Pekka Nisu and Ville Leinonen (solo) – A la Malmi

Pekka Nisu plays heartland rock. Ville Leinonen puts on a man-and-guitar gig.

In a personal way, their music combines country-inspired rock and stories set in the rural landscapes and small towns of the Finnish countryside. Their new album, Lauhanmaa, is a touching and clear description of the current state of the countryside. In the album’s stories, private experiences become shared.

Pekka Nisu is known as the lead guitarist and creator of numerous classics by Pimeys, who disbanded in 2020. The new album is Nisu's third solo album and a continuation of Papillon (2021) and Kaiken täytyy mennä (2022). The performances of Nisu's energetic and soulful band are uplifting and liberating. The band consists of Jukkis Virtanen (bass), Axel Virkkunen (guitar), Julius Sihvonen (keyboards) and Ville Hatanpää (drums).

Ville Leinonen is a Finnish singer-songwriter. Leinonen's first long play, Raastinlauluja, was released in 1997. In 1998, Leinonen founded a band called Valumo, who released four albums in 2000–2005. During this time, Leinonen also released a solo album, Suudelmitar. In 2006, Leinonen released a lyric collection, Äänettömiä salamoita. Today, Ville Leinonen performs live in the traditional man-and-guitar style. The songs Leinonen plays are his own.