ERJA LYYTINEN
20 YEARS OF BLUES ROCK!

Double CD&DVD
Out now!

Release Date:  December 20th 2024

Time really flies! Twenty years can go by in the blink of an eye. They say you see the passing of time by looking at your children. And yes, children grow up so fast, I can say that when I look at my own children. Sometimes us artists say that our albums are like our babies. It’s a labour of love to make each album and then release them, let them grow and find their own path. 

You can see your evolution as a musician when going through the albums over the course of your career. My first solo album called Wildflower came out in the spring of 2003. We released that album on Bluelight Records and performed on the main stage of Puistoblues in Järvenpää Finland along with Koko Taylor and Bonnie Raitt, both of whom are my long-term idols. I was super excited to perform on the main stage at the biggest blues festival of my home country. 

Though I was just twenty-something, I had been active in the music scene since my early years. I had played in my parents’ band at dance halls since I was fifteen, I had been on TV shows and played all kinds of gigs from weddings to rock clubs. I couldn’t imagine what the future would bring, but I wanted to play lead electric guitar and sing and write my own songs. Twenty years after that festival performance I was standing on stage at the legendary Tavastia Club in downtown Helsinki in front of a sold-out audience performing with a bunch of different musicians I had been playing with since 2003. 

I thought it was about to time to make a tribute to my band mates and celebrate those twenty years of playing bluesrock around the world and making albums. Between my first solo album Wildflower (2003) and the latest studio album Waiting for the Daylight (2022) I’ve released several live and studio albums, which were recorded in the USA, England, and Finland. I’ve played in various countries all over Europe, the US, Canada, India, and I´ve had the pleasure of playing with the world’s greatest guitarists like Sonny Landreth, Carlos Santana, and Jennifer Batten. We have so many shared stories and experiences. 

So, the time came to celebrate these years of growth and hard work with my fellow bandmates on this night at Tavastia. It was wonderful to rejoice with everyone and share this experience with the packed audience that had come to witness the spectacle once again. The event was three hours long and we kept changing the rhythm section along the albums we had made together over the years. I also had the opportunity to bring in two lovely featuring artists I had had the honor of sharing the stage with, Heikki Silvennoinen and Maria Hänninen, and they both brought their special energy to the event. It was also so sweet to have my twin boys Massimo and Dante announcing the show! It wasn’t their first time on this stage though, as they were there in 2013, but that time they were still in my womb! 

My ex-partner Davide Floreno also joined us on stage, as we used to play together a lot around the world, with Davide supporting me and helping me build my career over the years, for which I will always be grateful. It was just like the good old days, two guitarists singing together on stage again. 

I have been fortunate to have such talented musicians in my bands over all these years and I have made great friends along the way. This evening on the 18th of October in Helsinki at the Tavastia Club is a celebration of my journey of becoming who I am today as an artist. And the journey is ongoing, and progress is happening even now as I’m writing these words. Currently I’m writing new songs, which I can’t wait to put out later. 

Meanwhile, this recording is for you, my friends, and fans to enjoy. Thank you for the past 20 Years of Blues Rock. I can’t wait for the next twenty and more!

WATCH THE “24 ANGELS (LIVE)” MUSIC VIDEO