Helldone was an annual music festival organized by Finnish gothic rock band HIM. Typically held on 31 December at the Tavastia Club, and its companion club the Semifinal, in Helsinki, Finland, Helldone began in 1999 as an annual New Year's Eve show for HIM, which grew out of vocalist Ville Valo's "hatred for music parties" and need to "do something more than just get fucked up at midnight".[1][2] The shows were expanded into a festival in 2005 and renamed Helldone after the band's booking agent Tiina Vuorinen, née Welldone, and their hometown of Helsinki.[2] Helldone also took-up a policy of named tickets, where attendees were required to provide identification matching their ticket upon entry to the venue.[3]

Helldone
GenreRock, heavy metal
Location(s)Tavastia Club
Helsinki, Finland
Years active2005–2009, 2012–2015, 2017
FoundersHIM

In 2008, Helldone was expanded into a tour, which took the festival across Finland, before returning to Helsinki on New Year's Eve.[4] Helldone took breaks in 2010 and 2011, partly due to HIM drummer Gas Lipstick's health issues, before returning in 2012.[5][6] The festival took another break in 2016, due to the band members' other commitments.[7] On 7 August 2017, HIM announced the return of Helldone for 31 December 2017, which would also serve as the band's final show before disbanding.[8] Additional dates were later released going through 27 December to 30 December 2017 across Finland, including a show at the Helsinki Ice Hall.[9]

Annually sold-out and attended by people from around the world, Helldone hosted many bands over its tenure, including local artists such as The 69 Eyes, Swallow the Sun and Children of Bodom, as well as international acts like Cathedral, Anathema and Paradise Lost.[2]

Performers

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2005

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29 December 30 December 31 December

The 69 Eyes
Charon

Negative
Deep Insight
Bloodpit

HIM
Bleak
Underdøgs

[10]

2006

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29 December 30 December 31 December

Cathedral
Diablo
Blake

Amorphis
Anathema
45 Degree Woman

HIM
Katatonia
Sara

[11]

2007

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29 December 30 December 31 December

Von Hertzen Brothers
Mokoma
Swallow the Sun
The Black League
Semifinal
Mannhai
Snipe Drive
Kings of Fools
Barbe-Q-Barbies

Fields of the Nephilim
Ajattara
Blake

HIM
The Skreppers

[12]

2008

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29 December
30 December
31 December

Stam1na
Diablo
Godsplague

The 69 Eyes
Negative
Sara

HIM
KYPCK
45 Degree Woman

29 December
Teatria, Oulu
30 December
Pakkahuone and Klubi, Tampere

HIM
KYPCK
45 Degree Woman

HIM
KYPCK
45 Degree Woman

[4]

2009

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HIM performing at the Tavastia Club on 28 December 2009
28 December
29 December
30 December
31 December

HIM
Fireal
Semifinal
The 69 Eyes

HIM
Ghost Brigade
Semifinal
The 69 Eyes

HIM
Vanity Beach
Semifinal
The 69 Eyes

HIM
Major Label
Semifinal
Anathema

[13]

2012

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28 December
29 December
30 December
31 December

HIM
The Skreppers
Face of God
Semifinal
DJ Jyrki 69

HIM
The Skreppers
Final Assault
Semifinal
DJ Jyrki 69

HIM
The Skreppers
Semifinal
DJ Jyrki 69

HIM
The Skreppers

[14]

2013

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28 December
Teatria, Oulu
29 December
Rytmikorjaamo, Seinäjoki
30 December
Pakkahuone, Tampere
31 December
Tavastia, Helsinki

HIM
Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät
Beastmilk
Odalisque

HIM
Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät
Beastmilk
Odalisque

HIM
Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät
Beastmilk
Odalisque

HIM
Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät
Beastmilk
Odalisque

[15]

2014

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29 December
30 December
31 December

Paradise Lost
The 69 Eyes
Rambo Rimbaud

Children of Bodom
Reckless Love
Daniel Lioneye

HIM
Daniel Cavanagh
Kuolemanlaakso

[16]

2015

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29 December
30 December
31 December

HIM
At the Hollow
Semifinal
DJ Jussi 69

HIM
At the Hollow
Semifinal
DJ Jussi 69

HIM
At the Hollow
Semifinal
DJ Jussi 69

[17]

2017

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HIM performing at the Helsinki Ice Hall on 27 December 2017
27 December
Helsinki Ice Hall, Helsinki[a]
28 December
Terminaali Arena, Oulu
29 December
Rytmikorjaamo, Seinäjoki
30 December
Pakkahuone and Klubi, Tampere
31 December
Tavastia, Helsinki

HIM
The 69 Eyes
Jimsonweed

HIM
Jimsonweed

HIM
Jimsonweed

HIM
Jimsonweed
Klubi
Delta Enigma[18]

HIM
Jimsonweed

 • ^[a] In a smaller "Black Box" capacity[8][19]

References

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  1. ^ Juho K. Juntunen (2002). "HIM – Synnin viemää" p.262. WSOY
  2. ^ a b c Metal Hammer Presents HIM: Tears On Tape Fanpack Magazine - pg. 109
  3. ^ "Fanit raivostuivat: HIM-yhtyeen jäähyväiskeikkojen lipunmyynti suututtaa – erikoisella käytännöllä yritetään estää trokaaminen". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 2017-12-31.
  4. ^ a b "HELLDONE FESTIVAL 2008". Tiketti. 2008-10-09. Retrieved 2017-06-27.
  5. ^ "HIM jättää perinteisen Tavastian uudenvuoden väliin". Ilta-Sanomat. 2010-10-08. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  6. ^ "HIM palaa kahden vuoden keikkatauolta". Helsingin Sanomat. 2012-08-17. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  7. ^ "Suomalaisen rap-yhtyeen kuvat naurattavat somessa - vertaa itseään HIMiin". Iltalehti. 2016-12-31. Retrieved 2016-12-31.
  8. ^ a b "HIM TO BID FAREWELL AT TAVASTIA CLUB ON NEW YEAR'S EVE". Tiketti. 2017-08-07. Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  9. ^ "Jäitkö ilman HIM-lippua? Jäähyväiskeikat soivat onneksi myös Helsingin Jäähallissa, Tampereella, Oulussa ja Seinäjoella". Soundi. 2017-08-09. Retrieved 2017-08-09.
  10. ^ "HIMin uudenvuodenkeikka laajenee festariksi". MTV. 2005-09-15. Retrieved 2017-06-27.
  11. ^ "HELLDONE 29.12.-31.12.2006 - LIPUT MYYNTIIN 28.9.2006". Tiketti. 2006-09-27. Retrieved 2017-06-27.
  12. ^ "Helldone-festarin esiintyjiä julkaistiin". Yle. 2007-10-30. Retrieved 2017-06-27.
  13. ^ "HELLDONE FESTIVAL TAVASTIALLA 28.-31.12.2009". Tiketti. 2009-10-15. Retrieved 2017-06-27.
  14. ^ "HELLDONE FESTIVALIN LIPUT TULEVAT MYYNTIIN 24. SYYSKUUTA". Tiketti. 2012-09-17. Retrieved 2017-06-27.
  15. ^ "HIM SUOMEN-KIERTUEELLE". Sue. 2013-11-11. Retrieved 2017-06-27.
  16. ^ "HELLDONE FESTIVAL 2014 JULKISTI ESIINTYJIÄ - LIPUT MYYNTIIN MA 8.9". Tiketti. 2014-09-01. Retrieved 2017-06-27.
  17. ^ "HELLDONE 2015 LAAJENEE KOLMIPÄIVÄISEKSI". Tiketti. 2015-09-21. Retrieved 2017-06-27.
  18. ^ "Delta Enigma lämmittelee lauteet HIM:lle bändin uran toiseksi viimeisellä keikalla Tampereen Pakkahuoneella". Kaaoszine. 2017-10-05. Retrieved 2017-10-07.
  19. ^ "HIM soitti loppuunmyydyn konsertin vajaassa hallissa – jäähyväiskeikan lipunmyynti hämmensi faneja". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 2018-01-13.
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