NZ Musician 2007 (Vol: 13, No: 3)

By Paul Dodge

"...and now you must have one of the cocktails that are only from this club - it is one part absinthe, one part triple sec, apple liqueur..." I don't remember what else was in it, nor much else that happened from then on... Welcome to Finland.   This is Minuit on tour in Europe promoting the new 12" of Fuji we just pressed in the UK. But mainly it's an excuse for a glorified holiday, and to go to some crazy places and have a laugh. It's electronic, but it's live. It's breakbeat, but you'll sing along - tell me if I'm wrong. TAMPERE, FINLAND "Even if you're lying please tell me that everything's gonna be fine." The thing I was most nervous about for the trip was the sound. We weren't travelling with a soundie and were winging it every night. But this club was beautiful, like a small opera house. It sounded great and was packed. No one knew who we were, and when we played they almost brought the roof down. One girl was saying afterwards it was because of the live thing - they could see us making the music and Ruth out the front pulling it all together and that energy just got everyone hollering. Near the end of the set I got out the front and said: "No-one in NZ believes we're here so can I take a photo?" Everyone squeezed into the middle of the room so they'd fit into the shot, just like at camp. This guy gets up on stage and says "That's not how it works, you have to be in the shot too," so we jumped into the crowd and he took photos of everyone. Ryan and Ruth said I'm not allowed to do that in London but we'll see. HELSINKI, FINLAND "I don't know where this is but let me stay here." Midnight at a gay man's 20th. Them dancing in the kitchen, singing up a storm to the equivalent of Finnish Abba; us sculling a cauldron of heavy-handed, homemade strawberry punch. You, avid reader, and I both dearly wish I had the camera that night. What's crazy here is there are famous d'n'b producers and breaks producers coming out the rafters. The sound guy was signed to a UK breaks label as well. He said: "Yeah the Finnish scene is weird. People are known more outside Finland than in." DJ Infekto aka Rico Tubbs aka Riku Pentti, Finland's best breaks DJ and all round top bloke, put these shows on for us. He was part of Bomfunk MCs when they were around. His apartment is a wild collection of sci-fi figurines, kung-fu DVDs and crates of vinyl. Lost Ruth for three hours in a secondhand shop where she roamed untethered amongst beautiful vintage dresses made in Finland and Romania and the Ukraine; all for NZ$8. Two songs from the end of the set, a girl gets up on stage, shakes Ruth's hand and starts chatting. "Oh I talked to you on myspace," she says, "You guys are really good", really loud, kinda right into the microphone. Unbeknownst to her we were still going. Yes, the club cocktail claims many casualties.     ROVANIEMI, LAPLAND Arctic Monkeys. You're in Finland, you have a spare day, why would you not take a 10 hour train to the Arctic Circle? Just another Kiwi in Lapland. It's deserted and drizzling but there's an Irish pub open with two elderly fishermen in one corner and they serve Guinness in our corner. So who are these young hot Finn's walking past our window and heading upstairs? We follow into a surprisingly hip and snug nightclub, until 4am Sunday night. Rovaniemi, doorway to the Arctic Circle, the barman does us deals for these blackcurrant shots with a dollop of vanilla icecream on top while the place heaves to beats. We're so going back to play there sometime. Snow outside but in Ruth's words:  "When the Finns are hot, they're HOT!" Made our way back to Santa Claus Hotel where we pick up our keys for Hostel Rudolf, looking up the whole time trying to catch a glimpse of the northern lights. Ruth and Ryan reckon they saw 'em. FABRICLIVE, LONDON "Here's to those who thought you knew me." Not to put too fine a point on it, but it's a pretty big night in town when you get to play the Fabric Birthday weekend. The show sold out a week before and those who weren't bouncing off the ceiling were hanging from the balcony. 2500 people crammed in - this place is a super-club. Crystal clear PA, subs under the dancefloor. We played the main room with Adam Freeland, Stanton Warriors and Plump DJs. Show was thunderous - a blinder! We shared the backroom with the Brazilians, there was dancing. Adam Freeland came down early to catch the set, there's the Plump DJs - "Here's our new 12, soldiers." "Oh, hey, cool, where's your singer she's well fit." - yeah everyone says that. I like the chap on the way out with the cute Manchester accent who gives a thumbs up and a "Nice one Minuit". SLACKERS CONVENTION, BRIGHTON "This music is good for the species." Show was very rock'n'roll for some reason. And some dude was standing in the middle of the crowd, one hand holding up a pound of butter, the other a pint of milk - standing there like the Village People doing a YMCA pose and just staring at us. A nutter with butter. Wasn't 'til afterwards Ruth said, "It'll be a NZ connection - the dairy thing". Hmmm, maybe. Saw review in DJ magazine today. "An engaging bunch from NZ. Her voice reminds me of Roni Size's Break Beat era crew, but with better hair." Bought a copy. STAVANGER, NORWAY "I never stole anything I kept, except you." 5.30am Ryan jumps on a tube in London, his gear in tow, in an attempt to catch an 11am plane. London airports suck. Bus from Norway airport drives onto a ferry (only way around the Fjords apparently) and we're in Stavanger. A brightly coloured Hansell and Gretel street with a sign above a hair salon that says:  "You're gorgeous, but what's with the hair?" They run the NuMusic festival here every September, Röyksopp played at the first - same venue as we are in tonight. Lovely chaps, put us up in a mate's apartment on the Hansell and Gretel street. Rains 80% of the year and they gave us umbrellas as gifts. The town has the honour of being European Capital of Culture 2008 (along with Liverpool). Our host Ingvil and Ruth did the Saturday fleamarkets - 'fill-a-bag-for-$3' so Ruth filled a shopping bag with 20kg of brass candlesticks. At the excess baggage the cute Norwegians said, "Oh you have already paid enough, take these on the plane." Takk! Here comes the big three-day weekend: London-Ireland-Berlin - the finale.   RHYTHM FACTORY, LONDON "Why can't you find, your way back home!" The second London show via the Spacific crew was for the New Zealanders. The venue was at WhiteChapel, snuggled next to Old Kent Rd, the cheaper end of a Monopoly board. We flew Infekto from Finland especially for the show, to say thanks. So many Kiwis - it was brilliant. Rory did VJing and during Bury You in Brazil he threw up heaps of images of NZ. The place went nutso - won't forget it. Got an email from a girl in UK who heard our live show replayed on NuBreaksFM and said, "You bastards, you made me homesick!" CORK, IRELAND "I forgot to mention, you are beautiful." The Tikki Lounge (home to many a wandering Kiwi act) run by Kate and co. has moved to a brand new location. This was opening night and we sold a truckload of CDs and cute little bunnies. The flight to Berlin left at 7am, we finished at 3am so an executive decision was made to head straight to the airport and sleep there. At 6am while checking in we get a call from Kate's place and it's very loud, very drunk Irish, all yelling, "Wake up Minuit, it's time to wake up. Have a safe trip Minweeee!"  SILVERWINGS, BERLIN "And make your way to Berlin." - Peaches This is it. Last show. And toughest crowd. But what a dream. Berlin. And it's my birthday - or it will be at midnight when we play. The venue said they'll put Jägermeisters on. (Side note: We were offered accommodation via the NZ Embassy in Berlin - great couple - now THAT'S what we like to see in an embassy!) We didn't know what to expect from the show. We are unknowns in Berlin and it's a tough city. We got there and people had come from the Netherlands and from Munich and from Paris and from Dresden, especially for the gig. Danke schön! Silverwings is in an old airport in the centre of Berlin, an ominous stone structure designed by Hitler's favourite architect. From the air it resembles an eagle. The airport still operates, and the club is on one side. It's a rock venue and an 'uber-cool' crowd. There's a lot of black, there's an industrial party in the back room (think Vin Diesel XXX-style, heaving, gay, black boots, latex). And another thing, I Hate Guns. A fitting way to go out. Ruth was on fire. The Dutch contingent got them dancing. We got the Jägermeisters and a round of happy birthday from the barstaff, and a ragtag gang that had somehow collected headed into town, wandering Berlin. An illegal bar in an abandoned hospital, the infamous Panorama Club with no cameras or phones allowed, Füssball with the underground title-holders and once again I don't remember how it all ends, but I see where Peaches gets her lines from..  And the future for Minuit holds...? Read a joke the other day: How do you make God laugh? Tell him your plans.