As I am not a huge fan of festivals, these urban city festivals suit me well. My favourite in Helsinki isFlow Festival with interesting artist lineup, stylish decoration, well-funtioning arrangements and easy access.
Flow 2012
My first ever Flow experience was few hours at the festival back in 2008. It was pouring rain and I saw only Astrid Swan,who is one of my favourite Finnish artists and little bit of Sebastien Tellier, but that was it.
Astrid Swan 2008
Sebastien Tellier 2008
Other Flow years have succeeded better both for the weather and amount of artists I have managed to see.
Flow 2010
In 2010 Flow lineup was just amazing: The xx, Junip, Robyn, MIA, Girls, The Drums, Beach House and Broken Bells.
Robyn 2010
Robyn 2010
The xx 2010
Last year's hightlights for me were Janelle Monáe and First Aid Kit as Lykke Li unfortunately cancelled in the last minute.
First Aid Kit 2011
Janelle Monáe 2011
Flow has great great selection of artists when combining bookings with Way Out Westin Gothenburg and Øya Festivalen in Oslo.
WOW in Gothenburg
But for some reason we do not always get all the same artists to Helsinki, like in 2009 when Arctic Monkeys were in playing in Sweden, but did not come to Finland. Well, that was good enough reason for me to travel to Gothenburg instead.
Arctic Monkeys at Way Out West 2009
Besides my favourite Arctic Monkeys I saw several great acts such as Lily Allen, Antony and The Johnsons, Glasvegas, Beirut, Jenny Wilson, Timo Räisänen and discovered a new one Florence And The Machine, whom I absolute adore and have seen 2 other times afterwards.
Lily Allen 2009
Antony and The Johnsons 2009
Jenny Wilson 2009
Florence 2009
Glasvegas 2009
But my first ever WOW was 2008 and the second year in the whole festivals history already with marvellous lineup: my first ever The National gig, Grinderman, Franz Ferdinad and it was then I first discovered brilliant Joan As Police Woman.
Nick Cave 2008
Joan2008
And of course there are so many good local artists playing in Swedish festivals, like in 2008 Way Out West had José González, Frida Hyvönen, Håkan Hellström and Broder Daniel.
Håkan Hellström 2008
Other Swedish Festivals I have been to were 2011 Where The Action Is with Coldplay, Bright Eyes, The Ark, Brandon Flowers and Glasvegas in Gothenburg
Coldplay 2011
Bright Eyes 2011
Ola Salo 2011
And later the same year Popaganda with Arcade Fire, Midlake, The Cults, Junip, Jenny Wilson, Säkert! and Lykke Li in Stockholm.
Arcade Fire 2011
Midlake 2011
Lykke Li 2011
What a great area to have a music festival by the outside swimming pool Erikdalsbadet.
Popaganda in Stockholm 2011
And now this year we had yet another fantastic new festival in Helsinki Garden Party. Although Charlotte Gainsbough cancelled the overall impression of the festival and its arrangements was very positive. And of course Regina Spektor was wonderful.
Garden Party Helsinki 2012
Hope that there will be new Garden Party next year!
And the artist I would love to see on next year's Helsinki city festivals in Bat For Lashes!
Regina Spektor is one of the most original and talented female singer-songwriters. The way she uses her voice is amazing as well as her piano playing. I have been a big fan since starting to listen to her only some 5 years back. Songs in the early albums Soviet Kitch and Begin To Hope are so fantastic and I have listened them a lot.
I saw Regina live for the first time in Gothenburg in 2009 and she was stunning, so happy, talented and funny. She had just released the album Far and had a great lively show.
Lisebergshallen, Göteborg 2009
The next year it was totally different mood at Ruisrock festinal as the cello player Daniel Cho had past away just days before. It was very sorrowful tone with only slow songs and Regina crying at times. But she still performed well and did not cancel the show, which I highly appreciate.
Ruisrock, Turku 2010
Yesterday it was my third Regina concert at Garden Party in Helsinki. Her set was 1,5 hours and there were many songs from the new sixth album What We Saw From The Cheap Seats, which has quite a relaxed tone and I would like to hear some more spark in her songs. All The Rowboats, Don't Leave Me (No Me Quitte Pas), Small Town Moon and Why are the ones standing out.
In the middle of the concert it got quite flat, but oldies Sailor Song, Better, Us, Fidelity and Samson always lifted up the spirit.
Garden Party, Helsinki 2012
I would say that Regina Spektor is an artist worth seeing live everytime it is possible. Hopefully she comes soon again to Finland. And now it is time for Summer In The City.
Yesterday I was enjoying sunny Friday evening, good music and company at Garden Party in Helsinki to mark the start of my summer holiday.
Hietaniemi was cool location and festival area was nicely organized. Copenhagen beer had the most stylish stand, which was the perfect place to sit and enjoy music, refreshments and evening sun.
Due to early playing times we unfortunately missed French Films and Little Dragon, which I had willingly seen. The Shins we listened from outside of the tent and it sounded all right. The biggest disappointment was that Charlotte Gainsbourg cancelled due to missing instruments. Difficult to understand that even if the artist was present and the audience was waiting for her, she chose not to perform at all.
So despite of all the interesting artists the festival had scheduled we saw only one. Luckily it was Regina Spektor, who did deliver 100%.
Regina Spektor
Regina Spektor was as gorgeous as always. She played some 1,5 hours and many of the new songs, like All the Rowboats and Don't Leave Me (Ne Me Quitte Pas). I still think the older songs were highlighs of the concert, especially wonderful Samson, which ended the whole Garden Party.
And one could not have been happier with the beautiful weather!
Taivallahti
Overall stylish and well-functioning event with good selection of artists. Some improvement areas for the next time, such as timetable (if the festival is scheduled outside of the main holiday season) and selection of food suppliers. City festivals are always nice and I am really looking forward to next year's Garden Party.
