Singer-songwriter Joel Hokka, having already made a significant international career with Blind Channel, returns to music with his new band HOKKA. The band is set to make its live debut at the European Capital of Culture year’s kick-off event, New Year’s Celebration: Oulu2026 Show, on New Year’s Eve.
With the first single released on 11 November, HOKKA features, in addition to Joel Hokka,guitarist-producer Pauli Rantasalmi, who has played in The Rasmus for three decades, and drummer Jimi Aslak, whose skills have made him a viral phenomenon with hundreds of millions of impressions on social media. The band has signed a record deal with the global heavy music label Nuclear Blast and their debut album is set for release in the spring.
HOKKA’s powerful live debut will take place in Joel Hokka’s hometown Oulu, at the European Capital of Culture Year launch event New Year’s Celebration: Oulu2026 Show on 31 December.
Alongside HOKKA, the stage at Oulu Hall will feature prominent artists such as KUUMAA, Suvi Teräsniska, pehmoaino, BESS, Goldielocks and Ege Zulu. The line-up also includes a number of top-class performers from Oulu: the internationally renowned Mieskuoro Huutajat choir, dancer Marko Keränen, the Oulu Symphony String Quartet and Dance Centre Citydance with an engaging DANCESHOW choreographed by Lotta Kyllönen-Jämsä, a top performer from dance arenas and tours with major artists.
The show full of surprise will be put together by top entertainment professionals, including Elias Koskimies, known for producing the UMK song contest finals. The visual director will be Ari Levelä, the veteran designer of the Eurovision Song Contests.
New Year’s Celebration: Oulu2026 Show will mark the start of Oulu’s year as a European Capital of Culture, offering the latest in pop culture and entertainment on New Year’s Eve. The event will also see Oulu Hall transformed into an arena for a national TV production with the show being broadcast live on Yle channels.
A memorable evening of almost one hundred performers and the thrill of live TV broadcast
The doors of Oulu Hall will open at 20:30 with DJ Kaasi kicking off the show at 21. Get in to the spirit of the occasion by stopping at the Glitter Garden to complete your look and take a selfie at the partner photo booths. The show can be watched on national YLE channels starting at 22:45.
“There will be almost one hundred performers on stage. The visually stunning show combined with the energetic atmosphere of the live TV broadcast will make the evening unique and propel us into the New Year and Oulu’s European Capital of Culture year,” says the event’s executive producer Sandy Kantola.
The event, which ends at midnight, has no age limit. However, under-15s are recommended to be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The floor level features a licensed area with an age limit of 18. Young members of the audience are taken into account in the event’s arrangements in cooperation with the Friends of the Young association, which organises a supervised route for minors to and from the event. A drop-off and pick-up point will be arranged for young people, and traffic controllers and signs will guide them from there to Oulu Hall.
Tickets for the event are available via the Lippu.fi sales channels. The ticket price is €59.90. A lippu.fi service fee (starting at €1.50 + 0.65% of the order) will be added to the price. The Arina Co-operative will provide a cloakroom free of charge for the festival audience.
Schedule
8:30 pm Ouluhalli doors and services open
9 pm DJ Kaasi
10:15 pm Getting ready for the show & live broadcast
10:45 pm SHOW & BROADCAST STARTS
approx 00:15 event ends
