- Features:
* MUSEXPO 2007 - Los Angeles
* The Great Escape - Brighton
* Arctic Paradise Live - Helsinki
- Business
- Live News
- Behind the Scenes
- Behind the Numbers
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Finlands roster revealed for Musexpo and The Great Escape - These line ups will blow you away
MUSEXPO 2007
Los Angeles, April 29 - May 2
Bitch Alert (POKO REKORDS)
@ Viper Room, Sunday, April 29 at 9:45pm
“Bitch Alert certainly kick some oppressive male arse.” - Kerrang!
Rubik (FULLSTEAM RECORDS)
@ Key Club, Tuesday, May 1 at 8:00pm
“Rubik are friggin’ awesome. They sound like a mixture of Godspeed You Black Emperor, Jeff Buckley’s band, and maybe a bit of Sigur Rós thrown in there too.” - Music Week
Deep Insight (HMC) @ The Roxy, Tuesday, May 1 at 10:50pm
“Deep Insight are one of those truly exceptional rock bands tucked away on the continent who continually attract new fans with their mix of succulent guitars and exquisite vocals.” -Violet music-news
—> For detailed info and LISTEN TO the bands: www.musex.fi/musexpo2007
THE GREAT ESCAPE - Brighton, May 17-19
Eternal Erection (EAT THIS MUSIC)
“It is the hottest soul I’ve heard for a long time.” -Dirk Schade / Popkomm
Rubik (FULLSTEAM RECORDS)
Magenta Skycode (SOLINA RECORDS)
“The group from Finland stunned me on first listen, with a unique sound that borders between eerie and mystical.” -Obscure Sound
—> For detailed info and LISTEN TO the bands: www.musex.fi/tge2007
ARCTIC PARADISE LIVE - Helsinki, April 20-22
Almost 30 international movers and shakers in world music from Europe, North America and Asia have been invited to Helsinki to check out the flourishing Finnish scene. This tailor-made event on April 20-22, dubbed Arctic Paradise LIVE, will feature showcase concerts by 12 premiere groups, including Maria Kalaniemi (AITO), Wimme (ROCKADILLO) and Gjallarhorn (VINDAUGA). Arctic Paradise LIVE is being organized by the Finnish Music Information Centre (Fimic) in collaboration with the Sibelius Academy, Finnish Folk Music Association, Finnish Kantele Association, and Global Music Centre. For more info visit www.fimic.fi
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BUSINESS
Finnish companies have further strengtened their networks in Russia. The Finnish Music Information Centre (FIMIC) organized music export days in Moscow for the third time on April 1-4. A dozen Finnish companies attended, including record labels, booking agents and managements. Showcases at IKRA club featured Alamaailman vasarat (WOLFGANG), Bleak (HMC), Eternal Erection (EAT THIS MUSIC) and Underwater Sleeping Society (MERCEEDEES).
—> Also check out the Finland - Russia Music Convention (www.fr-convention.com) on the 19th of May in Helsinki organised by Campus Entertainment.
Sunrise Avenue (BONNIER AMIGO) are really cranking up the heat in Germany. The bands album On the Way to Wonderland has achieved gold status, selling 100,000 copies with only one single released so far. The album will also be released in several European and African countries during the spring.
Finnish multi-platinum monster hard-rock act Lordi (SONYBMG) released a double CD/DVD version of their album The Arockalypse in North America on March 20 via THE END RECORDS. Lordi have also been chosen as one of the mainstage acts for OZZFEST 2007, alongside headliners Ozzy Osbourne and Lamb of God. Lordi start their inaugural ‘monster invasion’ of North America on April 20, 2007, at House of Blues Anaheim, California, and end with a two-night stint at the Bamboozle music festival in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on May 5 and 6. Full tour details visit www.lordi.fi
The new Darude (HMC) single Tell Me hit the stores on April 11. Tell Me is the first single from the new Darude album due for release this fall.
Finnish house sensation Star You Star Me will release a remixed version of their debut album The Simple Things worldwide via STARS MUSIC on May 4.
The one and only new entry in the German Native 25 Album Charts (Alternative DJ Charts) this week: Lapko (FULLSTEAM RECORDS) Scandal at spot #21! A good reason to celebrate with their labelmates Disco Ensemble (FULLSTEAM RECORDS) as both bands are currently touring a few selected German cities with massive positive response from audiences!
Musical mastermind Jimi Tenor (KITTY-YO) is to release his amazing live album Live in Berlin on April 20.
Finnish battle beasts Turisas (CENTURY MEDIA) strike back with their frantically awaited follow-up to 2004’s acclaimed debut Battle Metal. Titled The Varangian Way, this opulent, inspired masterpiece will hit European stores in June.
HUUME RECORDINGS is happy to announce the new Vladislav Delay album, Whistleblower, to be released worldwide in early May. And for those who like it more pop, a Luomo remix of Scissor Sisters Lights will be out on POLYDOR sometime soon.
The Orders (PIAAF RECORDS) debut album Guilt & Confusion will be released in Hong Kong and China this spring, via ZOO RECORDINGS.
Echosystems (PRESENCE RECORDS) album Madaga will be released in Japan via INPARTMAINT in May. Daddy Giljoteens debut Once They Called Me a Prodigy will also be released in the GSA countries on April 27.
Niklas Winters (ABOVOICE) new album The Osaka Session is to be released in Japan in early Fall 2007.
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LIVE
HIM (SIRE RECORDS/HMC) are to join forces with Metallica on their Scandinavian tour next summer. HIM have also announced shows in the UK for April. For full details: www.heartagram.com. Lead singer Ville Valo has taken a liking to crossover duets, and has now recorded a song with Finnish singer Manna (SUOMEN MUSIIKKI), after recording a duet with German soap-opera star Natalie Avelon late last year.
Don Johnsson Big Band (SAM AGENCY) have secured a spot at both Summer Sonic Festival venues in Tokyo and Osaka in August. Summer Sonic is Japans biggest festival, the roster for this year already including Avril Lavigne, Black Eyed Peas and Arctic Monkeys.
FINNS AROUND THE GLOBE:
Scandinavia
- Private Line (BAD HABITS): Sweden, April 26-28 (Rock)
- I Walk The Line (COMBAT ROCK INDUSTRY): Denmark, May 2-19 (Punk Rock)
Europe
- Suden aika (ROCKADILLO): Holland, Germany, Denmark, April 14-27 (world music)
- Gjallarhorn (VINDAUGA): Austria, Germany, April 26-30 (world music)
- The Micragirls (BONE VOYAGE): Germany, Switzerland, April 27-May 6 (garage rock)
- Tarot (KINGFOO), Finntroll (SPINEFARM), Machine Men (CENTURY MEDIA): Earthshaker Roadshock Tour; Belgium, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France, UK, April 27-May 13 (metal)
- To/Die/For (SPINEFARM): Italy, April 27-May 1 (metal)
- Desert Planet (STUPIDO): Germany, Switzerland, May 10-19 (game pop)
- Entwine (SPINEFARM): Germany, Netherlands, May 18-28 (metal)
- Tuomas Toivonen (STUPIDO) + Accu (EXOGENIC), Executives: Barcelona, Hot as Hel -showcase Sonar Festival
- Accu (EXOGENIC) + Siiri Nordin (NEXT BIG THING): London, Notting Hill Arts club on Friday 27th of April
North America
- Frigg (NORTHSIDE): USA, Canada, April 13-May 25 (world music)
Asia
- Maria Kalaniemi (AITO):Taiwan, May 12-15 (world music) - Sväng (AITO): Japan, May 18-21 (world music)
- Eisuke Kato Trio with Niklas Winter and Niklas Winter Quartet with Jukka Eskola (ABOVOICE): Japan, May 23-June 3 (jazz)
- Stratovarius (NUCLEAR BLAST): Japan, May 22-25 (Metal)
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Behind the Scenes
Other bands are good friends for a band to have. Finland’s The Crash (FLOP MUSIC), who recently signed a deal covering the United States with Rykodisc, found out about great friends during the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. During their time off from playing their own gigs, British Razorlight’s Björn Ågren and Carl Dalemo checked out The Crash’s showcase gig and liked what they saw, dancing and singing, especially to the Finnish group’s hit song Star.
Behind the Numbers
Did you know that…
- The population of Finland is 5,194,901
- The greater Helsinki’s population will be a million within a month
- Finns drink 404,193,000 litres of beer annually
- 120,000 Finns attend the Seinäjoki Tango Festival annually
- There are 3,360,502 furry animals in Finland of which only 3,620 are squirrels
—> Who the hell counted these…?!
(source: Statistical Yearbook of Finland 2002, Statistics Finland.)