Le Guess Who? 2017: Facts & Figures

Le Guess Who? Festival 2017

Sun Ra Arkestra live at LGW17, by Jelmer de Haas

Facts & Figures

“A truly eclectic experience; a rich and nourishing affair.”

– The Independent (uk)

Photo: Juri Hiensch

“The festival could be seen as a posteverything utopia, where it’s perfectly normal for Lebanese classical singers Photo: Ben Houdijk

and Kiwi drone guitarists to share bills with Texan grime producers and Bulgarian choirs.

In an era of populist nationalism and Fortress Europe, we need events like Le Guess Who? to remind us that a better world is possible.”

– The Quietus (uk)

Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares. Photo: Ben Houdijk

Le Guess Who? 2017 =

18.634 visitors + 188 performances + 20 locations

Satellite events

(Incl. Le Mini Who?, Lombok Festival, Le Bazarre, Film & Interview program)

=

8.860 visitors + 96 activities + 34 locations

49,6% of 4-Day Passes sold abroad Overall grade for the festival experience: 8,9 54,1%: 5/5***** 37,8%: 4/5**** 5,9%: 3/5***

NL

BUIT

50,4% sold in NL

5 sterren

4 sterren

3 sterren

other

Le Guess Who? 2017 • Visitors between 18 & 64 years of age.

Average age: 36 years.

• Main reasons to visit the festival: the quality & diversity of the program as well as the relaxed atmosphere of Utrecht city.

70,5% is a returning visitor of the festival

• Visitors from 58 different countries* & artists from 34 countries. (*) see page 8 for list of countries

• 97 people volunteered during Le Guess Who? 2017.

What is the highest level of education you have finished?

PhD or Master’s degree: 40,3% Bachelor’s degree (HBO/WO): 43,8% Vocational school (MBO): 4,4% High school: 9,6% | Other: 1,8%

Most common types of studies: Arts & culture (28,8%) | Social studies (15,5%) Technology/Engineering (15%)

29,5% is a new visitor of the festival

Economics/Management (12,9%) Communication/Language (12,5%)

Would you visit the festival again?

Yes: 97,4%

Would you recommend Le Guess Who? to friends?

Yes: 97,2%

Farida & The Iraqi Maqam Ensemble. Photo: Melanie Marsman

Perfume Genius. Photo: Ben Houdijk

“Le Guess Who? is a city festival that is as vast as any, near on colossal

in magnitude and vision.”

- London Economic

Les Amazones d’Afrique. Photo: Melanie Marsman

Sudan Archives. Photo: Melanie Marsman

- de Volkskrant

Moon Duo. Photo: Juri Hiensch

“Muziek zou eigenlijk altijd moeten zijn

zoals op Le Guess Who?; alle shows waren

uitdagend en geestverruimend.�

The Sai Anantam Ashram Singers performing the ecstatic music of Alice Coltrane.

Photo: Jelmer de Haas.

Sevdaliza. Photo: Erik Luyten

“For years, whenever I went to Europe for a festival, I’ve been told that Le Guess Who? is really one I needed to check out. It isn’t the biggest or most famous one in Europe or abroad, but it’s the kind of thing that fans and artists and industry folks alike speak of with reverent memories, the one everyone deeply respects, the one everyone says is gratifying to play and gratifying to witness, because no matter how well-versed or -traveled you are in the music world, chances are Le Guess Who? is going to have plenty of options you’ve never heard of before.”

– Stereogum (us)

“Its multicultural program was more eclectic, more probing and more inclusive than ever before.�

- Resident Advisor (uk)

Tickets sold in 58 countries: Afghanistan

Denmark

Japan

Serbia

Albania

Egypt

Latvia

Slovakia

Algeria

Estonia

Lebanon

Slovenia

Australia

Ethiopia

Lithuania

South Africa

Austria

Finland

Luxembourg

South Korea

Azerbaijan

France

Malaysia

Spain

Barbados

Germany

Malta

Sweden

Belarus

Greece

Mexico

Switzerland

Belgium

Hungary

Netherlands

Turkey

Brazil

Iceland

Netherlands Antilles Ukraine

Bulgaria

India

Norway

United Kingdom

Canada

Iraq

Poland

United States

China

Ireland

Portugal

United States Virgin

Costa Rica

Israel

Romania

Islands

Czech Republic

Italy

Russia

Lombok Festival. Photo: Melanie Marsman

“Le Guess Who? is in Nederland misschien wel het festival met de meest concrete muzikale identiteit. Door het programma loopt een rode draad die je verder in het Nederlandse festivallandschap eigenlijk nergens zo duidelijk gedefinieerd ziet.� - 3voor12

Le Mini Who?. Photo: Tom van Huisstede

Le Feast. Photo: Olaf Nagtegaal

Le Guess Who? in collaboration with local school X11.

Click photo to watch.

“The organisers of Le Guess Who? were making something of a statement.

Performers came from a number of Middle Eastern countries and African states, to play shows in a city with one of the most diverse communities in the Netherlands. There was little doubt we were seeing a pointed celebration of open borders and it was beautiful to see.”

Alanis Obomsawin. Photo: Melanie Marsman

– Line of Best Fit (uk)

Le Guess Who? 2017 Press Index Visit online press archive

Visit online audio archive

Watch LGW video recordings

Netherlands

United States

Turkey

Czech Republic

3FM 3voor12 8Weekly AD ArtiestenNieuws Concertzender Culturele Zondagen Cultuurpers Dagblad van het Noorden DJBroadcast DUIC DutchReview Elle Magazine Entertainment Business Earth Beat Festileaks Festivalinfo Groninger Gezinsbode HIFI Haarlems Dagblad Heaven Holland.com In de Buurt Jazzflits Lust for Life Maxazine Mixed Grill Nationale Onderwijsgids Never Mind the Hype Noisey NRC Nu.nl OOR PodiumInfo Roar e-zine RTV Utrecht Stadsblad Utrecht The Daily Indie Trouw Uitagenda Volkskrant Vovert Vrije Geluiden Nieuws030 Lust for Life Written in Music

Bandcamp Consequence of Sound Dutch Culture USA Esquire Medium.com Stereogum New York Times NPR Pitchfork Under The Radar Under The Radar Redbull Music Acedemy Redbull Radio

Bantmag Hafif MĂźzik Red Bull Turkey Veganlogic

Full Moon Magazine

United Kingdom The 405 cast the dice Crack Magazine Dazed Magazine Drowned in Sound FACT Magazine Gigwise London Ecnomic Ma3azef MOJO Magazine Rarely Unable Record Collector Magazine Resident Advisor Songlines Sonic Cathedral The Independent The Line of Best Fit The Overtake The Quietus The Skinny The Wire Uncut EZH / Jazz Standard Long Live Vinyl Travel + Leisure

Canada Le Devoir VICE Quebec

Belgium DaMusic Dansende Beren De Morgen Enola Magazine Focus Vif Gazet van Antwerpen Gigview Gonzo (circus) HUMO IndieStyle Knack Foxus MixedWorldMusic

Germany ByteFM Groove Intro Magazin kulturnews.de Popmonitor Spex Magazine Spiegelsaal Visions

Greece Clocksound

Spain Clubbing Spain This Is Underground Crazyminds

Sweden Festivalrkyten HYMN

Hungary A38 Recorder Magazine

France La Blogotheque Manifesto XXI New Noise Magazine Radio Panik Xsilence

Italy Billboard Blow Up Magazine La Repubblica Lost in Groove Relics Controsuoni Rockerilla Rumore Mag Sentire Ascoltare Zero.eu

Norway Klassekampen

Ireland The Thin Air

Portugal Bodyspace

Finland Image Magazine Rumba Magazine

Switzerland 3FACH

Mount Eerie. Photo: Ben Houdijk

Luka Productions. Photo: Tim van Veen

Pharoah Sanders. Photo: Ben Houdijk

“Eclectic and probing.” - New York Times

“Few festivals, if any, succeed in gathering such a wide spectrum of futurefacing artists whilst delivering one cohesive message; breaking boundaries, no matter the context, is important but also hugely entertaining.”

- Crack Magazine (uk)