccupied balcony (still singing, mic chord intact) and then into the photo pit/barrier. Michael Monroe, you have a lot to answer for! 

Come on Philly, you're getting soft! Your grandparents threw snowballs at Santa Claus during an Eagles game and your parents booed Journey off the stage after only three songs, opening for the Rolling Stones at JFK stadium, but you listened (some even applauded) the alternative rap from Michigan, aka I Prevail. No better than a lame Saturday Night Live sketch, would rather have heard Samberg & Timberlake do "Dick In A Box”. Once they went on, there was a mass exodus to the merch table, probably to see if they were selling self-deploying nooses or maybe rocks, to throw. To say this buy-on was severely out of place is an understatement.

Unlike the last tour, Elize Ryd is sandwiched between a couple of male vocalists who at least look the part; newcomer Olle Ekman and redhead mainstay Jake E, aping the short hair Matt Barlow image. Opening with “Digital World”, Ryd was center stage, in short, ruffled black skirt, heels, leather jacket and hair back in a ponytail. She's part ingenue, part runway model, stalking the stage, hand often on hip and seemingly obsessed with elastic holding back her hair. There was a slight glitch in the otherwise energy packed set, immediately after the opener, a noticeable delay in the computer program for follow-up “Trinity”. Early on, it was the three vocalists across the front of the stage, seemingly competing for space (but rest assured the lady won out) as the bassist and guitarist repeatedly interchanged sides of the stage. In addition to shimmering around the stage, Ryd utilizes expressive hand motions, which her male counterparts could stand to learn, the guys remaining stiff, apart from jerky headbanging. Vertically pulsating green lights, with white searchlights sweeping the stage, was the scene for 'Invincible', the band reeling off a string of quick moving, easily digestible tracks. ABBA would be proud of their younger countrymen/woman, for many of their 3 minute pop sensibilities, including 'Razorblade'. The Jake E begun ballad, “Over And Done” stands in start contrast to the rhythmic disco beats heard elsewhere. Witness “Electroheart”, which precedes a drum solo (not sure why). After ending with their signature tune, Amaranthe return for a multi-song encore, complete with a wardrobe change for Ryd, ultimately ending with “Drop Dead Cynical” (the music sounds like a stadium rah-rah anthem in waiting) and a crowd sung lighting spectacle finale: “The Nexus”.