- Popkomm selected a record 14 Finnish acts to play all over the city
Finnish music companies are marching as a stronger front than ever to the new Popkomm in Berlin. With 21 companies and over 50 delegates participating in the Music Export Finland stand and 14 acts playing throughout the festival, this year marks a historical high point in the Finnish music industrys activities.
Out of the thousand proposals sent, the Popkomm showcase team selected 14 Finnish artists to the official showcase programme. Popkomms showcase director Dirk Schades favourite, rocknroll workhorse Melrose (Johanna Kustannus), high-energy garage rock act Boomhauer (Stupido Records) with hefty touring under their belt and new album on its way, the riotous power trio Bitch Alert (Poko Rekords), who already enjoy cult success in the UK and the metallic Velcra (EMI Finland), who toured Germany earlier with German chart-toppers Oomph! will blast the roof off of the famed Club Magnet on Wednesday, September 29th.
On the same night its time to roll the beats as hip hop sensation with releases in 17 countries, Redrama (EMI Finland) grabs the mic and DJ Slow (Plastinka Records) mans the wheels of steel at Casino. Meanwhile at Taucher, the nu-jazzy RinneRadio (Rockadillo Records) hypnotizes the audiences alongside Exogenic Records trance acts Squaremeat and Texas Faggott. Between the bands, Finnish DJ talent will be seen behind the decks, as Genki (Exogenic Breaks Records) and Shanti Baba (Exogenic Records) make the floor sweat. Finally Grandpop Records/Warner Chappell showcase at Club Frannz on Friday October 1st will introduce Nieminen & Litmanens Scandinavian action jazz, The Latebirds dark pop and Laika & The Cosmonauts surf rock grooves to the Berliners and the Popkomm trade fair delegates.
Dirk Schade, the showcase director of Popkomm delights the multitude of Finnish bands in the event: Finland is one of the countries with the most artists in Popkomm this year. We are more than excited about the Finnish showcases and happy with our cooperation with Music Export Finland. Although the bands are quite different, I think there are certain Finnish qualities in all the bands, in my opinion the Finnish soul shines through in their music.
Finnish companies thronging at the Popkomm Trade Fair
The Music Export Finlands stand will be full of bustle too as the Finnish companies are using the current momentum to their advantage: a record 21 companies (increased by 40% from last year) have signed on to the stand. The range of products on offer is wide: from tough hip hop to grinding metal and brilliant pop, from high-tech mobile solutions to state-of-the-art listening posts and from publishing companies to agencies to name a few. (Further information all all the companies here>>>)
Paulina Ahokas, the director of Music Export Finland comments: This heavily increased industry activity is a result of the growing interest in Finnish music internationally, which is due to recent Finnish success stories all over the world, but also due to the diligence of the Finnish companies ready to mark their presence in the international music scene.
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Music Export Finland at Popkomm 2004 is supported by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Education, Hartwall/Upcider, the Finnish Music Promotion Centre and the Foundation for the Promotion of Finnish Music.
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NOTE!
Danes, Finns, Norwegians and Swedes are organising the coolest party at Popkomm
on Thursday, September 30th from 5.30pm to 7.00pm.
Please contact Music Export Finland office at assistant@musexfinland.fi for further details.
Moisturized by Hartwall/Upcider
Finnish showcases at Popkomm 2004 trade fair and festival in Berlin September 29th - October 1st 2004
Finnish Action Night
Melrose (Johanna Kustannus) 8.30pm
Boomhauer (Stupido Records) 9.30pm
Bitch Alert (Poko Rekords) 10.30pm
Velcra (EMI Finland) 11.30pm
@ Club Magnet (Greifswalder Straße 212/213)
DJ Slow (Plastinka Records) 8.30pm
Redrama (EMI Finland) 10.30pm
@ Casino (Mühlenstraße 26 30)
DJ Genki (Exogenic Breaks Records) 11.00pm
Squaremeat (Exogenic Records) 00.00am
RinneRadio (Rockadillo Records) 01.00am
Texas Faggott (Exogenic Records) 02.00am
DJ Shanti Baba 03.00am (Exogenic Records)
@ Taucher (Saarbrücker Straße 36 a)
Friday, October 1st
Grandpop and Warner/Chappell Music Finland present
Nieminen & Litmanen 9.00pm
The Latebirds 10.00pm
Laika & The Cosmonauts 11.30pm
@ Club Frannz (Kulturbreuerei, Schönhauser Allee 36)
Further information and interview requests:
Paulina Ahokas
Director
Music Export Finland