My father's father came from Finland. We have Finnish friends and relatives. Take it from me, Finns do some crazy things. The examples are numerous. Recently I was recalling an interview that I heard on the CBC. They were talking to a guest and I recognized the Finnish accent immediately so my interest was piqued. I listened knowing I would not be disappointed.
The guest was the conductor of an all-male shouting chorus. In 1987 in the community of Oulu the men had nothing to do. Maybe it was winter or something. Usually Finns drink a lot and become depressed in the winter so I have to hand it to these guys for wanting to be different. They decided to form a choir but alas, they could not sing. They could shout however, and the men's shouting choir was born.
They shout "deconstructed versions of random music, and, occasionally, legal proceedings or trade agreements." The conductor was a good-natured chap who seemed a little surprised and amused by the success they have maintained over the years. I recommend you check out their website. You can listen to their version of The Star Spangled Banner. They also have a video which is a must-see.
It seems they only played in the U.S. once, in 2000 at the Bang On A Can festival in New York. It's about time they came back, don't you think?
wacky finns, shouting chorus, Mieskuoro Huutaat
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