Morning parties at their best after six a.m.
Club hoppers invade old temperance society building
By Riku Jokinen
The founding fathers of temperance society Koitto would turn in their graves if they saw what goes on these days in their former base on downtown Yrjönkatu.
At six a.m. on Saturday morning, the dance floor is packed with people swaying and gyrating to the beat of a hypnotic rhythm. In addition to the DJ, the beat is kept up by podium dancers decked out in minimalistic tops.
Some of the men sport fierce war paint and matching outfits.
Niko Hallamäki, the host of night club Stockholm Diskotek looks pleased as he watches the surge of the party-goers from up above, on the balcony that has been transformed into the VIP area. The party has been going since five a.m., but it is starting to reach its prime.
"The people who come straight from other clubs have more or less arrived by now. People who get up specifically for the party start to come after seven", Hallamäki shouts over the din.
According to Hallamäki, the best action at the morning parties takes place between six and seven thirty. No alcohol can be served before nine in the morning, so most of the crowd tires out before then.
Hallamäki says that there is no particular reason why he organises the morning parties. People have a need for partying, and usually the fun ends too soon.
The morning parties are a part of a larger happening. Three Helsinki night clubs arranged parties the night before, and the people were then directed to Stockholm Diskotek to party on after five a.m.
On Saturday night, the party will continue at the concert of British electronic dance music legend The Prodigy in Helsinki.
And after the gig, the party will continue again at some club.
"Active night crawlers come to the morning parties. They have seen everything, and are looking for something new", Hallamäki explains.
In other words, nothing feels like anything anymore, as they say in the movies. And behold: a famous Finnish movie mogul just walked in the door with his entourage.
We witness the Finnish version of the caste system.
People like Markus Selin or Antti Jokinen do not need to mix with the regular dancing riff-raff for long, but they are escorted to the VIP lounge upstairs.
"My name should be on the guest list."
"What is your name?"
"Sapeli ("Sabre")."
"Excuse me?"
After seven a.m., the eyelids of many of the party-goers are starting to look droopy, and their gaze no longer focuses. However, the majority grind away courageously on the dance floor.
Kanwar Kumar and Eivind Baera have come to listen to DJ Markus Schulz all the way from Trondheim, Norway.
"This is excellent", the duo enthuses. Neither has had a drop of alcohol to drink.
Gradually we are joined by people in increasingly extravagant outfits, mumbling about topics ranging from parties held years back in cavern-like Lepakko to Arabic script.
Smoke and a laser show begin to invade the dance floor, but the couches grow more and more popular among the club-hoppers.
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 23.10.2005
More on this subject:
 BACKGROUND: Party on from dawn till dusk
RIKU JOKINEN / Helsingin Sanomat
riku.jokinen@hs.fi
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Morning parties at their best after six a.m.
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