Raskasta Joulua

The epic Raskasta Joulua arena tour is back. Finland’s biggest and most epic Christmas tour, Raskasta Joulua returns, more varied than ever. Raskasta Joulua is a phenomenon for everyone, built around moving arrangements, soulful interpretations and a spectacular stage show. Christmas music fans can enjoy a nationwide tour for the 23rd time. Raskasta Joulua will ring out in churches, halls and arenas in November and December. Raskasta Joulua concerts are experiences where iconic performers of heavier music bring the best-loved Christmas songs to life in a unique way. The aim is to bring Christmas joy to an ever-wider audience and create new traditions for fans of heavier music.

The concerts feature Marko Hietala, JP Leppäluoto, Tony Kakko, Antti Railio, Timo Kotipelto, Elize Ryd, Tommy Karevik, Laura Ruusumaa, Antony Parviainen, Tuple Salmela, Pekka Heino, Ville Tuomi and Ilja Jalkanen. The formidable band is led by Erkka Korhonen, the guitarist who came up with the idea for Raskasta Joulua. The band also includes familiar faces from previous years: Tuomas Wäinölä (guitar), Erkki Silvennoinen (bass), Timo Pudas (keyboards) and Mirka Rantanen (drums). One guest vocalist will also be announced later in the spring.

“I wouldn’t have been involved for nearly twenty years if the people on the tour weren’t so great and if I didn’t like the arrangements. It’s been really wonderful to see the whole project grow from something small into something big. Every year, the tour is a reunion for all of us involved. Singing heavier rock is generally demanding work for the vocalists, but when you’re not solely responsible for carrying the show, the pressure is lower. We do it together, and in a great spirit,” says Marko Hietala, who has been involved from the beginning and sings at every concert.

The exact vocalist lineups for the concerts can be found at warnermusiclive.fi/raskastajoulua.

The concerts have no age restriction. Some venues sell separate tickets for all ages (-S-) and for ages 18 and over (K-18). The concert at Aino Areena is entirely K-18.

Wheelchair tickets are available from the Lippu.fi online store, by phone and at sales points. A companion’s ticket is included with a wheelchair ticket. Other visitors who need a companion: the companion may enter free of charge with the customer but needs their own admission ticket. Companion tickets are available at sales points and by calling 09 2314 3986 (local/mobile network charge; see opening hours here).