The Vintage Summer of Finland So Far
The summer is already on its way and we’ve been busy playing concerts across various interesting venues and locations. As is often the case with summer concerts, what we’ve also been doing is comparing different weather apps and trying to guess whether the outdoor event will be one where we - and our instruments - will be roasting in glorious sunshine or if, indeed, the whole event will be washed away by torrential rain. Oh summer, how we love you!
Our summer so far
Our summer period began with an almost royal affair at the Fasanerie Castle in Eichenzell near Fulda. We played a concert at the Fürstliches Gartenfest (Princely Summer Garden Festival), hosted by the House of Hesse under the patronage of Donatus, Landgrave of Hesse. The weather was not yet seasonal enough and so we played indoors in a beautiful hall of the castle, and none other than the Throne Room of the castle was our backstage… An interesting curiosity of the House of Hesse is its connection to Finland. Had history taken a slightly different turn, a member of the family might once have become King of Finland. So perhaps we can say that we played at the castle of a “nearly King of Finland”.
Laura and the Throne…
After Eichenzell we headed north for the FINtango festival where we played first as a trio (Laura, Mikko, Norbert) at the legendary Lutterbeker. The excellent dance teachers Leena and Mika joined us from Finland and the Tangon Taikaa Duo Timo Valtonen and Andreas Arend from Berlin. Of course we also had a wonderful audience who were hungry to learn to tango and jenkka, and to generally have a good time. Strupp and Linn Marx and their wonderful team made us feel really welcome. And the next day the whole FINtango caravan moved to Hamburg where in beautiful sunshine we enjoyed a day full of music and dance and friendship at the park Planten un Blomen.
FINtango at Planten un Blomen
Salzgitter-Bad Schallerbach…
Salzgitter hosted the Festival der Klesmer und Weltmusik this summer for the 27th time. We had played there during the 24th edition of the festival, so it was great to return. Especially as the weather last time was not on our side… This time we had great conditions for our concert but by the time our dear friends Gankino Circus took the stage, the skies were ready to open. The guys finished their set in heavy rain, but the general mood in the whole festival area remained positive and happy! The next morning we had to start early to go to Bad Schallerbach for our Austrian debut at Musiksommer Bad Schallerbach. We certainly had a great welcome and the festival staff really looked after us fantastically well! It was a real honour to be a part of this festival and to introduce our music for the first time to lovely Austrian audiences. We’ll return very soon!
With our “brothers from other mothers” Gankino Circus
Following the trail of the “King of Finland”
The summer then continued with a return to Kronberg im Taunus in Hesse, where we played a concert as a part of the 20th anniversary celebrations of Dirk Sackis and his team at the Kronberger Bücherstube. Once again, the weather apps were out but we decided to defy the odds and play the concert in the open at the inner courtyard of the bookshop. It was simply wonderful, like always. Enthusiastic, warm-hearted audience and Dirk and his team made us feel really welcome. And the spirit of the “King of Finland” was also present - Friedrich Karl, Prince of Hesse, was elected King of Finland in 1918, but never ascended the throne after the political situation changed and Finland became a republic instead. Friedrich Karl’s grave is in Kronberg…
And on Sunday we paid a visit to our friends at Sisu Radio in Frankfurt’s Radio X - and also met the namesake of our dangerous Lempi (whose story can be heard on our album Piknik) who was also interviewed for the show. Thanks to Ulla, Piia and the whole Sisu Radio team for having us and for continuing their invaluable work for the Finnish community in Frankfurt and throughout Germany.
With Ulla and Lempi before the Sisu Radio show
The Vintage Summer of Finland continues…
Our summer-long celebration of Uusikuu at 20 continues on the midsummer week with a series of concerts across Germany and Switzerland: Sudhaus in Tübingen, Heitere Fahne in Wabern near Bern, Theater La Lune in Stuttgart and WeinBergKulTour in Radebeul… And there are many more to come this summer. See you somewhere hopefully! Note that one new date has been added, as we can now confirm that we are returning to the Sommerwerft festival in Frankfurt at the end of July. All summer gigs are in the poster below and info about all other gigs you find from the live section of the website.
