Puskakiska at the old kiosk in Käpylä, Helsinki, has been a part of the Puska festival for a few years. It features a delightful setup of young bands that get a chance to show their talents as part of the main festival. This year, as the main event moved from Taivaskallio in Käpylä to the old Malmi airport, Puskakiska was reinvented as a pre-party for the main festival happening on Friday, July 10th, a day before the festival took place at Malmi.
The festival had all the youthful energy and DIY feel one can hope for at an event like this. The kiosk served coffee and doughnuts, people were smiling, and there were a bunch of chairs and some carpets carried out to the grass before the stage was set up on the lawn next to the kiosk. And in came the young bands, altogether seven of them.
The day’s opening act was ROSKIS, a Tampere-based punk band of four members from 10 to 15 years of age. They immediately got into the hearts of their audience with some feisty ecological messages, delightful absurd lyrics, and speeches between songs and a true DIY-punk attitude. All-in-all, ROSKIS seem to enjoy doing their thing and put their hearts into their music.
Next up, EXISTENCE went to another side of emotions, as their gloomy doom-infected music with some beautiful melodies calmed the events and had people focusing on listening.
The third act, BABESTATION, was maybe the top of the crop for us. A huge load of energy on stage, they bring to mind some nu-metal and hip-hop influences while being totally punk at the same time. They play tight, have some clever ideas in their songs, and a killer attitude. This is definitely a band to keep an eye on for the future.
Next up on the stage was COMETERIUM, who took the crowd one step deeper into the realms of death and doom metal, and GANGRENATED, an Estonian visitor with death metal influences as well. Both did a good job of playing true to their genres and keeping it real.
Next to last, the stage was taken by CONJUR, who turned up the speed knob with their explosive thrash metal show. Finally, the stage was taken by BARON, a death metal band with some hardcore nuances as well. An energetic ending to the evening, as the two bands brought out the headbangers and moshpitters of the audience.
The night at Puskakiska was one to remind us again that not all interesting music happens in the bright lights. This is the grassroots that’s needed for some to grow into something larger, and there is a lot of talent and vision in our young bands trying to find the light.
Roskis
Existence
Babestation
Cometerium
Gangrenated
Conjur
Baron
