Musiikki

I never would have guessed that I would get to hear so many different types of music here in Finland...so far I have experienced opera, folk music, heavy metal, Finnish rap, and Flamenco! While I can't say that I have become a huge fan of every genre (the heavy metal, which Ari gave me an introduction to through his extensive cd collection, is just a little too, well, heavy for me), I have definitely come to realize how music is an international "common language." Today was a day full of new musical experiences for me as Atte (Ari's 20-year-old son) and I went into Helsinki by bus to go to a free music festival that was held in a park just outside of the city center. Although we didn't really know exactly how to get to the park once we got off of the bus, we somehow found it without having to consult a map or ask for directions. Once we got to the stage where the first band would perform, Atte pulled a piece of cotton out of his bag and said that it would be makeshift ear plugs...I was a little surprised, to say the least - I had thought that we would be sitting a reasonable distance away from the stage and would therefore not be at risk for hearing loss. We ended up, however, in the front row of a considerably large crowd of fans (many of whom knew all of the words to all of the songs)...and I actually had a great time (and was thankful for the earplugs)! After that concert finished, Kaati joined Atte and me to hear the next group, Wigwam (a band that originally performed in the 60's/70's). The final band was probably my favorite (and, judging by the large crowd that formed, was the favorite of many people). It was the Don Johnson Big Band, and it consisted of a lead singer (well, actually more of a rapper) and many different types of instruments (including a trumpet, a flute, drums, guitars, and more). Although Kaati and I couldn't stay for the entire concert (we had to catch our bus back to Porvoo), I did hear enough of the music to decide that I liked a lot (and would like to hear more)! Now I will post a few photos...and until my next post, hei hei!