SOLITI 2025 : THE END OF YEAR LISTS
Joona Kinnunen (Ghosts on TV)
End of year lists! Okay I have a traditional one and a new one, but let’s chat a bit before that.
Last year I talked about Ghosts on TV’s anniversary shows and how after those gigs we started making our third studio album. I can happily say that you’ll hear more from that record in February, and I have to tease it just a little by saying that this album crystallizes my own art rock ideals quite nicely. I also talked about how touring abroad suddenly became part of everyday life, grateful as fuck for that. With Ghosts on TV we apparently don’t do safe Central Europan tours – we only go to Russia or USA. Yea, America is where we’re heading next, together with my other band Thelma’s Dream. Exciting… This year was also the release year of Thelma’s Dream’s debut album, thanks for the great reception. It felt like we even became part of some kind of current dream pop and shoegaze trend? Quite rare for me.
A special thank you for this year also goes to Mary Ann Hawkins, with whom I got to play big festivals for the first time since the HENRIK! years (not much to see at the festivals). Above all we did a a small UK tour. I even went to Jubilee Street in Brighton, my Nick Cave tribute. There was absolutely nothing there, just one crappy Starbucks. What also stuck in my mind was the Italian mountain village of Feltre, where we played with moshimoshi in a local guy’s living room. Never forget. And talking about trends, seems like the hardcore-derived emo is still going strong in Finland and in Europe underground, at least judging by the number of bands. Of course personally I only listen to Radiohead and I’ve never even seen a skateboard, so I don’t know anything about that. But the single best gig I played this year? Our Oakahtoakseh comeback at Kapsäkki. Ghosts on TV’s producer Alec and our bass player Otto performing their world-class neo-folk, lyricism and who knows what, with a nine-piece band whose roots also go all the way back to our high school.
But okay lets move to general culture topics, this year I started a Letterboxd account! Boston_joona33. I can recommend Letterboxd, I’ll definitely follow you back. So let’s start with the first list:
Weapons
One Battle After Another
PMMP Keikalla: Ei enää ikinä
28 Years Later
Jossain on valo joka ei sammu
And Top 5 classic films that I finally saw for the first time this year
Lost Highway
Beau Travail
The Deer Hunter
In Bruges
Sound of Metal
Ok! See you on Letterboxd.
And hey, next year I’m also planning to do a job-hunting post in the autumn, so culture industry folks, stay alert already. Turn notifications on for updates for example.
But indeed, the traditional list I give to this column:
Top 20 gigs I saw this year!
At best going to shows still hits almost as hard as it did when I was a kid, whether I’m there alone (actually really like that), with my beloved partner or with friends. Can recommend, this is how it went.
Swans – Paavli Kulttuurivabrik
Black Country, New Road – 3Theatre
Anohni & The Johnsons – Allas Sea Pool
Queens of The Stone Age – Nordis
Sturgill Simpson – Kultsa
The Smashing Pumpkins – Nordis
Grande Mahogany – Kallio Block Party
Joose Keskitalo – Ala-Malmin Puisto
Iron Maiden – Olympiastadion
Anna Von Hausswolff – Tavastia
Most honorable mention: Ex Tuuttiz @ Kallio Block Party. Rest In Peace
