So
here we go with the report about VACUUM shows in Moscow! [Mostly my
attention is paid to Mattias Lindblom, according to the theme of the page.]
The success was huge. In all the meanings of this word. There were three
concerts in total, instead of planned two. A lot of fans were left without
any opportunity to see thier favourite band, since all the tickets were
sold out in no time. So VACUUM decided to perform one more time. 
The band arrived to Moscow
at 14:10 on Thursday, 12th of November. The flight was OK, but Mattias
does not like planes, so he was pretty tired. Plus he slept only for 3
hours the previous night, they were doing a gig in Sweden. The schedule
of VACUUM's stay in Moscow was pretty tight, you can see it right here.
The hotel, where they stayed,
was called "Mariot" (*****). It is situated on Tverskaya, 26, between Mayakovskaya
and Pushkinskaya. It is not very popular, but at the same time it is comfortable
and fancy.
Stands in a row with "Metropol" and "Balchug". The apartments of the band
were situated next to each other.They included one room, bath and hall.
Their car was a long white
shauffered limousine. Mattias said that it was so big, that he could nearly
walk in it :-)
And now as for the concerts
themselves. The first one took place on 12th of November at 20:00
in MHAT of Gorky (one of the best dramatic theatres of Moscow). There were
a lot of TV cameras and journalists. In a month you'll be able to buy the
official video tape of it here in Moscow.
VACUUM sang mostly songs
from "Seance At The Chaebol", but there were two from "The Plutonium Cathedral"
- "Pride in my religion" and "Shape Of Things To Come".
Also the song "Icaros" was
introduced. I really liked it. The style is close to the one we are used
to hear on thier albums. But you should make up your mind on your own after
the release. As for me, than it's among my very favourites.
The second show was on Friday
the 13th at 5 p.m. (nice day for a concert, yeah?), but we do not believe
in signs and tokens! The programm was the same, and as people said (I couldn't
come) everything was great! 
The best concert of all
three, was the last one! It took place the same day, but at 20:00. Fans
were absolutely crazy about VACUUM. The cry of the audience was so loud,
that I was afraid for my ears! The security was extremely tight, so the
band didn't pick up any presents or flowers, as they used to do in the
previous two concerts, a lot of girls had to go back home with things they
bought or handmade for VACUUM. It was really sad.
In the end, Mattias invited
a small boy from the public on the stage to sing and clap his hands along
with him. It was that boy, who sent out his video to Stockholm, where he
was trying to copy Mattias. He adores VACUUM, and knows all the lyrics!
Mattias said, that the video was something very very cute.
After the last concert,
there was "VACUUM-PARTY" in the Russian club & restraunt "Meeting Place"
("Mesto Vstrechi"). I was lucky enough to get into the private zone. Thanx
again to dear Mattias Lindblom, who arranged my invitation and checked
all the problems with security! 
I
had the opportunity to spend about an hour in company of the band. They
are very friendly and opencharactered. The evening was unforgettable.
The band gave a lot of interviews
to different magazines and tv-channels. Mattias said that the most annoying
question was the one, when he was asked about his attitude towards "Army
Of Lovers" and the split of it. I wonder why should he care? Sure he has
no relations with the previous project of Alex Bard.
Some news papers wrote,
that Mattias has a dolphin tatoo on his hand and shoulder. That's not true!
The whole band, excepting Alex, is covered with such "tatoos". These are
just fakes ...
VACUUM left to Nizhnii-Novgorod
on Saturday, November 14, at 12:00. Mattias couldn't have any good sleep
for a few days, so he said that he'd get up at 11:55 :)
Well, I was very happy to
see Mattias, Marina and Alex in Moscow, and we shall be waiting for them
to come here again. I'm sure that each visit of this group would be something
brandly new for all of us.
PS: Here you can see exclusive
pictures from the hotel "Mariot" and "VACUUM-PARTY", taken by me and Marina
Schiptjenko.
PSS: Check another
report about Moscow concerts at Sveta's and Johan's Vacuum site.
© Olga
A. Maximenko, 1998.
Any unauthorized reprinting
of the
above photographs or
article is prohibited.