Tavastia Club
Encyclopedia
The Tavastia Club is a popular rock music
club in Helsinki
, Finland
. The house is owned by Hämäläis-Osakunta
, one of the student nations
at the University of Helsinki
, but since 1991 the club has been operated by a private enterprise renting the house from the nation. It is located in central Helsinki Kamppi
district on the street Urho Kekkosen katu. The capacity is 700 people.
house) in 1931. From early on, it was actively rented for entertainment purposes, including theater plays and dances. By the 1950s it had become a popular dance place and carried the slang
name Hämis. During the 1960s the house started to concentrate more on rock music
.
In 1970 the club was given the name Tavastia klubi. The programme included weekly jazz, rock and disco concerts. During the 1970s many bands, which would later become very famous in Finland and even abroad, rose to fame from the concerts in Tavastia. These include such acts as Hurriganes
, Sleepy Sleepers
, Wigwam
and Dave Lindholm
. During this time a few popular foreign acts played in the club as well, including Tom Waits
, John Lee Hooker
and Dr. Feelgood
.
By the 1980s the club had achieved a legendary status in the Finnish rock
music scene. In the 1980s more domestic bands rose to fame through Tavastia, most importantly Hanoi Rocks
. Foreign visitors included Sir Douglas Quintet
, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Jason & The Scorchers
, Dead Kennedys
, Public Image Ltd, Pogues and Nick Cave
.
The 1990s saw new popular domestic acts rise to fame from the stages of the club. These include Don Huonot
, Kingston Wall
and The 69 Eyes
. In 1994 a "little brother" club Semifinal was opened in the basement of Tavastia to cater for the "rising star" bands and other smaller acts. For example, HIM played for the first time in the Tavastia's address in Semifinal when Ville Valo
, the lead-singer to be, was still playing bass
. Valo is said to have told the Tavastia's manager Juhani Merimaa that he would one day play a sold-out gig in the upstairs club. Valo kept his promise, and HIM went on to become one of the best selling acts in the history of Finnish music.
Today, Tavastia is one of the oldest European rock music clubs that remain in continuous use.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
club in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. The house is owned by Hämäläis-Osakunta
Hämäläis-Osakunta
Hämäläis-Osakunta is one of the 15 student nations at the University of Helsinki, Finnish-speaking and established in 1653 at The Royal Academy of Turku. In 1828, the Academy moved to Helsinki adoptng the name university and Hämäläis-Osakunta moved there along with the other nations...
, one of the student nations
Nations at Finnish universities
In Finland, student nations are student organisations within which a large proportion of extra-curricular student activity takes place...
at the University of Helsinki
University of Helsinki
The University of Helsinki is a university located in Helsinki, Finland since 1829, but was founded in the city of Turku in 1640 as The Royal Academy of Turku, at that time part of the Swedish Empire. It is the oldest and largest university in Finland with the widest range of disciplines available...
, but since 1991 the club has been operated by a private enterprise renting the house from the nation. It is located in central Helsinki Kamppi
Kamppi
Kamppi is a neighbourhood in the centre of Helsinki, the capital of Finland. The name originally referred to a small area known as the "Kamppi field" , but according to the current official designation, "Kamppi" encompasses a much larger area with a population of 10,000 in 2004.The heart of Kamppi...
district on the street Urho Kekkosen katu. The capacity is 700 people.
History
The house was built for the Tavastian nation as "Hämäläistentalo" (Tavastians'Tavastia (historical province)
Tavastia, Tavastland or Häme, Russian Emi or Yemi, is a historical province in the south of Finland. It borders Finland Proper, Satakunta, Ostrobothnia, Savonia and Uusimaa.- Administration :...
house) in 1931. From early on, it was actively rented for entertainment purposes, including theater plays and dances. By the 1950s it had become a popular dance place and carried the slang
Helsinki slang
Helsinki slang or stadin slangi is a local dialect and a sociolect of the Finnish language mainly used in the capital Helsinki...
name Hämis. During the 1960s the house started to concentrate more on rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
.
In 1970 the club was given the name Tavastia klubi. The programme included weekly jazz, rock and disco concerts. During the 1970s many bands, which would later become very famous in Finland and even abroad, rose to fame from the concerts in Tavastia. These include such acts as Hurriganes
Hurriganes
Hurriganes is a Finnish rock band that was formed in the early 1970s. They were very popular in Finland in the 1970s and early '80s; they were also a popular live act in Sweden during this time. Their classic line-up consisted of Remu Aaltonen, Albert Järvinen and Cisse Häkkinen. What seems like...
, Sleepy Sleepers
Sleepy Sleepers
Sleepy Sleepers is a Finnish pop/rock/punk band. The band released 19 albums between 1975 and 1989. Sakke Järvenpää and Mato Valtonen were the main members of the band...
, Wigwam
Wigwam
A wigwam or wickiup is a domed room dwelling used by certain Native American tribes. The term wickiup is generally used to label these kinds of dwellings in American Southwest and West. Wigwam is usually applied to these structures in the American Northeast...
and Dave Lindholm
Dave Lindholm
Ralf-Henrik ”Dave” Lindholm is Finnish guitarist and singer-songwriter who has made a career under his own name and also participated in some noteworthy groups. He has written songs and recorded in both Finnish and English....
. During this time a few popular foreign acts played in the club as well, including Tom Waits
Tom Waits
Thomas Alan "Tom" Waits is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."...
, John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.Hooker began his life as the son of a sharecropper, William Hooker, and rose to prominence performing his own unique style of what was originally closest to Delta blues. He developed a 'talking blues' style that was his trademark...
and Dr. Feelgood
Dr. Feelgood
Dr. Feelgood may refer to:In music:*Dr. Feelgood , an album by American band Mötley Crüe**"Dr. Feelgood" , a single and the title track from that album*"Dr. Feel Good", a song by Travie McCoy on the album Lazarus...
.
By the 1980s the club had achieved a legendary status in the Finnish rock
Finnish rock
Finnish rock refers to rock music made in Finland. The initial rock and roll boom of the 1950s was preceded by a long tradition of popular culture...
music scene. In the 1980s more domestic bands rose to fame through Tavastia, most importantly Hanoi Rocks
Hanoi Rocks
Hanoi Rocks was a Finnish rock band formed in 1979, whose most successful period came in the early 1980s. The band broke up in 1985 after the death of their drummer, Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley...
. Foreign visitors included Sir Douglas Quintet
Sir Douglas Quintet
Sir Douglas Quintet was a rock band active in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Despite their British sounding name, they came out of San Antonio, Texas. Their career was established when they began working with Texas record-producer Huey P. Meaux, after which the band relocated to the West Coast...
, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Jason & The Scorchers
Jason & the Scorchers
Jason & the Scorchers, originally Jason & the Nashville Scorchers, are a Cowpunk / Country rock band formed in 1981 and led by singer/songwriter Jason Ringenberg....
, Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
, Public Image Ltd, Pogues and Nick Cave
Nick Cave
Nicholas Edward "Nick" Cave is an Australian musician, songwriter, author, screenwriter, and occasional film actor.He is best known for his work as a frontman of the critically acclaimed rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, established in 1984, a group known for its eclectic influences and...
.
The 1990s saw new popular domestic acts rise to fame from the stages of the club. These include Don Huonot
Don Huonot
Don Huonot was one of the most popular Finnish rock bands in Finland in the 1990s. They had many radio hits and their live sessions were known as being very emotional and energetic experiences.After 10 years and 7 albums, the band broke up...
, Kingston Wall
Kingston Wall
Kingston Wall was a psychedelic/progressive rock group from Helsinki, Finland, originally formed in 1987. Influenced by such artists as Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd, the group combined eastern themes, mysticism and vivid psychedelia with acid-rock.The band consisted of Petri Walli ,...
and The 69 Eyes
The 69 Eyes
The 69 Eyes are a multi-platinum selling Finnish gothic rock band. They are currently signed to EMI Finland. The band's albums are now distributed worldwide. The End Records acts as the band's official North American distributor, as Nuclear Blast Records provides distribution in Mainland Europe,...
. In 1994 a "little brother" club Semifinal was opened in the basement of Tavastia to cater for the "rising star" bands and other smaller acts. For example, HIM played for the first time in the Tavastia's address in Semifinal when Ville Valo
Ville Valo
Ville Hermanni Valo is a Finnish singer, songwriter and frontman of the Finnish rock band HIM. He has received the "Golden God" award in 2004 by the heavy metal magazine Metal Hammer. Valo has a baritone vocal range. Valo was ranked number 80 in Hit Paraders Top 100 Metal Vocalists of All Time...
, the lead-singer to be, was still playing bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
. Valo is said to have told the Tavastia's manager Juhani Merimaa that he would one day play a sold-out gig in the upstairs club. Valo kept his promise, and HIM went on to become one of the best selling acts in the history of Finnish music.
Today, Tavastia is one of the oldest European rock music clubs that remain in continuous use.
Further reading
- Koistiainen Pasi: Ja rokki soi (Jalava, 2000) (in Finnish)
- Lamppu Laamanen: Tavastia Klubi, Helsinki (Like, 2000) (in Finnish)