Make the small festival a better small festival
Cosiness rules
What people wish for future Dark River Festivals is quite accurately what they love about it, too. “Of course the location is one. And there is staff working here”, replies Kimmo, and Ville says: “I wish that this festival stays next to this size, you know and we can have all the cosiness; that the cosiness from the past will live on here, you know and we don’t go mainstream festival. We’re just a little festival in the woods, in the summer in the area of Kotka.”
… and we don’t go mainstream festival. We’re just a little festival in the woods, in the summer in the area of Kotka (Ville)
Everybody I spoke to loves the cosiness of the festival and wishes to keep it the way it is. “Here it is really cosy because it’s like such a small and like it’s like everyone here is family. So it’s always nice to come here and see everyone. It’s like: ‘oh you’re here again.’ So yeah and I think that’s like what the customers like as well. Because it’s such a like small and cosy festival”, says Iida.
I just don’t like the mosquitoes, that’s like the only thing. (Iida)
In total, there are few they would change. “I don’t know. I have always a lot of ideas, but I think this is nice like this. Of course, like little things, improvements, but little like new ideas would be great”, Pauliina replies. Kimmo adds: ”I think it is good if we keep it this way. Not too big. Not take too big steps. Let’s keep it this way.” Iida: That’s a good question.Well, I don’t really know, because I feel like some people maybe want it to be bigger, but I feel like it’s good this way because it’s so cosy.I just don’t like the mosquitoes, that’s like the only thing.”Given we are in the middle of the woods, there are actually surprisingly few mosquitos, I should add here.
It needs to evolve (Sami)
Part of Sami’s occupations at and around the DRF is to ensure its future. His visions match with the wishes of his crew: “For Dark river Festival I don’t think that this first place this festival doesn’t need change as that it needs to be changed. No, no. It needs to evolve.”
In detail,, this means: “ We’re not aiming to become new Tuska or other big festival. The idea is to have this kind of really community kinda like vibe. With that the location is really important. The audience like how the vibe is. And there’s adjustment in some, like, in the small areas, and not like that we’re aiming to become a big festival. That’s not our goal. We’re not driving to become a big festival. We’re driving forward to become better. Or, let’s say make it a better smaller festival.” Sami is deeply acknowledgingg his crew and is aware of its key role in the unique DRF atmosphere. “it gives more family-like atmosphere and more. It’s not just a corporate Rock Festival.”
Understanding the group dynamics of the big hub
The DRF tribe experience
The Dark River Festival marks the highest holiday of its tribe, however, it is not only the gathering of the DRF tribe but one of many a tribes; meaning the performers, the suppliers, the media folks and the audience. Each party adds to the atmosphere. Each of them is part of the experience Pauliina wants to have so urgently. Each of them echoes in the happy faces of the crew which makes Ville’s most loved DRF feature. ”All of them [artists] have been really extremely nice. I’m surprised how nice they are”, Pauliina tells me. But that’s not all: “I don’t remember the band name where they came from. But when they left the backstage last night they gave me a hug”, she says super excitedly.
Making the DRF together is a very big group experience, consolidating the connections within the group, which again inspires to work hard for the joint cause.It nurtures basic human needs, as objectively spoken.However, it is obvious; the DRF tribe experience is an emotional and highly satisfying one.
About the cores of the metal community
Exploring the festival crews this summer, I have wondered why those who once made it into a festival crew are highly likely to return in the next year. In the case of the M.I.S.E Open Air, a heavy metal club runs the festival. This club provides the foundation, perhaps metaphorically is the glue connecting its members. Such a club supplies basic human needs. We have experienced over thousands of generations that surviving in groups is likelier and easier than alone.
Group, here as such is no end in itself; its purpose, however, has evolved. We do unconsciously experience group as survival factor these days. Still, we long for group experience and find it in a shared passion within the HMC. While the term ‘Heavy Metal Club’ suggests the music to function as purpose, the second glance reveals that this is actually the group achievement of making the festival happen.
The Dark River Festival tribe in this regard is no different. It is a less formal group than a club. Nevertheless, both groups are highly committed to the metal community although it is no prerequisite. Given that the basic level is admiring metal music therefore being metalhead, the DRF tribe as well as the M.I.S.E. HMC are exclusive second-level metal communities. The rite of passage is proving commitment through work on the purpose and fitting the group dynamics. The benefit for the individual equals that of the group or in other words achievement is as much the purpose as the reward.
The big hub
The DRF has long been far more than a local hub in the metal scene. Take a moment to check out the bands that shared stage with Insomnium and Omnium Gatherum over the years. Don’t be surprised how many of them have shred the DRF stage. Just remember that Sami has toured for ages with both bands and has been signing bands for the DRF perhaps for just as many years.
However, this is only a superficial perspective on the hub. Naturally, friendships have grown in the crew. Some friendships remain just this. Others evolve to new qualities of connection. “You know they don’t have to sell their merch anymore because I’m doing that for them”, Ville tells me. “I’m a Marianas Rest’s merch seller, and their driver and their something like tech or something. I’ve been with them in the Baltics and around Finland.” The sparkles in his eyes once more grow into happy laughter. “I was actually with them at the Dark Tranquillity and Ensiferum tour in few countries; selling merch and driving and waking them up, and putting them to sleep, and kissing them goodnight.” Once Ville could not do it, Marianas Rest called Tanja on their way to play a gig in Oulu. It came on a short notice. Very shortly. But there she was.
“I was actually with them at the Dark Tranquillity and Ensiferum tour in few countries; selling merch and driving and waking them up, and putting them to sleep, and kissing them goodnight.” (Ville)
All this casts a new light on Sami saying that this work on and around the DRF is not work but his life; or Aku and Tanja understand it rather as a holiday than actual work. The connections that have grown on the festival grounds are real. It is more than meeting once a year to run a joint project but often a gateway to new opportunities. Ville is laughing again when I ask him: “It seems like the whole music scene is something that once you’re in, you never get out”. He replies: ”When you get sucked in, it’s hard to get out. Because, you know, … It’s like living in some kind of… how do you say it? … This is what I want to do forever. When you get there, you don’t want to get out.” – “No, you don’t. I can see that in your eyes.” – Ville: “Yeah. Yeah. I just love it.”
20 years of ‘just a little festival in the woods’
The DRF crew is a bunch of adorable people, never shy to work no matter how much effort that means. What connects them goes way beyond the love of music and live events. The one achievement that remains to be mentioned here is the incredible team lead. This one goes to Sami, of course, but no less to all the veterans of the DRF tribe. Their devotion inspires. I agree with Kimmo: “Because if the staff is smiling and the crowd when they come in from the gates, they see us smiling. They feel like they are welcome, and they are enjoying.”
The Dark River Festival 2024 is going to be its 20th anniversary. I am looking forward to some extraordinary gigs but even more to experience the tribe again, which makes just a little festival in the woods happen.
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Post Scriptum: With respect for my interviewees’ privacy of , I address each of them exclusively by first name. For the same reasom some do not appear on the images.
Check out our image galleries of the Dark River Festival 2023