Paapan Kapakka Ranks as Finland’s Second-Busiest Live Music Venue

In Tampere, Paapan kapakka hosted 257 live music events last year, making it Finland's second-busiest live music venue, Tamperelainen reports. The figures come from Teosto's annual event notices, which show Molly Malone's in Helsinki as the top with 365 events. Teosto notes that the Top 20 list may include events not strictly live music, but Paapan's 257 are described as live performances. The Paapan kapakka sits in the Bank of Finland building at the corner of Hämeenkatu and Hatanpään valtatie and is owned by NoHo Partners. Restaurant manager Hanna Joseph says the bar is known nationwide for almost always having live music with no entry fee. The club's founder, Reijo "Rexi" Innanen, opened Paapan in 1992 and played with Paapan Group several times weekly. In its early years, Paapan featured nightly live music, mainly jazz and swing; now it features blues, soul, funk, and other lively genres, especially on weekends. Booking is handled by Hanna Joseph, who says the venue receives many musician inquiries; acts range from Suomi-pop and rock to some heavier genres, which may not fit Paapan's concept. Because performances are free, there are no performer fees funded by ticket sales; Paapan has experimented with ticketed shows but found them unsuitable for the concept. The venue honors Rexin's spirit and concept, with the manager noting that it would be unthinkable for Paapan to operate without live music