Green Guardians 2024: AEG Europe, ASM Global, Mojo Concerts & more
Welcome to the second part of IQ Magazine’s 2024 Green Guardians – our annual recognition of those eco-warriors and innovators at the forefront of the battle to make the live entertainment industry more sustainable.
The Green Guardians is spearheaded by IQ and an international panel of sustainability experts to highlight and congratulate companies and organisations who are improving the live music business when it comes to being more environmentally friendly.
This year’s list includes 22 entries across a wide range of event suppliers, campaigners, and solutions providers, all of whom are working tirelessly to reduce the carbon footprint of the live entertainment business.
IQ will publish entries across all categories over the coming days, and you can find the whole cohort in the latest edition of the magazine here.
AEG Europe, a leader in the live sports and entertainment industry, is using its platform and reach to make a significant impact on the planet. With millions of fans and thousands of events annually, the company is committed to minimising its environmental impact and raising public awareness about issues to make meaningful change.
The company made new strides this year, with the world’s first carbon-removed arena events being a highlight. The O2 removed nearly 550 tons of carbon across four shows with The 1975, a monumental moment in event sustainability. The venue also achieved Greener Arena certification from AEG and introduced the Green Rider to promote sustainable practices among promoters and artists.
In addition, the American Express presents BST Hyde Park festival series that takes place in London implemented the next stage of its net-zero strategy, reducing its carbon emissions via Biochar and utilising 100% compostable serveware to limit waste. On the horizon, the company’s proposed 8,500-capacity Edinburgh Park Arena, set to open in 2027, is set to be a net-zero venue and will generate over half of its energy from low or zero-carbon technologies.
Through these industry-leading initiatives, AEG Europe hopes it can be a model for other venues, promoters, and tours worldwide, through promoting a greener future for live events.
Venue and event management giant ASM Global is elevating its buildings worldwide, with LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-level certification, or a local equivalent, becoming the new standard. Its P&J Live arena in Aberdeen, Scotland, has been recognised as one of the most sustainable venues in the UK and is part of its expansive portfolio of venues in Europe, the United States, Australia, and Asia.
In late 2023, ASM Global formed a partnership with Voltus, a leader in distributed energy and virtual power plants. Voltus is set to pay ASM Global for cutting back its energy usage at its US venues, a deal that is already yielding results less than one year in.
The transnational company has also joined with r.World, the largest reuse platform, to aid in eliminating single-use plastic throughout ASM Global’s North American portfolio by replacing it with reusable service ware.
This May, the company opened Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in the US’s Ozark Mountains. The amphitheatre has been permanently designated to support a not-for-profit conservation foundation. And to ensure the company’s supply chain meets its green goals, ASM’s Supplier Diversity Program builds relationships with local businesses to support a regional ecosystem of goods and services. Participating venues include The Greek Theatre (Los Angeles), T-Mobile Center (Kansas City), Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas), and State Farm Arena (Atlanta).
Netherlands-based MOJO Concerts launched its Road to Zero Waste policy last January, driven by Kees Lamers and Maarten van Lokven. The company aims to make its festivals, concerts, and offices climate-neutral and circular by 2030, with the initiative also including popular Amsterdam venues AFAS Live and Ziggo Dome.
To achieve this objective, MOJO is working to replace diesel generators with connections to the main electricity network. This year, the events company has introduced a series of policies: from reusable coffee cups and recyclable cups at Goffertpark festivals and a shift to plant-based foods to expanded car-sharing options and a bring-your-own-bottle policy.
The Road to Zero Waste campaigns at Pinkpop Festival and Down The Rabbit Hole have been successful, with attendees receiving recycling kits with sorting information and bags leading to minimal camping gear left behind.
The Netherlands-based transportation group’s sustainability goals focus on two main areas: green facilities and sustainable touring using proven and accessible technologies.
For its facilities, Pieter Smit has implemented a range of solutions such as heating with geothermal energy, solar panels, and LED lighting. It has implemented rainwater collection for internal drainage and truck washing in some of its establishments, while its workshops and storage areas are powered by solar energy.
Pieter Smit continues to offer HVO as an interim solution for touring until more advanced technologies become widely available and affordable, while also incorporating electric vehicles and focusing on smaller, longer-distance vehicles as technology improves.
Later this year, the company will embark on an all-electric vehicle tour in collaboration with theatrical company Jakop Ahlbom.
GeoPura is a company providing zero-emission energy solutions by using renewable sources like solar and wind to create green hydrogen. This product is then used to produce clean electricity, a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, using no carbon and producing only water as a byproduct.
In 2024, GeoPura led the way in reducing emissions at major events with their hydrogen-powered generators. At the Isle of Wight Festival in the UK, they replaced diesel generators, supplying clean power to key areas like catering and guest services for the first time with hydrogen. This marked the first instance of hydrogen power being integrated into the festival’s infrastructure.
Their success at Isle of Wight festival led to further projects, including powering welfare and recycling areas at Latitude Festival, the main stage at a 30,000-cap event, the Touch Rugby World Cup, and the live TV broadcast of the BMW PGA Tour, all with zero emissions.
Partnering with brands like Live Nation, GeoPura has demonstrated that green hydrogen can effectively power large events sustainably.
Environmental sustainability is at the heart of KB Event, as the company is continuously striving to identify and deliver practical solutions to boost efficiency and reduce impact on the environment for the industry.
By working collaboratively with clients, KB Event merges expertise from different backgrounds to combat communal challenges. An example of this includes KB Event’s introduction of HVO, working with Peak Oils to supply 100% renewable, palm-oil-free diesel into its fleet. A few years out from introduction, this HVO now reduces net CO2 emissions by up to 90% and lowers nitrogen oxide, particulate matter, and carbon monoxide emissions.
This year, the palm-oil-free HVO Biofuel has been used on tours by Yungblud and Massive Attack and at events like DragCon 2024, Insurtech, Mobile World Congress, and EarthFest. Their dedication to sustainability dates back to 2008 when they became the first event logistics company to receive environmental accreditation.
Their new Wandsworth depot is ready to service events in and around London. Here, they will also provide the industry with the option of HVO, but more importantly, battery-electric vans and trucks, as they trial this with Volta Trucks.
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Changing of the guard at Mojo/North Sea Jazz
NN North Sea Jazz Festival director Jan Willem Luyken will step down on 1 November, after almost 20 years in the position.
Luyken started as director in 2006, guiding the transition of the Mojo-promoted festival from The Hague to Rotterdam.
Prior to that, he worked at Mojo as head of marketing and communication for four years.
From 1 November, Luyken will become chief commercial officer (CCO) of Mojo, where he’ll be responsible for the entire commercial policy of the Live Nation-backed company as well as the sponsoring/brand partnerships, hospitality, ticketing and marketing/communication departments.
Irene Peters, who currently holds the position of business director at the Ziggo Dome and has previously worked at Mojo, will replace him as director of North Sea Jazz.
The appointments come amid a changing of the guard at Mojo, with former CEO John Mulder making way for a new leadership team and Lowlands director Eric van Eerdenburg handing over the reins.
“After two decades, however, I felt it was time for a new challenge.”
“It was a great privilege to be the director of NN North Sea Jazz – an absolute dream job; especially for someone who came to the festival as a visitor at a young age,” says Jan Willem Luyken.
“Over the past twenty years, I have worked with heart and soul on this great festival. I am incredibly grateful to my colleagues, partners and everyone who contributed to this, for the collaboration and this unforgettable time. After two decades, however, I felt it was time for a new challenge. As CCO, I look forward to using my extensive experience at MOJO to further develop and strengthen our strategy in the field of marketing, sales and sponsorship.”
Peters started as an intern at the North Sea Jazz Festival and then worked at MOJO until her transfer to the Ziggo Dome in 2010 as Manager HR and member of the management team.
“Building the Ziggo Dome from scratch was a unique experience,” says Peters. “Together with a close-knit and hard-working team and our partners, we have ensured in a short period of time that our venue is known and praised at home and abroad for the ultimate experience for both artists and fans. More than 1,000 shows have now taken place, a great time for a new step. Becoming director of NN North Sea Jazz is a wonderful opportunity in which I can combine my experiences of the past years with my passion for music and where I started as an intern in 1997. As a loyal visitor to the festival, I look forward to the new edition every year. I am really looking forward to this wonderful job.”
Luyken spoke to IQ earlier this year about the secret behind North Sea Jazz Festival’s decades-long legacy.
The 47th edition took place at Rotterdam Ahoy between 12–14 July with 150 acts including Sting, Raye, André 3000, Corinne Bailey Rae, Masego, Sampha, Noname, Jessie Ware and Jamie Cullum.
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Pinkpop festival manager to leave after 20 years
Pinkpop festival manager Niek Murray has announced his departure from the Dutch festival and its parent company MOJO after over 20 years.
Murray joined the organisation in 2002 as an intern before becoming a marketing executive and then the right-hand man of former festival manager Jan Smeets.
When Smeets retired in 2020 after 50+ years at the helm, Murray succeeded him in the top position at the 70,000-capacity Limburg event.
According to Murray, his decision to leave Live Nation-backed MOJO was mutually agreed upon. His replacement has not yet been announced.
“With the last three editions of Pinkpop, we have determined the new festival direction with a well-oiled team”
“With the last three editions of Pinkpop, we have determined the new festival direction with an increasingly expanded and well-oiled team and have already made great strides in this direction,” says Murray.
“That is why it feels somewhat ambiguous to me to take this step now, but I am confident that in this way I am making room for a new direction in my career.”
Launched in 1970, Pinkpop is organised by Mojo Concerts and is now the longest-running open-air festival in the world.
This year’s festival took place between 21–23 June in Megaland in Landgraaf with acts including Ed Sheeran, Avril Lavigne, Nothing But Thieves, Måneskin, Sam Smith, Calvin Harris, Limp Bizkit and more.
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‘Lowlands is not just a lineup, it’s a culture’
Lowlands director Eric van Eerdenburg has spoken to IQ about the 2024 event – his penultimate edition before stepping down.
This year’s instalment sold out in less than 15 minutes in February – the Dutch festival’s third-fastest sellout after 2023 (14 minutes) and 2022 (two minutes).
Around 65,000 tickets flew off the shelf for the Mojo-promoted festival, featuring Fred Again…, Justice and Gold Band among others.
Discussing the secret to Lowlands’ success, Eerdenburg tells IQ: “It’s not just a lineup. It’s a culture we’ve established over the last 25 years and have managed to stay in touch with. It’s a three-day Fata Morgana [mirage] that everybody wants to be part of. You’re there for three days getting dazzled by it all and then you wake up and real life starts again.”
The director credits his booking team, which is comprised of Mojo Concerts promoters, for staying on top of the zeitgeist.
“They book and promote 3,000 club shows a year, so they see what sparks and what doesn’t,” he explains. “It’s really important that we are in contact with the live music scene 365 days a year. The same goes for my non-music bookers, who are freelancers. They’ve got two feet in their scene and know exactly what’s going on.”
“Lowlands is a three-day Fata Morgana [mirage] that everybody wants to be part of”
Though this year’s edition was “easy” compared to the last two years, according to Eerdenburg, there were still several hurdles to clear including cancellations from several top-billing acts.
Queens of The Stone Age (QOTSA), The Smile and Joy Orbison were among the dropouts – the former leaving a headliner-shaped hole in the programme.
The Lowlands booking team managed to secure Justice as a replacement headliner in the space of a week and a half – a decision that eventually paid off.
“They delivered a very impressive show and the venue was full,” says Eerdenburg. “We were sorry we didn’t book them in the first place.”
This year’s edition also saw ticket prices increase to €325 for the three-day affair, up from €300 in 2023 and €255 in 2022.
While Eerdenburg is concerned that Lowlands’ increasingly young audience will be priced out of the festival, he maintains that the festival is good value for money.
“It’s a constant struggle to keep tickets affordable”
“It’s a constant struggle to keep tickets affordable,” he says. “I think we have one of the highest ticket prices in Holland but if you compare it to a weekend in London, Paris or Berlin, it’s cheap. Plus, attendees are offered so much entertainment for just €115 per day. People tell me every year that they’ve had the best weekend of their lives.”
With the price of energy, production and acts rapidly increasing, a hike in the ticket price was necessary to “make a reasonable margin” adds Eerdenburg.
“Artists – especially the more successful ones – are getting more and more expensive and that’s worrying me,” he continues. “There’s an ongoing struggle with agents who think their artist is worth more money.
“Within the agency business, nobody takes responsibility for the industry as a whole. No, they work for the artist and they want more money. As a festival, we have to keep investing in artists to keep the profile of the festival, to keep the young people coming in and to get a three-day full programme. But it all comes back to the ticket price.”
Ticket prices in the Netherlands will likely continue on an upward trajectory, with the Dutch government poised to raise the VAT rate for concert and festival tickets from 9% to 21%,
“For a Lowlands ticket, that means a 12% increase or €40 more just on taxes,” says the director. “I’m really worried about it. The whole industry gets hit in the face and we expect a big backlash. We’ll have to see what choices the people are going to make. I hope they keep choosing Lowlands.”
“I’m really worried about the increase in VAT… we expect a big backlash”
In order to offset costs and increase value for attendees, Lowlands ushered in a raft of new sponsors for this year’s edition including MacDonald’s, IKEA and BOL.
While some complained that the festival had become “too commercial”, the sponsors’ activations were received well by attendees, according to Eerdenburg.
“This year, IKEA provided a dome full of mattresses where people could take a power nap,” he says. “It looked like a fairy tale and after 20 minutes, you came out refreshed.
“The visitors don’t complain if the sponsors have added value. Plus, if the sponsors bring entertainment, you don’t have to bring that yourself and that’s good for the P&L.”
Elsewhere, Lowlands made huge strides with its sustainability strategy. For the first time, the festival was partially powered by energy from its solar carport – the largest in the world.
Around 1/3 of the event’s power consumption was drawn from the 90,000 solar panels, stationed in the site’s car park, instead of diesel generators.
With his time at Lowlands drawing to a close, Eerdenburg is already taking stock of his 25 years at the Dutch institution.
“There are things that pop up where I think ‘I’m so glad I never have to deal with this again’ and then there are the things I will miss very much,” he says. “It’s good that we took one and a half years to get used to the idea of me stepping back and adapt to that. I’m still fully behind the festival.”
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Down The Rabbit Hole on growing future headliners
Down The Rabbit Hole festival director Ide Koffeman has spoken to IQ about the event’s penchant for growing future headliners.
The 11th edition of the MOJO-promoted festival took place last weekend (5–7 July) at De Groene Heuvels near Ewijk, in the Netherlands.
All 45,000 full festival tickets were sold within 45 minutes of going on sale last December, setting a new record for the event.
Unlike most festivals, Down The Rabbit Hole exclusively sells tickets for the full three days, which Koffeman says is “part of our formula and part of the success”.
With day tickets off the table, the festival’s booking team can approach the lineup as a package, rather than three individual headline shows.
“We try to create what we call a flock of artists… so it’s not at all just about the headliner”
“We try to create what we call a flock of artists,” says Koffeman. “So it’s not at all just about the headliner. We look at what the artists stand for and the diversity of the programme and then we get a nice flock that tells a story. This year it worked out very well. I am completely satisfied and I don’t say that every year. We had a lot of great reactions as well from our audience too.”
Top-billing artists at the 2024 festival were LCD Soundsystem, The National, Michael Kiwanuka and Jungle – with the latter two delivering a co-heading slot on Friday.
“That was the first time Jungle played our festival since 2015,” says Koffeman. “And it was their first big festival headline show for 45,000 people so we were very happy they said yes. For them, it was a big step but they were happy to be presented in this way. We call them a future headliner.”
And it’s not the first time Down The Rabbit Hole has created a ‘future headliner’ at their festival.
“We had the War on Drugs headline a tent in 2015 when the festival was 15,000 capacity,” remembers Koffeman. “That was their first-ever headline show and they remembered that when they came back to headline in 2022 to 45,000 people. So look what happened in eight years.”
“We like to present acts that can do a successful show without being stadium-level”
He continues: “We like to present acts that can do a successful show without being stadium-level. With our formula, we do have room to play with the possibilities. So perhaps on Friday, we have a spectacular new act that’s a future headliner and on Saturday, a more established act. And then it all adds up and people buy tickets for the whole package. It’s like booking one big show.”
The success of the 2024 edition is particularly impressive given the backdrop of issues in the domestic and international industry – weather being a major one.
“Three weeks ahead of the festival, we noticed the rain was very bad,” Koffeman tells IQ. “The groundwater level was very high and we’re next to a big river so [the ground] is clay. There was a big question mark over parking and we had to pause the sale of parking tickets because we couldn’t guarantee spaces.”
“With our formula, we do have room to play with the possibilities”
The festival spent a great deal of time, money (and emissions, Koffeman points out) reinforcing the ground and fortunately, the weather held out for the weekend.
Generally, weather is lower down the list of issues for the Dutch industry, which is facing widespread festival cancellations largely due to rising costs, and the prospect of a huge VAT hike.
“Raising the taxes is stupid,” says Koffeman. “It’s already difficult for our festival – and we’re one of the biggest – but if you are organising a one-day festival that might make 5–6% of the total, you can just stop.
“Costs are rising so quickly and life has become more expensive in the Netherlands, so people have to make choices. Just a few festivals sold out as quickly as we did so, right now, we’re grateful for that,” he says.
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Euro festival preview: Rock Werchter, Open’er & more
With the European festival season in full swing, IQ is previewing what the forthcoming weekend has in store…
Dutch festival Down The Rabbit Hole (5–7 July) will welcome a sold-out crowd for its 2024 edition, after selling all 45,000 tickets in less than 45 minutes of going on sale.
The Mojo-promoted event at De Groene Heuvels near Ewijk will feature performances from the likes of LCD Soundsystem, Michael Kiwanuka, The National, Jungle, Raye, Jessie Ware and Khruangbin.
Meanwhile, hip-hop festival franchise Rolling Loud will debut in Austria (5–7) as the only European edition in 2024.
The Live Nation Germany-promoted event, dubbed Rolling Loud Europe, will take over Racino in Ebreichsdorf, an open-air venue on the outskirts of Vienna.
Nicki Minaj, Playboi Carti and Travis Scott will headline the premiere, with support from acts including Ice Spice, Shirin David and Don Toliver.
In Belgium, Rock Werchter (4–7) is already underway at Festivalpark in Werchter. The Live Nation Belgium-promoted event is headlined by Foo Fighters, Dua Lipa, Lenny Kravitz and Måneskin. Day tickets have sold out for four of the five dates.
Bombay Bicycle Club, Snow Patrol, Yungblud and Sum 41, The Last Dinner Party, Nothing But Thieves, Avril Lavigne and Khruangbin, Michael Kiwanuka, Arlo Parks and Royal Blood will also perform at Belgium’s biggest festival over the coming days.
Hip-hop festival franchise Rolling Loud will debut in Austria this weekend
Dua Lipa and Foo Fighters are also headlining Open’er (3–6) on the north coast of Poland, in Gdynia, alongside Doja Cat.
Addition acts for the Alter Art-promoted event include Hozier, Charli XCX, Don Toliver, Måneskin, Disclosure, Ashnikko, 21 Savage, Ice Spice, Air, Loyle Carner, Michael Kiwanuka, Floating Points, Kim Gordon, Tom Morello, Sampha and Slowdive.
Ruisrock (5–7), the second oldest rock festival in Europe, will once again take over the national park of Ruissalo in Turku, Finland this weekend.
The Chainsmokers, Hardwell, Disclosure, PMMP and Stormzy are top are top billing for the 2024 edition, which will host up to 35,000 people a day.
Elsewhere, electronic music festival Balaton Sound (3–6) is afoot on the beach in Zamárdi, Hungary.
Marshmello, Alison Wonderland, Adam Beyer, Amelie Lens and Timmy Trumpet are among the acts performing at the event, organised by the team behind Sziget in Budapest.
Other festivals taking place this weekend include Electric Love Festival (AU), Lovely Days Festival (AU), Lytham Festival (UK), Les Eurockéennes de Belfort (FR), Awakenings Summer Festival (NL), Love Supreme Jazz Festival (UK) and Comfort Festival (IT).
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The secret behind North Sea Jazz’s 47-year legacy
NN North Sea Jazz director Jan Willem Luyken has spoken to IQ about the secret behind the Dutch festival’s decades-long legacy.
The 47th edition of the MOJO-promoted event will take place at Rotterdam Ahoy between 12–14 July with 150 acts including Sting, Raye, André 3000, Corinne Bailey Rae, Masego, Sampha, Noname, Jessie Ware and Jamie Cullum.
With the Saturday and Sunday of the 30,000-capacity festival already sold out, and around 2,000 tickets remaining for Friday, Luyken expects another banner year for the event.
According to the director, the festival’s enduring success is largely due to its eclectic lineups, which draw a broad and diverse audience.
“The founder of the festival, Mr Paul Acket, was a very eclectic and broadminded guy – he was a real jazz guy, but also a smart businessman and above all, a famous concert promotor in The Netherlands,” explains Luyken. “So he decided to have jazz as the basis of the programme, as well as some big names to sell the tickets to the non-jazz audience. The first editions featured Ray Charles, Van Morrison and Chaka Khan.
“We have to make sure the jazz fans are happy but you need the big names too, to stay connected to other audiences”
“Almost 50 years later, the basic concept is still the same. But of course, the music is always on the move and I think it’s very important that we keep track of new trends and bands, so we have a very skilled and experienced programme committee team that has weekly meetings. The good thing is that we have 16 stages so we can do it all – from the classics to the contemporary.”
While the festival’s spectrum of genres has evolved over the years (see last year’s edition headlined by Stormzy), Luyken says that attracting jazz fans is an ongoing priority.
“We always ask ourselves, ‘If you take away the crossover or pop stuff, is this still a good jazz festival?’ and I think it is. It’s one of the strongest jazz festivals in the world. We have to make sure the jazz fans are happy and that they want to buy tickets but of course, you need the big names too, to stay connected to other audiences. It’s this broad setup that’s the success of the festival.”
North Sea’s wide-ranging lineups also mean the festival has no problem offering an ethnically diverse and gender-balanced bill.
“This was always the case, since the 70s,” says Luyken. “Nowadays people demand [diverse lineups] but it’s not new for us, it was always there organically. The founder’s basic philosophy for the festival was to have enough good music for all people and that automatically makes a diverse festival – when it’s a structural thing.”
“We’re the right weekend, that we can afford good headliners”
North Sea Jazz’s broad programming also means that the reported lack of available headliners isn’t an issue for the bookers, as there’s a bigger pool of A-list acts to choose from.
“Plus we’re the right weekend, that we can afford good headliners,” adds Luyken. “If you’re in the second part of June and the first part of July, you traditionally have the best chance of booking big acts.”
Taking place in an indoor venue has also proved to be an advantage for North Sea Jazz, as festivals grapple with the impacts of severe weather – though there are some downsides to it.
“We are seeing the limits of our venue,” says Luyken. “We’re not a big outdoors festival that can sell 60,000 or 70,000 tickets. We are limited to 30,000 a day.”
With the 16-stage festival unable to expand, the organisers have looked to offset rising costs in other ways.
“We have a very well-developed hospitality and VIP offering which is doing very well and we depend a lot of external funding and commercial sponsoring – which is popular for us.”
He continues: “Besides rising artist fees and the stuff we have to deal with every year, there have been no big challenges here. And I know we’re very lucky because a lot of festivals out there are struggling,” he says. “It’s a tricky business but we are in a comfortable position. And you have to work very hard and have a lot of luck to get in this position.”
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Lowlands 2024 sells out in less than 15 minutes
The 2024 edition of Lowlands sold out in less than 15 minutes on Saturday (3 February), becoming one of the Dutch festival’s speediest sellouts.
Around 65,000 tickets flew off the shelf for the Mojo-promoted event, featuring Fred Again…, Queens of the Stone Age and Gold Band among others. And as many as 130,000 people were in the digital queue at one time.
Tickets for this year’s edition were priced at €325, up from €300 the year prior and €255 in 2022.
The 2024 sellout looks to be Lowlands’ third-fastest after 2023 (14 minutes) and 2022 (two minutes).
The 2024 sellout looks to be Lowlands’ third-fastest after 2023 (14 minutes) and 2022 (two minutes)
The speed of the sell-out seems to have surpassed the expectations of the Lowlands team. Festival director Eric van Eerdenburg told Entertainment Business at the end of last year that he didn’t think the festival would sell out within 15 minutes again: “It could be a bit slower. 2023 went very quickly.”
Mojo also announced that 6,187 tickets for Lowlands 2024 were cancelled by Ticketmaster after it was discovered that they had been purchased by ticket-buying bots.
The tickets will be “offered again and for the original price to genuine Lowlanders” this Saturday (10 February).
Lowlands returns to Biddinghuizen between 16–18 August with Skrillex, Peggy Gou, Froukje, The Smile, Nas, Denzel Curry, Jorja Smith, Sugababes, Big Thief, Wargasm and more.
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MOJO unveils new management as Mulder departs
Mojo has unveiled new management after announcing that current CEO John Mulder will leave the company on 1 January 2024.
The new leadership team will consist of Ruben Brouwer, with whom Mulder has co-led Mojo since 2017, as well as Ronny Hooch Antink and Kim Bloem.
Mulder says he decided to step down from Live Nation’s Dutch subsidiary to “give the young guard space”.
“Ronny and Kim are two people who have made their mark at Mojo,” Mulder told Entertainment Bussiness. “Ronny was responsible for matters such as operations, catering, productions and permits. He’s got the whole no-band thing under his belt. Not that he doesn’t know anything about it because he knows a lot about music.
“Everything is represented in that triumvirate. I have complete confidence in it”
“Kim is one of our head bookers and brought big names such as Beyonce, Madonna, P!nk and many more to the Netherlands. She brings with her a wealth of substantive knowledge. The two will run the company together with Ruben. Everything is represented in that triumvirate. I have complete confidence in it.”
The 68-year-old will continue his four-year role as Metallica’s European agent. Last year, he also stepped in as production manager for the band, which he hopes to do again in 2024.
Mulder will discuss his career, including being co-initiator of AFAS Live and the Ziggo Dome, at next year’s ESNS (Eurosonic Nooderslag).
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High demand for Lana Del Rey surprise concerts
Tickets for Lana Del Rey’s surprise shows in Dublin, Paris and Amsterdam have flown off the shelf.
The singer announced the shows last Tuesday (27 June), just three days before tickets went on sale: “I love Europe and after playing at Glastonbury I’ve decided to play a few more shows around my Hyde Park London concert.”
General sale for Del Rey’s concert at the Ziggo Dome (cap. 17,000) in Amsterdam – the largest of the three shows – took place last Friday (30 June) and sold out within 10 minutes. A pre-sale exclusive to subscribers of MOJO’s newsletter launched a day prior.
At present, 1,440 tickets are wanted on the resale platform Ticketswap and 849 have been sold since the general sale.
“I love Europe and after playing at Glastonbury I’ve decided to play a few more shows”
The 4 July concert will mark the first time in a decade that Del Rey has performed in the Netherlands, after a sold-out show at the 6,000-capacity AFAS Live (then known as Heineken Music Hall) in 2013.
The 38-year-old will also visit the 3Arena (13,000) in Dublin on 7 July and the Olympia Music Hall (1,996) in Paris on 10 July. Both shows are sold out.
The New York-born singer, represented by WME worldwide excluding North America, also played Italy’s La Prima Estate festival on 2 July and is due to close BST Hyde Park (AEG Presents) this Sunday (9 July).
It comes after Del Rey’s headline slot at Glastonbury was cut short as a result of appearing on stage 30 minutes late.
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