VIP-Magazine #11 2012 by VIP-Booking.com

USTRY ENT IND

TAINM E ENTER IV L E H E FOR T ESOURC

E N I Z A G A IP-M ATION R

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11 EDITION # 012 MARCH 2

BEST MAJOR FESTIVAL AT THE EUROPEAN FESTIVAL AWARDS

on page 7

SZIGET FESTIVAL - HUNGARY READ MORE ON PAGE 16

d Executi Appointe Finland… of Music Director

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CONTENTS:

VIP-MAGAZINE 11 #2012 06

The Big Chill Festival cancelled

Tuomo Tähtinen appointed Executive Director of Music Finland

Folkert Koopmans – Always Good For A Surprise

Eurosonic Noorderslag Sell Out Success

European Broadcasting Union at Eurosonic

Addictive TV

Festival Awards Europe – Winners

UK Live Music Bill returns to parliament

New Sponsoring Strategy at Converse

Sponsor People MD Lars Oliver Vogt Discusses Trends and Moods

Dortmund Westfalenhalle AGM hears the Venue ‘Has Warmth’

Berlin Music Week Goes Ahead - Without Popkomm

FEATURED ARTIST

ILMC 24

Mike Keller Appointed as Managing Director for Apassionata

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WELCOME

E N I Z A G A M P I TO THE V Supporting New Talent ome the new A&Rs promoters have now bec and s ker boo l tiva fes ts e a risk In many respec and having the guts to tak the lookout for what’s new es. cas e som by continuously being on ir anonymity in their audiences despite the to nt tale new t sen pre and port to new acts e provided a welcomed sup Initiatives such as ETEP hav talent. erested in promoting new and also we at VIP are int ailer.com that allows uced the service MyMusicM rod int e hav we ore ref The Industry themselves. material to the Live Music artists to distribute their nals as the artist’s material advantageous to professio MyMusicMailer.com is also attachments etc.! sentation. No more 10 MB is received as a simple pre m are on their last legs, dliners, even if some of the hea as ds ban te ori fav d. We all like to see our ething new and unexpecte surprise of discovering som but there’s nothing like the port hout your vision and sup So keep it up guys as wit . the future they’ll be no headliners in

We hope you enjoy this issu

THE VIP TEAM vip-booking.com

#5 VIP-MAGAZINE 11/2012 www.vip-booking.com

Allan McGowan am@vip-booking.com

During

promoters

Melvin Benn, Director of organisers Festival

a plan for the event to return outdoors in

expressedsome misgivings about the effects

2011

Festival

Republic has said that he was struggling to

2013.

of this year’s London Olympics. Apart from

book the acts he wanted, and had considered

predictionsof there not being enough

moving the Herefordshire weekender, but no

The Big Chill started up in 1994 and

portabletoilets for the needs of both the

alternative date could be found.

has been held in the grounds of Eastnor

Games and all the other outside events, the

Castle, Herefordshire. Last year the festival

organisers of The Big Chill have said that

He is reported as saying that, “Confirmations

was headlined by The Chemical Brothers,

there is an impact on “artist availability ”

we were achieving led me to conclude that

Kanye West and Rodrigo y Gabriela, with

for the event, regrettably leading to it’s

I couldn’t risk going ahead with the event,”

performancesfrom Jessie J, Calvin Harris and

cancellation.

Katy B. No ticket details or line-up had been He added that a ‘smaller indoor event’ could replace the three-day event in 2012 with

#6 VIP-MAGAZINE 11/2012 www.vip-booking.com

announced for this year’s event.

Allan McGowan am@vip-booking.com

Tuomo Tähtinen

appointed Executive Director of Music Finland

Music Finland’s Board of Directors has appointed Tuomo Tähtinen

in Finland (Gramex), IFPI Finland, Finnish Music Publishers’

as the first Executive Director of Music Finland. Tähtinen will

Association, Finnish Musicians’ Union, Finnish Independent Labels

commencehis new post on February 1st, 2012.

Association (IndieCo), Finnish Society of Popular Music Composers and Authors (Elvis), Finnish Composers’ Copyright Society (Teosto),

Tähtinen, 29, has been with Music Export Finland since December

and the Society of Finnish Composers.

2008, first overseeing marketing and communications, and managingoperations in the UK and the USA, and later as the ActingExecutiveDirector. Tähtinen joined Music Export Finland from Warner Music Finland. “With this merger we’re creating an organization with exceptional and substantial skills and knowledge of Finnish music and the international music industry. It’s excellent that this top-tier team gets Tuomo as their leader. His energy, international expertise and cooperationskills will be instrumental in building the organization”, comments Music Finland’s Chairman of the Board, Pekka Sipilä.

“A whole new chapter is beginning as Music Finland starts getting into shape. The new organization is a wonderful combination of talent with international know-how and extensive knowledge of musicand the music industry. We are now able to reach a wider clienteleand offer a broader range of services to our clients and partners all around the globe. I’m extremely delighted and proud to be part of building Music Finland”, adds Tähtinen. The operations of Music Export Finland and the Finnish Music InformationCentre Fimic will be integrated into Music Finland during2012. The founding members of Music Finland are the CopyrightSociety of Performing Artists and Phonogram Producers

#7 VIP-MAGAZINE 11/2012 www.vip-booking.com

Manfred Tari mt@vip-booking.com

S N A M P O O K T R E K L FO

E IS R P R U S A R FO D O O G S Y A LW –A

The news got round quickly at Eurosonic Noorderslag:

Folkert Koopmans

FolkertKoopmanshas

addedthe Dutch festival Indian Summer to his festiva l portfolio , thus officially entering the concert market in the Netherlands. And as this is not enough, he has additionallyinvested in the Dutch agency set up by Rense van Kessel, Friendly Fire.

When it comes to the production, to the promotion of festivals, you are acting now in four or is it five European markets?

VIP News spoke briefly with Koopmans at a full on Eurosonic

– Five.

Noorderslag: Do you see remarkable differences between the markets So what are your plans in the Netherlands, or with festival-

in the various countries? Is for instance the permission or

participationin the Netherlands?

licensing proceedings in Scandinavia less difficult than for

– Well, just to build a good international festival in the future years.

instance now in Germany? – Yes, in general. In Sweden it’s been easier and sometimes, on

Don’t you think that the Netherlands is already a market

the other hand not - you can’t really compare it in general. It’s

packed with festivals?

like; in Sweden you pay the police, in Germany you don’t. And

– Not really, on an international basis. It’s only more or less Pink

also in Germanyit’s different, you know. In some cities it is easier

Pop and Lowlands at the moment. I mean, all the other festivals

to obtain permissions, in other cities it is more difficult. I mean,

are mostly local festivals. Of course there are quite a lot of dance

for instance with the Hultsfred Festival it was quite easy to obtain

festivals, but in terms of indie, alternative, mainstream music it’s

licences becauseeverybody wanted the Hultsfred Festival, so we

not so much. So I think there is a good space for that. And the

were helped a lot with getting the permission. It’s different from

festival is already existing and has been running successfully for

town to town, it’s not always different from country to country.

eleven years. Will you continue to expand ? Was it a always a personal wish of yours to also promote a

– It’s all about opportunities. If there is a good opportunity, I will.

festival in Holland?

But it’s not a ‘must’. It’s not like I want to conquer the world, it’s

– Well, a personal wish – I wouldn’t say so, but of course for me it’s

just – if there is something coming up which I think is interesting, I

a nice adventure as I am Dutch and I do speak Dutch. Therefore it’s

might do it, but if not… then I’m fine.

of course even nicer.

#8 VIP-MAGAZINE 11/2012 www.vip-booking.com

#10 VIP-MAGAZINE 11/2012 www.vip-booking.com

Allan McGowan · am@vip-booking.com

EUROSONIC NOORDERSLAG SELL OUT SUCCESS Festival tickets for the 26th edition of

Saturdayat Noorderslag while crowd surfing

countryIrelandand 125 Dutch acts, mainly

Eurosonic - Noorderslag sold out within

the audience . Interactive Awards were

performingat Noorderslag on Saturday.

10 minutes of going on sale, breaking all

presentedto Mobile Roadie and Only Seven

MTV legend Ray Cokes also presented

previousrecords. All 3150 delegate passes

Left.

televisedshows at Eurosonic Noorderslag. This year also saw the second edition of the

for the conference also sold out by 10am on Thursday 12th January. An audience of over 33,000 public and

The 293 acts appearing in the Festival came

admission- freestage Eurosonic Air at the

from 26 different European countries ,

Grote Markt in Groningen.

and included 21 Irish acts from focus

professionalswere able to watch 293 up and coming European acts and bands in venues across the City of Groningen over four days. A new innovation implemented to manage crowd control and offer delegates an improvedservice was the first ever use by

Total number of visitors Eurosonic Noorderslag

a music event in Europe of the new RFID technolog- by Intellitix. (See report in the previou-s issue of VIP News) Eurosonic

Noorderslag

WednesdayJanuary presentationof

two

kicked 11th

off

with

European

on the

music

awards: The televised European Border BreakersAwards (EBBA Awards) by UK musicTV legendand musician Jools Holland, and Europea n Festival Awards, proudly, if not perhapsquite as professionally as Mr.Holland, presented by your one and only VIP News Editor. (see winner-s list in separate article in this issue.) Hosted by (EFA). The EBBA Public Choice Award was awarded to Selah Sue. The Pop Award was presented to De Jeugd van

(sold out) 33,000 Visitors Conference (sold out) 3,150 Nationalities 41 Acts 293 Media and journalists 404 EBU radio stations 28 ETEP festivals 70 International festivals 413 Number of stages Eurosonic 34 Number of stages Noorderslag 11

Tegenwoordig, who received the Award

More information about Eurosonic Noorderslag is available at www.eurosonic-noorderslag.nl

Allan McGowan am@vip-booking.com

EUROPEAN BROADCASTING UNION

AT EUROSONIC

VIP News asked Laurent Marceau, Head of Pop Music at the EBU to tell us about their involvement, and that of their member organisations in Groningen. Once again this year Eurosonic Noorderslag, the showcase festival for up-and-coming Europeanbands and artists, enjoyed the unique input and contribution of the largest association of national broadcastersin the world. In this year’s edition, 24 EBU Radio stations selected and supported

Laurent Marceau

27 Acts to perform in Groningen, thereby helping unleash a great deal of great music coming out of European territories nowadays:

Amongst these Acts, one could mention Team Me from Norway, ORF FM4 (Austria), VRT Studio Brussels (Belgium), RTBF Pure FM

Fuel Fandango from Spain, Ewert & The Two Dragons from Estonia,

(Belgium), BNR Horizont(Bulgaria), Czech Radio Wave (Czech

Elektro Guzzi from Austria and many others.

Republic ), DR P6 Beat (Denmark), ER Raadio 2 (Estonia), YLEX (Finland), Radio France Le Mouv’ (France), ARD (Germany), MR2

5 EBU Member organizations (NPB/Netherland s, VRT/Belgium,

Petőfi (Hungary), RUV Ras2 (Iceland), RTÉ 2FM (Ireland), RAI Radio

ARD-WDR/Germany , SR/Sweden

2 (Italy), ERSL 100.7 (Luxemburg), TRM (Moldova), NPB 3FM

technicallyon the production and broadcast of the event. 9 radio

(Netherlands), NRK P3 (Norway), RTP Antena 3 (Portugal), SER Los

stations broadcast live from Groningen, including BBC Radio 1.

and

BBC/UK)

collaborate d

40 Principales (Spain), SR P3 (Sweden), SRF DRS3 (Switzerland), RTS Couleur3 (Switzerland), BBC Radio 1 (United Kingdom).

All of this for one very good reason: European Public Broadcasters are the ones supporting emerging Acts and Eurosonic Noorderslag is the ideal platform to showcase new talent.

The VIP-Booking European Live Entertainment Book Advertising in the VIP Book will make you visible to 10.000 business professionalsall over Europe. You will find no betterplace to expose your company to the whole European Live EntertainmentIndustry. » RESERVE YOUR AD NOW ON WWW.VIP-BOOKING.COM

#12 VIP-MAGAZINE 11/2012 www.vip-booking.com

Allan McGowan am@vip-booking.com

ADDICTIVE TV Back in October whilst at the MaMA event in Paris I was happy to again run into the Addictive TV people, and to persuade a few people who had not experiencedtheir exhilaratin g mix of sound and vision to atten d their gig that evening; none were disappointed. Although, as you know VIP News mainly concerns itself with all areas of live music, what Addictive TV presents is as exciting as any live performanceas promoters in over 50 countries have discovered. The founder members of Addictive TV are Mark Vidler and Graham Daniels. VIP News spoke to Graham. How would you describe what Addictive TV is - and does?

– Yes and no! In fact because of the visual element to what we

– Not always a simple one to answer. However you describe what

do, from the early days we were always being asked to play at

we do, people often don’t really get it until they see us play! But in

film festivals and digital arts events and big outdoor public spaces

short we’re an audio/visual act, or visualDJs. And the slightly longer

- so from that respect we didn’t ‘start’ in clubs and move to music

description is that we’re artists creating music from sounds you can

festivalsand other venue types, but at the same time - yes both of

see, so we sample movies, concert footage and music videos, and

us were DJing and VJing in clubland - in those days everywhere

even football - in fact anything - and create new tracks or remixes

from Turnmills, where I had a residency, to the Ministry of Sound,

from those samples, but keeping the audio and video together.

where Mark had a residency. But it’s the nature of what we do that

A good example is our track Beam Up The Bass, remixing classic

has also lead us to playing at places, say, like the opening of the

Star Trek - all those fantastic 1960’s electronicsounds of phasers,

Cultural Olympiad for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics or even

communicators, people beaming up, even those sliding doors -

at the IMAX cinema in London.

we produced a dance track using all those sounds, but kept the picturesin sync - so when you hear the music, you can also see it.

How many different countries have you performed in now? – There must have been many memorable international

How did the project come together, and when?

incidents on your travels, which stand out in particular?

– It’s really developed over the last decade in different stagesas

– Over 50, mad huh? It’s crazy to think that our work has taken

opposeto being created one sunny morning. Back in the day, I was

us to over 50 countries now, some pretty leftfield places too - like

producing television - such as the ITV1 musi_c series Mixmasters- but

Kuwait and Saudi Arabia! And obviously great clubbing cities like

was also VJing in clubland at the same time, while Mark’s background

Sao Paulo and Tokyo. There’s been so many memorable places and

was in mash-up DJ culture with his Go Home Productionsproject. He

‘incidents’ as you put it, like gettingmy head shaved and painted

was actuallythe first DJ to get an album releasedof cleared mash-

in a bamboo forest in Brazil or accidentally flooding a hotel room in

upswhen EMI released his Mashed album. I’d been doing live shows

Hamburg to even setting off fire alarms at a hotel in Ireland where

and working in an earlier incarnationof Addictive TV when our paths

a very unhappy fire brigade arrived to find no fire! But I’d have

first crossed in 2005 with, in fact, that album, when I was asked

to say the most memorable was recordingfor a project in Bhutan

to direct the music video for his Rapture Riders track, mashing-up

in the Himalayas, where we stayed in a grand monastery full of

Blondie vs Doors. The rest, as they say, is history!

Buddhist monks, many who’d never seen cameras, microphones or electronic recordingequipment; we’d taken batteries galore as

Did you start off in Dance clubs and then break out into other

there was no electricity in that part of the World, it was quite simply

venues, locations and sites? How did that process develop?

amazing, we were like time-travellers stepping back 1000 years.

#13 VIP-MAGAZINE 11/2012 www.vip-booking.com

Mark Vidler and Graham Daniels

Your new project is ‘Orchestra of Samples’ - tell us about this

So how was 2011 in particular for AddictiveTV?

and how the idea came together.

– In 2011 we played in some countries that are certainly not on

– Well on our travels, and often with the help of promoters who are

the well-trodden path of DJs or acts, in particular both Tunisia and

booking us, we’re filmingmusicians playing all kinds of instruments

Egypt- which have of course only just had their revolutions. Each

and then sampling those recordingsto create new electronic music,

was fantastic to play in and the reaction we received at both gigs

it’s an audio/visual project blending rhythms and sounds from all

was simply amazing, far more of a response than we expected -

over the world. Sampling ‘sans frontieres’ as we say! And with

so we definitely want to go back soon. And here’s an odd story,

our work based so much on sampling, to us it seemed such an

while in Tunisia, in the summer, we noticed two British ambulances

obvious idea! As well as in the UK, we’ve recorded in places like

parked outside the hotel, which seemed odd at the time, but a

France, Spain, Mexico, Israel, Brazil (twice!), Tunisiaand Senegalin

coupleof months ago there was a documentary on TV about

West Africa and have been introduced to musiciansplaying really

BritishLibyans donating two ambulancesto the Libyan rebels that

unusualinstruments, like a Gombri - an old North African stringed

they drove from the UK all the way to Tunis; they stayed at the

drum which is consideredthe first ever bass. Or the Boudègue from

same hotel we were in, where they met with rebel contacts, then

Southern France made from an entire goat that’s essentially skinned

drove to the border and across into Libya - just shows you never

and turned into one huge bagpipe! The project is introducingus

know who’s eating breakfast at the next table!

to so many talented artists everywhere, includingmuscians like Mazinho Quevedo from Brazil, one of the top Viola guitarist in the

In late 2011 we were in France working on an art installation that

World and who’s last album was nominated for a Latin Grammy

we’ve created for a music and art festival, and to end the year

- he loved the concept of the project. It’s also becomea really

we headed back to China. We hadn’t been back to Shanghai for

interestingproject blog on our site, showing all the artists we’ve

a few years and things certainly seemed to have changed there

filmed with - it’s a real fun and enriching experience, and most

– it was less of a building site now, I noticed far fewer cranes on

definitely an education!

the skylinethan before! We were playing at Gatecrasher’s New Years Eve event, and it was was a much more subdued NYE affair

#14 VIP-MAGAZINE 11/2012 www.vip-booking.com

than we’re used to - despite the event

the samples. It’s the first time two different

beinga huge party , from behindthe

game companies have joined forces to

decks we could see a lot of shaking

thing was when we came off stage wantinga beer; we found that military officials had confiscated all the artists’ drinks! What are the plans for AddictiveTV in 2012? – We’ve literally just finished creating a commercia l for the

The project is introducing us to so many s talented artist everywhere…

all the character s from Street Fighter get to fight with all the charactersfrom Tekken. Also there’s plenty to keep us busy with the Orchestra of Samplesfor the next year or so, and the wheels are also in motion for filmingin a remote area of Transylvania with traditional musicians and a Romanian film

new Street Fighter x Tekken video

crew who are doing a documentary

game, by sampling and remixin g

involving us. We’re hoping to release

gameplayfootage - creating musicfrom the

The Orchestra of Samples, so not just perform

sound effects in the game and an edit so you see

it, but need to find the right label! Anyway - here’s to 2012!

BARRIER SYSTEMS

GRANDSTANDS

SECURITY GATES

SANITARY SYSTEMS

abandonment! The maddest

and Namco) - the upshot being

GROUND PROTECTION

to drunken kissing and wild

hands at midnight as opposed

create a new video game (Capcom

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FESTIVAL AWARDS EUROPE WINNERS

Best Indoor Festival, I Love Techno (Belgium)

Taking place at Groningen’s De Oosterport

of Palinka: “We were very much hoping to

our show and thanks to all the people who

in The Netherlands, the third edition of

win this award and it really means a lot to

buy tickets every year. I hope there are a

the awards revealed winners chosen from

us because2012 will be the 20th edition of

few more years to go yet, another 10 years

350,000 votes and 200 festivals from

our festival.”

maybe.”

On receiving his lifetime achievement award

James Drury, MD of Festival Awards Ltd,

32 differentcountries. This was a record breaking edition! The

sold

out

ceremony,

performancesfrom

James

Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis said: “42

which organises the Awards said: “The

featured

years ago I started something on my farm

furthergrowth of the European festival

Vincent

towardsthe end of the flower power era in

awards and another record-breaking event

the 60’s and we had less than a thousand

highlights just how important festivals are to

McMorrow, Selah Sue and Dog is Dead.

people and now we have 150,000 people

people across the continent. It’s testament

Said Fruzsina Szep from Sziget festival after

registeredto buy a ticket for 2013. Thank

to the hard work and passion of everyone

receiving the Best Major Festival Award

you very much to everyone and thanks to

involved with festivals that they continue

and inviting everyone to join her in a drink

all the people who have been involved in

to be so popular. With Glastonbury being

#16 VIP-MAGAZINE 11/2012 www.vip-booking.com

Allan McGowan am@vip-booking.com

the inspiration for so many festivals, I was

Christof Huber, General Secretary YOUROPE

festivals. He is just the right person to get the

especiallydelighted to welcomeMichael

commented: “Michae l Eavis is an icon in

Lifetime Achievement Award at the Festival

Eavis to receive the Lifetime Achievement

the European festival scene and in my view,

Awards Europe.”

Award. He has been seminal in the success

Glastonbury is the mother of all European

of the festival scene in the world.”

THE WINNERS: Best Major European Festival Sziget Festival (Hungary)

Best European Festival Line-Up Rock Werchter (Belgium)

Best Headliner Coldplay

Best Medium-Sized European Festival Off Festival (Poland)

YOUROPE Green ‘N’ Clean Festival Of The Year Melt! (Germany)

Festival Anthem of the Year Coldplay ‘Viva La Vida’

Best Small European Festival Haldern Pop (Germany)

Artist’s Favourite European Festival Southside / Hurricane (Germany)

Best New European Festival Extrema Outdoor (Belgium)

Best Newcomer association with Eurosonic Noorderslag James Blake

Best Indoor Festival I Love Techno (Belgium) Anzeige_VIPMag_ProSky_X4.pdf

09.12.10

Virtual Festivals Europe presents Promoter Of The Year FKP Scorpio (Germany) YOUROPE Lifetime Achievement Award Michael Eavis, Glastonbury (UK)

10:43

CMY

#17 VIP-MAGAZINE 11/2012 www.vip-booking.com

Allan McGowan am@vip-booking.com

UK LIVE MUSIC BILL

RETURNS TO PARLIAMENT The Live Music Bill introduced by Lord Tim

for amplifiedlive music taking place between

Clement Jones in the UK Parliament’s House

the same times before audiences of no more

of Lords, went before the House of Commons

than 200.

on Friday January 20th has received the

law. It seems that the Bill was waved through

UK Music followed up swiftly with the following:

after delays in the discussion of a previous

Dear all,

Bill, and has now made it through to become

The UK music industry is celebrating this

Law, without any debate on the floor of the

afternoon, after the Live Music Bill passed its

Commons at all. The Bill was given a second

third reading and report stage in the House

readingon 25 November last year and sent

of Commons. The Bill, introduced by Lib Dem

off to a Publi c Bill Committeefor detailed

Peer Tim Clement-Jones and promoted in the

examination– apparentl y in 23 seconds,

Commons by Bath MP Don Foster, should now

meaning it was never debated by the House

proceed to Royal Assent.

of Commons either at second reading, report

As a result, small venues wanting to host

or third reading! It is relatively unusual for a

live music events will no longer need a local

House of Lords private member’s bill to make

authorit y entertainment licence – cutting

it into law.

bureaucrac y and expense, and making it

approvalof the Commons and has gone off to be signed by the Queen, before becoming

easier for pubs and clubs to host live perforVIP News mailed Lord Tim to congratulate

mances.

him – he replied, “Yes (congratulations are in order), but it was the MP’s ‘wot did it’! Extraordinary procedure and a real cliffhanger to the last minutes but it’s through the Commons and only formalities to be done. Should be law soon!” The bill passed will have to go back to the House Of Lords briefly before becoming law, but Don Foster MP described that next stage, on 10 February, as a “minor hurdle”. The bill affects venues with a capacity of fewer than 200 people. It means many venues will no longer need to pay for a licence to host live music between 08:00 and 23:00. The changes will mean that a licence will no longer be required for unamplified live music taking place between 08:00 and 23:00, and

#18 VIP-MAGAZINE 11/2012 www.vip-booking.com

Jo Dipple, acting chief executiveof UK Music, the UK commercial music industry’s umbrella body, said: “This is a great day for music. The Live Music Bill will make a real and positive difference to lives of musicians. There is no doubt that the current Licensing Act has created needless layersof bureaucracy - making it complicated and expensive for pubs and other small venues to host live gigs. The entire industry would like to thank Lord Clement-Jones and Don Foster MP who have made this change possible.”

Jo Dipple, CEO of UK Music

John Smith, Musicians Union General Secretary, added: “We are delighted that the Live Music Bill has finally made it through Parliament. It is a real achievement for a Private Member’s Bill to get through and the MU would like to thank Lord Clement-Jones, Don Foster and all of the other MPs who helped to pass this Bill. “Over the past few years our members have been telling us that the number of gigs availabl e to young musicians who are still perfecting their craft has gone down. This is primarily due to a reduction in the number of smaller venues, which traditionally offered this level of gig, and is directly linked to the Licensin g Act. The exemption that the Live Music Bill introduces will be hugely beneficial to these small venues.”

Manfred Tari mt@vip-booking.com

G N I R O S N O P S W NE STRATEGY AT Over the past few years Sponsorship has,

– I work for Converse Benelux. First of all, for

that’s how I work. If you don’t like it – for-

particularly for festivals, becomeza highly

a lot of brands music will be be part of the

get it, then I work with another. There is so

important, in fact vital supplement to the

ongoing strategy, which means it’s not going

much competition, there are so many artists

core income stream of selling tickets. But

be in place for just one or two years, it’s got

that you can almost take your pick. And if

sponsorship brings along with it certain pro-

to be for at least five years. The big brands

Bjork or U2 doesn’t want to work with us

visos and demands for the implementation

want to work with the music-industry. They

again, fine, than we work with another one.

of strategic goals by non music brands and

want to reach the audience and the brand

sponsors that by their very nature may be

has to come across as likeable; that is very

U2 will work with everybody who

based on different interests than those of

important for them – to be likeable!

pays them well, but with Bjork there

live music companies.

is a little difference. However, looking The consumer is in the store and there is a

back at the way that brands have been

choice of two brands and he thinks, I pre-

involved in the live-business in the last

fer Converse because they do great stuff. So

couple of years, the trend has always

that is why most of the brands want to be

seemed to be that some of these mar-

associated with music. In the past most of

keting-managers are in place for two

the brands sponsored festivals just because

or three years then they get promoted

der Werf, who works at

they could reach a lot of people. My newest

and all of the sudden a whole strat-

Converse

assignment at Converse means that we are

egy is blowing away. Does that mean,

not going to work with festivals anymore. It

that the sustainability of sponsorship

is called ‘own- don’t rent’. Converse is 51%

seems to be a little bit transient?

owned by Nike, I know for sure Nike will do

– Sure. If my boss at Converse doesn’t like

the same, and I heard from Eastpak that they

music, we’re not going to be sponsoring mu-

will too. We won’t sponsor festivals any-

sic, or at least we’d do less. But in the twelve

more, we’re going to do our own festival.

years I’ve worked for Converse Benelux,

At last month’s edition of Eurosonic Noorderslag VIP News spoke with Ton van Benelux,

who

told us about a strategy change in terms of sponsoring engagements by the sports and clothing company.

we’ve always supported artists, supported What’s your attitude to that certain

art, supported festivals and now after a cou-

number of artists, like Francisand Bjork,

ple of years, so do Converse U.S. It’s a prior-

who say that they don’t like sponsorship

ity, so that means it’s going to be strategy,

How do you see music event sponsor-

at all?

we’ll work with music for at least five years.

ship developing over the next couple of

– That’s cool, that’s no problem, because,

That’s what they call ‘own – don’t rent’, they

years?

there are a lot of artists. It is very simple,

are not going to do big festivalsanymore,

#19 VIP-MAGAZINE 11/2012 www.vip-booking.com

The big brands want to work with the music-industry. They want to reach the audience and the brand has to come across as likeable; that is very important for them – to be likeable! so this year we’re not sponsoring Pinkpop anymore. In the USA they bought a Studio, called Rubber Tracks. In London the 100 Club went bankrupt, so Converse UK paid the rent, basically saving the venue, but now it’s not the Converse 100 club, it’s just the 100 club. Converseis behind the scenes. For the next two or three years it will not work if Converse is the face, it’s not likeable. We want to be likeable. And that’s what Converse US and Converse Europe are saying, it’s not ‘screamy’, it’s not shouting the name, it’s nice – when we are at festivals, we are too screamy, we are too loud for the consumer. So they want to go back to the roots, back to the small festivaland what we did in the Benelux. We put together showcasesjust set up by ourselves, we pick up the artists, and we do the brandingand the promotion. I worked there with local producers but the idea is Converse’s- nobody else’s. Okay, that’s the corporate philosophy behind it. Once again, from an external point of view, seeing how often big brands all of a sudden suffered, when for instance a journalist found out that they’re paying their workers in Bangladesh only half a cent per day, is that not something that will hold back a significantnumber of really credible artists from getting involvedwith sponsors? – Well let’s take Nike, they didn’t sign the contract of child-labour. If I work with hiphop-artists, they don’t care. With them it’s like, whateverhappens with Nike, I will wear the brand. I don’t care if they are right or wrong, I just wear it. Let’s say probably 67% Ton van der Werf

#20 VIP-MAGAZINE 11/2012 www.vip-booking.com

of the consumersdon’t care, the question of

child-labour is behind the scenes. But what is

– That doesn’t work. I’ve worked for twelve

– That could be like a scholarship, becom-

really important is that brands also know that

years for Converse now and I’m also part of

ing the main communication. Next week I’ll

they have to clean up their act, if they pro-

the music-industry. I know the rules. All of

meet with my colleagues to discuss how we

duce shoes it mustn’t be through the use of

a suddenthe UK, Germany, France are e-

will do this. In Holland we are producing

child-labour. I don’t know if you know about

mailing us to ask how do we work with the

a thing called Converse Mixtape featuring

that in Germany, but in Holland Greenpeace

music-industry. Now, first of all you need an

Benelux bands. We like to pick out smaller

was really all over Nike. They said, you guys

insider. If you don’t have an insider, it’s not

bands, biggerbands, put it all together and

have a factory in Indonesia, which poisons

going to happen. For the first two or three

put it out on CD and download backed up

the rivers, so clean up your act. And Nike

years it’s going to be very basic, so there will

with a tour. In February there will be a song

said, okay, you’re right. So, you are right we

be no big festivals, there will be shows for

from the Gorillaz sponsoredby Converse,

need some artists to see us as credible.

two- or three hundred people - but credible

there will be a Gorillaz-shoe, it’s a big deal.

people. We’re not going to do work the

You know, we’re thinking about maybe

It is like a game, I predict, and that is why

mass-schedule anymore; we will go for the

picking up smaller venues , helpingthem

we’re talking about this… In the next two/

four-percenters or the five-percenters, the

out with some money and putting bands in

three years, bigger brands like Converse,

niche-people, that’s the kind of people that

the programthat we’ll pay for. That’s the

Eastpak, maybe Nike will do their own fes-

we want to reach.

deal we have, we’re going to do smaller

tivals instead of collaborating with PinkPop,

stuff insteadof the big festivals. Yesterday I Wouldn’t it be clever to find ways to

talked about a big festival that is mainspon-

support and sponsor smaller venues,

sored by Eastpak, they’re going to do the

Will Converse build up a concert-de-

smaller acts, would it not be a brand

same, next year there will be no more spon-

partment with people from the music-

new thing, some sort of a social spon-

soring – we’re going to do different stuff!

industry?

sorship thing?

Lowlands and others.

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AZ_in_stutt_VIPmag_2012_RZ.indd 1

info@in.stuttgart.de www.in.stuttgart.de

03.11.2011 15:10:11 Uhr

#21 VIP-MAGAZINE 11/2012 www.vip-booking.com

Manfred Tari mt@vip-booking.com

SPONSOR PEOPLE MD S E S S U C IS D T G O V R E IV L O L ARS TRENDS AND MOODS festival. So: Converse is a cool brand, if they come up with a great idea they could do well running their own events but people don’t Sponsor People was founded in 2003 by Lars Oliver Vogt and

show up for the brands, they still go because they like the event

since then has become to a far extent the biggest German

or the line-up.

companyspecializedin the liaison between sponsors and live music promoters.

Sometimes sponsors seems to be unhappywith what they have to pay for a sponsoring engagement and what they

The company oversees among others the sponsoringat Hurricane

get in return for it. How can festivalpromoters improve their

and Southside Festivals, Rock Am Ring and Wacken Open Air. VIP

offers for sponsors?

News spoke with Vogt about the departure of Converse as a lead

– In general we evaluate every package we sell. However,

sponsor for festivalsand the departure of Deutsche Telekom as the

sponsorshipsat major and televisedevents don’t come cheap – you

lead sponsor for sport music event Extreme Playground…

are looking at six digit numbers at top events. Sounds expensive at first sight but if you look at the return-on-investment, they are

How difficult is it to please sponsors?

value for money. I look at sponsorship deals in a similar way to

– I don’t think that it is difficult in general to please a sponsor.

media buys. We offer a great return-on-investment at our events

Most of them are reasonablewell-educatedpeople, and all they

and I have the numbers for Converse at Hurricane-Festivalon hand

want is a fair returnon their investment. The question is whetherall

– they were good. However, sometimes what we can offer is simply

sponsors will attain their goals via Sponsorships at our events. The

not what the brand is looking for.

platforms we offerare good, we can guarantee great attendance and medializationat our events is always top - but sometimes this

Would you also say the live entertainmentindustry has

just isn’t enough.

to become more innovative and offer new sponsoring opportunitiesfor sponsors?

What do you think about the departureof company such as

– Yes and we try. However, at the end of the day the events are

Converse as a sponsorfor festivals?

what they are – like paper, a web page or a TV channel, they’re

– Converse is a very cool and hip brand; they have a great heritage

just a medium to carry a sponsors message. I think there is quite

and don’t need these events to be cool. What they need is a story

a lot you can do at festivals as a sponsor, we are certainlynot as

for themselves. To my very best knowledge they are not leaving

restricted as the sports world.

festivals entirely. But if Converse decide to do their own events, this is their given right. I think they have been a great brand to have at

We are open to new ideas but sometimes those ideas don’t match

our events and the targetgroup they have reached via these events

what we believe is do-able, the Holy Grail at festivals is the ticket

is pretty close to what they want. However, they are not the only

buyer and no promoter will ever do anything that could harm ticket

brand consideringrunningtheir own events and others have tried

sales.

that too. Coca-Cola tried it, Telekom is still trying it but Vans also failed establishing the Warped Tour in Europe. I am not sure about

Do you also experience sponsors coming up with unrealistic

every market in Europe but at least for GermanyI would say there

requests or revealinga lack of understanding of what is

are enough good events as it is and no is really waiting for a new

possibleand what isn’t?

#22 VIP-MAGAZINE 11/2012 www.vip-booking.com

Allan McGowan · am@vip-booking.com

Sponsor People was founded in 2003 by Lars Oliver Vogt completelychanged. For now, I think you can get a great returnon-investmentas a brand, if you know how to spend your money well at events. Your sport event ‘Extreme Playground’ a quite unique ‘music meets trend sports’ event is off for 2012. For many years Telekomhas been the lead sponsor for this event. Do you know why Telekom pulled out and why can’t you replace – I think the most experienced ones know the do’s and don’ts at

them through another sponsor?

festivals. Brands have learned a lot in the last ten years but we

– Telekom have been a partner since 2007. Unfortunatelythey

could still make their lives easier.

decidedat the very last minute that they cannot do the events in 2012 anymore, this made it impossible for us to find a new

Who

conservative

progressive : the

live

sponsor. I think basically they had to cut budgets, they realized this

entertainmentbranch or brands as sponsors for the live

late and I can only guess why. Their economicsituationisn’t easy

entertainment industry?

for the providers, their businessis very competitivewith shrinking

– I think cool brands always want to be very progressive, they

margins and Telekom couldn’t sell T-Mobile USA to AT&T- when

are fueled with those ideas - the festival world in comparison

people find out they are $55B short, they might just be forced to

has been a pretty slow moving tanker. The idea of a festivalhas

make dramatic cutbacks. I think this is what they did.

been the same ever since Woodstock, we have just become more professionalat running these events but in principle, you have a

How do you expect sponsoring trends to developin 2012?

bunch of bands on stage and a lot of people coming to see them

– I have always told my promoters that we will see more sponsors

and have a good time. The reasons for peopleto attend festivals

doing their own events. If Red Bull can run a F1 team and some

haven’t changed, so there is no need for the promoters to change

FootballClubs, why should they not be able to run a festival? You

too much. A festivalwill always remainan event for the people and

don’t need to be a rocket scientistto do that. I think some brands,

we will create opportunitiesto become a part of it but it will never

i.e. the stronger and cooler ones might be doingok with their own

be the same.

events but some will fail. I can promise you one thing: It is not cheaper to run your own event than buyinga sponsorshippackage

Sport-Sponsorship seems to be more commonthan for

at an establishedevent and you take a much higherrisk. This is

Festivalsor Music. Is the sport-sector more sponsor-friendly

a decisiononly the brand can make for themselves. In general

than live entertainment?

brands are concerned about their activationsthese days, which we

– Yes and No. There are much easier ways to integratesponsorsin

appreciate– if every brand does a great job on their activation,

sport events and sponsors have been involved with sports events

peoplewill love the sponsorsfor doing that as it provides additional

much longer than music – so they know better how to handle

value for them. This is somethingI have believed in for many years

them. However, I think the festivals have really improved and

and if Sponsors decide they can do this betterat their own events,

providegreat ways for brands to become a part of the event. I

this is a totally legit decision.

also noticedthe bands have become more supportive of sponsors, i.e. with younger talent the attitude towards sponsorship has

#23 VIP-MAGAZINE 11/2012 www.vip-booking.com

Allan McGowan am@vip-booking.com

DORTMUND WESTFALENHALLE AGM HEARS THE VENUE ‘HAS WARMTH’ Dortmund’s Westfalenhalle 1was inauguratedon Feb. 2 and 3, 1952, with the “Olympia ruft” event. Since then, it has helped write German and European sportingand music history. On Feb. 2, 2012, the day of its 60th birthday, the Westfalenhallen GmbH event centre held its annual press conference. Among the guests was Fritz Rau, a legendaryorganizer at the Groe Westfalenhallefor some three decades. This godfather of the German concert business indulged in reminiscenceof, among others, his concerts with the Rolling Stones. “This hall has warmth,” he said in praise of Westfalenhalle 1. “It has exactly the right capacity; here, the audience feels connected with the stage.” He was particularly pleased that younger bands now also sell out the Groe Westfalenhalle, although he does not know these names at all any more. “The young ones have to get involved,” said the veteran, who claims to have no concernsabout Westfalenhalle1: “The hall has a future. I hope that it continues to be significant.” Sabine Loos, Chief Executive of WestfalenhallenDortmund GmbH, called Westfalenhalle 1 “a legend that is rightly considered a cult venue to this day.” “It has remained a hub of innovation,” said Loos. “Our aim is to keep our finger on the pulse and to be early to recognize and implementnew trends in the events-organization business.”

Summer will see the removal of the cyclingtrack in Westfalenhalle 1 completed. Jochen Meschke, Managing Director of the Westfalenhallen GmbH event center: “This entails a number of advantages for us.” Firstly, the annual maintenance costs of the track will no longer need to be paid; in addition, the increased interior space in Westfalenhalle1 will make it more attractiveto event organizers. “In particular the 5,500 capacity of the interior space for standing-roomconcertswill make us even more attractive on the events market,” Meschkeis sure. There are already some examples of this: Thanks to the increased capacity, Westfalenhalle 1 has been successful in its bids to host the Black Sabbath and Rise Against The Machine concerts.

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#24 VIP-MAGAZINE 11/2012 www.vip-booking.com

Manfred Tari mt@vip-booking.com

BERLIN MUSIC WEEK GOES AHEAD - WITHOUT POPKOMM Since the cancellation of the 2009 edition

While official comments have not been

goods) even Berlin Fashion Week has been

of Popkomm just three months ahead of

availablefrom the press departmentat

mentioned and the third possibility is that

the event, rumours, denials and speculation

Popkomm, a conversation with an insider has

Popkomm will be added to the Echo award

regardingthe future of the event in Berlin

at least revealed that an announcement there

show in March.

have become habitual in recent years. But

is expectedat the end of January. It appears

this time hard facts already indicate that

that there are currently discussionsunderway

Once again no official comments or even

something will be different this year for the

that may see Popkomm addedto another

denialson these possibilities have been

German trade convention that has been

event also taking place in Berlin. This news

made available. However, Berlin Music Week

returningever-decreasing visitor figures. No

has of course generated more speculation.

will put on a music industry event, as part of

Popkomm staff member has been registered

Takingthe rumoursin to consideration ,

their portfolio of activities while the future

for Eurosonic Noorderslag or for Midem.

there are at least three possibleoptions. One

of Popkomm remains unclear for the time

Normally first discussions with potential

is the IFA (InternationaleFunk Ausstellung a

being.

exhibitorsand delegates would be arranged

public trade show for electronic and media

for Cannes or Groningen.

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Booking contact: booking@rockhal.lu l Venue information: info@rockhal.lu I Phone: +352 24 555 - 1 I www.rockhal.lu STUTTGART 220 miles

STRASBOURG 135 miles

BASEL 220 miles

RH_ann_VIP_MAG_170x126_Q.indd 1

Counting Crows Kylie Minogue Morrissey R.E.M. Queen feat. Paul Rodgers Kiss Avril Lavigne Korn Slipknot Depeche Mode David Guetta Katy Perry Nine Inch Nails The Pogues Prince Eros Ramazotti Massive Attack Tom Jones Pink Mando Diao The Prodigy Nickelback Rammstein Tokio Hotel Sum 41 Porcupine Tree Indochine Rihanna Mark Knopﬂer Papa Roach Editors Slash Archive Crystal Castles Airbourne Sting Maroon 5 The Chemical Brothers Jamiroquai Ozzy Osbourne Amy Macdonald Joe Cocker Lenny Kravitz Bob Dylan ...

08/12/11 09:01

#25 VIP-MAGAZINE 11/2012 www.vip-booking.com

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Malrun is a danish metal/rock-band that musically navigates in a

TYR (Faroe Islands) and Mercenary (DK). In the spring 2011 MALRUN

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went on tour with Audrey Horne (NO) in Germany and Schwitzerland.

a remarkably fresh and modern edge. The music thus targets both the broad mainstream audience as well as the metal environment.

The international press has written: Rock Hard (9 out of 10): “The debut of the year 2010....MALRUN leaves its scent marks between

Malrun will release their second album “The Empty Frame” 5th

modern metal and alternative rock”. Metalnews.de (6½ out of 7):

March 2012 and support the release with a extensive tour as support

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loss, sadness, disillusion but also provides new opportunities and possibilitiesof filling out the empty frame – a symbol of life yet to

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be lived. And as always MALRUN’s lyrical universe is spiced with little

Jacob Løbner, Patrick Nybroe, Ulrik Sølgaard-Nielsen, Mikkel Johnsen

pieces of every-day life, irony, sarcasm, humour and sex.

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After MALRUNs debut album from 2010 received average European