Crowd starts to gather in front of Main Stage well before one o’clock, for it is Viikate’s turn to uncork the Ilosaarirock bottle, figuratively speaking of course. Saturday’s first on the Main Stage is not an easy to slot to fill, but Viikate tackles the honour with it’s inimitable, cultivated style.
The first couple of songs lift the mood by several notches, and the festival train immediately gets out of hand. Even the weather seems to agree; a cool respite from weeks’ worth of blistering, brain-melting heat is a welcome festival guest.
”Can’t think of anything to say”, claims the singer-guitarist Kaarle once in between songs, but then again, there’s hardly any need for words when the music speaks for itself.
The band has final surprise before their last song when Kimmo Kuosmanen and Otra Romppanen climb on stage and together the gentlemen play a few cult classics from Mana Mana. The experience is capped off by the name track from Viikate’s latest album Kuu kaakon yllä, which leaves the audience craving more.
Text: Kaisa Kauppinen
Translation: Jari Rytkönen
