Clubgoers will have a chance to hear the disco-funk of Eternal Erection, the grunge-influenced power rock of Bleak, the jangle-pop of Underwater Sleeping Society and, finally, the wild and wooly mix of world music, klezmer, jazz, punk and progressive rock played by Alamaailman Vasarat, whose name translates as "Hammers of the Underworld."
A six-piece band with brass and dueling cellos enhanced with electronic effects, Alamaailman Vasarat calls its genre "fictional world music." Drummer Teemu H?nninen and bassist Jarno Sarkula founded the band in 1997. They ended up with two cello players by chance: Initially they had just one cellist, Marko Manninen, but in 2002 he hurt his hand and another cellist, Tuukka Helminen, was asked to fill in. After Manninen recovered, they decided to keep Helminen for novelty value.
In 2000, Alamaailman Vasarat's debut album, "Vasaraasia," reached No. 7 on the European world music charts. Their latest record, "Maahan," was released this month. The band debuts in Russia after having played in Portugal, the Netherlands, Sweden, Japan and the United States.
"Who said that prog rock is bombastic and boring? Alamaailman Vasarat dispel this myth," say the program notes to News from Helsinki. "They make fun of klezmer and cabaret, with songs that are as genuine as they are complex. They play art-rock with energy worthy of something like Gogol Bordello. They've got a stylish overlapping of songs from various peoples and snappy solos. They're a spectacle not to be missed."
News From Helsinki starts Tues. at 9 p.m at Ikra, located at 8A Ulitsa Kazakova. Metro Kurskaya. Tel. 262-4482.
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