Rock pioneer Chuck Berry, who turned 87 last week, scored his first hit with "Maybelline" in 1955. His performing career stretches back more than seven decades. The guitar giant is now on his seventh visit to Finland, with the first dating back to 1976.
Yet Berry’s concert at Helsinki’s Finlandia Hall on Wednesday evening was a disappointment to many. Some in the crowd left after a few songs when the state of his performance became clear. As videos posted online attest, Berry seemed unable to stay in tune with his own backing band, and did not properly sing any of his old hits.
The publicist for the show, Tomi Lindblom, apologised, saying that Berry was tired and had come down with a cold. However he said that Berry seemed to be in fine form when he arrived in Finland earlier in the day.
“I was there when Berry arrived from Italy in the morning,” Lindblom told Yle. “There was no sign of him being in poor shape. On the contrary, I wondered how someone of his age could lead his entourage so energetically, bouncing ahead with kangaroo-like leaps.”
The show must go on?
Lindblom says the cold struck later. However Berry and his entourage remained firm about going ahead with the show. No-one forced the maestro of rock to go onstage, the promoter emphasised.
“The decision whether to perform is always made by the artist and his team. No-one else can [force him to] cancel the show,” Lindblom said. Berry’s current band includes his daughter Ingrid and his son Charles.
Lindblom suspects that a strenuous flight schedule had tired Berry. He had just played shows in Russia and Italy in quick succession before flying into Helsinki.
On Thursday Berry and his band had a rest day in Oulu.
There has been no talk of calling off Friday evening’s concert at Club Teatria, says Lindblom – and no-one has asked to cancel their tickets.
Opening for Berry at both shows is the veteran Finnish rock band Agents.