Founded in 1992 and having produced ten albums, Maj Karma is hardly an unknown name to any Finnish rock music fan. The band still plans to perform a couple more times, but this is their final tour. Helsinki’s Tavastia is sold out on two consecutive nights, and the most devoted fans rushed to the front row an hour and a half before showtime. Before the gig starts fans share stories about the band, and past concerts with one another. Some had also attended the previous night’s performance. The atmosphere is warm and wistful, almost like a funeral.
The concert begins relatively calmly from the band’s side with the songs Sotaa ei tule (“There Will Be No War”) and Sid ja Nancy. Then, as Attentaatti and Valaiden laulu (“The Song of the Whales”) ring out, the musicians begin moving more wildly on stage. Frontman Herra Ylppö is a pleasure to watch. He is clearly in his element, swaying across the stage like a shaman. The lyrics undoubtedly resonated with everyone in attendance, as the audience joined in singing on several songs.
Between songs, the band shares short stories about the material and cracks jokes. According to Ylppö, the previous night’s Tavastia show had felt more like a stand-up performance, as numerous technical problems disrupted the concert. Fortunately, those issues were avoided this time, although they probably would not have dampened the mood in the venue. Ylppö explains that all of the band’s songs are, in a sense, love songs, but in each of them someone leaves the picture in one way or another, leaving behind a feeling of loss. He also reveals that Osa minusta kuolee is one of his personal favorite songs from the band’s catalogue.
At many concerts, audience members shout requests that fall on deaf ears, but on this evening the band surprises even itself by performing a couple of songs without rehearsal. Before playing Pasi sanoo, the band joked that they had forgotten the lyrics, riffs, and opening notes, although this may simply have been an attempt to build suspense. They also played Buster Keaton from the 1998 album Kaakko as part of the evening’s encore set, which stretched across several songs.
After more than two hours of music, the evening comes to a close with Onnellinen loppu, which feels like the perfect conclusion. Before leaving the stage, the four gentlemen take their time shaking hands with, thanking, and embracing fans in the front row. It is a beautiful and respectful gesture, showing how the band’s funeral is carried through to the very end with style, in a way that will undoubtedly remain in the memories of those who were there.
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