Colours of Ostrava: ‘There’s a thin line between success and failure’
Colours of Ostrava programmer Filip Košťálek has spoken to IQ about the 21st edition of the Czech festival.
This year’s instalment returned to Ostrava, the country’s third-largest city, between 17–20 July, with Sam Smith, James Blake, Tom Morello, Lenny Kravitz, Sean Paul and Khruangbin among the top-billing acts.
Here, Košťálek tells IQ how the festival is bridging a generational gap, what the global IT outage meant for them and why it wasn’t the “easiest” year for the event…
IQ: How many tickets did you sell for this year’s edition?
FK: We have not been publishing attendance figures for several years. Since there is no single metric for counting attendance, we consider the quality of artistic performances and visitor satisfaction to be more important. However, we are still one of the largest international festivals in Central Europe.
What are you most proud of with this year’s edition?
I’m very proud of our audience and the overall atmosphere of the festival. This edition showed us once again that our festival is about discovering new original music from all over the world, regardless of genre. Visitors of all generations filled our eight music and 13 discussion stages to the brim, no matter how well-known the performer. Our visitors showed warmth and love to the world’s biggest stars and emerging artists across all four days.
“The outage of the global air traffic clearance system in the middle of the festival was a shocking moment”
What were the main challenges of this year’s event?
The outage of the global air traffic clearance system that hit our performers at European airports right in the middle of the festival was a shocking moment. Although we had made all sorts of plans for replacements and rescheduling, in the end, we were lucky and it only meant rescheduling one show. We are delighted that we were able to deliver all the shows.
How much have costs risen since last year and what measures have you taken to ensure the festival remains profitable?
Overall costs have risen by 20-25% year-on-year, so it is clear that we have had to continuously respond to these significant changes. As we strive to keep the festival as accessible as possible, working with ticket prices is quite sensitive for us – we’ve addressed this by adding new categories that expand the ticket offer while opening up the opportunity for new audiences to attend. At the same time, our commercial partners are helping us a lot, for which we are very grateful!
Nevertheless, the line between the success and failure of festivals is getting very thin. I believe that the current economic setup of the industry dramatically increases extreme risks for promoters compared to the potential profits. We never compromise on quality, but we are forced to think more and more about each item in our budgets.
“Overall costs have risen by 20-25% year-on-year, so it is clear that we have had to continuously respond to these significant changes”
Czechia is one of the only European countries that hasn’t adopted the Euro (though it seems there are plans to) – how does the currency fare when it comes to artist fees?
Of course, this means more work for us in the economic department. We have to monitor exchange rates and buy currency as necessary. But I think we are managing and it doesn’t limit us.
There have been many reports of festivals struggling to book headliners. What was your experience with securing the 2024 lineup?
I think we did very well this year thanks to the support of our agents and the good name of our festival with 23 years of history. It was definitely not the easiest year, but to complain would be blasphemy.
When Sam Smith, a non-binary artist, was announced to play at the festival, there were some uncouth remarks from people on social media. Why do you think that was? Do Czech audiences embrace LGBTIQ+ artists?
It is about the fact that our festival is one of the biggest cultural events in the Czech Republic. This means that we have a truly society-wide reach and impact, reaching the majority of the population, who are not necessarily festival-goers. However, I must say that the Czech Republic is generally a very open and tolerant country.
“We also introduced psychological First Aid for staff and visitors… we know that huge events can be challenging for a lot of people”
Was there anything new or improved at this year’s festival?
No edition is the same, we strive to improve across all departments. To innovate every year. This year, we added two stages: the NYC stage with an eclectic lineup full of music, stand-up comedy, theatre and discussions in a new glamour tent, and the storytelling tent for sharing stories about Indigenous culture and connection with the soul and nature.
We also introduced psychological First Aid for staff and visitors. We know that huge events can be challenging for a lot of people. This service has been warmly received and I am pleased that, in the end, the number of people who had to use this service was less than we had anticipated. This means that Colours of Ostrava is a safe, comfortable and inclusive festival.
Pavla Slivova (head of booking & artist liaisons) said at IFF 2022 that there was a generation gap at the festival and the team needed to refocus its attention on what Gen Z finds attractive. Have you managed to do that?
I think it’s on the right track. This transformation is definitely not a task that can be accomplished in one year but I feel that not only Gen Z, but society in general, is starting to realize again how important it is to meet and have long, intense experiences.
We’re going to work on this step by step, and this year has shown us the right way. I think it’s mainly about communication: the way we receive information is evolving dynamically, and we try to adapt to that so that young audiences understand us, so that they realise the importance of culture, simply so that we speak the same language. At the same time, we are placing even more emphasis on the safety and comfort of visitors. We have introduced psychological first aid and with the help of our partners, expanded the range of relaxation rest areas.
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17 hurt in ‘stampede’ at Czechia festival
Seventeen people were hurt at a music festival in Czechia following a “stampede” at the entrance of a large inflatable tent.
The incident unfolded amid adverse weather on the closing night of Vysočina Fest, which ran from 4-6 July at Amphitheatre Jihlava, in the south of the country.
According to local media reports, festivalgoers sought shelter in the “party house” tent stage after the programme was cut short due to the expected storms. When organisers asked people to leave as the tent’s roof became weighed down by heavy rain, some rushed for the exit in a panic, causing others to be trampled.
Most of the injuries were minor, but three people suffered severe injuries. Police spokeswoman Dana Čírtková says the event followed a power outage after a lightning strike.
“There will be a thorough inspection of the place and questioning of injured persons and other witnesses of the event,” she tells Denikn.
Acts on the bill included Bitter Slices, Three Sisters, Wanastowi Things, Coat, Dorian and DJ Siggi.
“People who wanted to hide from the rain in the tent flocked against people leaving the tent. Panic arose”
“At the very end of our festival we were hit by a big storm and then a big emergency,” says a statement from organisers. “We monitored the weather situation throughout the evening, and the whole team decided whether to end the festival early or not.
“After the end of the concert of the main headliner of the festival… we gradually started to clear the area. Due to rapidly deteriorating conditions, it was necessary to end the last concert. At that moment, a strong storm accompanied by lightning and large showers of rain had already arrived.”
The statement continues: “Around midnight, an unexpected event occurred in the party house inflatable tent. There was a short-term power outage, even when the tent was powered from an external source (the diesel generator did not depend on it). This caused the roof of the tent to buckle, creating a large pocket that began to fill with water.
“This incident led us to quickly decide to evacuate the tent area to ensure the safety of everyone present. Unfortunately, not all visitors heeded the call to evacuate and kept returning to the space, often just to make a video. The situation with torrential rain also played a role here, when people who wanted to hide from the rain in the tent flocked against people leaving the tent. Panic arose.
“We are very sorry for what happened and want to express our sincere thanks to everyone who helped prevent the situation from worsening. We wish all the injured a speedy recovery, lots of strength and a speedy return to normal.”
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‘We take pride in hosting international talent’
Rock for People is retaining its four-day format and international focus after unveiling Bring Me The Horizon as its first headliner for 2024.
Promoted by Ameba Production, the 40,000-cap Czech Republic festival will return to Park 360 in Hradec Králové from 12-15 June. It expanded from three to four days last year when returning from its pandemic-enforced hiatus.
“Fans come first with us, so when they let us know that they wanted Bring Me The Horizon the most, we did everything we could to make sure they got their wish,” says festival director Michal Thomes. “Booking bands is not a simple thing at all, a lot of circumstances have to come together correctly, such as the band is touring that year, it suits the date and so on. So I am very happy that we managed to do it.”
Three headliners are still to be announced, while other acts confirmed so far include Avril Lavigne, Corey Taylor, Parkway Drive, Pendulum and Keanu Reeves’ band, Dogstar. Four-day tickets start at €156.
“Seeing Dogstar perform with the stellar Keanu Reeves on bass is a dream come true for me,” adds Thomes. “We tried to invite the band back in the 90s, but it didn’t work out and the band was not active for almost 20 years. We are even more happy that it finally happened.”
Founded in 1995, the festival featured in IQ Magazine‘s recent list of ten of Europe’s brightest independent gatherings. Its 2023 line-up starred the likes of Slipknot, Muse, Architects, Machine Gun Kelly, The 1975, Papa Roach, Billy Talent and Nothing But Thieves.
“We take pride in hosting more international talents than local acts, setting us apart from other Czech festivals”
“We take pride in hosting more international talents than local acts, setting us apart from other Czech festivals,” said booker David Nguyen. “Our event emerged as a charitable festival in the quaint town of Český Brod. Its inaugural edition garnered an unexpected attendance of 1,100 visitors, catalysing the journey that lay ahead.
“The resounding success of this modest beginning propelled Ameba Production to elevate the festival into a full-time pursuit, ultimately establishing it as one of the foremost festivals in the Czech Republic. Notably, the event’s evolution prompted a pivotal relocation to the former military airport in Hradec Králové in 2007, a decision that was driven by its burgeoning popularity.
Nguyen acknowledged the increased complications for independent promoters around rising production costs and “skyrocketing” booking fees, in addition to some artists choosing to work exclusively with multinationals, but also noted the benefits of staying indie.
“Remaining an independent entity offers us the freedom to execute our creative vision without constraints, enabling us to curate a unique and authentic experience for our attendees,” he said.
Ed Sheeran will also perform a standalone show at Park 360 on 27 July next year, staged by Ameba Production in conjunction with FKP Scorpio, as part of the Rock for People Concerts series. Tickets, which will include the Park 360 Fan Zone, located in the immediate vicinity, are priced 1,990-2,990 CZK (€81-122).
“I am very happy that we can organise a concert of such a personality and unique musician as Ed Sheeran. The fact that he has chosen Park 360 for his show in the Czech Republic, which is also home to our Rock for People festival, is a huge honour and a milestone for us,” adds Thomes. “It’s proof for us that we are really pushing ourselves every year and our venue can compete with the world’s great arenas.”
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Game on for Czech fest Rock for People
Organisers of Rock for People, one of the biggest music festivals in the Czech Republic, has announced plans for an interactive, 3D virtual festival, Rock for People in the Game, on 31 January.
Open to anyone with an internet connection, webcam and microphone, Rock for People in the Game will allow fans to explore the festival area, sing along with both Czech and international performers, dance in front of the stage and interact with other attendees and festival partners.
The festival will act as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, the main, 30,000-capacity Rock for People event, which is scheduled for 10–12 June with performers including Green Day, Fall Out Boy, Weezer and more.
“It is not a replacement for summer 2021, but a unique get-together in a gaming environment”
“We will move our festival to the online world for one day. It is not a replacement for summer 2021, but a unique get-together in a gaming environment,” explains Rock for People (RfP) festival director Michal Thomes. “Those who know the Festivalpark in Hradec Králové can look forward to well-known places, from hangars to the runway, stages or even RfP merch to buy. You can dance, sing out loud, go to a bar, meet other visitors and our team.”
Festivalgoers will be represented by custom-created virtual avatars, while artists including Nothing But Thieves, Crown the Empire, Calva Louise, I Love You Honey Bunny, KennyHoopla and RedZep will play short concert sets.
Despite the events of 2020, Rock for People promoter Ameba Production was able to organise some 25 club and open-air concerts, as well as the Rock for People Home and Kefírek festivals, while showcase event Nouvelle Prague went online. Rock for People, which celebrates its 26th edition this year, is sold out.
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Ticketmaster acquires Czech Republic’s Ticketpro
Ticketmaster has acquired Czech primary ticket agency Ticketpro.
Ticketpro, founded in 1992, is based chiefly in the Czech Republic and Poland, and has also licensed its TicketSoft software to agencies internationally, including in Hungary, Belarus and Chile.
The acquisition will, says global market leader Ticketmaster, offer it the “opportunity to extend its international ticketing business activities into another key central European market […] as well as complement the development of its existing business in neighbouring Poland”.
“The live entertainment industry continues to flourish,” says Ticketmaster International president Mark Yovich. “There are more events taking place and artists on the road than ever before, coupled with increasing demand from fans across the world. Acquiring Ticketpro enables us to better service our clients in central Europe while providing a world-class service to the many fans in these countries.”
“This is an exciting time for the business and the live entertainment industry in this part of the world”
Serge Grimaux (pictured), the outgoing CEO of Ticketpro, adds: “Having started our business in the Czech Republic, Ticketpro has established a proven track record in Central Europe and many emerging markets around the world. Combining this with Ticketmaster’s global scale and reach will ensure that Ticketpro continues to provide an even better experience to its current fans, while attracting considerably more.
“This is an exciting time for the business and the live entertainment industry in this part of the world. For me, it is the end of a ticketing journey which has lasted over 25 years.”
According to the International Ticketing Yearbook 2016, Ticketpro rival Ticketportal is currently the largest ticketing company in the Czech Republic, “thanks largely to its exclusive deal with the O2 Arena in Prague”.
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