#helsinki 2007

[eurovision-revisited]

Eurovision 2007: The Interval Act and Other Performances

YLE went for a mix of ice and fire for this year's extra performances. The semi-final was given over to dance troupe Tsuumi together with the Finnish Vocal Ensemble and operatic soloist Johanna Rusanen.

The opening played into this year's slogan with a mix of fantastical characters entertaining a little girl. This included a variety of circus tricks, stunts and accordions plus a lot of tango - Finland is very big on tango.

The dancers and musicians came back for the interval act, this time for a longer piece portraying the courtship and marriage of a dancer and a guitarist accompanied by opera and a choir.

To break-up the running order and to give some space for ads where relevant, there were some, now traditional, Eurovision short pieces showing the arrival of the performers and delegations at the airport, as well as several backstage shots from rehearsals. It gave time for the hosts to engage in a little bit of flirty back and forth including introducing our backstage host, Krisse Salminen who was initially credited as Eurovision fan who happened to have front-row seats.

For the final only Lordi would do - and they opened the show with more pyro than could ever comfortably fit in the arena. It was an explosive rendition of Hard Rock Hallelujah north of the Arctic Circle, pursued by demons over glaciers and through frozen woods in the depths of a Finnish winter.

Cut to the area, and there they are on stage performing the last chorus to the audience again with as much pyro as they could get past the health & safety teams. Lordi's reception by the crowd demonstrated not only how popular they had become in Finland, but also how popular their win had been among the wider Eurovision community. There was a palpable sense of excitement and enthusiasm as the final chords played.

For the interval, YLE continued with the big names. They had Apocalyptica (great name), a cello quartet who got their start with neo-classical cover versions of Metallica hits. They'd been touring Europe since the start of the decade only becoming more popular with their huge shows filled with drama to big audiences.

They were also popular in Germany as evidenced by them taking part in the 2005 Bundesvision Song Contest representing Baden-Württemberg and finishing fifth.

Among them were a number of circus artists including trapeze artists, acro-balance, tumblers, bike stunts and a man in a big rubber ball. Apocalyptica played a medley of three of their own hits albeit without singing.

During the main-show there were the usual cuts away, with more green room chats plus roving reporter Krisse went outdoors to see the crowds absolutely filling Helsinki's Senate Square in front of the Cathedral - it was rammed full, with tens of thousands of Finns having the nights of their lives.

Finland were truly loving hosting Eurovision and their moment in the spotlight. Scenes like this would only help the EBU smile and build Eurovision's size and importance in year's to come. 2007 is the year the growth of the good vibes and scale of Eurovision took on entirely new proportions. It felt good.

[politicalprof]

And so it has come to pass, on this first day of January, 2025, that for the first time since August 1982, I am no longer:

an undergraduate student at (1982-1986);

a graduate student at (1986-1992);

a non-tenure track faculty at (1990-1992; 1992-1994);

an assistant professor at (1994-2000);

an associate professor at (2000-2004);

a professor at (2004-2024);

or a visiting professor at (2007-2008; 2015-2016)

any institution of higher education anywhere in the world.

An academic journey that took me from Boone, NC, to Nashville, TN, to Huntsville, AL, to Spokane, WA, to Normal, IL, with extended visits in London and Helsinki, has come to its end.

Do I know what's next? No. Does that bother me? No. I look forward to finding out.

Peace.

[artpollsblog]

Wounded Angel 1903 oil on canvas by Hugo Simberg

Description: painting showing two boys carrying an angel on an improvised litter. The angel is dressed in white, with white wings with two red scratches visable on one. The angels hair is long and blond, and they have a bandage wrapped around their eyes. Both hands hold onto the litter, but they also hold some snowdrops in one hand. One boy is looking at the viewer with an unhappy expression. They are walking on a brown road beside brown fields with some white flowers scattered on them. There s a bush and a stream running into an lake in the background. In the far background the ground rises out of the lake and two chimneys are visable in a notch.

Propaganda: To quote wikipedia: "The procession passes through a recognisable landscape, that of Eläintarha, Helsinki, with Töölönlahti Bay in the background.[6]" First of all I love when a place is depicted in a way that it is very regonicable for people familar with it, this realness of space gives such personal context. But to quote further "In Hugo Simberg's time, the park was a popular spot for leisure-time activities among the working classes. At the time, many charity institutions were located in Eläintarha park; in The Wounded Angel, the healthy boys are carrying the injured girl towards the Blind Girls' School and the Home for Cripples [sic]." I think both the disability and the working class aspect are very interesting - like look at the boys clothes (the boots of one of them and the ill fitting suit of the other) I do not know what could hurt an angel, but two very ordinary children, are taking care of them, and that touches me.

Propaganda 2: The art is referenced in the music video for "Amaranth" by Nightwish, from 2007. Nightwish is a finnish band (link to the music video here: Warning for flashing lights and quick cuts!)

The wounded angel 1903 by Hugo Simberg. Oil on canvas. The art is 127 cm × 154 cm (50 in × 61 in). The art is at the Finnish National Gallery (link to the art here). This version was accessed though Wikipedia Commons (link here).

The Garden of Death 1896 by Hugo Simberg

Description: A mostly yellow painting shows three skeletons, clad in black robes, tending to a garden. The skeleton closest to the viewer is watering the plants; the skeleton in the middle of the painting hugs a flower to its chest; the last skeleton is turned away from the viewer.

Propaganda: I love this painting. It's one of my favourite art pieces ever, and I adore it for much the same reason I love the Deaths from Discworld and Sandman. The Garden of Death personifies death not as something scary, but as gentle, peaceful, nurturing.

Propaganda 2: what can the harvest hope for, if not for the care of the reaper man? - Reaper Man, Discworld, by Terry Prattchet.

Propaganda 3: It look so incredible tender and warm, with the golden light that is most of the art (beside the white bones and black robes), I specially love the skeleton holding (hugging!) the blue flower. There is also a fresco version in the Tampere Cathedral, which is a less bright golden color and more muted with more contrast with the green grass in the background.

The Garden of Death 1896 by Hugo Simberg. Watercolor and gouache. The art is 16 cm × 17 cm (6.3 in × 6.7 in). The art is at the Finnish National Gallery (link to the art here). This version was accessed through Wikipedia Commons (link here).

[his-argentite]

Damn, i didn't even realise this at first

A reminder/fun fact since verka became a legend in 2007 when esc was in helsinki.

Btw this comment is under this video

[eurovision-facts]

Eurovision Fact #856:

On December 12th, 2024 the fourth edition of the Het Grote Songfestivalfeest (The Big Eurovision Party, a concert featuring past Eurovision contestants) was held.

During the event, 2007 contestants Marija Šerifović (winner, Serbia) and Verka Serduchka (2nd place, Ukraine) met again for the first time in 17 years.

Verka Serduchka posted about the encounter on Instagram saying:

"My dear Marija! We haven’t seen each other for 17 years! And you were the one I’ve been looking to meet in Amsterdam! We invite you to celebrate 20th anniversary! Everything’s on us!"

[Sources]

Helsinki 2007, Eurovision.tv.

Participants of Helsinki 2007: Verka Serduchka, Eurovision.tv.

"My dear Marija!" by @/v_serduchka on Instagram.com.

Het Grote Songfestivalfeest 2024 Participants, Wikipedia.org.

[jokeroutsubs]

[📝ENG translation] The Finnish festival summer will be scorching hot next year - a new festival headlined by the Eurovision Sensation.

A legendary festival is making a comeback in Finland next summer with Joker Out as a headline artist. This post will summarize two articles to tell what is all of this about. There were few articles published in the media but these two will summarize the main points.

English translation by @niini5 and @drugsforaddicts, review by @saallotar proofread by X klámstrákur.

The Finnish festival summer will be scorching hot next year - a new festival headlined by the Eurovision Sensation

Original article written by Jarkko Fräntilä for Rumba, published 19.11.2024.

Happening in Mikkeli!

Dinosaurock, which started in 1987, and Jurassic Rock, which began in 2007, are getting a successor. Dinosaurock comes to Visulahti, Mikkeli,from August 15 to 16, 2025.

The first 12 artists to be announced for the festival have now been revealed. The lineup includes names like Joker Out, Ismo Alanko, Sexmane, Stam1na, Etta, Sara Siipola, Irina, Eevil Stöö, and Mikkeli-based BRHG. Additional programmes will be revealed soon.

The band, which rose to international fame with their song Carpe Diem in last year's Eurovision Song Contest, visited Finland for the first time in 2023. Joker Out performed to sold-out audiences at Olympia, Tampere, at Logomo, Turku, and at two shows at the Tavastia Club, Helsinki. The tickets were sold out in no time. The band performed at Tavastia¹ in the early 2024.

¹Translator note: Concert location in the early 2024 was Kulttuuritalo, Helsinki

Dinosaurock's Aikainen Lisko (Early Lizard)-tickets are on sale from today, 19.11.2024, onward. You can find the event's website here.

————-

Dinosaurock of Visulahti makes a comeback next summer - organising the festival are Jurassic veteran Mikko Jokipii and Jonna Vuolle from Mikkeli

Original article writte by Anssi Mehtälä for Mikkelin Kaupunkilehti, published 19.11.2024.

A dream had for many years of many live music lovers in Mikkeli is about to come true next summer, on on the 15th and 16th of August to be precise.

Mikkeli will then once again host a rock festival, and in what many even consider to be the only right venue too, Visulahti Travel Center.

On Friday and Saturday, around a dozen domestic and foreign artists will perform in Visulahti, of which about half will be announced at this stage.

Among others, Stam1na, Ismo Alanko, Bloodred Hourglass, Sexmane, Irina, Saimaa, Mokoma, Etta and Eevil Stöö will be coming to Visulahti.

One international guest has been confirmed so far: Joker Out, the Slovenian indie rock band that made a name for themselves at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2023.

The band has since visited Finland, performing for instance twice at the Tavastia club in Helsinki and at Ruisrock last summer.

“We are still looking for two or three international performers. The essential thing is that they'll strengthen the festival's repertoire” says Mikko Jokipii, one of the festival's creators.

The festival carries a name that can only be described as legendary, Dinosaurock.

The organiser is a joint-stock company of the same name, founded this autumn and backed by Jurassic Rock's long-time background figure Mikko Jokipii, who is also a film producer, Jonna Vuolle from Mikkeli, and Mikko Linnansaari, who has extensive experience in festival production.

“Our goal is to create a great event for the people of Mikkeli, a celebration of life and joy. It will be a medium-sized rock festival with lots of fun things to do.”

“As a Mikkeli resident, I feel really great to be able to create an event like this with great professionals” festival's producer Vuolle sums up.

“There has been a tremendous amount of positivity about this everywhere.

Let's take a look at the festival history of Mikkeli.

Dinosaurock was a festival organised by the live music association Melmu in Visulahti between 1987 and 1990. It revolutionised Finnish festival culture with its high quality, diverse lineup and relaxed atmosphere.

The Jurassic Rock festival, on the other hand, was held from 2007 to 2018, first in Visulahti and then in Kenkävero.

The new Dinosaurock can be seen as a continuation of the work of Jurassic Rock, which many still fondly remember. So why the name Dinosaurock?

“Dinosaurock is the original rock festival from Mikkeli. We want to honour that, it simply felt better to return to that name” explains Jokipii.

“Additionally, the name Jurassic Rock is now owned by Sanoma Group. It’s better that it stays there” Vuolle adds.

“In any case, our Dinosaurock aims to be liked by both Dinosaurock and Jurassic Rock visitors” Jokipii sums up.

The two-day event is being built in line with its predecessors, as a warm-hearted event.

“Visulahti has always been important to me. It was the number one aspect of Jurassic Rock and once the venue was moved to Kenkävero, the event wasn’t the same for me anymore” Jokipii says.

Visulahti will have two stages, a bigger and a smaller one.

“The planning of the festival area is already underway. Now we are scouting the best possible locations for the stages and other infrastructure” Jokipii says.

Services will cater to even the most demanding audience.

“The time has changed quite a lot since the early years of Jurassic Rock when it comes to festival services. At the same time, the customer expectations have risen regarding the quality of food and drink sales, accessibility, and VIP services. We are working hard on these aspects in collaboration with Visulahti” Jokipii reveals.

The organisers are pleased with the reception the festival project has received. The preparations were started well in advance.

“At the beginning of summer 2023, I was in contact with Mikko for the first time, when I got the idea of organising a music event in Mikkeli.”

“Due to Mikko having a busy schedule with films, the idea was left to simmer and the serious planning of Dinosaurock began this spring with the first meetings in Mikkeli” Vuolle explains.

“It feels like Mikkeli’s music scene now has a space for at least an event of this size” Jokipii describes.

“People everywhere have been incredibly positive about it. Ticket buyers, concert organisers, bands, everyone has been totally like, “Yeah!” And yes, the word ‘legendary’ has come up quite a few times” Vuolle laughs.

This positive reception has also convinced the organisers that the project is worth pursuing.

“If the feedback had been more along the lines of ‘meh, I’m not sure’, we probably wouldn’t even be talking about Dinosaurock right now” Vuolle says.

Mikko Jokipii and Jukka Holmstedt were posing with the Visulahti dinosaur in 2007. (Ph: Taru Hokkanen)

Next summer, the organisers of Dinosaurock expect to attract approximately 5000 people per day.

“It’s a modest goal. But we want to create an event that grows sustainably, if it grows, and that it can be organised practically, repeatedly, and every year” Vuolle notes.

“The program is curated so that every performer matters. And, of course so that the selection is diverse and interesting” she concludes

Dinosaurock’s ‘Aikainen Lisko’ (early lizard) tickets are now on sale today, November 19, 2024. A limited number of tickers are available here.

[xinfinityl0ve17]

Moi Dix Mois

Emperor of Darkness Stands in Europe

Have you already watched the live DVD DIXANADU Fated 'raison d'être' Europe Tour 2007 which captures the scenes from the European tour in October 2007? Focusing primarily on the final performance in France this work also features the atmosphere of the tour that visited eight locations in six countries. It gives insight into Moi dix Mois' popularity in the region and the 'heat' of the live performances can be felt through the screen. We spoke with the leader, Mana (G), about the contents of the DVD and his impressions of the various European countries he experienced firsthand.

― As we look back on the European tour let's talk about the live DVD DIXANADU Fated 'raison d'être Europe Tour 2007 which captures those moments. This tour took place in October last year and it was the first time you did something so extensive in Europe, right?"

"Yes, that's right. We went to six countries and performed in eight locations. Along the way the staff often mentioned how equipment would frequently break at the various venues. Apparently, that’s considered 'normal' over there. There were plenty of small issues like that but i’ve come to realize that if you let those things bother you, you won’t be able to tour in Europe or abroad. So recently, i’ve gotten used to it. I go with the mindset that something’s bound to happen (laughs)."

― So, I’d like to hear your impressions of each country you visited. Let's start with Finland, the first stop in Helsinki. It's a country that's also booming in the rock scene, right?

"Finland is home to bands like Children of Bodom and Hanoi Rocks, right? It was our first time there and i was struck by how rock is integrated into their culture. After the show, we saw a news program and they aired a special on rock music with footage from our concert."

― Wow, they featured Moi dix Mois on a regular news show?

"Yeah, that’s right. The cold, crisp atmosphere of Finland also left an impression. (laughs) We arrived late at night, so we didn’t have time for any sightseeing. That’s the biggest thing that stuck with me but the audience reaction was incredible."

― Finland’s government seems to be quite supportive of rock music, even promoting it as part of their culture, right?

"Ah...! Maybe that’s why. We were interviewed for TV, and they aired it during the night on a standard news program. I was surprised to see footage from our show being included in a regular news broadcast. But after hearing what you said, it kind of makes sense now."

― Next was Sweden, known as a haven for Nordic metal and melodic death metal. What were your thoughts before going?

"Before going, I had a strong image of Yngwie Malmsteen (laughs). I also had this vague image of beautiful scenery and a place I felt connected to. This was the only time we flew during the tour, and since we arrived during the day, the local promoter took us sightseeing. The area around our hotel was in the city center, and Stockholm was really lively. But if you walked a little further, the buildings and scenery were breathtakingly beautiful."

[residentraccoon]

Hi I made Top 27 I was bored, warning shitty takes ahead

1. Albania - I absolutely stan this, powerful dramatic folk but not the kind Albania usually sends, it's so much more catchy than their other entries. My favorite albanian entry by far, it even surpasses Ktheju Tokes and Image of You, and that says a lot tbh. What an iconic duo.

2. Latvia - It's so out of this world, I love their harmonies and the staging is GENIUS, the whole package is perfect. In a fair world this is getting top 5 but we all know it's never going to happen 🥲👍

3. Luxembourg - First and foremost I'm a Poupée de Cire stan so of course I'm obsessed with this. I love all the Poupée de Cire references and even if they're both puppet-themed songs, they have opposing POVs (France's song is about being like a puppet singer controlled by the producer of your songs while Laura sings about breaking the mold and doing your own thing aka NOT being a puppet) which is really cool.

4. Italy - Olly was good but this one I LOVE!! It evokes such nostalgic feelings to me it almost makes me cry a lil? (pathetic) Maybe it's the tone he sings in or the genre that's very familiar to what music I listened to when I was a kid. Probably my favorite Italian entry since Måneskin (I liked Angelina too but man Lucio is just lovely)

5. Iceland - I had this banger on loop for like a month now and I can't stop listening to it. It's super energetic and even sounds like a sea-shanty. The dudes remind me a bit of Jedward too.

6. Lithuania - This is exactly what I needed rn, emo sadboi band. It also feels a bit angry, as if he's singing about something very dear to him that he lost. It's very deep and melancholic, I can't not love this.

7. Finland - Girlie is slayyyinggg she ateee left no crumbs~ 💅✨️ she's serving cunt Helsinki 202- ok I'm done with this stan twitter impression. I love how 80s this sounds and she's absolutely delivering on stage. The big ass microphone is also iconic. If you'd tell 2020 me that Erika will finally go to ESC in exactly 5 years I'd have probably lost my shit fr. I remember the collective anneurysm the fandom had when she didn't win back then.

8. Poland - Witchy queen gotta witch. She absolutely DELIVERS and I love her attitude on stage. Can't believe we get a 1995 returnee, wow!

9. Montenegro - I love the drama and her voice is impeccable. The mood change between her 2013 song and her 2025 one is hillarious.

10. Belgium - I liked this more on the 2nd listen, it's like Luktelk on crack which is really cool. I hope for it to grow more and more on me. It's such a vibe fr

11. Greece - She's putting her heart and soul into this performance, I also love the dramatic feels and it seems like she's singing about something very personal to her.

12. Denmark - It's giving ESC in 2013 when countries would bring synthpop similar to Euphoria, but honestly I'm here for it, kinda the same story as with Saba last year, it's generic but nostalgic in a way, I surprisingly really like it...

13. Armenia - He's one hell of a performer and the song just gives you energy, also reminds me a bit of Imagine Dragons.

14. Azerbaijan - Reminds me so much of when I was 12 and obsessed with Get Lucky by Daft Punk after spending like 3 months to find that song because I first heard it on the radio and had no idea what's it called. Love the traditional synth sounds too.

15. Austria - I sense top 3 with the juries and oh my gosh his voice is just angelic. Really touching and I hope he can deliver it live. We have a strong contender here (for now)

16. Germany - When I heard the live performance I thought the vocals were awful and the song boring, but I instantly liked it more in studio, it's such a chill upbeat song and in GERMAN?? We haven't had german in this contest for 18 years!! (2007 was 18 years ago, fucking execute me)

17. Ireland - It's growing on me a lil but I feel a bit conflicted since a lot of people criticise this song because it comes across as insensitive (I get it, but I also see it like how a kid would imagine a better story for Laika). It has a bit of childlike wonder to it which is really sweet, I really like Emmy as an artist too (I loved her MGP 2021 song, she should have kept it for this year instead ngl) and Laika deserved SO much better, poor dog...This song reminds me of 2000s/2010s nightcore remixes and stuff, it's somehow nostalgic.

18. Spain - Sounds a bit like kitschy 2000s spanish soap opera, a bit too dated, but honestly I'm here for it. Dramatic and over the top, but still fun.

19. Slovenia - The message is so touching and he seems so genuine performing it, kinda makes me sad to see it dead last in so many tops (but I understand why it is). I loathed the other option Slovenia had and I was so happy to find out this won over the mumble girlie pop song with repetitive lyrics everyone was hyping tbh.

20. Netherlands - This...kinda failed to grab me tbh and I feel bad because Claude has an awesome voice and the song has potential, I find the usage of French here a bit cheesy (like it has your usual French sayings) but overall it's a decent song. I think it could score well.

21. Norway - Oh this is so qualifying and getting a top 10 result (it's something casuals would absolutely eat up). Kyle seems like a great artist and all but my gosh this song is just...not it. It's super generic but he sells the hell out of it. Norway's selection this year was below the sea level anyway holy shit I was never so dissapointed in a NF ever, not even Romania's disaster selection from 2023 gets close to this. At least Lighter was the best one out of the bunch and he won. And I'm sure MGP as a show was well executed and not half-assed like how Selecția Nationala was. 💀

22. Estonia - Listen I kinda liked this when it came out, it even has a bit of electroswing vibes (I really like that genre don't @ me) but the current stunts of Tommy rn kinda ruin the song for me. It also doesn't help that Tommy is only participating to complete the trio of haha quirkee bois singing funnee songs uwu~ just for the sake of it. I'd probably like it more if he represented himself and his country instead of Joost and Kä but maybe that's just me.

23. Croatia - Love that it's quirky and edgy, this could either get top 10 or NQ, depends on the staging a lot. The song itself feels a bit flat, though.

24. Serbia - Sounds pretty but that's about it...I listened to it for the first time, kinda liked it, but after it ended I didn't really remember how it sounds like nor felt the need to listen to it again.

25. Ukraine - This really didn't convince me at all, I like the cute cottagecore staging and some parts of the song but I find the chorus really weak, like it builds up to nothing. Solid entry I guess.

26. Malta - I do not get this song at all sorry guys I just...can't do more than just meme the "serving kant" part over and over (it's a dumb inside joke of mine) but take the funnie wordplay out of this and it becomes yet another generic girliebop that's borderline obnoxious. If Loop got dead last then this one should get last as well (they're very similar but Loop was much more professionally executed, Kant is much weaker so...yeah you get the point)

27. Australia - I'm over the quirky ahh song with double meaning for now, I find it incredibly distasteful, the only thing that I appreciated at least it's that it reminds me of Bo Burnham. That's it. Thanks for ruining milkshakes for me I won't touch this beverage with a 10ft pole because of this song now. I wanted to like it cause the melody itself is pretty cool but man the lyrics...

[eurovision-revisited]

Eurovision 2007 - Wrap Up

Almost nothing went wrong at Eurovision 2007. With the small wrinkle of sightlines within the arena for some, it was hugely successful. A record number of entrants, hosts were overjoyed to be hosting and did so with infectious enthusiasm. We got both Marija and Verka in the same year. The graphic design was possibly the best Eurovision had ever seen and Lordi set off all the fireworks in Finland. Even the postcards were well done.

Looking back now, it's one of the Eurovisions that the fandom stans for in a big way. So many all timers and great songs, big names and that huge semi-final that will never be equalled in scope. There weren't even any Sylvia Night moments to get everyone booing.

And yet, after the show ended, around Western Europe at least the outcome was scandalous. The bubbling resentment at Europe's eastward expansion exploded in accusations of block-voting and even fixing allegations. When everyone might have been congratulating Finland and YLE for running such a good show, instead people were looking for evidence of skulduggery.

The thing is that the voting went smoothly and the votes were distributed as fairly as they'd ever been. The songs that were at the top were, by and large, liked by everyone. There weren't really any strong pushes for any of the songs. For the first time ever eleven countries got over one hundred points, boosted by the number of participants. There were no nil points at all.

The biggest problem should have been how to cope with the increasing numbers and making sure that the semi-final was of a manageable size - and there was a solution to that. The EBU didn't see a need to address the concerns because it just wasn't a huge problem. That wasn't how many of the traditional Eurovision countries saw things however.

There are currently eight songs from 2007 in the latest songfestival.be annual Top 500. If I use the previous year's top 500 in order to compare it to 2006, it's a little more popular with eleven. Not quite matching the twelve from 2005. It does have some huge highs in it that are nigh on unmatched in any Eurovision from the first decade of the twenty-first century.

It was a great year. Big and showy and weird in all the right ways. But it was the year that demonstrated that once and for all the Big Four as well as the Eurovision originals had lost their collective mojo. Rather than look at themselves, it was the moment they turned on the newcomers and almost (but not quite) accused them of cheating.

As Santa hands Marija Šerifović her trophy and gives her one of the all time top-ten awkward Eurovision kisses, the fallout from this almost perfectly run contest was underway. What would the consequences be for 2008?

[valtionrautatiet-official]

An introduction to VR multiple units, part 5: Sm6

The Sm6 Allegro. When I started this series about our multiple units, I first thought I would cover the Sm6 in the "operated for others" -series, then thought I would leave it out altogether... but events overtook my plans and now I'm introducing them as VR's own multiple units, although they are not yet in operation as VR trains.

An Sm6 unit on the Kerava-Lahti line, currently the only bit of high-speed rail in Finland, 2011. Teemu Peltonen, Vaunut.org.

Since the 1990s, two daily return trains had been operated between Helsinki and Saint Petersburg, Russia: the Sibelius, which used VR carriages, and the Repin, which used RŽD carriages. In 2006, the two rail operators decided to replace the locomotive-hauled trains, which took five hours to make the trip, with jointly-owned high-speed trains. For this purpose, a new jointly-owned subsidiary Karelian Trains was established.

Two Sm6's during pre-service entry test runs at Vainikkala, the border station between Finland and Russia, with the locomotive-hauled St. Petersburg train Sibelius on the right. Lari Nylund, Vaunut.org.

After a round of tenders, Karelian Trains opted for the Pendolino design (already used by VR in the form of the Sm3) from Alstom in 2007, with four units to be delivered in 2010 (there was also an option for two additional units, which was never taken up). Although the exterior design of the new Sm6 units was almost identical to the Sm3, in terms of technology they feature numerous improvements compared to the older class, and were outfitted to operate both on the Russian and Finnish electric systems. Due to the small difference in gauge between the two countries (Russia uses 1520 mm but Finland 1524 mm) the trains were given near-unique gauge of 1522 mm.

Interior of the Sm6's first-class carriage as delivered. Otto Karikoski, Wikimedia Commons.

Branded Allegro, the new Sm6 units begun operations in December 2010, cutting the travel time between Helsinki and St. Petersburg to 3½ hours. In addition to services offered on Sm3 units, the Sm6 has (or perhaps more accurately had) a space for the border patrol to use, as passport control was done en-route on the train, and a kid's playroom. The original grey-dominated interiors were replaced by new, more colourful blue designs in 2018-2019.

The new interiors were not in use for long before the Covid-19 pandemic caused for passenger train services between Finland and Russia to be suspended in March 2020. The Allegro services were restored in December 2021 (the Helsinki-Moscow sleeper train Tolstoy, however, was not), and ran for less than four months until closed again in March 2022 after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. (VR subsequently stopped freight traffic to Russia too - other Finnish rail operators continue to serve freight to and from Russia, however).

Second-class carriage in the post-2019 look. VR.

After March 2022, the four Sm6 units languished at VR's Ilmala depot in Helsinki, without maintenance as RŽD refused to make any payments for their share in Karelian Trains (which, although jointly Finnish-Russian owned, was registered in Finland). In March 2023, when Finnish prime minister Sanna Marin visited Kiev, Ukrainian Railroads requested the Sm6 units be handed over to them, but nothing ever came of this. Instead, in December 2023, when Karelian Trains was on the brink of bankruptcy due to RŽD not paying their share of the company's bills, VR bought out Karelian Trains and took over the Sm6 units.

The trains will be given a thorough technical refit, which will include removal of the systems to operate with Russian electrification, and will enter services on routes within Finland in 2025. How they will be branded is unknown, though a VR representative said in an interview they will not be called Allegro. Presumably this will make the Sm6 the first VR rolling stock class to be fully painted in the new livery.

[a-silent-symphony]

The 4 songs Nightwish have only performed live once

They’ve been around for two-and-a-half decades and played nearly 1,000 shows, and through it all symphonic metal’s superstars have only performed these songs one time

You can’t talk about symphonic metal without mentioning Nightwish. Not long after forming in the mid-1990s, Tuomas Holopainen’s majestic mavens became the measuring stick for the genre. They scored regular chart success in their native Finland while at the same time earning critical acclaim, thanks to their unencumbered, all-instruments-blaring vision.

Nightwish have written upwards of 100 songs since they started, and most of them have serenaded fans during their litany of live shows in that time. Hammer’s already listed the tracks that these maximalists have never once performed, but an even more exclusive club is that of the ones they brought out once then immediately scrapped. Below are the four songs Nightwish have only played live on a solitary occasion, according to setlist database setlist.fm.

Moondance (Oceanborn, 1998)

Nightwish’s debut, 1997’s Angels Fall First, was written and recorded with the intention of it being a demo, not a fully fledged studio album. As a result, it’s far more raw, rough and ready than anything else the Finns have ever unfurled. Followup Oceanborn swiftly chartered them down more grandiose avenues, and the instrumental Moondance is indicative of the more heroic sound the band craved: keyboardist Tuomas busts out a bombastic melody as his fellow musicians gallop along.

However, maybe because it would leave Nightwish’s vocalist with nothing to do for a bit, this segue’s only ever made the set once. It was at Club Feeniks in Turku, Finland, on February 13, 1999, performed as part of a broader instrumental suite towards the end of the night.

Sleepwalker (2000)

Oceanborn marked Nightwish’s commercial coming out party. Its lead single, Sacrament Of Wilderness, was the band’s first song to top the Finnish charts, then the album’s cover of Walking In The Air repeated that feat in 1999. Because of such success, the maestros decided to battle for a spot at the 2000 Eurovision Song Contest, hoping to represent their home nation with a newly written piece, Sleepwalker.

Sleepwalker won the public vote when Nightwish made their case on national TV to stand for Finland, but the scores of a judging panel brought them down to third place overall. The bid was disappointingly dashed, meaning that the sole performance of this song was to those stuffy judges in Helsinki on February 12, 2000.

Meadows Of Heaven (Dark Passion Play, 2007)

Nightwish brought the tour for 2007’s Dark Passion Play to an end in poetic fashion. Meadows Of Heaven is the final song on album six (the first to feature Anette Olzen behind the mic), and it ends 75 minutes of cinematic metal in appropriately operatic form. Its live debut was saved for the very last show the band played before retreating into the writing room to dream up Imaginaerum, aptly closing the main set.

Nightwish didn’t return to the stage until 2012, by which point they had 75 more minutes and 13 more songs in their arsenal. Unsurprisingly, then, Meadows Of Heaven became a one-and-done, but it served its role beautifully the one time it did rear its head.

Pan (Human :||: Nature, 2020)

Like many, many other metal bands, Nightwish saw the pandemic through by replacing the touring they should have done for 2020’s Human :||: Nature with a livestream. Actually, strike that: they hosted two. The band played a two-night set, dubbed An Evening With Nightwish In A Virtual World, which marked the debut of numerous songs from the preceding album, including Shoemaker, Tribal and Noise.

The only one that didn’t make it onto real-life stages was Pan. It’s a shame, as not only does the song continue Nightwish’s overblown ways unabated, but it flaunts some pretty gnarly riffs to boot. Sadly, though, the fact remains: this anthem was dispatched following its livestream debut. And, given that Nightwish are currently gearing up to release Human :||: Nature’s successor, it’s unlikely it’ll get its time in the sun.

[tailschannel]

SEGA president claims Sonic Frontiers sold 3.5 million units worldwide, becoming best-selling 3D title in franchise history

The hedgehog's latest title, Sonic Frontiers, apparently cleared another major milestone, if the words of the publisher's co-chief operating officer were anything to go by.

In a joint press conference with Rovio Entertainment last Tuesday, SEGASammy transmedia president Shuji Utsumi claimed that the open-zone game sold a worldwide total of 3.5 million copies.

If officialized by SEGA, it is widely expected that Frontiers will surpass Sonic Heroes to become the best-selling 3D-based title in the franchise's history, according to the last officially-disclosed sales data after 2007.

Even though the sales figure was said by a senior executive at SEGA, the number has yet to be corroborated by the parent company. In late April, SEGA Sammy Holdings officially disclosed to investors that the open-zone game distributed over 3.2 million copies, which contributed to a record-high of 8.1 million full game units sold for the Blue Blur.

The news came at a time when the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise enjoyed renewed success through its vast transmedia portfolio. At the press conference, held at Rovio's home turf in Helsinki, Finland, Utsumi touted Sonic's continued presence through merchandising, animation, and community building; and mused similar, potential developments with Rovio's Angry Birds property.

Tails' Channel reached out to SEGA Sammy Holdings for additional comment.

[devilsketttle]

Ok but do you guys remember who else came second place in Eurovision (when it was held in Helsinki, Finland, no less)?

Verka Serduchka.

Does the average Eurovision enjoyer even remember who won in 2007? I bet no. Even though this year's situation is admittedly different, I still think Käärijä has potential to become an Eurovision icon and a highly requested guest for years to come.

[skimblestrap]

1986 Helsinki tidbits

I've made it my lifes mission to find out everything I can about Helsinki 1986 apparently. Well, maybe it has something to do with the fact it's literally the best non-rep in Finland (in my humble opinion. sorry but Tampere 2017 and Lahti 2007 do not look good)

Anyway, here's some characters!

Skimbleshanks (Tom Pöysti) and Mistoffelees (Harri Heikkinen)

Would love to see more of Misto, I'm intrigued by his curly hair... AND I want to hear a recording of Skimble, his actor has a very pleasant voice. (Also: Skimbles Finnish name, Toppa-Roy, directly translates to Sugarloaf-Roy :) )

Mungojerrie (Langry Chellaf), Victoria (Helena Haaranen (?)) and Rumpleteazer (Maire Alho (?))

Only thing I have to say is that Mungojerrie was played by a famous circus actor!

Munkustrap (Arto Rintamäki) and a cat I can't identify.

Nothing more to say than Munk is bald and that other cat looks really cool (It might be Demeter but I really can't say. It's Impossible to find pictures of most of the actors)

[eurovision-facts]

Eurovision Fact #957:

Zoë Më (Switzerland 2025) preformed a medley, which she called her Eurovision Mëdley, on piano of 12 Eurovision songs sung in their country's native language.

The songs in order were:

"Voilà" by Barbara Pravi (France 2021)

"My Sister's Crown" by Vesna (Czechia 2023)

"Due Vite" by Marco Mengoni (Italy 2023)

"Teresa & Maria" by alyona alyona & Jerry Heil (Ukraine 2023)

"De Diepte" by S10 (Netherlands 2022)

"Ein Bißchen Frieden" by Nicole (Germany 1982)

"Stefania" by Kalush Orchestra (Ukraine 2022)

"Soldi" by Mahmood (Italy 2019)

"SloMo" by Chanel (Spain 2022)

"Molitva" by Marija Šerifović (Serbia 2007)

"Cha Cha Cha" by Käärijä (Finland 2023)

"Saudade, Saudade" by MARO (Portugal 2022)

[Sources]

Participants of Basel 2025: Zoë Më, Eurovision.tv.

"Eurovision Mëdley" by Zoë Më on YouTube.com.

Participants of Rotterdam 2021: Barbara Pravi, Eurovision.tv.

Participants of Liverpool 2023: Vesna, Eurovision.tv.

Participants of Liverpool 2023: Marco Mengoni, Eurovision.tv.

Participants of Malmö 2024: alyona alyona & Jerry Heil, Eurovision.tv.

Participants of Turin 2022: S10, Eurovision.tv.

Participants of Harrogate 1982: Nicole, Eurovision.tv.

Participants of Turin 2022: Kalush Orchestra, Eurovision.tv.

Participants of Tel Aviv 2019: Mahmood, Eurovision.tv.

Participants of Turin 2022: Chanel, Eurovision.tv.

Participants of Helsinki 2007: Marija Šerifović, Eurovision.tv.

Participants of Liverpool 2023: Käärijä, Eurovision.tv.

Participants of Turin 2022: MARO, Eurovision.tv.

[mariacallous]

Former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari who mediated Kosovo-Serbia talks from 2005 to 2007 passed away on Monday in Helsinki, Finland, the CMI, his Peace Foundation, confirmed. Ahtisaari was 86.

Sauli Niinisto, President of Finland, on X (formerly Twitter) expressed sadness when receiving the news. “Martti Ahtisaari believed in people, civilization and goodness, and he lived a great, remarkable life,” Niinisto said.

Ahtisaari was appointed in 2005 as the United Nations special envoy for talks on the final status of Kosovo, seven years after he had played a key role in trying to bring an end to hostilities there.

After no results in the talks between Serbian and Kosovo’s ethnic Albanian officials, he recommended ‘supervised independence’ for Kosovo.

The so-called Ahtisaari plan served as the basis for Kosovo’s declaration of independence from Serbia on February 17, 2008, and the reforms it prescribed were pursued in the following months by Kosovo’s government.

However the plan was never put up for a vote at UN Security Council because of Russia’s announcement that it would use its veto, as a permanent member.

In 1999, during NATO air strikes campaign against Yugoslav forces, Ahtisaari served as mediator for the European Union in the attempt to persuade then Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to accept NATO’s plan for an end to hostilities.

He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008 for his work in Indonesia, Kosovo and other countries. Ahtisaari then told CNN that peacemaking is always possible and is something which makes him feel proud. “This has sought to work in Indonesia and Kosovo,” Ahtisaari told CNN. In 2005, he oversaw the end of a three-decade conflict between the Indonesian government and Free Aceh Movement rebels that killed some 15,000 people.

Miroslav Lajcak, the EU envoy on the Kosovo- Serbia dialogue, expressed his sadness on Ahtisaari’s passing.

“A highly respected giant of foreign policy, I immensely valued his knowledge, vision and assessments. He once famously said peace is a question of will. This remains more true than ever,” Lajcak said on ‘X’.

Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani said the people of Kosovo mourn the passing of Ahtisaari. “He stood shoulder to shoulder with us as we penned our story as a sovereign, democratic, and independent state. His visionary legacy will forever live in the memory of the people of Kosovo,” Osmani said..

Ahtisaari was President of Finland from 1994 to 2000. Prior to that he had a distinguished career at the United Nations and the Finnish Foreign Ministry.

In 2000, he founded the Crisis Management Initiative, CMI, an independent non-governmental organisation, to continue his legacy of conflict resolution. CMI is today known as CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation.