It is nearly impossible to believe one’s eyes when wandering around the camping site and observing the partygoers: what in the world can make a committed black metal man to dance around to Aqua’s 1990’s hit Barbie Girl with an euphoric smile on his face?
Raised Fist are always welcome to Ilosaarirock. This year the Swedish energy discharge had the chance of testing the durability of the new third tent, which barely survived this attack.
It begins with the fingers. Then come the bald head, the glasses and finally, the voice. They don’t call him Gift of Gab for nothing.
Since the glorious days of Europe, Swedish metal has evolved into different directions. Scar Symmetry has decided to follow the path set by In Flames, and attempts to evolve the heavy metal scene of our western neighbour even further.
For a moment we could argue about the line-up of the Finnish all star hip hop team. Should it include the biggest names or perhaps the toughest underground artists? What ever the result of the discussion may be, I dare to say that the closest the 35-year-old Ilosaarirock got to this ideal was in the form of Marienhof.
Silverbullit, who hail from Gothenburg, Sweden, had to perform with an incomplete lineup after their second guitarist had failed to depart from Norway.
Skanes continued the good ska music tradition of Ilosaarirock.
During the 1960’s Finland had an iron bar to support her spine and a red terror living next door. The state-controlled radio network was vulnerable to all kinds of revolutionary forces trying to shake the order and power of social democratic Finland.
Another surprising thing at Ilosaarirock for me was to find a sand beach and a bay for swimming inside the festival area - just next to the Rentolava. People are swimming or practising something like this or just laying on the beach at the same time as they are enjoying the bands.
Carpark North’s trip from Jutland to Eastern Finland, has definitely been worth the while. The Danish band, fashionably dressed in black, was given a most warm welcome to Ilosaarirock by the audience at the YleX stage.