Liljan loisto warmed up the crowd at Rento Stage with their rhythmic revisions of Finnish evergreen classics. The group was especially keen to take everybody back to Karelia.
“The old times are the better times”, says singing guitarist Puppa J and sums up what the band is about.
Puppa J shares the duties of the vocalist with Yona, who handles her role laudably. This was already Puppa J’s second gig at this year’s Ilosaarirock: on Friday he was seen on stage as part of the collective known as Jätkäjätkät. Yona is also going to be performing again on Sunday.
The band’s catalogue consists of cover songs. Among the age-old classics a few newer ones were heard as well: Kuka keksi rakkauden and Vieläkö on Villihevosia. As a clear departure from the main theme of Karelia, the band played an ode to moonshine and street urchins.
Liljan loisto must have summed up many a festival goer’s next week in the lyrics of the song Heili Karjalasta (Lady from Karelia): “Vaan en saanutkaan tuonne onnelaan jäädä, täytyi jällehen rientää kauas pois. Mutta rinnassain yks’ on aatos vain: jospa Karjalaan taas päästä vois,” or “But I could not stay there in happiness, I had to hasten and fly away once more. There is but one thought in my heart: to reach Karelia once again.”
Text: Tuomas Vitikainen
Photo: Antti Pihlajamaa
Translation: Jyrki Laitinen
