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Ilosaarirock 2007 - 14.07. - 15.07.

My arrival in Joensuu after 5 hours of train was a mixture of different kinds of emotions. Happiness (and weariness) about having reached my destination, and curiosity towards a festival to which I had never been before but about which I had heard a lot of comments. First of all, it should be said that Ilosaarirock (meaning “happy island”, or "Rokki", as it´s often called) is not a "metal" music festival, but a festival which embraces music styles as varied and distant as reggae, rock, pop, hip-hop and metal itself. What does it make it so especial then? Possibly the mixture itself, which attracts a public as varied as its musical offer, open-minded and friendly people who soon enough show to be the very core of the festival.

The festival was divided into 5 stages, and besides the festival "itself" several "club-events" (klubit) were organized. Despite its size and the complexity of coordinating such an amount of stages, it all went really smoothly, which proves how well organized this festival is. As an example, we can mention the free booze-narikka, a system by which people could have their alcohol and drinks stored in the areas nearby the festival entrance and access them free of charge during the whole day. My first stop was Sulo-klubi on Friday, which was organized the day before the actual festival was supposed to begin. Unluckily enough, it started to rain already before the first band hit the stage but the public didn´t seem to care too much and Sulo gathered a great lot of people. Line-up:

* Lapko
* The Ruby Foos
* Stella
* Tohtori Orff & Herra Dalcroze
* Ismo Alanko Teholla
* Jarkko Martikainen
* CMX
* Damn Seagulls
* Apulanta


Saturday 14th

Despite the rain had been going on during the whole night, the weather finally seemed to support everybody´s wishes, and the sun shone during the whole day. Saturday´s schedule looked as follows:

Päälava
* Happoradio
* Maj Karma
* Ville Leinonen & Chrisse Forever Band
* Sonata Arctica
* PMMP
* HIM

Ylex-lava
* Sara
* Husky Rescue
* Terror
* Calexico
* Porcupine Tree

Kolmoslava
* Hidria Spacefolk
* Stonegard
* CunninLynguists
* Insomnium
* Us3

Rentolava
* Puppa J & Tasottavat
* Vavamuffin
* Suhinators
* Kemmuru
* Anthony B

Rekkalava
* Valse Triste
* Klaus Thunder & Ukkosmaine
* Kakka-hätä 77
* Rubik
* Karjalaisen bändikisan voittaja
* Abduktio

I had been looking forward to seeing Sara on stage again since I found out the would take part in Rokki, and they certainly fulfilled my expectations. This Finnish band, with lyrics sang completely in Finnish and music difficult to describe or categorize won´t let you indifferent. The powerful live act, full of energy and delicate melodies creates an atmosphere that catches your attention and keeps you interested until the end.

Next came Maj Karma. This Finnish band, with several years behind and mixing rock music with some punk elements, also gathered a great amount of people around the main stage, and entertained the public with a fun and lively show . The first foreigner band of the day, the Norse Stonegard, hit the kolmos stage and proved Norway has more to offer than just black metal. Thrashy heavy metal, without too many complications but enjoyable nevertheless.
After a little break, back to the main stage to check Sonata Arctica. The band had basically the same setlist they have had for the rest of the Finnish festivals, with classics such as Victoria’s Secret, FullMoon and Tallulah, and closed their show with The Cage. Lots of fireworks and a good performance of the new guitar player of the band, Elias Viljanen, who started replacing Jani during his military service but has finally been officially incorporated to the line-up.


After Sonata Arctica, I went straight to the kolmos stage, in which Insomnium was about to begin, and are probably one of the best finnish melodic death metal bands nowadays. Their live act is something worth checking out, and Aleksi Munster from Swallow the Sun joined the band in some songs on the keyboards.


The eagerly awaited Porcupine Tree didn’t let the public down either, and they unleashed their mixture of rock, metal and psychodelia among the numerous public that had gather under the tent of the Ylex stage. The final act for this day was given by HIM, undoubtedly one of the most famous Finnish bands ever and it was made clear by the amount of people gathered around the main stage and its surroundings. Correct performance, including old classics such as Join Me in Death among some newer ones like Wings of a Butterfly.

Thus the first day of the festival was finished. But the gigs were far from being over yet, so I decided to check Metelli in Jäähalli, with Decended, Impaled Nazarene, Amorphis and Finntroll, which provided a perfect closure.


Sunday 15th

Sunday morning woke up grey and rainy, and so the weather stayed until the end of the festival even though the sun tried to come back now and then. Luckily enough most of the stages were in tents, which allowed people to watch and enjoy the bands as comfortably as possible, but the heavy rain managed to make the floor muddy even in some areas inside the tents. Line-up for this day:

Päälava
* Lännen-Jukka
* Viikate
* Disco Ensemble
* Opeth
* TikTak

Ylex-lava
* Emma Salokoski Ensemble
* Soilwork
* Sick Of It All
* RJD2
* The Cinematic Orchestra

Kolmoslava
* Nieminen & Litmanen
* Dalindèo
* Magenta Skycode
* The Business
* Risto

Rentolava
* Journeymen
* Aiyekooto and His Afrobeat International
* Fat Beat Sound System
* Maria Gasolina
* The Slackers

Rekkalava
* The Odorants
* Tundramatiks
* Scorngrain
* Vihreä Maa


Soon after that, the weather turned so bad and it started to rain so heavily, that I couldn’t find the energy to leave the covered area in the backstage until Opeth was about to begin and the rain stopped for a longer while.


Also eagerly awaited, the Sweds presented their new guitar player in their only festival show this summer, but promised to be back in Finland when the new album is released. The last band of the day, TikTak, had to play with a male in their strictly female-consisting line-up due to the injury of their drummer. And so Rokki finished, with a rather surprising choice for the last band of the festival but lots of good vibes and fun despite of the weather.


Ane/V.U.

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