Summer, Lauri and the stars [Finland]

Lauri Ylönen reviews Finnish summer festivals with his 10 year experience.
“You try and eat soup when a hundred drunk people are trying to explain something to you,” Lauri describes artists’ conditions at Finnish festivals.
Lauri knows what he’s talking about. 26-year-old singer has performed on the stages of Finland’s festivals soon 10 years. And now when The Rasmus has succeeded to take over at least part of the World, you can do a little comparision: “In foreign countries the arrangements are a lot more pedantic. You can open your voice or just get ready for the gig in peace.”
Lauri gives a few Finnish examples: “One organizer was raging in our trailer before the gig, almost punched the drummer and yelled: goddamn I own this festival.”
“In Virrat the organizer was so drunk, he wouldn’t pay us. Well, we stole his motorcycle. When the guy cleared up, he called us to Helsinki, paid us and got his bike back.”
Some examples from another countries: “There was this Desert Rock in Dubai. We became the main act when Limp Bizkit cancelled. It was awesome. Tens of thousands of people on the desert. We had a great fun also in Switzerland, Turkey and Greece.”
They had less fun at the famous Reading festival in England. “We came up on stage and the crowd started to boo and threw dirt on us. We played only one song and left. It felt really bad.”

Down By The Laituri ***
“City festivals are good, we have been here about six times. There isn’t a river stage anymore, which sucks because I had already planned a show for it. I would have jumped to the river from ten meters with my microphone, and a scuba diver would’ve been waiting for me. Then he would have taken me under the water to the beach. There could have been action when a singer doesn’t come up.”

Kaivarin kesä *
“I have never liked to be in the crowds. It kind of reminds me of Vappu, just like there would be no rules. In 1997 someone threw a bottom of a bottle to the stage like a frisbee, it hit our former drummer under the eye and he almost lost his eye sight.”

Maailma kylässä ***
“We played our first “festival gig” here in 1995. Before that we had been playing in Oranssi and places where the audience was mostly our friends. We were really nervous. There was this nice We Are The World mood, they asked us to play there this year but we are too busy because of promo stuff and recording our new album.”

Himos Festival ***
“We play our first summer festival gig there. It’s always nice to be there and the bands live in cottages. Midsummer festivals suck in a way because when everyone else are partying, you are working. Sometimes we have played in four different places in Midsummer. We spend our own Midsummer a day later with the band. We just go to someone’s cottage to party.”

Provinssirock ****
“There are always much more rare and better bands playing than in other festivals. Like Black Sabbath, Massive Attack and Manic Street Preachers. I met them once there, by the way. I was bit shy and went to their door to ask something and they said: take a beer and come in. I act probably the same way with our fans if I’m on a good mood. In another time I went to ask the Slayer for autographs with my hands shaking… They were really scary looking dudes.
Saarilava (Island stage) is my absolute favorite. People are disappearing in a beautiful way to the woods when you look from the stage. I missed the Limp Bizkit gig because we had to go and play at empty Kauhajoki Kasino. When we came back the party was over and saw only confetti on the ground.”

Raumanmeren juhannus **
“We got into a fight with a member from Eläkeläiset on Midsummer night. We were sleeping in a dormitory and this guy comes and turns the stove on in our kitchen, as a revenge. The whole house almost burned down. Midsummer night heats the feelings and dormitory.”

Koria roll *
“In Koria, Apulanta is really popular. Heinola’s boys rule around these hoods. We have spent many misty nights in here. When a punker offers you kilju (=very bad home made booze) from a barrel, you can’t say no. There is also some kind of hole in the fence because there’s always so much people in the backstage. You can hear ambulance sirens from the background.”

Aitoon kirkastusjuhlat ***
“You feel like you would go to your cottage. At the festival you play in a round house on a dance stage. About 2000 people fit into the house and in the next house the play humppa. Kids put their moms and dads there. We were there once playing with Nightwish. Because there was no showers, they arranged us a transportation to swim in a lake.”

Ruisrock ****
“This was my first festival. I was 15 and we went in for free. We also managed to sneak in beer. Then after a while I woke up under the stage and Boo Radleys was playing there above me.”

Ilosaarirock ***
“There have always been a little alternative bands: Muse, Auf Der Maur, The Soundtrack Of Our Lives. Good that there’s an unique sound for Finnish festivals. Many big bands always look for the surroundings and what other bands are playing. I think CMX always plays it’s last gig in Ilosaari.”

Ankkarock ***
“It’s no longer free but the safety issues are good. It’s a wonder I haven’t gotten more bruises there. I travelled from Ankkarock to Helsinki in the train’s hattuhylly (= the space above the seats where people put their stuff) because there was no room anywhere else. Here’s always a nice, home-like feeling, the end of the summer. Sad, but happy feeling.”

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