Sir Elwood in Kapylan Kylajuhlat
Mood:  lyrical
Now Playing: Sir Elwoodin Hiljaiset V?rit - Pohjoisesta Tuulee Taas
Topic: Music
The biannual festival Kapylan Kylajuhlat in Helsinki's Kapyla district started in inconsolable rain. There were maybe 150 people standing in the mud of the festival area, which would have been an excellent opportunity to relive Woodstock as if there would be still hippies alive.

Due to the weather, the Helsinki Times editorial team decided to check out only one band called Sir Elwood Duo, a smaller version of Sir Elwoodin Hiljaiset Varit. Though the orcestra had only two musicians at this time(Juha Lehti and Juha Saaresaho), their performance was ravishing. True fans left the beer tents and gathered in front of the stage, letting the rain pour in between their collars.

After the concert, Juha Lehti, the singer-songwriter of Sir Elwood, granted Helsinki Times a short exclusive interview.



Mr. Lehti told us that after three years a new single called "Suomineito" ("Finn Maiden") has been released and the album will come out this autumn. During the summer SEHV will go on tour, with gigs all over Finland.

Mr. Lehti is from Kallio, a district of Helsinki known as an artistic area with a rich underground cultural life. It is the equivalvent to Soho of London, Kristiania of Kopenhagen, or Arbat of Moscow, if you wish. Many of his songs have gotten their storyline from his living surroundings.

The singer expressively underlines the importance of making songs about things he sees and recognizes. It gives dignity to his artistic production. "You should be true with what you do, this is the goal," mr. Lehti says. "I want to look back one day and be proud of what I've done with my life."

And indeed, music is his life. He started with a band when he was 15 years old, and SEHV has been together for 18 years. This is a long time, and mr. Lehti admits, that sometimes you just get tired. But then you know, that you have to pull yourself together and do your job. "Music is the key to get the satisfaction," he says.

Sir Elwoodin Hiljaiset Varit (Sir Elwood's Quiet Colours) is a long and weird name for a band. It was kind of a statement to take that name, a bit of an evilish thought behind it to test, if the audience can take it. The name lived with them, and nowadys nobody (except English reporters, I suppose) asks what is it all about anymore.

In the end of the interview we just had to ask about a comparison once heard/read, that Juha Lehti's and Pauli Hanhiniemi's texts remind each other a big deal. Mr. Lehti bursted into laughter and said, that this is a big compliment. He really respects Hanhiniemi as a colleague singer-songwriter and he compared Hanhiniemi on his behalf to Tapio Rautavaara.

The next gig of SEHV will be on Imatra Big Band Festival on June 30. Check it out!