Finnish festivals facing big challenge

Jun 1, 2009

Provinssirock 2009

We all know the challenges record labels are facing these years in reinventing their business model. Festivals are beginning to struggle too, and here our guest blogger Eduardo Alonso from Glue takes a look at the festivals in Finland which could be excellent music export showcases for Finnish bands, but these years lack big names to attract international audiences.

It is June and the festival season is about start. Like in the rest of Europe, in Finland there will be several happenings every weekend until the end of August. From heavy metal gatherings in the center of Helsinki to the midnight sun festivals up north, music is everywhere. Festivals provide a very good opportunity to discover Finnish music since the lineup of the major festivals carries more than 50% of Finnish bands along with some big international names; and of course, the smaller festivals are much more based on local music. However, internationals bands are still the main hook, especially for a foreign audience, and recently Finnish festivals no longer manage to deliver the big names needed.

The biggest Finnish festivals (Provinssirock, Ruisrock, Pori Jazz) have been around for more than 30 years and they gather more than 25,000 visitors each day. Not bad numbers for a small country like Finland, but the truth is that those numbers have not really changed in the last years. It feels like the Finnish festivals reached their top long ago and have not managed to grow beyond that, not even at a time when festivals have become the most significant musical happenings across Europe.

Not so long ago these festivals presented the most current bands. For instance, in 1996 Ruisrock presented Blur, Pulp, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against The Machine and Neil Young while a few weeks before, Provinssirock had The Cure, Iggy Pop and Rollins Band. Earlier in 1982, Ruisrock, like Roskilde in Denmark, had U2 as a headliner. Nowadays the same festivals seem to struggle to create very attractive lineups.

Of course, the quality of a festival lineup is a very subjective thing, but looking at the big festivals there is a lack of big international names. Only Faith No More, that will headline Ruisrock on Sunday 5 July, can be considered a top act. But other headliners, like Manowar at Provinssirock on Saturday night, seem out of line. Many of the hot names this season (Oasis, Kings of Leon, Franz Ferdinand, Jane’s Addiction, Kaiser Chiefs, The Killers) will not be seen in Finland.

Some are missing and some are back. Several bands (Gogol Bordello, The Wildhearts, Flogging Molly, Danko Jones etc) have established residency in Finland and they regularly appear at every festival and in every club. This year Danish band Volbeat will appear at both Ruisrock and Provinssirock. These bands are becoming the filler of the festival, making the program less exciting and their show less anticipated.

It is also a little bit alarming the lack of foreign visitors at the Finnish festivals. Finland is not as easy to reach as Roskilde and it does not have the Mediterranean beach of Benicassim in Eastern Spain, but still the country has become an attractive tourist destination, and with its mild weather, lakes and forests it provides a very good location for a summer festival. Indeed, attending Finnish festivals is a very enjoyable experience: they are well organized, there is a good vibe and many sit in a great location.

The competition among European festivals has increased significantly in the last five years and it is getting harder and harder to hire those big bands. Finnish festivals must reconsider their strategies, look forward and bring more foreign visitors to avoid being relegated to second-rate festivals and therefore not being able to compete for the most wanted headliners. And with bigger festivals Finnish bands would be exposed to a wider audience, increasing their chances in the foreign markets.

4 Comments, Comment or Ping

triani Jun 3rd, 2009

I think this feature is way off mark. To suggest the biggest act coming to Finland this summer is Faith No More is wrong. Nick Cave is at Provinssi, as well as Supergrass, Placebo and Ting Tings. You don’t even mention Ankka Rock which has TV ON The Radio, The National & Fucked UP all on one day. Duffy is at Pori Jazz. You also forgot to mention Mew & Glasvegas at Ruis Rock and no mention of Flow Festival which starts with Kraftwerk, then has Grace Jones, Lilly Allen, Vampire Weekend, Jenny Wilson and many others. Huvila Festival has Wilco & Lou Reed. The Pitkä Kuuma Kesä festival has Flaming Lips, Mogwai, Social Distortion, Soundtrack of Our Lives, Girl Talk and a lot more besides. Finnish artists are well represented at all these events. On top of that this summer has the likes of Morrissey, Britney Spears, Madonna, Elton John, Metalica and other big names playing shows (often supported by Finnish artists). Last night i saw US band Deerhunter in Helsinki but could have opted for Bruce Springsteen in Tampere. Most night’s of the week around Finland many cool indie bands from abroad are playing shows, often with Finnish artists playing with them. If anything gig saturation means there are too many shows for people to catch everything. It’s really a healthy festival line up in Finland this year. I think if Finnish artists want to reach foreign markets , they should be playing outside Finland. Regards.
Eduardo Jun 3rd, 2009

Thanks for your comment because it will give me the opportunity to clarify some points. The main idea of the post was not to overview and criticize every festival in Finland, but to point out that festivals are missing some major artists that would allow them to grow and bring more foreign visitors, something that eventually would lead to better exposure of Finnish music.

As I wrote, in the end the quality of the festivals depends on one’s interests and, indeed, the music offer in Finland this summer is impressive and there even many more bands than the ones you added. However, take into account that many of those headliners in Finland are the second or third artists in other places in Europe. When I look at Where The Action Is festival in Stockholm, I cannot help thinking that its line-up (with Neil Young, Nick Cave, Duffy, Magic Numbers and Pixies) would make more people travel than Provinssirock, which happens in the same weekend.

Or think about Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona. In just five years, it has become one of the major festivals and a main reference in the indie scene. Finnish festivals are not growing at that pace. Therefore, my argument is that Finnish festivals should have the challenge to become a reference in Europe. Great music offer in Finland this summer, of course, but still not on par with the biggest festivals in Europe.

For more information about the foreign acts:

http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Foreign+acts+offered+up+practically+every+day+of+the+week/1135246069271
triani Jun 4th, 2009

Hi Eduardo,
i think the most obvious festival that has been growing in Finland is Flow, which has an International reputation, is only 5 years old (?) and features not only an interesting and unique international roster of artists but the best Finnish talent as well. On top of this the location and atmosphere at the festival are something you just don’t get anywhere else.
A festival like Primavera is also unique but this kind of festival will never prosper in Finland purely because not enough people like indie music in Finland. The main festivals in Finland also reflect the Finnish publics musical taste, hence the quality of headliner. I wish indie music was massive in Finland but although that scene is growing it’s still very marginal.
And re. Finnish bands gaining exposure to a foreign audience, this has to come from them playing some of the better festivals in Europe and playing shows outside Finnish borders.
all the best
Nick
Eduardo Jun 5th, 2009

Yes, Flow festival has been a refreshing addition. I agree that some genres, like indie music, are marginal, but even metal festivals (Tuska, Sauna Open Air) are smaller here.

I just wish a couple of festivals would take a bet and try to expand a little.