Eläkeläiset Humppaschlag Tour 2025

Eläkeläiset are the ‘biggest humppa band in the world’. They say so themselves, and who would contradict them? The ‘pensioners’ are not only an institution in their home country, with their records regularly appearing at the top of the charts. The band also has an astonishingly large and, above all, very loyal fan base here in Germany.

Eläkeläiset play humppa, a kind of Finnish polka, always introduced by a tight, hard-hitting drum intro. Music that lends itself very well to polonaise or slide dancing. Eläkeläiset claim that all rock, pop or other classics can be played as humppa versions and only then do they sound really good.

Humppa is...when four crazy, rarely sober Finns not only cover the best-known chart earworms from rock, pop and metal in polka style, but ‘improve’ them. The small catch? They sing in Finnish! The lyrics are - distantly - related to the original. The musicians simply fill in translation gaps with Finnish swear words or ‘humppa’. In addition, they maltreat the bass, accordion, drums and guitar at breathtaking speed.

I might be there a little late but will make it before 20:00.