It was the third sweaty night in a row at Kerubi’s summer bash; Tuesday was all about leather trousers, Wednesday boasted a relaxed atmosphere and Thursday offered a deeper insight into the Finnish mentality.
Relaxed atmosphere
On Wednesday, Messenger of Sound added some local colour to the stage. The soul classics they played were a clear indication of their relaxed attitude and ”snogging’s allowed” was the instruction given by the duo. The Soundstrippers, a duo from Helsinki, was selected to play from a competition on Hitlantis. The audience were mesmerized by them – one can only guess how many new love stories were begun during the gig!
The most awaited act of Wednesday did not fail either: Nopsajalka & DJ Svengali were the highlight of the evening with their chilled-out tunes. It was a great opportunity for everyone to soak in the stress-free mood before the hectic weekend.
All good things come to an end – or do they?
On Thursday night the local band Kohina brought a homely vibe to the party with their fundamentally Finnish rock. B and the Band, another artist found through Hitlantis, upped the tempo a notch. Their power folk combines Finnish and foreign influences in a unique way – another example of the limitlessness of music. Even technical problems didn’t stop the show.
Even the last jaws dropped when Sara came on stage and vowed the public with the melancholic metal, touching even the hearts of the toughest guys. Singer Joa Korhonen is the charismatic leader of the band.
What a spectacular ending to a successful event! The summer bash is over for now and it was most definitely a success. The people at Popkatu deserve a big applaud. But, luckily, this is not the end of fun: on Friday the Ilosaari area and Kerubi will be filled with the old school folks of Ilovaarirock who’ll show you what it’s all about!
And boys and girls, don’t forget the Ilosaarirock festival itself!
Veli-Matti Varis
Translation: Alma Tuominen
