FKP Scorpio cancels Tempelhof Sounds Presents
The one-day event slated to replace this year’s Tempelhof Sounds festival in Germany has been cancelled “for production reasons”.
Tempelhof Sounds Presents was due to take place at Waldbühne (Woodland Stage) – the 22,000-capacity open-air theatre at Olympiapark Berlin – with acts including Bon Iver, Fever Ray and Holly Humberstone. Tickets started from €75.
The 2 June event would have replaced the second edition of Tempelhof Sounds which was postponed to 2024, as the disused airport in which it takes place is “urgently needed” for refugee housing.
“We thought about it for a long time and tried everything in our power, but in the end it just wasn’t to be”
“Unfortunately, we have to inform you that the Tempelhof Sounds Presents cannot take place this year for production reasons,” reads a statement from FKP Scorpio, which promotes both events with Loft Concerts.
“We thought about it for a long time and tried everything in our power, but in the end it just wasn’t to be. Tickets that have already been purchased can be returned at all advance booking offices and at Eventim.”
Tempelhof Sounds debuted in June 2022 at the Berlin airport of the same name, and was headlined by Muse, The Strokes and Florence and the Machine. Promoters FKP Scorpio, Loft Concerts and Dreamhaus deemed the festival “a successful premiere”.
Tempelhof Sounds Presents is the latest festival to be pulled, following the cancellation of InMusic (Croatia), Summerburst (Sweden), Hills of Rock (Bulgaria), Rolling Loud New York (US), Hear Hear (Belgium) and Wireless Germany.
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FKP Scorpio postpones Tempelhof Sounds to 2024
FKP Scorpio has postponed the second edition of Tempelhof Sounds to 2024, as the disused airport in which it takes place is “urgently needed” for refugee housing.
The Berlin-based festival launched last June in collaboration with German promoters Loft Concerts and Dreamhaus and was headlined by Muse, The Strokes and Florence and the Machine.
“Despite its successful premiere, Tempelhof Sounds will take a break in 2023 before taking place again in 2024,” says FKP Scorpio in a statement.
“Tempelhof Airport provided a great stage and impressive backdrop for us and our guests this year. Now, in the face of the ongoing inhumane war in Ukraine, it is once again providing much-needed shelter for refugees.
“In the face of the ongoing inhumane war in Ukraine, [Tempelhof] is once again providing much-needed shelter for refugees”
“The recent decision by the Berlin Senate to increase the number of emergency shelters means that, in addition to a change in the spatial layout for the placement and design of the festival grounds, there are also new requirements for noise protection, which of course applies to these people just as it does to all other residents. For us, this means that a successful approval process for our festival is unfortunately impossible under these new circumstances.
“Apart from that, we also consider it humanly imperative to show consideration in this exceptional situation to ensure that people who need refuge are not adversely affected under any circumstances. Instead, we wish that in 2024 we will come together under better circumstances to celebrate music and peace together. We look forward to starting planning for this very soon.”
In lieu of Tempelhof Sounds 2023, FKP Scorpio and Loft Concerts have organised a concert that will bring “the unique atmosphere” of the festival to Waldbühne (Woodland Stage), the 22,000-capacity open-air theatre at Olympiapark Berlin.
Bon Iver, Fever Ray and Holly Humberstone will perform at Tempelhof Sounds Presents on 2 June, with tickets starting from €75.
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FKP Scorpio, DreamHaus, Loft announce new festival
FKP Scorpio, DreamHaus and Loft Concerts are joining forces on a brand new open-air festival, set to launch in Berlin next year.
Tempelhof Sounds will take place between 10 to 12 June 2022 on the grounds of Tempelhof Airport – where the Berlin Festival once took place, and the German Lollapalooza Festival launched in 2015.
Muse and The Strokes will headline the festival, along with a third act that is yet to be announced. Alt-J, Interpol, Idles, Royal Blood, Two Door Cinema Club, Mac DeMarco, Wolf Alice and Big Thief are also set to perform.
A mission statement says the event is an “inclusive and cosmopolitan festival” and the organisers “firmly believe in equality, diversity and sustainability”.
“We are very pleased to make this special festival format possible in the capital together with our partners,” comments Stephan Thanscheidt, CEO of FKP Scorpio. “Our guests can expect an event that combines top international acts with an extraordinary open-air experience. Tempelhof Sounds wants to offer ‘programmatic surprises’ and present a diverse line-up.”
“Our guests can expect an event that combines top international acts with an extraordinary open-air experience”
Fontaines DC, The Gardener & The Tree, Hinds, Black Honey, Just Mustard, Pillow Queens and The Pale White are also slated to perform.
Other confirmed acts include London Grammar, Parcels, Courtney Barnett, Sophie Hunger, Freya Ridings, Anna Calvi, Kat Frankie, Holly Humberstone, Griff and Baby Queen.
Tickets are on sale now, with day passes starting from €79 and festival passes starting from €179.
Hamburg-headquartered FKP Scorpio adds Tempelhof Sounds to a portfolio that already includes a raft of marquee German festivals such as Hurricane, Southside, Highfield, M’era Luna and A Summer’s Tale.
Berlin-based DreamHaus, meanwhile, is jointly responsible for organising and programming the Rock am Ring and Rock im Park festivals, after the company was acquired by CTS Eventim.
Loft Concerts, also based in Berlin, was founded 30 years ago and today promotes more than 200 concerts a year in the greater Berlin area.
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