Bundestagswahl 2025
Hei Du! Auch wenn Du das in den letzten Tagen und Wochen ständig liest oder hörst - ich sags Dir jetzt auch noch. Weil ich denke, dass es wichtig ist. Weil wir uns persönlich kennen, oder bei einem meiner Konzerte gesehen haben, oder wie und wo auch immer sich unsere Wege gekreuzt haben. Weil ich möchte, dass Du es weißt. Du hast am kommenden Sonntag das Recht, zu wählen. Das ist nicht überall selbstverständlich und es ist ein verdammtes Privileg! Machs einfach! Es ist Deine Möglichkeit, mit zu verhindern, dass hier Leute das Sagen bekommen, deren beste Alternative für "ihr" Land das Wiederkäuen von Propaganda-Floskeln verurteilter Kriegsverbrecher ist. Bis jetzt. Denk vielleicht auch dran: Es ist nicht deren Land. Es ist deins. Du kannst entscheiden, was damit passiert. Du hast die Wahl. Also nutze sie. Du kannst das! Ich kann das! Wir machen das, ok?
Bsky
Unfortunately there is still not really an option for artists to stay connected with their audience and fans outside of Facebook and Instagram. They’re still the monopolists in the business when it comes to stay visible on social media. I do hope Bsky manages to grow quickly and will rather sooner than later become an alternative. X is definitely out being run by an openly fascist moron. I’d highly appreciate you following me on Bsky. They’ve got still some way to go, but I figure it might work out in the end. Here’s the link to my profile @maekkelae.bsky.social.
Shows in Finland
Due to more reasons than I want to explain here I’m taking it easier for the first half of the year in terms of shows and touring. There’ll be some few shows in Germany in places I particularly love to play, a one-off with Pavel Cingl in maybe the nicest place in Czech Republic, the Nostalgicka Mys in Semanovice and - surprise - two or three handpicked shows in Finland. Everything listed in here and in the “concerts” section of this website. As always please stay tuned for additions…
Thu 27 Feb - Nuremberg, Galerie Bernsteinzimmer (GER)
Fri 14 Mar - Semanovice, Nostalgicka Mys (CZ)
Sat 15 Mar - Landshut, Zentrale zum Riebelwirt (GER)
Wed 19 Mar - Eichstätt, Fiddler’s Green (GER)
Thu 27 Mar - Tampere, Pethaus ry (FIN)
Fri 28 Mar - Turku, Nirvana “Satujuhla Festival” (FIN)
Sailing The Seas Of Weirdness Festival 2025
For the fourth edition of the STSOW Festival at Kofferfabrik Fuerth on 4th April I’m absolutely chuffed to be able to present once more two fantastic, absolutely outstanding acts I came across during the last months of touring. Super pleased Richard Limbert and Son Of The Velvet Rat accepted my invitation. I’m not exaggerating saying this is the finest lineup you’ll get to see in the greater area of Nuremberg in 2025. Been blown away by both of them when I saw them live. Stunning. To say the least. Make sure to get your ticket in advance (ticket shop)! It’ll be a night to remember!
Forthcoming tours
I’m still working on my touring schedule for 2025. Things are kinda slowly falling in place but will take some more time till everything is sorted. For those of you promoting/organizing shows please get in touch by email. Still need some dates to be covered in mid/late May in Austria, Czech Republic and/or Slovakia, still some dates available on summer weekends in June and July, late September till end of October Switzerland, France, Spain and November on the double bill tour with Nightbird (FIN). Don’t hesitate to hit me up.
Motorway adventures 2024
It’s been long enough up here and I’m a bit tired of coming across that whole thing each time I’m checking my website. In case you’re anyway or still interested in reading about my adventures on the AP-7 in Catalonia last autumn, please proceed to the blog entry. Don’t feel obliged to donate. It’s all over, there has been a massive wave of support then which helped me to continue playing the tour. Again and again and again THANKS to everyone who donated!
The Tres Biens
That noisy little, much loved, punk rock, pub rock, side project I’m involved for many years now with some dear old friends of mine got surprisingly active last year and even more surprisingly still is. Means we’re about to release a full-length album in 2025. After fifteen years… well matured I’d say. Prior to the album there’ll be three digital singles out on the streaming services you all know. First one to be released on Valentines Day 2025. Want to follow up on this? Easiest will be on Bandcamp or Insta if you fancy doing so.
Škoda blue and the black legged Jesus
Has been released 4th October 2024 and is still what I consider one of my fave works. There are three digital singles out on all the digi channels, so feel free to have a listen on Spotify and the likes. “Higher Germanie” is a traditional folk song in a remarkably different arrangement than the ones you might have heard so far. “Škoda blue” is sort of the title track of the album and “Xmas Meltdown” is available there too. That’s it for Spotify and the likes, if you want a digital version of the full album please proceed to my Bandcamp site. As I pointed out earlier - when it comes to paying artists for their work Spotify and the likes couldn’t care less about us DIY- solo artists. Of course there is that point of advertising your shows on social media through free streaming services. Sure, makes some sense, but I think three songs on Spotify, Deezer and their buddies should do . Some might say you have to play the game, you really don’t have a choice, all that kind of thing. I don’t agree. I think having not much to lose gives you quite some choices.
Some nice reviews of the album can be found on Keywest Magazin, Mangowave Reviews and Frizz.
Live videos from the 2024 European tour
“Forty or Eight” at La Muraz, France
”Snake Eyes In Paradise” from that same show, an unreleased new song based on words by Denis Johnson, edited by Flora. Thanks for sharing!
Full show of Mäkkelä at Urgence Disk Geneva, 8 Oct 2024
”Golden Age Of Bloodshed” featuring Boucan live at L’Anthropo, Perpignan on 10 October 2024.
Interview with Rockstage Riot Rhein Main
In the beginning of my 2024 spring tour with Nightbird I had the pleasure to meet Stefan of Rockstage Riot Rhein Main music blog for an interview in some bizarre Chinese park in Frankfurt/M., Germany on one of the few sunny days we had the chance to enjoy on our tour. The whole thing is online now here!
Biel, Oct 2023
Here are some lovely shots from Patrick Principe who came to see my show at Café du Commerce in Biel, Switzerland. Have a look here, on his website.
Stupid & Innocent Years
Recorded this song with violinist Pavel Cingl in Svárov, Czech Republic with some minor adjustments and the final mix done in Nuremberg. I like the song a lot and I’m very, very glad EgoTherapie of Nuremberg made a wonderful little animated video for it. The only release that happened in 2023.
Gig review (in German) of our tour show at Dreikönigskeller Frankfurt/M
One more about “Dog & Typewriter”
Unexpectedly a late but nonetheless amazing review of “Dog & Typewriter” came in. Peter Gruner wrote it for the German daily newspaper Nürnberger Nachrichten. As it’s been only in the print issue you have to read the scan here… Worthwhile. Cheers Peter!
Some reviews of “Trad & Anger”
Remembering that whole somewhat difficult process of making it feels good to read these. Seems like it was all worthwhile. German ones on Nordbayern.de, Ox Fanzine and blueprint-fanzine.de and an English one in Fatea Magazine.
Some video links
Mäkkelä with Folk’s Worst Nightmare - Loni-Übler Haus March 2022
Mäkkelä live at Loft LoFi, March 2021
Merch-Shop
Reward yourself or your loved ones with some of the strangely sweet music available in the Mäkkelä webshop!
