I spent Monday the 12th of August disassembling the main stage of Jurassic rock. I was already quite worn out from almost a week of working at the festival and before the end of the long day there were a bit too many slips and close calls. The work itself was rewarding, however, and the co-workers some of the best I know. Even at times when the skies ruptured with pouring rain and thunder and we were soaking wet, the air was filled with bad jokes and hysterical laughter.
When the workday finally drew to a close, we ventured to the shoreside sauna to enjoy some beverages and relax in the warmth of the löyly. Spirits were high, jokes were shared and songs of black humor sung. Later in the night, as I was going swimming, I noticed that all the dark clouds of rain and thunder had dissipated, leaving the late summer sky clear and filled with stars. This was something I had hoped for, because that very night held something special in store for the observant ones.
As I floated in the calm waters of lake Saimaa, straining to spread my field of vision as wide as it could go, I took in the millions of stars and planets shining across the vast gulfs of emptiness that we call space. At times, this grand fabric was painted upon by the comet Swift-Tuttle's tail particles, which left fine white lines as they burned their way through our atmosphere.
There I was, a fluke of probabilities, a tiny, semi-conscious blob of stardust, floating, breathing and witnessing a celestial event, the Perseids. The universe is vast and we are blind and deaf to most of it's beauty. Let us enjoy the fraction that we are able to sense during our brief visit.
Thoughts such as these make me return to a band that explores the what-ifs and maybes of the universe through songs inspired by science fiction films: Star One.
Tuska Open Air Metal Festival came and went. This summer it had to compete with Live Nation's Rock the Beach event, which was headlined by artists such as Rammstein, Green Day, 30 Seconds to Mars and Queens of the Stone Age. These might not be the bands of choice of the average Tuska-attendee, yet they were bound to drag away some of the less faithful and casual visitors. For many, King Diamond alone was cause enough to steer clear of the beach and dock in Suvilahti. Tuska's crowd met expectations at 25000 visitors (1000 less than last year), while Rock the Beach lured 51000 to the beach in Hietaniemi (6000 more than expected).
King Diamond's show in Tuska was aptly captured by my talented friend Maija Lahtinen.
Click the picture to browse through more of her stunning work.
Such competition from large international entertainment companies might pose a problem for some of the younger Finnish festivals, Tuska among them. Not even the more experienced players in the field are safe, though. Already in Sweden, German based FKP Scorpio bought, uprooted and moved the traditional Hultsfred festival and organized a new Bråvalla festival, which just happened to be on the same weekend as Peace & Love. Unsurprisingly this drove down P&L ticket sales and the organizers had to file for bankruptcy. (Source/further reading for the Finnish speakers: Jarkko Jokelainen - Festivaalisota saapui länsirintamalle)
The summer festival market in Finland is rather bloated, with numerous smaller events and at least one larger 2- or 3-day festival taking place each weekend throughout the summer. Many of the festivals take place in smaller cities and give a welcome boost to local economies. Traditionally the ticket prices have been relatively low, which has enabled people to visit several festivals each summer. In recent years, ticket prices have taken a steep rise, mostly because of artists demanding larger payments.
This has led to people being more picky about which events they attend. Particularly younger folk can only find so much money to spend, especially when unemployment is still on the rise. In the same time, some festivals are extending from 2 to 3 days and billing more international big-name artists, in order to attract more potential customers. One of the festivals where I'm working this summer, Jurassic Rock, has done just this. I truly hope that the gamble pays off and the headlining bands, System of a Down, Devin Townsend Project and Pendulum (DJ set), are enough of a reason for people to venture to Visulahti in August.
All in all, having discussed the issue with several friends and acquaintances, I'd almost have to say that well planned, scheduled and executed two day festivals are the way to go. They are easier for the working folk to fit into their weekly schedule and usually cost less, assuming the artists aren't all big-names. It would also seem like there is plenty of room for smaller events specializing in certain genres. A good example is Hammer Open Air, which is being organized for the fourth time this year. Overall, it's a demanding market and with dark forces looming beyond Finland's national borders, just waiting for their chance to grab a bite, it is important that we support the events that we want to see organized also in the years to come.
On a personal level, Tuska went as smoothly as ever and as usual there were next to no disturbances. I was working at the gate all weekend and I must say that one of the positive things about moving to Suvilahti from Kaisaniemi is that the area outside the festival is more manageable and far less restless. After three years, I think that Suvilahti, with its industrial milieu, is a fitting home for the festival, even if some of the surrounding buildings do sometimes give an unappealing echo of the music being played. Many disagree with me, including some of my friends, who annually boycott the actual festival and hold a "shadow Tuska" in Kaisaniemi Park. Still, there were plenty of friends attending and many of them took it upon themselves to cheer up my workday by stopping on their way in or out.
Band-wise, I was able to catch glimpses of Kreator, Testament, Betrayal At Bespin (which I mentioned here), Von, Nightwish and, of course, King Diamond. Nightwish's two hour finale on Sunday was rather tiring and the pyrotechnics were quite sad, but on the other hand Floor Jansen's performance was top notch and I feel as though she just might be the best singer the band's ever had. Compared to Turunen, her voice has far more color and I enjoyed her stage presence more. King Diamond was, simply put, spectacular. The stage itself was epic, not to even mention the Kings performance. After Friday,
I couldn't help but to whistle Black Horsemen for the rest of the
weekend and on Monday when we we're taking the main stage and the rest
of the festival area apart.
