Tallinn Music Week 2019 music programme announced, showcasing the most diverse line-up within focused festival format

Tallinn Music Week (TMW), the international new music and urban culture festival, taking place in Tallinn, Estonia from 25th to 31st March has announced this year’s music line-up.

TMW 2019 Festival Pass at €55 and Conference + Festival Pass at €225 are on sale at the TMW online shop. From Thursday, 14th February single tickets for concerts and club nights will be on sale at Piletilevi.

 

The three-day music programme from Thursday 28th to Saturday 30th March will offer a multi-genre mix from the edgiest sounds to chart pop, from dance beats to metal and from folk to contemporary classical. 170 artists from 28 countries have been confirmed in the programme. 72 artists come from Estonia to be followed by 15 from Russia, 13 from Finland, 8 from the UK, 7 from Canada and 5 each from Belarus and Sweden.

While showcasing the most diverse sounds and genres from all over the world, TMW’s aim is to offer a genuinely focused and user-friendly festival experience. The final line-up won’t exceed 200 artists, and all venues will be located within short walking distance from Telliskivi Creative Hub, the Estonian Academy of Arts and Port Noblessner.

Altogether, 21 showcases across 10 venues will take place during three nights. According to TMW tradition the Telliskivi Vaba Lava will host jazz and folk nights on Friday and Saturday. Estonian Jazz Association and festival Jazzkaar will showcase exciting collaborations like the trio of Estonian guitarist Jaak Sooäär, Armenian-Estonian bassist Ara Yaralyan and Finnish drummer Markku Ounaskari as well as the ubermodern Estonian-Lithuanian-French collective Captain Kirke and the Klingons. Viljandi Folk & Crossroads of Cultures night will feature Estonian premier folk stylists Trad.Attack! and Mari Kalkun along with the scene’s promising newcomers Duo Ruut.

The Black Hall of Telliskivi F-Hoone will host the 30th birthday party of the Finnish Stupido Records on the festival’s opening night, Thursday 28th March, presenting the perpetuum mobile of Estonian punk, J.M.K.E as well as a true Finnish punk rock legend Pelle Miljoona with his new band. Made In Baltics & Sony Music will present established Estonian musicians like TMW 2017 artist prize winner Erki Pärnoja and ethereal singer-songwriter Anna Kaneelina along with the British dream pop trio Wyldest at F-hoone on Friday, and Saturday will see the massive hip-hop army marching into the F, headed by young Estonian popster Maian and Ukraine’s rap sensation of the year alyona alyona.

The Green Hall of Telliskivi will stage Intsikurmu Festival acts on Thursday, among them Estonian ”neo-zombie-post-folk” duo Puuluup, and Karina, one of the most well-received new indie acts from Finland. Friday will see a drum’n’bass night at the Green Hall with Estonian residents Thing and Protokoll 0 on decks along a Londoner Genotype. On Saturday night the Damn.Loud Agency’s showcase will shake the green walls with the metal-tinged programme, incl. Danish MØL, the masterful blenders of hissing vocals and My Bloody Valentine’s heritage, and Estonia’s very own glorious noise-rockers Zahir.

Telliskivi’s Club of Different Rooms (ETK) will also host three TMW events. Made in Canada Night, presented by BreakOut West and Nova Scotia will feature the Winnipeg-based hiphop trio 3PEAT and Saskatchewan singer-songwriter Megan Nash among other Canadian talent on Thursday, whilst on Friday the venue will come alive with Fenno-Ugric chants by the Udmurt singer Maria Korepanova and the Finnish world music favourite Okra Playground. Saturday night will bring the Station Narva festival’s intercontinental line-up with a slick amalgam of new wave and electropop by L.A.-based Russian band Pompeya, Berlin-based Russian queer eccentrics Sado Opera, and the most charmingly nonchalant Estonian punks Psychoterror.

Sveta Bar will show off the brightest young things on Thursday night at “The Kids Are Alright” night – such as Estonian R&B and trap newcomer YASMYN, and the teenage DJ-producer myspacebabe who draws inspiration from “both the chaotic cityscapes of Tallinn and the forests surrounding it”. The most significant local music web Rada7 will take Sveta Bar over on Friday with the Japanese noise duo MOJA, “Talsinki’s mad punks” Huiabella Fantastica, and more. World Clinic record store will step up on Saturday with Taiwan’s iconic post-punk squad SEN and Finnish garage rockers Teemu & The Deathblows.

Kauplus Aasia venue will host the Päästevest label night, featuring Estonia’s celebrated hardware-producers Kask and Nikolajev and the British DJ Mother on Thursday. Friday’s bass night will host the Estonian electronic scene’s vet Out-Or and dubstep promoter Dread. Saturday will fill Kauplus Aasia with Kalana Saund festival’s selection, among them Estonian meta musician Ratkiller and Russian Galina Ozeran aka Chikiss whose DIY approach is opposed to the “girl with a microphone” image dominating in pop culture.

Kivi Paber Käärid (KPK) club will host Manka Boutique Pop Festival’s faves on Friday night, among them local lo-fi post punks Sny Matildy and melancholic synth pop group Molchat Doma from Belarus. Saturday will bring heavier sounds to KPK – from math rock instrumentals by Estonian Kaschalot to the ear-piercing guitars of Ceremony from the US East Coast. The techno haven HALL at Port Noblessner will let the festival embrace Estonia’s after-hours culture with the help of MÜRK resident-DJs Artur Lääts and Denis Punch on Friday and “Kasaganaan” party marathon from Saturday night to Sunday morning, featuring the captivating beats by Icelandic Terrordisco and “somatik” techno for cyberpunks and posthumanists by St Petersburg’s Perforated Cerebral Party.

The finale of TMW music programme on Saturday, 30th March will reach out to two very special new venues. Kalju (Rock) Baptist church in Kalamaja district will host the brightest representative of the Russian neo-classical scene Kirill Richter whose portfolio includes both piano pieces and the original theme for the World Cup 2018 broadcasts of the FOX Sports TV channel. The TMW’s conference centre Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA) will be embraced in the adventurous programme by Estonian Üle Heli festival and the British label 130701 / FatCat. The entrancing duo of Maarja Nuut & Ruum (Hendrik Kaljujärv) will perform their last year’s debut album “Muunduja”, “one of the year’s most beautiful journeys through inner and outer space” (The Quietus). Also performing at EKA are Canadian violin experimenter respectfulchild and Irish electronic duo Lakker with their intricate sonic tapestries ranging from haunting Arctic soundscapes to bass driven warehouse weight.

TMW 2019 full music programme, free city stage concerts and special events will be announced in February and March.

TMW 2019 Festival Pass at the price of €55 and Festival + Conference Pass at €225 are on sale at the TMW web shop. Single tickets will be on sale at Piletilevi from the 14th February.

Special 2-Day Conference Pass is on sale for €125 and Supporter Pass for €150 at the TMW web shop.

Clients of Telia, the TMW 2019 presenter will receive a 20% discount on all pre-booked tickets and passes.

TMW is presented by Telia Estonia, the festival’s main supporters are Nordic Hotel Forum and Enterprise Estonia, partners Music Estonia and Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA). TMW is supported by Ministry of Culture, Tallinn Culture Department and Estonian Cultural Endowment.

 

TMW 2019 music programme lineup