Ruhr Diamonds
Concerts by up-and-coming musicians
On Saturday nights aspiring local musicians take over the stage of the festival centre. On five weekends we will experience the Ruhr region’s full diversity of genres. Between groovy pop punk, rap and trap, there are new sounds to discover at Wunderland – free of charge. At the series’ opening concert, the Allerwelt Ensemble Duisburg, together with the Junges Ensemble Ruhr, will present a repertoire of traditional international folk music (rooted in Syria and Turkey) and self-written songs.
Get to know our Ruhr Diamonds 2026
Allerwelt-Ensemble Duisburg X Junges Ensemble Ruhr (22 Aug)
The Allerwelt Ensemble Duisburg was founded in 2016 in refugee accommodation in Rheinhausen and currently comprises around 25 young performers, from four continents: refugees from Syria and Kurdistan, India, Togo, Cameroon and Congo, and residents of Duisburg of German, Turkish, Circassian, Brazilian, Romanian, Bosnian and Macedonian origin. The Allerwelt-Ensemble performs songs from their homelands and writes new lyrics and songs that incorporate and blend elements of their diverse cultures. The ensemble will open the Ruhr Diamonds concert series together with the musicians of the Junges Ensemble Ruhr.
CATFISH (29 Aug)
The all-girls band CATFISH brings together five young female musicians from Dortmund scene a funk group that has recently been taking the whole city by storm with a fusion of music and internet meme culture. The CATFISHs came together through their love of jazz, their desire for a feminist safe space and their fascination with all manner of internet phenomena. Fasten your seat belts, it’s going to be a bumpy ride!
Favourite Sidewalk Couch (5 Sept)
Amidst cosy rugs, glowing valve amps, a gently crackling television and a miniature sofa, the four multi-instrumentalists from Essen bring their energetic indie/alternative rock sound to the stage, creating a mobile living-room atmosphere. Inspired by the indie scene centred around the legendary ‘Kilby-Curt’ (Utah) and genre giants such as the Arctic Monkeys, Favourite Sidewalk Couch are ready to add fresh sounds to the indie scene. Their tracks have been featured several times on Radio Bochum’s Ruhrcharts, and they play at local clubs such as the Trompete in Bochum or at open-air events.
SLABBOY (12 Sept)
SLABBOY is a rising star in the Afro beats genre, known for blending rhythmic West African sounds with tropical vibes and catchy melodies. His music combines storytelling with emotional grooves and draws inspiration from both African and Caribbean cultures. With tracks such as Island Girl (feat. Frico Lee), SLABBOY is making his mark on the Afro-fusion scene and attracting a wave of global listeners who are captivated by his authentic sound and laid-back delivery.
The Destruents (19 Sept)
The Destruents describe themselves as a “young, queer, cool garage band from ruhrpott”. The punk (and) rock band plays whatever they feel like and loves to break with their own scenes’ conventions. With their varied live performances, the four close friends deliver a wild mix of genres with a punk attitude that always leaves a lasting impression. The Essen-based band have been rocking the full spectrum of rustic, authentic venues across the Ruhr region since 2022, and in the summer of 2026, they’ll be taking to the festival centre of the Ruhrtriennale.
Directions
Wunderland
An der Jahrhunderthalle 1
44793 Bochum
