11 minute read
Arabian Nights
from IQ110 Preview
by IQ Magazine
amazing experience.” She adds, “I’m very much looking forward to the business finally opening again and the festival summer 2022 and I’m, of course, especially looking forward to Provinssi. Our last editions have been great, and I’m very proud to be in the booking team.
“Everyone knows working with music is more than a job, it’s a lifestyle, and I can’t imagine a better community to do it with than Fullsteam.”
It hasn’t always been plain sailing, however, and Kyyrö admits to having struggled with “how competitive and mean this business can be sometimes.” Yet she has remained optimistic and never lost her passion. “I’ve always loved being part of this community and feel that I am actually really good at this thing they call the music business.”
Modestly, she feels the company has only recently properly “arrived” and achieved lasting succes. “The first time I felt that wasn’t until the end of 2019, after we’d promoted three historic events in Finland within a year – Ed Sheeran in Helsinki in July 2019, Rammstein in Tampere in August 2019, and Cheek in Lahti in August 2018. We’d also succeeded in bringing Provinssi Festival back to the top. None of those things were on my bucket list, they just happened when the time was right – or when we were ready for it.”
That’s a view shared by Fullsteam Agency managing director Tuomo Tähtinen, who believes that the platform the company has built means the best is yet to come. “Fullsteam has already come incredibly far, yet there’s still so much potential,” Tähtinen tells IQ. “We have a team that’s capable of anything. And we all know that success shouldn’t be pursued at any cost, but we need to build for the future sustainably and with respect to everyone around us.”
Recently, Fullsteam’s formal successes have been numerous. They are now Finland’s biggest, most important concert promoter and booking agency, for both alternative music and global superstars. Fullsteam Records has won Independent Label of the Year a total of six times and remains a champion and supporter of new, exciting, and unique Finnish music. And, perhaps most impressively of all, Fullsteam scooped a total of seven awards at 2019’s Music & Media Industry Awards Gala, including Booking Agency of the Year, Concert of the Year, and numerous accolades for individual staff.
So, what’s the secret, then? What has made Fullsteam such a successful company and given them – and Kyyrö – two decades of growth, excellence, and a stellar reputation? The accolades are numerous.
“They are music fans first and foremost,” says Geoff Meall of Paradigm Talent Agency. “The first correspondence is always about them wanting to work with the band or act because they like them. In a world of expanding corporatisation, I’ll always have time for companies like Fullsteam.”
Kalle Lundgren Smith agrees. “Fullsteam has a very loyal and strong team. It’s like a nice big family of true music lovers with an open and welcoming mindset. I think Rauha’s single-mindedness and creative mind – combined with her amazing staff – brought them this far.”
Tobbe Lorentz says that it’s “hard work, a great team, having their finger on the pulse, and good timing,” that’s made them so successful; Julia Gudzent agrees. “What makes Fullsteam and
TESTIMONIALS
Rauha has been a great colleague and friend for many years. How she has built the company to where it is, both in terms of the team and commercial success, in the early years to present day, is a big inspiration for anyone, including myself. She is an incredible promoter with a strong focus and great intuition for the potential of a certain artist or show. And also great as a person, both on- and off work. Same goes for the entire team. An incredible joy to work with. Rense van Kessel | Friendly Fire
Two sold-out shows for Rammstein in Ratina Stadium in 2019 marked Fullsteam’s first stadia events © Niki Soukkio
Rauha so special is that they do their work with complete passion, but unlike a lot of other people in the industry, they also take care of themselves and don’t forget to live and celebrate their wins. And that makes them so much better at their job.”
James Rubin says their “dedication to personal attention, being artist-friendly, and sheer excellence in everything they do has been nothing short of exceptional,” while Xenia Grigat of Danish promoter Smash!Bang!Pow! adds that there’s a “special DNA that defines Fullsteam, and it seems like a workplace that is inclusive and sees the full potential in the team. That’s inspiring, and attracts talented staff and artists.”
For Paulina Ahokas, one of the many who’ve worked with Kyyrö since the very beginning, there are three main reasons behind Fullsteam’s continued rise. “Every single person in the company has the same attitude, the need and desire to excel. Every person is willing to work harder than anyone else. And every single person in the company knows how to party! I have no idea if this is the recruitment strategy, but I know it has worked.”
And the view internally, from new partner FKP Scorpio, is just as effusive. CEO Stephan Thanscheidt credits their “friendship, loyalty, creativity, attitude, professionality, and a great taste in arts and music,” qualities he says you feel at every single Fullsteam show or event. “Their team, in combination with their family values, is hard to beat. They have an extraordinary spirit; creative and professional entrepreneurship; a great social and political attitude; and good relations with loads of talented artists.”
Certainly, their legacy seems assured. They’ve brought a lot of live music to Finland that the country might not have been able to enjoy otherwise, from the likes of Disco Ensemble, early emo bands, many Nordic artists, and numerous international superstars. They have blazed a trail for diversity and inclusivity and redefined what a group of music companies – both working together and in separate fields – can achieve on behalf of their artists.
Ultimately, that might be the single biggest factor behind Fullsteam’s success – it really is all about the music and the people who make it happen. One anecdote in particular, from Julia Gudzent, encapsulates this attitude perfectly.
“I went to the Finnish music awards show once, and Fullsteam won all the prizes. Rauha took her whole team up on stage because she knew that it was not only her prize, but the whole team that won it. That impressed me so much because I’d never seen this kind of leadership before. I’ve not met a lot of people in the industry who do their job with so much modesty, kindness, and team spirit.”
What then of the future? What focus, hopes, and dreams does Kyyrö have for Fullsteam for the years ahead?
“I really would like us to be the best place to work at and best partner for the people we work
TESTIMONIALS
I’ve known Rauha for 15-plus years, and what she has achieved along with the Fullsteam team is not only remarkable, but it has been a joy to watch how their success has grown over the years.
Rauha is a colleague, a friend, and an example to follow. I wish everyone at Fullsteam a happy anniversary, and I’m looking forward to celebrating with them. X Xenia Grigat | smash!bang!pow!
During my 20+ years in the music business, it has always been a pleasure working with Fullsteam. You get the feeling that the artist is in good hands and the promises are kept. When negotiating, I’ve found it easy to deal with Rauha and her team. If all partners were like that, life would be good. Fullsteam is driven by success, but they are driving with love and respect. Kimmo Valtanen | Universal Music Finland & Baltics
In terms of the internationalisation of the Finnish music industry, Fullsteam and Rauha Kyyrö’s long-term work, courage, vision, and truly professional way of working and networking have been invaluable. Largely thanks to Fullsteam, the Finnish music world is as international as it is. And, of course, imports are also essential for exports – the fact that we have an international and professional concert industry. Kaisa Rönkkö | Music Finland
with,” she says. “If we succeed in that we will always be successful. We have truly amazing people working for Fullsteam and close to us, and I truly hope they will stick around, keep up with the shit in the business and shape the company and the music industry to become a better and more inclusive place for everyone.”
So we’ll be back here in another 20 years, with Fullsteam continuing to go from strength to strength?
“I am sure we’ll continue to have many victories, but there are also challenging times ahead of us. I think that at the end of the day, a business like ours is just a bunch of people working together, and I hope there is room for life to happen and for people to grow and pursue their dreams at Fullsteam.”
What are you most looking forward to at ILMC 34?
TOP SHOUT
Besides all the great events, top-class panels, and, of course, the Gala Dinner with the Arthur Award ceremony, ILMCs biggest charm for me always lies in the numerous and sometimes coincidental encounters with international partners. As our business definitely is a people’s business, I’m really looking forward to having some real-life meetings again after all the digital ones. That’s what I’ve been missing the most in the last two years.
Karsten Jahnke | Karsten Jahnke Konzertdirektion
No question: the legendary karaoke night and singing with all the colleagues and friends we haven’t seen in years! Christian Doll | C2 Concerts
The IPM has been part of my life almost since its inception, so imagine how I felt the last couple of years having to sit at home, in front of a screen, talking to people’s heads and shoulders as we ran virtual bloody conferences.
Imagine then how excited I am going to be to be part of a live event. On 26 April, I will be at the IPM, along with new and old friends from all around the world, not just the UK, we are international! We will be talking and listening to each other and learning about subjects relevant to the production industry.
If you want to register or know more about the panels, those attending, etc., go to ipm.live. See you there! Carl A H Martin | cahm.uk Seeing people in real life. I know it’s all about networking and going to the conferences… but being able to have a coffee with someone you haven’t seen since the last ILMC, apart from on Zoom, is going to be sooooooo amazing! I just hope I haven’t forgotten how to socialise… Sharon Richardson | K2 AGENCY
I am looking forward to getting back to some sort of normality, at least when it comes to meeting old friends and some new, as I do every ILMC. With Covid, Brexit and now the impending WW3 still trying my patience on a daily basis, taking a week out of the office with my friends at ILMC is just what the doctor ordered… and remembering those we have lost since the last gathering over a drink or three, especially my great friend, at the bar named after him. See you all soon! Adam Parsons | Siren Artist Management
Just the thought of being in the same room with the movers and shakers of the music industry after two years of not being able to travel to ILMC, is beyond exciting. This event is the birthplace of great projects, collaborations, and even long-lasting friendships, and I’m looking forward to meeting up with the generous pool of talent from all corners of the world. We’ve got a lot of catching up to do. Codruța Vulcu | ARTmania
I’m most looking forward to meeting professionals from around the world in person and to discussing how recovery goes on and if there are any lessons learned that may help us in the future. Renatus Nacajus | ISEG
I’m looking forward to representing Berlin’s premier midsize venue, Verti Music Hall, at my first ever ILMC. I am excited to finally meet everyone in person. Dirk Dreyer | Verti Music Hall
Quite simple: seeing everyone in-person. Everything else is then a bonus. Oh, and, of course, christening Strangey’s Bar and toasting Steve. Martin Goebbels | Miller Insurance
As this will be my first ILMC, I am more than eager to meet up again with familiar and new industry contacts from equally new markets that are desirable for us. We will bring concrete ideas to the ILMC and are curious to see if we can win over one or more interested parties for our CAVALLUNA-vision for the coming years. After the long dry spell, a live industry meeting still sounds somehow surreal. That may also be the reason for my already existing excitement. Thomas Mustroph | Cavalluna
