Indie Champs 2024: Mercury Concerts, Move Concerts & more
To celebrate the hard work of the numerous independent operators that make the live entertainment industry such a vibrant – and growing – business worldwide, IQ is publishing its inaugural Indie Champions list.
Our shortlist of 20 companies were chosen by the IQ readership and have headquarters across 11 different nations but service live events the world over, thanks to their various satellite offices and the artists and partners they work with.
The Indie Champions will become an annual staple of IQ, so if your company did not make it onto this year’s debut list, fear not, as you have a full ten months to prove your credentials to friends, colleagues, and business partners ahead of next year’s nomination process.
IQ will continue to publish entries across all categories over the coming days, and you can find the whole cohort in the latest edition of IQ here. Find part one here and part two here.
LS Events (UK)
Launched in 2004 by Jim King and later joined by Dave Grindle, Loud Sound made its name in the UK festival industry. In 2016, it welcomed Steve Reynolds to the business and has since been able to diversify across a wide range of sectors. Now a 40-strong team with a freelance network of 1,500, the company delivers event excellence across core sectors of live entertainment, sports, public sector, and major ceremonies.
“Our foundations continue to inform a culture of development and personal growth that empowers our employees to thrive,” says co-CEO Grindle. “We have taken time to think about the way that we operate to ensure that our systems and policies are meaningful. We continuously evaluate the ways in which we can support our teams, both professionally and personally. This commitment to looking after our greatest asset – our people – enables us to be adaptable to the ever-changing landscape of events.
The LS client list includes AEG Presents, UEFA, The Greater London Authority, Formula E, LIV Golf, and Pride in London
“Drawing on our expertise, we have refined our creative/operational processes to offer clients unmatched insight when curating, producing, and delivering their event stories. Our commitment to excellence is underpinned by extensive ISO accreditations, which not only hold us accountable to continual improvement but also ensure that we operate to the highest possible standards.”
The LS client list includes AEG Presents, UEFA, The Greater London Authority, Formula E, LIV Golf, and Pride in London.
Marauder (US)
Rev. Moose and his partners formed Marauder in 2015 “to work with people in music who fell between the cracks of the existing American industry.” These were people primarily based outside the US and had needs American companies weren’t set up to handle.
“So many Americans focus on one specific need rather than addressing a project’s overall goals,” notes Moose. “With Marauder, we’re set up to process what each client wants to achieve and create a complete marketing campaign based on what will actually advance a project.”
“What separates Marauder from other companies with similar services is our intention to build through service”
Since its inception, Marauder has worked to give a voice to those supporting their own music ecosystems. This mentality was the catalyst for bringing Independent Venue Week to the US in 2015, which became integral in creating the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA).
Marauder’s core work revolves around building marketing strategies for companies and programmes and executing those ideas in a way that meets their goals. “What separates Marauder from other companies with similar services is our intention to build through service,” says Moose.
“All of our clients, in one way or another, are working to better their communities. We have the market knowledge and professional connections to create meaningful programmes for our clients while focusing on everyone’s core business needs.”
MCT Agentur (DE)
MCT was formed in 1984 by Die Toten Hosen manager Jochen Hülder, Rough Trade Booking Germany chief Dietrich Eggert, and tour manager Scumeck Sabottka. The trio decided to start their own company so that they could not only promote the acts they liked but also “make some real money.”
Sabottka tells IQ, “We were naive and signed deals with experienced agents in the UK that meant we only saw the downside, so in 1986, Dietrich left the company, and we nearly went broke. But I found new partners, parted ways with Jochen, and got new cash into the company.”
However, Sabottka later relied on other independent promoters to keep MCT running. “In the early 1990s, I contacted Marcel Avram through Gary Kurfirst (manager of the Ramones, who we promoted), and he sent his bagman, Bruce Glatman, who brokered for MAMA Concerts and Rau to become majority partners in MCT. I moved to Munich, and we started to make money. So, in early 2000, I bought the shares back from Marcel and Fritz [Rau] and have been independent since.”
“I bought the shares back and have been independent since”
In addition to being concert and tour promoters, MCT (which is now based in Berlin), acts as an agency, as well as managing a number of acts. The company promotes Rammstein in the European Union and Robbie Williams in Germany; it manages Yasmine Hamdan and Die Antwoord; and it is the EU agent for Marilyn Manson, Gus Gus, Hatari, and VÖK.
Its promoting roster also includes Björk, Massive Attack, Moby, New Order, Radiohead, Florence and the Machine, Pearl Jam, Janelle Monae, Four Tet, Beth Gibbons, Okay Kaya, Charlotte Day Wilson, L ́Impératrice, Trentemøller, Gorillaz, Tom Waits, and Tamino.
This year, MCT’s team of 20 full-time staff promoted around 30 Rammstein stadium shows, selling 1.3m tickets in the process. It also sold out shows for Beth Gibbons in Berlin, a Die Antwoord European tour, and sold out Marilyn Manson’s European tour in February 2025.
Mercury Concerts (BR)
Following T4F’s IPO in 2011, Jose Muniz ended his 12-year tenure at the business and went on to join XYZ Live, a company owned by media empire ABC group, which seemed to be a
good project with lots of potential. However, after one year, it tanked, and he decided it was time to bring back Mercury Concerts – a company he founded in 1980 before selling to OCESA in 2000.
After the Mercury relaunch in 2014, the first tour saw Guns N’ Roses playing 14 dates across South America. Other acts promoted by the company include KISS, Aerosmith, Rush, Ozzy Osbourne, Bon Jovi, David Gilmour, Deep Purple, Scorpions, Judas Priest, Megadeth, and Pearl Jam.
Mercury’s Monsters of Rock festival will celebrate its 30th anniversary next year
Unsurprisingly, given that roster of talent, Mercury is also the owner of Monsters Of Rock in the region, which has now expanded to Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico, and will celebrate its 30th anniversary next year.
With 15 personnel running operations between Orlando and Brazil, Mercury also relies on business with similar infrastructure in other countries, meaning it can offer clients a full team on the road, from day one till the last show of the run, making sure the artists are comfortable with the same level of production in every city of the tour.
Move Concerts (US)
Move Concerts was formed ten years ago in what was essentially a rebranding and restructuring of promoter Phil Rodriguez’s various enterprises, Water Brother Productions, Evenpro Group, and XYZ.
Move has five verticals: concert promotions, artist management, record label, publishing, and an Argentine ticketing company, Livepass. “The artist management, label, and publishing were born during the Covid years, when the live touring business shut down and many of us looked at what else we could do with our resources,” explains Rodriguez. “These were a new challenge for us, but all three are growing at a relatively fast clip, and we have a licensing deal with Warner Latin that is very strong and healthy and will allow our label and management to grow faster.”
On the concerts side, Move works with numerous artists, including Ed Sheeran and Iron Maiden, who have strong fanbases in Latin America, thanks to longstanding relationships with Rodriguez and his company.
Move Concerts will end 2024 with more than 1.1m tickets sold
With offices throughout Latin America and a HQ in Miami, Move Concerts has 53 full-time staff and will end 2024 with more than 1.1m tickets sold.
Noting 2024 tours with Iron Maiden, Paul McCartney, and Karol G, Rodriguez adds, “We had a chance to work with Ne-Yo for the first time this year, and his show is amazing. We’re also doing the LatAm leg for Keane, who are celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debut album, Hopes and Fears, and they’re selling stronger than ever – we had arena dates sell out on the on-sale.”
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Global Citizen Festival to expand to Latin America
International advocacy organisation Global Citizen is set to stage its first large-scale festival in Latin America, it has been revealed.
Global Citizen Festival: Amazonia will take place at the Estádio Olímpico do Pará in Belém, Brazil in November 2025 during COP30. Further information will be announced in the coming months.
First held in 2012, the festival is the world’s longest-running global campaign calling for an end to extreme poverty. The event will mark the culmination of the charity’s latest initiative, Power Our Planet: Take Action Now, which was announced during the Global Citizen NOW: Rio de Janeiro action summit on the eve of the 2024 G20 Meetings in Brazil.
The year-long campaign is calling on world leaders and the private sector to protect the earth, starting with ending deforestation, accelerating a just energy transition, and supporting communities on the frontlines of climate change.
“The issues of climate change and extreme poverty are two sides of the same coin,” says Hugh Evans, co-founder and CEO of Global Citizen. “The climate crisis could push 100 million more people into poverty in the next five years, and 10 years on from the Paris Agreement, we are not seeing the bold ambition needed from political leaders to stop rising temperatures leading to that decline.
“Together, we will mark 10 years since the Paris Agreement with a landmark event that sets the world on a transformative path”
“The only solution is action now — the next 12 months will be vital for securing new funding and radical policy change, and we’ll campaign to ensure it happens.”
Global Citizen Festival: Amazonia is presented by Banco do Brasil and organising partner Re:wild, alongside policy partners Open Society Foundations and Bezos Earth Fund.
“We are proud of Global Citizen’s Power Our Planet campaign, and to host Global Citizen Festival: Amazonia in Belém next November — the first ever impact concert in the rainforest — with the ambitious goal of raising $1 billion and driving forward the climate justice agenda,” says Brazil president Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva. “Together, we will mark 10 years since the Paris Agreement with a landmark event that sets the world on a transformative path toward a more sustainable and just future.”
Post Malone, Doja Cat, Jelly Roll and Rauw Alejandro headlined this year’s Global Citizen Festival in New York on Central Park’s Great Lawn in September.
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Rock in Rio Brazil reveals R$2.9bn economic impact
The 40th anniversary of Rock in Rio‘s flagship Brazilian edition generated R$2.9 billion (€470 million) for the local economy, report organisers.
Held at the Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro, from 13-15 & 19-22 September, the festival’s headliners included Travis Scott, Imagine Dragons, Katy Perry, Ed Sheeran, Shawn Mendes, Avenged Sevenfold and Mariah Carey.
The event pulled in 730,000 fans across two weekends, with 46% of attendees coming from outside Rio. The city’s hotel sector recorded a 30.7% increase in reservations, achieving 88% room occupancy over the two weekends.
“Celebrating the 40th anniversary of Rock in Rio is to pay homage to the transformative power of music and culture,” says Luis Justo, CEO of Rock World, the company behind the event. “This historic edition, which marked the anniversary of the festival, delivered a huge economic impact to the city of Rio de Janeiro. Over the course of these four decades, the festival has become much more than a music event; it is a platform that moves a series of sectors in the city, impacting small businesses and generating jobs.
“Rock in Rio is also a multimedia showcase that brought together more than 85 brands in this edition, including sponsors and supporters. Every detail was carefully thought out and dedicated by tireless teams, who worked in harmony to provide the best experience for 730,000 fans, including 335,000 from outside Rio and 31 other countries.”
More than 3,500 pieces of content generated by the communications team reached 149 million people during the seven days of the event, according to the firm.
“By using augmented reality technologies, as well as Instagrammable and interactive experiences, we sought to elevate the fan journey to another level”
“Throughout the year, by using augmented reality technologies, as well as Instagrammable and interactive experiences, we sought to elevate the fan journey to another level,” adds Ana Deccache, marketing director at Rock World.
“These numbers show that we are on the right track. Through dynamic content, we create an authentic connection with fans.”
The festival, which will return to Rio in 2026, also upped its sustainability efforts – initiating a reusable cup drive for the first time in partnership with Heineken, Red Bull, Coca-Cola, Schweppes and Braskem, which encouraged conscious consumption and correct disposal.
More than 150,000 cups were collected, washed and returned for use, while 1.5 tons of cups were collected for reuse in the VIP area. Consequently, the festival avoided generating more than 14 tons of waste.
Last month, Rock in Rio founder Roberto Medina unveiled a “visionary project” to turn the area around the Rock in Rio site into the largest entertainment complex in Latin America. In partnership with financial group Genial Investimentos, the Imagine scheme will transform the Olympic Park – home to Rock in Rio Brazil since 2017 – into a leisure, sports and entertainment centre.
Click to read part one and part two of IQ‘s feature on the history of Rock in Rio.
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Rock in Rio evolves for the future
As one of the world’s most recognisable festival names, Rock in Rio established itself as iconic from day one. IQ presents the second and final part of our deep dive into the landmark Brazilian festival, where we uncover what the future holds for the expanding event.
Catch up on the landmark event’s 40-year history here.
Good Deeds
As a platform to extol the virtues of Rio de Janeiro, Rock in Rio has been tremendously successful in helping put the city – and much of Latin America – on tour routings, meaning that in 2024, it’s unthinkable for any global act to omit the continent from tour plans.
But the remit of Rock in Rio stretches way beyond entertainment and brands, as the Medinas and their colleagues run multiple endeavours off the back of their events to improve the lives of the poor and underrepresented while also addressing environmental causes.
“This thing about music bringing people together, connected to an effective social project, is real,” states Roberto. “It’s not just about saying that we want to protect the environment or enhance education. It’s not just an idea; it’s about making it happen.”
Indeed, Rock World’s social programmes have had a real impact and continue to do so.
To date, Rock in Rio has planted 4.5m trees in the Amazon, “and we will continue planting,” says Roberto. “Rock in Rio has opened schools in the ghettos; Rock in Rio has social topics in its agenda and addresses these items because the importance of Rock in Rio in Brazil is fundamental. We use [our platform] to teach young people the fundamental things we need to do to transform as a society.”
“When we sell the Rock in Rio brand, we are also promoting Brazil and the ability of Brazilians to organise themselves and hold events”
In terms of employment and the impact on the economy, Rock in Rio’s biennial appearance in the calendar impacts the city’s economy by R$2.8bn and creates 28,000 direct jobs. “It is a good monster because it doesn’t cause any harm to society but promotes tourism and cultural activities,” opines Roberto, adding, “When we sell the Rock in Rio brand, we are also promoting Brazil and the ability of Brazilians to organise themselves and hold events. We are the biggest music event in the world: I’m proud of that. But I continue to want to do better – I’m never satisfied: I want to give more.”
And giving an insight into his psyche, he adds, “Doing good leads to profit… I don’t want to do philanthropy – I can achieve results through business, because if you do good and are transparent for your brand, you will sell more and add quality to your product. If half the world is starving, by taking a person out of poverty and bringing them to the market, you are gaining a consumer. So doing good leads to profit. We have to speak the language of capital so that it invests in social projects. This was the path I took to make gigantic projects possible here in Brazil.”
As for its unique selling point, when it comes to brands clamouring to become sponsors, Roberto’s experience in marketing shines through. “We care for the artist in a different way than we care for the brands,” he notes. “We launch a year-long campaign – it’s not something you do in a snap of the finger. It’s a chance for the brand to make itself felt over a very long period of time.”
Growth Prospects
Having cemented its place into the hearts and minds of the international live music business, Rock in Rio inevitably attracted the attention of the corporate world, and five years ago, Live Nation completed a transaction that gave it a controlling stake in the Rock World organisation.
But rather than a simple acquisition, the conglomerate’s hierarchy recognised the skills of the Brazilian workforce, with CEO Michael Rapino noting, “Roberto and his team have grown Rock in Rio to become a truly global event and the preeminent festival in the emerging live events market in South America. We look forward to integrating their industry experience into the Live Nation business.”
“I want to focus more on these markets where there is lots of opportunity to grow”
That integration is now in full swing, with Rock World this year becoming production partner for Lollapalooza Brasil, in collaboration with C3 Presents. That 22-24 March event featured the likes of Blink-182, SZA, Paramore, Sam Smith, Arcade Fire, Limp Bizkit, and local rock legends, Titãs.
Taking on the yearly Lolla expands the Rock World portfolio to four megafestivals: Rock in Rio and Rock in Rio Lisboa, which take place in the even years, and The Town – held on the same site as Lolla in São Paolo in the odd years.
As for future expansion, Roberto tells IQ, “I think expansion in Latin America is possible, but it is not in my plans because I am now focused on Lollapalooza and The Town in São Paolo, and Rock in Rio, which makes us one of the biggest festival companies in Latin America. This year, with the three events all put together, we made R$1.1bn, while we sold 2m tickets over the past two years. So I want to focus more on these [existing] markets where there is lots of opportunity to grow.”
Roberta concurs. “We’re not planning international expansion at this point, but we decided to expand to the closest market to Rio – that is São Paulo. They are both big cities, but São Paulo is very different to Rio. It’s been a conversation for a number of years to take Rock in Rio to São Paulo, but what we realised is that Rock in Rio sees 50% of our revenues coming from sponsorship and 50% from ticket sales – it’s a very different model, and we understand it’s not similar in other territories. But we can definitely grow in our own markets and become bigger in Brazil, while the new site in Lisbon allows us to concentrate on making that bigger, too.”
“Nothing will replace live music. Nothing”
Hi-tech Future
But while growth for Rock World is being driven down a more organic path, when it comes to the development of Rock in Rio, Roberto Medina’s ambition knows no bounds.
Roberta tells IQ, “He’s dreaming about the City of Rock of the future. So he’s talking about major construction plans around the City of Rock – a hotel, a theme park – it’s another level. He’s even talking about having people arrive by flying car!”
She’s not joking.
“I’m really working on having a permanent City of Rock,” confirms Roberto. “At festival time, you will have everything that happens today. However, at other times of the year, there will be stages with holograms,” he teases.
And embracing how technology can make the experience for Rock in Rio guests even more special, Roberto says, “I am taking a close look at future technology, and I’m already discussing the use of flying cars for the VIP area. And that’s just a first move!”
He concludes, “Nothing will replace live music. Nothing. Because human beings are gregarious. For instance, I have an apartment in New York with great Internet speed and a coffee machine. But I go outside to Starbucks, sit down to experience worse Internet and worse coffee. And I spend money. What kind of business is that?
The thing is, human beings are gregarious, and no technology, no matter how engaging it is, will make people not want to be together – that’s what we do at our events.”
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Rock in Rio through the ages
As one of the world’s most recognisable festival names, Rock in Rio established itself as iconic from day one – with global stars voicing ambitions to play the event after acts like Queen, Iron Maiden, Rod Stewart, AC/DC, and Yes put it on the map with a historic debut that saw more than 1.3m fans pouring into the City of Rock over the inaugural ten-day gathering in 1985.
But it did not follow the normal blueprint of a hopeful promoter taking a gamble in an effort to turn a profit. In fact, the man whose concept rewrote the festival rule book had zero background in music and little understanding of the way in which the live music business worked. But he had a groundbreaking idea and doggedly refused to take no for an answer.
“I wasn’t an expert in music, but I was an expert in communication, and there was something clear in my words, in my beliefs,” Roberto Medina recalls of his initial vision for Rock in Rio. “Communication, in my head, was more than those four tools that we had, namely, television, radio, billboards, and newspapers. It was more than that. You had to involve the consumer in a different way, perhaps adding emotion to create a different relationship with the brand, and I reckoned that a music event could achieve this. If I could bring an important investment from the communications market to music, I might be able to do something extraordinary.”
With hindsight, of course, that vision was indeed extraordinary. But Roberto and his colleagues had to convince talent agents that they were trustworthy and capable of organising a festival that could benefit the careers of their artist clients.
“There were doubts. Then Queen confirmed and there was a stampede to become part of this new and compelling venture”
“In 1984, a team of advertising executives came to London to woo us agents, managers and production personnel, encouraging us to bring our artists to what was regarded at the time as a totally untapped market,” ITB’s Rod MacSween reports on those early introductions to the Rock in Rio hierarchy. “We were all apprehensive, despite being shown footage of this beautiful land with its stunning beaches and intoxicating appeal. Could the organisers really pull off such a feat of logistics and expertise for the first time in South America? Letters of credit, really?!
“There were doubts. Then Queen confirmed, and there was a stampede to become part of this new and compelling venture.”
One of team who was in those early meetings with agents was Luiz Oscar Niemeyer, now of Rio-based promoter Bonus Track, who recalls accompanying Medina to the United States to pitch the event to artist reps.
“I was the general coordinator for the whole festival,” Niemeyer says of the 1985 event. “The first meeting we had was with Jim Beach from Queen in New York, and then we went to LA where we met several agents. I remember meeting Ian Copeland, Richard Rosenberg, Ian Flooks, John Jackson, and all those guys.
“Until Rock in Rio, Brazil was completely out of the route of the big artists. And it was very difficult, in the beginning, to convince the artists to come down. But we succeeded, and Rock in Rio mades the whole difference. It presented Brazil as a market to the whole live music industry. Before Rock in Rio, there was a lack of credibility from promoters and from production – we did not have enough equipment in Brazil. But Rock in Rio completely put Brazil on the map. And it allowed me to start doing my own projects, so it was amazing to be involved.”
Another early team member was Phil Rodriguez, now of Move Concerts. He recalls, “I came on board in late 1984. When a dear friend, Oscar Ornstein suggested to Roberto Medina I could help out with the talent booking. Oscar handled publicity for the Hotel Nacional where many artists stayed back in the day.”
“The door to touring South America was already ajar as other artists had toured before 1985, but Rock in Rio blew the door wide open”
That recommendation saw Rodriguez spearheading Rock in Rio’s main stage talent through the various editions until 2015, including “the first six editions in Brazil, the first six editions in Lisbon, plus the three editions in Madrid. Essentially, I was there at the birth of four Rock in Rios – Rio, Lisbon, Madrid & Las Vegas,” notes Rodriguez. The acts he helped secure include AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Taylor Swift, Guns N’ Roses, Ed Sheeran, The Rolling Stones, Metallica, N’SYNC, Neil Young, Sting, Rammstein, R.E.M, Britney Spears, Bob Dylan, INXS, Wham, and George Michael.
And Rodriguez agrees with Niemeyer that Rock in Rio helped to firmly establish Latin America as a viable touring destination.
“The first event brought down a multitude of music business professionals – managers, agents, production managers, – who in many cases were there for the first time. And they looked around and saw that the market was doable and had potential. The door to touring South America was already ajar as other artists had toured before 1985 – Queen, The Police, Peter Frampton, Genesis, etc. – but Rock in Rio blew the door wide open.”
RiR’s Debut
Having the imagination and skills to pull together such an ambitious festival, against the backdrop of Brazil’s fraught transition from military dictatorship to democracy, was an audacious feat – and one that required some hefty financial backing.
But Roberto reveals that for that historic first event he contacted just one sponsor. “It was the biggest brewery in Brazil,” he tells IQ. “The brand wanted, and needed, a refresh, and it was obvious to me that with a strong change in label and actions, the market would be very favourable.”
Having convinced that sponsor to invest $20m in the inaugural Rock in Rio, he recollects the brand did not even ask who was going to perform. “They made that investment because they bought a communication campaign, but then I began looking for the best acts I could find. I still do this today: I put together an extremely sophisticated communication campaign, thinking about how I can support the brands. I convince them to sponsor me throughout an experience, over multiple months, in the biggest music project in the world.”
“I lost money, but I didn’t lose faith”
Looking back fondly on that first Rock in Rio, Medina says, “What happened in ‘85 was absolutely extraordinary. I mobilised 1.5m people; I contacted the biggest bands and artists in the world; and we made the music industry in Brazil bigger and bigger. Brazilian bands had a major impact, but we also had the pleasure of launching some international bands, because the festival became a platform not only for Latin America but for the world of big acts.”
However, despite generating positive headlines around the world and becoming instantly iconic in the eyes of artists, the inaugural event – and the follow-up Rock in Rio in 1991 – were financially disastrous, even with that second festival including a lineup of Prince, INXS, Guns N’ Roses, New Kids on the Block, George Michael, and A-ha.
“I lost money, but I didn’t lose faith,” states Roberto. “It was factors external to the project that made me lose money. In the first event, there was enormous political persecution because I became well-known in the media and had nothing to do with politics. And in the second event, a big sponsor we began working with left us hanging in the middle. It wasn’t a cool corporate experience, but it was a platform. I mean, I had a brand.”
Daughter Roberta was not convinced. “I hated it,” she admits, noting that while Rock in Rio’s first two events were spectacularly successful from a fan and artist perspective, the fact that her father’s popularity worried politicians created all kinds of hazards for him personally and professionally.
Indeed, she reveals that paying back the losses on the inaugural event took Roberto close to a decade. “I was 16 when I remember seeing the last cheque for the payments that he had to make,” she tells IQ. “We’d already had Rock in Rio II, and he was still paying off the first festival. And the second one also was not financially positive either.”
She continues, “I saw a lot of things that I didn’t like as a daughter. So I didn’t actually like Rock in Rio until I turned 20. But even then, I could not understand why he wanted to do the festival again.”
“It gave a voice to those young people and causes that were looking for freedom of speech after the military regime”
While Medina himself was economically worse off, the Brazilian music industry grew by 180% in 1985 because of Rock in Rio. “It was [local] bands’ first encounter with the technology used in the United States – they didn’t yet know how to use those sophisticated light and sound desks. So that was an impressive experience for all of us here in Brazil. But we hosted 1,380,000 people in ten days, and everyone left happy,” Roberto recalls.
“That began a culture of show business and entertainment in Brazil, which, today, is more advanced than in any other country in the world. It is a small industry when compared to the US market, which is 12 times bigger than the Brazilian market in size when it comes to sponsorship investment. But Rock in Rio is four times bigger than the biggest US event.”
With knowledge of the festival’s phenomenal impact on Brazil, as a young woman, Roberta could see that her father’s ‘for a better world’ concept was important. “It gave a voice to those young people and causes that were looking for freedom of speech after the military regime, so it was hugely significant for Brazil – as was the economic impact it had on Rio, even though that had not benefitted our family.”
Describing herself as “the older sister of Rock in Rio,” Roberta was just seven years old at 1985’s first edition and recalls sleeping in the VIP area and playing with the festival’s merchandise. “By the second edition, I was 12, and the only thing I was interested in was New Kids on the Block,” she states.
Despite her misgivings about the impact of the festival on the family’s personal lives, her father’s commitment to the numerous social causes invested in by Rock in Rio helped convince her to change her mind about the event. “All this motivation made me accept the invitation to work at the festival. So, by the third one, in 2001, I was already working with my father,” she explains.
The acts that graced the bill of that 2001 edition included Sting, R.E.M., Guns N’ Roses, *NSYNC, Iron Maiden, Neil Young, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. And it was a smash success.
“Rio is the most beautiful city in the world – I love it, and I feel I must tell the whole world about the city”
Cross-Atlantic Expansion
Having turned a corner, economically, the Medinas looked to expand their organisation – which has an operating name of Rock World – overseas, identifying Brazil’s closest European neighbour, Portugal, as the ideal location. As a result, Rock in Rio Lisboa made its debut in 2004 with a star-studded bill that included Paul McCartney, Peter Gabriel, Foo Fighters, Metallica, Britney Spears, and Sting.
Explaining the decision to maintain the Rio de Janeiro branding, Roberto says, “Portugal and its governors wanted me to change the ‘Rio’ name, but I wouldn’t because it has everything to do with the energy of the city I came from. Rio is the most beautiful city in the world – I love it, and I feel I must tell the whole world about the city, thereby increasing the number of tourists, increasing revenue, and doing justice to a place that is much better than people overseas think.”
Tasked with overseeing the Portuguese offshoot, Roberta runs that side of things with her husband, Rock in Rio Lisboa COO Ricardo Acto, and bases herself between Rio and her main family home in Lisbon, where her children, Lua and Theo, attend school.
And the European-based Rock in Rio execs are doing a splendid job, because although it launched 20 years after its Brazilian namesake, Rock in Rio Lisboa clocked up its tenth edition in June this year – three months before the Brazilian event clocks up its identical anniversary.
Indeed, not only did it celebrate a landmark anniversary, but this year, Rock in Rio Lisboa moved to a new site at Parque Tejo, a greenfield location that caters for the 80,000-capacity audience but also has enough room to allow future expansion.
“The site is so beautiful and has all these different levels where we can build stages so that each has its own natural amphitheatre, overlooking the beautiful Tagus river and the Vasco da Gama Bridge,” says Roberta, noting that feedback from fans, artists, and festival staff since the June gathering has been overwhelmingly positive.
“We now have this new identity in Lisbon, and we have space to grow”
“It was so beautiful that Macklemore, in his concert at Rock in Rio Lisboa this year, said exactly what we believe: that a festival is a place where you can be yourself; where it doesn’t matter if you are black, if you are white, if you are yellow, if your religion is this or that. Everybody accepts others as they are. It’s proof that a better world is possible,” she says.
And she is palpably excited about the future prospects in the Portuguese park. “We had a lot of space that we didn’t use this year,” she reports. “And we have the whole of Europe to invite. For example, this year we had people buying tickets from 106 countries, and I don’t even know how Coldplay perform in 2022 these people found us. So we now have this new identity in Lisbon, and we have space to grow. We are going to invest a lot in inviting Europe to come to Rock in Rio Lisboa.”
For his part, Roberto comments, “Rock in Rio Lisboa has everything it takes to be more and more of an event that includes the European market as a whole, and we are already discussing this internally.”
Family Business
Such internal debates are very much a family conversation, as Roberto highlights the work of his children, Roberta and Rodolfo, in helping the development of the Rock World organisation. “This whole thing involves three people together – Roberta, Rodolfo, and me. Everyone contributes in their own way to make things work – and that goes for the entire team, which is a constellation of extremely capable people,” he says.
“Roberta grew up in the dressing rooms of Rock in Rio, so at least she won’t make the same mistakes as I did,” laughs Roberto. “Rodolfo works hard and is a high achiever. He can show all of this potential to partner brands, thus providing support for the project.”
“Millions of people had their lives touched by Rock in Rio, and that’s what we will be celebrating this year”
He continues, “It’s difficult to work with your children – it’s extremely delicate – but we get along well, we respect each other, and we contribute in different ways. I think we complement each other, so I am very well-represented by the kids, and it’s a blessing to be able to work with them: this is every father’s dream come true.”
Having worked with her father for more than 20 years, and with a daughter who is now 11, Roberta notes the difference in the generations is enormous. Noting her own obsession with New Kids on the Block back at the 1991 festival, she says her daughter “knows all the bands we book for the festival – every single one – because of the way she and her friends access social networks and how young people just access music in a totally different way.
We don’t have to introduce anything to them because they already got to know everything.”
And as Rock in Rio gears up for its 40th anniversary, Roberta addresses her extended family – the festival’s fans – with genuine affection. “Millions of people had their lives touched by Rock in Rio – they met their husbands and wives, they made their kids, and that’s what we will be celebrating this year,” she says. “At the event in Rio, we’re going to have a musical dedicated to the first 40 years, telling the story of the festival – it’s like a Broadway show: a 40-minute show that will be presented a number of times during the festival.”
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Rock in Rio’s 40th anniversary draws 730k fans
Rock in Rio bosses have given an update on the brand’s expansion plans after its 40th anniversary edition in Brazil pulled in 730,000 fans across two weekends.
Held at the Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro, from 13-15 & 19-22 September, the festival’s headliners included Travis Scott, Imagine Dragons, Katy Perry, Ed Sheeran, Shawn Mendes, Avenged Sevenfold and Mariah Carey, as well as the likes of Evanescence, Ne-Yo, Deep Purple, Charlie Puth and Hollywood star Will Smith.
Roberta Medina, EVP of Rock World, the company behind the biennial event, trumpets the 2024 flagship as a “tribute to the ability that music and culture have to unite people in peace and harmony and to show new possibilities”.
“It was a peaceful event, where thousands of people came together, vibrating with happiness and sharing unforgettable moments,” she says.
The Brazilian festival, which will return in 2026, also upped its sustainability push – initiating a reusable cup drive for the first time in partnership with Heineken, Red Bull, Coca-Cola, Schweppes and Braskem, which encouraged conscious consumption and correct disposal.
More than 150,000 cups were collected, washed and returned for use, while 1.5 tons of cups were collected for reuse in the VIP area. Consequently, the festival avoided generating more than 14 tons of waste.
At last count, Rio-based company Comlurb had collected 288.5 tons of waste from inside Rock in Rio, of which 129.8 tons were potentially recyclable materials.
“We’re not planning international expansion at this point, but we decided to expand to the closest market to Rio – that is São Paulo”
Earlier this month, Rock in Rio founder Roberto Medina unveiled a “visionary project” to turn the area around the Rock in Rio site into the largest entertainment complex in Latin America. In partnership with financial group Genial Investimentos, the Imagine scheme will transform the Olympic Park, home to Rock in Rio Brazil since 2017, into a leisure, sports and entertainment centre.
The Rock World portfolio also includes Portugal’s Rock in Rio Lisboa, which takes place in the even years, and The Town in São Paolo, held in the odd years. It also took over the running of Lollapalooza Brazil in 2023. Rock in Rio Lisboa staged its 20th anniversary edition in June at the 80,000-cap Parque Tejo, attracting 300,000 attendees and selling out three of the four dates. Acts included Scorpions, Jonas Brothers, Doja Cat, Macklemore and Ed Sheeran.
Meanwhile, The Town (cap. 105,000-cap) launched at the Interlagos race track in September last year, headlined by Post Malone, Foo Fighters, Maroon 5 and two nights with Bruno Mars. It welcomed more than 500,000 fans over five days.
Roberto Medina discusses potential future expansion of Rock in Rio as part of a feature celebrating 40 years of the festival in the new issue of IQ.
“I think expansion in Latin America is possible, but it is not in my plans because I am now focused on Lollapalooza and The Town in São Paolo, and Rock in Rio, which makes us one of the biggest festival companies in Latin America,” he says. “This year, with the three events all put together, we made R$1.1bn, while we sold 2m tickets over the past two years. So I want to focus more on these [existing] markets where there is lots of opportunity to grow.”
Roberta Medina adds: “We’re not planning international expansion at this point, but we decided to expand to the closest market to Rio – that is São Paulo. They are both big cities, but São Paulo is very different to Rio. It’s been a conversation for a number of years to take Rock in Rio to São Paulo, but what we realised is that Rock in Rio sees 50% of our revenues coming from sponsorship and 50% from ticket sales – it’s a very different model, and we understand it’s not similar in other territories. But we can definitely grow in our own markets and become bigger in Brazil, while the new site in Lisbon allows us to concentrate on making that bigger, too.”
The full feature on 40 years of Rock in Rio appears in the issue 130 of IQ, out now.
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Rock in Rio CEO plans LatAm’s largest ents complex
Rock in Rio founder Roberto Medina has unveiled a “visionary project” to create the largest entertainment complex in Latin America.
In partnership with financial group Genial Investimentos, the Imagine scheme will transform Rio de Janeiro’s Olympic Park, home to Brazil’s iconic Rock in Rio festival since 2017 and site of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, into a leisure, sports and entertainment centre.
The complex will house at least 10 distinct areas, including the main 100,000-cap space – the largest events park in Brazil – plus Latin America’s biggest amphitheatre (cap. 40,000), capable of attracting top international acts.
“Forty years ago, we created an innovative project that came back to stay in 2011. Now, we are going even further,” says Rock World president Medina. “In addition to Rock in Rio maintaining its permanent structures, we are valuing the legacy and making the space ready for various entertainment events. We will use all of our expertise to build, together with the various levels of municipal, state and federal government, a policy that places tourism as the main vocation of this city and the country.
“What would take years to build will be done in a period of three to four years. We already have the structure of the Olympic Park practically ready to bring Imagine to life. We have to embrace entertainment as the key to boosting the city’s economy, creating jobs, bringing companies from various sectors and even more development to Rio de Janeiro.”
Other attractions will include the Rock in Rio Factory, which will take people behind the scenes of the festival, a museum in honour of the Rio 2016 Olympics and various parks, as well as a creative hub, theme park, gamer arena, skate park, ice rink, gastronomic hub and resort. It will be the stage for celebrations such as Carnival, Easter, Oktoberfest, Halloween, Christmas and New Year, as well as music, dance and sports events.
“This is a transformational project for Rio de Janeiro”
The project also includes a mobility scheme integrating all types of transportation in the city and is expected to generate an economic impact of R$9.2 billion (€1.5bn) for the Rio economy, along with more than 140,000 jobs
“This is a transformational project for Rio de Janeiro,” says Genial Investimentos CEO Rodolfo Riechert. “Genial Investimentos has been a long-time investor in Rio de Janeiro, and together with our partner Roberto Medina, we will help transform Imagine into reality.”
Rock in Rio returns to the Olympic Park over two weekends this month for its 40th anniversary edition from 13-15 & 19-22 September. Headliners will include Travis Scott, Ed Sheeran, Imagine Dragons, Katy Perry, Shawn Mendes and Avenged Sevenfold.
A special feature celebrating 40 years of the biennial festival will appear in the forthcoming issue of IQ.
Medina debuted spin-off music festival The Town last year at the Interlagos race track in São Paulo, attracting 500,000 fans over five days for acts such as Post Malone, Foo Fighters, Maroon 5 and Bruno Mars.
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2025 festivals take shape: Lolla, Slam Dunk, Bluesfest
Next year’s festivals are beginning to take shape with the likes of Lollapalooza, Slam Dunk, Bluesfest and Rock am Ring revealing artists for their 2025 editions.
Lollapalooza has announced the full lineups for its 2025 South America editions in Chile, Argentina and Brazil.
Justin Timberlake, Olivia Rodrigo, Shawn Mendes, Alanis Morissette, Tool and Rüfüs Du Sol will deliver headline sets at all three events. The shows will mark the first time Rodrigo has performed in South America, and the first time Tool and Timberlake have performed in Chile and Argentina.
Lollapalooza Chile will set up from March 21-23 at Parque Bicentenario de Cerrillos and also feature sets from Benson Boone, Foster the People, Tate McRae, Zedd, Charlotte De Witte, Parcels, Rawayana, Teddy Swims, James Hype, Los Tres, Mon Laferte, Fontaines D.C., Girl in Red, Inhaler, Sepultura and more.
Lolla Argentina will take place on the same weekend in the Hippodromo de San Isidro in Buenos Aires with a similar lineup that will also include sets from Tan Bionica, Wos, La K’onga, Los Angeles Azules, Nathy Peluso, Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso, Caribou, Jpegmafia, San Holo and more.
Lolla Brazil will hit stages from March 28-30 in the Autódromo de Interlagos in São Paulo also with a similar lineup including Wave to Earth, Michael Kiwanuka, Barry Can’t Swim, Neil Frances, Zerb, Disco Lines, Kasablanca, Artemas, Nessa Barrett, DJ GBR, Ashibah, Marina Lima and more.
Byron Bay Bluesfest is gearing up for its “final curtain call”
Meanwhile, UK festival Slam Dunk has announced the first wave of acts for its 2025 instalment, with Day To Remember, Electric Callboy and Neck Deep topping the bill.
Other confirmed acts include New Found Glory, Alkaline Trio, AS IT IS, Delilah Bon, Dream State, Graphic Nature, Hit The Lights, Hot Mulligan, Knuckle Puck, Less Than Jake, Mouth Culture, Movements, Split Chain, Stray From The Path, The Ataris, The Starting Line, The Used and Zebrahead.
The 30,000-cap pop-punk, emo, metal, and alternative event will take place in Hatfield Park on Saturday 24 May, before heading north to Temple Newsam in Leeds the following day.
Slam Dunk promoter Ben Ray discussed the brand’s 2024 UK edition and European expansion in an interview with IQ earlier this year.
Elsewhere, Byron Bay Bluesfest is gearing up for its “final curtain call” which will take place from 17-20 April 2025.
Confirmed acts for the swansong edition include Crowded House, Vance Joy, Tones and I, Ocean Alley, Here Come The Mummies, The California Honeydrops, Taj Farrant, Cimafunk, Neal Francis, Pierce Brothers, WILSN, and 19-Twenty.
Ireland’s biggest music festival Electric Picnic has sold out more than a year in advance, without a single act being announced
German twin festivals Rock am Ring and Rock im Park were among the first major festivals to unveil their 2025 lineups.
Both events will mark significant anniversaries from 6-8 June next year, with Nürburgring’s Rock am Ring celebrating its 40th birthday and Nürnberg’s Rock im Park turning 30.
Slipknot were the first headliner to be confirmed in the aftermath of this year’s editions and a number of additional acts have now been revealed.
In a European exclusive, Bring Me The Horizon are the second headliner to be announced. The performances will be the band’s only concerts on the continent in 2025.
Sleep Token will also be playing their only European shows of the year at the events, while other artists will include Biffy Clyro, KIZ, A Day To Remember, Beatsteaks, Lorna Shore, The Warning, Feine Sahne Fischfilet, Idles, Jinjer, Powerwolf and The Ghost Inside.
Elsewhere, Ireland’s biggest music festival Electric Picnic has sold out more than a year in advance, without a single act being announced.
Goodlive is gearing up for a particularly busy weekend with Superbloom (Munich) and Lollapalooza Berlin taking place
The Festival Republic-promoted event will be held at Stradbally Hall in Stradbally, County Laois, from 29-31 August next year, reverting to its traditional late summer date.
General admission tickets, priced €290, went on sale at 9 am on 22 August and were snapped up within hours. The festival also operates a loyalty scheme, offering discounted passes for previous attendees. The 2024 edition was headlined by Noah Kahan, Calvin Harris and Kylie Minogue.
Meanwhile, this year’s 2024 festival season is drawing to a close with a handful of events yet to be delivered.
German festival, booking and services agency Goodlive is gearing up for a particularly busy weekend with Superbloom (Munich) and Lollapalooza Berlin taking place concurrently.
As reported earlier this year, Live Nation-backed Goodlive has joined the organisation and production teams behind Lollapalooza Berlin, alongside C3 Presents and Live Nation GSA.
The festival’s 2024 lineups share more than a dozen acts, including Sam Smith, Burna Boy, The Chainsmokers, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Loyle Carner, Nothing But Thieves, The Sacred Souls, Chappell Roan and Apashe with Brass Orchestra. Both events are set to take place in the Olympic Stadiums of their respective cities.
Superbloom MD and festival director Fruzsina Szép helped to launch Lolla Berlin in 2015.
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Primavera Sound cancels South American festivals
Primavera Sound organisers have cancelled all of the brand’s South American festivals in 2024, blaming “external difficulties”.
Festivals in Argentina and Brazil, plus Primavera Day events in Uruguay and Paraguay had been slated to take place in late November and early December this year.
The Spanish institution debuted in Brazil, Argentina and Chile in 2022 to commemorate the event’s 20th birthday, and expanded its footprint on the continent last year.
“This is undoubtedly a difficult decision, taken after many months of work and after pursuing numerous paths in order to be able to hold these events with guarantees, especially in the context of the current musical industry situation and its challenges,” says Primavera Sound director Alfonso Lanza. “Now that we have exhausted all of the possibilities, we must be prudent and focus all our energy on future plans.”
Citing sources from the festival, La Vanguardia suggests the reason for the cancellations is related to complications around securing headliners.
Primavera attracted close to 350,000 people across its events in Latin America in 2023, with second editions of the festival in Buenos Aires, Argentina and São Paulo, Brazil drawing 120,000 and 115,000 people respectively, according to promoters.
Organisers stress their commitment to returning “stronger” to Latin America “as soon as possible
In addition, 35,000 people attended Primavera Sound concerts in Santiago, Chile, over 12,000 fans experienced the first Paraguay event to mark Asunción Spring Day, and more than 30,000 people went to the inaugural Road to Primavera concerts in Lima, Peru.
Headline acts included The Cure, Blur, Pet Shop Boys, Beck and The Killers, with The Cure also selling out standalone Primavera concerts in Montevideo, Uruguay and Bogota, Colombia.
Primavera organisers say they are already looking to the future and stress their commitment to returning “stronger” to Latin America “as soon as possible”.
“We want to thank our local partners for their dedication and effort,” adds Lanza. “They have given invaluable support for a project in which we continue to believe for its cultural value and for extending the musical routes in the southern hemisphere at atypical times of the year, something that we consider positive for all the parties involved in the process, from fans to artists.”
After debuting in Madrid in 2023, the Barcelona-hailing festival opted against running another instalment this year following a “complicated” debut edition.
The flagship Primavera Sound Barcelona will return to Parc Del Forum from 5-7 June 2025. Full festival tickets are available from €265. Portuguese spin-off Primavera Sound Porto is set for 12-14 June 2025 at Parque Da Cidade. Remaning three-day tickets are priced from €160.
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Singer dies after being electrocuted during gig
A Brazilian rock singer has been killed in freak circumstances after being electrocuted during a concert.
Ayres Sasaki, 35, was reportedly performing at a hotel in Salinópolis, Pará, last Saturday (13 July), when a fan jumped on stage and hugged him while drenched in water, causing him to suffer an electric shock through a nearby cable. It was not known why the fan was sodden when approaching the musician.
Sasaki died instantly, with Istoe reporting that the case is now being investigated by Salinópolis police.
Pará Civil Police confirms witnesses are being spoken to and have requested reports from experts to assist the investigation.
“We reaffirm our commitment to fully cooperating with the competent authorities for the proper clarification of the events”
His aunt, Rita Matos, tells local media: “What we know is that his show was scheduled for a specific time and was moved up, but we are contacting people who were with him at the moment to understand how everything happened. We will gather all the information in a statement that we will release to the press.”
According to the Mirror, Sasaki was dubbed the “king of encores”, having become renowned locally for playing shows for up to 12 hours straight.
A statement by The Solar Hotel, which hosted the gig, reads: “We are fully dedicated to providing support to his family and taking the necessary measures. We reaffirm our commitment to fully cooperating with the competent authorities for the proper clarification of the events.”
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