KORPIKLAANI - Gearing Up For North American Paganfest Tour, Recording New Album In 2010

Finnish folk metal veterans KORPIKLAANI have issued the following update:

"2009 is over now, time to take a drink and gather around the fire and ponder about the past year. As always there were good and bad things. One of the big highlights was the first USA-tour, the Paganfest tour. We never ever expected to play in that magical city called Hollywood, or in ‘the big apple’ New York. We broke new grounds not just in the USA, but also in Israel, where the people gave us a great warm welcome. Another big highlight was our (second) show at the 20th anniversary of Wacken Open Air. Not to forget the Woodstock Festival's 40th anniversary, where we played as the first Finnish group in Woodstock's history.

Special also was the acoustic gig in the attractive castle at Burgfolk Festival, a familiar location where we played already many times. At that gig, and at a few more, we got company from our friend Tero Hyväluoma, a terrific violin player. We hope he will play with us many more times. But besides these shows and many more, like the Paganfest Europe Tour, we found the time to record our latest album Karkelo. We went to the Grooveland Studio, where we feel pretty much at home, and where we are in the strong and cunning hands of Aksu Hanttu.

Of course, 2009 was not only sunshine. A huge disappointment to us was the postponement of the Vodka Revolution Tour, e.g. the South America Tour, due to unforeseen troubles. We all were packed and set, and waited for our departure… which unfortunately never came. Hard was also the parting of some old friends, with whom we walked along during a couple of years. But that is what life is, moving on, trying to develop, trying to make the best out of it.

We are looking forward to 2010. Our second USA / Canada Paganfest Tour will start soon, just a couple of days before we take the plane again, and move to the USA and Canada for a couple of weeks, and play daily gigs. And… we can pack our suitcases again soon after this for the South America Tour, which is rescheduled for March. In the meantime we will play some gigs in our beloved homeland. As always, a lot of expectations, a lot of questions, and a lot of (hopefully good) surprises ahead. Also in 2010 we plan to go to the studio again to record a new album, which title is still a secret… also to us :)

And of course we hope, and guess, that we will meet many of our old and new fans. That really keeps us going! A happy new year to you all, and see you in 2010!"

Korpiklaani's Paganfest tour schedule with SWASHBUCKLE, TYR and WHITE WIZZARD as support is as follows:

January
8 - Palladium - Worcester, Massachusetts
9 -Club Soda - Montreal, Quebec
10 - Opera House - Toronto, Ontario
11 - Blondie’s - Detroit, Michigan
12 - Jaguar Club - Chicago, Illinois
13 - Peabody’s - Cleveland, Ohio
14 - Gramercy Theater - New York, New York
15 - The Sterling Hotel - Allentown, Pennsylvania
16 - Jaxx - Springfield, Virginia
17 - Volume 11 - Raleigh, North Carolina
18 - Masquerade - Atlanta, Georgia
19 - Czar - Tampa, Florida
21 - Emo’s - Austin, Texas
22 - Ridglea Theatre - Ft. Worth, Texas
23 - The Flytrap Music Hall - Tulsa, Oklahoma
24 - Launchpad - Albuquerque, New Mexico
25 - Club Red - Tempe, Arizona
26 - Key Club - Hollywood, California
27 - Ramona Main Stage - Ramona, California
28 - DNA Lounge - San Fransisco, California
29 - Satyricon - Portland, Oregon
30 - Studio Seven - Seattle, Washington
31 - Rickshaw Theater - Vancouver, British Columbia

Vodka