2008
Where and when? Suvilahti, Helsinki. Over three days, 15.-17.8.2008
Visitors: 23 000
Stages: 4
Artists: 51
Highlights: Flow exploded in size: the area was now three times bigger than in the previous year, the crowd grew two-fold, and the lineup was brimming with incredible performers, such as The Roots Cut Copy.
Website: http://archive.flowfestival.com/2008/en.index.html (Please note that some imagery or links might not work correctly on the archived site.)
In 2008, Flow was five years old and organised in Suvilahti for the second time. The program was an impressive combo of current and classics. The variety of genres and the number of artists increased, thanks to the new Tiivistämö Club. Hip-hop, soul, jazz and reggae/dub remained at the core, together with folk, indie rock, pop and electro combinations and the latest dance music tunes. Themed club nights included, e.g. Berlin techno, dubstep, drum&bass and skweee.
The lineup of 2008 included, e.g. The Roots, Cut Copy, Múm, Crystal Castles, Kings of Convenience, CSS, Sébastien Tellier, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Jamie Lidell, Caspa & Rusko, Harmönia pres. Masters of Skweee!, DJ Funk, Âme, M.A.N.D.Y., Massive B, José James, Borko, Detektivbyrån, Robert Hood, Huoratron, Asa, 22-pistepirkko, The Five Corners Quintet, Jesse and Astro Can Caravan. For the full lineup, please see the bottom of the page.
After 2007, investments towards an increasingly professional festival production began. Flow acquired a permanent office space, hired a managing director, and many more professionals. The festival site grew from 0.6 hectares nearly three times bigger, which meant it had become a quite large outdoor event production. The visitor numbers doubled.
The festival entrance was moved from Sörnäisten Rantatie to Kalasatama. The development of the festival site’s design and services was paid special attention to without forgetting sustainability. More green hangout spaces were created, and a new, centralised food area, Food Court tent, was launched – it’s still the same size today. One of the most interesting new restaurant collaborations was a vegetarian restaurant with full table service by the famous chef Antto Melasniemi. The main stage remained next to Voimala but was shifted to the other side of the area. The stage itself grew in size, as did the viewing area. The fourth stage, Tiivistämö, was launched.
In addition to music, the crowds were spoiled with a wide selection of young artists. Working to bring together local artists, the public and the art market, ArtShortCut collective (ASC) brought its exhibition concept to the festival. They showcased 12 modern artists across various disciplines: visual arts, photography, video art and performance art. Flow also invested heavily in VJ-culture: the visuals behind three stages were designed by VJFinland collective, who had been involved in the festival from the very beginning. The collective brought some of the hottest local and international talent in visual culture to Flow.
Photos: © Jussi Hellsten, Sami Heiskanen, Vilhelm Sjöström and Eerikki Pokela.
Continue your trip down memory lane:
Watch photos: See all of the Flow Festival 2008 photos on Flickr
Browse the archived Flow Festival 2008 website:
http://archive.flowfestival.com/2008/en.index.html
Please note that some imagery or links might not work correctly on the archived site.
Flow Festival 2008 artists in alphabetical order:
22-Pistepirkko
Âme
Âme & Lil’ Tony Cosmic Roots
Ane Brun
Artificial Latvamäki
Asa
Astrid Swan
Astro Can Caravan
Borko
Christian Prommer’s Drumlesson
Crystal Castles
CSS
Cut Copy
Detektivbyrån
DJ Anonymous & Fiskars Back to Back Dance Classics Extravaganza
DJ Eli Escobar
DJ Funk
Eagle Boston
Grime/Dub Step: Caspa & Rusko + Tes La Rok & Dead-O
Harmönia pres. Masters Of Skweee! Boyz of Caligula, Mesak, Randy Barracuda, V.C., Claws Cousteau, Michael Black Electro, PJVM + A Very Special Guest
Hidria Spacefolk
Huoratron
Imatran Voima
Jamie Lidell
Jesse
Joose Keskitalo ja Kolmas Maailmanpalo
Jori Hulkkonen
José James
Jungle & J-Tek: DJ Randall + Del & Boj Lucki
Kiki
Kings of Convenience
Kuusumun Profeetta
Le Corps Mince de Françoise
M.A.N.D.Y.
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
Massive B
Moritz von Oswald trio feat. Vladislav Delay
Mr Velcro Fastener
Múm
Plutonium 74
Raappana & The Sound Explosion
Reino & The Rhinos
Robert Hood
Samuli Kemppi
Sébastien Tellier
Sebo K
Señor Coconut and His Orchestra feat. Argenis Brito
The Five Corners Quintet
The Roots
Top Billin DJs & Anonymous
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