2017
Where and when? Helsinki, Suvilahti. Over three days, 11.-13.8.2017.
Visitors: 75 000
Stages: 11
Artists: 157
Highlights: Calm after the storm: Alma’s explosive show in Lapin Kulta Red Arena tent, Frank Ocean’s grand yet intimate performance.
Website: http://archive.flowfestival.com/2017/en.1.html (Please note that some imagery or links might not work correctly on the archived site.)
The 2017 festival took place from the 11th to 13th of August, and with its 75 000 visitors, was sold out. The weekend might have been stormy, but the most memorable moments were seen on stage. The excitement was palpable when the long-awaited Frank Ocean finally took over the main stage on Sunday night. For parts of the show, Ocean and his several guitarists and violinists played on a stage extension in the middle of the audience. His performance was a feast for all senses, something truly unforeseen, and unheard – Ocean’s spectacle used a unique surround sound system never seen at Flow before. Other eagerly-awaited artists included the mysterious queen of melancholic pop Lana Del Rey, the iconic Aphex Twin with his laser-filled show and the return of The xx.
Flow’s eleven stages saw performances by, e.g. Moderat, Flume, London Grammar, Death Grips, Joshua Redman, Roy Ayers, Ryan Adams, Vince Staples, Young Thug, Princess Nokia, BadBadNotGood, Nina Kraviz, Maceo Plex, Bicep, Alma, Monsp Records 20th anniversary show, Oranssi Pazuzu, Vesta and Litku Klemetti. For the full lineup, please see the bottom of the page.
The festival area was massively renewed and almost every stage changed from the previous year. Responding to the visitors’ feedback on the festival area becoming very tight, it was expanded by 1,5 hectares, over 20% from the previous year. The visitor capacity still remained the same from the previous year.
One of the most significant changes in 2017 was the new location of the Bright Balloon 360° area. The stage had become a landmark for Flow and now got its own yard of over a hectare of land, next to the festival entrance. Its seating capacity doubled, and access to the stage was made smoother. Lanson Champagne Bar & Lounge and several quality restaurants also relocated to the new area.
Resident Advisor Front Yard, another entirely new area on site, was created nearby the Lapin Kulta Red Arena, when the club music concept, previously hosted at Backyard, moved there. Built in the middle of sea containers, the new RA Front Yard focused on showcasing the top names in electronic music while taking lighting and technological solutions to another level. The lush Backyard stage stayed put and offered mysterious and meditative soundscapes by various local and international top DJs.
A brand new stage, Red Garden, was immediately welcomed as the unique club oasis, whose red characters paid a joyous, bizarre homage to the colour red. Red Garden quickly became a talking point and a never-ending party, continuing throughout the entire weekend. The Zalando Black Tent grew bigger, and the Black Tent area’s services were further improved. 2017 was also the first year when 1 day ticket holders received a wristband and could enter and exit the festival area freely.
Flow’s art program offered several gems around the festival area: “Kokoon” house designed by Aalto University architecture students, a UV-light world map painted on the gasometer by street art pioneer EGS, and a custom-made piece of art, Altar of Attraction, by the “Young Designer of the Year” 2016 Laura Väinölä, which energised the whole Backyard area. In addition, the curated art collection extended to Flow’s webpage and progressed to OP cooperative banks’ partner area in the form of VR-movies and virtual reality art pieces.
Flow 2017 went down in history for Saturday afternoon’s storm Kiira and the torrential downburst that struck Suvilahti at around 7 pm. Flow’s production team had carefully prepared for the thunder, and after Saturday’s weather reports, the festival took several precautions in advance. The team responsible for the event’s safety kept continuous contact with the Finnish Meteorological Institute to respond to the latest predictions as quickly as possible. Due to the extreme weather, some of the stages had to be temporarily closed down, which caused a handful of cancellations and changes in the timetable.
Said about Flow:
«With arguably the best line-up you’ll see all summer, there’s no end to the offerings to be found at Finland’s festival jewel, Flow.»
– Esquire
«Mixing pop culture and experimental arts, the festival is a work of art itself, presenting
the best Helsinki – and the festival scene – has to offer.»
– Suitcase Magazine
Photos: © Jussi Hellsten, Konstantin Kondrukhov, Samuli Pentti, Andrew Taylor, Petri Anttila, Janita Autio and Hayley Lé.
Continue your trip down memory lane:
Watch photos: See all Flow Festival 2017 photos on Flickr
Check out videos: Official Flow Festival 2017 YouTube playlist
Read the magazine: Browse the 2017 Flow magazine
Photo Book: Browse the Flow Festival 2017 Photo Book
Browse the archived website:
http://archive.flowfestival.com/2017/en.1.html
Please note that some imagery or links might not work correctly on the archived site.
Listen to the official Flow Festival 2017 playlist on Spotify:
Flow Festival 2017 artists in alphabetical order:
Aleksi Perälä (live)
Alma
Angel Olsen
Anna Myllyluoma
Antti Salonen
Aphex Twin
Astrid Swan
BadBadNotGood
Bicep (live)
Black Lips
Black Motor
Car Seat Headrest
Ceebrolistics
Clara 3000
D.R.E.A.M.
Danny Brown
Death Grips
Denzel & Sansibar
DJ Antti Eerikäinen (Grotto Editions)
DJ Arwi Lind (Helmi Levyt)
DJ Eero Löyttyjärvi (We Jazz)
DJ Ender
DJ Fredrik Lavik (Afro7 / Jazzaggression Records)
DJ Heikka Rissanen
DJ Herra Huu
DJ Jonna
DJ Jussi B (Timmion Records)
DJ Liam Large (Jazzman Records)
DJ Markus-setä (Timmion Records)
DJ Martin Joela (Frotee Records)
DJ Matti Nives (We Jazz)
DJ Mitja Nylund
DJ Tommi P (Timmion Records)
DJ Tupla-Jukka (Timmion Records)
DJs Eero Löyttyjärvi & Matti Nives (We Jazz)
Dmitry Sinkovsky & Aapo Häkkinen
Elias Gould
Emma Valtonen B2B Kristiina Männikkö
Esko Routamaa
FAKA
Fatima Yamaha (live)
Fatoumata Diawara & Hindi Zahra
Femme En Fourrure
Flume
Frank Ocean
Front 242
Gasellit
Goldfrapp
H_TDJ
Ibibio Sound Machine
Inga Mauer
Irene Kostas
Izabel
J.Lindroos
Janka Nabay & The Bubu Gang
Jenny Hval
Jenny Om
Jokki
Jon Hopkins (DJ set)
Jonna Tervomaa
Joogaa by Roots Helsinki
Joshi
Joshua Redman: Still Dreaming
Julie Byrne
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith
Katerina presents Émotsiya
Kauriinmetsästäjät
Kube
Lana Del Rey
Laura Cannell
Laura Mrls
Lena Willikens
Lil Tony
Linda Lazarov
Linda Lazarov & Kristiina Männikkö
Linnea Olsson
Litku Klemetti
Loiriplukari (live)
London Grammar
Lorenzo Senni
LSDXOXO
Maceo Plex
Marc Fred
Marie Davidson (live)
Matti Nives
Max Jury
MC Taakibörsta
Mesak
Midori Takada
Mikko Joensuu
Milo & Moses
Mirage Man (live)
mobilegirl
Model 500 (live)
Moderat
Monsp Records 20 vuotta
Moor Mother
Mori Ra
Mr Fingers aka Larry Heard (live)
Neutral
Nina Kraviz
Noah Kin
NYKY Ensemble
Olli Koponen
Ona Kamu
Onni Boi (live)
Oranssi Pazuzu
Paula Koski
Pekko Käppi & K:H:H:L
PEU (live)
Phase Fatale
Planetary Assault Systems (live)
Plié
Powder
Princess Nokia
Pykäri feat. Ahjo Ensemble
Reino Nordin
Roy Ayers
Ryan Adams
Sadar Bahar (Soul in the Hole – Chicago)
Sampha
Samuli Kemppi (DJ set)
Satellite Stories
Selvhenter
Shed (live)
Silvana Imam
Skidit MEGA Disko
Skott
Soichi Terada (live)
Sparks
Strictly Ysäri R&B
Susanna Nuutinen
SØS Gunver Ryberg
Tatsuru Arai
Tero Männikkö & Apache Lifeforms
The Afghan Whigs
The Hacker presents Amato (live)
The Holy
The xx
THRDEYEVSN
Timo Kaukolampi (live & dj-set)
Timo Lassy Band with special guests
Tuuttimörkö (live)
Töölön Ketterä
Veli-Matti O Äijälä & The Kolmas
Verneri Pohjola: Pekka
Vesta
Vince Staples
VIRTA
Vladimir Ivkovic
Vladimir Ivkovic B2B Lauri Soini
Wes Baggaley
Willow
Ya Tosiba (live)
Young Thug
Ällistysnainen (live)