There are certain
things I never thought I would see combined. Sushi and french fries,
bicycling and sky diving, dogs with a catnip addiction just to name a
few. The country of Finland has shown me I have much to learn. This
very creative Nordic nation has decided to combine heavy metal with
knitting. They went a step further and turned it into a worldwide
competition. They have provided the Metal Knitting Championship. I
must admit that knitting and playing heavy metal music is something
way beyond my skill set.
Here are excerpts from
the story with my valuable insights in italics.
Finnish Marketing Agency
Tovari teamed up with Joensuu City Cultural Services and the
Joensuu Conservatory in order to bring together two of the most
popular things in the northern European country. Heavy metal is
really big in Finland, with over 50 heavy metal bands per
100,000 Finnish citizens (more than anywhere else in the world), and
knitting not less so, as hundreds of thousands of people out of a
population of around 5.5 million are practising some kind of
needlework crafts.
I suppose anyone
planning to go to Finland and see popular tourist attractions such as
Turku Castle, Sami Culture in Inari, Suomenlinna Fortress or even the
Northern Lights in Lapland have one more thing to add to their
Finnish trip experience. It may be fun just to watch people as they
listen to heavy metal music as they handle reindeer. I always
thought a Nordic nation would be a bit on the cold side at certain
times of the year. I bet doing needlework would be a good way to
pass the time during the cold winter months. Doing needlework crafts
with heavy metal music will definitely set the Finnish people dressed
in their traditional Karelian apart from the rest of the world. It
is pure marketing genius.
“In heavy metal
knitting, needlework and music become united like never before. ...In
heavy metal knitting, the knitter becomes a part of the band, showing
their best needlework tricks as the heavy riffs echo on the
background. The knitter takes part in the jam while their balls of
yarn and knitting needles swish through the air.”
(Sarcasm Alert)
This would be a
fascinating concert to attend. I wonder if a Finnish heavy metal
band would end a song by smashing their knitting needles on the
stage? I can see a guitar solo involving a band member who puts a
knitting project behind their head and continues knitting as the
heavy music plays. I wonder if the knitting band member will have
all the stage lights on them as they do a knitting solo? There could
also be the person knitting who kneels down toward wild crazed fans
and knits to the music. At the end of the concert, I wonder if they
throw the things they've knitted out to the crowd? This would be a
new live musical experience for many of us.
“I went to the
concert and got a poster.”
“I got a picture of
the band at the concert.”
“That's nothing. I
got a tossle cap one of the band members made during the concert.”
“Oh, you are so
lucky.”
Knitting enthusiasts
wanting to take part in the world’s first Heavy Metal Knitting
Championship have to download the song “Fight or Die” by Joensuu
heavy metal band Maniac Abductor and upload a one-minute clip of
themselves knitting to it to YouTube.
It would be something
for a heavy metal band to be discussing what to do for their next gig
and someone suggests heavy metal knitting.
“We've run out of
places to perform. Any suggestions about what we should do for work?
“There is playing at
the summer festivals.”
“Maybe.”
“There is opening for
a few acts playing in the battle of the band's concert.”
“That is a real
possibility.”
“How about we get
someone in the band who can knit.”
“Why?”
“So we can compete in
the heavy metal knitting championship in Finland.”
“Sounds great, my
grandmother knits.”
“Mine plays heavy
metal music.”
“Mine once watched a
documentary about Finland on public television.”
“Get the camera for
the video. We are there.”
“When playing guitar as
well as knitting stitches it is all about the pleasure of creating
something cool with your hands. And – it’s all about the
attitude!”
I think if you are able
to create a great heavy metal song, as well as make a nice pair of
socks, you've got some real talent. If there comes a time when you
can no longer play an instrument, you would always be able to knit
things and make a living. I'm sure coming on stage and lifting your
knitting needles right before the music starts would show the right
attitude. As they introduced the band you would be known as the
heavy metal knitter.
Next thing you know
there will be food eating contests combined with a symphony playing
classical music.
It actually sounds like
a lot of fun.
Below is a link to the
story.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/47900991
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