Risto
Keyboardist-vocalist Risto Ylihärsilä is also the frontman of his self-titled band Risto, flying proudly the flag of lightly deranged indie rock jazz disco schlager pop. The band has a dangerous habit of whipping up both their audience and themselves into such frenzy that it is not clear whether one should laugh, cry, dance or pogo. Sooner or later, however, you will see that you're simultaneously engaged in all these activities.
Risto's lyrics have a tendency of sending the smile gnomes to gently tickle the corners of your mouth, but it would do no justice to the band's versatility to just say that this is humour music. The song's images of the emotional adventures of an alarmingly irrepressible young man, also called Risto albeit apparently by pure chance, are peppered with ingenious one-liners, but do not avoid themes such as death or mental health problems either. Risto's effervescent attitude could teach a lesson or two to many bands that do not find any other option for treating difficult subjects than dispiriting solemnness.
Almost anything is to be expected from this quartet when they land on the Laulurinne festival ground. If, for some reason, you still haven't met with this spectacle, we strongly recommend you to come and compensate your earlier wrong-doings.
