Rento Stage got off to a raucous start. Just moments after The Northern Governors blasted out their first notes the audience, only about a hundred strong, swelled up to over a thousand. After two instrumental numbers the septet grew to include three singers and the going only got wilder.
The super group of Finnish funk, lead by trumpetist Jorma Kalevi Louhivuori, started an immediate dance party on the sunny beach. Each member of the group got their chance to shine. In addition to Louhivuori himself, guitarist Petteri Sariola and saxophonist Linda Fredriksson stood out. The latter’s command of the baritone saxophone especially wowed the crowd.
The band, built on the foundation of blood relations, had conjured nicknames for the whole group in evident haste. The audience got to witness performances by such pseudonyms as the Snake Hunter, Super Pony and Mr. Universe.
The band’s repertoire was founded in funk, but ventured bravely into the realms of other styles as well. Songs were dedicated to both Fela Kuti and Frank Zappa.
It is a rare thing to see such a strong and complete performance from a band that hasn’t even released its debut album yet. There aren’t many bands in Finland that could survive the absence of such performers as Tuomo Prättälä and Osmo Ikonen, but the Northern Governors pushed on without missing a beat.
Text and photo: Tuomas Vitikainen
Translation: Jyrki Laitinen
