First of all I must thank from my heart the band of the astonishing dedication and work ethic they have! So few people came to the gig, but the show was soooo great and full of joy!!! 100% dedication just for few of us that had arrived there. I dont remember when I had such a blast! - (Most likely at the Imatra gig). And the same goes with every other fan that arrived there; I believe I talked with almost everyone after/before the gig.

The whole trip to gig was so bizarre, that I have tell it too. I believe this will enlighten our foreign friends too about of finnish people.

The place was small municipal in Ostrobothnia (Pohjanmaa in finnish). We travelled with my mates for four hours (in restaurant-wagon naturally) with train and one with taxi (70 Euro for three, no big deal) to get there with my two mates. When we got to Evijärvi we had a big problem; shops were already closed and the (only) hotel would open after an hour (at 20:00) and we had nothing to drink as we planned to go directly to some bar. Sad thing was that there were no such place in the whole village, but our hotel... Cunningly we spotted the matkahuolto (a company that upkeeps the major bus stops) with chairs already lifted on the table BUT with lights on! -> They'd sell us Beer! Beer! from the bottle!  Problem solved so far!

After an hour out hotel opened and we went there (We were the only customers that had taken residence there that night). There was also a major happening planned there that night (Beer-drinking contest) so we spotted 6 other people there too! (A couple, a taxidriver, a barkeeper and 2-man band). Straight to them, we were 3 big guys (190-200cm of height and 110-135kg of weight) wearing Korpiklaani T-shirts. Luckily we had several songs from Korpiklaani in our mobile phones, so we could introduce this music to them. After this started the bizarre and fun practise that lasted the whole time we were at Evijärvi; the (most friendly) locals would keep *US* as some stars even we told that we were just fans!
After an hour we get to the show-place (with taxi of course (8 Euro)) and a deal for for the next day back to train station too (50 Euro)). At that time there was 15 bouncers and three of us... There was space for over 1000 people. And one small beer-shop at the corner that would sell beer from the fridge. Oh, man. We'd had our first drinks when my mate thought that he'd ask if band would come to drink with us too. A bouncer promised to pass a word and was quite astonished as Jonne, Matson, Cane, Hittis, Arto (Jarkko was on sick-leave) and Juho came immediately to beer-corner with us with smiles on their face!

Two joyful hours later the gig began. Luckily there were 50-60 people by then; every one of them had such a great time! There was much space to dance (if you can call my moves as dance) and boy, so we did! I was out-of-breath after two songs and my body's every muscle was aching the next day! Jonne even gave speak to us, they guys from the long distance, and played Journeyman. -What more could a fan hope for?
Naturally everyone arrived had so good time there. One fun thing I noticed was that even the bouncers had a great time; for example Voitto (an about 60 years old bouncer) came near the stage to take pictures. After the gig we wholeheartedly thanked the bouncers and organisators and received also same amount of thanks from them for coming and having a good time (bizarre story, as I already warned).

After the gig we were naturally hungry and went to snack-bar to have some food. -A lot of familiar faces there. Most astounding thing was that I was asked for an autograph there (I told I'm just a Korpiklaani fan, -it didn't matter). Everyone were cheerful and were praising what a great gig all of us just had! Then we returned to hotel (beer-festival was still going on with about 30 people at the place). I cannot remember how many times we were asked that we naturally play at that band as our faces are not familiar to locals... When the place closed, that two-man-band provided us a CD of their music and chocolate-box too... What can you say anymore...?

The next morning the nice hotel-keeper offered a free breakfast for us, and taxi-driver thanked us for calling him. He made a tour around the Evijärvi (including in the 50 Euro deal) and told a story almost every house there. Finally we were back at Kauhava (the nearest train stop) and we get ourselves into the train. While traveling back we were asked a few time about out t-shirts; "where you can get those?" From www.korpiklaani.com of course! After arriving to Vantaa one of the most memorable trips was over. -With lots of stories to tell for my dear wife.

I'm not telling this tale to you to boast but to share this great experience!

It is so shame that Korpiklaani doesn't enjoy the success in their home land as they would deserve. The music, the show and all Korpiklaani guys are so great that it brings tears of joy in my eyes when I remember this. I don't know what to say about Finns why they are such an inside-turned and fearing-for-embarrassment people. Most of us have such a "national-shame" of being from woodlands, so most of us don't dare to go wild for a band who epitomize this with (well-earned) pride! Everything must be media-sexy and cool that you can tell "I like it". Of Korpiklaani one can really say an old finnish saying: Nobody is a soothsayer in his own land! I (we) must someday to come to central-european gig to see the feeling and crowd there too!

Ihan perkeleen paljon kiitoksia Korpiklaanin pojille tästä elämyksestä!

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