Indie Champions 2025:
Opus

Opus was founded in 1994 in order to develop Jazz Open Stuttgart festival, and was positively transformed by serial entrepreneur Jürgen Schlensog in 2008.

By IQ | 19 November 2025

Opus was founded in 1994 in order to develop Jazz Open Stuttgart festival, which premiered that year with a four-day debut and about 10,000 ticket sales. However, after many years of financial losses, the company was taken over by serial entrepreneur Jürgen Schlensog in 2008, and he set about transforming its fortunes.

Opus still recognises Jazz Open Stuttgart as its key project, but the company is launching Jazz Open Modena in Italy next summer, while it also has a division that books artists for corporate shows and events. And at the artist development level, it runs a small series of indoor shows with young urban artists in cooperation with radio broadcaster bigFM.

“We sold about 70,000 tickets in 2025,” Schlensog tells IQ. “As Opus is independent, we…

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INDIE CHAMPIONS 2025:

Northern Music

Launched in 1987 as a response to a London-dominated music industry, Northern Music offers a swathe of services to clients, employing 12 staff and using freelancers for specific projects.

LETSGO

Brothers Iñaki and Gorka Fernández founded LETSGO in 2009, with an ambition to fuse the performing arts and captivate audiences worldwide.

IAG

IAG was formed in June 2023 following the merger of legacy full-service agency APA and music touring agency AGI.

Aiken Promotions

Aiken Promotions is a multi-generational family company, founded over 60 years ago by the late James Aiken in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Cobra Agency

Specialising in the rock and metal genres, Cobra Agency was founded in 2017 by business partners Günther Beer and Dominik Meyer.

DHP Family

Working at both national and regional level, DHP Family promote artists including James Blunt, Lewis Capaldi and Sam Fender.

Voulez-vous Danser

Paris-based Voulez-vous Danser (VVD) has grown from a small independent initiative into a full-scale international booking and live production agency.

Good Taste Production

Formed in 2012, Good Taste specialises in creating original festival concepts and large-scale live experiences across Poland.

Eat to the Beat

Eat to the Beat (ETTB) has come a long way since the late Tony Laurenson launched operations more than 40 years ago.

Bonus Track

Bonus Track was formed 40 years ago in the wake of the inaugural Rock in Rio Festival, where company founder Luiz Oscar Niemeyer had the role of general coordinator

Silverdust

Formed after a rocky start for Summer Breeze Open Air, Silverdust GmbH was formed as the company behind the rock and metal-focussed festival.

All Things Go

Having evolved from a single-day event, All Things Go now welcomes more than 120,000 fans annually to multi-day events in Washington, New York, and Toronto.

S2BN Entertainment

Michael Cohl founded S2BN Entertainment, an independent company dedicated to producing & promoting world-class live experiences across multiple sectors.

Serious

With over 30 years’ experience in producing events from grassroots to large scale concerts, festivals and tours, Serious aim to make meaningful music experiences and opportunities for everyone.

Paléo Arts & Spectacles

Non-profit cultural association Paléo Arts & Spectacles was formed in 1974 to bring popular folk music to the local youth.

Solo

Now functioning as an all-around artist agency service, Solo was formed in 1985 by John Giddings

People Entertainment Group

Founded in 2001, People Entertainment Group now operates its own network of companies, allowing it to self-present its tours.

Double Vee Concerts

Jacco van Lanen and Willem Venema founded the three-people-strong promotion company Double Vee Concerts at the end of 2009.

Barley Arts

Barley Arts was founded in 1979 when Italian record label Dischi Ricordi decided to launch a catalogue of country and folk music by organising tours and concerts.

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