VIPNEWS PREMIUM > VOLUME 148 > JUNE 2012
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VIPNEWS > JUNE 2012
Falling over isn’t what it used to be – I seem
to remember a sort of ‘bounce factor’ in my
now fading youth when coming into contact
with terra firma when tripping, slipping ,
skidding or even being pushed – but that’s
not the way of it now, it’s more of a bone
jarring crash as one’s footing goes and far
too much weight speeds up the process of
gravity. Tennis actually, as you ask, going for
a ball I should really have left alone, and all
of a sudden, the term hard court became
painfully defined. Anyway, if you detect
the odd grimace of pain illustrating these
Musings , it’s a result of the bruises and
abrasions – as you ask… just yesterday as it
happens.
My trip to Inverness for this year’s Go
North was well worthwhile – even though
the skies were mainly grey, but the event
always has something to offer, like watching
Born to be Wide’s Olaf Furniss and others
obviously recalling their youth by creating
a mosh pit and hurling themselves around
in completely abandoned and quite frankly
dangerous fashion , driven wild by the music
of Norwegian punk band Honningbarna. I
was never really a fan of punk, but the band’s
energy was definitely infectious, and maybe
the cello gave them an extra edge!
But on a far more serious note as we move into
the Festival season yet again, like the heavy
rain and cloud besetting many of the early
events, bad news overshadows everything
with the apparently ‘legal high’ drug related
death of a teenager just a couple of miles
away from Inverness at Rockness . Then as if
to warn us all that last year’s disasters were
not an unfortunate aberration came the
dreadful news of yet another stage collapse
causing the death of Radiohead’s 33 year old
British drum technician and injuries to other
crew members. Scott Johnson was killed just
before Radiohead were to go on stage in
Toronto . All at VIP send their condolences to
his family and friends.
Unlike the incidents in the U.S. and Belgium
last year the weather was not a factor
in the cause of this stage collapse, early
observations indicate that scaffolding pipes
may have given way, but whatever the
reason , upcoming Canadian events will
be under increased scrutiny, and event
organisers everywhere will be anxious to hear
the actual reasons for the disaster to factor
in whatever can be learned to the already
increased health and safety precautions for
this year’s season.
I must admit that I tend to dismiss the
Eurovision Song Contest as an occasionally
amusing adjunct to the ‘real’ business
of music , and the relegation of the UK’s
venerable singer Englebert Humperdink to
last but one in the judging affects me little.
However the European Broadcasting Union
(EBU) have announced that 64 million
television viewers tuned in for the 2012
Grand Final of the 57th Eurovision Song
Contest ; 19.4 million for the first Semi-Final
and 19.6 million for the second Semi-Final,
all figures up on 2011, making it once again
the most watched entertainment programme
on television screens in Europe. So, yet again,
what do I know, I might have to think again?
Right, you will have to get by without us next
month I’m afraid as certain VIP’ers take a
summer break. However I will be off to Serbia
(on my birthday!) where the EXIT festival will
host discussions on the implementation of
CEETEP, the extension of the European Talent
Exchange Programme (ETEP) into the Central
And Eastern European territories. I will report
back in August – by which time all current
bruises will hopefully be gone. So, Ladies and
Gentlemen, have a great summer, and here
is the News…
COLOPHON >
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McGowan’s Musings
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VIPNEWS > JUNE 2012
City Showcase: Spotlight London 2012 Allan McGowan [email protected]
The shortlist is out for the first ever Scottish
Live music and new talent event City
Showcase : Spotlight London, will celebrate
its 10th Anniversary this year. This edition will
take place from 9-13th October in Central
London, and is now open for registration.
Following the successful Soho Flea Market
event, the not-for-profit year-round music
festival returns offering an opportunity for
new bands and artists to submit applications
by 31st July to appear in the capital and take
part in the celebrations.
City Showcase: Spotlight London has been
presenting new musical talent since 2003
hosting over 200 musicians from a broad
range of genres. Amy Winehouse, Keane,
Gabriella Cilmi, Razorlight, Mr Hudson, Laura
Marling, Newton Faulkner, Ray LaMontagne ,
Hot Chip, Seth Lakeman, N-Dubz, and
Scouting for Girls have all performed on a
City Showcase stage.
Performers and bands who take part in City
Showcase: Spotlight London will perform
in the music venues, shops and stores of
London’ s West End, in front of A&R scouts,
industry executives and music fans. To mark
the 10th Anniversary, City Showcase is
offering free entry to those who have
registered online for wristbands at least a
month in advance of the festival otherwise
entry will be £5 on the door.
City Showcase Director Nanette Rigg says:
“We are now gearing up for our tenth
anniversary celebrations with more venues
signed up to take part as well as an outdoor
stage this year, and with more potential
candidates wanting to take part, it should be
our greatest event yet”.
Details of how to apply for City Showcase:
Spotlight London 2012 are on the website at
www.cityshowcase.co.uk
Nanette Rigg
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VIPNEWS > JUNE 2012
PPL Produce UK ‘Most Played’ 2011 ChartsAllan McGowan [email protected]
PPL the UK’s sound recording royalty
collecting agency recently held its AGM,
at which information on the Agency’s
2011 financial returns was revealed. The
revenue generated by broadcast and online
royalties was up 7% to £66.2 million, public
performance income was up 10% to £55.0
million, and international monies grew 2%
to £32.4 million . Overall £153.5 million
was collected, of which £130.8million was
distributed to the society’s label and per-
former members.
This is of course very interesting and very
optimistic news for the UK recording
industry , but another interesting aspect of
the Meeting was the release of the following
three charts compiled from the data collected
by the organisation:
Adele - most played artist in UK in 2011
Most Played Pop Songs Of 2011:Adele - Rolling In The Deep
Maroon 5 feat Christina Aguilera
- Moves Like Jagger
Adele - Set Fire To The Rain
Jessie J feat BoB - Price Tag
Adele - Someone Like You
Ed Sheeran - The A Team
Lady Gaga - The Edge Of Glory
Bruno Mars – Grenade
Rihanna - Only Girl In The World
Forget You - Cee Lo Green
Most Played Classical Pieces Of 2011:Ludovico Einaudi - Primavera
Ludovico Einaudi - Nightbook
Ludovico Einaudi - The Tower
City Of Prague Philharmonic
Orchestra with Paul Bateman - On
The Beautiful Blue Danube (by Johann
Strauss II)
Philharmonic Orchestra with Eugene
Ormandy - Fanfare For The Common
Man (by Aaron Copland)
Philip Glass - Metamorphosis One
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
Orchestra with Ludovico Einaudi -
Divenire
Cleveland Orchestra with Lorin
Maazel - Romeo And Juliet (by Sergei
Prokofiev)
The Labèques & Philharmonia
Orchestra with Semyon Bychkov -
Concerto for Two Pianos in E major
(by Felix Mendelssohn)
Dawn Upshaw & London Sinfonietta
with David Zinman - Symphony No 3
(by Henryk Gorecki)
Most Played Artists Of 2011:Adele
Lady Gaga
Rihanna
Take That
Bruno Mars
Coldplay
Katy Perry
Jessie J
Olly Murs
David Guetta
We just thought you might like to know…
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VIPNEWS > JUNE 2012
Samsung Launches First Ticketless Technology at Live UK Events Allan McGowan [email protected]
20 June 2012, London, UK – Samsung Electronics UK has today
announced its involvement in the first roll out of ticketless technology
at live music events in the UK. As part of an association with
Kilimanjaro Live and Intellitix, Samsung will bring RFID technology to
festivalgoers for the first time this summer promising secure access to
the gigs and virtually no queues.
The Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ upcoming gig at Knebworth on 23
June will mark the first time the technology has been used by
an artist anywhere in Europe. This will be followed by music and
wakeboarding festival Wakestock, which is set to become Europe’s
most technologically advanced festival after deploying the technology.
Special RFID wristbands are being issued which will be read on arrival
to validate visitors’ entry. At the wearer’s discretion, the bands can
be linked to their social media profiles or used to enter competitions
associated with both events.
Festival goers can head to the Samsung Galaxy Note experiential
stand, on site at both events, where they will be able to personalise
their wristband to check in on Facebook and share their experience
with their friends online, upgrade to VIP simply by flashing their
wristband , and sample both the Galaxy Note and recently released
Galaxy S III. Samsung is also preparing the way for any festival goers
with an NFC enabled mobile phone to be able to use that as their
ticket at future events.
Simon Stanford, Vice President, Telecommunications & Networks
Division , Samsung UK and Ireland said: “We’re delighted to announce
our involvement in the first rollout of ticketless technology this
country has seen. In future, everyone will be able to use their mobile
phone as their ticket, whether they are music fans going to a gig,
or a commuters travelling to work. So we’re excited to be aligning
ourselves with that technology and to be bringing a new experience
to both our customers and to music fans across the country.”
The promoter of both events, Stuart Galbraith from Kilimanjaro Live,
commented: “We’ve been waiting for the opportunity to use RFID
technology for a while as it’s a great way to enhance and grow the
customer experience for concerts and festivals of the future. We are
very excited to be working with Samsung and Intellitix in being one
of the first UK promoters to embrace this new technology and look
forward to developing adaptations across many events.”
Serge Grimaux, CEO at Intellitix, the market leader in RFID solutions
for live events, said: “This is the start of a revolution in the live
event-going experience in the UK. Samsung recognises how quickly
ticketless technology will evolve due to NFC-enabled phones such as
the Galaxy S III. The future is now, and Samsung is at the forefront
of this.”
Denzil Thomas, Business Director, Billington Cartmell Music who
conceived the association, commented: “NFC is still not widely
understood , so we wanted to create a groundbreaking way to
demonstrate the power of Samsung’s leading NFC-enabled devices to
consumers. Pretty soon NFC will be ubiquitous in ticketing, it’s been
great to have Samsung kick it all off in the UK.”
Simon Stanford - Samsung
Stuart Gailbraith
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The Experience of C/O Pop and C’n’B Manfred Tari [email protected]
Ralph Christoph is the head of programming at C/O Pop and C’n’B,
the only convention that has managed, so far, to successfully combine
music and creative industries.
Popkomm is off again, Pop Up in Leipzig has gone, how you
would describe the situation of the music conventions in
Germany ?
When we started with c/o pop in 2003, it was already clear that the
music industry had to face major changes. That’s why we have moved
the areas of Live and Digital to the centre. We have positioned our
event around the needs of a suffering music industry and tried to
connect its players in an efficient way with the movers and shakers
from converging creative industries like Film, TV, Print and Online.
That’s probably one of the reasons why we still exist, and, are even
more successful than ever, especially on an international level.
You are familiar with wheeling & dealing with public
institutions and to a certain extent also with politicians. Do
you think that the subject of creative industries in Germany
receives the public awareness and consideration it needs?
– In fact, the concept of creative industries is a bloated machinery,
because you are dealing with very different industries and with
sometimes totally different needs. Those who become a part of the
creative industries can be sure that the awareness of how to actually
promote this industry has to be sharpened. Therefore, we take a
somewhat narrower focus and mainly serve the entertainment sectors
of the creative industries, primarily those who deal with digital goods.
And that’s still something different than, let’s say, an architect who
is by definition also part of the creative industries. Often, the sheer
numbers that are usually involved when it comes to the issue of the
creative industries blinds the politicians.
Any idea why the film industry receives much more public
funding than the music industry for instance?
– In Germany, this has a lot to do with the legacy of the 80s and 90s,
when the film industry was the politician’s darling. To change this and
make them aware of the fact, that the music industry needs structural
help too, is one of the goals to achieve in the near future!
You are the minister for foreign affairs of C/O Pop and obviously
enjoy traveling around. Where have you have been in recent
months and what have been your main things you have picked
up that have found their way into the programming of C/O
Pop and C’n’B?
– International networking has always been one of the main goals
for c/o pop. My latest visit took me to Mexico, to try to establish an
exchange program with the University of Guadalajara. We are always
looking for strong and sustainable partnerships around the globe,
and after we’ve done several projects in Asia, the next step will be
projects in and with countries from Central and South America. And
of course, this reflects both the festival and the convention.
Please tell us about the current state of “Europareise”, what
is on the agenda, who are the main partners and where is the
project headed?
– The Europareise established itself as an exchange and network
platform , but is also a major gateway for German talent to get abroad.
We are happy that Initiative Music has realized the possibilities and
opportunities of this project and is supporting us. But the Europareise
has already become a global network and tool. This year, we also
have guests and participants from China, Taiwan, Columbia and the
US. Also, the project is not only focused on festivals anymore, we also
feature up and coming tools and trends for the creative industries
within that project.
In the last twenty years the music business faced many
challenges but also had many new opportunities. Some
of these new business opportunities seem to be valid and
real, however many seems to actually be very short lived,
sometimes surviving on hype & hope but at the end of day
not sustainable for artists and the music industry. With this in
mind, what kind of developments do you currently consider
as being meaningful for the music business in general and in
particular for C/O Pop and C’n’B?
– Of course there are a lot of promises out there, and only a few of them
become real. But the presently available possibilities of Direct-to-Fan
tools and services for instance offer a lot more opportunities to monetize
your business than ever before. The true future of digital has still yet to
come for music and its industry. We are showing and presenting some
of the most interesting tools and trends, and we will discuss the status
quo of Social Commerce. If you do not prepare yourself as an creative
person or company, you won’t survive in this business.
VIPNEWS > JUNE 2012
Ralph Christoph
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VIPNEWS > JUNE 2012 > INDEPTH STORY > 10 YEARS OF CODA AGENCY
10 Years of CODA AgencyAllan McGowan [email protected]
London’s CODA Agency recently celebrated a decade of booking
an ever-growing roster of successful live acts and dj’s. In that time
Director Rob Challice has become a well-known figure at business
gatherings both in the UK and internationally. VIP-News talked to him
about the past, present and future of this well-respected Company.
What is the actual date of Coda’s 10th Anniversary?
– We formed Coda early 2002
What was your experience prior to setting up Coda, and what
motivated you to start your own Company?
– I ran Concert Clinic agency, we merged with MPI to form Coda, and
I’ve always worked for myself.
Who else was involved in the start up, how many people now
work at Coda and how many acts do you represent?
– The partners are Alex Hardee, Tom Schroeder, James Whitting,
Phil Banfield and myself as agents and Financial Controller Dave
Hallybone . There are over 50 people now working at Coda, including
20 Agents representing over 400 live acts and djs.
What do you think are the main changes to the business and
the role of the Agent since you started up?
– The Agent gets more respect these days as a result of taking on
greater responsibilities. It’s no longer enough to just be reactive when
it comes to building acts. We get involved a lot earlier in artists careers
than used to be the case, often taking the lead, particularly since
artists can no longer rely on advances from labels We assist in creating
sustainable live careers, which in turn helps acts to be self sufficient.
This evolution is something that all of us at Coda have been aware of
for at least the last five years.
You regularly attend and take part in a lot of the European
conference and showcase events like Eurosonic and Reeperbahn
Campus, do you consider CODA to be a UK or an international
Company? Also have you taken on representation of European ,
or other international acts that you, or anyone else in the
Company have seen at these events, or would you conside r
doing so?
– I believe that Coda has one of the most internationally recognisable
rosters around. A roster that contains some of the best new live and
club acts to appear in the last 10 years. I do get a kick out of meeting
promoters at these events and them stating that they are now hoping
to work with this new act that one of our agents have picked up. We
are known as an agency that picks up on great music early and works
hard to establish those artists.
Rob Challice
VIPNEWS > JUNE 2012 > INDEPTH STORY > 10 YEARS OF CODA AGENCY
I’ve worked with a number of European acts, including Kings of
Convenience , Kaizers Orchestra and Team Me (all from Norway).
Kaizers Orchestra blew me away at Eurosonic in 2003 and 9 years
later they have appointed me as European agent. Sometimes there
is a misconception from bands playing these events that they need
to get a UK based agent to book UK (only) Whereas we work most
effectively if we are working on a European wide live strategy for an
act.
You also organise and promote the extremely successful
Summer Sundae Festival in Leicester. When did you start the
event and do you ever experience any conflicts of interest
operating as both agent and promoter?
– We started the festival in 2001, before Coda was formed and it
has always operated independently from the agency business. So far
there have been no accusations of conflict of interest. As for booking
the event sometimes being an Agent yourself helps you understand
what another Agent is telling you.
Are you happy with Coda’s achievements over the last decade,
and is there anything that you’re particularly proud of?
– I’m very proud of helping establish CODA, and the way that the
six partners function so well in business even though we’re all very
different . As an agent, establishing Bon Iver across Europe as a festival
headliner and Arena act. Justin Vernon is a really special artist and it’s
been great to play a part in his unique career development.
So how about the next ten years - are you optimistic? Are there
general trends in the business that you think could become
problems?
– I’m very optimistic for the Company and our roster. As for the
wider business as a whole I do sometimes wonder where the next
live promoters , agents and fans are going to come from. It can’t be
easy starting as an independent promoter, but putting on your own
events is probably the best way for somebody to cut their teeth in
this business.
For more information on CODA and its roster, go to:
www.codaagency.com
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VIPNEWS > JUNE 2012
New UK Initiative to Combat online Ticket FraudAllan McGowan [email protected]
The UK live entertainment business is
spearheading an ambitious attempt to clamp
down on the global multi-billion dollar ticket
fraud problem by backing an application
by the Dot Tickets Organisation (.tickets)
to internet domain registry organisation
ICANN to create a new tickets domain which
would only be available to sites which meet
high standards of consumer protection and
security .
The idea came about at ILMC 24 in March
when technology panel chairman Steve
Machin realised that an auction of internet
domain names could provide the ticketing
industry with a readymade answer to online
fraud.
As a result, when ICANN (the Internet
Corporation for Assigned Names and
Numbers) announced the names of
some 2,000 applicants for new domain
words on 13 June, it included the .tickets
application from Machin’s The Dot
Tickets Organisation. The concept would
allow legitimate ticketing companies
to exclusively use a .tickets website, rather
than the numerous .com sites that fraudsters
can easily dupe people into using.
Machin told ILMC’ s official journal, IQ,
“Ticket fraud is the scourge of the live
entertainment business. We believe that our
tickets [domain] application, which is already
attracting widespread industry support ,
is an independent and open structural
solution that can be controlled, trusted and
communicated simply and consistently to
ticket buyers worldwide.”
Machin believes that if ICANN grants the
domain name to the ticketing industry, fans
will be able to securely seek out the likes of
www.festival.tickets or www.venue.tickets or
www.band.tickets for trusted ticket sales and
information.
The idea already has the backing of the Music
Managers’ Forum whose CEO Jon Webster ,
comments, “Stamping out fraud in the
ticketing industry is a significant challenge
for the live entertainment industry and one
that the MMF feels strongly about as it has
a direct impact on our clients’ customers -
the fans of live music. We believe that The
Dot Tickets Organisation application and
proposal will create a safe, secure and trusted
environment online, making it easier for fans
to spot scams online and to visit only trusted
websites for ticket sales and information.”
In the UK, government figures suggest that
ticket fraud in the sport and entertainment
industries cost consumers, event organisers
and credit card providers over £168 million
(208m) in 2010 alone, according to a National
Fraud Office Report in 2011. Globally that
figure could reach several billion Euros.
Key to the Dot Tickets Organisation proposal
is a series of geographic and sector specific
committees from affected areas, such as
the sports, live entertainment and airline
businesses , which will be responsible for
setting the rules for which companies will be
eligible to apply for the new domain name
to market and sell tickets. The organisation
intends that the .tickets domain should be
recognised as a mark of trust, or kitemark,
that will enable comsumers to distinguish safe
and secure ticketing sites and information
worldwide.
Machin states, “We are thrilled with the
strong support for our application to ICANN
from organisations worldwide, including the
ILMC, that are affected by ticket fraud. We
are seeking to build ever stronger coalitions
within the industry and across borders
and want to hear from any organisations
who wish to get involved, to support our
application , and to help us play our part
in what we believe will benefit millions of
vulnerable fans worldwide.”
Machin adds that other organisations, that
may not have a similar focus on consumer
protection, have applied for the .tickets
domain name and he is seeking the support
of concerned members of the live industry to
back up the industry’s application ahead of
ICANN’s ruling which is expected in January
2013. Anyone wishing to support the .tickets
application should contact Machin via
[email protected] This e-mail address is
being protected from spam bots, you need
JavaScript enabled to view it or for further
information visit http://www.dotTICKETS.org
or HYPERLINK “http://www.facebook.com/
dotTICKETS”
http://www.facebook.com/dotTICKETS.
Steve Machin
First Conference Details for Reeperbahn Festival Manfred Tari [email protected]
Keynote by Ben Challis at Reeperbahn Festival
This year’s lead issue for Reeperbahn
Campus, the conference program for
music industry professionals as part of the
Reeperbahn Festival will be “Diversity at
a Risk”. A highly interesting topic as it is
reflecting the ongoing concentration of
corporate music companies and the related
market dominance this will have for the
structures of the music business.
VIP-News spoke with Detlef Schwarte,
conference head at Reeperbahn Festival
about this years conference agenda, the
general situation for music conferences in
Germany and the political backing of the
Hamburg Senate for the local music business.
You have Ben Challis as a keynote
speaker , and could you please elaborate
on the main topics?
– We decided to programme the conference
of this year’s Reeperbahn Festival Campus
around the subject “Diversity at risk?!” to
connect many of the conference sessions .
We will look at the macro-trend of market
concentration that is evident in all spheres
relevant to the music business, the recording
industry, live entertainment and the digital
realm. So we will kick off the conference
with a keynote from Ben Challis of
Glastonbury Festival. He is a sharp and witty
observer of the current developments in
the music business regarding the aspect of
concentration and we are really looking
forward to his speech. Other sessions will
pick up the thread, e.g. when talking about
differences and similarities of the big three
European music markets UK, France and
Germany or at the panel about the revival
and survival of vinyl - the black gold.
Popkomm is off again, Pop Up in Leipzig
has gone, how you would describe
the situation of music conventions in
Germany ?
– From my perspective the various aspects of
the diverse events have very much cleared
up and Reeperbahn Festival now is the most
important and most reviewed platform for
the music and live entertainment business
in Germany. This is not only because other
events have been cancelled, but Reeperbahn
with its huge Music Festival, the approved
B2B facilities and the unique atmosphere
has established itself as the gateway to
the germane music market. This might be
underlined by the fact that we expect more
than 600 delegates from outside Germany
and that we plan to have around a dozen
showcases of different countries, amongst
others Canada, Sweden, Danmark, Israel,
Brasil, Switzerland, Netherlands. There will
be around ten international matchmaking
and networking sessions and dozens of
receptions , parties, meetings and workshops.
Hamburg is still one of the German hot
spots for the music industry. The senate
of Berlin seems to support various music
activities such as Berlin Music Week and
a soon to be founded music board with a
budget of 1 million Euro with an almost
equal set up as the board for its local
film industry. Is there anything officially
sources in Hamburg could learn from
Berlin or do you would say its possibly
the other way around?
– Traditionally Hamburg is very strong
regarding its spirit and inventiveness. In
Hamburg the first local association of
music clubs in Germany - Klubkombinat
Hamburg - was established, also the first
support organization for local musicians
- RockCity Hamburg - and not least the
Reeperbahn Festival ; all these initiatives are
constantly supported by the City. And there
are other examples like the Gema-Fond,
that relieves music clubs from Gema fees,
or the programme to support small labels
financially . All this shows why Hamburg
was and still is the leading city for music in
Germany, although other cities might spend
more of other people’s money on initiatives
and events to get a comparable image.
For further information please check:
http://www.campus.reeperbahnfestival.
com/
VIPNEWS > JUNE 2012
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Detlef Schwarte
First Conference Details for Reeperbahn Festival Manfred Tari [email protected]
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VIPNEWS > JUNE 2012
Melt! 2012 Manfred Tari [email protected]
One of the leading festivals in Germany,
which has also in recent years received more
recognition and visitors on an international
level Melt! Does not aim to include the
biggest headliners on their billing, but rather
to benefit from its sharp artistic profile , set
up and its location, filling a gap between
traditional big festivals and festivals that
rather approach a local audience. This year’s
edition having sold out its 22.000 tickets
will again be held in Ferropolis, with it’s
famous backdrop of the massive diggers and
machines of the now redundant steel works
from July 13-15:VIP-News talks with Stefan
Lehmkuhl, organiser of the sold-out event.
Melt! sold out very quickly. Have
you experienced any problems with
secondary ticketing for the Festival?
– There are tickets on ebay. Our tickets
are not personalized yet, so, yes, we have
issues with tickets at high prices, which we
hope that people won’t want to pay. But
so far we don’t have any major issues with
secondary ticketing.
Has the line-up become more expensive
than in recent years?
– Yes indeed, the budget for the artists
inflated by about 15 Percent, that was not
what I’ve desired but in the end I had no
choice.
Melt! officially also sells tickets outside
of Germany, is there any particular
market that is particularly responsive
for this year’s edition?
– The share of tickets being sold abroad
remain stable and sums up to around 35
percent of the total ticket sales. Outside of
Germany we are selling tickets in:
1) Netherlands
2) UK
3) Switzerland
4) Austria
5) Scandinavia
6) France
7) Rest of the world (18 tickets in Brasil / 4
in Iceland / 8 in Mexico / 5 in New Zealand /
10 in Russia / 2 in Senegal / 2 in South Africa
and even 98 in the US).
Melt! always makes serious efforts to
improve the environmental situation
of the festival. Is there anything new
planned for this year?
– We mainly continue with the things that
we started in past years, again we have a
train going from Cologne to Ferropolis, we
have bike-tours from Hamburg and Berlin,
where we give away the last tickets with
the motivation to cycle for them. From
Hamburg and Berlin have a multiple day
ride with a mobile bicycle-disco and this will
have it’s own stage at the festival. We’ve
got a handy-charge-station, where you can
cycle for your power.
So in principle it is the same as in
previous years. What about organic
food at the festival?
– Yes, we try to have as many regional and
vegetarian options as possible and try to
get all of our traders from the region. That
was very successful with the audience in the
previous years, because officially we’ve got
a lot of vegetarians at melt!
Did you have any more problems this
year in terms of requirements regarding
health and safety issues?
– I’ve got the feeling that there is an
extra awareness, double-checks and more
questions . But I can’t report on specific
issues or troubles yet.
Melt! is part of the Yourope festival
organization . Is there anything you
would wish to focus on or are you
satisfie d with the situation with the
Association so far?
– I’m very happy with the approach this
Stefan Lehmkuhl
14
VIPNEWS > JUNE 2012
year, which includes a revolution in terms of
contracting between agencies and festivals
in Europe. I think that is quite something ,
That is one of the reasons why such
associations make total sense, it was a big
project that brought all the major festivals
together to discuss what issues they have
with agency-contracts, which are not really
made for open-air-festivals. Finally we
wrote a letter together that we sent out in
response to this. And I’m happy that they
took on the mission and they are trying to
establish these Yourope-terms as conditions
for festivals.
Does it really work though; have you
received any positive feedback? I’ve
been told, that some of the UK-agents
are just laughing it off.
– Yes, from some of the big agencies you just
return standard generated letters but I think
it is an on-going process. I think the main
achievement this year is, that we are talking
about it, bringing a kind of awareness to the
issue, stressing that an open-air-festival can’t
sign and agree all the conditions that are
more suitable for a closed arena. The situation
is totally different and the special definition
of enforced measure these days is much
more important than it was in previous years.
The climate has changed and it is very impor-
tant to define what the enforced measures
are and what can really be expected from a
festival. We’re expected to guarantee things
that we can’t really promise each other in the
real world, so why should we sign these con-
tracts? Maybe at the end of this year none of
these contracts will be signed, then we will
see if something happens, and discuss how
we will deal with it.
What do you think about the latest
attempt to increase the tariffs to
discotheques and smaller dj-events? Do
you agree with the GEMA approach?
– I think they’re asking too much, maybe
they should compare the policies so far,
how clubs should pay the GEMA rates and
how concerts and promoters have to pay.
There was a difference between promoters
and venues in the tariffs, so that is maybe
not a fair thing and what they now ask for
is too much and that could even destroy
the club-scene . I think that even the bigger
clubs might have problems, because they
always feared that they might have to repay
taxes for the past two or three years on their
tickets . So, I think that is really dangerous
for the club-culture in Germany and we
don’t need new problems for the venues
because in the Cities we don’t have enough
venues, so, we should avoid giving them
more trouble than they already have.
Melt Festival
15
VIPNEWS > JUNE 2012
Numbers up for Primavera Pro: Allan McGowan [email protected]
Whilst the economic outlook for Spain is, as
we all know, grim, there is some good news
within the Spanish music industry. The third
edition of Primavera Pro, the professionals ’
event set up alongside the Festival in
Barcelona reported a 27% increase with
1.400 participants compared to the 1.100 of
last year.
PrimaveraPro apparently attracted profes-
sional s from 43 countries, including
Australia , Arab Emirates, Japan and Russia.
The best represented country was, as might
be expected , Spain, followed by France, UK
and The United States. Representatives from
associations such as APM, ARC, ASSAC,
Dansk Live, Impala, UFI, UMC and Yourope
took part in the conferences and were
involved in the showcases.
It remains to be seen how Spanish live events
in general fare in the harsh conditions facing
the country. Many events are part funded by
grants and support from local and national
authorities who may not have the available
funds next year. There have been great
effort s put into building the international
reputation of the country’s music and
Arts industries ; in particular the region of
Catalonia has been highly visible presenting
artists and Companies at many international
trade events in the past couple of years.
Sonar, the music and arts event also in
Barcelona is close to selling out this year, and
like a lot of the Spanish events relies on a large
contingent of audience from other countries,
attracted by cheap flights, normally good
and reliable weather, and cheaper catering.
But none of this can be relied on and there
is to say the least, concern about how things
will be in 2013.
Delegates at the Primavera Pro area
Showcase at Primavera Pro
2012
CLICK-A-GIG.COM enables artists to MAIL their music to more than 6.000 venues and agencies worldwide…
16
EXIT Announces Full Line-upAllan McGowan [email protected]
Serbia’s EXIT Festival always attracts a high percentage of UK ticket
buyers, and following the wettest June on record, with no real promise
of the arrival of summer as the longest day approaches, the attraction
of days hot Balkan sunshine followed by cooler nights of music in the
Petrovaradin Fortress overlooking the river Danube are pretty obvious.
Taking place from Thursday 12th – Sunday 15th July, offers a good line
up, cheap food and drink onsite and entertainment in the campsites .
Over 600 artists are set to perform on 20 stages connected by cobbled
streets, ramparts and tunnels.
As mentioned in this issue’s McGowan’s Musings this edition will
also host meetings to discuss the development of the Central and
Eastern European Talent Exchange Programme (CEETEP). This is
an EU funded extension of ETEP the extremely successful talent
exchange programme set up and run by the organisers of Eurosonic
in association with festival’s organisation Yourope and the European
Broadcasting Union (EBU). Representatives of festivals businesses and
artists from the countries in the area will discuss the past, present
and future of the music business in the region, looking to find ways
of developing business expertise and talent with the eventual aim
of growing relationship s and audiences in bordering markets and
beyond .
Go to: HYPERLINK “http://sut5.co.uk/sLJzqobvs2j_uLuEjoyP8qe-
jpqX296b_rK7_-fqtqbGwt7Wy5Lfiu7tMP5jc3reUlZLG16TD1a7M-
2K2ahIOKn9-RnJnQxLHMys3Mxc_LMw..” \t “_blank” http://vimeo.
com/43779253 to see a new documentary about the festival by DJ
Broadcast.
VIPNEWS > JUNE 2012
LINE UP SO FAR:Guns N’ Roses, Duran Duran, New Order, Erykah
Badu, Plan B, AVICII, Richie Hawtin , Gossip ,
Wolfmother , Skream feat Sgt Pokes, Sub Focus
Dj set & ID, Luciano, Laurent Garnier LBS, Knife
Party, Miss Kittin, Hercules & Love Affair, Suicidal
Tendencies , The Toy Dolls, Skindred, Little
Dragon, Felix Da Housecat, Totally Enormous
Extinct Dinosaurs , Azari & III, Buraka Som
Sistema, Sneaky Sound System, Claude Von Stroke,
Hatebreed, Netsky & MC Dynamite , Goldie &
SP:MC, Mistajam, Jacques Lu Cont, Art Department ,
Maceo Plex, Borgore , Reboot live, Thieves Like
Us, Brodinski , Kenny Larkin , Drumsound &
Bassline Smith & MC Dynamite, Robert Dietz,
Citizens!, D.R.I., When Saints Go Machine, Eats
Everything , Benoit & Sergio, Tobi Neumann b2b
Geddes, Maayan Nidam, Street Dogs, Space
Dimension Controller, Jimmy Edgar (Live
AV!), George FitzGerald, Sodom, Sigha, Lone,
Pariah , Teengirl Fantasy live, The Chain,
Addison Groove, Locked Groove, Jon Convex ,
Trevino, Benjamin Damage & Doc Daneeka,
Nikonn, The Tapeaters, DAT Politics , Franz + Shape,
Detachments, A Terrible Splendour, Christian Strobe,
Boemklatsch, Baskerville, Bart B More, Mike
Mago, NT89, TWR72, Rip Tide, Pretty Young
Trouble , Volkova Sisters, The Zombie Kids, Idemo
na Mars, Banda Panda, Vienna in Love, Stoned
Boys, Elektra Monsterz, Mark Schedrin & Leonid
Lipelis, Trud, Ishome, Playground Syndicate, It’s A
Dubstep Thing, The Middle Beast, Cruel Hand, Red
Union, Potres, The Bayonets, Grandpa
Candys, The Bridge, Armageddon , Inquisition,
Sarcasm, Rising Dream, Annathema , Prolece ,
Narednik Lobanja I Vod Smrti, Ground Zero,
Nothing Left, As I Fall, Crysalys, Planet Of
Zeus, Close At Hand, Farcry, Infest, Bane,
Nominal Abuse, Nadimac, Concrete Sun,
Zeroone, Garlic, No Way Back, Blekbox, Formless
Terror, Toxic Trace, The Outer Limits , Putrid Blood
Duran Duran will headline
Exit Festival a in Serbia
17
VIPNEWS > BUSINESS > JUNE 2012
Allan McGowan [email protected]
As expected, AEG Live has bought part of the MAMA venue portfolio,
rather than the whole live division, but it has purchased the biggest of
the MAMA Group venues - the Hammersmith Apollo.
MAMA acquired The Apollo for £13 million, in 2007 when Live Nation
was forced to sell some of its London venues to secure competition
authority approval for its purchase of part of the Academy Music
Group. The new owner is actually an entity called Stage C, a joint
venture between AEG Live subsidiary Ansco Music Club and CTS
Eventim’s getgo Consulting, which will pay £32 million for the venue.
However they will be taking over a going concern that was well run
by the MAMA Group, who developed the venue as a comedy centre
with BBC TV hosting an extremely successful Apollo show.
MAMA CEO Dean James was reported as saying, “It has been
a privilege to have been the custodians of this fabulous venue for
the past five years and I wish Jay Marciano [at AEG], Klaus-Peter
Schulenberg [at CTS Eventim] and their teams as much success and
pleasure as we have enjoyed. I would also like to thank [former
owners] Paul Latham [from Live Nation] and Denis Desmond [from
MCD] for giving us the opportunity to own such a wonderful asset”.
James continued, “MAMA is, and always has been, a mid-sized live
music venue and festival business and this will remain our focus going
forward. Our festivals are a significant part of building artist’s careers
and offer a platform for those who are just starting out, right through
to established acts. Florence And The Machine has played across our
venues, from The Borderline to The Forum, and appeared on line-
ups at The Great Escape and Lovebox. We have always worked with
emerging talent, taking them through our estate, and we will be
doing much more of this both in the UK and internationally”.
HMV CEO Simon Fox HYPERLINK “http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001
62XS54B5nIGMaMqSmSUu8oXpPKg_FVeChKhRDwavmLExoGlrY-
7w8ub4knNv4GUgQhkH4sVY24afxBSgr38qA9tQGZH-Ezjwus03b-
4WNCmVyIMWMflH2NI3FILmrwvJ3u93sk4KILIcedYeVpRWdOqezi-
YxYRSBsUq23cWPBcFbJGH4egZ1xYBCBAUmXrY1td” \t “new” told
Music Week: “The Hammersmith Apollo is an iconic London venue
and it has been a privilege to own it over the last three years. However
the sale will enable HMV to extend its bank facilities, strengthen its
capital structure and ensure a strong future for the Group”.
As for the remaining assets of the MAMA Group – there is speculation
about a management buy out, but for now it’s ‘Watch this space’!
Music & Media Finland 2012 conference comprises a vast variety of networking and business opportuni-ties, seminars, keynotes and of course, showcases.
With its 23rd edition ahead, Music & Media Finland conference is again looking to bring together over 700 representatives of music and related industries, including over 100 interna-tional delegates from all over the world.Showcafestival Lost In Music is a part of the Music & Media -conference.
The Speaker hIghLIghTS of last year included the legendary promoter harvey goLdSMITh, Beggars group founder MarTIn MILLS and russian music industry leader and music journalist arTeMyI TroITSky. previous speakers and Celebrity guests of honour at Music & Media Finland include visionaries such as SeyMour STeIn (Sire records), Barry dICkInS (ITB), Terry MCBrIde (nettwerk Music group), JonaThan poneMan (Sub pop), JonaThan ForSTer (Spotify), ToMMy raMone (The ramones), ToM SILverMan (Tommy Boy), davId FrICke (The rolling Stone) and many more.
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Music & Media Finland is the networking hotspot connecting
Finnish and nordic as well as Baltic and russian music
professionals with the global music community.
AEG Live Buys Hammersmith Apollo from HMV/MAMA
Prosecution Department Investigating CTS Eventim-CEO
If the evidence confirms the accusations, this news has the potential
to become another chapter in the ongoing saga of ‘The Great Ticket
Swindle’.
On June 15 The local edition of the tabloid paper Bild reported that
the Munich public prosecution department had officially searched the
offices of CTS Eventim. The search took place on April 26 but the
information has just recently became public.
According to Bild and other German newspapers the accusations
sound serious as the prosecution office apparently suspects that
Klaus Peter Schulenberg is involved in a case of ‘bribery and infidelity’
in business transactions’ regarding the resale of tickets for the 2006
World Cup in Germany.
CTS Eventim was the official ticketing partner for the DFB (German
Football Association) and on behalf of the DFB handled the entire
ticketing for the Worldcup 2006. Bild now reports that a contingent
of about 50.000 tickets were resold through a company named O&P
Event Marketing GmbH and therefore gained a profit of 12 million
Euros. The newspaper furthermore alleged that a share in that profit
partly went to Schulenberg and one other person via sham consulting
agreements.
The prosecution department launched investigations in 2009 and in
2010 searched ten offices including those of CTS Eventim and the
DFB as well of several private persons. But at that stage CTS Eventim
was considered an injured party. Meanwhile however this apparently
changed as other newspapers such as Die Welt and the Berliner
Morgenpost report that Schulenburg is now considered a suspect.
According to the newest media reports, CTS Eventim has now
issued a statement, conforming that the office of the company was
searched. Part of the investigations concern a former employee of
CTS Eventim who left the company already in 2004 to start working
for the organisation committee of the Worldcup and as such allegedly
benefited from unfair advantages for the tender of the ticketing deal
of the World Cup.
In the statement CTS Eventim declares that the Board has, “…
offered the prosecution department its full cooperation and promised
complete transparency.” In addition, CTS Eventim have assigned a
prestigious law firm to oversee an internal audit and examination of
the facts charged.
Due to the ongoing investigations, neither CTS Eventim nor the
prosecution department of the DFB were prepared to reveal any
further comments or details.
However, even as the Euro Cup is currently going on, only a few
German newspapers picked up on the news. Nevertheless the news
finds its way into some of the financial websites and shortly after the
news become public led to a drop in the share price of CTS Eventim.
On Friday, June 15 when the news became public, the share dropped
on Frankfurt Stock Exchange by about 10 percent, in the Xetra-trade
(computer based stock trading) by almost seven percent. On June 15
the CTS share closed at 28.15 Euro and by June 22 it had dropped
to 24.77 Euro.
However, notwithstanding all of the preceding, until official evidence
is produced the ruling remains “In Dubio Pro Reo” as it is not clear
whether or not the agreement between CTS Eventim and the DFB
included a clause authorising the resale of tickets for the Worldcup 2006.
Klaus Peter Schulenberg
VIPNEWS > BUSINESS > JUNE 2012
18
MUSIC IN SHARES
Music in SharesManfred Tari [email protected]
19
VIPNEWS > BUSINESS > JUNE 2012 MUSIC IN SHARES
DEAG Launch Partnership with Cruiser Entertainment
Cruiser Entertainment has so far operated as a stand-alone company,
specialized in business fields such as music marketing and sponsoring
and within digital and new media activities, but DEAG has now
announced a long-term cooperation with the Company. This will entail
collaborations in terms of the afore mentioned business fields and
additionally in terms of A&R networking as Cruiser will also become the
representative office for the DEAG Music label in Hamburg.
Current projects between the companies include Perpetuum Jazzile,
a vocal ensemble that will go on tour in autumn. Besides this both
companies will work together with Alexander Klaws, one of the early
winners of the German version of Pop Idols, and on CD/DVD projects
such as “Vocal Ecstasy”
DEAG shares experienced a peak at 2.75 Euros at the beginning of
March while the share currently stands at 2.55 Euros.
C
M
Y
CM
MY
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CMY
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Anzeige_VIPMag_ProSky_X4.pdf 1 09.12.10 10:43
20
VIPNEWS > BUSINESS > JUNE 2012 MUSIC IN SHARES
New proposal for Credit AgreementsAccording to Reuters, in a written statement Irving Azoff, Executive
Chairman of Live Nation Entertainment argued that the the combined
market dominance of EMI and Universal is less concerning than cartel
watchdogs may think. Reuters quoted Azoff as saying, “With services
like iTunes, CD Baby, Top Spin, Reverb Nation, Pro Tools, Facebook,
Spotify - you name it - artists can do everything themselves very
professionally” .
In the US the Senate Judiciary Committee’s antitrust subcommittee is
currently undertaking a hearing regarding the proposed merger. Other
speakers planned to speak in front of the committee are EMI Group
CEO Roger Faxon, Universal chief Lucian Grainge and the merger
opponents Edgar Bronfman of Warners, Martin Mills of the Beggars
Group and Gigi Sohn, president of the public advocacy group Public
Knowledge .
Last year Live Nation announced a strategic partnership with Universal.
The news that Standart & Poors announced that it won’t alter its credit
rating for Live Nation has revealed a little about the debt situation of
the company. Live Nation came up with a new proposal to extend its
factors for its credit agreement’s leverage covenant. The factor is based
on the ratio between debts of a company in relation to its EBITDA
(Earnings Before Intersts, Taxes, Depreciation & Amortisation).
The current agreements between credit providers and Live Nation
foreseeing this factor is according to Standart & Poor’s currently at:
“4.5x and to step down to 4.0x on Sept. 30, 2012, to 3.75x at Sept 30,
2013, and finally to 3.5x on March 31,2015.”
According to the rating agency Live Nation’s proposal to its debt
holders is that: “Under the proposed amendment, the ratio steps down
to 4.25x at March 31, 2014, to 4.0x at March 31, 2015, and finally
to 3.75x at March 31, 2016.” The rating agency remarked upon this
move, stating: “We believe Live Nation can maintain at least a 15%
margin of compliance with the proposed step-downs through modest
EBITDA growth and debt reduction.” and that it wont change its
current rating for Live Nation which is B+/Stable.
On March 31 according to the business report for the first quarter of
2012 the total liabilities of Live Nation were $2,012,753 as compared
with $1,492,553one year before.
Since the beginning of the year the share price rose to $10.88 from
mid – February, going down to $ 9.23 by June 21.
Irving Azoff
Live Nation Azoff in Favour for the EMI Take Over by Universal Music
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Giuseppe MoffaTerritory: WorldwidePeriod: Generally availableAgency: Maffucci MusicAgent: Canio Rosario MaffucciPhone: +39.339.4858107E-mail: [email protected]: www.italianworldmusic.com
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21
Luzabril
Luzabril has come a long way as a singer, after an arduous search found her
true place that can be what he really wanted, singing what she, and anyone
else that she, felt. Her artistic growth led her to write, to dump all her being in
her songs, all its darkness and all its light, its values, feelings, his love of animals,
for life, leaving behind bad times.
She studied singing at a young age, from that moment he knew his dream
of becoming a singer, is now led by the hand of Luis Bragato, opera singers
(Teatro Colon, companion of Luciano Pavarotti, Plácido Domingo). Luzabril, is
a woman who struggled from the outset to be a great artist, growing, giving
the best of itself.
Travel the world with her music is one of its main objectives, leaving her poetry
and her message as a staunch defender of animal rights. In this project is ac-
companied by his team, with which it carries out new ideas and new horizons.
In Buenos Aires had the opportunity to perform as guest artist for bands like
Tarja Turunen (ex Nightwish vocalist), among others. This was out of hand last
album “Dreamcatcher”, an album that presents to Luzabril as a producer and
songwriter, and from which emerge the production of two videos “Rubble and
dead leaves, and his recent “ Sleepless Nights “ The promotional presentation
of the work was carried out by major players through the Music. “Dreamcatch-
er”, rotated in different TV channels as MuchMusic, Channel Music, Rock & Pop
TV, etc., as in the various radios and graphics press of massive arrival among
music consumers.
Read more about Luzabril:
http://www.click-a-gig.dk/epk/171/bio
VIPNEWS > MISC > SEPTEMBER 2011
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22
Jelling Musikfestival
Jelling Musikfestival is one of Denmark’s most popularly festivals.
The festival, which started back in 1989, is always in the last
weekend of May.
Jelling Musikfestival has a capacity of 15.000 people and the tickets
have been sold out for the last many years.
The 15.000 people who have got a ticket can look forward to enjoy
music from 3 stages and listening to national & international names
from the pop/rock and folk scenes.