SUMMER BREEZE MADE ME FEEL FINE
As the weather is turning colder and the nights are darker, it’s great to look back at the summer and fully grasp, how much was accomplished over these months. Looking back, I’m blown away by the incredible projects and events I had the privilege to be a part of. In late spring, I could never have imagined the sheer volume of work, the amazing people I'd meet, and the unforgettable experiences that would unfold. It's been a season full of energy, excitement, and more than a few challenges – but every bit of it has been rewarding. So here’s a little Dear Diary style of an entry to look back at the summer, its events and clients I’ve had the honour to work with.
Most of the summer was spent taking care of the pre-production and on-site production for Allas Live concerts at Allas Sea Pool. It was a last minute project addition for the schedule, yet it was undoubtedly the biggest one hours wise. Over the summer, we hosted 75 artists at 54 shows – 21 of which were sold out. It was an interesting mix of artists, from not that big yet Finnish local acts to internationally recognised artists. It was a big challenge to take on in that timeframe, but now that it all is done, it definitely comes with a winner feeling.
JUNE
Season kicked off working as VIP assistant for We Are Super at the Metallica’s sold out Helsinki Olympic Stadium shows. It was a thrill to work directly with the fans and see their excitement and joy of seeing their favourite artist. It was amazing to play even a small role in bringing that level of excitement to life on those two nights and remind myself that this is indeed why we work in this business.
Playing another small but crucial role followed at Helsinki Pride, where for two nights I stepped into the shoes of being a stage manager and venue host for two of the legendary parties of the event. Hearing people say they felt safe and had a wonderful time couldn’t have meant more on those nights. It was an honour to contribute to a celebration of love, acceptance and inclusivity, especially during the times, where there’s so much negative around.
During the same weekend of Helsinki Pride, it was a joy to join old friends from Helppari to help them implement payment solutions at Craft Beer Helsinki. It’s an event we’ve worked on together for the second year in a row and it’s one of the most laid-back and fun events to be part of. Especially if things are running smoothly behind the scenes!
JULY
July kicked of with Tall Ship Races. During the first weekend it impacted the shows of Allas Live and for the second weekend it was time to hop on the other side of the sea and work as the main stage manager in Tallinn. Doing at least one production per year in home soil has been of great importance and to work on an event with the magical backdrop of sea-side Tallinn is really wonderful.
From Estonia the road continued to Pori to take care of the artist accreditation of Finnish acts at Pori Jazz for the second year in a row. What has made Pori Jazz different from many other projects in years is that the work hours are complete earlier in the day, which allows to go and enjoy some amazing artists. It’s rare to work a festival and be able to see the full set of a performer and therefore Pori Jazz has been a lovely exception, where work and leisure are nicely tied together.
One of the biggest events to take place in Helsinki this summer were the four sold out Olympic Stadium shows of Coldplay. Working together with Live Nation Finland, RED Events and Pixmob to light up the stadium with LED wristbands was quite a magical experience! And we managed to break the record of wristbands returned, so well done us!
AUGUST
As it had been quite a whirlwind of a summer by the beginning of August and Allas Live had some of the biggest shows taking place in the second half of the month, the only additional project for August was work as a backstage host of Balloon Stage at Flow Festival. Balloon stage being the most special and unique stage of the entire festival, it was quite special to be able to welcome the artists to play in this setting.
This summer wouldn’t have been what it was without the wonderful people I worked alongside. A huge thank you goes out to Emilia, Eero, Hanna, Jukka, and Harri, who were absolutely indispensable for making Allas Live the success that it was. Their support, collaboration, and dedication made every day more enjoyable, and I can’t imagine going through all of this without them.
To everyone who invited me/Thrust Productions to be part of their team or trusted me to help bring their event vision to life – thank you. This summer was full of learning, friendships, and creativity, and I’m grateful for every new friend made and every catch-up with old ones.
Here’s to the magic of summer and to everyone who was a part of it. Catch you all soon – on the next adventure!
