Springsteen’s Oslo concerts to be battery powered
Live Nation Norway will introduce electricity from mobile batteries for Bruce Springsteen’s upcoming concerts in Oslo, Norway.
Springsteen and The E Street Band are due to play two concerts at Voldsløkka (cap. 40,000) on 30 June and 2 July.
Thanks to a new partnership between LN Norway and Norwegian renewable energy and technology company Eviny, the gigs will use electricity from mobile batteries – thereby significantly reducing the use of diesel generators.
Live Nation Norway festivals Tons of Rock and the newly launched Vaulen Open Air will also benefit from the introduction of Eviny’s batteries.
“At Live Nation Norway, we are taking the lead in finding new, emission-free solutions”
Eviny has been producing clean renewable energy from hydropower for over 100 years and is now investing in mobile batteries and energy solutions to slash emissions within Norway’s live music scene.
The partnership sees the promoter take a step closer to decarbonising its festivals’ energy sources, seven years ahead of the original goal date of 2030.
“At Live Nation Norway, we are taking the lead in finding new, emission-free solutions,” says Martin Nielsen, head promoter in Live Nation Norway. “Eviny will now become an energy partner where the goal is to take action and make a difference to pave the way for a more sustainable live music scene both nationally and globally.”
Marit Meland, business developer at Eviny, adds: “We see a huge interest from several industries that are moving full speed ahead into the green shift. We see more and more interest from markets where there is a temporary need for electricity. The live music scene is a part of this, both when it comes to concerts and other types of events.”
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All Things Live continues acquisition spree in Norway
All Things Live is strengthening its foothold in Norway with the acquisition of Oslo-based event agency All-In.
The deal comes weeks after All Things Live purchased one of Norway’s largest independent festival organisers, HES.
The group’s Norwegian business already spans booking, promotion, events, comedy and festival activities via subsidiaries Stageway, Komon Stageway, Latter and Stand Up Norge.
All-In was founded in 2017 by Jens Nesse, Jan Fredrik Karlsen and Petter Stordalen and now employs 10 people to work with corporate events, concerts and conferences for Norwegian and international customers.
In 2022, All-In had revenues of NOK 133 million (€9.9m) and NOK 15 million (€1.3m) in profits.
“We are proud of what we have achieved in All-In,” says Jens Nesse, co-founder and CEO of All-In. “After founding the company in 2017, the business has grown to become what we dreamt of. Becoming part of a family as ambitious as All Things Live will provide us with even more fuel to accelerate in the coming years.”
“We will gain a stronger foothold in an important market, enabling us to create even more unique experiences”
“We have found everything we were looking for in All Things Live. Loads of experience, great enthusiasm and a wide range of competencies. It is a powerful team with great resources within our field. What is not to like?” adds co-founder of All-In, Jens Fredrik Karlsen.
Gry Mølleskog, CEO of All Things Live Norway and the All Things Live Group: “The acquisition of All-In strengthens All Things Live’s position in the event market in Norway. In combination with our ownership of Komon-Stageway, we will gain a stronger foothold in an important market, enabling us to create even more unique experiences for our customers.
“The competencies in these two great event companies combined with the strong teams in Latter and Stand Up Norge, Komon-Stageway and HES will make All Things Live an even more attractive partner in the Norwegian event industry.”
In the last 12 months, the All Things Live group has acquired Agents After All (the Netherlands), Musickness (Belgium), Radar Concerti (Italy) and Amaze Festival (Sweden), alongside HES and All-In.
Since the Nordic group was founded by Waterland Private Equity in 2018, it has expanded to seven European countries and 19 companies, with offices in Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki, Copenhagen, Brussels, Milan and Amsterdam.
The company’s portfolio ranges from musical productions to music festivals and standup events to stadium concerts, with The Rolling Stones, Eminem, Katy Perry and Rammstein among its clients.
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All Things Live buys Norwegian promoter HES
All Things Live has acquired one of the largest independent festival organisers in Norway, HES.
Founded in 2010, the Oslo-based company is a full-service provider of festival organisation and operations.
HES’s 13-strong team is involved in festivals including Verket, Drøbakfestivalen, Hvalstrandfestivalen, Sarpsborgfestivalen, Lillehammer Live and Haikjeften, as well as music venue Verket Scene.
The acquisition sees All Things Live’s footprint in Norway expand to cover booking, promotion, events, comedy and festival activities via subsidiaries Stageway, Komon Stageway, Latter and Stand Up Norge.
“The HES team has built a strong business with clear growth prospects on the back of proven capabilities within festival organisation and operations,” says Gry Mølleskog, CEO of All Things Live Group.
“Since 2010, the team has established several successful festivals entertaining thousands of people every year, and we are pleased to welcome HES as part of All Things Live in Norway with a view to developing the business and accelerating the positive developments in the years ahead.”
“The HES team has built a strong business with clear growth prospects”
The management team – consisting of CEO Hans Petter Haaland and head of market Erle Strøm – and the organisation of HES remain unchanged, and existing contracts and customer relationships are not affected by the transaction. The current owners of HES become partners and co-owners of All Things Live.
“We are thrilled to team up with All Things Live and look forward to collaborating closely with a leading and respected European live entertainment player to build on our successes in Norway and create even greater live experiences for our audiences together,” says Hans Petter Haaland, CEO of HES.
“For more than a decade, we have organized and run more than 50 festivals and promoted many of Scandinavia’s best artists, and we will continue to do so with an even stronger organization as part of the All Things Live partnership.”
In the last 12 months, the All Things Live group has acquired Agents After All (the Netherlands), Musickness (Belgium), Radar Concerti (Italy) and Amaze Festival (Sweden).
Since the Nordic group was founded by Waterland Private Equity in 2018, it has expanded to seven European countries and 19 companies, with offices in Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki, Copenhagen, Brussels, Milan and Amsterdam.
The company’s portfolio ranges from musical productions to music festivals and standup events to stadium concerts, with The Rolling Stones, Eminem, Katy Perry and Rammstein among its clients.
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All Things Live promotes Norway’s biggest-ever gig
All Things Live has smashed the attendance record for a concert on Norwegian soil, hosting 60,000 fans at a Rammstein show.
The event took place on Sunday 24 June at Bjerke Travbane in Oslo and was the first-ever concert held at the horse racing track.
The previous attendance record was set by All Things Live subsidiary Atomic Soul with Eminem’s 2018 performance at Oslo Sommertid festival.
The rapper drew around 55,000 fans to the capital’s Voldsløkka sports stadium after tickets sold out in just six minutes.
Commenting on the Rammstein show, All Things Live Norway promoter Mark Vaughan says: “Bjerke Travbane was a fantastic venue to present this massive show. It doesn’t come any bigger than Rammstein and both band and crew were extremely happy after the show.”
All Things Live Norway has secured an exclusive agreement with Bjerke Travbane going forward, which will be the largest capacity arena in Norway.
“We have worked and invested a lot to make this venue compatible for the biggest artists in the world, now we have proved it works and we are looking forward to bringing stadium artists to Norway going forwards!” says Peer Osmundsvaag, All Things Live Norway.
“We are looking forward to bringing stadium artists to Norway going forwards”
News of the record-breaking concert comes as All Things Live announces yet another acquisition.
The private-equity-backed live entertainment group has sealed the deal with Stageway, a leading Norwegian live entertainment group that deals in artist management, booking and promoting.
The Bergen-based group’s activities are conducted via three companies: Stageway Talent, Komon Stageway and Stageway Teater.
Stageway Talent provides booking and promotion services across genres for a roster of more than 30 artists; Komon-Stageway delivers turnkey event solutions for large corporate customers and Stageway Teater produces comedy shows and acts as a management service provider for renowned Norwegian comedy duo Ylvis, among others.
Arne Svare, co-founder and CEO of Stageway, says: “We are so pleased to announce that we are joining forces with All Things Live to accelerate our joint business in Norway, the Nordics and beyond in the coming years. We have been part of the bustling live entertainment industry for four decades and known and respected the team behind All Things Live for years. Together, we will strengthen our offering to artists and customers while delivering even greater experiences for the audience.”
Knut Meiner, chairman and senior consultant of Komon-Stageway, adds: “Everyone in our companies have worked hard to build a strong reputation in the Norwegian market. We are absolutely thrilled to become part of a partnership, which is well-respected and shares our aspiration to grow the business based on deep understanding of the local market and a clear focus on bringing great live entertainment and fantastic corporate events to more people.”
“Stageway is a great business with fantastic talent, strong growth prospects and a perfect fit with our existing operations”
The management team and organisation of Stageway will remain unchanged, and existing contracts and customer relationships will not be affected by All Things Live’s acquisition of Stageway Talent, Komon-Stageway and Stageway Teater. In connection with the transaction, the current owners of the three companies become partners and co-owners of All Things Live.
“Stageway is a great business with fantastic talent, strong growth prospects and a perfect fit with our existing operations in All Things Live Norway. We are very pleased to welcome the great people behind Stageway who will contribute greatly to the development of our partnership in Norway and internationally,” says Kim Worsøe, member of the executive board of All Things Live Group.
Completion of the transaction is subject to regulatory approval by the Norwegian Competition Authority. The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price.
All Things Live has been on an acquisition spree in the past fortnight, this week enhancing its presence in Belgium with the addition of management company Musickness.
Last week, All Things Live signalled its expansion into the Italian market with the acquisition of promoter and agency Radar Concerti and also recently announced the signing of international management firm Then We Take The World.
All Things Live was established in 2018 as “the new independent market leader in Nordic live entertainment” following Waterland Private Equity’s acquisition of six leading Scandinavian promoters and agencies.
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Live Nation loses court case over Oslo park slot
Live Nation Norway has lost the civil case it brought against Oslo Municipality for awarding All Things Live the concert allocation for Voldsløkka sports park.
The Urban Environment Agency’s guidelines, which apply from 2022 onwards, state that the area – mainly used for sports – can only be used for one large music event annually, with a maximum of two concert dates.
In addition, there is a requirement that the main artist must have the potential to sell 40,000 tickets or more.
According to Live Nation Norway, it had presented confirmation documents for renting Voldsløkka in the summer of 2022. But All Things Live, a private equity-backed live entertainment group, was awarded the allocation to stage Norway’s largest festival, Oslo Summer Time (cap. 55,000), on 24 June.
Oslo Summer Time has taken place at Voldsløkka since it was founded in 2017 and has drawn artists including Eminem, Pusha T and Marcus & Martinus.
Live Nation claimed that the allocation was contrary to the municipality’s own guidelines, according to Aftenposten. The live entertainment giant felt discriminated against and says that the municipality gave the competitor All Things Live advantages.
“It is quite obvious that the arena situation is critically bad in Oslo”
“It is quite obvious that the arena situation is critically bad in Oslo,” general manager of Live Nation Norway, Morten Valestrand, previously told Dagbladet.
“As the capital, one should be able to expect the municipality to facilitate such large concerts, but we feel this is not the case now. What we are asking for is simply that they follow their own guidelines and ensure equal treatment of the organisers. We believe that one must be able to expect this.”
The municipality agreed that access to large arenas for concerts in Oslo is a scarce commodity, but that the guidelines for the use of Voldsløkka had been prepared following input from the industry.
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Nordic test shows: Too little, too late?
After effectively ruling out the 2021 festival season, the governments in Denmark and Norway are now in the process of organising large-scale test events to determine how big gatherings can take place during the pandemic.
According to Denmark’s live association, Dansk Live, such experiments were proposed in December 2020 and also in March 2021 by the government-backed ‘Restart Team’.
Both proposals were “kicked to the corner by the authorities,” according to Dansk Live’s Esben Marcher, but it seems that Denmark’s minister of culture has had a late change of heart.
This week, minister Joy Mogensen asked the government’s Restart Team to assess the possibilities of conducting experiments with large events this summer.
The minister’s request comes three weeks after the government’s roadmap was published, which stated that a maximum of 2,000 participants will be permitted at festivals between 21 May and 1 August 2021.
The announcement was followed by a raft of cancellations from 15+ festivals including Roskilde (26 June to 3 July), Smukfest (4–8 August), Northside (3–5 June) and Tinderbox (24–26 June) – rendering the country’s 2021 festival season over.
“The hope was that knowledge could be created that could ensure better opportunities for this summer’s events”
While Dansk Live’s Marcher has welcomed the news of potential test concerts, he also expresses disappointment that large-scale pilots weren’t approved earlier in the year.
“Already at the end of 2020, we proposed to the minister of culture that experiments be carried out in events that bring many people together,” he says.
“The hope was that knowledge could be created that could ensure better opportunities for this summer’s events. Although it is positive that there now seems to be support for making trial arrangements, it is, of course, a pity that there has been no political will to launch trials in the past.”
The Norwegian government has also shown little political will to organise test concerts up to this point – though, after some uncertainty, this morning the cabinet finally approved a pilot series proposed by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
The institute is planning five test concerts in Bergen and Oslo with up to 5,000 people attending each one. As previously reported in IQ, 15,000 participants will be recruited for a control group and will not actually attend the concerts.
The series is expected to kick off in June and concerts will take place in a number of venues including Oslo Spektrum and Grieg Hall in Bergen.
The Nowegian government this morning approved a pilot series proposed by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health
The research project will investigate whether the risk of the spread of infection is reduced to such an extent that rapid testing can replace the distance requirement during events.
Bergen Live, Øya festival, Palmesus and other Norwegian concert organisers will be involved in the test events – many of which were forced to cancel festivals due to the government’s preliminary guidelines, which restrict festivals to 2,000 attendees until June, 5,000 attendees until August and 10,000 thereafter.
Live Nation-owned festivals Bergenfest and Tons of Rock, Superstruct-backed Øya Festival, Over Oslo, Picnic in the Park, Stavernfetsivalen, Seljord Festival and Country Festival among events have been cancelled since.
Compared with other countries in the northern hemisphere, Norway and Denmark have been slow off the mark with arranging test shows.
Germany began conducting test shows as far back as August 2020, with Restart-19, prompting other nations including Spain, France, the Netherlands, the UK, Belgium and Luxembourg, to follow suit. See an extensive timeline of pilot projects here.
While the test shows haven’t necessarily guaranteed the security of the 2021 festival season – many of the aforementioned markets have already seen the summer season obliterated due to government restrictions – nations like the UK are surging towards a full reopening thanks to reassuring results from the government’s Events Research Programme.
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Norway tests would involve 15k people…staying at home
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) is proposing a number of test events that would involve a total of 30,000 people – half of which would not get to attend the concerts.
The Institute is envisaging several indoor concerts – which will most likely take place in Oslo in June – with up to 5,000 unmasked participants.
Both those attending the concert and those who are not will be tested before and after the event in order to compare infection rates at home and in the venue.
“We want a definite answer as to whether infection-testing the audience before they are admitted to a concert makes it as safe to go to a concert as to be at home and watch TV,” says Atle Fretheim who heads the research group at the NIPH.
Various other tests have taken place around Europe, including in Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and the UK.
“We want a definite answer as to whether it’s as safe to go to a concert as to be at home and watch TV”
Whether Norway’s test events can go ahead depends on the approval from the health authorities and the regional committee for medical research ethics.
According to Fretheim, the minister for culture’s working group – which includes Bergen Live and Øya Festival – and Norwegian Concert Organisers (Konsertarrangor) have backed the test series.
However, Konsertarrangor’s Tone Østerdal doubts the results will come back quickly enough to have an impact on Norway’s festival summer.
The Stavern Festival and OsloOslo have already been cancelled after the minister for culture announced preliminary guidelines which would restrict festivals to 2,000 attendees until June, 5,000 attendees until August and 10,000 thereafter.
The Danish government this week announced similar restrictions which will restrict events to 2,000 attendees until August, rather than June.
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Live Nation Norway cancels Tons of Rock 2021
Norway’s biggest rock and metal festival, Tons of Rock, is the first major Norwegian festival to cancel its 2021 edition.
The Live Nation-owned festival had been scheduled to take place in Ekebergsletta, Oslo, across three days in June but the organisers say this year’s event is not possible.
“Since the summer of 2020, we have been working on all possible scenarios and options to make it possible to complete the festival,” reads a statement on the festival’s website.
“It has been and is a difficult and demanding time, and it is now clear that it is not possible to hold the Tons of Rock Festival in 2021. This is very sad and frustrating for all of us in Tons of Rock, for the artists, suppliers, collaborators and mostly for our amazing audience from all over Norway and more than 50 nations.”
The Norwegian government previously announced a NOK 350 million cancellation insurance fund for festivals, allowing organisers to plan for this summer without the financial risk posed by a potential Covid outbreak.
“It has been and is a difficult and demanding time, and it is now clear that it’s not possible to hold the festival”
However, Norway’s minister of culture, Abid Raja, said in a press conference that the scheme is expected to cover July and August events – meaning Tons of Rock’s June edition would not be insured.
Though Tons of Rock would have been ineligible for that particular government support, the festival did benefit from the state’s compensation scheme for organisers and subcontractors in the cultural sector.
In February, the festival was granted NOK 36.1 m, the full amount applied for by the organisers, for the cancellation of the 2020 edition – caused by the government’s extended ban on major live events.
The festival will return next year between 23–25 June, with headliner Iron Maiden.
Other major Norwegian festivals including Live Nation-owned Bergenfest and Superstruct’s Øya Festival, are still going ahead at the time of writing.
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Norway gov to allow 600-capacity outdoor shows
The Norweigan government will increase the capacity of outdoor events from 200 to 600 people from 12 October when the national corona restrictions are relaxed.
Prime minister Erna Solberg announced at a press conference yesterday (30 September) that it will be permitted for up to 600 people to attend an outdoor event at the same time, provided they are divided into groups of up to 200 people.
For seated events, one seat between each person is required, however, people in the same household are allowed to sit together.
The capacity for indoor events remains at 200 people maximum but the government has committed to reviewing the possibility of increasing it to 600 when the infection rate allows.
“Now, we can better target the measures so that the burden on the individual and on society is as small as possible”
“We are now in a different situation than when we closed down in March. The municipalities have upgraded their preparedness, and we have more knowledge about the corona pandemic,” says prime minister Solberg.
“This means that we can better target the measures so that the burden on the individual and on society is as small as possible. We can therefore open up for some relief nationally.”
Minister of culture and gender equality Abid Q. Raja says: “I am glad that we can go from two to one available seat between us in places with fixed seats – it is important for many. We will also, as soon as the infection situation dictates, make a new assessment of the possibility of opening indoor events with up to 600 people present.”
In areas that have been affected by local outbreaks, such as the capital city Oslo, Arendal and Øygarden, the local rules will take precedence over national ones.
The ban on serving alcohol after midnight, which has been in place since 8 August, will be lifted when the restrictions ease.
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DHP Family unveils new London venue
UK-based promoter and venue operator DHP Family is launching the Grace, a new late night music venue in Islington, north London.
The 150-capacity venue is the latest addition to the DHP Family portfolio, which includes London venues the Garage (600-capacity) and Oslo (375-capacity), as well as award-winning boat venue Thekla (400-cap.) in Bristol.
Opening today (Friday 13 September) with music by DJs from Soho record store Sister Ray Records, upcoming shows at the venue include country singer Lauren Jenkins, Manchester bands Ist Ist Ist and the Covasettes and neo-soul singer Ben Brown.
Housed in what originally opened as Upstairs at the Garage, the space has already hosted acts including Jeff Buckley, the Killers, Sheryl Crow, Mogwai and Grimes.
“Here at the Grace, we had the perfect opportunity to combine our bar and live music space”
“London is well known for its live music pubs which are institutions in their own right,” comments DHP Family owner George Akins.
“Here at the Grace, we had the perfect opportunity to combine our bar and live music space to create an atmospheric space that can function equally well for after-work drinks or post-gig partying.”
The Grace will open from 5 p.m. each day, closing at 2 a.m. Monday to Thursday and at 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. The venue will not open on Sundays.
The venue is situated opposite Highbury and Islington tube station. More information can be found here.
In addition to its venue portfolio, Nottingham-based DHP Family runs the 25,000-capacity Splendour festival in Nottingham and multi-venue festival Dot to Dot in several cities. DHP also puts on 1,500 gigs per year, promoting tours by Ed Sheeran, the War on Drugs, Enter Shikari and more.
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