CONCERT REVIEW: Energy. Emotion. Weirdo. The Rasmus Aren’t Slowing Down Anytime Soon

Finnish rock veterans The Rasmus returned to a packed TivoliVredenburg as part of their Weirdo Tour on the 26th of November. A night that proved the band’s legacy is still very much alive, and evolving.

Active for 31 years, armed with countless hits, and tonight performing in Utrecht. Earlier this year, the Finnish rockers released their latest album Weirdo, a record that feels unusually energetic and creatively charged. Remarkably, their previous album, Rise (2022), seems to have disappeared from the band’s radar entirely. Not a single track from that release made it into the setlist. Is that a problem? Not at all. Weirdo is simply the stronger body of work.

The crowd made that clear as well. Of course, massive classics like In The Shadows, Guilty, No FearandF-F-F-Falling were greeted with huge reactions. But what stood out even more was how enthusiastically the new tracks were embraced. Banksy, Love Is a Bitch, Rest In Pieces, Break These Chains and the title track Weirdo were received as if they’d been part of the catalogue for years. The audience knew them, felt them, and matched the energy effortlessly.

A crucial part of that renewed spark is guitarist Emppu Suhonen, now three years into her role within the band. During the previous tour in Patronaat, Haarlem (2022) she already showed what she brought to the table, but tonight it became unmistakable. Both the Weirdo album and the live show carry her imprint: raw, creative, and fully present. Together with vocalist Lauri Ylönen, bassist Eero Heinonen, and drummer Aki Hakala, she forms the tightest and most lively version of The Rasmus we’ve seen in years.

The Utrecht audience ranged from kids barely nine years old to long-time fans well into their seventies — all leaving the venue with the same bright smile. The Rasmus proved that a career spanning three decades doesn’t have to slow a band down. When your new music is this strong and your performance this full of fire, it doesn’t feel like nostalgia. It feels like a new chapter.