2010

Where and when? Suvilahti, Helsinki. Over three days, 13.-15.8.2010, plus an opening concert on the August 11th
Visitors: 50 000
Stages: 8
Artists: 89
Highlights: Flow introduced a concept dedicated entirely to experimental music, The Other Sound Finland.
Website: http://archive.flowfestival.com/2010/en/ (Please note that some imagery or links might not work correctly on the archived site.)

In 2010, Flow spanned across four days. The festival kicked off on August the 11th with The Chemical Brothers, LCD Soundsystem and Kap Kap. The festival weekend itself started on Friday the 13th and lasted until Sunday night. The event was part of the Helsinki Festival program. Visitor numbers reached yet again new heights: the festival hosted 50 000 visitors over the weekend.

LCD Soundsystem performing on Main Stage — LCD Soundsystem at the opening concert on Wednesday. Other performers include The Chemical Brothers and Kap Kap. Photo: © Vilhelm Sjöström

The festival weekend’s most memorable moments included the British The xx’s astonishing performance, singer-songwriter-rapper-activist M.I.A.’s long-awaited gig, the joyous dance-off in front of the main stage during Robyn and Big Boi’s (the other half of OutKast) show. Other artists included, e.g. Caribou, Diplo, Air, Broken Bells, Konono N°1, Uusi Fantasia, The Drums, Beach House, Major Lazer, Marina And The Diamonds, Omar Souleyman, Girls, The Radio Dept., Magnetic Man, Aeroplane, Surfer Blood, Ricardo Villalobos, Villa Nah, Husky Rescue, Timo Lassy w/ José James, Jimi Tenor & Tony Allen and Kemmuru. For the full lineup, please see the bottom of the page.

Big Boi at Flow Festival 2010 — Big Boi took the Flow Festival Main Stage on Friday 13th. Photo: © Eerikki Pokela

A handful of new concepts were successfully introduced, such as the early evening gigs at Voimala, a selection of Finnish experimental music in Tiivistämö and the Future Shorts at the Film Garage. The Friday and Saturday nights at Voimala were dedicated to club music, but during the daytime, the venue hosted two individual gigs, featuring Ulver, Owen Pallett and Ballaké Sissoko. In 2010, Flow introduced The Other Sound concept for the first time. Already in its first year, the program included visual art: artist duo Grönlund-Nisunen created a unique installation in Tiivistämö. Its music program focused on showcasing Finnish experimental music, but already in the following year, it came to include global artists.

Ulvel performing at Voimala concert stage — Norway’s Ulver performed at Voimala on Friday before the club nights kicked off. Photo: © Jussi Hellsten

2010 saw the launch of the Backyard stage, which hosted some serious parties and talented DJs throughout the weekend. On Sunday afternoon, the yard also catered for the little ones: Sintti Silmusuu performed primarily for the under 10-year-olds. Flow has offered family-friendly entertainment from the very beginning, but it wasn’t until Flow moved to Suvilahti, that the Family Sunday we know today was established. It has been a guaranteed hit ever since.

The celebrations continued at the festival site until the early hours: 3 am on both Friday and Saturday nights. When the outdoor stages quieted down at midnight, the indoor venues kept going. Diplo kicked his set off in Voimala at 1.30 am on Saturday, while Sleigh Bells started at the Telttaklubi at 1.50 am.

Diplo performing at Voimala club — The air was thick in Voimala club as Diplo made the crowds move in the early hours of Sunday morning. Photo: © Erkka Luutonen

In addition to the August Festival weekend, Flow hosted a pre-event at Club YK in central Helsinki in early July with Permanent Vacation label’s DJs, Dalindèo and Roberto Rodriguez.

Later in the autumn, Flow was awarded an accolade for “making Helsinki more fun” by the Art Goes Kapakka organisation.

Continue your trip down memory lane:

Watch photos: See all of the Flow Festival 2010 photos on Flickr

Browse the archived website:
http://archive.flowfestival.com/2010/en/
Please note that some imagery or links might not work correctly on the archived site.

Flow Festival 2010 artists in alphabetical order:

Aeroplane
Air
Arch of Neo
Awesome Tapes From Africa
Ballaké Sissoko
Beach House
Big Boi
Bongo Rock
Broken Bells
Caribou
Circle
Clouds
Darya & Månskensorkestern
Dead-O
Didier’s Sound Spectrum DJ Set
Dinosauruxia
Diplo
DJ Fried Monk
DJ Fummer, DJ Graalin Maljaakko & DJ Fiskars
DJ Harvey
DJ Lil Tony
DJ Tane Lee, DJ 3rrd & DJ Smoodie
Four Tet
Future Shorts
Girls
Grey Park
Hannulelauri
Hei
Husky Rescue
Islaja
Jaakko & Jay
Jimi Tenor & Tony Allen: Inspiration/Information
Joker & Nomad
Jori Hulkkonen is Drum Man
Junip (José González, Elias Araya & Tobias Winterkorn)
K-X-P
Kalle Kalima Pentasonic
Kap Kap
Kemmuru
Keränen
Kiila
Kiki Pau
Konono N° 1
Lau Nau
LCD Soundsystem
Lifesaver DJs
M.I.A.
Magnetic Man
Major Lazer
Maria Gasolina
Marina And The Diamonds
Marjatta
Misf*ts
Myron & E with The Soul Investigators
Omar Souleyman
Ona Kamu
Owen Pallett
Pekko Käppi
Puiset Heilat
Rapa & Roksette Rock N Roll Spectacle
Ricardo Villalobos
Ricky-Tick Big Band
Robyn
RotFront
Rye Rye
Sami Kukka
Sintti Silmusuu
Sleigh Bells
Surfer Blood
Taco Bells
Tastebuddies: Jufo Peltomaa vs. Freeman
Tastebuddies: Kirsi Nisonen vs. Jani Leinonen
Tastebuddies: Saara Renvall vs. Daniel Palillo
Tes La Rok
The Chemical Brothers
The Drums
The Radio Dept.
The xx
Timo Lassy Orchestra w/ José James
Tomutonttu
Tsembla
Ulver
Uusi Fantasia
Vallilan Tango
Villa Nah
Ville Leinonen & Majakan Soittokunta
Vladislav Delay
We Love Helsinki DJs
Yona & Orkesteri Liikkuvat Pilvet