16:40 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. Considering all this, the Myllärit show on sunday afternoon on the third stage was a mild disappointment. Of course it is understandable that bands develp and change, but I could not reach the same kind of high that I experienced before.

The lack of audience in the beginning of the gig was probably due to the soccer match between Rockers and athletes gone overtime: the tent was only half full. The music sounded so heavy compared to my memories, that I had to sit back and think if what I was really seeing was Myllärit. But it sure was. The familiar songs were sung both in Russian and in Finnish, but the old classics remained unheard. Part of the audience however got so excited that they started to dance near the tent.

Saunalaulu ("the Sauna Song") at least managed to touch and reach out. At the same time they also introduced an instrument, which must've been the only one of its kind at the festival: the world's first electric jouhikko (a traditional Finnish string instrument). On the whole the show seemed fairly bland to me, and a lot of others agreed. People were walking out of the tent at the same numbers as they were walking in.

Text: Salla
Pictures: Heli Suoninen
Translation: Jenni S.

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