The fact Finland is on of countries that really care of its urban and alternative culture prove also Tammerfest, festival that is every year in the middle of July held in Tampere.
This year I had a pleasure again to be a part of the festival for a short time and as soon as we arrived in Tampere I noticed Tammerfest, since my first visit two years ago, developed and turned to one of the best destinations in Finland during July.
This year festival maintained on 26 locations in town, including city squares and parks and also clubs, it gathered 140 musicians from Finland and Europe and 80 000 visitors who had a chance in a 4 festival days enjoy in all different kinds of music. According to this on 11th July on the stage on Vuolteentori, that was a central festival stage this year, played Negative, the band that is with no doubts leaders of lately pretty noticeable glam scene in Tampere while the same day on Keskustori played Poets Of The Fall, sometimes because of a favour called Finnish Coldplay. Between all interesting and perspective names I can’t not to mention Korpiklaani that played in a known bar/club Inferno on 11th July, Timo Kotipelto, new hopes of glam scene Jann Wilde & Rose Avenue who introduced themselves on 14th July and famous Swedes Hellacopters who played on 13th July.
But, the central day for us (and unfortunately the only one we could spend on Tammerfest) was 14th July when on the main festival stage played Bloodpit and The 69 Eyes.  Already during early afternoon, few hours before Bloodpit step out on the stage in front of the same gathered some glam-gothic girls (in spite the fact age limit was 18) who waited for both bands with a great enthusiasm and impatience. Something that I couldn’t not to notice, and what is praiseworthy if we know how in Croatia festival area look like on the end of one festival day, is that on the festival you could buy only water and juices, which means there wasn’t a single chance to bring in or a buy even a drop of alcohol.
At 6:30 PM, in the second according the schedule, Bloodpit were on the stage. Because I had an interview appointment with the band for the time after the show and because I didn’t have the chance to see this band before they get my full attention. This rock band with its energetic show in front of their audience (they are also from Tampere!) soon forced, in comparation with Croatian audience, pretty calm Finnish audience to jump a bit, singer and guitarist Matthau with his show and turning to the audience forced the same girls who were there hours before to scream. And we… for our team was pleasure to finally here live songs like “Rotten to the Core” or “Platitude” and assure Bloodpit are really the band with a great potential. That’s why I was pretty sad to hear announcement only a few days later the band split because of some vocalist’ troubles. Unfortunately, in the end we didn’t have the chance to do the interview…
8:30 PM was a time for The 69 Eyes, at the moment without any doubt Finnish band that plays the most concerts. To see The 69 Eyes in Finland is always a special pleasure, and to see them in Finland only 14 days before their first concert in Croatia is even more then that. I think there isn’t a need to talk now how and why is The 69 Eyes show that special, name the songs they played although I’ll tell they opened their show with beautiful “Framed In Blood” which every time sounds better and stronger then the time before. The band played the cut of their last three albums, including actual “Angels” presented by songs “Never Say Die”, “Wings & Hearts” and “Perfect Skin” and they caused the real euphoria in the audience. Yes, The 69 Eyes again in Tampere made that great feeling and brought impatience before their visit to Croatia. Beside that, they are from long time ago a class higher then other bands with whom they often share festival stages so it’s superfluous to compare.
When The 69 Eyes left the stage we didn’t have a choice but, in a great mood, ‘catch’ the last train to Helsinki and hope we will have the chance to visit Tampere and irreproachable organized Tammerfest in a nearer future. Don’t forget, next year it will happen from 9th to 12th July!

Report & photo: Ivana Sataić