It Takes Me Places
A Live Report of Auri at Tampere-talo, August 16th, 2025
This article is from Kathy Criswell. You may know her from her novel, Aphrodite Rising, or from her previous guest blogs here, which are linked down below!
There’s a few words amongst billions that can accurately depict the kind of ambiance Auri brings to the stage. And while I do consider myself a wordy student of the world who is always ready to chatter, I found it kind of difficult to accurately describe the Auri show at Tampere-talo on August 16th, 2025. I know that people want to have the setlist ready, and that some also don’t want to be spoiled by it, so I’ve decided to meet everyone halfway and write my first report of a show that leaves an air of mystery by not posting the setlist. Will it work? You be the judge. You can find the setlist in Bear’s report from the Kitee shows if you’re curious (or on setlist.fm), but for those who enjoy mystery, this is for you.
First, let’s talk about the meet and greet! In my opinion, things went very smoothly and it seemed as if everyone listened quite well and adhered to the rules, which made it a very easy thing to navigate. I did not bring anything for myself to get signed, however, I had a friend give me some things to pass along, which I am awkward with because I’m not a signature person so I was unused to asking for them. I’m glad Auri are professionals because at least they knew what they were doing because I clearly did not, hah.
After that, we were seated! I had originally purchased a ticket in the back in order to give more people access to the front row! However, once I noticed all of my friends in the front row, I was a bit sad. I jokingly asked to switch someone, and in the whimsical miracle ambience that follows Auri, someone needed to swap in order to take (professional) photos. In these shows, there is a sign asking people to put their phones away, and I adore that! I get irritated when I see someone so clearly invested in taking a shoddy video with their phone up in everyone’s face. Discretion is fine I suppose, but watch this band of musical soulmates make history, please!
Now that I was in the front row, I felt this sense of welcoming. I had my “international cheering squad” next to me, as they have been for all of the shows, and many shows for previous tours, and I had a beautiful view of the stage. Tampere-talo was much bigger than Kiteesali, which meant more room to spread out, and more room for dancing!
The first song to play was a spooky little beast of a thing. Johanna, who honestly is amazing at stage presence, came out, sat down on the stage, and began to sing in an extremely entertaining and yet slightly unnerving way, which is perfect for what played. She sat, almost similar to the horror movie ballerinas, and basically haunted us for a few minutes. The difference of singing versus breathy warnings really made the song a very solid opener.
Then came a song that I genuinely love to dance to. It’s an older Auri song, but with new life breathed into it. Whenever Troy Donockley plays the flute, I imagine him as the Pied Piper leading us into the river with his jaunty notes and smiles when he plays. This song beckons people to get moving and start dancing in their seats, which I very much did. Kai Hahto really shone through with drums, giving this song a finality with each beat of the drum.
The third song is one that I love for the fact that it builds slowly as it goes on and then when it hits the cusp of the climax, it pulls back and becomes a soft, skittish, fragile thing. I almost was afraid to clap when it was done, as to not startle Johanna Kurkela off stage — that’s how delicately it ends! It acts as a sort of journal entry written by a third party that Auri was tasked with relaying to us. I want to sit on a roof and sway back and forth while the sun sets, to enjoy this song in the way it should be enjoyed. All of that — coupled with Johanna making the “🥺” face the whole time — pulled at my heartstrings!
The fourth song is one of those where you close your eyes and sway back and forth to the tune. It has a very strong beat and seems to include a lot of instruments that you don’t normally hear in Auri music. When I close my eyes, I feel as if I’ve been transported to a dance floor in a video game, and I just need to sway and dance all of my problems away. I really enjoy the organ-like sound. (Not a Hammond organ, as Auri have made it quite clear that those should all be tossed into a bonfire).
This point in time marks a shift in the music. It’s subtle, and could be very subjective, but the rest of the choices are songs with deliberate and dare I say… overt implications? The fifth song is one that I would call macabre. It’s simple… until it’s not. I adore the musical part at the end and many times I have explained that I can picture little ghosts coming out every night to dance and sing before going back to bed when the sun rises. Number five is where I think Johanna and Mikko Iivanainen really shine and add something to Auri that really amps it up to the highest level.
Number six in the setlist is one that genuinely bowled me over the first time I saw it live. I loved the song, but the celebration of a life cycle hit me square in the chest, knocking loose the little bandage I had put over my heart. I’ve dealt with a confounding amount of grief this year, so having Auri basically take me to counseling really left an impact on me. The end of the song is more of a beautiful yell — a war cry against the circle of life, and I get goosebumps every time the deafening silence after the last note hits.
Lucky number seven is a song off of the new album, and it makes my heart so ooey-gooey to hear it. Auri, at its core, is love. Love for each other, love for life, love for listeners, love for this universe and every soul in it. This song genuinely feels like a peek into a journal entry, which is an insight we should all be grateful for.
Number eight is also from the new album and if I had to describe this song as a feeling, it’s when you walk outside in October, just as the sun has risen and the air is dewy and chilly. You close your eyes, tilt your head to the sun, and take the biggest breath you are capable of. Watching the joy on Auri’s faces as they perform this one is just so crucial to happiness that I urge everyone to drop what they’re doing and grab a ticket!
Nine. Oh, nine. My heart. A kiss from a butterfly, a hug from a friend. A pep talk from a stranger. A choral rendition of your inner monologue. Number nine in the setlist is one that I desperately needed to hear, and every time I end up nodding earnestly at Johanna, agreeing with all she’s saying. The vocal dynamic between both Johannas is really something so special and I’m glad to have witnessed it so many times.
Ten. Okay, I’ll admit it, I’m extremely biased toward this song for personal reasons. But to keep it spoiler free, I can’t explain why. But, if you know, you know. Troy has a bit of a speaking role in this one and he highlights something about the song’s place in Auri history. It's joyful, playful, and makes me want to chase fairies in the woods and give them a big kiss on the cheek!
Eleven, my lucky number. This one is pretty solemn and serious, though not sad in any way. I feel like it’s the soundtrack to a hero’s journey montage, or the retelling of a history book. After the whimsy and wonder of the previous tracks, this one almost stops you in your tracks and makes you calm down.
Twelve is one that reminds me of a kaleidoscope. I can see the movement of shapes in colors in my mind as this plays. This is the song where I really got this overwhelming feeling of what witnessing the Edema Ruh would be like. Only, without the negative stereotypes and mass murder. More of a “can the love of one’s life be a team instead of a person?”
Thirteen is one that made me strangely emotional? I can’t exactly pinpoint why, but I think it’s because of the smiles all around. Seeing the sparkle of life return to people’s eyes and the invigorating camaraderie eradicate any shadows left in the sun? That made me want to purge anything negative left in my heart and open it wide for these people to fill. And truly? They did.
Fourteen is a shuddering highlight of strength and determination. A single from the new album, this track builds in its intensity until it explodes in the Auri version of a grappling plea — a balled-up fist that is squeezed when telling someone’s story. It urges you to listen and be serious about respecting power and tenacity in your life.
Fifteen is my favorite Auri song, I think. I know, those are startling words coming from me of all people. But, it highlights just how important staying in touch with your heart can be. Live, this song healed little fragments of my soul. The smiles, the sunshine, the bird noises, the warmth that spreads in your chest knowing that even if you feel alone in life, you have six friends on stage that want the best for you at all times.
Sixteen made everyone cry, point blank. It’s abstract but somehow so relevant to each person. Primarily Troy is on vocals, which is such a treat, but when Johanna is added in as well, it’s perfect. I could hear everyone around me sniffling and I understood why. The harmonies make your arm hair stand up, and the emotions on everyone’s faces really hammers home how intense they are about performing.
Seventeen is my favorite song performed live. I can’t go into too much detail, but there comes a part where the whole place stands up and we all clap and dance. I turned around to see how it would look to the artists, and seeing the entire place standing and clapping in FINLAND where people really don’t do that, ever, choked me up and gave me the chills. Johanna ran around the stage dancing in her bare feet, holding her dress and swirling about. I have never felt so in love with a song before. I really think this song sums up the entire essence of Auri live. I hope that everyone feels that as well.
After a standing ovation, there were two encore songs.
Eighteen is a song that I love dearly. It’s sweet, slow, but also fast, and makes you sway in your seat. There’s a shift mid-song that calms your down from the euphoria of an encore, and it helps transition into the final song.
Nineteen is the perfect end to the show. Part of the way through it, the supporting artists exit the stage, leaving only Auri and the audience. Tuomas joins in for this song, and seeing him sing along really made something deep in my heart flutter. I wrote in an album journey that I wanted someday to witness it being sung and I wanted it to feel like we were all around a fire holding hands and letting our heads fall on each other’s shoulders and this was exactly that.
In short, or not so short because it’s me and I use six words where one would have sufficed, the Auri tour has been perfect. And you can claim that perfection doesn’t exist, but when you combine the purity of heart and soul amongst those who only love, you get this lineup. I only have three more shows, but if you’ve made it this far, I urge you to take the plunge and attend one. I hope to find you there.
All photos were taken during the show in Kitee on August 14th, 2025
