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Bulgaria became one of the newest members of the EU’s free-roam Schengen Region in March, opening doors and borders for international fans and tours alike.
The newest Bulgarian venue, Arena Burgas, opened in May 2023, nearly a decade after constructors broke ground in 2014. Convertible from 4,100-15,000-capacity, the multipurpose arena is home to a professional basketball team. Since opening, the venue has hosted the Glory 89 kickboxing event and the 2024 Bulgarian Basketball Cup.
However, in November 2023, national media site Iskra reported that there were flaws in the construction and organisation of the venue, and it is unclear whether it is a functioning venue.
“It’s very difficult to break a new act in our territory that plays mainstream music”
In the capital, Arena Sofia is the leading venue for international artists, hosting Louis Tomlinson, Hollywood Vampires, and Pantera over the past year. The multipurpose venue is set to host an influx of rock and metal acts over the next 12 months, including Megadeth, Five Finger Death Punch, and Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson. Able to host up to 17,000 concertgoers, the space is also used for festivals, like the multiday Sofia Live and day-long Sofia Metal Fest.
Heritage rock is a mainstay of the Bulgarian live music scene, and it’s “very difficult to break a new act in our territory that plays mainstream music,” says Boyan Pinter, founder and director of SPIKE Bulgarian Music Showcase.
“Local audiences are less inclined to spend their ticket money to discover new acts and would rather buy a ticket for a known quantity.”
“Hand in hand with the economic realities of the market, local audiences are less inclined to spend their ticket money to discover new acts and would rather buy a ticket for a known quantity.”
Subsequently, arena-level shows featuring international tours are declining, Pinter says, as local acts and sports are becoming increasingly favoured at venues like Arena Sofia.
In the port city of Varna, three halls are available in the Palace of Culture of Sports, with the largest boasting a capacity of 6,000. In Plovdiv, the Kolodruma velodrome (7,500) doubles as a concert venue, and additional sports-focused facilities are dotted around the country.