The Shouting Men of Finland

February 3, 2004 8:12 AM

Mieskuoro Huutajat are the "Men's Choir Shouters," formed in 1987 in Oulu, Finland, by a group of young men who clearly had nothing better to do. The idea was to dress about 20 men in black suits, white shirts and black rubber ties, and train them to shout some of the most beloved songs in the Finnish song heritage. Since then they've branched out a bit. Check out their version of the Star-Spangled Banner. Apparently, they are currently performing on an ice floe in the Arctic Ocean, shouting at a stranded ice-breaking ship.
posted by carter (12 comments total)

I bet this is pretty stunning to watch and listen to. I like it!
posted by ashbury at 8:21 AM on February 3, 2004

it sounds hysterical, but annoying. I think for 30 seconds it'd be fun, and then just aggravating.
posted by amberglow at 8:27 AM on February 3, 2004

I see Dean people.
posted by srboisvert at 9:58 AM on February 3, 2004

How do the black rubber ties fit in???
posted by billsaysthis at 10:37 AM on February 3, 2004

Seen it live. Most amusing. Raw male energy.
posted by hoskala at 1:39 PM on February 3, 2004

"Audiences in France, Iceland, Britain and Japan - to name but a few - have already been either entranced or baffled" - I'm both.

I think I like it.
posted by troutfishing at 11:02 PM on February 3, 2004

I saw a movie about them at Sundance. It's called "Screaming Men." Didn't think it could hold me for 90 minutes, and yet it did. The opening bit on the ice floe is mesmerizing.

Not to mention their other stunts: When touring France, they're told they aren't allowed to scream the French national anthem (because it's against the law to alter it.) So instead, they scream "Deutschland Uber Alles." Pretty ballsy.
posted by fungible at 8:06 AM on February 4, 2004

Great post, carter - fascinating. They are sort of like a nordic Ladysmith Black Mambazo on steroids. Or something like that. I bet they could do auditory justice to some of Young-Hae Chang's work.
posted by madamjujujive at 2:56 PM on February 4, 2004

like a nordic Ladysmith Black Mambazo on steroids

I like that! Actually, when I posted this, I was wondering, "This reminds me of something." Now I realise it's Furious Pig [MP3]. (Anyone else out there remember NME's C81?)
posted by carter at 4:06 PM on February 4, 2004

Cripes! I just clicked that link for Young-Hae Chang, and the first piece I clicked on - DAKOTA - has as the soundtrack that very same Furious Pig number!
posted by carter at 4:09 PM on February 4, 2004

wow, that's too funny that we both got to the same place from different directions. Maybe we are both long lost astral twins, carter ;-)
posted by madamjujujive at 8:55 AM on February 5, 2004

Yes, born under the sign of the furious pig ...
posted by carter at 7:15 PM on February 5, 2004