Day Three
Sunday 13th JulyIt's another fine day in Finland. The Sunday summer sky is piercing blue with a few cotton looking clouds. Don't you always want to jump out of an airplane window and land in the soft white pillows in the sky? Yes, ok. I'm a bit loopy... I haven't got a hangover but I can't go outside without wearing shades. It doesn't get better than this! It's still really hot as well. The festival organizers and public could've not asked for better weather. I'm leaving Joensuu on Wednesday to go my family's summerplace and I'm hoping it stays like this.
Caught the bus into town again, there's a big flea market in the main market square. They have them a couple of times a year on summer Sundays. It's very popular with the locals, I got there about half ten and the square was full of sellers and public already. It's a great way to observe the Finns. They're milling about looking at stuff and chatting to friends. Some brave souls are already drinking beer. The bars in town with outside sitting areas are full of people enjoying the sun. Mind you it's quite normal for the Finns to start the day with a "tasauskalja", the hair of the dog, a beer that levels out the hangover shaking and the sweating. From there you can build up nice state of feeling sick again.
There's all sorts of crap for sale, but some useful stuff as well. People have emptied their attics and cellars and thought "Oh, I'll get a couple of Euros for that..." The weirdest thing I saw was a riot baton! Other than that it's the usual mix of clothes, shoes, books, old records, magazines and toys. A few people are selling ice-skates, sowing machines and even a washing machine.
Walk over to the site, have a quick chat with Heikki who runs the Poppikoppi information booth next to the main gate. He tells me this year lots of people have forgotten their tickets. Later on at the web-office we joke some people will propably blame it on the Ufo's: "They abducted me and brought me here! They didn't give me a ticket!"
Other thing is that people don't seem to know the info point is there. He was there all through the night and said it was super quiet. Heikki is a local character, he is famous for not wearing shoes all through the summer. Round about April the shoes come off and that's it for the rest of the season.
Wonder up the hill to the web office. See the Portugese band Moonspell backstage. The Vip-area girls are clearing up the mess from last night, picking up rubbish on the lawn and sorting out drinks and food for later on tonight.
The web tent is a sauna again, everybody's sweating like mad.
"Well it just makes you work faster coz you want to get out of here!", says web-meister Rysky when we ask him for fans to cool us down.
I'm off to see Kauko Royhkä play at two o'clock. He's is a Finnish rock legend, been around for ever and maybe even longer! He's recoded something like 20 albums...
Laters!
Sunday Diary continues:
It's now quater past four. The web-tent is hotter than ever and people are fewerishly trying to finish their stories to get out of here!
It's not that much better outside, people are trying to find the shadiest bit in the whole area.
Went to see Finnish artist Kauko Röyhkä play. He's one of the main stay names in the Finnish rock scene and has a decicated following. I popped in to see him in his dressing room before the gig as I wanted to ask the man himself how many albums he has made.
"I'm not quite sure", he smiled. "It's propably over twenty, there's a few
Best Of-collections as well..."
He's in a good mood. It's his fifth time at Ilosaari and when he goes on stage he tells the audience "It's great to be here again!" He receives thunderous applause.
The second stage tent where he is performing is full.
Kauko closes his eyes and sways to the music. His lyrics are a collection of everyday life and his own opinions.
"Will you marry me?" he asks in one of his lyrics. Ok, why not!
When I leave the gig I bump into a young Finnish guy Juha Tanskanen from Outokumpu and his friend Tuomas Partanen. Juha is in a wheelchair and Tuomas helps him get around. Juha is at the festival for the first time. I ask him if he's come to see a particular band but he says they've both come to check out the athmosphere and generally see what's going on.
So far the favourite bands have been Don Johnson Big Band and Guano Apes yesterday and today they're going to see Ismo Alanko and Zen Cafe.
He says getting around the festival area is easy in a wheelchair, the distances between different stages are a bit long. Also the toilet reserved for wheelchair users is in the sun all day so it gets very very hot. There is a raised platform for a better view at the main stage but the second stage hasn't got one. "It would be nice to have one there as well, they are some bands that I'd like to see", he says.
Wonder back up the hill, write a couple of stories. The clouds have finally arrived and the weather has cooled down a tiny bit. The latest Met office report says there's a thunder storm on it's way. We'll have to wait and see.
The last day has gone really quickly. I talk to a security steward when I go and have my lunch and he says there's no problems outside on the field. It's almost like they wish for something to happen so they would have something to do!
The fact is that this year everybody have behaved themselves. But that's what the Rokki is all about. People come to have a good time and to see their friends.
So, that's about it folks. It's been fantastic. I have thoroughly enjoyd myself. I have seen Finland through a completely new set of eyes.
The country has certainly changed. And defenitely for the better!
I think I'll come again next year the good people at Pop-office will have me...
Until next time. Be cool.
Lärwi xxx
Here is my diary of the three days of Rokki. Enjoy.
Day Three, 13th July 2003
