Live Nation Acquires Blockfest In Finland

Here's to a successful collaboration
Lasse Arkela
– Here’s to a successful collaboration
From left: Kalle Kallonen and Zachris Sundell

Live Nation Finland announced the acquisition of Blockfest, which takes place  in Tampere.
Blockfest founder Kalle Kallonen continues as managing director and shareholder in the event. The festival’s employees continue to operate out of their their Tampere office.
Founded in 2008 by Kallonen, Blockfest has grown from a club-based festival to the largest Nordic hip hop festival, by its own admission.
Blockfest celebrated a new attendance record last year, when 75,000 people visited. The upcoming edition of Blockfest takes place Aug. 16-17. Confirmed artists include A$AP Rocky, G-Eazy, Juice World, JVG, Pouya, Pyhimys, Saweetie, Ski Mask The Slump God, Tyga and more.
Artists that performed at the festival in the past include Wu-Tang Clan, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Nas, Wiz Khalifa, Post Malone, Suicideboys, Migos, Lil Wayne, Mobb Deep, Big Sean, T.I, Young Thug, Rick Ross, Ty Dolla $ign, Skepta, Bun B, Clipse, Tory Lanez, Talib Kweli, Mac Miller and more.
Many of these artists played the festival thanks to a cooperation with Live Nation which has been in place since 2013. Now, LN Finland owns the event.
Besides the festival, the Blockfest team also acts as local promoter. It has brought acts like Kendrick Lamar or The Weeknd to Finland for the first time.
Blockfest
Julius Konttinen
– Blockfest
Now part of the Live Nation family

“Deepening our collaboration [with Live Nation] strengthens Blockfest’s role in ensuring the presence of the hottest international artists in the festivals in the future,” Kallonen said.
“We strengthen our team’s expertise at an international level, enabling the festival to develop and, most importantly, produce the best possible festival experience for the public – we are absolutely excited to join the Live Nation gang,” he added.
 
Zachris Sundell, Live Nation Finland’s main promoter, added: “We have been working closely with Blockfest for years and it is great that we can further deepen our collaboration with Blockfest with strong artist fixes and partnerships to complement the festival experience. Blockfest is one of Finland’s most interesting and innovative festivals, which we are excited about.”