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PKN bringing punk to Eurovision semi-final

The now- world famous band Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät, PKN, have been in Vienna, Austria; rehearsing, fielding questions and meeting fans. On Tuesday night Finland's biggest punk band will perform at the Eurovision Song Contest's semi- final.

Kari Aalto, Sami Helle, Toni Välitalo ja Pertti Kurikka.
Image: Herbert Pfarrhofer / EPA

The international press took special notice of PKN when they were chosen to represent Finland -- in part because each member has some form of learning disability.

Among other things their presence at the contest has already raised discussion around the world about the rights of the learning disabled.

But their participation in the contest isn't unique simply because of that. Their song, Aina mun pitää, is only one minute and 41 seconds long -- the shortest in contest history.

The maximum time limit for contest songs is three minutes, and most entrants use every second available to them. For that matter punk rock has never been tried at the contest, either.

Will they get to the finals?

On the red carpet in Vienna on Sunday, 2014's unlikely Eurovision winner - bearded drag queen and pop star Conchita Wurst - said the band had already won in one category.

"You know what, I haven't heard the song yet," Wurst said. "But I heard it's the shortest song in Eurovision history. Well, they actually won in that category, so 'done!' All the best to them, I'm very excited about them."

PKN's bass player was pragmatic about the band's chances..

"It's going to be a good party and we'll see what happens. Hopefully we're gonna win it, but I'll say - that the best will win."

After tonight's semi finals the band will know if they're going to the finals on Saturday.

You can catch Tuesday's Eurovision Song Contest semi-final on Yle TV2, at 10 p.m, with the final on Saturday.

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