New metal festival to launch in the Netherlands

A new two-day heavy metal festival will debut in the Netherlands next year, it has been announced.

South of Heaven will take place in Maastricht on 31 May and 1 June 2024, promoted by TIRR Music Agency, Muziekgieterij Maastricht and Doomstar Bookings.

The event will feature two stages and 21 bands, with the first acts, venue and ticket sale details to be confirmed “very soon”.

“South of Heaven is committed to a strong programme with mainly internationally celebrated metal bands”

“South of Heaven is committed to a strong programme with mainly internationally celebrated metal bands, a good old-fashioned atmosphere, a top location in Maastricht, delicious food and drinks and a relatively low ticket price,” says a statement from organisers.

The Association of Dutch Music Venues and Festivals’ (VNPF) recently published Poppodia and Festivals in Figures 2022 report showed the Netherlands’ live business has experienced a post-pandemic resurgence, although concerns remain over rising costs.

Venues and festivals received a total of 7.6 million visits last year, compared to 883,000 in 2021 and 8.6m in the last pre-Covid year of 2019, despite an “abnormal” year for the business, with corona restrictions not lifted until three months in. The study results are based on responses from 48 music venues and 55 festivals.

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