Fields & Yields: Weighing up the 2024 festival season
In the last month, a raft of festivals have celebrated banner editions – from “the best Glastonbury yet” to yet another sold-out edition of Roskilde. But while the good times continue to roll for some event organisers, elsewhere a perfect storm shows signs of being upgraded to a potentially catastrophic hurricane as the cost-of-living crisis, escalating artist fees, increased production costs, competition from other tours and events, and, perhaps, a touch of fan apathy takes a toll on festivals – large and small – around the world.
April’s Coachella – for so long the darling of the North American landscape – experienced its slowest sales in decades, with reports estimating that up to 20% of the total inventory remained unsold. And that purchasing pattern appears to be one of the trends of 2024, with numerous festival chiefs reporting sleepless nights as they await activity from last-minute ticket-buyers. But for many, that nervous wait becomes too much to bear.
Historically one of the strongest festival markets in the world, the UK is experiencing an unprecedented period of flux, with more than 50 festivals already postponed, cancelled, or shut down in 2024, according to the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF).
Somebody saying, ‘I’m going to go, but I haven’t bought a ticket yet’ is no good to a festival organiser who’s got to pay a bill for a stage upfront
That growing crisis includes Towersey Festival, which having been launched in 1965 was the UK’s longest-running independent. Amid “increasing financial and economic challenges since the pandemic,” Towersey revealed that its upcoming August edition will be its last.
It joins a list from this year’s UK calendar that already includes NASS, Challenge, El Dorado, Pennfest, Connect Music, 110 Above, Leopollooza, Long Division, Bluedot, and Barn On The Farm. In almost all cases, organisers blame spiralling operational costs.
Responding to the situation, AIF chief exec John Rostron tells IQ that promoters have described the current climate as the most difficult they have ever seen. “It’s an incredibly challenging environment because they’ve got multiple things that have all come together at the same time,” says Rostron. While drilling down to precise reasons might take some months of analysis, there are obvious signs that the cost-of-living crisis is playing a significant role when it comes to the ticket-buying habits of consumers.
“The overall sales pattern is changing,” observes Rostron. “A lot of people might want, or intend, to go to a festival, but cost of living means they won’t buy their tickets as early as they used to. Somebody saying, ‘I’m going to go, but I haven’t bought a ticket yet’ is no good to a festival organiser who’s got to pay a bill for a stage upfront.”
Dilemmas involving younger generations are also adding to the mix, as many festival organisers are noting that alcohol consumption is lower among younger fans, while the allure of camping is waning among that same demographic.
“Most of the festivals in the country – maybe as many as 80% – are not making a penny anymore”
Ever creative, some event organisers are catering to the needs of those health-conscious customers by introducing wellness areas at their festivals, or in the case of Secret Garden Party, launching a dedicated wellness festival, Wild Meadows, which make its week-long debut from 5-11 August at the SGP site in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. The broader issues are not confined to the British Isles.
“In the post-pandemic world of costs, we have a problem with festivals in general,” says FKP Scorpio CEO Stephan Thanscheidt. “As a board member of the German Promoters Association, what I hear is that most of the festivals in the country – maybe as many as 80% – are not making a penny anymore.
“At the same time, they’re not showing their weakness because they don’t want to be a lame duck or a damaged brand. But for most of them, they’re not even breaking even, and when I talk to them, they’re waiting for a better tomorrow. But no-one has any idea where that is going to come from, or when.”
Indeed, one of the highest profile casualties is MELT, which announced in May that this year’s 11-13 July event would be the final edition due to “insurmountable changes in the festival landscape.” The 20,000-cap festival had been running since 1997.
With closures becoming an unwelcome trend, Thanscheidt says FKP Scorpio is nevertheless bucking the trend with the majority of its festival portfolio, while admitting that keeping festival brands financially viable is “very difficult.”
“Selling tickets to the very enthusiastic people who just had a great time at your festival is very important”
“In Germany, Southside is sold out, Hurricane is super close to sold out, M’era Luna and Deichbrand are doing very well,” he reports. ”Highfield is struggling a bit, but we managed to not have the level of problems others have right now.”
Also performing amazingly are Rock am Ring and Rock im Park, which Thanscheidt and his FKP Scorpio team now work on with fellow CTS Eventim-owned promoter, DreamHaus. Indeed, having announced Slipknot as one of next year’s headliners, Ring and Park 2025 sold out 50,000 tickets in the first day of presale following this year’s 6-8 June twin events – the best presale in its history.
Hurricane and Southside also enjoyed strong presales following their 2023 editions thanks to strong campaigns in the immediate aftermath of the festivals.
“Selling tickets to the very enthusiastic people who just had a great time at your festival is very important, but you have to sell the tickets right away, because if you wait a few months, then it’s much tougher to get all these people on board again. But with the enthusiasm and the great experience they had, they’re on fire to go next year again,” notes Thanscheidt.
That was certainly the experience at Wacken Open Air last year. Despite being forced to run the festival at a significantly reduced capacity because of the conditions caused by rain and thunderstorms, all 85,000 tickets for the 2024 edition were snapped up in just four-and-a-half hours in the day after the event – a new record for Wacken.
“The festival scene in Spain is vibrant and bustling with activity this year”
Elsewhere, the growing festival market in Spain is thriving, despite the challenges, according to Mad Cool principals Cindy Castillo and Javier Arnáiz. “The festival scene in Spain is vibrant and bustling with activity this year,” says Arnáiz. “While there have been a few logistical challenges and economic pressures, we’re also seeing a surge of new events and innovative concepts emerging. I would say the overall energy is very positive, with both organisers and attendees eager to have live music experiences.”
Ahead of the year’s 10-13 July festival, he reports, “Ticket sales for Mad Cool 2024 are performing well, on par with our expectations and previous years. We’ve seen robust demand, which reflects the anticipation and excitement surrounding this year’s lineup and the unique experiences we have planned.”
But Arnáiz notes that Spain is not immune from the pressures being experienced around the world by festival organisers.
“Rising costs across the board, coupled with the need to keep ticket prices accessible, have required us to be very strategic in our planning and resource allocation,” he says. “Our team is focused on finding efficiencies wherever possible without compromising the quality of the festival. To manage this, we are optimising our operations to maintain high standards without significantly raising ticket prices. This includes strategic partnerships and sponsorships that help offset costs, ensuring that we can continue to deliver a top-notch experience for our attendees.”
Although the 2024 European festival season is barely a month old, trends such as late ticket purchasing are being reported throughout the continent. However, while acknowledging the cost-of-living crisis, Thanscheidt believes such dilemmas can be market specific.
The Olympic Games (and Paralympics) in particular have impacted the summer calendar in France
“In Germany, the people who have decided they will go to the festival are spending like they always did,” he notes. “But if you go to Scandinavia, it’s different – they usually buy a lot later. So, it really depends on each market, but for Germany, the major part of our business, booking-wise and also selling the tickets, is done before Christmas for the following year. And then in springtime, you do your marketing and other creative activities to get the rest over the line.”
Playing games
While rising costs are crippling events across Europe, the situation has been complicated this year by two major sports gatherings requiring equipment that otherwise would be hired by festival organisers.
“Both the Olympics in Paris and the UEFA European Championships in Germany use a lot of infrastructure, meaning it’s been more difficult than usual to source everything that festivals need,” observes Holger Jan Schmidt, general secretary of Yourope, the European festivals association.
The Olympic Games (and Paralympics) in particular have impacted the summer calendar in France. Lollapalooza Paris will not happen this year after security restrictions rendered the event unfeasible: Lolla’s organisers had been restricted to a reduced capacity of 7,000 people. Live Nation France director Angelo Gopee comments, “We were advised to hold the festival on a single day to keep the Lollapalooza spirit alive in 2024 and not skip a year without a festival.” However, the promoter decided to shelve this year’s edition, with the festival set to return in July 2025.
And it’s not just Paris-based events that are affected, as nationally, many have had to reschedule their dates, such as Musilac in Aix-les-Bains, or even completely cancel their edition, like Montjoux Festival and Magnifique Society in Reims.
“The rise in production costs, audience attendance, and booking are the top concerns among our members”
Schmidt says that Yourope will discuss the season’s successes and failures at their next meeting in October – which coincidentally will be held in Paris – as well as the European Festival summit in Karlsruhe, Germany in November. But he says many of the trials facing him and his peers this year have been anticipated.
“If you look at the European Festival Report (EFR 2023) we published with IQ, when we asked our members about the challenges, they expected to face this year, they identified the rise in production costs, audience attendance, and booking as their top concerns,” says Schmidt.
Earth, wind & fire
One aspect of festival life organisers cannot count on is the weather, and with climate change seemingly setting new all-time records on a month-to-month basis, the 2024 season is proving problematic around the world.
The US festival, Lovers & Friends, was cancelled less than 15 hours before its gates were scheduled to open on 4 May, due to “dangerous weather.” Promoted by Live Nation, the one-day Las Vegas festival had a lineup including Usher, Backstreet Boys, Janet Jackson, and Alicia Keys. However, after advice from the National Weather Service, which warned of “gusts potentially more than 60mph,” the decision was taken to shelve the event.
Not so last minute but equally damaging, the team behind Sacramento’s Sol Blume cancelled the 3-5 May festival two weeks before it was set to take place because of the lasting effects from the torrential rain that drenched California in late February.
The grand finale of last year’s Burning Man had to be postponed twice after rainstorms
Also in May, the inaugural Gazebo Festival in Kentucky lost its second day of programming due to tornado warnings, while Sueños Music Festival in the neighbouring state of Illinois had to delay the start of its second day due to storms, later leading to an evacuation of the festival site.
On the same weekend, across the Atlantic, heavy rain at the Leeds leg of UK festival Slam Dunk forced organisers to warn fans with mobility issues to avoid attending.
Earlier in the year, the final night of Australia’s Pitch Music and Arts Festival was cancelled following an extreme fire danger warning. The Untitled Group-promoted camping event in Moyston, Victoria, was called off in advance of its scheduled 10 March finale.
And proving that not even desert-based gatherings can escape the ravages of climate change, the grand finale of last year’s Burning Man had to be postponed twice after rainstorms turned Nevada’s Black Rock location into a mud bath.
Strength in numbers
With his summer season well underway, Thanscheidt is enjoying a new collaboration with Dreamhouse that involves the Berlin-based business teaming up with Hamburg-based FKP in the Eventim Live network.
“We really need to be realistic on this, and we need to get production costs under control”
“We work together on all different levels. At the moment, the focus is on two areas: booking and production,” reveals Thanscheidt.
On the latter point, he states, “We all know how much the costs went up since the pandemic, but we need to get this under control because the main problem with festivals now is that the ticket prices for the first time are at their limit, but the costs are still going up. It’s a dead-end street if we do not find ways to create sustainable future models for festivals.
“Of course, you can always do better on food-and-beverage sales, merchandise, sponsorship deals, and up-sales like glamping and VIP packages. Those do bring in a lot of money, but it’s not a complete game changer – they’re not going to cover your costs. So, we really need to be realistic on this, and we need to get production costs under control.”
However, Thanscheidt dismisses notions that many festivals will simply die if the various challenges facing the sector are not addressed.
“If you are also a tour promoter, you need to serve your bands with festival slots, so being involved in festivals is crucial,” he says. “I can’t do what other events have done by reducing the number of stages at Hurricane and Southside. In fact, it’s the opposite: ideally, I would need one more stage, to be very honest, to put all the content of the acts we’re putting on tour. Ultimately, our festival platforms are one of the main tool to get new talent assigned to our company for different markets.”
“The time of the great growth of festivals is over. It has become a fight-and-survive market”
Taxing issues
In response to the developing crisis in the UK, the AIF has launched a campaign called Five Percent For Festivals, which encourages fans to lobby politicians for a VAT reduction on tickets from 20% to 5%.
“The CMS inquiry into grassroots music venues made a recommendation to look at the modelling of VAT in [grassroots venues], and the conversation has widened to say that should include festivals,” Rostron says. “I think there will be intervention. My concern is that by the time something does happen, how many [festivals] will have gone?”
Meanwhile, the Dutch industry is following a similar path, as industry professionals there are also campaigning for their government to reconsider plans for 2026 that will see VAT rise from 9% to 21% for concert and festival tickets.
Whatever the outcome of their lobbying, it comes too late for Mañana Mañana, which announced that its tenth edition would be the last because ticket sales were not good enough to make the event profitable. The festival bade farewell following its 13-16 June finale in Achterhoek.
And it appears that the Dutch indie scene is also enduring a tough year, as at least 60 festivals with over 3,000 attendees have been cancelled in 2024, according to event researcher Lex Kruijver of Respons Evenementen, who told newspaper Algemeen Dagblad that only 30 new festivals have been launched this year so far.
“The time of the great growth of festivals is over. It has become a fight-and-survive market,” says Kruijver.
“Stay strong, but especially stay creative, because you have to cope with a world full of problems at the moment”
Silver linings
Fortunately, it’s not all bad news everywhere in the festival world. Swiss new music showcase Radar recently announced that its sixth edition will see it expanding into new locations, while adding an extra day to the programme. The Gadget Entertainment-promoted event will return to Langstrasse Zurich in September, showcasing 25 acts across eight venues – Frame, Gonzo, Zukunft, Bar 3000, Alte Kaserne, Waxy Bar, Plaza, and Longstreet Bar.
On a larger scale, Madrid’s Mad Cool also has an additional day of programming this year, amongst a raft of changes aimed to improve the visitor experience.
“Adding an extra day and decreasing the number of stages has been particularly well-received,” says Arnáiz. “The new site layout has also been designed to enhance the overall experience, making navigation easier and improving accessibility.”
Emphasising the importance of maintaining a dialogue with the fans, Mad Cool colleague Cindy Castillo adds, “We have communicated these changes effectively through a multi-channel approach via our website, social media, and email newsletters. We also use video content. Additionally, our customer service team is always available to answer any questions, ensuring that fans feel informed and excited.”
Weathering the storm
With his remit including the oversight of more than 20 FKP Scorpio-owned festivals, Thanscheidt is urging his peers around Europe to keep the faith.
“Stay strong, but especially stay creative, because you have to cope with a world full of problems at the moment,” he says. “Also, think about your setup. Do you really need everything? Or is it better to cut something out to invest in something else?”
“Although Yourope is the biggest association for music festivals in Europe, it cannot master this challenge alone”
Schmidt highlights the need for more communication and sharing of information among the continent’s festival community, as a gateway to developing a healthier industry. He points to Yourope’s EU-funded Future-Fit Festivals (3F) as a resource for everyone looking for solutions to make the festival season sustainable long-term. The resource features numerous roadmaps, tool-kits, best practises, action plans, and reports.
“3F seeks to address three key questions: What does the responsible festival of the future look like, and how do we achieve that? What makes European festivals resilient to meet the challenges of the future? And how do tomorrow’s festivals ensure that they continue to play a relevant role in popular culture and the lives of millions of young people?” says Schmidt.
“Although Yourope is the biggest association for music festivals in Europe, it cannot master this challenge alone. So, to include the entire industry in the process, we are establishing systematic dialogue structures to encourage exchange between creative industry professionals, audiences, artists, as well as public and private decision makers.”
During the three years of the project, the association has conducted several pan-European surveys to gather information on the sector in general and on the 3F focus topics in particular. “We need as many events as possible to contribute to 3F. The outcome will hopefully provide everyone with information, tools, and structure that will ensure that the festival business will grow and thrive in the decades ahead of us,” says Schmidt.
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Ten new festivals for 2024
Every year, intrepid promoters and event organisers roll out new concepts and innovative ideas to launch music festivals around the world – and 2024 is no different, with dozens of gatherings set to be added to the calendar. Looking towards the coming months, IQ previews ten of the most talked about new festivals that artists and fans can look forward to attending during 2024…
SUMMER SONIC (TH)
Location: Impact Challenger Hall, Bangkok
Promoter: Creativeman
Dates: 24-25 August
Capacity: 25,000-40,000 per day
One of Japan’s biggest international festivals is expanding to Bangkok this year. Summer Sonic, which will be held over the 17-18 August weekend in its traditional twin homes of Tokyo and Osaka, will add a further weekend a week later in the Thai capital, where it will host a mix of Japanese, Asian, and international talent.
“Nowadays, overseas festivals are spreading to various regions and achieving success, and Korean artists are active all over the world, so we are starting Summer Sonic Bangkok as a way for Japan to connect with the world through music,” comments Creativeman CEO Naoki Shimizu. “We will aim for a more attractive and powerful lineup by booking great artists in both countries.”
The last edition of Summer Sonic that took place outside of Japan was Summer Sonic Shanghai in 2017. It featured a lineup headlined by Luna Sea, followed by The Kooks, Placebo, Nothing But Thieves, Sum 41, Travis, The Fratellis, and more. Korean operation ICA has partnered with Creativeman to programme the inaugural Thai edition and is aiming for a mix of acts that can attract a split of 60% local Thai fans and 40% international visitors.
summersonic.com
ROLLING LOUD EUROPE (AT)
Location: Racino in Ebreichsdorf, Vienna
Promoter: Live Nation
Dates: 5-7 July
Capacity: 60,000
Hip-hop festival franchise Rolling Loud will launch in Austria this summer as the only European edition of the US-based festival brand.
The inaugural Austrian edition, dubbed Rolling Loud Europe, will take over the Racino open-air venue in Ebreichsdorf, on the outskirts of capital city Vienna, with organisers promising that “some of the most outstanding and hottest representatives of US, British, and European rap will perform”.
Launched in 2015, the Miami-hailing festival has also run events in Los Angeles, New York, Sydney, Toronto, and is also plotting a debut event in Thailand this year. In Europe, most recently Rolling Loud has been staged in the Dutch city of Rotterdam, Munich in Germany, and Portimão located on Portugal’s Algarve.
europe.rollingloud.com
IN THE MEADOWS (IE)
Location: The Royal Hospital, Kilmainham
Promoters: Aiken Promotions and Pod Concerts
Date: 8 June
Capacity: 15,000
Dublin will be the host of a new one-day festival called In The Meadows, organised by Aiken Promotions and Pod Concerts.
Mercury Award-nominated Irish folk music group Lankum are due to headline the inaugural event at The Royal Hospital in Kilmainham – a 17th century complex that now houses the Irish Museum of Modern Art and in the past has played host to artists including Leonard Cohen, Bon Iver, Blur, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Patti Smith, High Flying Birds, boygenius, and The War On Drugs.
The historic hospital site is also home to Forbidden Fruit, a festival that Aiken and Pod have also been partners in producing for the last 12 years.
pod.ie/events/2024/lankum
WILD FIELDS (UK)
Location: Raynham Estate, Norfolk
Promoters: ATC Group and Wild Paths
Dates: 15-18 August
Capacity: 10,000
ATC Group and the team behind Norwich-based multi-venue festival Wild Paths are partnering to create a new event on the Raynham Estate in North Norfolk.
Wild Fields will “showcase the best music from across the genre spectrum, pairing it with woodland dining, immersive performance, and wellness experiences,” according to the organisers, who have confirmed Ezra Collective, SBTRKT, Los Bitchos, and Nightmares on Wax among the more established names on the bill. The lineup will also offer “a truly diverse range of festival performers,” as the event has signed up to Keychange’s 50/50 pledge.
Festival director Ben Street says, “Wild Fields will be a truly unique event with a varied and progressive musical lineup paired with renowned wellness practitioners, festival banquets, and immersive performance. From dawn to dusk and deep, deep into the night, there’ll be a plethora of groundbreaking bands and DJs to keep even the most seasoned festival reveller entertained and inspired.”
Wild Fields reportedly has a five-year deal with the site owner and will aim to grow its capacity year-on-year.
wildfields.co.uk
MINNESOTA YACHT CLUB FESTIVAL (US)
Location: Harriet Island Regional Park, Saint Paul
Promoter: C3 Presents
Dates: 19-20 July
Capacity: 30,000-35,000 per day
The first-ever Minnesota Yacht Club Festival will bring fans together for two days of performances across two stages with no overlapping sets between the 20 artists: organisers claim there will be “no schedule conflicts on this riverbank!”
Using Harriet Island Regional Park in the heart of downtown Saint Paul, Minnesota, alongside the Mississippi River, promoters C3 Presents are planning a variety of premium ticket options to incorporate historic riverboat rides, comfortable lounges, exclusive food options, air-conditioned restrooms, and more.
Launching the event, C3’s Tim Sweetwood stated, “When you consider that the Twin Cities [Minneapolis–Saint Paul] is a big enough market to support five major-league sports teams, I don’t see why it can’t support one major music festival, too.”
He added, “We’ll just have the two stages in the first year, and so you can only do so many genres, but we’ll cover adult-contemporary, rock, pop, some blues, a cool mix like that.”
minnesotayachtclubfestival.com
TOMORROWLAND PRESENTS CORE MEDELLÍN (CO)
Location: Medellín
Promoter: Breakfast Club/Tomorrowland
Dates: 11-12 May
Capacity: 10,000
Tomorrowland is taking its brand to the Colombian city of Medellín, with the help of local promoter Breakfast Club.
The EDM giant will transport its newly created CORE stage to Medellín’s botanical garden for the two-day event on 11 and 12 May. Built over the course of a year, the fully transportable stage is 17 metres high and 30 metres wide, and incorporates strobes, fog machines and fireworks fountains, among other features.
The state-of-the-art stage debuted in January at Tomorrowland Presents Core Tulum in Mexico, and is slated to ‘pop up around the globe’ over the coming year. In addition to Belgium, Colombia, and Mexico, Tomorrowland has also been exported to France and Brazil.
At Tomorrowland Presents Core Medellín, the structure will house performances from “the leading names” in house and techno. The new festival is supported by Breakfast Club, the decade-old promoter behind Medellín festivals Ritvales and La Solar Festival.
core.world/medellin
BESAME MUCHO (US)
Location: Circuit of the Americas racetrack, Austin
Promoters: Tropicália and La Tocada
Date: 2 March
Capacity: TBC
Latin music festival Besame Mucho is expanding to the Texan music city of Austin, following two successful years in Los Angeles.
Tapping into a growing interest in Latin music, Besame Mucho’s first editions (both at Dodger Stadium) reportedly sold out in minutes. Capitalising on that demand, organisers have hired the Circuit of the Americas race circuit for its Texan debut, where more than 60 acts will perform across four stages.
Confirmed talent includes Los Tigres del Norte, Banda MS, Grupo Frontera, La Ley, Caifanes, El Tri, Alejandra Guzmán, Gloria Trevi, Café Tacvba, and Molotov.
With tickets priced between $275 for general admission and $950 for platinum, organisers revealed that the first Texan edition of the festival sold out within hours of going on sale on 3 November.
besamemuchofestival.com/austin
MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL MIAMI (US)
Location: Hangar at Regatta Harbour, Miami
Promoter: Montreux Jazz International
Dates: 1-3 March
Capacity: 1,500 per day
As one of the most recognised festival brands in the world, Montreux Jazz Festival has been taking its identity overseas since 1978, but will this year make its debut in Florida with a lineup that will include band leader Jon Batiste & Friends, Daryl Hall, and Brazilian sensation Daniela Mercury.
To recreate the intimacy of Montreux, the inaugural edition of Montreux Jazz Festival Miami will be hosted in the 1,500-capacity Hangar venue in the city’s upscale Coconut Grove district. The historic seaplane hangar will be the centrepiece of the three-day event, which will also offer guests curated dining options from some of Miami’s best chefs and restaurants.
A second stage in the outdoor VIP area will be used for sunset concerts by emerging artists, while the parent festival’s legendary Montreux Jam Session will be recreated each night, bringing together some of the talent for unique collaborations.
Single-day tickets are priced at $219 for general admission, while three-day VIP passes start at $1,999.
Montreux first went international in 1978 with the São Paulo Festival in Brazil, and has since granted licences for Detroit (1980), Atlanta (1986), Tokyo (1998), Monaco (2001), Rio de Janeiro (2019), and Hangzou (2021).
montreuxjazzfestivalmiami.com
UNTOLD (UA)
Location: Expo City Dubai
Promoter: Untold
Dates: 15-18 February
Capacity: 70,000 per night
Dubai is set to gain its own edition of Untold, which is being touted locally as the biggest festival the city has ever seen.
Launched in Romania in 2015, the event has become one of the largest festivals in Europe, with a capacity of around 100,000, thanks to performances from artists including Imagine Dragons, Robbie Williams, Major Lazer, J Balvin, The Script, Jason Derulo, and Ellie Goulding, while DJs including David Guetta, Martin Garrix, Steve Aoki, The Chainsmokers, Axwell, and Hardwell have also delivered sets.
Superstar DJ Armin van Buuren is partnering with the festival’s promoters to bring the event to the Gulf state, while more than 100 acts are apparently being lined up to populate the schedule across at least five stages.
Festival co-founder Edy Chereji says, “Dubai is one of the top tourism destinations in the world. We have an amazing site over there, and by working with our stakeholders, we hope to create something that will be the next big icon for Dubai and bring more tourists to this great city.”
untold.ae
LOVIN’ LIFE(US)
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Promoter: Southern Entertainment
Dates: 3-5 May
Capacity: 25,000-30,000
Post Malone, Stevie Nicks, and Noah Kahan are slated to headline the inaugural edition of Lovin’ Life music festival in North Carolina this May.
The three-day event will take place in the city’s downtown N Brevard Street site, adjacent to the Spectrum Center arena, with 40 artists performing across three stages.
Lovin’ Life is being organised by Southern Entertainment – a Charlotte-based promoter behind music festivals such as Carolina Country Music Fest in South Carolina and the Barefoot Country Music Fest in New Jersey.
“After producing events all over the East Coast, we’ve dreamt of bringing a major music festival to Charlotte, and the Lovin’ Life Music Fest is our passion project,” says Bob Durkin, co-founder and partner of Southern Entertainment.
“We’re thrilled to support the ongoing effort to make our hometown of Charlotte a music city in such a big way.”
Tickets for the festival range from $269 for three-day general admission to $1,199 for three-day Super VIP. lovinlifemusicfest.com
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Playing the field: Ten new festivals for 2023
Fresh from 2022’s massive bounceback for the live business, it’s no surprise that this year is seeing a wealth of new arrivals on the international festival scene. Here, IQ previews ten of those inaugural events to learn what unique traits each has to lure consumers to buy tickets, and why their creators have decided that now is the right time to open the gates in what many consider to be an already over-saturated marketplace.
PROJECT 6
Where: Brockwell Park, London, UK
When: 26 May 2023
Headliners: Ghetts, Shy Fx: Specials, and Fabio & Grooverider and The Outlook Orchestra
“Project 6 Festival combines everything we love, from our experience of running festivals to our love of London’s incredible clubbing scene, offering something outside the box from the traditional daytime festival model, with the addition of ten night-time sessions across some of the city’s best-loved dancefloors,” explains James Rice, one of the principals at event promoters Outlook.
“At the tail end of 2022, we were invited to become part of south London’s Brockwell Live series and jumped at the chance to bring what we do across Outlook, Undivide, Free From Sleep, and our other events and projects to our hometown and the city and scenes that we cherish.”
In addition to the headliners, attendees can expect live performances from the likes of Mala and Joe Armon-Jones and their new full live band, as well as Ojerime, FLOHIO, Lex Amor, Dréya Mac, and many more, alongside some of the scene’s biggest and brightest DJs and MCs.
PRIMAVERA SOUND MADRID
Where: Ciudad de Rock, Arganda del Rey, Madrid, Spain
When: 5-11 June 2023
Headliners: Pet Shop Boys, Blur, Halsey, New Order, Kendrick Lamar, Depeche Mode, Rosalía, and Calvin Harris
Organised as a mirror event to Primavera Sound in Barcelona, which takes place the previous week, the inaugural Madrid edition will take place just outside the Spanish capital on a site that was purpose-built to host Rock in Rio Madrid back in 2008. The complex can cater for up to 96,000 visitors.
In parallel with its sister events in Barcelona (29 May-4 June) and Por- to (7-10 June), the new festival allows organisers to offer artists and their agents multiple dates, rather than just one, helping bookers attract world-class acts. And as with those festivals, Primavera Sound Madrid will operate a gender-balanced policy for its line-up.
“It’s different from Barcelona because we have lots of local people living not only in Madrid but also from southern and eastern Spain that are coming, as well as lots of international people,” says festival director Almudena Heredero. “We are working together with a number of institutions and authorities in Madrid to make this a success, as everyone is determined that the city should have a festival like Primavera Sound here for the long term. Through Madrid’s venue association, we have organised concerts in the lead-up to the festival, as we do in Barcelona, and we have a year-round programme to imprint the Primavera brand on the cultural life of Madrid and not just for the days of the festival,” she adds.
SPEX
Where: Bernexpo, Bern, Switzerland
When: 21-22 July 2023
Headliners: RIN and Alligatoah
German and Swiss rap music will have a brand-new platform this summer at the inaugural Spex Festival taking place in the Swiss capital. Joining the headliners are Ufo361, Yung Hurn, Kool Savas, SSIO, Stereo Luchs, Nura, and many more hip-hop acts with organisers Gadget abc Entertainment pricing tickets low to attract a younger audience and maybe even first-time festivalgoers.
In addition to 26 acts across two stages, Gadget is programming various activities in the areas of sports, lifestyle, and fashion, with the hope that around 10,000 people per day will attend, although the flexibility of the Bernexpo site could allow that number to increase.
“We have been planning Spex for about 18 months, as hip-hop is a growing market in Switzerland,” says promoter Christof Huber. “Other festivals target international acts, but German language acts are becoming more popular here, so we wanted to support them while delivering something that younger fans can relate to and enjoy.”
AFRO NATION
Where: Bedrock Douglass, Detroit, USA
When: 19–20 August 2023
Headliners: TBC
The successful Afro Nation brand has already made headlines in Ghana, Portugal, and Puerto Rico, and makes its US debut in Florida in late May, but the expansion into Detroit will truly be a historic move. “When considering which US cities would be right for our Afro Nation festival, Detroit was a clear choice,” says Natasha Manley, CEO of promoters Event Horizon.
“The musical legacy, culture, people and community of Detroit connects to why we started Afro Nation: to celebrate Black music and culture. Our diverse global audience will undoubtedly enjoy the unique Detroit show and appreciate the immense influence of Detroit on the evolution of music.”
The brand is bringing the likes of Burna Boy and Wizkid to Miami’s LoanDepot, while the line-up for Detroit – on the site of the city’s Bedrock Douglass Projects which Motown legends like Diana Ross and Smokey Robinson once called home – is still to be announced.
WOODSTOCK MUSIC AND ART FAIR
Where: Hantangang River Geopark, Pocheon, South Korea
When: 28-30 July 2023
Headliners: Loudness, Dynamic Duo, Boohwal, No Brain, 6band, Kim Do-kyun, Insooni, Kim Kyung-ho, and Kim Wan-sun
Having received permission to organise the first-ever incarnation of Woodstock to be held outside of the United States, Korean music business giant SGC Entertainment has, so far, announced an eclectic mix of hip-hop, rock, and pop stars for this new summer gathering.
The event’s main headliner, Japanese metal outfit Loudness, were the first Asian heavy rock band to enter the Billboard 200 charts, and enjoy a very strong following in Korea. With the themes of “freedom, peace, and love,” the festival has been created to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Korean Armistice Agreement, which was signed on 27 July 1953, bringing about an end to the Korean War. Organisers says more acts will be announced closer to the festival date.
RUBIX FESTIVAL
Where: Porto Montenegro, Tivat, Montenegro
When: 28-30 July 2023
Headliners: DJ Damian Lazarus, Morcheeba, John Malkovich, and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Taking place in the Bay of Kotor in the Adriatic Riviera, Rubix Festival aims to immerse around 8,000 festivalgoers in a creative world of fulfilment and self-expression, with music, art, cinema, and technology all forming part of the performances, masterclasses, workshops, and exhibitions on offer.
Set against the stunning waterfront backdrop of the vibrant nautical village and state-of-the-art superyacht marina, Porto Montenegro, the event will see attendees participate in everything from wine tasting to chefs’ tables, 3D printing masterclasses to body painting, and street art exhibitions to sculpture.
“Rubix is the ultimate fusion of entertainment, immersing festival goers in a unique creative world, and we’re thrilled to bring an event of this scope to the region for the first time,” says Danilo Kalezic, senior manager at Porto Montenegro. “Immerse yourself in electric drama, captivating art exhibitions, engaging workshops, and a cinema corner that will transport you to another world. Get ready to discover your true self, express your creativity, and indulge in unforgettable feasts and magical moments.”
ROCK N ROLL CIRCUS
Where: Don Valley Bowl, Sheffield, UK
When: 1-3 September 2023
Headliners: Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Happy Mondays, Self Esteem, and Confidence Man
Utilising local star Rebecca Lucy Taylor, aka Self Esteem, to curate this new festival in her native Yorkshire, AGN Events is looking forward to welcoming around 7,500 fans per day to this three-day event.
“Sheffield has such a strong tradition for live music, so we are really excited to be hosting our touring concept there,” says AGN Events director Ali O’Reilly. “There is nothing like it in the market – watching your favourite artists alongside incredible fire performers, aerialists, contortionists, and much more – the show is bringing a new dimension to the concert experience.”
Self Esteem’s appearance at the festival will reportedly mark the end of her I Tour This All The Time run of dates, which began in February this year to celebrate her smash-hit second album, Prioritise Pleasure. “Sheffield. I just had to come back one more time before I fully commit to writing again,” Taylor said of the new festival. “I’ve also curated my actual dream line-up to join me. I am genuinely deeply excited.”
POWER TRIP
Where: Empire Polo Club, Indio, California, USA
When: 6-8 October 2023
Headliners: Guns N’ Roses, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica, and Tool
Seen as something of a follow-up to 2018’s record-breaking Desert Trip, Power Trip gathers some of hard rock’s most legendary acts for a weekend of headbanging on the same site as festival darling Coachella and country music stalwart Stagecoach.
The new festival comes two years after promoter Goldenvoice signed a long-term agreement with the Empire Polo Club to use the location for additional festivals. While Power Trip has yet to provoke the same scramble for tickets that saw Desert Trip’s line-up of Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, The Who, and Roger Waters programming a repeat weekend, hotel packages and VIP passes are reportedly selling well, despite general admission passes being set at $599 + fees. Pit VIP packages, meanwhile, are priced at $3,448 including fees.
When it took place in 2016, each Desert Trip weekend accommodated over 70,000 fans.
THE TOWN
Where: Interlagos Racetrack, São Paulo, Brazil
When: 2, 3, 7, 9, 10 September 2023
Headliners: Post Malone, Maroon 5, Foo Fighters, and Bruno Mars (for two dates)
From the creators of Rock in Rio, The Town will debut in Brazil’s biggest city, where an estimated audience of 500,000 will attend five days of shows in an area of the city’s Interlagos Racetrack that is being completely renovated for the occasion. Construction teams are creating a sewage system to negate the need for chemical toilets, while synthetic grass is being installed to prevent mud in the case of rain. The reforms will also integrate under- ground pipes so the festival can run electricity cables.
The new festival is being touted as São Paulo’s answer to Rock in Rio, with organisers programming more than 235 hours of performances in the City of Music, which will host six stages. According to a survey by the Getulio Vargas Foundation, an economic impact of more than $260m is expected, in addition to generating more than 19,000 direct jobs.
“I love Brazil intensely,” says promoter Roberto Medina. “And, just like Rock in Rio, The Town was born from this passion for our land, from the amplification of looking at new opportunities, and from the desire that the pandemic brought me in these months of confinement to bring something new. It will be surprising. The entire concept was conceived based on an inspiring and cosmopolitan São Paulo, in addition to being ready to host an event of this magnitude.”
COUNTRY BAY MUSIC FESTIVAL
Where: Miami Marine Stadium, Florida, USA
When: 11-12 November 2023
Headliners: Thomas Rhett, Sam Hunt, Chris Young, Lee Brice, and Lainey Wilson
“South Florida is a [high in demand] entertainment destination, which currently doesn’t have any country music festivals,” states promoter Nelson Albareda, CEO of Loud And Live. “If you couple that with the fact that country music has a big and loyal following amongst Hispanics, we saw it as a big opportunity in the market, both within the music genre and geographically, to produce Miami’s first two-day country music festival.”
Noting that Miami has become a global entertainment destination hosting major music events like Rolling Loud and Ultra Music Festival to global sporting events like Formula 1 and the next football World Cup, Albareda adds, “Our goal is to create a memorable experience for music fans and our partner sponsors alike and ultimately establish Miami as a destination for country music enthusiasts from around the world.”
Miami Marine Stadium has a rich country music history, including iconic shows by the likes of Jimmy Buffett and Kenny Rogers, giving Loud And Live the confidence to set a daily capacity of 25,000 for its inaugural Country Bay Music Festival. “With the incredible line-up of top country music artists and a picturesque waterfront venue, this music festival will be like no other,” Albareda enthuses.
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Unprecedented number of new fests to launch in ’22
FKP Scorpio is the latest promoter to add to an unprecedented number of new festivals launching this season.
The CTS Eventim-backed promoter today announced a trio of new festivals, set to take place in Sweden, Norway and Denmark during the second weekend in June.
Rosendal Garden Party (SE) will take place on the Djurgården island in Stockholm, with headliners The Strokes, Florence + The Machine, The National and Tyler, The Creator.
Loaded (NO) will see up to 7,000 people watch artists such as Wilco, Sharon Van Etten and Susan Sundfør at the Vulkan Openair Amphitheatre in Nedre Foss, Oslo.
Syd for Solen (DK), organised by FKP’s Danish subsidiary smash!bang!pow!, is slated to take place in Søndermarken Park, Copenhagen, with headliners Liam Gallagher, The National and Jungle.
The German powerhouse is also gearing up to launch a new open-air festival in Berlin called Tempelhof Sounds, in collaboration with Dreamhaus and Loft Concerts.
FKP isn’t the only live music behemoth set to expand its stable of events this year. Fellow German promoter Goodlive will finally launch its new Munich-based event Superbloom, after two pandemic-related postponements.
FKP Scorpio announced a trio of new festivals, set to take place in Sweden, Norway and Denmark
In the UK, AEG and Team Love are launching a new 30,000-capacity metropolitan festival, Forwards, in Bristol. Kilimanjaro is planning a new “indie and alternative sounds” festival in Norwich called Neck of the Woods. And Festival Republic is adding to its triple bill of August bank holiday festivals with Electric City.
Elsewhere in Europe, Tomorrowland and Rock Werchter have joined forces to launch Core, a new two-day festival in Brussels. While, Last Tour, the Spanish festival organiser and concert promoter behind Bilbao BBK Live, has announced not one but two new European fests – Cala Mijas in Spain and Kalorama in Portugal.
Meanwhile, the US festival calendar has gained a pair of reggaeton festivals with Goldenvoice’s California Vibrations, and Sueños Music Festival (Dreams Music Festival) from the producers behind Baja Beach Fest, Chicago’s Reventon Promotions, and Lollapalooza.
Alongside these brand new events, a raft of longstanding festivals are branching out to new markets. Primavera Sound, which already holds events in Barcelona and Porto, is shipping its brand to Los Angeles (US), Sao Paulo (BR), Santiago (CL) and Buenos Aires (AR) in 2022. While Sonar and Rolling Loud are each taking their tried-and-tested formulas to Portugal this year.
Elsewhere in the 2022 festival calendar, a crop of new indie events are putting a spin on the traditional greenfield affair. In It Together (UK) is encouraging festivalgoers to bring their grandparents for free, Velio Festival (UK) is reinventing the wheel with its cycling format, and Barley Arts’ Comfort (IT) is offering fans a more relaxing festival experience.
Meanwhile, some new festivals are ditching the greenfield blueprint altogether. 8 festival (LT) is scheduled to take place in a former 20th-century prison while Hammership will draw metal fans to the high seas.
The impending summer season will also see the launch of festivals serving underrepresented communities such as Flesh (UK), Let’s Get Free (US) and Strength of a Woman (US).
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Goldenvoice positions itself for new events at Coachella site
Goldenvoice has signed a long-term agreement with the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, which will enable the promoter to stage additional festivals on the site.
The 642-plus acre desert oasis has been home to Goldenvoice’s Coachella Valley Arts & Music Festival since its inception in 1999, as well as its country music counterpart, Stagecoach, which first took place on the grounds in 2007.
The newly announced deal will see the AEG Presents subsidiary take over year-round operations at the festival site and polo fields, which are estimated to be worth US$80 million, according to local land records.
Additionally, the LA-based promoter and live events company is permitted to host two additional three-day events on the site every year, according to Billboard, prompting speculation that Desert Trip may return to the site after its debut in 2016.
“The new long-term lease will assure that the iconic Coachella and Stagecoach will continue for many years to come”
The deal also provides Goldenvoice oversight of the Empire Grand Oasis, a special event property in Thermal, California.
The Haagen Family, owner of the Empire Polo Club, says: “We are pleased to continue our long-term relationship with Paul Tollett and Goldenvoice. The new long-term lease will assure that the iconic Coachella and Stagecoach Music Festivals will continue for many years to come and allow Goldenvoice to expand their vast catalogue of musical acts on both of Empire’s properties. We wish the very best to AEG, Goldenvoice, and Paul Tollett with their future plans.”
Paul Tollett, president at Goldenvoice, says: “Goldenvoice has had a unique relationship with Empire Polo Club for over twenty-five years. It is a privilege to now take over the operations of the venue and we look forward to continuing to build upon the special history that has been established there. It’s immeasurable how much we’ve learned from Al Haagen.”
In August, Indio City Council extended its development agreement with Goldenvoice, allowing Coachella and Stagecoach to take place in the city until 2050. The promoter generates $3.5m for the city of Indio each year, according to city records.
Goldenvoice is one of the world’s biggest promoters; the company produces several festivals, including recently announced California Vibrations, operates 14 mid-sized venues and promotes over 1,800 shows per year.
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