Country Profile: Finland
Finland’s 830-mile border with Russia is increasingly closely monitored from the Finnish side these days, amid menacing diplomatic and military manoeuvres.
In the capital Helsinki, too, the consequences of the breakdown in Russian relations have loomed over the live business, as the capital’s key arena spent four years shuttered owing to sanctions against its Russian former owners.
But the 15,500-cap venue, now known as the Veikkaus Arena, relaunched this September, Live Nation having taken a 20-year lease from its new Finnish owners. Opening season headliners so far include Bob Dylan, Roxette, and Def Leppard.
Tomi Saarinen, managing director at Live Nation Finland, describes the reopening as the “most significant milestone” of a year that has also seen stadium performances by Iron Maiden, Guns N’ Roses, and Ultra Bra, a 15th sell-out of the Blockfest hip-hop festival in Tampere, and more than 50 shows at Live…
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