Four new music venues to open in Helsinki
By Pauliina Grönholm
Uptempo jazz can be heard at the new Birdland Club, which offers live music. Already before ten, the music has a few couples gyrating in front of the stage.
However, most are just sitting, holding a glass of wine and following the band’s performance.
The atmosphere is more relaxed at the rear of the club, and the murmur of conversation drowns out the music that is coming out of the speakers. In the plush sofas in the far corner, Saara Sumiala, 29, and Axel, 42, are enjoying their Friday evening by listening to music.
“A pleasantly different place. There is a mix here of young people and others who are past middle age, who are united by music. It is refreshing”, both agree.
At least four new music night clubs and band venues are opening in Helsinki within a short period of time.
In the past week, Birdland, a new club focussing on jazz music, and owned by SK Restaurants opened on Mannerheimintie. In late August, a night club and band venue called Le Bonk Music Machine will open on Yrjönkatu.
In April, a concert stage, the Green Room, opened up in connection with the Bar Bäkkäri, which offers heavier rock on Pohjoinen Rautatienkatu.
The new stage will get as its neighbour a 500-seat Club YK in June.
The new venues mean that Helsinki is getting to have more venues for listening music on a per capita basis than most cities in Europe, according to Juhani Merimaa, a veteran in the business, and CEO of the Tavastia Club.
“It remains to be seen if this is a passing phenomenon, or if it is a permanent one”, Merimaa says.
The people behind Club YK include the duo Tim Uskali and Tom Rantanen, who are familiar from places such as Redrum and Kuudes Linja. Uskali says that it is largely a sum of coincidences that the places are opening up at the same time.
He says that the clientele being sought by the new club deviates considerably from that which SK Ravintolat hopes to attract to Birdland.
“Certainly we can have jazz too, but I would see that it is more of the dance-floor type jazz than the traditional kind”, Uskali says.
Meanwhile, Jorma Railonkoski, who is behind clubs such as Storyville, On the Rocks, and Rymy-Eetu has been working with artist Alvar Gullichsen for nearly two years in planning work for LeBonk Music Machine.
“The place will be a surrealistic design club”, Railonkoski explains.
The 430-seat nightclub and concert venue, which was originally to have been set up in the old Elysee cinema building, was supposed to have opened in December last year, but construction permits for the project were delayed.
The club plans to distinguish itself from other performance venues by concentrating its live performances on the middle of the week.
“Competition is tough, for both artists and the public”, Railonkoski admits.
The new venues are increasing competition further, but Tavastia’s Merimaa sees much good in it. The venues are competing over customers, both among themselves, and with other pastimes.
“For the consumer, it is naturally a good thing. The fact that there is more on offer also attracts more members of the public”, he says.
Sumiala and Axel are still sitting on the sofa in the depths of Birdland, but the beat of the jazz draws Sumiala to the dance floor.
“I’m just afraid that this male here will not be much company”, Sumiala laughs.
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 20.5.2010
PAULIINA GRÖNHOLM / Helsingin Sanomat
pauliina.gronholm@hs.fi
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| 1.6.2010 - THIS WEEK |
 Four new music venues to open in Helsinki |
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