LIVE AT PROVINSSIROCK 1991

It was just accident I got into Wigwam in early eighties. I believe it was 1983. Prog got bad name in Finland that time and I really wasn´t even heard bands name. Anyway my brother´s schoolmate was going to throw Wigwam selftitled compilation cassette to trash can, when my brother took it himself instead. I was then interested all music new to me, so I listened that. I wasn´t impressed in the begin. I think big reason was that tape was deteriorated, so sound was really muddy. But some time after that I found Esko Lehtonen´s books about Finnish Rock from the library. After read about Wigwam I understood how important Wigwam had been in Finnish music. Then I heard "Freddie Are You Ready" from the radio and I was totally in that band! I bought all the albums that were in the local record shop. "Fairyport", "Live Music From the Twilight Zone", "Lucky Golden Stripes and Starpose" and not even "Nuclear Nightclub" weren´t available as new then, but I managed to buy original version of the latter one from one local guy. Later I bought those others as second hand copies. Because Ronnie was dead I never imagined to hear them play alive. But good news came in the begin of 1991: Wigwam will reunite and play at least one gig in Provinssirock next summer! Of course it was sad news to me Jukka Gustavson and/or Pekka Pohjola would not be there, but I bought tickets! The line-up was same as in Töölönranta concert 1975, except Jan Noponen was in drums. Again Yle recorded and broadcast direct that concert and now those recordings have released in this album.

Originally gig started with "Just My Situation". They started most of their gigs after 1974 with that Pembroke´s solo album piece, it was already played in the last "old" Wigwam´s gigs. But again YLE failed and not recorded it, I am not sure, did Wigwam started too early or what was the reason. So the first song in this LP is "Wardance". It was really great moment in that gig, when Rekku´s great riff started! But then Jim started to sing that "I couldn´t care less of this song"-style and I was little disappointed. Originally he sang very tight in this great funky piece. In "Talking Brought Me Here" I really wondered what the h... they´re playing? Later I found out it was Jim´s eighties "Filthy Rich" bands song. It became one of the highlights in Wigwam´s 1993 "Light Ages"-album. But after that they gave relief to me and also others in the audience: "Save My Money And Name" was played and sang as it should. Some reason Pedro played accordion already in this, but it fitted well. I read from this album, that in "Nuclear Nightclub"-song studioversion had accordion, I just haven´t ever recognised it. Anyway version in Provinssirock was again just fine! Then came another piece that I wondered: "No New Games to Play". I hadn´t got Pembroke´s "Pigworm" then, so really didn´t know what song it was. Now listening this record they play it quite the same way as in Töölönranta-live. Great solo from Rekku! One of the concerts highlights to me was next song: "Eddie and the Boys". All the way so good feeling version!

The second vinyl of this release consist just classic material of 1974-77 line-up, mostly from "Nuclear Nightclub". In "Kite" Pembroke´s singing is again quite false for some reason. I really would have hoped Hietanen had taken moog with him in this concert, because the song intro sounded just awful. But it´s ok he uses organ sound in "Do Or Die"´s solo. But even Rekku hadn´t got his Hoyer-guitar and phaser effect, his playing was absolutely great all the songs! It´s same in "Freddie Are You Ready": really miss the moog, but Rekku´s magic chords sound like they should! Pembroke´s singing goes better song by song. In the gigs last piece "Bless Your Lucky Stars" intensity rises really high! And again terrific solo from Rekku! Of course they got encore and it was "Grass For Blades" that ended their gigs in the seventies and also was played by "old" Wigwam. Pembroke forgets words in the first verse, but all the way this version is very good with solos both Hietanen and Rechardt.

When I put this album first time on, I had really warm and nostalgic feeling! I think this is the first concert, where I have been that has released as album! In Provinssirock Wigwam wasn´t at it´s best, but still it´s such a great live album! I recommend "Live at Provinssi" much more than "Wigwam Plays Wigwam"-album, because drummer Jan Noponen is so much better than Jari Kettunen. Although Kotilainen has the original keyboards in that other live, Hietanen can´t ruin everything with his too modern synth in this album. After Jim Pembroke´s death I believe we haven´t got possibility to see Wigwam concert anymore. But it´s great there comes these old live albums! There is already coming "Live At Natsa 1971" in November. Although other pieces of that album except "Fairyport" have released already in "Fresh Garbage"-collection, I really wait that! Naturally one big reason is that it is from the greatest Wigwam line-up!