“From the clubbing point of view Helsinki is just the right size. It’s big enough to feel like a city and have a lively and diverse club culture, but at the same time it’s small enough to feel approachable and open” says DJ and journalist Janne Siironen as you ask him to describe the club culture of his hometown. 

Janne has over 25-year experience of the club scene in Helsinki and has witnessed its changes firsthand as a customer and behind the decks. Listening to him makes you realize that while there are plenty of songs about what happens on the dance floor – murder, kissing, heartache and no business, to mention just a few (Have a go, this would make a great quiz question!) –  there certainly should be one about making friends.

“I moved here from the Ostrobothian coast in 1997 and didn’t know anyone. There was no social media at the time, so clubs and bars were the must-go-places. They all had their own crowds and formed a kind of an organic algorithm, which helped to meet like-minded people with similar interests.”

The concept of home was not really that high up on the priorities of twenty something Janne, but in hindsight it was through the club scene that Helsinki became his home. “That’s where I made most of my friends to this date, formed my connections and network in the city”, explains Janne now.

Fast, hard, feel good and experimental

Janne has been running his own club nights since 2004. “I still love disco, italo, house and a more “pop” dance sound, but recently have noticed also a more raw beat filtering through. I think it’s important to hold on to your own core sound. Passion is important in this work and worth protecting.”

His tips for those seeking for different sounds in Helsinki right now are Ääniwalli‘s Korgy-events – “They are great for people who love it faster, harder & more rave-y”, DTM “which is perfect if you’re looking for feelgood discotheque with big hits”, and Post Bar which “tends to serve deeper, more experimental techno sounds.” 

From DJ’s perspective the most important thing for Janne is a full dancefloor. “Every audience is different and always in a mood of its own. 

Open, inclusive, breathing and queer

The first important contact points with Helsinki club culture for Janne were the gay clubs like DTM, Lost & Found, and Hercules. 

“For some years it seemed like gay bars were in decline and that dating apps like Grindr and Tinder would kill them off. Social media had an impact on all club culture, but especially gay clubs were vulnerable to their power.”

Now Janne is happy to see it’s no longer the case: “Social media is also just a trend, and people’s behavior shifts accordingly”. In fact, there are now two “classics” out and running again for LGBTQIA+ people in Helsinki. “DTM and Hercules show that there is still a need for “traditional” gay bars.”

Janne points out that while the core of LGBTQIA+ clubs have remained pretty much the same as always, the world – and Helsinki – around them has changed totally in 25 years. “Nowadays queer culture is, in some way, always present in the best clubs in the Kallio district. Twenty-somethings find it natural to visit any venue.”

Club culture reflects the larger changes in culture and the z-generation’s open and inclusive views on different identities. “Club culture is not a monolith; it lives and breathes with the people who take part in it.”

Janne is happy that diversity has also blossomed at the grassroots level. “One example is the new type of drag culture in Helsinki. No culture can survive on nostalgia. Renewal is what I love about the Helsinki club scene.”

Dance, chill and play bingo!

Janne himself plays in venues like DTM, Siltanen ja KULT. They all attract a crowd with a shared love for music: techno, house and disco. 

Their community is marked with openness and equality. These features are also visible in programming. “There is better and better representation of different scenes and genders amongst the performers. 20 years ago, it was still pretty much an all-white, all male panel behind the decks in Helsinki, but that’s changed.”

If Janne is not behind the decks himself, you’re most likely to meet him in Ääniwalli or some underground event when he feels like dancing. Or in Post Bar when he wants to hear new sounds, or in Pluto or Tanner when he wants to just chill, listen to good music and meet friends.

And for those of you, new to the city and wishing to make friends, Janne’s tip is Siltanen, with its cosy and relaxed vibe, great DJ lineup, and yes, even bingo.