The Austrian Supreme Court has issued a final ruling in a legal dispute over the service fees charged by Eventim Austria’s ticketing platform, oeticket.

A judge found that the clauses used by oeticket are transparent and not grossly discriminatory, and the charging of the service fee is, therefore, permissible. Clauses that provide for the non-refund of the service fee – for example, in the event of a cancellation – are also allowed.

“Service fees enable the high-quality offering for the cultural and event scene, for which more than 150 Eventim Austria employees in Austria work every day,” says Christoph Klingler, CEO of Eventim Austria. “With transparently disclosed service fees, oeticket can contribute to the diversity of the Austrian event landscape and offer first-class service for event organisers and visitors.”

“Service fees enable the high-quality offering for the cultural and event scene”

The legal dispute dates back to 2023, when The Association for Consumer Information (VKI) sued CTS Eventim Austria on behalf of the Ministry of Social Affairs due to various clauses in the contract terms.

The Commercial Court of Vienna declared the contested regulations regarding the service fee inadmissible, and the Higher Regional Court of Vienna (OLG) also considered the provisions to be non-transparent and disadvantageous.

The Austrian Supreme Court, however, has now overturned the rulings of the lower courts.

The Ministry of Social Affairs previously took Eventim Austria to court in 2017 over the fees it levied on print-at-home tickets.

Last week, CTS Eventim lodged an appeal after a German court ruled the pan-European giant breached the Digital Services Act with its methods of offering ticket insurance during the ordering process.

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Leading Austrian promoter Barracuda Music has formed a joint-venture with Bucharest-based Events to expand into Romania and Bulgaria.

According to the companies, the new Barracuda & Events JV will “redefine the Romanian and Bulgarian live entertainment landscape”, leveraging Events’ local expertise and Barracuda Music’s international reach.

“Our mission has always been to create world-class live experiences, and Romania and Bulgaria are markets with incredible potential,” says Ewald Tatar, CEO of Barracuda Music Group. “By joining forces with Events, we bring together decades of expertise, an unparalleled network, and a shared vision for delivering top-tier events. This partnership marks an exciting new chapter in our expansion into the CEE region.”

Founded in 2004, Barracuda Music is part of the Eventim Live network and was founded in 2004. It has worked with the likes of the Rolling Stones, Ed Sheeran, Iron Maiden, Robbie Williams, One Republic, Jamiroquai, Green Day and Imagine Dragons, among many others. It sold more than 200.000 tickets in the Central and Eastern European markets alone in 2024.

“We are confident that Barracuda & Events will become a key player in shaping the future of live entertainment in the South Eastern European market”

Events, meanwhile, was launched in 2000 and has worked with the likes of the Rolling Stones, Cirque du Soleil, Aerosmith, Linkin Park, Leonard Cohen, The Cranberries and Billy Idol.

“For over two decades, Events has been at the forefront of Romania’s live entertainment industry,” says Sorina Burlacu, CEO of Barracuda & Events. “Teaming up with Barracuda Music allows us to take this legacy to the next level, providing Romanian and Bulgarian audiences with even more spectacular events and attracting some of the biggest international names to our stages.

“We are confident that Barracuda & Events will become a key player in shaping the future of live entertainment in the South Eastern European market.”

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IQ presents the second part of our Austria market report, where we dig into their expansive festival sector and the shifting opportunities and challenges in the venue scene. Catch up on part one here.

Festivals
In the past couple of years, Arcadia Live’s Lido Sounds has quickly established itself as a fresh addition to Austria’s festival offerings: a genre-specific city festival beside the scenic Danube River in Linz, with Kings of Leon, Parov Stelar, Hozier, Deichkind, Sam Smith, The Libertines, and Idles on the bill this year across four days.

“The response has been encouraging,” says Potocki. “In 2023, we welcomed 66,000 fans, and 2024 saw even greater attendance. Looking ahead, we’re planning to expand capacity to 28,000 per day in 2025, creating opportunities for sustainable growth while gradually enhancing our environmental footprint. While we’re not a 100% green event yet, we’re committed to making meaningful progress each year, embracing innovative ideas to become more eco-conscious.”

No sensible festival launches in these tricky times without thinking hard about its model and its market position, and Arcadia Live has done plenty of that type of thinking.

“Lido Sounds offers a unique festival experience compared to traditional open-field events,” says Potocki. “It blends the culture and convenience of a city setting with the excitement of a diverse and carefully curated lineup. So far, we’ve brought a lot of incredible artists to the stage – and the momentum continues to build. As for the future, we remain open to exploring new opportunities while staying focused on delivering a memorable, inclusive, and continuously improving festival experience.”

Traditionally, Barracuda assumes a notably powerful position in Austria’s festival market with its Nova Rock and FM4 Frequency events. The former draws 55,000 a day over four days to Pannonia Fields in Nickelsdorf in June, with Green Day, Avenged Sevenfold, Måneskin, and Bring Me The Horizon on a heavyweight bill.

“We have seen a lot of competition this year that we did not have in the past”

Frequency, meanwhile, in the northeastern city of St Pölten, draws around 140,000 a year for a dance, rock, and hip-hop fusion – Apache 207, The Offspring, Rise Against, and Yungblud led the line-up this August, with Ed Sheeran on the same site the night before.

Other Barracuda events include Lovely Days, Clam Rock, and an ever-growing series of shows at the historic Clam Castle, one of Austria’s most popular and prestigious venues. This year, the promoter also inked a three-year partnership with the long-established Mörbisch Lake Festival to bring rock and pop artists to the site’s 6,100-cap lake stage, with James Blunt and Zucchero in this summer’s first crop.

“We have seen a lot of competition this year that we did not have in the past, like Live Nation’s Rolling Loud festival and the Lido festival from Arcadia,” says Hörmann. “So, there is more in the market, but all the festivals seem to sell well.”

Venues
In early November, CTS Eventim was awarded the contract to build and operate a new multipurpose arena in Neu Marx in Vienna’s third district. The win came after Oak View Group’s successful bid for the project was “declared void for formal reasons” by Vienna Regional Court in summer 2023, after an objection from CTS.

The opening of the 20,000-cap arena – which expects up to 1.2m visitors, with as many as 145 events annually – was originally planned for 2024, but the venue is now not expected to be completed until 2030 at the earliest.

“Vienna will secure its position as a must-play city for the world’s greatest stars and events for decades to come”

The estimated cost of the 100,000m2 CTS design reportedly comes to almost €800m, including a contribution from the city of €145.9m. The property will be owned by the City of Vienna’s Wien Holding organisation, which drives growth and creates jobs for the city.

“With this state-of-the-art venue, Vienna will secure its position as a must-play city for the world’s greatest stars and events for decades to come,” said city councillor Peter Hanke.

Promising arena news aside, in general, it is hard to extract much enthusiasm from Austrian promoters on the subject of venues. “We have a very, very bad venue situation,” says Hörmann. “If you compare Vienna to Munich, for instance, Munich has, I would think, seven, eight venues from 3,000 to 15,000. In Vienna, you have the Stadthalle, and the next venue is Gasometer B with 3,000. So that’s a nightmare.

“And obviously, everywhere is packed. If you look at the Stadthalle, they have a tennis tournament every October, so that doesn’t give us any availability for the whole month. So just this year, I lost Bob Dylan because I just couldn’t get the venue. And if you still have an act that is expecting to work, then you have to go to Graz or to Linz, and people have to travel.”

That’s not the only problem with Austrian live infrastructure, however, as Viennese promoters continue to wrangle with a new noise restriction that is spelling doom for outdoor concerts in the city.

In August, Arcadia Live warned that a 10pm curfew at could mean the end for its annual METAStadt Open Air concert series. The 8,100-cap site had initially filled a gap for open-air concerts with mid-tier artists, for whom the Arena Wien’s 3,000-capacity outdoor stage is too small and the 51,000-capacity Happel Stadium too big. The series has hosted international acts including Alt-J, The Kooks, Skunk Anansie, Korn, Patti Smith, Jungle, and Khruangbin, and its future remains in doubt.

“Racino is probably one of the most beautiful open-air locations in Austria”

“Noise restrictions and complaints from local residents continue to be significant challenges for open-air events,” says Potocki. “This is often compounded by a lack of political and financial support from city or district authorities, which would be incredibly valuable given the proven economic impact of live shows and open-air events.

“Resolving these issues requires more proactive collaboration with local stakeholders. Until then, navigating these restrictions will remain a challenge for our events in Vienna, including the METAStadt series.”

METAStadt, of course, isn’t the only venue affected. In fact, it’s easier to name those that aren’t. “The Danube Island and the Ernst Happel Stadium are currently the only open-air sites [in Vienna] that meet the strict criteria,” says Live Nation’s Rotermund. “Noise restrictions recently led to the cancellations of all planned events at the scenic Schönbrunn Palace in 2025, and there are similar challenges elsewhere.”

The palace, once the main summer residence of the Habsburgs, and located in Hietzing, the 13th district of Vienna, has been a popular concert spot since the 1990s, but in November, Semmel’s Show Factory announced the cancellation of all open-air concerts and musicals planned at the palace for 2025 due to the noise regulations. The decision affected its I Am From Austria musical and the Schönbrunn Classics series and followed penalties for previous noise violations.

Live Nation’s exclusive contract to use the Racino racetrack, 25 minutes from the city by train, seemed to be a smart way round the curfew. The promoters initially hoped to organise smaller 5,000 to 10,000-cap events at the site, as well as larger concerts for up to 60,000 attendees, but such plans remain under review. “Racino is probably one of the most beautiful open-air locations in Austria,” says Lieberberg. “The proximity to Vienna adds to the appeal.

“Our inaugural events were extremely successful, with a combined attendance of 150,000. However, numerous bureaucratic requirements, particularly exaggerated environmental regulations, present challenges and obstacles for future events, which need to be evaluated.”

“There has definitely been a slower return to normal after the post-Covid surge”

Among the major venues outside the capital, Messe Congress Graz (MCG), with its 14,520-cap Stadthalle, Messe Graz Open Air and six other venues, stages 400-plus events a year.

“2024 has been a good year for events in Graz and Austria overall, but there has definitely been a slower return to normal after the post-Covid surge,” says Christof Strimitzer, MCG head of marketing and communications. “One of the key challenges has been the high energy and personnel costs, which have made organising events more difficult.”

While the overall atmosphere was tough, says Strimitzer, a strong focus on family entertainment yielded highlights such as Cavalluna, The Ice Queen, and live music concerts including The Lion King and Avatar. “International shows have shown a slight decline in attendance,” he adds. “One standout moment of the year was the sold-out performance of Gigi D’Agostino, which attracted 14,500 people and was sold out in just 24 hours.”

Messe Graz is currently in the process of obtaining the Green Location eco-label, reflecting its commitment to sustainability and environmentally-friendly practices. “We are also working on introducing new formats in the outdoor area to enhance the visitor experience and expand our event offerings,” says Strimitzer.

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The optics of Austria in 2024, viewed from the outside, aren’t especially good.

The far right, embodied by the Freedom Party (FPÖ) made an emphatic point in the country’s September elections, taking 28.9% of the vote. The economy is technically in recession, with GDP expected to decline by 0.6% this year and exports to the all-important and somewhat ailing German market significantly down. Then again, whose optics are good these days? And where the Austrian live business is concerned, appearances can be a little deceptive, says Richard Hörmann, co-managing director of the country’s leading promoter, CTS Eventim’s Barracuda Music.

“I think, in general, the atmosphere is much worse than the real situation, especially in entertainment,” he says. “We aren’t seeing slower sales – we have [had] very strong figures for the last few years.”

That doesn’t necessarily mean that Austria isn’t in a cold spell; more that, in this prosperous, 9m-strong nation, shows and festivals remain fairly affordable luxuries. Even a price rise of around 10% to 15% on the average ticket has done little to stifle demand.

“In Austria, it’s more a situation [in which] people can’t afford to buy apartments anymore or maybe can’t afford to buy cars, but they invest in their entertainment,” says Hörmann. “They go on holidays, and they watch shows.”

After all, Austria still has the fifth-highest GDP per capita in the EU at €46,200. And to look on the bright side, the FPÖ, while resurgent, has been unable to find a coalition partner, leaving the way clear for a three-party coalition of the centre-right People’s Party (ÖVP), the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ), and NEOS (liberals).

“There’s still plenty of momentum, especially around large-scale events and innovative formats”

There are still underlying concerns, of course, just as there are everywhere in a candidly unpredictable world: from Vienna’s controversial noise restriction law and frustrating venue omissions to the shifting of the world’s political and macroeconomic centre of gravity.

“Everything is a bit difficult right now in Europe,” acknowledges Silvio Huber, co-MD of Live Nation-owned Goodlive Artists. “If Germany struggles, we struggle. We don’t know where Europe will be in the future, between the US, Russia, and China, and this and that. But we don’t see the effects of any of that yet. Let’s see how that will turn out in the next one or two years, the next decade. But basically, it’s still okay, it’s really solid.”

That view holds fast across the board, in a market that hungrily hoovered up most of the German and international tours on the circuit this summer, with appearances from Coldplay Metallica, AC/DC, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Nicki Minaj, Travis Scott, Ed Sheeran, André Rieu, and the rest.

“The market in Austria does feel like it’s gradually stabilising after the post-Covid surge,” says Filip Potocki, CEO at FKP-backed promoter Arcadia Live. “However, there’s still plenty of momentum, especially around large-scale events and innovative formats.”

Unfortunately, the most headline-grabbing piece of news from Austria’s live calendar this year was one about which there is little worth saying. In August, Taylor Swift and Barracuda were forced to cancel the Vienna leg of her record-breaking Eras Tour, which was due to be seen by 170,000 fans over the course of three nights at the Ernst Happel Stadium, after an apparent terror plot was foiled.

It was initially said the shows could go ahead with additional security, but the concerts were soon cancelled as Vienna police chief Gerhard Purstl said an “abstract danger” remained. Three arrests were made and investigations continue, and in an otherwise bountiful year, the promoter has made little comment about the affair.

“Austria has a very distinct individual national character”

“There’s nothing to add,” says Hörmann. “It is what it is, and within the company, it’s still an ongoing process. Obviously, it’s not going to be replaced.”

Austria also got its share of Europe’s alarming weather events this summer. A headline show by US band Agriculture scheduled for Arena Wien was among a number of shows called off due to flooding on the River Danube in mid-September. And in July, Barracuda’s 70,000-capacity Electric Love festival in Salzburg was forced to shut down for half a day due to a severe weather warning.

Nonetheless, the business rolls on. As far as concert hotspots are concerned, Austria doesn’t just mean Vienna, but for sheer numbers, the City of Dreams is very much the centrepiece. Between 70% and 80% of all tickets sold are for shows in and around Vienna, though there are decent secondary markets, too, from the second city of Graz to Linz, Salzburg, and Innsbruck.

“The focus is, of course, on the greater Vienna metropolitan area, where 4m people live – nearly half the Austrian population,” says Live Nation GSA chief executive Marek Lieberberg. “Hence, this is where most major events take place, similar to Zurich in Switzerland or Amsterdam in the Netherlands.”

Given the presence of powerful German-based promoters – including Live Nation GSA; CTS Eventim, whose umbrella extends across both Barracuda Music and Arcadia Live; and Semmel Concerts, whose Show Factory offshoot is personally overseen by Dieter Semmelmann – it is easy to cast Austria as an unofficial extension of that larger market. However, Lieberberg declines the characterisation.

“Austria has a very distinct individual national character, and the dark times when it was regarded as a German province are definitely over,” he says. “Everybody has to recognise this fact and the unique appeal of Vienna as the political, cultural, and historical centre. The EU allows individuals and companies to operate in all countries of the union, and this opportunity is respectfully used.”

“We live in a strong market, but we obviously have strong competition”

Promoters
Formerly a proudly independent market, Austria these days broadly shakes down into a two-way battle between CTS Eventim (via Barracuda and Arcadia), and Live Nation GSA (in its own right and through its 2022 acquisition of Goodlive).

Barracuda – formed in 2016 from leading Austrian indies Skalar, Red Snapper, and NuCoast Entertainment, before Eventim took a 71% stake in 2019 – handles around 350 events a year and dependably sells between 1m and 1.2m tickets, making it the market leader, albeit in an increasingly spicy field.

“We live in a strong market,” says Hörmann. “But we obviously have strong competition. Live Nation realise that Austria is a good market, so they have enforced their operation here and will be doing more and more shows. But so far, the market seems to soak up whatever you offer.”

A rising tide of stadium shows, particularly heavy in 2024 with Coldplay, AC/DC (promoted by Marcel Avram), the abortive Swift residency, and others, does not appear to have dramatically distorted the market, suggests Hörmann, who has Robbie Williams and Iron Maiden on sale for 2025.

“Barracuda averages about a million tickets a year, and that didn’t drop [as stadium shows have increased]. So it’s not that the stadium shows take away any other markets at the moment. The very small club situation might get difficult, but other than that, figures are pretty stable,” he says.

“Undoubtedly, Coldplay were the highlight of the year, with a record attendance of 250,000”

Inevitably, the Taylor Swift drama led to heightened tensions around subsequent shows in Vienna this summer. Enhanced security was in place for Coldplay’s four-night residency at the same venue a fortnight later, with armed police stationed on the roof of the stadium, uniformed and plain-clothed officers in the crowd, and extensive video and aerial surveillance.

Live Nation Austria managing director Matthias Rotermund chalks up the resulting gigs as the peak of Live Nation’s year in Austria.

“Undoubtedly, Coldplay were the highlight of the year, with a record attendance of 250,000,” he says. “We were very pleased that despite the challenges – particularly after the cancellation of Taylor Swift’s shows – we successfully presented all four concerts without any incidents.”

Elsewhere, Live Nation inaugurated its Racino open-air venue in Ebreichsdorf near Vienna – usually an equestrian park, but this summer, the site of the three-day Rolling Loud Europe (with Nicki Minaj, Playboi Carti, and Travis Scott) and the one-day Racino Rocks, with Metallica, Five Finger Death Punch, Ice Nine Kills, and Mammoth WVH.

“Metallica showed their exceptional potential, drawing 55,000 fans,” says Rotermund, who also picks out some family entertainment highlights. “OVO, another highly attractive Cirque du Soleil show, sold 45,000 tickets, and the international tour of Mamma Mia! sold 30,000.”

Live Nation worked on the Racino shows with frequent local partner Leutgeb Entertainment Group – which also contributed to Adele’s summer shows in Munich – and this year also saw the first collaboration between the local Live Nation operation and Goodlive who together brought Big Time Rush to Vienna’s Gasometer B.

“We’ve noticed growing potential in more niche offerings”

“That sold out in five minutes,” says Huber, who anticipates more team efforts. “There’s still the question of how we can work together best, but we will work together more, for sure. They are experts in stadiums, huge shows, and we have lots of club-level, mid-level, and we can build artists. Actually, we complement each other very well.” Goodlive also chalked up satisfying larger-scale successes with The National and Cigarettes After Sex this year at the 16,000-cap Wiener Stadthalle – the latter particularly gratifying to Huber, who recalls promoting a 250-cap club show in Vienna for the same band in 2016.

“That is always the nicest thing as a promoter,” he says. “We have had a journey from that club show to selling out the Stadthalle, which I never would have expected ten years ago.” Arcadia Live, formed in 2015 from Potocki and Bernhard Kaufmann’s full-service Arcadia operation, with backing from German players FKP Group, Four Artists Booking Agency, Chimperator Live, and KKT, has established a new fes- tival of its own in Linz’s Lido Sounds, as well as a concert series in METAStadt Open Air in Vienna, whose headliners included Jungle, Cypress Hill, Air, and Korn this year.

“Headliner-driven single shows have been the strongest performers this year, with a series of standout open-air events in Vienna during the summer,” says Potocki. “Beyond that, we’ve noticed growing potential in more niche offerings, such as spoken word events, exhibitions, and podcast-based formats.”

Among Austria’s remaining indies, meanwhile, is Alex Nussbaumer of al-x, long-term promoter of Iggy Pop and The Cure, whose late-2024 shows include a three-date Austrian tour for Roachford. Meanwhile, Soundportal, promoter of Styrian Sounds festival and numerous local shows, is a stalwart of the scene in Graz.

Other companies
Austria’s advantageous location on the cusp of western and eastern Europe makes Austria a popular spot for numerous outward-facing live businesses, from trucking company Beat The Street, based in Fritzens near Innsbruck, to prominent Salzburg-based boutique metal booker Cobra Agency, whose acts include Sepultura, Sabaton, Slipknot, Danzig, Testament, and Amon Amarth.

“The rock and metal market has shown incredible resilience and growth across Europe,” says Cobra Agency co-managing director Günther Beer. “A few years ago, there were only one or two metal arena tours in the fall. This year, our agency alone had multiple rock acts touring arenas, all of which delivered outstanding results.

“It’s a sad development when too many decisions about Austrian talent are made in Germany”

“Austria has proven to be an excellent base of operations for us,” he adds. “While the market itself is relatively small, its strategic location and strong connection to Germany, Europe’s largest rock and metal market make it incredibly valuable.”

For Vienna-based independent artist agency Georg Leitner Productions, which books Earth, Wind & Fire, Dire Straits Legacy, and Gipsy Kings around the world, the local market is just one more market, though it is a healthy one.

“With Barracuda, we have the Clam Castle shows, where we always have artists perform, and Lovely Days,” says Leitner, who steps down as CEO in December in favour of partner Harald Büchel, while remaining an agent and company owner. “So yes, for us, it’s very much a market like any other. The only difference being that when we have acts booked in Austria, suddenly we get a lot of calls for guest tickets. Which is a pain in the ass,” he laughs.

Leitner does, however, have misgivings about Austria’s status in the German-language music business. “There’s a tendency, especially on the record company side, to diminish Austria to a province. Universal Records have laid off half their employees. And those employees that they laid off were those who were sourcing Austrian talent, which is a very vibrant market.

“Austria also has a unique culture, even language. There are Austrians who perform, not in German, but in Austrian languages, and they will be understood up to the borders of Bavaria but not any further,” he says, pointing to Austrian dialects such as Austro-Bavarian and Alemannic.

“So it’s a sad development when too many decisions about Austrian talent are made in Germany, in my view, because it doesn’t recognise the uniqueness of Austrian culture. But then I think new types of companies will evolve who will see the potential and take it into their own hands.”

Part two of the Austria market report can be accessed here.

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Austria’s Nuke Festival is making a surprise comeback after a decade away as organisers prepare to mark its 25th anniversary.

The event, which was co-founded by Tigger Entertainment’s Norbert Bauer, last took place in 2015 when it sold out, welcoming 27,000 visitors to performances by Seeed, Cro, Wanda and Bilderbuch, among others.

Past acts have included Coldplay, Lenny Kravitz, The Strokes, Pixies, The Chemical Brothers, The Prodigy, Lauryn Hill, Jamiroquai and Beastie Boys. However, a 2016 edition, set to feature acts such as The 1975, Philipp Poisel and Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls was pulled at short notice as a result of “production challenges”.

Now, Bauer and business partner Florian Stiglitz, who are also behind Austria’s largest indoor festival Beatpatrol, plan to re-establish Nuke as an annual event, having booked its return for Graz Exhibition Centre on Saturday 30 August.

They promise a “top-class festival with international flair, a sustainable concept and a unique atmosphere”, with confirmed acts so far including Paul Kalkbrenner, Klangkarussell and Alexander Eder. Tickets start at €102.40.

“We want to play on Friday before Saturday, but whether it will be a one-off show or a full-day programme is not yet clear”

Bauer tells Kleine Zeitung the target audience is people aged around 35, while plans are afoot to add a second day.

“We want to play on Friday before Saturday, but whether it will be a one-off show or a full-day programme is not yet clear,” he explains.

Nuke is not the only Austrian festival to be revived in 2025 –  Barracuda Music previously announced it is resurrecting “the mother of all festivals” Forestglade for the event’s 30th anniversary.

Held at Esterházy Palace Park in Eisenstadt, Forestglade will feature the likes of Cypress Hill, The Sisters of Mercy, Therapy?, H-BlockX , K’s Choice , Dog Eat Dog and The Godfathers.

An in-depth report on the Austrian live music market features in the latest issue of IQ Magazine.

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IQ 132, the latest issue of the international live music industry’s leading magazine, is available to read online now.

The December/January issue marks 30 years in the agency business for electronic music pioneer Maria May and 20 years in the concert business for German mainstay Wizard Live.

Elsewhere, Coldplay production manager Chris Kansy takes home The Gaffer Award (again!), Derek Robertson talks to the crew behind Sum 41’s farewell outing and Adam Woods health-checks the historically robust live music industry in Austria.

Primavera Sound and Roskilde discuss gender-balanced festival lineups, CAA’s Chris Ibbs celebrates the rise of women to the top of global touring and WME’s Meera Patel defines the role of agency tour marketers.

This issue will also deliver a round-up of the last 12 months and a glimpse at what 2025 might have in store.

A selection of magazine content will appear online in the next four weeks but to ensure your fix of essential live music industry features, opinion and analysis, click here to subscribe to IQ – or check out what you’re missing out on with the limited preview below:

Austria’s Barracuda Music is reviving “the mother of all festivals” Forestglade to mark the event’s 30th anniversary in 2025.

A forerunner to the CTS Eventim-backed promoter’s Nova Rock and Frequency Festival, Forestglade was launched in 1995 but has not taken place since 2012.

However, the company is resurrecting the festival on 11 July, topped by three former headliners: Cypress Hill, The Sisters of Mercy and Therapy?

H-BlockX, K’s Choice, Dog Eat Dog and The Godfathers are also confirmed for the reboot, which will be held at Esterházy Palace Park in Eisenstadt.

Standing tickets are available at the opening rate of €79.99 until 13 December, after which the price will rise to €99.99. Seated tickets are also on sale for €139.99.

Barracuda has also announced outdoor shows by Bonnie Tyler & Nazareth, who will perform on the Mörbisch lake stage on 29 July, and Public Enemy, who will grace Vienna’s Arena Open Air on 14 July.

Separately, Nova Rock will be headlined by Korn, Linkin Park, Slipknot and Electric Callboy in Pannonia Fields, Nickelsdorf, from 11-14 June, while FM4 Frequency Festival will return to Green Park St Pölten for its 25th birthday edition on 14-16 August, with the lineup still to be announced. Other Barracuda events include Lovely Days and Clam Rock.

“We’ve seen a lot of competition this year that we did not have in the past, like Live Nation’s Rolling Loud festival and the Lido Festival from Arcadia,” Barracuda co-MD Richard Hörmann tells IQ of Austria’s growing festival scene. “So there is more in the market, but all the festivals seem to sell well.”

“No other promoter is doing festivals on this scale in such a way”

The new issue of IQ Magazine, which will land on subscribers’ desks in the coming days, features a market report on Austria.

Elsewhere in Europe, Poland’s Good Taste Production is debuting Bittersweet Festival next year in Citadel Park, Poznań from 14-16 August. Nelly Furtado is the first headliner to be confirmed, with other acts including Rag’N’Bone Man, Hurts, Mel C and Ella Eyre. Three-day passes are on sale now at the introductory price of 588 Polish złoty (€138).

Speaking to IQ earlier this year, Good Taste creative director Sara Kordek explained the company has a different take on festivals to most, with a stable of smaller events.

“All of them except one are up to 5,000 capacity,” said Kordek. “And I think that makes a difference because they’re calculated in a different way when you think about the production. You don’t need international superstars to make them work. And the sponsors are more eager to invest because they know that they have a more dedicated audience.”

Among Good Taste’s productions is Jarocin rock festival near Poznań, the boutique Salt Wave on Hel Peninsula and the travelling Letnie Brzmienia festival.

“It has Polish arena-level headliners – eight slots per day – and we’ve played in nine cities,” added Kordek. “No other promoter is doing festivals on this scale in such a way, so we don’t really have any competitors in this field.”

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GLP founder Georg Leitner has announced he is stepping down as CEO as part of a shake-up at the Austrian booking agency.

The longstanding ILMC member will be succeeded as chief executive by Harald Buechel from 1 January 2025, but will remain as shareholder and chair of the company.

“Before joining GLP more than 10 years ago, Harald served as CEO of BMG Austria and, with his wealth of experience both from the label as well as the live side, Harald has the best prerequisites to guide the company into the next years,” says Leitner in a statement to IQ.

Launched in Vienna in 1979, GLP (Georg Leitner Productions) acts as an international artist agency, promoter and management firm, and has overseen tours by artists such as James Brown, Ray Charles, The Jacksons, 50 Cent and UB40.

“By Harald taking charge of the GLP operations, I will be able to focus on laying the groundwork for GLP to enter into new areas,” says Leitner.

“We are looking forward to further develop and grow GLP for the years to come”

GLP has also enlisted experienced EDM agent Lina Kotzian from Titan Management to expand its DJ/EDM roster, as well as integrating her networks GLP’s existing infrastructure for crossover opportunities.

In addition, it has launched a new division, GLP Exclusive, helmed by VIP event expert Eva Lex-Huszar, as a one-stop shop delivering turn-key artist solutions for event organisers, wedding planners, corporate marketing and more.

Elsewhere, GLP’s youngest agent, Lenny Mayer-Mallenau, is tasked with focusing on K-pop, and is preparing K-Pop & Beyond, the ultimate K-Pop Experience European tour set for November 2025.

“With [agent/office manage] Anna Kallina and Harald Buechel and the amazing team at GLP, we are looking forward to further develop and grow GLP for the years to come,” adds Leitner.

A market report on Austria will feature in the next issue of IQ Magazine, which comes out later this month.

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Live Nation GSA (Germany, Switzerland, Austria) has announced that Ioannis ‘Pana’ Panagopoulos has rejoined the company as director of A&R.

Panagopoulos previously spent more than five years with the firm prior to switching to CTS Eventim’s DreamHaus as director of talent buying in 2021.

“I am absolutely delighted to welcome Pana back to the Live Nation family, both personally and professionally,” Andre Lieberberg, Live Nation GSA president and MD, tells IQ. “He brings with him a wonderful roster of outstanding artists and a wealth of relationships, further strengthening the top tier of our promoter and booking team.

“I believe that his ‘homecoming’ also underscores the culture and vision we aspire to build here at Live Nation GSA, so really am looking forward to what will all accomplish together in the years ahead.”

Panagopoulos’ re-appointment is effective from today (2 December).

“I am very much looking forward to be working with some of my old and new German and international friends again”

“After three and a half years at DreamHaus and being and part of their amazing team, I decided that it is time for a new adventure,” he says. “I’m very grateful for everything and it was a real pleasure to work with each and everyone in the company.

“Now, I am totally thrilled and excited to rejoin André, Uli [Meyer-Madaus], Marek [Lieberberg] and their brilliant team at Live Nation GSA. I am very much looking forward to be working with some of my old and new German and international friends again. I really can’t wait.”

It was revealed in September that Berlin-based DreamHaus and fellow CTS subsidiary Peter Rieger Konzertagentur (PRK) were merging to form a combined company, PRK DreamHaus.

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CTS Eventim has been awarded the contract to build and operate a planned new multipurpose arena in Vienna, Austria – more than a year after Oak View Group’s (OVG) successful bid to helm the project was overturned.

The opening of the 20,000-cap arena in St Marx was originally planned for 2024, but the City of Vienna began looking for a partner in 2021 due to escalating costs. The venue is now not expected to open until 2030 at the earliest.

OVG was identified as the ‘best bidder’ in July 2023 following a tender process staged by government-owned corporation Wien Holding. However, later that year, the award was “declared void for formal reasons” by Vienna Regional Court after an objection by rival bidder CTS.

According to Der Standard, the Official Journal of the EU now states the contract has been awarded to “the best bidder identified in the tendering process, CTS Eventim”.

A spokesperson for German-headquartered CTS tells IQ the firm is unable to comment as the “standstill period” – a 10-day stretch in which losing bidders can contest the decision – is still running.

The cost of the CTS design is reportedly almost €800 million

The estimated cost of the 100,000 square metre CTS design reportedly comes to almost €800 million – more than double that of the smaller, €384m OVG scheme. It also requires a significantly higher contribution from the city of €145.9m, compared to €55m.

OVG has been approached for comment. Speaking when the original decision was vetoed last year, OVG CEO Tim Leiweke told local press: “Of course we are very disappointed with the result. This beautiful city has always been the jewel in Europe’s cultural landscape, but it had no arena to match it.

“We are pleased that the court assessed our offer in such a way that we meet all the tender requirements and also require the least amount of effort for taxpayers.”

Vienna’s biggest existing indoor arena is the 16,000-cap Wiener Stadthalle.

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