The Local Band

The Local Band is a Finnish hard rock supergroup formed in 2013. The band got its start when Children of Bodom's Alexi Laiho and The 69 Eyes' Jussi 69 expressed interest in playing some of their favorite songs together.^[1] Jussi 69 then asked Reckless Love frontman Olli Herman to join, and the initial line-up was rounded out by Santa Cruz's Archie Cruz.^[1] Dubbed "The Local Band", the group played their first show in December 2013 at the Tavastia Club in Helsinki, which was sold-out.^[2] The band then played at the Ruisrock festival in Turku, Finland in July 2014.^[3] The group initially intended to play only once a year.^[4]

The Local Band
Clockwise from top left: Alexi Laiho, Jussi 69, Samy Elbanna and Olli Herman
Background information
Origin	Helsinki, Finland
Genres	Hard rock
Years active	2013–present
Labels	Sony Music
Members	Jussi 69 Olli Herman Samy Elbanna
Past members	Archie Cruz Alexi Laiho

In August 2015, The Local Band once again performed at the Tavastia Club, after which they played for the first time in Japan at the Loud Park Festival in October.^[1] In December 2015, the group released an EP of seven cover songs entitled Locals Only – Dark Edition. The release charted at number 20 on the Finnish Album Chart, with the track "Sunglasses at Night" also being released as a single.^[1][5] In August 2016, The Local Band played Nosturi in Helsinki, followed by the WaterXfest in Jyväskylä in September.^[6][7]

In March 2018, the band embarked on a three date Finnish tour, during which Samy Elbanna of Lost Society filled in for Archie Cruz.^[8][9] In June 2018, The Local Band toured Japan and opened for Hollywood Vampires in Helsinki.^[10][11] Afterwards the group announced that Elbanna had replaced Cruz in the band.^[12]

Members

Current members

• Jussi 69 – drums (2013–present)
• Olli Herman – vocals (2013–present)
• Samy Elbanna – bass, vocals (2018–present)

Former members

• Archie Cruz – bass, vocals (2013–2018)
• Alexi Laiho – guitar, vocals (2013–2020, died 2020)

Discography

• Locals Only – Dark Edition (2016)

References

1. "Superkokoonpano The Local Band julkaisee ensimmäisen singlensä "Sunglasses at Night" tulevana perjantaina" (in Finnish). Sony Music. 3 November 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
2. "Jussi69 ja Aleksi Laiho perustivat superbändin – "Emme harjoittele ennen keikkaa" Helsingin Tavastialla" (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. 24 November 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
3. "Suomirockin supertähdet samalla lavalla Ruisrockissa – katso kuvat ainutlaatuiselta keikalta" (in Finnish). YleX. 6 July 2014. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
4. "IL: The Local Band pysyy suunnitelmassa – vain yksi keikka vuodessa" (in Finnish). Voice. 24 November 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
5. "The Local Band: Locals Only – Dark Edition" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
6. "The Local Band loppuunmyydyssä Nosturissa 17 August 2016" (in Finnish). Kaaoszine. 8 September 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
7. "The Local Bandilta uusi musiikkivideo" (in Finnish). Kaaoszine. 16 March 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
8. "Tampere sai perjantaina juhlia The Local Bandin kanssa" (in Finnish). Kaaoszine. 4 March 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
9. "Superkokoonpano The Local Band esiintyi Tavastialla: livevideoita keikalta katsottavissa" (in Finnish). Kaaoszine. 3 March 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
10. "THE LOCAL BAND JAPAN TOUR". Twitter. 20 May 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
11. "Monen lahjakkaan megatähden loistava show: Hollywood Vampires Kaisaniemessä" (in Finnish). Kaaoszine. 13 June 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
12. "Archie Cruz vihjailee Instagramissa saaneensa potkut The Local Bandista" (in Finnish). Kaaoszine. 28 June 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2018.