Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät

Hello,

The last few weeks we've been sorting out the details on a couple of gigs we've been organising with friends to co-incide with the Finnish punk band Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät coming over to the UK. They're coming over to do Q&A's at screenings of a film that has been made about them called "Kovasikajuttu (The Punk Syndrome)". The film is about their lives as musicians in a punk band and I think will resonate with anyone who has ever embarked on that pointlessly fulfilling journey. It's great, it's funny and the music is amazing... it's definitely recommended viewing.

I guess the 'twist' or the 'hook' to the story is that all the members have learning disabilities/learning difficulties//developmental disorders/developmental disabilities... whatever name you would like to give. Unfortunately a lot of the language used in that area is intrinsically negative, which belies the overwhelming positivity that I have encountered working with people with learning disabilities for the past 6 years. 

I first heard PKN on a compilation put out by Heavy Load & Stay Up Late, a punk band from Brighton with members with learning disabilities and the charity they set up to promote the idea that people with learning disabilities should have the choice whether they can stay out late at clubs and gigs enjoying themselves (pretty crazy notion huh?). The compilation was called "Wild Things 3" and was a worldwide collection of music from people with learning disabilities. It's a really amazing and diverse compilation and I highly recommend you seek out a copy of that or the previous 2 collections. 

I think what I would like to get at but am going about it in a very roundabout way is that there is a music scene out there, that much like the people who inhabit it, is out on the fringes... and we don't think it should be. As I said I have had the pleasure of being involved in the Brighton and London learning disability music scene for a long time now and will always bend people's ears about how amazing it is when I have the chance. Not only do I think the music and people involved are refreshingly pure and un-pretentious in terms of creativity and performing but also that they are incredible positive examples of not looking at what people can't do, but what they can. Which I know is incredibly cheesy but when the majority of press you will see involving people with learning disabilities is negative this is very important. So we've invited Zombie Crash & Daniel Wakeford who are both heavily involved with the Brighton learning disability music scene to play the shows as well, they are both amazing.

There is definitely an argument for not making a point or issue about learning disability with the music, that it should be taken at face value, but I think that recognising, celebrating and embracing a culture that is often not recognised and often seen as outside of our everyday lives and is also currently under attack from our government is far more pertinent. 

I will stop waffling on about it now, sorry, the main reason really we wanted to put on these shows is that PKN are so punk they wear leather jackets and denim jackets at the same time, all the time. 

RIGHT THE DETAILS - 

We are putting on a show in Brighton with the help of Andy Auld and one in London with the help of Bryony Beynon...

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SUNDAY 3rd FEBRUARY 2013

Lost In Idea & Calm Time present ...

Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät
(http://kovasikajuttu.fi/en/)

Sauna Youth

The Sticks
http://www.upsettherhythm.co.uk/thesticks.shtml

Royal Limp
http://royal-limp.soundcloud.com/

Zombie Crash
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xfo5J0Y2ak

@ The Green Door Store, Brighton.
Doors - 6.30pm - 10.30pm.

£4 / Carers Donation / £3 with ticket stub from screening

Fully accessible venue

The film "Kovasikajuttu (The Punk Syndrome)" will be screened the same day at 4 o'clock at the Dukes @ Komedia, just down the road from the Green Door Store. There will also be a Q&A with the band.

You get a pound off the gig if you have a ticket from the screening FYI.

Facebook event

Film screening details

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SUNDAY 10th FEBRUARY 2013

Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät
[FINLAND]
http://kovasikajuttu.fi/en/about-the-band

Sauna Youth
[DREAMLANDS]
http://lostinidea.blogspot.co.uk/

Daniel Wakeford

http://rockhouserecords.bandcamp.com/album/daniel-wakeford

Good Throb

http://goodthrob.tumblr.com/

@ The Shacklewell Arms, London

Doors - 6:30pm - 10:30pm

£4 / Carers Donation / £3 with ticket stub from screening

Fully accessible venue

The film "Kovasikajuttu (The Punk Syndrome)" will be screened on Friday the 8th Feb at the Hackney Picturehouse, a bus ride away from the Shacklewel Arms.

Facebook event

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