Summer will come. As slowly as the long-awaited breakthrough of an indie artist.
Let's admit it—this summer has gotten off to a painfully slow start. We try to go out in summer gear, but end up digging out the wool socks again. Patience is surely needed.
In the Kuohu Workshop, All Day Agency's booking agent Ulla Varis reminded us that patience is also crucial when it comes to booking gigs. It takes time to build the right connections. One year, a festival promoter might catch your showcase, and then suddenly three years later remember you, and have a perfect spot for your band in their lineup. Then you finally get to take the wool socks off, and bask in the warm sunshine of a festival crowd! So, let's keep on working on our visibility. There are no overnight heat waves in sight. Even the seemingly fast shooting stars have years of groundwork behind.
A Thought-Provoking and Warm-Hearted Workshop
The very first Kuohu Workshop had a relaxed and open atmosphere. We went from intense thinking to cheerful laughter, as our pens were flying across notebooks.
In the workshop, Ulla Varis gave us an inside look at how gig booking works—and how to succeed in it. The conversation ran deep, and there were many topics. For me, it really clarified a lot about how the business works, and helped me understand my own needs better.
I couldn't possibly sum up everything that was discussed, but here are my Top 5 Takeaways from Ulla Varis' Workshop:
Regular "Excel -sessions". Start planning early—think one year and three years ahead.
Contacts are crucial. The same people are booking festivals year after year.
Patience, persistence, long-term thinking. It takes time.
A team of three booking agents might be managing up to 40 artists. It's quite rare to be able to make your own music as a full-time job.
Conceptualizing your live show is key to both booking and marketing. It helps if you do bigger releases, such as albums. Ticket sales are the #1 priority.
Mahls - Kuohu Production Residency Guest
We also piloted our production residency this June, and our very first guest was music producer and artist Mahls. During her residency, Mahls for example recorded lead vocals for her new single in the vocal booth and enjoyed coffee breaks with Kapari in between sessions.
Mahls also joined us as a guest on the Rehellisesti Kuohuissa podcast. (More on that later this fall!)
"It felt really good to come here! It's such a lovely space and in a great location. Being here reminds me how much time you spend working alone—and that's important too, of course—but it's also so nice to have a cup of coffee with someone nearby every now and then. I recorded the vocals for my new single too! Got it done! I brought my wool socks bought from Hailuoto, my laptop, my favorite mics, a couple of cables—and of course my crystals. Because Oona and I have a chess & gemstones club." :D
— Mahls
Kuohu Workshop 02 with Liina Turtonen
We're excited to announce that the next Kuohu Workshop will take place on Monday, August 11th. Our guest expert is an Ableton Certified Trainer (you might have seen her on YouTube: LNA Does Audio Stuff), music producer, sound designer, composer, and creative coach Liina Turtonen, who is joining us from the UK.
In her Kuohu Workshop, she'll help us explore how the music industry, social media, and audio technology shape the way we create, and how these influences can build or block our creative confidence. We'll unpack common creative obstacles, understand why they arise, and learn actionable ways to overcome them.
In the second part of the workshop, Turtonen will be sharing her popular 15‑minute hands‑on demonstration in Ableton Live, which can be easily adapted to other DAWs as well, where she will build a track from scratch, applying the ideas shared in the workshop. This live example will show how to transform moments of doubt or hesitation into sparks for new ideas, and prove that there is no failure in creativity.
Reserve Your Spot Now!
Apply here!
Book Launch Party!
Turtonen recently published a book titled "Creative Confidence and Music Production: Overcome Your Insecurities", and we're thrilled to host her book launch in Finland here at Kuohu Studios right after the workshop. You're warmly welcome to join us. More info about the party will be shared closer to the date, but for now you can already save the date: August 11th.
You can grab the book for summer reading from Akateeminen Kirjakauppa. And get your own copy signed by Turtonen herself at the event. :)
Kuohu Alumni WhatsApp Group
We've created a WhatsApp community for Kuohu Workshop participants—a space to stay in touch, share knowledge, and support each other in our creative journeys. Participation is, of course, voluntary.
Details
Kuohu Workshop – Liina Turtonen
Monday, August 11,
At 14:00–17:00
Price: €65 (incl. VAT)
Max 15 in-person participants
If the full price is a barrier, you're welcome to apply for a pay-what-you-can spot. These spots are limited and intended for those who couldn't join otherwise.
Online: If there's a minimum of 10 applications we will arrange streaming for the workshop. Online participants will be on mute, but may ask questions in the chat. The event will not be recorded.
Streaming price: €30 (incl. VAT)
Apply to join the workshop here
Book Launch Party!
Monday, August 11th
At 17:30–21:00
Kuohu Studios, Helsinki
Free entry
More details to follow!
We are committed to diversity in everything we do.
All genders are warmly welcome to our events.
A Word from Kapari
It's time for me to take a little summer break now. Just a couple of weeks to breathe, lie down somewhere by the lake, and do absolutely nothing. There's a lot of exciting things coming up this autumn, and they'll be all the more enjoyable once the batteries are recharged. I hope you also get to take some time off—at least a little.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who took part in our pilot events this spring. I warmly welcome you back to grow stronger with us again when the warm August nights are here. We'll kick it all off with a celebration!
Massive thanks to everyone who's helped along the way! Though I've been working really hard, I couldn't have anything alone.
Huge gratitude to Jenna Hiipakka, Salomon Kosunen, Gabriela Morales, Carolina Stenback, Tiia Paananen, Meri & Onni, Jutta Ruonansuu, Marja Ahlsved, Genelec Oy—and all other supporters. This is just the beginning.
Wishing you a beautiful summer.
We want to strengthen the community and bring the appreciation of culture back to the core of humanity. A warm welcome to join us! I'm so glad you're here!
Yours truly
Oona Kapari
