From Kyiv to Berlin, from New York to Kazakhstan – Veselka is spreading equality, tolerance and freedom for open-minded people through the power of rave.
Since the beginning of the Big War in Ukraine, the main message of the collective has changed to “There Is No Rainbow Without Yellow And Blue”, because the rainbow is the translation of the word “Veselka”. Musically, they stand for diversity, for giving more space to queer artists rather than mainstream “straight” genres. But they still believe in the power of community to unite and fight for what is right.
On May 17, Veselka invites the freethinkers of the Dissident community to RSO’s revered factory walls. A “dissident” is someone who undermines the norm. Over the past two years since their founding, they have focused on queers, femmes and vintage sounds, taking into account the history of dance music, queer culture and their intersections. Dissident loves contrasts and they’re not about one sound, style, or aesthetic.
The most international line-up ever seen at the Veselka parties will be presented on two floors.
From Spanish DJ, model, designer and stylist Sita Abellán aka SITA to Marie Malarie, resident of London’s queer nights Homodrop and Happy Endings, from Ukraine-born but Shanghai-based club owner and DJ Prymara to the creator of the “biggest club record”, DJ and producer Kasper Marott, from Sichuan’s spicy Cora to Bassiani’s resident Newa, from Swizz’s Motel Campo resident Audrey Danza to Chinese born Dissident founder Carly Zeng to Copenhagen’s trance master DJ Mantis. Long time Veselka resident Vani Vachi will be making her first ever live appearance and Veselkas Papi S.A. Tweeman will be mixing techno, acid, trance and old school tracks depending on the vibe of the dance floor.
SITA
Sita Abellán @sitabellan – DJ, producer and cultural trendsetter, born in Murcia, Spain. SITA is versatile: from DJ sets at the legendary DC10 @dc10ibizaofficial in Ibiza, to the catwalks of Paris, to designing capsule collections for major brands. She has been featured in the New York Times, Vogue, I-D and Mixmag. With techno at major festivals, productions with Héctor Oaks and releases on his KAOS imprint, SITA has won over new generations of fans.
MARIE MALARIE
Marie Malarie @mariemalarie – DJ, producer, promoter, and vinyl connoisseur – known for their carefully crafted sets. As a resident of London’s queer nights HOMODROP @homodrop & Happy Endings @happyendingsparty, Marie curates queer club nights to celebrate music’s beauty. They specialize in creating harmonious beats and screechy sounds with imagination and skill. Marie is dedicated to bringing euphonious pandemonium to the dance floor and can be found spinning vinyl in East London’s coolest corners and beyond.
DJ PRYMARA
Prymara @markoalmostprymara– born and raised in Ukraine – moved a long time ago to the East part of the world to become mastermind behind underground music scene of China and a music player that spread the fast and distorted vibrations around all Chinese underground clubs and Asia and continuously cultivating Ukrainian rave scene inside the local market.
KASPER MAROTT
Kasper Marott @kaspermarott – DJ and producer with his first debut in 2014 debut – showcased his talent for producing ecstatic yet reflective tracks. As a DJ, he seamlessly transitions between moods, tempos, and styles, showcasing his refined taste. In 2018, his EP on Modeselektor’s label received acclaim, with the track “Keflavik” named one of the year’s biggest club records by Resident Advisor. Kasper’s intuitive production approach and ability to draw inspiration from various genres, local community, and society keep his music fresh, unique, and relevant in the scene.
CORA
Cora @corakoala – hailing from Chengdu – brings scorching Sichuan spice to her dynamic sound, blending techno, trance, and house with a keen intuition for the dancefloor’s desires. Formerly in modeling and indie films, she pivoted to electronic music after immersive experiences in Hong Kong’s underground scene. From China to Saigon, Cora bridges global club cultures, honing her craft at the next Veselka edition.
NEWA
Newa @anasdreams_ – DJ and producer and Shin Records @shinrecordstbilisi co-founder from Tbilisi, Georgia, released on labels such as Klockworks. Her music is influenced by the vibrant techno scene of her hometown. She has made a name for herself as resident DJ at the famous Bassiani @basssiani club and is known for her energetic sets, which offer a mixture of dark, hypnotic sounds and driving beats.
Audrey Danza
Audrey Danza @audreydanza – the founder of the Proxima label @proxima.berlin and resident of the Motel Campo club @clubmotelcampos. She shuttles between Geneva and Berlin and is known for her versatile DJ sets that combine techno and trance, drawing inspiration from the vibrant music scenes of both cities. Regular gigs at Panorama Bar/Berghain underline her coveted DJ status. Audrey continues to invest energy into captivating performances and innovative projects to create distinctive sonic spaces.
CARLY ZENG
Carly Zeng @carlyzeng – Chinese-born and Berlin based, founder of Dissident @dissident.berlin – is known for her diverse and unique sets that blend various genres with extra spice. Her long love affair with vinyl-focused digging is no secret, and the ripple effects of such veracious collecting can be heard in the way she weaves together the many genres that she likes. Carly values community spirit and aims to curate a warming experience for all involved in the dance music ecosystem.
DJ MANTIS
No stone is left unturned in the realm of trance adjacent gems when Berlin-based DJ MANTIS @djxmantis presents one of his ever-surprising mixes. The excessive dive into anything from hardcore to hardstyle combined with his output of genre-blending productions landed him a spot at the very first Boiler Room HARD DANCE. He has brought a signature euphoric energy around Europe and the list of adventurous mixes keeps growing — Possession, Live From Earth, CRINGE, Low Income $quad, Voight-Kampff and his show “Heartstyle” on PRR! PRR!.
VANI VACHI
Vani Vachi @vanivachi – long time resident at VESELKA – premieres her first ever live performance in Berlin! Being behind the decks internationally for a few years, Vani Vachi has arrived to a growing desire of transcending traditional boundaries of techno- and club-sounds. Hence, the performance will explore new ways of interacting with dance music, with a mixture of classic rave influences and experimental sounds, and live vocals presenting topics like feminism, technology and sexuality.
TWEEMAN
Veselkas Papi S.A. Tweeman @tweeman is not only a Ukrainian DJ, but also a promoter who has been a key figure in Kyiv’s club scene for over a decade, playing a crucial role in the development of the electronic music scene in there. His sets are eclectic, blending techno, acid, trance, and old school tracks depending on the vibe of the dance floor.
No ice cream without cream, no party without performances. So let yourself be seduced by Ukrainian HIV activist Masha ‘Panda’ Volkova, drag artist Coco Klein and designers Judassime and Amar Singh from Antwerp.
