The 69 Eyes

Ah, Finland. Frozen tundra of absolute mystery. The country that even the rest of Scandinavia makes fun of. The place whose most recent major international musical offering is Lordi, winner of the 2006 Eurovision song contest. (In case you missed that competition, Lordi is a metal band whose members dress as sometimes-winged monsters, and their winning entry was called “Hard Rock Hallelujah.”) Still, it’s the home base of the 69 Eyes, and if you laugh at that, these glam-goth gods will probably kick your ass.

Well, maybe not. The quintet might have dubbed themselves the “original Helsinki vampires,” but their version of menace is so heavily made up it’s more fun than scary. Think a darker Hanoi Rocks — good-looking guys equally talented with a guitar as with a can of Aqua Net. Singer Jyrki69 is the ultimate black-sheathed frontman, with a deep, dramatic death-rock drone and a lock-up-your-daughters set of acrobatic moves. Subject matter: fast cars, fallen angels, blood, sadness, sex — everything that matters. Oh, and in true sleaze-rock style, there’s even a song about Los Angeles. Thursday’s show supports the group’s latest full-length album, Angels. It’s also part of the band’s second U.S. tour this year. Maybe even vampires need a little sunshine sometimes.