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A new era: Inside TAKK ab’s blockbuster year

IQ speaks to the cross-generational trio about their first year together, which included stadium shows with Taylor Swift and AC/DC

By Lisa Henderson on 01 Oct 2024


Swiss-French promoter TAKK ab Entertainment has hailed an “incredibly exciting” first year as a new entity.

The operation was established last year when the 15-year-old TAKK Productions, run by Sebastien Vuignier and Théo Quiblier, joined forces with CTS Eventim and Swiss concert pioneer André Béchir.

The move brought together three generations of promoters – and rosters that include some of the world’s biggest artists – resulting in a blockbuster year for TAKK ab.

“You bring all of us together and the volume of activities is crazy,” Quiblier tells IQ. “The first year exceeded all expectations. The two Taylor Swift shows at Zurich’s 50,000-capacity Letzigrund Stadium were a massive highlight and AC/DC selling out the same stadium in just eight minutes was another unforgettable moment.”

The firm promoted a further 250 shows with artists such as Sam Smith, Jungle, The National, James Arthur, Aurora, Idles, PJ Harvey, Royal Blood, Nick Mason, The Last Dinner Party and Aurora, and booked acts for festivals such as Montreux Jazz Festival, Paleo and Zurich Openair.

“You bring all of us together and the volume of activities is crazy”

“This is a new era,” says Vuignier. “The old TAKK was a small, family-like team and we co-promoted shows with partners. TAKK ab, though still a boutique company at heart, has grown significantly. With André’s involvement, we’ve been able to expand the team, handle much larger concerts and manage our shows from start to finish.”

Béchir – whose roster includes Taylor Swift, AC/DC, The Rolling Stones, Pink, Queen and Bruce Springsteen – says the idea of a three-generation team attracted him.

“With Seb (54) and Théo (28) we can cover the whole field from young bands and young agents to the established bands and agents…we form a dream team,” the 75-year-old tells IQ. “This allows me to offer the next generation the opportunity to build and grow on a secure foundation so that I can hand over my knowledge sooner or later into new good hands.”

Quiblier agrees: “We really complement each other. To have Andre’s knowledge on these big shows is amazing and Seb is so good at diplomacy.”

In addition to Béchir, the team grew rapidly in both the German and French-speaking parts of Switzerland, which was initially challenging for TAKK ab.

“Hiring new people and ensuring everyone worked well together across different languages and locations was challenging,” says Quiblier. “We now have a fantastic team of positive-minded individuals. None of the successes this year would have been possible without each of them working together.”

“It’s been challenging, but very exciting at the same time for our company”

Other challenges came in the form of cancellations with acts including P!nk and The Smile, as well as the collapse of Vibiscum Festival in Vevey which left some of TAKK’s acts unpaid.

Stadium availability for 2025 is another hurdle for the firm, with Switzerland set to host the UEFA European Women’s Championship.

“As a football fan it’s amazing but as a promoter, it’s terrible,” says Quiblier. “It’s frustrating because we had to pass on some amazing opportunities. The reality is that the country lacks infrastructure.”

‘The biggest stadium in Switzerland is Letzigrund in Zurich, which you can sell for up to 47,000 tickets. On a wider scale is a very small stadium. This stadium cannot be rented more than four or five times in summer due to restrictions so you can imagine the competition to get avails. It’s hard to see other markets building new arenas and know that, once again, we are 25 years behind in Switzerland.”

Fortunately, TAKK has secured Letzigrund for two Ed Sheeran shows in early August 2025 and the firm looks to promote more arena shows than in 2024.

“It’s been a challenging but very exciting time for our company,” concludes Quiblier. “What I like about my job is that there is no day like yesterday.”

 


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