Picks From The Past

Eric:

Eric Nichelson / Midlake, Tavastia 14.12.2010

But another amazing band live in Tavastia. Their fantastic folk tunes got a very powerful and intensive interpretation, to mention likes of Courage of Others, Bandits, Fortune, Head Home. And of course - Roscoe, one of the finest songs of modern era music.

Four (!) guitarists, Eric playing near the corner of the stage, consentrating on getting fantastic sounds out of his black Les Paul and old Vox amp. After the set and encore they rushed backstage, so no chance to swap.

Fortunately, all band members came to help roadies to unplug the rig. So I asked Eric to come by, explaining my request to get his pick. Oh, I have one, he said, picking his pocket. Smile and thanks!

PS. Check also supporting act John Grant!

Ian:

Ian Person / The Soundtrack Of Our Lives , Tavastia 15.12.2008

Fourth time tells the truth! TSOOL has become one of our all time favourites, and again, they filled Tavastia with their rich sounds. This time they played mostly songs from their new album "Communion". OK, some good moments – Ebbott jumping from the stage just beside me - but still the first gig 2001 was the best.

This was also the fourth time I tried to catch Ian's attention in first row, but no dice, this VERY rocker played his Gibson ES-335's so intensively I had no chance for a swap. Anyway, I picked this from the stage floor after the gig (not ending with long waited "Mantra Slider" with Ian's slide intro :-( 

OK, I like his true rock'n'roll style, thanks for all good moments during the years.

Gary:

Gary Louris / Jayhawks, Tavastia 20.3.2004

For the old times sake... another perfect swap, perfect timing. I had seen Jayhawks for the first time a year ago. My Brother had grabbed me with him to see his long time favourite. A mostly electro-acoustic gig, but no chance for swapping because we stood at the wrong end of the stage.

But the second chance was successful. We spent the whole gig among young enhusiastic crowd and enjoyed a fantastic electrifying performace of this great sounding band. Gary showed his true guitar hero genius, twanging his beaten Gibson SG. And those magic vocals!

After the second encore (a long Cream-style power rock tune "Sister Cry" - not the album version ;-) Gary shook hands with the fans, still holding his green pick (usually he throws them immediately). I yelled his name and offered my black jazz-shaped Gibson, he saw it and palmed his pick to mine. Smile and thanks!

Emmylou:

Emmylou Harris / Spyboy, Tavastia 28.10.1997

The Spyboy tour was a success, as this lady with her signature Gibson L-200 and her band were in shape. Buddy Miller offered us some of the most unbelievable guitar work we've ever seen or heard.

OK, I stole it. I wasn't up to a swap, so far she was. But after the gig was over, the band headed backstage, and the audience started to go out when the stage lights went off. And the road managers hadn't entered yet. I've noticed that Ms. Emmylou kept her pick on a tray fixed to her mike stand, and she left it there after the set. Hmm, I reached and kneeled on the stage, raised my hand on the tray and touche! There was it under my fingers.

Dick:

Dick Dale / & his Del-Tones, Tavastia 16.12.1995

Mr. Dale is by far the most impressive performer I've ever seen. My Brother caught it by saying: "Darn, I was near to shit my pants when he entered the stage, so BAD he was." Yeah, when the first notes of "The Victor" cut through the audience, that was Power! No wonder why he is an icon of a rock genre, a living legend.

You know, the Man has a reputation of melting picks and constantly throwing them to audience. He even has a pick holder taped on his lefty Strat. That night I stood in front of the stage, but I was air to him. He gave picks even to those chicks beside me!

I got mine. After the Master had left the stage, his guitar assistant threw a handful of white picks to the audience. I grabbed one between the monitor speakers. Cheap, but case closed...

Paul:

Paul Barrère / Little Feat, Tavastia 4.12.1996

A band of this caliber on the the magic stage of Tavastia, ain't that great! But no chance to get the pick from Paul. No matter how strongly I reached for him, the band played on so intensively.

After the stage lights have faded after the gig, I rose to the stage to ask a road manager if he has the pick of "Mr. Paul". A second later I was carried out of the stage by Tavastia janitors. When I still stayed around, cursing my fate, the same roadie came to me, giving this, smiling. OK, that was not a perfect swap, but have I tried!

PS. Puistoblues 2004, Little Feat revisited. Even the stormiest weather ever experienced during these festivals couldn't tame the power of this magnificient band.

Henk:

Henk Hofstede / Nits, Vanha 2.12.1995

Our favorite Dutch band was on the road, celebrating an era to come to an end. After the "Nest" tour was Robert Jan Stips to leave the band, but we didn't know it yet.

Vanha ("The Old Student House") was stiffed with true fans, familiar faces from previous gigs.. The band played again another great and relaxed gig, first time for Brother and me as a true rock'n'roll band. Henk's guitars (Fender Jazzmaster and some acoustic) filled a bigger part in the sound than usual.

After the first encore "Adieu Sweet Bahnhof", while the crowd was cheering and the band laughing, I noticed Henk in the center stage. I called him to come near, gave my pick, and he gladly offered me his with a polite thanks. OK, he's always been a fine musician, this great fan of Finland, and we love him.

Mikko:

Mikko Lankinen / Laika & the Cosmonauts, Tavastia 12.12.1996

My first concert of this Finnish surf phenomenon, four years too late (am I stupid, and my Brother, too)! They were back in Finland after very a successful tour to Antoine's of Austin and other cool rock venues of U.S. This was during "the Space Age".

The audience was held out of the main hall of Tavastia until the begining of the gig, and why? The band had built an another stage in the middle of the floor, a spaceship. Our crowd were standing in front of them, on the same level. Mikko, Tomi, Janne and Matti came straight down from Earth's Orbit, wearing their space outfits. Guitars and organs from outer space! We all went ballistic...

The last encore was the mark of the genius, Mikko's bravure "The A-Treatment", which offered intensive twanging of his Jazzmaster's tremolo bar, low E tuned to D. Just after the wall of sound faded, I rushed to him, and that was it!

Mr. Warren:

Mr. Warren Zevon, Tavastia 10.9.1992

Our long time favourite, this keen fan of boxer Henry "Boom Boom" Mancini. The gear set on the stage of Tavastia was oddly light, comprising only of a large keyboard and guitar gear. Hey, where's his band with Waddy Wachtel and the guest appearances of Neil Young in harmonica and the others? Not this time - he stormed the audience all by himself with his Ovation 12-string electroacoustic.

This was the first gig of his solo tour to be recorded on his "Learning to Flinch" album. I'm still curious why there weren't any songs from Helsinki gig, since the sounds and the reception of the audience were brilliant. So many highlights, to mention likes of "Boom Boom Mancini", "Lawyers, Guns and Money" and, of course, the Norway's greatest son Roland. And that "Awhooo!" song!

This gentleman thanked the audience by sitting and talking with us after the gig. I offered my pick to him, ahaa, he picked his pockets, but couldn't find any. He looked around, hey, he yelled and stood up to grab one of those taped to the mike stand. And a very polite thanks. So cool he was, as you know (R.I.P.).

Eric:

Eric Ambel / Del-Lords, Tavastia 3.11.1989

The great "pop" tunes, likes of "Crawl in Bed" and "Burning in the Flame of Love" were on our minds when we headed to Tavastia to see this very tight rock'n'roll band. The gig was hard: not frendly and familiar, but rough with very heavy songs, none of our knowledge. Obviously they were seeking something new.

This swap was unique. During the first encore "Roscoe" grabbed the pick from my raised hand, but didn't stop playing. Hey, what's this, that was my only one, and I didn't get anything. I picked a coin from my pocket and continued waving my hand. He didn't even look to my direction. And they played another tune just to finish and retain to back room. Shit!

But they came back, and just before they started playing, Eric walked straight to me, placed his pick to the palm of my raised hand, turned round and hammered his Telecaster to start the song. Was I knocked out!

Bruce:

Bruce Brookshire / Doc Holliday, Tavastia 28.8.1989

Another gig from summer 1989 with Brother. Doc Holliday's "A Good Woman's Hard to Find" was our long time car C-cassette player favorite (along with Molly Hatchet's "Fall of the Peacemakers"). So this had to be seen.

Stetson-capped Bruce is a true leader of a great-sounding southern rock band. He was very friendly after the gig, came to talk with his fans in front of the stage. I offered my black Gibson to him, he thanked and picked his pockets, here's to you. So easy. A surprisingly nice person, don't let the looks lead you wrong.

Steve:

Steve Phillips / Rainmakers, Tavastia 13.7.1989

One of the highlights of the hot summer of 1989. My girlfriend was studying her one-year scholarship in Tokyo, Japan, and I was buzzing all over the sunny Finland.

Brother asked me to go with him to the concert of this band well known only by small but enthusiastic fan group in Helsinki. It was their third (?) visit in Helsinki, and Tavastia was fully crowded. I hadn't heard any of their songs beforehand, but I surely learned! Sadly, they never came back although by now I know most of their songs by heart.

Bob Falkenhorst is an attracting leader of a clever and unique-sounding band,  Steve filling the melodic tunes with his sharp guitaring. Best remembered were the crowd's sing-alongs with Bob, especially "Let My People Go-Go" and "Hoo-De-Ho". The swap was made in the latter part of the gig with Strat-playing Steven. He, like the rest of the band, was obviously enjoying the intense athmosphere.

César:

César Rosas / Los Lobos, Tavastia 12.2.1987
 

This was the first time when I was in Tavastia with my six years younger brother Janne, not a bad way to begin a still lasting tradition. Broidi ("Brother") as I call him, is a utterly enthusiastic music collector and wizard, and he still is jealous to me of those gigs I'd seen before. But he's topped my experiences ever since...

The gig was just after the release of "How Will the Wolf Survive", just hours before their climb to world fame. The venue was stiffed with all important persons in Finnish light music scene, and we were standing in the first row, glued to the stage.

Those Lobos were unforgettable: tight, still relaxed playing, fantastic sounds. The swap was a touchdown (see also: Jimmie Lee): near the end of the concert, after the fierce crowd's favourite "Don't Worry Baby" with its Telecaster solos, César answered my call and grinned all the way to a successful palming. Those shades!

Omar:

Kent "Omar" Dykes / and the Howlers, Kuopion Kaupunginhotelli, 7.8.1985

While studying technical chemistry, I spent summer 1985 vacation working in a phosphorous acid factory in Siilinjärvi in Finland Lake District. That really was a summer of fun, since the community was very living and the local youth very active in sports and having a good time.

The gig was my pilgrimage to a very famous venue in Finnish music scene, an old hotel in the city of Kuopio. Kaupunginhotelli ("City Hotel" or "Renkku", as known from the round stage of the ballroom) was crowded by normal dancing people. I'm not sure how many of them knew this giant of American R&B, but the gig was surely a hit (Sorry, Martti, it really beated working extra hours). Never seen anybody BANGING his Strat to get the right sounds out of it.

The swap was made after the two-hour concert, in the backroom where I rushed after the Man had ignored all my pleads in front of the stage. Some kind words, and the band was due to the encores. And the frenzy went on...

Duke:

Duke Robillard / & the Pleasure Kings, Sonaatti 15.2.1985

Another one with Harry. He lived in Järvenpää, a town 35 kilometers north of Helsinki, proud of its annual Puistoblues (Lakeside Blues) festival. The organisation founded by local enthusiasts, JBJD, had somehow got the first gig ever in Europe (?) for Duke and his Kings. So we headed to the local dance restaurant Sonaatti.

This three-hour marathon concert really pleased the audience. Duke calmly showed all his tricks and antics, and the sound of his blue Strat was perfect.

The swap took part after the second of the three pauses. The stage was on the same level as the dance floor, and I simply went after him when he placed his Strat on a stand. A couple of thankful words, and that was it! The gig continued and continued, but he (and we) never seemed to exhaust.

BTW: I met this gentleman again in 1986 Puistoblues, where he strolled in the audience before the special appearance with Roomful of Blues.

Evan:

Evan Johns / LeRoi Brothers, Tavastia 30.10.1984

Harry took me to an another Texas R&B gig. LeRoi Brothers have gained reputation as a fierce live act, and it was easily decided: "Check This Action" in Tavastia!

They were something anarchistic, loud and "juvenile delinquent". I took Evan for Steve Doerr (never seen any pictures of the band), but his sound and shaking of the Telecaster was good enough to encourage me for a swap.

It was easy: during the latter part of the concert in front of the stage, I shouted - he came (don't remember the song).

Jimmie Lee:

Jimmie Lee Vaughan / Fabulous Thunderbirds, Tavastia 9.7.1984

This was the very first time I saw a concert in Tavastia, Helsinki, the best ever rock venue in Finland. I knew the place, a popular student restaurant, since I was studying in Helsinki University of Technology. Harry, my colleague with whom I share a good (!) taste of music, asked me to come along (thanks Harry). I'll ever envy him of being in the first legendary Fab T-Birds concert in Tavastia some time ago.

But this is still one of the best gigs I'll ever to see. The expectations were high after the successful "T-Bird Rhythtm'" , a bullseye of the Rhythm and the Blues. Disc jockey heated the audience playing only CCR. The supporting act, a Finnish R&B classic Bad Sign raised our feeling before the BAND. T-Birds steamed two hours, giving everything to their enthusiastic audience. Those sounds...

After the first encore, superbly performed "Can't Tear it Up Enuff". Jimmie Lee muted his trusty old Strat and wiped his forehead with sleeve. He noticed me shouting his name, came in front of me grinning, flicked his eyebrow and swapped his red pick with my jazz-shaped Gibson medium. Perfect!