Lost Kolhoces 30
Lost Kolhoces 30 Years
Concert of the legendary student band in the courtyard of Tampere House on Saturday, July 6, at 6 PM.
Lost Kolhoces is a band formed by international students who came to Tartu from Finland in the early 1990s. The band was put together in the dormitory on Narva Road. They performed in various famous pubs of the time in Tartu: Šveik, BFG, Zavood. They participated several times in the university bands’ competition, Tudengi Laul. In addition, they performed several times with their friendly bands Normaalne Seltskond and Genialistid.
The band’s songs are in both Estonian and Finnish. Some of their most famous songs include “Libahundi naine,” “Murmansk,” “Pastori pohmell,” “Joogilaul,” and “Läksin Ameerikasse.” All the old songs, as well as some new ones, will be performed at the concert.
“We came to Tartu in the same year, 1992, to study Estonian, along with our violinist Kaija Rytkönen. Since we were both interested in both music and the Estonian language, we decided to start making music together,” recalls the band’s singer Sakari Neuvonen. “I had been making songs in Finnish since I was little, but now I had to start making them in Estonian too. Music helped us dive into Tartu’s student life; I got to know the now-deceased Rein Ahas, who took me to the dormitories where there was always a party going on with wonderful songs,” Neuvonen smiles.
The band’s name, Lost Kolhoces, refers to the much-discussed topic in the press during the 1990s about the disappearance of kolkhozes (collective farms). The band released a now-legendary recording, a cassette titled “Kainestusmajas” (In the Drunk Tank). “Through their songs, it’s nice to reminisce about student days; some songs have truly become legendary. For instance, Merca’s five-year-old daughter was one of our biggest fans; she even called Radio Two and requested to hear our song ‘Pastori pohmell’ (Pastor’s Hangover),” recalls Sakari Neuvonen.
The band’s members were Finnish students who came to study in Tartu at different times. “Anyone who wanted to play something was immediately taken on board,” says Neuvonen. Over the years, besides Sakari Neuvonen and Kaija Rytkönen, the band has included Olli Kortelainen (bass), Siru Ahopelto (vocals), Outi Raunio (viola), Mika Kolehmainen (accordion), Mika Seppänen (cello), and Lassi Lager (mandolin).
After their studies in Tartu, the band members dispersed, but they have occasionally performed in Tartu. Now there’s another chance to hear genuine student folk – youth returns!
“We participated in several student song competitions and even won a few times. Rahvahääl wrote about the band’s performance on November 24, 1993, as follows: ‘…A group named Lost Kolhoces came up with a unique concept. For some unknown reason, a corpulent little man speaking with a strong Finnish accent beat a drum with a broom and mumbled some half-articulated song about werewolves, milk, and vodka. It was impossible to perceive any specific connection between these things. The other two songs also intensely promoted alcoholism. Amazingly, the lady with the violin did not manage to break the strings, although she tried very hard…’
Concert ticket: 10 euros. https://fienta.com/et/lost-kolhoces
For more information, contact Sakari Neuvonen at +372 52 89 284.
