The Unforgettable Summer of '10
Last summer wasn't just good it was pretty awesome. We had been struggling with some stuff earlier that year, with me and Risto mostly left running the DWTF. Just before the summer we got some really good news: we got booked to Turku Modern and Ilmiö-festival. It was a great honor for a dj group that wasn't that well known, even in Turku.
Dj-wise that week or two was the top time of my life. Both events happened a week apart from each other. I remember how we sat down with Risto to plan almost every track we would play on our Turku Modern gig. We even got rhythmic instruments that we wanted to give the crowd so they could jam with our records. And Lauri Hannus took some promo photos of us that we still use.
I was really really nervous when we started our gig. We had just heard from dj Anonymous that we had to re-schedule our gig with the other artists that played the same venue: Lauri Soini and Roberto Rodriguez. We had to go first, and had to try to get that info to our followers as quickly as possible. That re-arranging also wrecked our game plan: We ended up playing to a room where people where still finishing their dinners. We had a plan to start with dark house but changed it so that we opened with melodic disco. I remember being nervous as hell through the whole gig.
(We started with this)
Just when we where ending our set the other dj's took over. The first thing Lauri did was to dim the lights down and up the volume of the soundsystem. The whole atmosphere changed to a much more suitable for dancing and his selection of house started working on a whole new level. Me and Risto were pretty bummed that we hadn't understood to do the same thing. It was supposed to be our best gig ever and we didn't get even that right!
But the best experience came afterwards. I got really drunk for the remaining three days of Turku Modern on free artist beer. I actually remember having a weird constant taste on my mouth on Sunday. I met a bunch of new and old friends and checked out some amazing dj's. It felt great to be a part of the festival, even if our contribution had been quite minimal.
Of course I ended up on the bridge Saturday night where all the organizers and artist like to hang. The sun came up and people where still very happy about the earlier night. I think I saw a rainbow too.
Even if we had somewhat flopped our gig at Modern we more than covered up for it later in the Ilmiö festival. We were booked to play in the boat that carries passengers to the festival and back.
I remember it well. The forecast had been awful. Load of rain and thunder were supposed to come. But when we got our records to the ship, it was all sunshine and a light breeze. Eventually we didn't catch any of the rain. First we actually tried to play on the deck but had to move to the cabin. Just when it dripped a little bit in the day, I played this:
It was good fun to play through the day, but the real experience was the night shift, when people where heading back to city. The night had settled in, it was cool and calm. The boat went gently towards to the city lights.
And we had just the right records to fit that mood. Dark and easy music, Italians do it better records, Bruce Springsteen, maybe also Arthur Russell. People were giving thumbs up and I remember Heikki from Videovalvontaa talking very kindly about us to a French artist he was hosting. Last boatride we did we upped the tempo a bit since people were feeling like dancing.
(I played this at the night, worked wonders)
It was really fulfilling to feel like I was contributing with my music selection to that mood we all had: feeling grateful that the festival was over, feeling a bit sentimental with the ocean and night sky, feeling very easy. Won't forget that moment.
Funny detail after the boat had docked for the last time. Me and Risto were waiting for someone to pick up the loudspeakers and mixer at the dock, when we heard some noise from the top of the roof. A while later someone woke up from there, his jacket was soaked from the other side from sleeping on the wet roof. He jumped down from there, looked at us and started walking towards the town.
Such a great summer. I feel like I achieved everything I wanted, everything else is just bonus. Hopefully this one will be even better. At least we got something very special planned.
So this is the last story for now. Hear me do an interview in a few hours on Rytmikoppi at Zoom FM and play later tonight at Bar Kuka.
- Peffis
