The 69 Eyes Bring Death to Darkness in NYC - 4.12.24
All Photography By Kiera Kalleberg
Towards the end of a nearly 3 week long tour around the United States, Helsinki’s favorite vampires The 69 Eyes brought their gothic rock and roll to NYC’s Gramercy Theater, in support of their latest record, Death of Darkness. Along with Los Angeles-based openers Budderside and The Bites, the band entertained an eager crowd and left them screaming for more. While a handful of tracks from the new record were mixed into the set, they reached back into their catalog for late 90s favorite Wasting the Dawn. Frontman Jyrki 69 thanked the fans for continuing to show up in support of the band, wearing their best leather jackets and black attire, because they were glad to still be making music and rocking stages - after 35 years as a band, he said it’s all they know how to do. Drummer Jussi 69’s moves were enthralling, and seen not only on the stage, but also on the ceiling, where his shadows moved about as well. He continually hyped up the crowd without words, standing from his stool and using gestures to get people moving. Guitarists and bassist Bazie, Timo Timo, and Archzie played with the crowd as well, making eye contact, grinning widely, and showing off some dance moves of their own.
While there may be some nods to their early glam days in some of their later sounds, The 69 Eyes’ shows and albums have embraced a gothic sound, highlighting Jyrki’s deep vocals and spooky cadence. Taking inspiration from westerns and 80s films The Crow and Lost Boys, their songs tell stories that paint vivid imagery for the listener. The crowd danced and sang their hearts out as these stories were performed throughout the night, all becoming one with the Helsinki Vampires, before heading off into the night to celebrate the new weekend.
