QUICK, what comes to mind when you hear the name Denver, Colorado? Chances are it won’t be a music group as precious few Mile-High City bands ever go on to national fame – much less international. Woven Hand is an exception. Born out of the ashes of 16 Horsepower, another Colorado aberration to the Atlantic cross-over rule, Woven Hand bring together a rich catalogue of elements such as neo-folk, alt country, post-rock, punk, industrial music, old-time music and Native American music. Their sound is reminiscent of the spirit of bygone fire and brimstone preachers of the American Deep South, with something of The Gun Club and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds lurking under the surface.

THE FINN-BRIT Players’ upcoming play Les Liaisons Dangereuses promises a show filled with comedy, satire and tragedy. The play follows Christopher Hampton’s theatre adaption of the novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos. The novel was originally published as early as 1782 and caused a stir due to its content of sexual freedom. It retained its scandalous reputation for almost 200 years.

Les Liaisons Dangereuses tells the story of a dangerous pastime of two former lovers, Marquise de Merteuil and Vicomte de Valmont. The pair uses sex as a weapon to humiliate and degrade others, and use the act of seducing for vengeance, blackmailing and bringing people into...

IN LESS THAN four years, Mikko Takkunen has gone from regular university graduate to Finland’s young photojournalist of 2010. Despite living in the UK, his work was noticed in his native land and he has established himself as one of Finland’s rising stars. Takkunen has photographed a range of themes in his relatively short career, including Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, Barack Obama’s inauguration, illiteracy in Sierra Leone and the hunters of eastern Finland. SixDegrees caught up with the photographer shortly after he won this coveted award.

Why do you think you were chosen as Finland’s young photojournalist of 2010?

WELCOMING summer with a “village party” (kyläjuhlat) has turned into somewhat of an icon in Helsinki. Two of these outdoor events, not to be missed, are held during consecutive weekends at the end of May in Käpylä and Kumpula.

The Käpylä village party turns ten this year and celebrates the usual village party style by turning its idyllic streets lined with wooden houses and leafy trees into a true open air fiesta for the whole family. With flea markets, live music and activities for kids and adults alike, the atmosphere at Käpylä won’t fail to get you in the mood for summer.

THE MULTICULTURAL Ourvision dance contest seeks to showcase the changing flavour of Finland’s cultural makeup, with dancers performing many varieties of dance styles from around the world. Various rounds of pre-trials, trials and semi-finals will culminate in the September 2010 finals.

The semi-finals, held in May, are rapidly approaching. The competition is open to children, youth and adults from the Helsinki metropolitan area and focuses on giving refugees and immigrants to Finland the chance for a bit of self-expression and, in some cases, even popular national acclaim.