“We’re back on track”: Lieberberg hails successful Ring/Park

Founder Marek Lieberberg has spoken of the “overwhelming” response to last weekend’s Rock am Ring and Rock im Park events – the first not to experience significant disruption since 2014 – despite a slight fall in attendance after three challenging years.

Thirty Seconds to Mars, Muse, Gorillaz and Foo Fighters headlined Rock am Ring/Rock im Park 2018 – Germany’s largest festivals, and among the biggest in the world – which returned to Nürburg and Nuremberg, respectively, on 1–3 June. Other performers included Marilyn Manson, Snow Patrol, Bullet for My Valentine, Alt-J, Stone Sour, Avenged Sevenfold and German rapper Casper.

Despite some heavy rain at Rock am Ring, both events went ahead as planned – a relief for organisers after the storms and lightning strikes that plagued Rock am Ring in 2015 and 2016, and the evacuation of the festival in response to a terror threat in 2017.

Lieberberg tells IQ the response from audiences and the industry to the “first Ring and Park festivals in four years without any disruptions by inclement weather and/or alleged threats” was “absolutely overwhelming”.

“We’re confident of regaining some of those understandably absent fans next year”

On site, he says, there were “incredible performances celebrated by enthusiastic crowds”, with a “jubilant and exciting atmosphere” permeating both the festival arenas and campsites.

While overall ticket sales were down – around 70,000 people attended each event, declining from 90,000 (Ring) and 75,000 (Park) in 2017 – Lieberberg is upbeat, saying that attracting an audience of 140,000 is testament to “the unprecedented attraction of these leading festivals in Germany”.

However, Live Nation Germany CEO Lieberberg – who promotes the festivals on behalf of CTS Eventim – says he hopes to once again increase that number in the coming years. “We‘re back on track, and are confident of regaining some of those understandably absent fans next year,” he concludes.

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