Madonna does Helsinki, and Helsinki goes quietly mad

85,000 pack in to Jätkäsaari concert site; diehard fans even wear diapers to be able to view the entire gig

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As the sun set below the horizon on Helsinki's former dockland site of Jätkäsaari, the long wait was over, and Madonna, Queen of Pop, appeared on a giant throne before a goggling audience of 85,000.
      The spectacle on Thursday evening also drew thousands of listeners for free, as locals gathered in Ruoholahti and on the neighbouring island of Lauttasaari.
     
In spite of the vast numbers involved, probably in excess of 100,000 all told, the arrangements seemed to hold up quite well.
      Helsinki police had been prepared to close off streets because of the rush, but in the event it was not necessary.
      In the main, people heeded the advance requests to come on foot or by public transport, and whilst the Metro trains to Ruoholahti were uncomfortably full and tropically warm, things ran smoothly in the process of getting the customers into the concert area.
     
After the gig, the crowds were rather more intense, but there were few reports of disturbances, either during the concert or on either side of it.
      Police did note that a number of pickpockets had taken advantage of the tight crowds to lift wallets, and a few of the more seriously tired and emotional customers were taken to the drunk tank for a rest, but on the whole the authorities expressed satisfaction that a crowd on the scale of a decent-sized Finnish city behaved so well.
     
The gates to the former dockland site were opened rather later than planned, at 18:00, owing to a longer-than-expected soundcheck.
      At 19:00, the area was still relatively empty, but the most eager fans had swarmed in to take up the best places close to the rail.
      Some of the most hardcore Madonna fans had even gone to the trouble of bringing along diapers, so as not to miss a minute of the action while queuing up at one of the several hundred portaloos that had been brought in to cater to the natural needs of the punters.
     
Although Finns have been waiting 26 years for an opportunity to see Madonna in action on these shores, the audience warmed up in typically slow and diffident fashion.
      They had to be rebuked by the hard-working star for their inability to sing along with the lyrics - something that acts like Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band have noted in the past.
      Finns are reserved that way, and in all probability the show was attended by a good many people who showed up as much because of the mega-dimensions of the spectacle as for the artist's music itself.
     
The highly-choreographed nature of a gig on this scale meant that there was little to offer by way of spontaneity and real artist/audience involvement, but Madonna at least knew where she was: "Helsinki, let me see you shake it!" she urged, and by the end of the show, people did exactly as ordered.
     
Although the bars were allowed to stay open for an hour or so after the gig so as to ease congestion, few people stayed on to party at the venue, and the crowds dispersed into the Helsinki night as quickly as the large volumes allowed.
      Additional buses, trains, and Metro services had been laid on to cope with the rush.

More on this subject:
 Madonna’s gig observed “free of charge” from neighbouring Lauttasaari
 Closing off sea area outside Madonna concert venue annoys some boaters

Previously in HS International Edition:
  She´s here - Helsinki´s Jätkäsaari draws largest single crowd on Madonna´s current world tour (6.8.2009)
  Madonna fans block Kluuvikatu in hopes of a sighting of star (5.8.2009)

Helsingin Sanomat