URB Stage
URB 25 -festival ends with music and ballroom performances in the open air!
About
URB 25 Festival will serve as a grande finale a free concert at Kansalaistori on a summer Saturday! A group of rising artists and amazing performances have been lined up!
On stage will be the indie-pop and electronic music duo Pearly Drops, the rarely performing collective D1vari that has been described as organized chaos, and the funky indie musician Grande Mahogany together with singer Sophia Mitiku. As an incredible addition, the event will feature the Welcome to the Ball show, presented by the Ballroom Houses: The House of Xclusive Lanvin, The House of Gorgeous Gucci, and The House of Vineyard, along with Finland’s scene OG 007 performers.
This is an event you don’t want to miss!
The event has been curated by the young curators of the URB Festival: Gabriel Karhu, Lucian Lovén, and Aarni Pieski.
Schedule
16.10-16.55 Sophia Mitiku & Grande Mahogany feat. Kofu & Slyzzy Bone
17.20-18.00 Welcome to the Ball
18.30-19-15 D1vari (duo version with D1 DANI & koira)
20.00-20.45 Pearly Drops
Pearly Drops
Known for their ethereal vocals and lush soundscapes, Pearly Drops duo creates a sonic experience that is both nostalgic and forward-looking. The band was established by Sandra and Juuso, who have been working in the field of music and sound design for quite some time. Their debut album “Call For Help”, released in 2020, introduced audiences to their unique blend of dreamy Indie Pop and electronic music. Pearly Dropsin website
D1vari
D1vari is a collective from Oulu, whose artists Koira, D1 Dani, Rosluv & Nonexx create a unique soundscape by combining different genres. Known for their versatile and energetic live shows, the band’s one of the few summer performances will take place on the URB Stage – this show will definitely leave a lasting impression! D1vari Instagram.
Grande Mahogany & Sophia Mitiku
Grande Mahogany is the alter ego of Finnish-Ghanaian guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, singer and producer Jesse Essel, who definitely sleeps with wah-wah pedals under his pillow. His debut album, As Grande As, released last year, has become a slowly growing cult favourite. For a 2020s record, As Grande As is a dizzying combination of stream-of-consciousness elements from pop history, reinvented guitar-driven 1970s sounds, crushingly psychedelic funk and the playful upending of sample culture.
Born in Finland, the musician absorbed global rhythms early on, and a move to Manchester at the age of 11 deepened the rich, multi-layered tapestry of their music, also influenced by the forward thinking spirit of UK genres like grime / difficult to define UK producers. Grande Mahogany’s Instagram.
Sophia Mitiku is a Korean-Ethiopian singer, song-writer and sound artist. Her work delves into a wide range of post-genre exploration resulting in contemporary productions of RnB, pop, trip hop, and electronic music. As she works on her sophomore album all sickness is homesickness Sophia studies folklore and sound archival in contemporary music practices, pulsating between the interplay of tradition and modernity – bridging the reverie of nostalgia and futurism. Listen to Sophia’s music from here!
Welcome to the Ball
Welcome to the Ball is a production presented by the Ballroom Houses: The House of Xclusive Lanvin, The House of Gorgeous Gucci, and The House of Vineyard, along with Finland’s scene OG 007 performers.
The rich Ballroom culture and scene represent a community, a home, and a safe space for LGBTQIA+ individuals. The culture originated within New York’s African American and Latinx communities, and this valuable culture provides a voice and visibility for marginalized groups.
Welcome to the Ball celebrates Ballroom culture by showcasing the different categories of Ball events and highlighting the charismatic performers of Finland’s scene.”
Performers:
Amanda 007
Angel Xclusive Lanvin
Feather 007
Ghpetto Xclusive Lanvin
Kelet Gorgeous Gucci
Kia Vineyard
Lola Gorgeous Gucci
Sasha Xclusive Lanvin
Direction: Venla Vuorio / House of Xclusive Lanvin
Choreography: Venla Vuorio +working group
Supporter
The event is arranged with the support of Finnish Cultural Foundation’s Taide2-grant, which URB festival received for the Young Curators action model.