- Press release, free for publication May 13 New acts added to Flow Festival’s Bright Balloon 360° Stage The unique, intimate Bright Balloon 360° Stage will feature current acts from around the world as well as including Finnish musicians and top jazz. The Balloon 360° Stage was born three years ago as a result of an architecture competition, and it provides a unique setting for intimate musical experiences. The round stage is covered by a huge pressurised ball – effectively a balloon. This year the stage will be renewed with a massive video implementation by technology services specialists Bright Finland and the stage is named as Bright Balloon 360°, after the company. The foreign acts in the Bright Balloon 360° lineup includes young and promising Swedish soul singer Seinabo Sey and U.S.-based newcomer Natalie Prass, whose debut album was released recently. There is also Forever Pavot rising from the French underground psych scene, and the Norwegian indierockers Kakkmaddafakka, who are known for energetic shows. The lineup includes several African acts such as Islam Chipsy, and its Egyptian folk music with an electronic flavour, as well as Mali-based desert blues band Songhoy Blues whose debut album Music in Exile was produced by Amadou & Mariam producer Antoine Moreau and Nick Zinner of Yeah Yeah Yeahs fame. Local acts include blues rock legend, guitarist and singer-songwriter Dave Lindholm, reggae artist Reino Nordin with a band and several guests, singer-songwriter John McGregor together with the drummer-percussionist Samuli Kosminen and guitarist Jarmo Saari, as well as the Räjäyttäjät band’s Jukka Nousiainen with his Jukka & Jytämimmit set-up. Stepping onto the round stage will also be J. Karjalainen with his one-man Lännen-Jukka show, which will actually be seen twice on Friday. Top Finnish jazz will be represented by the Verneri Pohjola Quartet and the Timo Lassy Band. Pohjola is accompanied by pianist Aki Rissanen, bass player Antti Lötjönen, and drummer Teppo Mäkynen. The Timo Lassy Band’s special guests will include trumpeter Jukka Eskola and the biggest promise of Finnish jazz, vibraphonist Panu Savolainen. Flow Festival’s confirmed partners for 2015 are the main partner Lapin Kulta, media partners Basso, Clear Channel, Helsingin Sanomat / Nyt, and partners American Express, Bright Finland, H&M, Paulig, Stop Teltat, Sun Effects, University of Arts Helsinki and Yellow Tail. www.flowfestival.com www.facebook.com/FlowFestival www.twitter.com/FlowFestival www.instagram.com/flowfestivalhelsinki www.vk.com/flowfestival Tickets: Lippupalvelu www.lippupalvelu.fi p.+358 600-10-800 Tiketti www.tiketti.fi p.+358 600-1-1616 89-169 € including seller fees 3,50 €. The Baltic Sea ticket is available by adding 2-40 € to the sale price. Press images: www.flowfestival.com/en/media Additional information: Press Officer Susanna Hulkkonen / [email protected] / +358 50 911 6570 In the UK: Borkowski / [email protected] In Germany: Verstärker Medienmarketing / [email protected] In Russia: Sarafun PR / Olga Dub, [email protected] .