Töminä - ten years and still kicking

Ilosaarirock opened on Friday with the Töminä club, a place where the bit more alternative bands get to show off their skills. The ten year old club celebrated its birthday with over 1 300 people and an exceptionally high quality band repertoire, who together once again proved the vitality of the alternative scene.

Niksu Väistö is one the founding fathers of Töminä. This year he was most impressed with the Russian St. Petersburg Ska-Jazz Review and the Finnish trio Kotiteollisuus, whose set included older material than usually. The only problems were the occasional schedule mishaps.

The value of the Töminä club to our subculture is immeasurable, for it is such a fine opportunity for new and upcoming bands. Here's hoping Töminä will more than double its lifespan.

-- Panu

No Shame announced their set would include oochie-cootchie snuggling songs and a message of love. The boys from Salo were first timers at Töminä and their gig went fine, even though the band almost couldn't make it (problems at the gas station, guitar troubles etc). The band played a fine melodic set with lotsa energy and a sense of style. No one in the crowd was left cold by this one.

Zerocharisma sounded a bit slacky, even though they rocked from the beginning to the end. Even the audience seemed to drift off to replenish their liquid supplies after a hard session of pogoing around.

To celebrate Töminä's anniversary, one of Finland's shittiest - ot the best - live performers took the stage. This band was, of couse, Radiopuhelimet. The volume was loud as ever and this set was one the not-so-good ones. The only thing I got was a headache and nightmares of black gloves. Still, parts of the crowd seemed to be happy with what they got.

The evening's finest were definetly the St. Petersburg Ska-Jazz Review. One couldnt escape the good mood they were spreading around and the dancing dreadlocks and mohawks were clearly enjoying themselves. Talk about value for money.

Kotiteollisuus performed an exciting gig, the songs of which were mostly lifted off their first two records. If you liked it, you liked it.

Wasted stood up to all expectations, though the were playing on their home field. I wouldn't have missed this gig for the world. Respect! The final words of the night were "We had a fucking good time!" and cries of "Wasted!" just wouldn't die down.

-- Any