Festival life

Pictures - friday
Pictures - saturday
Pictures - sunday

Kuusumun Profeetta is a natural phenomenon

Kuusumu's moon dust arrived bringing rain and naturally unnatural music with it.
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Something needs sorting out? Ask Heikki!

Poppikoppi (Pop Booth) next to the Main gate promises to take care of everything that nobody else seems to have an answer for.
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Heroes of the thirsty people

The hot weather is making the festival audience extra thirsty.
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500 parked bikes

I got awfully stressed out yesterday when it was time to go home: I couldn’t find the key to the lock of my push bike anywhere.
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Phoenix played urban hymns

Surprised Phoenix was the perfect way to end YleX stage. Lead vocalist's Richard Ashcroft like moaning sounded like sweet farewell to the ones again succesful Ilosaarirock festival.
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Anthrax Brings Out Their True Fans

It was a rainy Sunday night and the main stage was occupied by one of the most legendary Trash Metal bands in the world. Crying wouldn't do, so we got wet, god dammit, and rocked on.
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CMX Played At Ilosaari Once Again

This was a day many believed wouldn't come: CMX at Ilosaari once a gain after having announced their “final” gig right here back in 1999.
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T-shirts are selling well

Ismo Alanko Säätiö and Zen Cafe are the best selling t-shirts in the booth next to the Relax stage.
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Lost virginity

The Info Booth and and the Lost and Found get asked the weirdest questions sometimes. The usual things missing are keys, wallets, mobile phones and various bits of clothing.
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The Supergirls of the cleaning crew

The cleaning crew at Ilosaarirock actually have to WORK. Mira Väisänen is working at the Rokki for the first time.
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Amon Tobin -- hard beats meet slumberland

The happily grinning man arrived at the Third stage and the audience showed their appreciation from the get-go.
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Dark Tranquillity and their one man show

For a heavy metal band swedish Dark Tranquillity was surprisingly joyful and pulled off their gig with happy faces. The reason for this was the band's lead vocalist Mikael Stanes who moved and flirted with the audience like Iggy Pop during his glory days.
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Sonata Arctica Delivers Everytime

Yet again, Kemi's gift to the universe, Sonata Arctica, busted out a gig that their grandchildren and the granchildren's siblings can be proud of for years to come. Last year they played the best show ever at the Metelli club so the expections were very high. What would the arctic sonatas sound like at the imposing main stage? The threat of rain was present at this highlight of the festival but the singing virtuoso Tony Kako lead the audience to defy the presence of the rainclouds: the rain drop count on the shoulder- three. Sonata Arctica works in the out doors as well and succsseeds at infecting the crowd with their power metal attitude even in worse weather.
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Let's have some coffee

It's quite possible the festival would be cancelled if the backstage area ran out of coffee. At least all the workers would start a strike.
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In the little room

The back area of the Main stage is the only place in the whole festival where one can enjoy a proper WC. The audience have to use the often discusting Portaloos but the old faithful which is actually on site all year round gives you an opportunity to pretend for a moment: it's almost like sitting on a throne. That is if you've got an exceptionally good imagination.
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Amon Tobin - the dark rainforest of the mind

One would think that this kind of music couldn't possibly work in an old circus tent. Wrong.
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Mokoma came and conquered

Mokoma was day's crowd magnet bringing YleX stage to it's limits. Most of the audience had lost their voices before the band had even started and like last year the chemistry between the two was explosive.
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It's about the people, not the money

Ed Mellet from Alt.Wear magazine and Raz Rauf from Drowned Sound.com website have just come back from a cruise on Pyhäselkä Lake in Joensuu.
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Ultramariini in a blue mood

Ultramariini, who hails from Hämeenlinna, has for long been called a promising newcomer by the presses. At the third stage's afternoon show, the band proved that they were at least a bit worth that promise.
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Myllärit

It's been years since my last Myllärit-gig. My memories from the intimate restaurant-bar Wanha Jokela gigs held an image of insane intensity, the joy of music and folk music--the freshness of a rock combination.
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Sing-along with Zen Café

In the last few years Zen Café has risen from the ranks of tent performers to the mainstage. As the Saturday's main act, Zen Café managed to entice people to sing and jump around with great enthusiasm in the festival area from the main stage to the bar area.
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Rock Grandma

"The youngsters are really helpful and wonderful", 63 year old Sirkka Pennanen from Joensuu says.
She's here at Rokki collecting bottles and enjoying the atmosphere. She recommends the festival to all older people and the best thing is pensioners get in for free.
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A desert damper by a degree -- Aavikko

Aavikko ("desert") who plays disco-electronica began their set this time with faster songs than ever witnessed before. The going got so tough in the beginning, that the second keyboardist Tomi Kosonen was every now and then about to fall off the wagon. The reason was clearly visible, too. The man had gotten completely blastered before the gig.
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Ilosaari, the musical oasis

Part of my assignment this year has been to look at the Finnish musical festival culture from an outside perspective.
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A Relief From the Heat

A cloudy day has decended upon Ilosaari Rock on Sunday and I for one couldn't be happier.
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Lost underpants

I wonder how many of the people at the festival have lost their underpants?
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Ladies Anthem

Admitedly, there were not too many dudes jamming to PMMP, but their affect on the ladies was undeniable.
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Verbal Festival Snapshots Part 4

"Which one is sexier, Daisy Duck or Minnie Mouse?"
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22-pistepirkko in the right place at right time.

There would have not been a better way to start the Sunday morning than 22-pistepirkko at the YleX-stage. The band beat the shit out of the sweaty YleX audience who were still getting their pieces togethere after hard Saturday night fever.
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Tohtori Orff & Herra Dalcroze

If one band would suddenly become the embodiment of good mood, it would undoubtedly be Tohtori Orff & Herra Dalcroze (Doctor Orff and Mr. Dalcroze). The trio, who mainly performs at day care centers, took the saturday afternoon's audience in their warm grip.
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Risto celebrates his tenth time in Ilosaarirock

The young man, who's currently living in Joensuu, had dressed up in the best outfit he could find in Joensuu's recycling centers.
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A Soccer Match Hangover

This is one of the few times in my life when I am glad not to be a rock star.
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The exhange students are enjoying the weather

3 Exhange students from the University Of Joensuu are sitting down by the beach next to the Relax Stage. Marc from Spain, Yohama from Venezuela and Helena from Kolumbia all agree that the hot weather we're "enjoying" here at the moment is almost perfect, and not too hot at all.
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Blaster Master failed me, but not the audience

Finland's own Madness, Blaster Master, made a comeback in March with their new album Tuffer than Roots. This band, who plays straight-forward working class ska in the english punk style blew my mind back in 1999 Provinssirock-festival. Ever since all the gigs have been worse than the previous one. And so was this.
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When superlatives aren't enough

The accordion virtuoso Kimmo Pohjonen performed one of the most interesting events of the whole festival. Never before in my life have I seen a tent full of people listen to one artist in absolute silence. A fantastic moment!
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Verbal Festival Snapshots Part 3

It's Sunday morning. The whole Laulurinne are is covered in various bits of crap: disposable paper plates and plastic cups, loads and loads of uneaten food, tissues, ripped newspapers and everyhting else imaginable.
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Q-Continuum grooved on the beach

Q-Continuum, who's been formed from the members of Quintessence from Helsinki, plays improvisation-based groove-funk. The beach dwellers, who along the day had gotten used to a lot more easier listening experiences didn't seem too enthusiastic.
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The stylishly ageing MC5

MC 5's current line-up is Michael Davis, Wayne Kramer and Dennis Thompson, and this gig for me was the THING in this years Ilosaarirock.
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Blak Twang was twisting

The American band Maroons didn't show up in the end but that's ok. Instead we got Blak Twang from England and they were more than adequate.
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A festive moment with Disco Ensemble

Disco Ensemble is recognised as one of the most intensive live perfomers and there's a good reason for it.
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Kotiteollisuus - mischievous men on stage

Kotiteollisuus and Ilosaarirock is a combination that simply can't fail.
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How Magnetic Are the Monsters?

Do you remember the days when it was cool to snort coke from stripper's tits, ride a harley into the sunset and battle heroin addiction as the ultimate form of manhood? Me neither, but the Monster Magnet sure does.
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Rock Police at the Agnostic Front gig

Agnostic Front from New York seemed a bit faint at first but then I realized maybe I should remove my earplugs.
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Oh no! They're here again!

The unruly mob known as the festival audience has filled the streets of this little quiet North Karelian hamlet known as Joensuu.
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Finnish Beach Boys

The Finnish love of water is obvious to anyone who's been here; good thing, too, as there are, at last count, more than fifty-six thousand lakes for a population of just over five million.
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Backstage Powerpuff Packet

You might think that the most exciting athmosphere in the Main Stage back area would be in the artists dressing rooms. But no, it's actually in the backstage office which is ruled by head of security Erja with an iron hard death grip that involves grabbing any trouble makers with a traditional Finnish "niska-persote", i.e by the neck and the arse.
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7:28, Nudity Strikes

Yet, for however macho these guys were upon entering the water, there is no macth for the power of cool water.
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That's Hot!

In 2005 girls in Ilosaari have discovered a new stylemate in Paris Hilton.
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Don't even try to hide the booze!

The Finns are very very innovative when it comes to trying to smuggle booze into the festival area. It says clearly in the festival rules that you are not allowed to bring your own booze into the area, yet the festival goers come up with loads of different ways every year.
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Stylishly lucid

Sister Flo might well earn the title of the most symphatetic performer of the festival.
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Children of Bodom, with a straight back and clear mind

Alexi Laiho is a man who has a lot to say and who is not ashamed to say it. The band accompanies their leading man with determined extreme metal.
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Hometown Heroes

This shit has officially started. There was even a Rambo flag flying, fit with an RPG and everything.
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Cleaning Women waltzes with washboards

Cleaning Women had the pleasure to be the first band in the third tent for Saturday, and managed to draw a big crowd well before their scheduled start. Emo intellectuals, goth princesses, neo-hippies and punks had all gathered together to witness the show of the band who play their music with instruments attached to washing boards.
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Let the cello sing!

Apocalyptica performed in Ilosaarirock for the first time and enthralled the sunny Northern Carelia with their versatile gig.
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A Grunt in Any Language

With an occassional "Fuck Yeah" to unite them all.
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From Russia with punk

What do you get when you have bunch of talented musicians, a truck-load of attitude and a strong affinity to Ramones? Yep. Tarakany.
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Pierce yourself

A poet dresses himself with moonlight, a journalist with a watch and a rock fan...well, tattoos and piercings.
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Neea was the first one in

When the festival gates officially opened on Saturday at 12 o'clock, Neea Ketolainen from Kesälahti was the first person to walk in.
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Jonna Tervomaas songs have a life of their own

Although Jonna is very busy she had a couple of minutes before the gig to describe her feelings. She's in a good mood and although her songs seem to have a life of their own, meaning there's not a particular set list she always plays, all the favourites manage to find their way in there.
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Cool breeze from Husky Rescue

I was a bit worried how Husky Rescues wintery machine pop would work on the Second Stage currently suffering under a massive heathwave.
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All the way from Japan to get Sentenced

Fumiko Suzuki from Japan is not an ordinary festival goer. She is a fan of the Finnish metal band Sentenced. Well there's nothing strange about that...but how about this:
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Heatwave at Linnunlahti

Earlier in the week the Finnish tabloids reported of the lack of bikinis in the racks of clothing stores. Where on Earth did they all disappear to? The answer lies in Linnunlahti--the festival area's beach.
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Finnish Cuba

Finland undergoes an extreme transformation as the seasons change. The normally dour-faced stoic Finns uncover their true selves when the sun arrives to burn away the snow that has blanketed the country for most of summer and spring.
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The ethereal Indica

Indica opened Ilosaarirock's Saturday handsomely with their ethereal rock. The spirited interpretations of songs such as Sudenkorento and Scarlet left the audience yearning for more.
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Not Your Mother's Cellists

Where were these guys when I was in band?
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Indica fanboys

Indica fans from Helsinki decided to enjoy their favourite band's gig to the fullest. The young men were dressep up in T-shirts which spelled out the band's name.
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A Tale of Two Colors

A geography lesson: Becasuse it is so far North, Finland does not get too much sunshine throughout the year and so most Finns are a pasty white.
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Virkavalta Rocks the Truck

Virkavalta opened the show on the small stage next to the YleX tent and proved their punk rocks.
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A Green Festival

Where are all the bottles?
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The Legend of Ilosaarirock

If there´s any one thing held sacred by Finns, it´s the summer rock festival.
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A pre-party, party

I know something is in the air on Friday morning.
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Verbal Festival Snapshots Part 2

A group of teenage girls have gathered on the Popkatu (Pop Street) in the centre of Joensuu. They're reading the Festival timetable. There's excitement in the air.
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Verbal Festival Snapshots Part 1

Three guys are wondering down one of the streets in Joensuu. It's Friday morning 9 o'clock.
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Greetings from the Web Office

A big HELLO and a big Ilosaarirock hug from our on-site Web Office here in Laulurinne, Joensuu. We're basically sitting in a tent (which is hot as a sauna I might ad!) and waiting for things to start properly so we can rush out, report about goings on at the various music stages, rush back and stick everything in here for your reading pleasure...

Will keep you posted, everything kicks off big time today (see Bands guide for the timetable) so come back and check it out! We will have gig reports and photos plus various other bits and pieces.

Hope to see you in here soon!