ilosaarirock 
J. Karjalainen is a man known by every Finn – and loved by many. The front of the stage was not yet too cramped as he started his gig with the song Mies jolle ei koskaan tapahdu mitään at two o’clock in the afternoon and as the first artist on the Main Stage. However, people were attracted by his familiar melodies and the audience kept growing. Karjalainen’s crowd consisted of a wide range of festival visitors and Mennyt mies, the hit song of his newest album “Et ole yksin” was the piece to wake the flock up and make them sing and dance in spite of the hot weather.
After a few songs from the latest album and Luuranko rämisee, which was recorded more than twenty years ago, the gig culminated into a bunch of hit songs. Väinö, Villejä lupiineja and Sekaisin are songs to which everyone knows lyrics, at the very least for the refrains and folk sang devotedly together with the artist, even in the beer garden.
Karjalainen’s song, Doris, which he performed as his encore, tells about a woman who stole the singer’s heart. She might have done that, but Karjalainen himself has during his long career claimed his place in the hearts of the people of Finland. Thus he was the perfect start for the festival and we’re good to continue.
Text: Johanna Mikkola
Photo: Tomi Palsa
