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Festival bills ’24: Paléo, Lolla Berlin, Pukkelpop

Switzerland’s Paléo and Lollapalooza Berlin in Germany head the latest festival lineup announcements for 2024, while Belgium’s Pukkelpop is celebrating a speedy sellout.

Paléo Festival Nyon returns from 23-28 July with a bill headed by Sam Smith, Burna Boy, Booba, Mika, Sean Paul, Major Lazer Soundsystem, Gazo & Tiakola, PLK, Nile Rodgers & Chic, Patti Smith, The Blaze, Paul Kalkbrenner, Aurora and Royal Blood.

Expanding its musical horizons with a mix of pop, rock, rap, dancehall, Afrobeats, reggae, electro, opera and funk, the event will welcome 130 artists in all. Its Village du Monde (Village of the World) will focus on the Balkans, featuring around 20 acts.

Set for 7-8 September at the German capital’s Olympic Stadium and Olympic Park, Lollapalooza Berlin will be headlined by Sam Smith, Martin Garrix, Burna Boy, Seventeen, The Chainsmokers, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Shirin David and CRO.

Other acts will include Loyle Carner, Nothing But Thieves, Meduza, Tom Grennan, Kenya Grace, Elderbrook, Joel Corry and Alok.

That same weekend will also see Goodlive’s Superbloom take place at the Olympic Park in Munich, which has unveiled its expanded lineup. Joining Calvin Harris on the bill are Burna Boy, Shirin David, Jorja Smith, Milky Chance, Loyle Carner, Loreen and Chappell Roan.

Previously confirmed acts included Sam Smith, The Chainsmokers, CRO, Louis Tomlinson, RIN, Provinz, Tokio Hotel, Nothing But Thieves, Kenya Grace and David Puentez. For the first time, there will also be readings by renowned authors, including Ilona Hartmann and Phia Quantius, with two crime podcasts also represented.

“Ticket sales are going well: we are certainly further ahead than this time last year”

Meanwhile, Pukkelpop, which will be held in Hasselt between 15-18 August, sold out all combination tickets in less than 48 hours, according to organisers.

The event will star the likes of Fred Again.., Stormzy, Sam Smith, Queens of the Stone Age, The Offspring, Charlotte de Witte, Goldband, Raye, Inhaler, Sugababes, The Vaccines, Skrillex, Jorja Smith, The Smile and Denzel Curry.

Also in Belgium, the resurgent Gent Jazz Festival is expanding from ten to 13 days and has confirmed André 3000 among this year’s performers. The 5,500-cap series runs from 5-20 July and will also feature names such as Diana Krall, Laufey, Jamie Cullum, Air, Alexis Ffrench, DJ Shadow, Nile Rodgers & Chic and Rodrigo y Gabriela.

Ghent-based promoter and booking agency Greenhouse Talent took over the international jazz festival last year after previous organiser – the non-profit Jazz en Muziek – went backrupt at the end of 2022.

“For us, the expansion is an essential intervention to guarantee our survival,” organiser Pascal Van De Velde tells De Standaard. “It is difficult for a festival in our niche and with our capacity to break even, and we did not want to save on costs. So we found the solution in extra days: this allows us to spread the basic costs of the festival.

“Ticket sales are going well: we are certainly further ahead than this time last year.”

AIF reports that 21 UK festivals have now announced a postponement, cancellation or complete closure in 2024

Elsewhere, Smash’s Fuji Rock, which will grace Japan’s Naeba Ski Resort in Tokyo from 26-28 July, has added Peggy Gou and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds as headliners alongside Kraftwerk. Other new additions include Remi Wolf, Hiromi’s Sonic Wonder, Denki Groove, Kid Fresno, Man With a Mission, Sampha, Teddy Swims, Macaroni Empitsu, The Spellbound and Kim Gordon.

And AEG’s BST Hyde Park in London has revealed Morgan Wallen as its final 2024 headliner. The country music superstar will perform on 4 July, completing a lineup which also includes SZA (29 June), Kings of Leon (30 June), Andrea Bocelli (5 July), Robbie Williams (6 July), Shania Twain (7 July), Stevie Nicks (12 July), Kylie Minogue (13 July) and Stray Kids (14 July).

However, trade body the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) reports that 21 UK festivals have now announced a postponement, cancellation or complete closure in 2024.

Cotswolds-based Nibley Festival has announced that this year’s event will be its last, shortly after Bradford’s Bingley Festival announced that its 2024 edition will not go ahead.

Promoters of both festivals have cited rapidly rising production costs as the reason why running their event is no longer viable. Portsmouth rock and metal festival Takedown also recently postponed to 2025, citing “challenging trading conditions” among other factors.

AIF warns that, without intervention, the UK could see over 100 festivals disappear in 2024 due to rising costs and has reiterated the need for temporary support from the UK government to lower VAT from 20% to 5% on ticket sales for the next three years.

“It’s with grave concern that we again sound the alarm to government upon passing this critical milestone,” says AIF CEO John Rostron. “UK festivals are disappearing at a worrying rate, and we as a nation are witnessing the erosion of one of our most successful and unique cultural industry sectors.

“We have done the research: a reduction of VAT to 5% on festival tickets over the next three years is a conservative, targeted and temporary measure that would save almost all of the festival businesses that are likely to fall by the wayside this year and many more over the years to come. We need this intervention now.”

 


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Fests ’24: Eurockéennes, Gent Jazz, Mallorca Live

As the year draws to a close, there has been no let-up in festival lineup announcements for 2024.

France’s Eurockéennes de Belfort is offering discounts for students and under-30s for next year’s edition, which takes place from 4-17 July.

The 35,000-cap event will be headlined by David Guetta, Lenny Kravitz and Sum 41, with the supporting cast including  Big Flo & Oli, Gazo, Dropkick Murphys, Black Pumas, Idles, Pretenders, Romy, Purple Disco Machine and Blondshell.

Now under the management of Greenhouse Talent, Belgium’s Gent Jazz will return for its 23rd edition from 5-20 July. Confirmed names so far include Diana Krall, Jamie Cullum, Patrick Bruel, Air, Chris Potter, Brad Mehldau, Bill Frisell and Joshua Redman.

Meanwhile, Pet Shop Boys, Blondie and Underworld head the lineup for the seventh Mallorca Live Festival from 13-15 June. More than 50 other artists have also been added to the bill, including Belle & Sebastian, Jeff Rosenstock, Shame and Sleaford Mods.

Also in Spain, Madrid concert series Noches del Botánico (Botanical Nights) has unveiled its first 14 nights of programming, running between 7 June to 27 July. Headline acts include PJ Harvey, Status Quo, Queens of the Stone Age, Glen Hansard/St. Paul & The Broken Bones, James Blake, Take That, James Blunt, Simple Minds, Passenger and Toto.

Plus, Benicassim has added The Libertines and Yungblud to previously announced headliners Black Eyed Peas, Royal Blood and Wade from 18-20 July.

Set for 27-30 June, Switzerland’s OpenAir St Gallen will welcome the likes of The Chainsmokers, Queens of the Stone Age, Placebo, K.I.Z, Nina Chuba, Tom Odell, The Hives and Róisín Murphy, while Zurich Openair, which runs over two weekends from 23-24 & 30-31 August, has booked Sam Smith, Macklemore, Louis Tomlinson, Raye, Loyle Carner, Jorja Smith, James Arthur, RIN, Lost Frequencies and Aurora, among others.

“We are very satisfied with how pre-sales are going, because reaching these numbers in December is extraordinary”

Slovenia’s MetalDays will be topped by Accept, Blind Guardian, Emperor, God is an Astronaut, The Amity Affliction, Caliban, Legion of the Damned, Tiamat, Unleashed and Rage between 28 July and 3 August.

The electronic music-oriented Kappa FuturFestival will bring acts including Four Tet B2B Floating Points, Tiesto, Skrillex B2B Blawan, Seth Troxler, Nina Kraviz, Carl Cox, Adam Beyer, The Blessed Madonna and Honey Dijon to Turin, Italy, from 5-7 July.

Italy’s Lucca Summer Festival has also unveiled a new raft of artists such as Swedish House Mafia (30 June), the Smashing Pumpkins (6 July), Lenny Kravitz (12 July), Mika (19 July), Sam Smith (20 July) and Toto (24 July). More than 120,000 tickets have already been sold for the series, including 70,000 for Ed Sheeran’s 8-9 June dates.

“We are very satisfied with how pre-sales are going, because reaching these numbers in December is extraordinary,” Mimmo D’Alessandro of promoter D’Alessandro e Galli tells La Nazione.

And 21 Savage is the latest addition to the lineup for Poland’s Open’er Festival, set for 3-6 July, joining Foo Fighters, Dua Lipa, Benjamin Clementine, Michael Kiwanuka, Doja Cat, Sam Smith, Yaeji, Loyle Carner, Masego and Floating Points.

Plus, Pearl Jam, Arcade Fire, Sum 41, The Breeders, Nothing But Thieves, Benjamin Clementine, Black Pumas, Michael Kiwanuka, Floating Points and Nathaniel Rateliff & The Nightsweats will line up alongside Dua Lipa and the Smashing Pumpkins at Portugal’s Nos Alive from 11-13 July. And Denmark’s Tinderbox (27-29 June) has added Bryan Adams, Raye, James Arthur and Lauren Spencer Smith.

Elsewhere, the inaugural Pitchfork Music Festival Mexico City will star Godpseed You! Black Emperor, King Krule, Kelela, and Sky Ferreira across multiple venues from 4-9 March.

 


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Greenhouse Talent boss on the future of Gent Jazz

Greenhouse Talent owner Pascal Van De Velde has spoken to IQ about the future of Belgium’s Gent Jazz Festival after rescuing the event earlier this year.

The Ghent-based promoter and booking agency acquired the international jazz festival after previous organiser – the non-profit Jazz en Muziek – went backrupt at the end of 2022.

“Gent Jazz Festival had been going for 20-plus years, but the bad news came that it had gone bankrupt by the end of last year, so there wasn’t going to be an edition in ’23 and it was in the hands of an administrator,” explains Van De Velde. “So we said to ourselves, why not try to buy it? And we came to an agreement and bought what was left of it: we bought the name and took over their staff.”

The 5,500-cap festival has attracted acts such as BB King, Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga, Sting, Elvis Costello, Diana Krall, Van Morrison, Tom Jones, Gregory Porter, Grace Jones and Jamie Cullum through the years.

“I have a long history with the festival,” adds Van De Velde. “We have supplied many headline acts in the past and one of the founders was my best friend, who passed away in 2011, so there was an emotional connection. There is also a geographical connection because it is in our hometown and there is, of course, a content connection because we promote so much jazz.

“By February, the deal was done and we got the licence from the city of Ghent. We relaunched it and had a very successful edition – one of the most successful editions the festival has ever had.”

“We’re a very independent company. We don’t like to rely on bosses or structures that have goals not directly connected to promoting shows”

This year’s event, held from 5-15 July, pulled in around 40,000 visitors across 74 concerts. Artists included Ludovico Einaudi, Norah Jones and Herbie Hancock. While it was the first edition to be held under Greenhouse’s control, changes were kept to a minimum.

“I think we boosted the quality of the production, hospitality, marketing and promotion,” says Van De Velde. “We didn’t change the stage set-up, which is the main stage and a second stage. And we didn’t change the formula: it was still a 10-day festival between the first and the third weekend of July.

“The location is very beautiful. It’s in the historical city centre of Ghent, so you’ve got restaurants, hotels and the centre of the town all around the festival. We have four acts on the main stage and four acts on the garden stage, so it’s not hectic; it’s more relaxed and comfortable. Every act plays at least a one-hour set in the best acoustic conditions. We can also do seated shows, which is not possible at a lot of festivals.”

Dates for the 2024 event are still to be confirmed but Van De Velde says work is already underway behind the scenes.

Gent Jazz Festival is profiled as part of IQ‘s list of ten of the best independent festivals, in which Van De Velde discusses the benefits of remaining indie in 2023.

“Whenever festivals are taken over by bigger machines, they start to get streamlined and become a little bit samey. That is something we would like to avoid,” he concludes. “We’re a very independent company. We don’t like to rely on bosses or structures that have goals not directly connected to promoting shows. We are concerts and festival-driven, and to keep that purity is very important.”

 


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Greenhouse Talent recovers Gent Jazz Fest from bankruptcy

Ghent-based concert promoter and booking agency Greenhouse Talent has acquired Gent Jazz Festival, recovering it from bankruptcy.

The international jazz festival takes place annually in Bijloke, Ghent, across two weeks in July with some of the world’s best jazz performers. Last year’s edition attracted a record 42,000 visitors.

Jazz en Muziek, the non-profit organisation behind the Ghent Jazz Festival and Jazz Middelheim in Antwerp, went bankrupt at the end of last year.

The Belgian press says the insolvency was partly due to a ‘high mountain’ of debt and a conflict between organiser Bertrand Flamang and the board of directors.

Greenhouse director and founder Pascal Van De Velde says the three permanent employees of Jazz en Muziek will remain employed.

“The intention is that we will soon get together with the city of Ghent and the Bijloke to see if we can organise an edition in 2023,” he told VRT.

“The intention is that we will soon get together with the city of Ghent and the Bijloke to see if we can organise an edition in 2023”

“We will have to switch very quickly, but I am convinced that we will succeed. We once organised two Prince concerts on Sint-Pietersplein in one month, so we are a bit used to it.”

Founded in 2004, Greenhouse Talent is now the largest independent concert organiser in the Benelux with 40 permanent employees and offices in Ghent and Breda.

The promoter organises 500 concerts in the Benelux each year, with previous clients including Elvis Costello, Justin Bieber, Elton John, Massive Attack, Clouseau and The Rolling Stones.

“Greenhouse Talent was chosen as a suitable partner on the basis of a thoroughly prepared qualitative offer, its rock-solid reputation, but in particular its commitment to keep all employees on board, the correct acquisition price, its commitment to organise the festival in close collaboration with the City of Ghent, the Bijloke Abbey and the cultural partners involved, and to guarantee the continued existence of the Young Jazz Talent competition in order to give young talent in Ghent a stage,” says liquidator Matthias Gesquière.

Jazz Middelheim in Antwerp was not part of the deal, leaving a question mark over the continued existence of the festival.

 


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