Returning for its 14th year, Urbanscapes 2016 will be reimagined into a 2 week-long, city-wide creative arts celebration between 23rd April and 8th May.
For its homecoming, festival-goers can expect the city to come alive as various venues become playgrounds for music, theatre, design, art installations, markets, and experiential events headlined by international and homegrown talents.
“The entire city is now our festival site. After 14 years, Urbanscapes is returning to its roots and rediscovering the urban environment it started from. No longer a weekend wonder, Urbanscapes is now a festival spanning over three weekends featuring an exhaustive creative arts programme to excite festival-goers of all ages,” said Adrian Yap, founder of Urbanscapes.
Urbanscapes today announced additions to their KL Live lineup, including a music showcase by English drum and bass band Rudimental (“Feel The Love”) on 1st May.
Malaysian indie alternative rock band Hujan (“Pagi Yang Gelap”) will share a stage with Ipoh’s own indie rockers Bittersweet (“Perfect Match”), on 24th April. The KL Live lineup includes the recently announced Tame Impala on 23rd April and M83 on 7th May.
Meanwhile, The Bee Publika will play host to several intimate Urbanscapes gigs.
On 30th April, homegrown rapper Jin Hackman of the independent hip hop movement Raising The Bar will present The Night Before Tomorrow (NB4T). NB4T will feature future beats, seapunk, vaporware, footwork, witch house, UK bass, dub, sound system culture-derived genres, and everything else other than the usual KL nightlife scene.
Singaporean experimental art rock band The Observatory will blur the lines between film and music on 5th May with a screening of their experimental music documentary “THE OBS: A SINGAPORE STORY,” followed by a live music showcase of their latest album “August Is The Cruellest”.
The heart of Urbanscapes will pulse at the scenic and historic square Medan Pasar, where the heritage “OCBC Bank” art deco building (now known as 2 Hang Kasturi) will be completely taken over to serve as the festival hub Urbanscapes House.
Occupying 5 floors, Urbanscapes House will host 3 weekends of art festivities.
Right when you enter, there will be an Urbanscapes Café that will feature a signature menu created by their food partners. The first floor will feature the skate and visual culture art exhibition Cannot Be Bo(a)rdered featuring the works of 26 artists from Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
Up on its airy rooftop, expect thematic food markets where the nation’s best food vendors will peddle gastronomic bites.
The festival will then conclude with a high-energy closing street party from 4pm to 9pm on 8th May at Medan Pasar, where Urbanscapes House is centred. Malaysia’s artists and creative communities will come together to deliver a salvo of artistic endeavours including street performances and art installations, while food trucks fill the square with their enticing fare and aromas.
For Urbanscapes 2016’s full lineup, visit their website.
