Provinssirock in Seinäjoki is one of the biggest Finnish summer rock festivals and has been going on since 1979. Likes of David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Marilyn Manson, The Prodigy, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Rammstein are among its performers over the years. This year one of the main performers was none other than Softengine, fresh from their Eurovision success with Something better and release of their follow up single Yellow house. They headlined the Rumba tent dedicated for new talents.
Lead singer Topi Latukka confessed before the gig they were more nervous than before Eurovision and that it is a kind of point of arrival, after Eurovision their future plans have concentrated only on this gig.
But they didn't have to worry. The leading newspaper in Finland Helsingin Sanomat headlined the feature on them "Seinäjoki ate from their hands" and wrote (freely translated): It's worth remembereing the band comes just from there, Seinäjoki. Latukka introduced their Eurovision entry by "two years ago I was working here as a toilet boy, and now we are here on stage!" and got the audience wild. The tent had been packed hours before their performance with their fans who were acting as if on stage was a much bigger international band. But Softengine isn't very Ostrobothnian sounding band. Heavily inspired by The Killers with a touch of Kent, U2, Muse and Depeche Mode. They have technical and stylistic skills but the material needs still a little bit more personal touch. The band is also very solid, all members are fully into it proving once again rock is young men's game. All they need is a couple more killer hits and they could become huge. Also internationally.
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