Stratovarius Community

Just read from a finnish tabloid that TK, MK and Jani Liimatainen are performing to the president of Russia this evening as Medvedev is having dinner with the finnish president Tarja Halonen!

Would be interesting to know what songs they've been doing? Maybe Timo or Matias could enlighten us

btw. the article in finnish is found here http://www.iltasanomat.fi/uutiset/kotim ... id=1676845

Daamn . That's so,... great honor. Hey. How many metal musicians have played for Two presidents and politicions ? I wonder who have booked Tk, Matias and Jani

Edit: yes. And Matias. Come and tell us !!!

Whoa, that's really an honor.
I heard Medvedev is actually a fan of metal/hard rock bands, such as Black Sabbath and Deep Purple.

wowwww , what a honor!!

Translation of the Iltasanomat article linked above:

Timo Kotipelto will perform at the official dinner for Medvedev
20.04.2009 19:38, updated 20.04. 21:06

The President of the Republic Tarja Halonen and her spouse doctor Pentti Arajärvi will serve an official dinner at the Presidentinlinna residence to honour the official visit of The President of Russia Dmitri Medvedev and his spouse Mrs. Svetlana Medvedeva to Finland.

During the dinner will vocalist Timo Kotipelto (Stratovarius), guitarist Matias Kupiainen (Stratovarius), and guitarist Jani Liimatainen perform accompanied with the Kaartin soittokunta military band lead by conductor Elias Seppälä.

The honorary dinner will be served for 130 attendants.

Besides the Presidents and their companies among the invited are Finnish political leaders, a number of high rank officials, diplomats, and representatives of finance and culture.



Now, metal artists performing at an official state dinner party for two presidents!

How cool is that?!!!

.

Amazing!

According to The Voice they played Hunting High and Low, Black Diamond, Burn (Deep Purple) and – as an encore after Mr. Medvedev had demanded one – I Surrender (Rainbow). TK told that he received an invitation 1½ weeks ago and decided he’d do it if he found a guitarist. Instead of one he brought two!

Seems like TK is making friends all around.

http://www.voice.fi/index.php?option=co ... 3547&cat=1

Good news. Way to go.

That's really amazing news!

lol

I just thought that the competition is still on.
just yesterday Tolkki had announced to perform woth Fabio Lione of Rhapsody (of Fire)
The next day TK comes and says hey I'm performing for the president of Russia

Moony wrote:http://www.voice.fi/index.php?option=co ... 3547&cat=1

Kotipelto performed to president of Russia - president demanded more!

Singer Timo Kotipelto performed yesterday to an influential audience. Renowned metal-fan, Russian president Dmitri Medvedev listened to Kotipelto's gig with excitement and according to Ilta-Sanomat -magazine didn't let the man off the stage after three songs.

Kotipelto says, that an adjutant grapped his sleeve, when he was leaving the stage and asked for one more song. By then Kotipelto had already played Stratovarius-hits Hunting High And Low and Black Diamond and Deep Purple's Burn. According to Kotipelto the president wanted an encore and got Rainbow's song I Surrender as an extra.

Timo Kotipelto got an invitation to perform for the president a week and a half ago. He committed to the unusual gig, if he only found a guitarist to accompany him. Kotipelto joined with former Sonata Arctica -guitarist Jani Liimatainen and Matias Kupiainen from Stratovarius: "I thought, that lets do this special thing and play with two guitars."


I would pay money to see a recording of that gig. Was Medvedev headbanging and singing along to the songs?

I would also love to see/hear that
The president has a fantastic taste in music

They should've played Iron Maiden's Mother Russia as well.

when I read this news in the morning I actually thought: let's play 'the land of ice and snow'

anyway, Finland is such a miracle country - and this is not the first time. Tarja Turunen was invited to President Palace for a dinner party 6 years ago.
(sending invitations to all my fav musicians for dinner: the greatest advantage of being selected as president. XD)

Wow, what a cool gig, and quite the honor. WTG, Timo and company. Medvedev made a good choice for the encore; Timo does a kick-ass version of "I Surrender." Would love to see that live some day.

Kudos to all the guys. Gotta be kind of nice to be appreciated at such "lofty" levels.

The Presidents will be headbanging to METAL!
President of Russia-- :headbang:
President of Finland-- :headbang:

Okay, I'm a but stunned. At least Putin 2.0 has a good taste of music

it goes to show that metal is gaining a bit more acceptance these days

hiro23 wrote:it goes to show that metal is gaining a bit more acceptance these days

At least Power Metal. I can't imagine a Band like Immortal playing for the russian president XD

Well I don't think Death or black metal will ever be mainstream

Summpi sika wrote: I wonder who have booked Tk, Matias and Jani

Edit: yes. And Matias. Come and tell us !!!

I wonder if those presidents like heavy metal songs

Polaris wrote:

Summpi sika wrote: I wonder who have booked Tk, Matias and Jani

Edit: yes. And Matias. Come and tell us !!!

I wonder if those presidents like heavy metal songs

Well, I think they woldn't have invited them if they don't like it.

Moony wrote:According to The Voice they played Hunting High and Low, Black Diamond, Burn (Deep Purple) and – as an encore after Mr. Medvedev had demanded one – I Surrender (Rainbow). TK told that he received an invitation 1½ weeks ago and decided he’d do it if he found a guitarist. Instead of one he brought two!

Seems like TK is making friends all around.

http://www.voice.fi/index.php?option=co ... 3547&cat=1

Ow yes this is cool! Kotipelto for president!

I would love to see both presidents bang their Heads!

Ragehead91 wrote:I would love to see both presidents bang their Heads!

That would be fun

Now Medvedev is my favorite president! Screw human rights, screw Chechenia, he's one of us!

Ragehead91 wrote:I'm a but stunned.

here is bush banging his head