Author: Antonio Diaz

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Aivojumpan hyödyt

Monet meistä ovat oppineet pitämään itsestään parempaa huolta. Uudet urheilulajit puskevat läpi yhä useammalta suunnalta ja trendejä seurataan silmä kovana. Kaiken pöhinän keskellä on joskus helppo unohtaa se, mikä urheilunkin päätavoite on: hyvä ja terve mieli. Vaikka pitkän päivän jälkeen onkin helppo pyöräyttää Netflix päälle ja vaipua viihteen uumeniin, kannattaa silloin tällöin myös harkita kunnon henkisen verryttelyn hyviä puolia.

Kuinka pitää mieli virkeänä?

Kun puhutaan aivoista, täytyy muistaa että niitä voi lähteä haastamaan mitä erilaisemmilla tavoilla. Joillekin integraalilaskut tuottavat vaikeuksia, jotkut eivät saa piirrettyä edes tikku-ukkoja suoraan. Mitä osa-aluetta itse haluaisit kehittää? Jo läppärin äärelle istuttaessa vaihtoehdot ovat rajattomia. On milloin vain mahdollista napsauttaa selaimelle näkyviin shakkilauta ja alkaa vääntämään kättä henkisesti tai vaikka ratkoa sudokua.

Tänne olemme koonneet muutaman ehdotuksen hyvistä tavoista pitää aivot tiukilla!

Kirjan lukeminen

Jos ei satu olemaan kilpailuhenkisellä tuulella, kirja on hyvä tapa pitää mieli hereillä. Netti on pullollaan monenlaisia palveluita, joista voi ladata mieluista luettavaa. Lukeminen vaatii vain uppoutumista, mikä voi olla jopa rentouttavampaa kuin vaikkapa videon katsominen, vaikka se aktivoikin aivoja aivan eri tavalla. Lukeminen auttaa muistia, lisää tietoutta ja parantaa sanavarastoa.

Palveluita löytyy niin maksullisina kuin maksuttominakin. Esimerkki maksuttomasta palvelusta on readanybook.com, jossa pääsee lukemaan kirjautumisen jälkeen haluamiaan teoksia. Toki kirjan lukeminen onnistuu muuallakin kuin netissä. Suomesta löytyy kiistatta yksi maailman parhaimmista kirjastojärjestelmistä, joten maksamilleen veroille kannattaa ehdottomasti käydä hakemassa vastinetta muutaman kovakantisen verran.

Pelaaminen rahalla

Usein ylenkatsottu puoli korttipeleissä, tuuripeleissä ja veikkauksissa on niiden analyyttinen vaativuus. Ne ovat loppujen lopuksi aina todennäköisyyslaskentaa. Pelit toki vaihtelevat hurjasti taidon ja tuurin välillä, mutta on varmaa, ettei löydy yhtäkään huippupelaajaa, joka istuu aivot nollilla ja luottaa tuuriinsa.

Kovimmat pelaajat kokeilevat monia erilaisia pelistrategioita ja onnistuvat tekemään pelaamisestaan jopa melko tuottoisaa. Voisi kuvitella, ettei vaikka pelirullissa ole juuri taktikoinnin varaa, mutta esimerkiksi suomalaiset kasinot tarjoavat monia erilaisia bonusvaihtoehtoja, joita vertailemalla voi saada hyviäkin etuja netissä pelatessa. Laskelmoivaa ajattelua tällainen hupi taatusti kehittää, mutta kohtuus on hyvä pitää mielessä.

Fiksu keskustelu

Moni ei koe foorumeilla notkumista kovin kehittävänä, mutta se riippuu täysin siitä miten aikansa siellä käyttää. On vaikea uskoa, kuinka monia erilaisia keskustelupalstoja netistä voikaan löytää. Yksi suurimmista keskustelusivustoista, joka on hyvä mainita, on Reddit. Sieltä löytyy alafoorumeita kaikesta maan ja taivaan väliltä.

Monet eri harrastusporukat, fanittajat ja kirjoittajat kohtaavat ja tuovat ajatuksiaan esille juuri heille tarkoitetuilla nettisivuilla. Kiinnostaako autot, poliittiset ilmiöt, astronomia, oluen paneminen tai metallimusiikki? Kaikille näille löytyy tuhatpäinen foorumi niin suomeksi kuin englanniksikin.

Ajankohtaisista asioista keskustelu, tiedon hankkiminen ja itsensä ilmaisu ovat kaikki aivoja vaativia tehtäviä. Löydä siis itsellesi sopiva sivusto ja pistä parastasi! Trollien välttely, argumentointi ja luova kirjoittaminen kehittävät niin monia henkisiä taitoja, ettei niitä kaikkia tänne kannata edes listata.

Lopuksi

Aivot toimivat kuin lihas. Käyttämättöminä ne rapistuvat sitä nopeammin mitä vanhemmaksi tulee. Ne tarvitsevat haasteita tai ne surkastuvat. Jos olo on väsynyt, saamaton eikä luova ajattelu suju, ongelma saattaa olla vain verryttelyn puute. Kuten fyysinenkin liikunta, aivojumppa voi parantaa muistia, luovaa ajattelua ja vähentää ahdistusta.

On tärkeää olla ottamatta aivojumppaa liian vakavasti ja muistaa nauttia ajastaan. Jos ajatus stressaa liikaa, voi löhöily silloin tällöin olla ihan hyväkin ajatus. Kuten liikunnassakin, lopullinen tavoite on aina pitää itsensä terveenä ja onnellisena!

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Features Interviews Music

Interview with Anneke van Giersbergen at Helsinki Tuska Metal Festival

Dutch metal singer Anneke van Giersbergen has been undoubtedly a reference as one of the most talented female metal voices for more than two decades, since her early beginnings with the band The Gathering.

Having a special relation with Helsinki where she visits and performs often, and with a wide list of collaborations with amazing bands and projects such as Moonspell, Within Temptation, Anathema, Devin Townsend Project or Ayreon, Anneke loves Tuska festival in Helsinki, and Tuska festival loves her back.

Anneke was the queen of the opening Friday day at Tuska performing live 3 times during a busy evening, with her new band Vuur, in a short acoustic solo for some lucky winners of a competition and closing the night as special guest together with Devin Townsend Project. An excellent opportunity for the Finnish fans to enjoy once more her amazing vocal skills, special energy on stage and perennial charming smile.

Before that, FREE! Magazine had the chance to sit with her for a few minutes in the backstage so she could share with us her impressions about Vuur, her visits to Finland and the future plans ahead:

Thanks for your time Anneke! You come to Helsinki quite often, and this time is with your new band Vuur. Can you tell us a bit more what the fans here in Finland can expect from the incoming gig?

Thanks to you too! Yeah, it has been a long time since I made a true metal album, cause I have been all over the place and I love all kind of different styles of music, I just love singing. But I felt when we were working on The Gentle Storm like I wanted to continue making a solo album with these same guys, the live band of The Gentle Storm, cause they are so good! I was very inspired by them, so I thought that if I wanted to make a metal album on my own, I had to do it now and with these guys, so I did! And it turned out even better than I expected, there is a good vibe around it and people are excited anticipating it!.

If I am not mistaken there is already released the first official track. How are the plans for the release of the album?

We are doing one or two more tracks before the album gets released in October and we will do some summer festivals anyway where we play new songs, so there will be new songs online, in Youtube etc.

Do you feel easier now with the new technologies and social media to reach your audience?

Yeah, I think is great to have Youtube, Spotify and the whole thing. It is easier to get our music out and to get people to the shows. Of course maybe you sell a bit less Cds than 20 years ago but it does not matter, we need to be creative!

You are going to have a busy day today right? After Vuur concert you will make a small solo acoustic show and Devin Townsend is playing later, are you gonna join them?

Yes, I am going to join them. 3 shows today, but I am looking forward to all 3!

I remember that you were here in Tuska last time 2 years ago when you came with The Sirens, I saw that show. What memories do you have?

I just love Tuska festival, it is a fantastic festival and I love it every time since I came here. I wanted to come back with Vuur very much and I was on the trousers of Jouni (Jouni Markkanen, Tuska Festival promoter) to bring us here. He booked us even without listening to the album! So he believes in me and in the band and that is so cool! It is great to have a few festivals before the release of the album.

Do you find the Finnish audience having special features compared to other countries? Sometimes other artists have told me that they are more silent but you can feel how they are enjoying the music deep inside…

Yeah, that’s the thing about the Finnish, like you said, they are collected and quiet but there is so much fire and passion, and you can see it, you know. But when the song finishes, they are loud. It is a crazy thing about Finland.

I remember in 2010 for example when you came with Anathema, not sure if you have memories of that day, but the people were really crazy at Tavastia Club!

Totally! As the Finnish say of themselves “we are quiet people” and I know that there is a bit of a reservation there, but still you have a lot of passion for arts, music, artists…

I also wanted to ask you about the special concert you gave 3 years ago for the 25th Anniversary of The Gathering with all the previous artists. How did it feel?

It was great, it was very peculiar cause when we talked about it, and with some people I have not seen them for 8 years, and then we talked about the reunion and then we started rehearsing and it felt like yesterday that we played these songs together, it is crazy, and it was 8 or 9 years ago when we did, but it felt like at home. I was at The Gathering for most of my young adult life and the influence that you get at this age period is very big.

I think you wanted to make clear that it was just a one time special occasion, so only 1 special show…

Yeah, of course promoter said “you could go on tour” and I am sure we could have made a lot of money, etc but we said “let’s keep it special”. We never say never for a next time, but you have to keep it exclusive and is more special that way. Plus I am busy with everything else I do.

After such a fruitful career in music and having participated in so many nice collaborations with talented artists and bands, do you feel lucky to have made good friends in the music industry?

Yeah, totally! The only friends I have!! Hehehe, no more social life, most of my real friends are in music and then apart I have one or two girl friends that I know from the time before music, but at that period I was just 14! So my life and my family and everything, all has to do with music. But musicians in general they get each other, they understand the lifestyle, the weird hours, the passion, the way you are always busy with music and with creating something.

You seem to have a busy rest of the year 2017, touring with Vuur, doing some more solo acoustic concerts, sharing tour with Epica, the new album getting released. How do you face the incoming busy months?

I like busy, the album is done and is almost on the shelf waiting for release, we are doing the promotion for the album with festivals and gigs, and in October we are going on tour. We have some really nice things coming up. I like it as I have not played so much for a long time since we were at the studio and I wanted not to do 10 projects at the same time, I was really focusing but that means that you are not playing a lot and I start to miss it. I love being at home and doing laundry, etc it gives me peace, but when I am not playing I get restless. I kind of need it, but is a good balance on and off. I know a lot of people who tour all year around every year and they get a little bit off balance.

And after that, do you have plans in the longer run for the incoming 2018 or so far just focused on 2017?

Well, I think for the moment playing with Vuur and at some point writing for an incoming new album. I will do also some solo stuff next months in Holland, theater shows and a classical show with orchestra. And I like that, active but not too much, like before with The Sirens and a new album incoming and you know… usually 5 projects at once and that is insane, so I try solo, acoustic and Vuur as my focus now.

As the time for your show with Vuur is coming close, I do not want to take more of your time so you can prepare. Anything else you want to add for the readers and the Finnish (and foreign) audience here?

Well, I am here in Finland around two times per year, they invite me so many times that I feel a bit like being my home away from home, I have great friends here and I love this festival. I am looking forward to playing here again!

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Concerts Music

Rockfest in Vantaa 2017 – 5 things that rocked and 5 things that not!

Vantaa celebrated a few days ago the first edition of a new festival in Finland: Rockfest (even when some artists would not know understandably the difference between Vantaa and Helsinki and would just salute to Helsinki from stage, but we can forgive that, right?).

As every time that a new event takes place, there are always good things and bad things to highlight. FREE! Magazine has been bringing you news in English about the music scene in Finland for the last 10 years, and once more we were accredited there to check the best festivals and venues in the country. Here are our top 5 things that we really enjoyed in the festival and the top 5 that maybe deserve some improvement if organization decides to repeat in following years the experience:

Things that rocked!

1. Rammstein

The Germans are always a safe bet for any concert organizer in Finland. Finnish fans love them, and they love the country back, visiting often this Nordic country. They headlined the festival the first day on Friday, and together with the sunny weather, brought a huge mass of spectators to enjoy the show. Their live performances never let down and can be surely counted as the best visual and music experience to enjoy in the last decades. Although the sound quality was not the best, they delivered what people wanted, straight to the point without wasting time in speeches, one hour and a half of strong music that hits like a straight bullet to the head.

2. Easy to arrive by train

The venue was located just in front of Vehkala train station, so even when was a bit far from Helsinki centre, transportation was very convenient to arrive. Another different story was when leaving at night…

3. Great selection of food.

Many stands with different choices of food for all tastes and other entertainments so the audience would not starve during the long hours of the evening.

4. The weather

Everybody living in the capital area of Finland knows that this summer has not been the best weather related so far. Pretty much, you could see the sun for a couple of hours and then follow up by 5 days cloudy, cold and rainy. However the gods of metal sent a wink to the festival and for 2 days one could enjoy in just shorts and T-shirt the music around. The audience responded, overall on the first day on Friday, going massively to enjoy the chance to hear music, drink beer and get some tan.

5. Guano Apes

This is more of my personal choice as I used to follow the band 20 years ago and never had the chance to see them live. It was quite exciting to be able to finally seeing Sandra Nasic singing some rock anthems like Big in Japan or Open your Eyes.

Things that did not rock!

1. The rocks scattered all over the festival venue

Yes, we know the name of the festival was Rockfest, but it felt a bit unnecessary to have to step all over big stones in most of the surface of the festival. I am sure more than one assistant ended up with the ankle twisted there. We also like Tuska (Pain) festival, and that does not mean we want to be whipped when entering the venue. Some grass areas to sit would have been truly appreciated instead of the choice between rocks or mud.

2. The drinks prices and the long queues on Friday

Of course festivals need to make money, but paying 7 euro (one euro gets returned if you give back the empty can) for a 33cl beer or cider is a bit too excessive. Not that the price would matter to many Finns who were decided to spend hundreds of euro to get wasted on Friday at literally any price. But still, too much, specially when we add queues of half an hour to order a beer or one hour to order a burger. If organization wants to put those ridiculous prices, at least they could beef up with more manpower to speed up serving.

3. Leaving the festival

At night security decided to close Vehkala station and make people walk a couple of kilometres until the next station in Vantaankoski where people could take buses, taxis or trains. At least organization could have let know of this in advance as most people got surprised the first night about how to reach back home.

4. The general list of bands performing

Painful to say, but the simple truth is that the festival did not have the quality to keep up for 2 days. It is true that the first day Rammstein attracted a big bulk of fans, but on Saturday assistance was maybe one third in comparison. Being honest, for much that Evanescence is a nice band to watch, it was not enough to headline the second day (practically all the audience left after their show without even waiting for an encore). The festival missed at least one more big name to headline for Saturday, so many people decided just to buy a one day ticket or simply not to come back for Saturday concerts.

5. The tent of the secondary stage was too small

Some people complained that they could not see a shit there like in the show of Kotiteollisuus that is quite a popular Finnish band. If you want to have a second stage, at least make it accesible and big enough for the spectators to enjoy.

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Articles Misc

WORLD TAPAS DAY IN FINLAND

On June 15th, Finland took part in the celebration of the “World Tapas Day”. This International Day is an occasion to celebrate the Spanish culture and gastronomy in the whole world, through one of its more emblematic dishes; the tapas. More than 600 restaurants from over 30 countries offered Spanish tapas to their customers around the world.

For the celebration of this International Day, The Spanish Tourist Office in Finland has counted on the assistance of Mikko Takala, one of the most relevant influencers on the international gastronomic scene. His assistance has been a guaranty of the quality and high level of the restaurants participating in this International Day.

On this year’s “Tapaspäivä” in Finland, 36 outstanding restaurants of Helsinki, Tampere, Turku, Rovaniemi and Oulu offered tapas and other dishes of the Spanish cuisine and, in many cases, offered special dishes of fusion cuisine.

On June 14, as a special event, a contest took place among 19 of the restaurants participating in the Tapas Day, in order to choose “The Best Tapas of Helsinki”. The contest was organized in the venue of the cooking school, Kokkikoulu Espa, and it counted on the sponsorship of the awarded wines of the Catalonian region of Empordà.

The jury was presided by Mikko Takala and also formed by Sauli Kemppainen, a renamed chef and author of gastronomic books, who is working in one of the most exclusive Restaurants of the city of Berlin, and Susanna Vuori, the head of a new bakery brand in Punavuori. She is a highly skilled baker and patissier, and has worked in various Michelin-starred restaurants in London and Paris.

The competition in this contest was very hard, and so was the work of the jury. Finally, the results were:

Second Honorary Award: BasBas & Staff wine bar (Tehtaankatu 27-29)

First Honorary Award: SOIL (Fredrikinkatu 37)

WINNER OF THE CONTEST: JORD (Kortteli, Urho Kekkosen Katu, 1)

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Sauna bus journey from Hanko to Nuorgam

Bus operator Savonlinja celebrates the 100th birthday of Finland with a stunt of its own. On June 7 2017, a specially equipped sauna bus will start off on its journey to drive across country. During the long weekend, the sauna will be hot and steamy from beginning to end. The entire endeavor will take 100 hours.

During the 1000+ kilometer trip – from the South Coast all the to the Norwegian border up in Lapland – the occupancy rate of the sauna will be very high indeed. As the bus makes stops in key Finnish cities along the way, sauna-lovers from all walks of life will board the bus: performers, city representatives, business people, students, journalists… And also regular citizens who won their sauna slot via a Savonlinja competition.

All participants have ID cards that they use when entering and exiting sauna. The idea is to maximize the minutes spent in the sauna during the trip. The custom-made “sauna-on-wheels” can comfortably fit four people at a time.

The host during the entire weekend will be Finnish superstar Ville Haapasalo.

The Long Hot Sauna is guaranteed to add some serious heat into the centennial festivities in a very patriotic way. After all, ‘sauna’ is the only Finnish word that has spread around the world and become a part of our common, global vocabulary.

For more information visit: www.pitkäkuumasauna.fi (in Finnish)

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FINNISH BROADCASTER YLE TO DELIVER LIVE AND ON DEMAND COVERAGE OF X GAMES NORWAY 2017

YLE will deliver live coverage of X Games Norway 2017 on YLE2 and will stream all event coverage live on Yle.fi., as well as live and on demand coverage on ESPNPlayer.com across Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Fans can watch the action live on YLE2 from Wednesday March 8. Check local listings for more information. All the action will also be available on ESPN Select – the new channel from ESPN Player which features live events from a wide range of sports. Events will be available live and on demand, allowing fans to watch the action at a time that suits them.

As the world’s premier action sports competition returns to Norway on March 8-11, the event features top athletes competing in eight different disciplines over four days for the second time. Taking place at the Hafjell ski resort, the winter games includes snowboard, ski and snowmobile events, with more than 70 competitors, among them several Olympians.

After successful competitions at X Games Oslo 2016, X Games will host Women’s Ski and Snowboard Big Air finals for the second time in Norway. The Norway X Games will also feature Snowboard and Ski Big Air (Men and Women) and – new to the event – Snowboard and Ski Slopestyle (Men and Women).

TOP WINTER SPORTS ATHLETES SET TO FEATURE

The biggest names in winter sports are set to take part in the games – including Norwegian X Games medalists Stale Sandbech, Markus Kleveland, Silje Norendal, Johanne Killi and Øystein Braaten. The world’s top ski and snowboard athletes will compete, including six-time X Games gold medalist Mark McMorris, 12-time X Games medalist Jamie Anderson, two-time defending Ski Slopestyle gold medalist and Big Air silver medalist Kelly Sildaru and X Games Oslo 2016 Ski Big Air gold medalist Henrik Harlaut. For the full list of invited athletes, please visit www.xgames.com.

Two Finnish riders received invites to compete at X Games Norway 2017 – Snowboarders Enni Rukajarvi and Roope Tonteri. A two-time medalist, Rukajarvi holds the distinction of being the first rookie to win Women’s Snowboard Slopestyle and the first female Finnish athlete to medal at an X Games event. Tonteri competed in the Big Air event in Oslo 2016 with a 13th place finish. He competes on the Air + Style tour and earned a big win at the FIS World Cup Big Air event in November.

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Articles Features Misc Music

Eurovision 2017 Predictions: Shock, Controversy, and Politics

If anyone tells you that it’s impossible to predict a Eurovision contest – they’re wrong. As we’ve seen throughout the 61-year history of the show, the one thing that you can always count on is for the unexpected to happen.

The guaranteed excitement that comes hand in hand with that volatility is what makes Eurovision one of the most exciting events of the year to follow. In fact, the tension surrounding who will win is so high, that it’s actually one of the most frequently wagered contests on the entire calendar.

A lot of people use the ease of placing bets on online gaming sites to take a shot at predicting the winner. And even if you aren’t sure about the outcome, placing a wager on your favorite artist is just a fun way to show your support. Gambling at kasinot.com can make the betting experience even better, because it offers you a whole range of other betting opportunities that add even more action to the event.

Who is the favorite to win Eurovision 2017?

Given the thrilling and controversial finish to last year’s contest, it’s safe to say that politics will once again be playing a role. Remember, Ukraine will be hosting Eurovision 2017 just one year after Ukrainian singer Jamala took down the title with a song that many believe was anti-Russian. It’s widely expected that the ongoing tensions between Ukraine and Russia will have consequences in this year’s voting as well.

The shifting musical tastes is another important factor to consider when trying to predict the winner. Although music with a more contemporary sound does occasionally win, oftentimes something fresh and different will come out on top – like when heavy metal band Lordi took down the title in 2006 for Finland.

Another factor to consider is the televoting rules, which seem to have been controversial in one way or the other ever since their introduction in 2009. The jury/televote ratio has always been 50/50, but this year the Eurovision Broadcasting Union (EBU) has reserved the right set the ratio at its own discretion. This is another reaction to the huge disparity in national voting that many see as being politically motivated rather than about the quality of the performances.

So who is the favorite? You can never be completely sure, but given the fact that Eurovision is watched by over 200 million people and has developed a bit of a cult following in Europe, the stakes will be very high for the contestants. In the end, whoever brings the right combination of talent/song choice, is able to win over both the jury and crowd, and can steer clear of politics will take down the title.

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Features Music

Two Estonian artists at Eurosonic this week

Estonian artists NOËP and Tommy Cash are performing at the biggest European festival for new talent, Eurosonic Noordeslag this week in Groningen, Holland. Music Estonia leads the delegation of Estonian music industry professionals.

This year’s festival line-up includes two Estonian artists – original rap superstar Tommy Cash performs at the Vera club on 11th January and in Groniningen’s Platformtheater on 12th January, whilst the indie-electro-pop artist/producer NOËP takes the stage at Mutua Fides club on 12th January.

In addition, the festival offers daytime conference programme featuring 175 panels, keynote speakers, interviews, workshops, and dinners, as well as pitches, parties and meetings covering the latest developments in the international music, media, production and interactive industries.

Among the conference panelists is also the founder of Tallinn Music Week, Helen Sildna who will participate in the discussion of “Music Moves Europe” initiative on 12th January. Launched in 2016 and bringing together more than 50 music organizations around the European Commission to shape the EU’s music agenda, this cycle of high-level discussions has proven very promising. Now, Helen together with other influential players in the European music industry will voice their position on the subject, through a dialogue with representatives from the European Commission.

Eurosonic Noorderslag is the key exchange and networking platform for European music, with a proven track record for helping to break new acts on the international live music scene. Selling out each year, the event attracts more than 4,000 professional delegates, including representatives of over 400 international festivals. Each year, Eurosonic Noorderslag presents 350 showcases alongside a conference program covering the latest developments in the international music, media, production and interactive industries.

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Helsinki celebrating New Year and the beginning of the 100th anniversary celebrations!

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Helsinki Sauna Day on 29 October

Over 30 saunas throughout Helsinki have signed up for the event, including saunas in private homes, residential saunas in apartment buildings, rooftop saunas at hotels, and even tent and portable saunas. Helsinki’s new sauna culture will also be represented by Löyly and Allas Sea Pool.

“Locals have been very enthusiastic about opening up their saunas for others to enjoy. The first Helsinki Sauna Day proved the popularity of sauna gatherings, especially during the cold time of the year,” says Jaakko Blomberg of the social innovations group Yhteismaa ry, the organiser of the event.

In March the event attracted large numbers of locals and visitors who were keen to try different saunas. Some of the sauna sessions for the forthcoming event in October are already fully booked, but there are also several saunas participating that do not require bookings in advance.

“Helsinki Sauna Day has attracted a lot of attention outside Finland, so we expect many sauna fans to visit Helsinki especially for this event,” Blomberg says.

“Sauna marathons are also popular during Helsinki Sauna Day, when you can hop from one sauna to the next from morning till night,” Blomberg adds.

The sauna has traditionally been a social gathering place among Finns, yet most of the saunas in Helsinki these days are in private use only. Many people would also like to enjoy a sauna more often if they had the chance.

Helsinki Sauna Day is representative of Helsinki’s communal urban culture. It also offers visitors the chance to try a truly local experience – a combination of excitement and peace that is unique to Helsinki

“Our city is made up of shared experiences. It’s been great to see how enthusiastic locals have been about taking part in this new event – not just as sauna-goers but also by offering their own saunas for others to enjoy. Local residents deserve a big thank you for this!” says Tia Hallanoro, Marketing Communications Director at Visit Helsinki.

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Concerts Music

Concert review: Iron Maiden 29/06/2016 in Finland

After seeing the legendary Australian AC/DC taking the stage at Kantola Event Park in Hämeenlinna last summer, it was again time to organize for second time a huge 1 day concert in this town, located around one hour away from Helsinki, with British metal icons Iron Maiden visiting Finland again as part of their Book of Souls World Tour.

First of all, kudos have to be given to the organizers LiveNation for improving significantly the logistics and organization of the event: the venue had considerably less assistants than last year, but in some way that helped to improve the general feeling around. A great selection of food trucks providing the visitors with a wide choice not to starve, cigarettes for sale, the drinking area considerably big and much closer to the scenario than last year and without having to wait one hour to order a liquid beverage, portable toilets also abundant and easily accessible, the path to reach the main gate less crowded and a lot of improvised bars around the park so you could stop for a drink in your way in and out of the concert.

Even the transportation improved. Although there was only one train available to go back to Helsinki after the show and was sold out, this time Express Bus company arranged efficiently many buses at 01:00 so everybody who wanted to come back to their home places could do it on due time.

Iron Maiden

If we add to all this that the weather was nicely warm and sunny, you have the perfect cocktail for a successful day of good metal music. And the offer was wide, apart from Iron Maiden finishing the night, before the spectators had another British, The Raven Age, the legendary local Finnish metal band Stratovarius and the Swedish Sabaton opening up.

As yours truly is a hard worker and takes a while to arrive to Hämeenlinna from Helsinki, I could only see the end of Sabaton’s gig. The Swedish visit the neighboring capital quite often, as they already gave a solid show last year at Tuska festival, and know very well how to please the Finnish audience.

Around one hour later, Iron Maiden took the stage. This would be my fifth time seeing them, the fourth time in Finland after having assisted to their concerts at Sonicsphere in Pori, at Ratina Stadium in Tampere and at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki.

As positive things of their show, the balance between new songs from their last album Book of Souls and the old classics was perfect. It helped that actually the last album has a very acceptable quality. After a first leg of the show concentrating on their last release, the last part focused on some of their old anthems. A few nice surprises like Powerslave and for my own surprise, to feel that my favorite song of the night was Blood Brothers, with a final part of guitar riffs that gave me goose bumps. It was probably the best song of the night together with Hallowed by the Name. Another pleasant surprise was that for a change, the show was not ended with 2 Minutes to Midnight but with Wasted Years.

The negative thing: the quality of Dickinson’s micro was awful. A lot of problems with the audio so his voice was continuously getting overlapped by the guitars every few seconds. A redundant problem that, although it seemed to improve a bit after The Trooper, was repeatedly suffered all over the show.

In any case, the fans seem gladly to forgive that, counterbalanced by a good setlist, Dickinson always amusing when addressing the audience and the typical great visual paraphernalia that accompanies every Iron Maiden gig with Eddie the monster fighting against Dickinson, huge inflatable monsters, the guitar players running around the stage and Janick Gers throwing it into the air and some of the best designed t-shirts in the heavy metal universe that you could purchase for a decent price in any merchandising shop around the venue.

Everybody left happy and in high spirits, and even when being a Wednesday night, that did not stop many Finnish metal heads from also leaving quite drunk (remember, it was a sunny summer day in Finland so cans of beers were blossoming in every corner of the parks of the city). Already looking forward to seeing who will come next summer to Kantola Event Park to delight us once more with good rock and metal!

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Articles Misc

Come and have fun online!

Stepping in a casino is always an amazing experience. You can pass in a few seconds from suffering heavy rain over your head to a world of glamour with smart adventurous people, beautiful women and the excitement to gamble for a big win. In the end, is not life just a continuous gamble?

The most clear example is a poker table, where everybody famous or not are equal against each others, just having their chips, cards and wits to compete among each other. You may find yourself surprised to find that for example the World Champion of Football Table, Billy Pappas, made the final table in the World Series of Poker main event in 2014, ending 5th. Who could imagine that the same guy that could put you into shame playing foosball at a bar at night can be also one of the best poker players in the world? Pappas has been considered for the past decade one of the best football table players all over the world, being his favourite table to compete the American Tornado, and partnering often in doubles competition with another legend of this funny sport: Tony Spredeman.

And that is the beauty of the casinos, you can be a hardworking person during the day but when you come in, it is about your attitude and your smartness when playing the game what makes the difference. In the end gambling is just the ultimate challenge for a person that tries to improve every day. There are no bosses breathing on your neck and telling you what to do, you are responsible of your actions and decisions. And if you do not feel like playing, well, you can just always chill out, observe the interesting atmosphere and array of characters around you and wait until you feel the luck gathering again around you.

However, not everybody has the free time or the opportunity to go to a real casino or visit Vegas for a weekend escape. Thanks to the new online era, this is not a problem anymore if you want to test your luck, your ability and your skills against both software controlled games or other real opponents that play online all over the world. You just need a computer or a smart phone or tablet and Internet connection, and a world of entertainment, challenge and potential victory opens in front of your eyes. One of the best sites if you want to give a try to online gaming is Online Casino Ireland that provides a very nice and comprehensive guide into the world of online casino sites.

Enjoy the fun, play smart and decide what are your limits in the amount of time and money you want to dedicate to gaming. What other hobbies can provide you both entertainment and the opportunity to leave with your pockets more full of profits?

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Articles Concerts Misc Music

Mustasch on Tour!

Mustasch are starting their European tour this wednesday at Bastard Club in Osnabrück followed by many big summer festivals as Nordic Noise Festival (DK), Peace & Love (Swe) and Jurassic Rock (FI).

Upcoming Tour Dates:

04-May-2016 Wed Osnabrück (DE) Bastard Club
05-May-2016 Thu Karlsruhe (DE) Substage
06-May-2016 Fri Dresden (DE) Beatpol
07-May-2016 Sat Frankfurt (DE) Das Bett
09-May-2016 Mon Hannover (DE) Faust
10-May-2016 Tue Wien (AT) Chelsea
11-May-2016 Wed Dornbirn (AT)
12-May-2016 Thu Dortmund (DE) FZW Club
13-May-2016 Fri Kiel (DE) Die Pumpe
14-May-2016 Sat Copenhagen (DK) Nordic Noise Festival
21-May-2016 Sat Finland Helsinki (FI) Radio Rock Risteily XIX
10-11 Jun-2016 Fri Germany Loreley, St. Goarshausen (DE) RockFels Festival
07-Jul-2016 Thu Sweden Borås (SE) Sommartorsdagarna
07-09 Jul-2016 Fri Sweden Borlänge (SE) Peace & Love
16-Jul-2016 Sat Estonia Haapsalu (EE) American Beauty Car Show
22-Jul-2016 Fri Sweden Stockholm (SE) Kungsträdgården, Putte i Parken
05-Aug-2016 Fri Sweden Rejmyre (SE) Skogsröjet
06-Aug-2016 Sat Finland Mikkeli (FI) Jurassic Rock

with more to be added…

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Art Articles Exhibitions Misc

Two new temporary exhibitions in Pärnu Muuseum (Estonia)

Two new temporary exhibitions in Pärnu Muuseum (Estonia):


„Resort Fashion”

From April 29th to August 31st

The resort fashion started to develop in bathing places of late 18th century France and England. A necessity for light and athletic clothing emerged from the development of resorts and the changing traditions and lifestyles. The first resort collections or cruise collections were developed by Jean Patou, Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli during the 1920s.

Resort fashion in Baltic states developed in the context of common European trends until the end of WWII. The ideology of communism and Soviet-type economic planning influenced and controlled all aspects of life, including fashion. Clothing is an eloquent historical evidence – it tells not only about the personality of the wearer, but also about the times – ideas, events, prejudices and achievements, about ideals which the society establishes in a certain point in time, and the dreams, hopes, expectations, and people’s views on beauty.

The exposition „Resort Fashion” acquaints with the fashion of clothing and accessories in resorts from the end of the 19th century until the 1990s. The stocks of Jurmala- and Pärnu Museums and private clothing collection of Ainars Radovics has been used in the exposition.

„People, Streets, Houses”

From April 29th to June 26th

The exhibition is made possible with the cooperation of Jurmala Society of History , Jurmala City museum ( Latvia), Sopot Museum (Poland), The Institue of the History of Architecture in St. Petersburg (Russia), Hanko Museum (Finland), Birstonas Museum (Lithuania) and Pärnu Museum (Estonia) . The exhibition is part of the project “The Northern Stars on the sea coast – the cultural heritage of the Baltic resorts”, and is financially supported by the Northern and Baltic States Mobility program “The Culture”. The exhibition intoduces the influence of resorts on architecture and everyday life in baltic cities.

Ticket price for temporary exhibitions:

– adult: 3€

– children: free

– pupils: 1€

– 2 adults + 2 children: 7€

– concession (ISIC card, pensionners, students) : 2

Pärnu Museum´s permanent exhibition is also open during summer time.

It provides an overview of 11,000 years of history in Pärnu County through exhibits and displays that introduce the life and conditions of the various eras. The main exhibit shows local developments from Neolithic times right up to the late 1980s, and includes a mini-cinema showing archival films. The institution’s pride and joy is the so-called ‘Stone Age Madonna’. At around 8,000 years old, it is the oldest known human-shaped sculpture in the Baltic Sea area. Other star attractions include a fragment of a 14th-century merchant ship and a glass floor that lets you look down onto archaeological remnants of one of the town’s historic gates.

Ticket price for permanent exhibition:

– adult: 4€

– children: free

– pupils: 2€

– 2 adults + 2 children: 10€

– concession (ISIC card, pensionners, students) : 3€

The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10am-6:30pm

Pärnu Museum
Aida 3, Pärnu 80010, Estonia
Tel: +372 44 33 231, +372 44 30 585

E-mail: info@parnumuuseum.ee
www.parnumuuseum.ee

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Articles Concerts Misc Music

Imagine Dragons live in concert in Helsinki at Hartwall Areena. 27.01.2016

Just a few years ago, if a rock band would introduce themselves to the audience playing in a big venue as coming from Las Vegas, Nevada, most of the people would have thought automatically of The Killers. But not anymore, Imagine Dragons, the young Americans from the city that never sleeps, have suffered a meteoric raise with just 2 studio albums released, Night Visions (2012) and Smoke + Mirrors (2015) that led them to appear in the capital of Finland for first time as show headers.

I was really curious to see them live also for first time ever, having heard so many good things about them, and not forgetting that if you are just a normal human being who watches movies, sees TV or play video games during the last 3 years, at some point you are going to recognize easily their 4 or 5 biggest hits once they start being played.

Imagine Dragons

As other compromises did not allow me to check the opening band Rival Sons and just arrived to Hartwall Areena a few minutes before Imagine Dragons started, I cannot give an opinion about them. Around 15 minutes after 21 Imagine Dragons stepped onto the stage and from there on that was madness coming out of the throats of hundreds of fans that would turn crazy on every movement or wink that Dan Reynolds would dedicate them on stage.

The venue had around 3/4 of capacity fulfilled, which is not bad taking into account that the concert took place a Wednesday and the weather in Helsinki did not really invite to go out. As I said, a lot of female teenage fans among the audience, but also audience pretty mixed with all kind of ages and looks. I even saw myself sitting close to me an old couple in their sixties that were really thrilled with every song. And that seems to be the strong point of Imagine Dragons, although sometimes they may sound too edulcorated (there were moments in the show when I was really thinking that they sound as some kind of Black Keys for teens) and aimed at young fans, they do not overdo it and they have the enough amount of good doses of rock to reach a wider audience. The vibe is always positive, soft indie rock with touches of funk, electronic music, ska… Listening to them live automatically transports you mentally to a warmer place, like watching a sunset during a beach party.

Undoubtedly their vocalist Dan Reynolds is the one where most of the eyes are focused on. Dan looks in general like a good boy with a touch of hipster mischief, the kind of pal that you could share a smoke in the terrace of a bar or accept as the new girlfriend of your sister. But the same with their style, the band does not overdo that “cool pose” and that is something that makes the difference. They really seem honestly flattered with the chance given to play for bigger audiences, they are humble and grateful in their interaction with the public (Dan commented that “he was blushing” when some female shouted a spicy comment at him in the middle of the show) and they had the small detail after the show to stay a couple of minutes throwing guitar picks, drum sticks and greeting goodbye to the audience, small details that make the difference.

Imagine Dragons

About the concert itself, the scenography was decent but nothing mind-blowing, the quality of the sound was ok taking into account that Hartwall Areena does not have the best acoustic eve for live shows and although I got a bit cold at the beginning, once they started to play hits like It’s time, I found myself rising from my seat dancing with the rest of the crowd. The big fireworks came at the end of the show when they linked anthems such as Demons, On Top of the World, I bet my Life and Radiactive with a very fun cherry on top of the cream as all the members were switching position onstage while hammering mercilessly big drums.

Things to improve? Maybe the setlist was a big short in general, and also the guitar solo Wayne Sermon did not provoke any special reaction on me (that could be cause once some months ago one sees a master as Joe Satriani, it is impossible then to measure with same standards). But all in all, I left the venue happily surprised and satisfied with a band that probably will have a lot to say in the indie rock scene during the last years. Not a bad plan to fight with positive energy and good music the gloomy cold weather of Helsinki.

Setlist:

Shots

Trouble

It’s Time

Forever Young
(Alphaville cover)

Roots

Hopeless Opus/Polaroid

Guitar Solo

I’m So Sorry

Gold

The River

Bleeding Out / Warriors / Amsterdam / Tiptoe / It Comes Back To You / Smoke and Mirrors

Demons

Drum Solo

On Top of the World

I Bet My Life

Friction / Radioactive

Encore:

The Fall