Swedish festival Way Out West has reported the fastest sell-out in its 18-year history, with record crowds expected at the 2025 edition.

Organised by Live Nation’s Nordic subsidiary Luger, the 7–9 August event will see the likes of Charli XCX, Chappell Roan, Queens of the Stone Age, Fontaines D.C., Little Simz, Bicep and more perform at Slottsskogen park, Gothenburg.

Speaking to IQ about the speedy sellout, the festival’s head of marketing Filip Hiltmann said: “We’re absolutely thrilled. This is exactly what we’ve been working toward since the festival’s post-pandemic return.

“It really highlights how Way Out West has carved out a unique and trusted position in the Swedish market. Of course, we have a strong lineup this year but we believe the key driver behind this early success is the trust and loyalty we’ve built with our audience over time.”

“In the context of Swedish festivals, this kind of early sell-out is both rare and remarkable”

Indeed, the festival is slated to break its attendance record for a fourth consecutive year, raising the bar from 70,000 in 2024, 55,000 in 2023 and 50,000 in 2022.

While the festival often sells out, Hiltmann says that doing so this early is “truly exceptional” for both Way Out West and the Swedish festival market.

“In the context of Swedish festivals, this kind of early sell-out is both rare and remarkable,” he remarks. “Way Out West has become something of an institution within the Swedish festival landscape. After several strong years, we’ve reached a point where our audience has real confidence in what we deliver.”

Since launching in 2007, the festival has hosted artists including Prince, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Florence + The Machine, Neil Young, M.I.A., Alicia Keys, Stormzy, Frank Ocean, Robyn, The xx, Patti Smith, Solange and The Cure.

In addition to Way Out West, Luger organises Åre Sessions, Lollapalooza Stockholm (Live Nation) and Malmö & Beyond, and co-organises Popaganda. The company also promotes over 300 shows a year.

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As one of the world’s songwriting strongholds, Sweden has been a Nordic powerhouse for live music for decades. But nowhere is immune to the challenges of post-pandemic cost increases.

If the comeback from the pandemic meant it was party time in Sweden, as gig-goers poured out of confinement to rediscover the sensation of live entertainment, there is just a touch of a hangover in the air in 2024.

Sweden has had a wobbly time of late, its economy contracting last year and the Swedish krona slipping against not only the dollar and the euro but also the krone of neighbouring Denmark.

Although there is probably no need for a whip-round just yet as Sweden remains one of Europe’s wealthier, more mature markets and a strong destination, even if its buying power has diminished slightly – but for now, Sweden at large is paying close attention to the price tags when it goes shopping.

“Basically, we are having a good year. We have a fair number of international tours – not as many as last year but that’s understood,” says Thomas Johansson, Live Nation’s venerable chairman, international music, who is also chairman of the Nordics and Baltics.

“But the business on some shows – not just Live Nation shows – reflects the fact that people are more aware of ticket prices; basically, because the Swedish krona, not dissimilar to the Norwegian currency, has been at an all-time low versus the pound and the euro and the dollar, so prices are relatively high.”

“If you push the ticket price, people will not buy because they can’t afford it”

The combination of the weak krona, stagnant wages, and high interest rates means the Swedish demand for live fun in 2024 has started to find its elastic limit.

“If you push the ticket price, people will not buy because they can’t afford it,” says Johansson. “You need to be careful with ticket prices – I have always thought that, not just now.”

When you factor in historically high touring costs – not to mention the fear of military engagement with Sweden’s easterly next-door neighbour but one–it all adds up to a slightly delicate moment.

“This is a good year for us,” says AXS general manager Jay Sietsema, adopting the positive-yet-nuanced tone of most Swedish executives just now, “but it’s been up and down across the market. Sweden came out of the pandemic really strong, and then inflation went crazy, and the market really flattened for a while, and now I think we’ve hit a stable point. What I’m hearing from the promoters is that it’s more and more expensive for the artists to come, but I think demand remains steady.”

On the face of it, this is not obviously a market in the throes of austerity. Pink, Bruce Springsteen, and Taylor Swift have been through Stockholm’s Strawberry Arena this year – pre-and post-name-change from its Friends Arena incarnation – along with numerous other international and local tours. Sweden Rock in Sölvesborg went off well in June, and another Live Nation event, August’s Luger-promoted Way Out West in Gothenburg, has plenty of well-earned cachet.

But equally, festivals such as All Things Live’s Big Slap in Malmö and Live Nation’s Lollapalooza Stockholm have opted out this year – the former for good, the latter for a period of reflection. Festivals, of course, are struggling across the continent, but Sweden is too small a market to simply put the show on and hope for a miracle, and consequently, its portfolio of major events remains a little fluid.

“Sweden must be the country that has had the most big festivals close down”

“Sweden must be the country that has had the most big festivals close down,” says All Things Live’s David Maloney. “There’s really only Way Out West and Sweden Rock still going strong after all these years. All the other festivals are gone.”

So, by all accounts, this is a year of adjustment, with plenty of decent business being done against a backdrop of realism. As Svensk Live operations manager Joppe Pihlgren points out, a marginally slower year in Sweden represents a return to normality, coming after two years that were supercharged by consumer savings and unbridled supply and demand. If the going seems a little tougher now, he suggests that’s because the bounce couldn’t go on forever.

“At the end of ’22, when we got free from the pandemic, everybody was very enthusiastic for live shows, and people had saved a lot of money, there was a lot of support, the market was very boosted,” says Pihlgren. “But, if you have a record year, everything has to go up the next year, such as artist fees, and the market can’t support that.”

In the meantime, Sweden marches on – not quite booming but still pretty good. In the three key cities of Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö, there are plenty of shows; ASM Global’s Avicii Arena is out of action this year for a major refurb and will return in 2025; meanwhile, Eurovision came and went in Malmö, striking a blow for gender inclusivity even as it became another conduit for anger at the war in Gaza.

Economic prognoses suggest that the worst has passed for Sweden and that strong fundamentals will keep it clear of further recessionary after-shocks. A slightly cloudy day may already be brightening up.

“There has been a negative perception, with the high interest rates, the inflation, the war, and I think that has stabilised,” says Sietsema. “And we’re seeing that there’s still a huge interest in music, in theatre and events and sports, and that the crowds continue to grow. The demand has not lessened. The challenge is to not let inflation run away with everything so the prices get too expensive. But I’m optimistic for the Swedish market. As I said, the demand is still looking good.”

“Sweden has always been a competitive market”

Promoters
The powerful Live Nation Sweden sits at the heart of the live giant’s Nordic and Baltic network – roughly 90 of its 200 staff in the region are based in Stockholm. Its operations reflect the fact that, while Sweden is a perennially formidable touring market, it also remains one of the world’s most productive pop music hubs.

“Before we did Live Nation,” says Johansson, giving a history lesson few people need, “we looked after a band called ABBA. After that, we did a band called Europe, and after that, we did Roxette worldwide, and we did fantastic business.”

These days, Johansson’s focus is broad, but Swedish talent remains a priority, from Ghost to the newly rebooted Roxette.

“One act in particular that we have worked with for a couple of years is Benjamin Ingrosso,” he says. “We are doing nine outdoor shows for his tour starting the end of July, and he is headlining one of the Way Out West dates. We have sold about 95% of the tickets, sold out the [Olympic] stadium in Stockholm at 31,000, and it’s looking like every show will be sold out at various capacities. But again, the tickets are correctly priced, and people can afford to see it.”

Luger, Live Nation’s ‘indie’ division, also remains busy, masterminding the Way Out West festival and delivering a heavy slate of gigs, with Bright Eyes, Headie One, and The Soundtrack of Our Lives among those doing the rounds this year.
FKP Scorpio has been active in Sweden since 2011, absorbing local indie Woah Dad! in 2019, along with its founders Niklas Lundell and Joel Borg. The promoter is predictably industrious, with recent shows including a Massive Attack tour warm-up at Gothenburg’s Filmstudio and Ne-Yo’s first Swedish concert since 2010 at Hovet in Stockholm, as well as Ed Sheeran shows at Strawberry Arena next summer.

“Sweden has always been a competitive market,” says Borg. “Niklas and I have been working together for over 15 years. We co-founded Way Out West in 2007 while working at Luger/Live Nation, and before that, we ran clubs and magazines. Now, we continue with initiatives like Rosendal Garden Party.”

“One thing is always certain: people will always want to attend a great concert or experience a world-class festival”

This summer, FKP also began hosting live music events at Drottningskärs Citadel, on the archipelago island of Aspö, off the coast of the naval city of Karlskrona, with Petter, Uno Svenningsson and Eric Gadd making up the first set of shows.

“Sweden is still a small country,” says Borg. “The krona has been weak, and the market has struggled with post-pandemic bottlenecks. Prices have gone up, yada yada – same for everyone. But one thing is always certain: people will always want to attend a great concert or experience a world-class festival.”

All Things Live was behind Sweden’s three Taylor Swift shows in May, with each night breaking the previous night’s record for attendance at the then Friends Arena, ultimately drawing 178,679 people in total and making a large contribution to a 3% spike in Sweden’s core inflation rate that month. For all of the talk of mega-tours’ effect on local economies, Maloney doesn’t appreciate the widespread surge pricing that now goes hand in hand with such shows.

“Overall, it is an important show to do – for Stockholm, for the artist, for the audience,” says Maloney. “It is good for everybody, but what is spoiling the market – and this is a problem for all the major shows – is the €100 hotel room that suddenly costs €700. If restaurants and hotels are going to take such liberties, it is going to have a negative effect on sales.

“Secondary ticketing is something we can work on and try to prevent, but when you do a show and the guy running the hamburger joint facing the venue just earned more money than I did because he charged €30 for a burger and a Coke Zero, then that’s not right.”

Healthier, again, is the strength of domestic acts – perhaps one of the more positive legacies of Covid, which of course took international artists off the menu for two years.

“The domestic market in Sweden now is bigger than it’s ever been,” says Maloney. “All the Swedish tours we have done with Veronica Maggio, HammerFall, or Evergrey have done amazing business. That’s something we are really concentrating on now.”

Read part two of the Swedish market report, which focuses on festivals and venues, here.

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Continuing our regular European festival previews, IQ gives readers a snapshot of what’s to come this weekend…

Norway’s Øya Festival is celebrating its 25th anniversary between 6-10 August, with Jack White drafted in as a late replacement for Queens of the Stone Age. White joined PJ Harvey, Pulp, Janelle Monáe and Gabrielle in headlining the Oslo event, which will also feature The Kills, Vince Staples, The National, Slowdive, Big Thief, Arca, Sampha and Idles, among others.

In addition, White has stepped in for QOTSA at Sweden’s Way Out West and Denmark’s Syd for Solen (both 8-10 August).

The Way Out West lineup already boasts artists including Fred Again.., Pulp, PJ Harvey, The National, Air, Skepta, Charlotte Day Wilson, Peggy Gou, Chase & Status, Andre 3000, Big Thief, Jessie Ware, Tems and J Hus, while Fred Again.. also tops the bill at Syd for Solen, which will also welcome the likes of Jorja Smith, Michael Kiwanuka, Sampha, Air, Big Thief, Kenya Grace, Andre 3000 and The Kills.

Also in Denmark, Smukfest, which runs from 4-11 August, has Deep Purple, Sam Smith, Diana Ross, Hardwell, Icona Pop, Example, Faithless, Joel Corry, Lukas Graham, The Prodigy, Zara Larsson and Kiefer Sutherland.

In Hungary, Budapest’s Sziget (7-12 August) presents an all-star cast starring Fred Again.., Halsey, Janelle Monae, Kylie Minogue, Liam Gallagher, Martin Garrix, Sam Smith, Skrillex and Stormzy. Acts will also include Bebe Rexha, Fisher, Louis Tomlinson, Raye, Four Tet, Fontaines DC, Tom Odell, Becky Hill, Aurora and Big Thief.

Meanwhile, Halsey, Fred Again.., PJ Harvey and Pulp head Finland’s Flow Festival in Helsinki (9-11 August). The bill also includes acts such as Raye, Jessie Ware, Idles, Janelle Monae, Vince Staples, Aurora, James Blake, L’Imperatrice, Kenya Grace and Gasellit.

The UK’s Boardmasters (7-11 August) in Newquay, Cornwall, will be headlined by Chase & Status, Sam Fender and Stormzy, backed by Courteeners, Becky Hill, The Streets, Leftfield, Tom Odell, Nia Archives, Declan McKenna, Maisie Peters, Cat Burns and Mahalia.

Other acts will include The Teskey Brothers, Kenya Grace, Soft Play, Elderbrook, Holly Humberstone, Ghetts, Katy B, Kate Nash, Royel Otis, Los Bitchos and Nick Mulvey.

Boomtown 2024 – Chapter 3: Revolution of Imagination (7-11 August) brings The Pharcyde, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, Ezra Collective, Viagra Boys, Marc Rebillet, Earth Wind & Fire Experience by Al McKay, Soft Play and Hak Baker to Winchester’s Matterley Bow in Hampshire.

SBTRKT, Pendulum, Ibibio Sound Machine, Children Of Zeus, Ghetts, Fish 56 Octagon, Dream Wife, Priya Ragu and  Sherelle will also perform at the event.

MEO Sudoeste (7-10 August) in Portugal is headed by Martin Garrix, Anitta, Don Toliver, Da Weasel and Alok, with the supporting cast including Charlotte De Witte, Richie Campbell, Matue, Barbara Bandeira, Lil Yachty and Mizzy Miles.

Elsewhere, the likes of Rise Against, Alligatoah, Deichkind, Beatsteaks, Nina Chuba, Giant Rooks and Feine Sahne Fischfilet will grace Germany’s Taubertal-Festival (8-11 August).

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Swedish festival Way Out West has reported its highest attendance yet, with 55,000 fans flocking to the recent edition.

Blur, Wizkid, Boy Genius, Caroline Polachek and Sam Fender appeared on the bill for the three-day event (10–13 August) in Slottsskogen park, Gothenburg.

The festival – which launched in 2007 – is organised by Luger, a Nordic promoter owned by Live Nation.

“Despite starting off the week overcoming a major storm and heavy rain, when we opened the gates to the site on Thursday the sun was shining and we were blessed with great weather across almost the entire weekend,” says Luger’s Natalie Ryan-Williams.

“This edition was really special to us, and we ended up with a new attendance record of over 55,000 unique visitors, having the most attended day in the history of the festival on the final day.

“Making each festival as if it were the last is our motto”

“We are very happy to find that even in a time of financial difficulty the audience – which includes a younger generation finding their way to us – seems to want to prioritise coming to the festival and for that, we are very thankful. Making each festival as if it were the last is our motto, but the truth is that we always look forward to being back next year – hopefully without any storms!”

Alongside its usual musical offering, Way Out West this year partnered with Swedish streaming titan Spotify to mark hip-hop’s 50th birthday and celebrate its cultural impact in the country.

On one of the festival’s largest stages, the two companies presented a live showcase featuring new and emerging talent, as well as some of the most prominent names in Swedish hip-hop history. Dizzy, Jelassi and Mohelá topped the line-up for the stage.

In addition to Way Out West, Luger organises Åre Sessions, Lollapalooza Stockholm (Live Nation) and Malmö & Beyond, and co-organises Popaganda. The company also promotes over 300 shows a year.

Way Out West will return to Gothenburg between 8–10 August 2024.

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Live Nation Sweden has appointed Eva Alm to the newly created role of head of sustainability.

Effective 7 August, Alm will be responsible for “driving and developing Live Nation’s sustainability work, including Sweden Rock Festival and the wholly owned subsidiary Luger”.

Alm joins from Espresso House Group where she was sustainability manager and developed and activated sustainability strategies.

She has held various senior roles in the hotel and hospitality industry and has an academic background in business leadership and international development cooperation.

“Sustainability work should be a natural part of our DNA and play a key role in the business decisions we make,” says Mattias Behrer, CEO of Live Nation Sweden.

“We want to and will contribute to change by inspiring our fans, employees, artists and partners – but also ourselves and the industry at large. [Live Nation Sweden festival] Way Out West is an example where we have shown through creative initiatives that it is possible to break norms and contribute to increased sustainability. Eva has solid experience in activating sustainability strategies and a great commitment, which is exactly what we are looking for in this role.”

“Sustainability work should be a natural part of our DNA and play a key role in the business decisions we make”

Alm adds: “The commitment to sustainability issues is already great within Live Nation and I see it as an incredibly exciting opportunity to be part of the journey to drive sustainability work forward and contribute to both highly set business and sustainability goals.”

Live Nation Sweden’s stable of festivals includes Åre Sessions, Sweden Rock Festival, Lollapalooza Stockholm, and Way Out West. The latter became the world’s first ISO 20121 certified music festival in 2013, validating the event’s sustainability efforts.

Way Out West has been a vegetarian and largely dairy-free festival since 2012 which “helps to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 40%”.

Other examples of implemented sustainability initiatives include locally produced and environmentally friendly electricity; replacing fossil fuel-powered vehicles; replacing water-flushing toilets with vacuum-flushing variants, which reduced the water consumption at Sweden Rock Festival’s sanitation system by 75%.

This year, at Lollapalooza Stockholm,“a self-produced organic sparkling wine in aluminum cans will be launched “to use more sustainable deliveries and reduce the consumption of disposable materials on site”.

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Last week saw some of Scandinavia’s best-known festivals welcome back record numbers of music fans.

Norway’s Øya Festival (Øyafestivalen) reported a total attendance of 88,000 over four days (or 22,000 per day) at this year’s sold-out edition, smashing its previous record of 80,000 in 2019.

The Superstruct-backed festival returned to Oslo’s Tøyen Park last week (9 and 13 August) with headliners Gorillaz, Florence + the Machine and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.

“The festival was fantastic,” Jonas Prangerød, press manger for Øya, tells IQ. “Artists, staff, volunteers and, of course, the audience enjoyed Øya finally being back. People came very early to the festival area and there was a good crowd for every band and artist.

“Both new talent and the big, established favourites impressed. I think a lot of people have got a few new favourite acts now. The warm weather suited Øya’s comeback really well. The whole week was as good as we could hope for.”

Sweden’s Way Out West also broke its own attendance record, drawing 50,000 unique visitors over three days (11–13 August) to its 2022 edition.

The Luger-promoted festival once again took over Gothenburg’s Slottsskogen city park, offering performances from the likes of Tame Impala, Beabadoobee and Fontaines D.C.

“The whole week was as good as we could hope for”

“Way Out West 2022 could not have ended up better,” Filip Hiltmann, marketing and communications manager for Way out West, tells IQ.

“After two years of silence, it felt great to finally be back in Slottsskogen doing what we do best. The sun was out the whole weekend (a rare phenomenon in Gothenburg!) and we experienced first-class sets from the likes of Burna Boy, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, First Ait Kit, Fred again… and many more. We can’t wait to be back next year, mark down 10–12 August 2023 in your calendars.”

Elsewhere in Scandinavia, Finland’s Flow Festival celebrated an attendance record of 90,000 over two days (12–14 August) or 30,000 per day.

The Superstruct-backed festival took place in the Finnish capital of Helsinki this past weekend (12–14 August), with performances from more than 160 acts including Jamie xx, Princess Nokia, Bikini Kill, MØ and Fred Again.

Notably, Gorillaz’s performance at Flow was the band’s first-ever appearance in Finland.

Next year’s Flow dates have already been set for 11–13 August, 2023, and a limited number of Super Early Bird tickets went on sale yesterday (15 August).

Other festivals that took place over the weekend, elsewhere in Europe, include Superstruct’s Sziget (Hungary), Follow The Step’s Fest Festival (Poland) and Boomtown Fair (UK).

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The Swedish government’s new roadmap has hammered the final nail in the coffin of the country’s 2021 festival summer by ruling out major events until at least September.

The three-stage plan seals the fate of Swedish festivals – most of which have already pulled the plug.

Way Out West (12–14 August) is the latest major Swedish festival to be called off and follows high-profile cancellations from Sweden Rock (9–12 June), Lollapalooza Stockholm (2–5 July) and Statement Festival (3–4 September).

Regional events including Urkult, Bingsjöstämman, Storsjöyran, Dance Band Week in Malung, Gefle Metal, Putte in the Park (Karlstad and Luleå), Kiruna Festival and Uppsala Reggae previously called time on 2021 editions.

The roadmap, proposed by the Swedish Public Health Agency and commissioned by the government, suggests that from 1 June (stage three) outdoor events can take place with 500 seated and socially distanced attendees or with 100 standing.

Sweden Rock, Lollapalooza Stockholm, Way Out West and Statement Festival have been called off

Indoor events can take place with either 50 seated and socially distanced attendees or just eight standing.

Dates for the next two levels have not yet been given but the Public Health Agency believes that stage two will come into effect later in June or July, which is when outdoor events can take place with 3,000 seated and socially distanced attendees.

The majority of capacity limits will likely be scrapped in early September, which will mark stage one of the roadmap.

The Swedish government has been notably strict with restrictions for live music. In November, it imposed one of the lowest capacity limits in Europe, permitting just eight people indoors – a limit that, according to the roadmap, may not be lifted until July.

Sweden is the latest European market to pull the plug on the 2021 festival season due to uncertainty about the 2021 festival season, following widespread cancellations in Norway, Germany, the UK, Switzerland, Denmark and France.

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Sweden’s National Board for Consumer Disputes (Allmänna reklamationsnämnden, ARN) has declared that ticketholders are entitled to a cash refund for any events cancelled or postponed due to Covid-19.

The government agency has declared that organisers that have been forced to cancel or move events due to coronavirus-related restrictions cannot “avoid having to repay [the] money” unless a contractual condition states otherwise.

The principle of force majeure, says the ARN, does not exempt companies from the obligation to repay the cost of the service that has not been delivered, but rather applies to limiting liability.

“Anyone who does not get the agreed output, e.g. the opportunity to participate in an activity or to go to a concert, is therefore basically not obligated to pay for it,” comments ARN chairman and CEO Marcus Isgren.

In many countries in Europe, including Germany, Portugal and Italy, concert organisers are being allowed to offer ticket vouchers (ie credit) in lieu of cash refunds for cancelled events, as promoters warn that mass refunds may well lead to bankruptcies.

“Anyone who does not get the agreed output is therefore not obligated to pay for it”

However, ARN states that offering customers a voucher to attend the same event on a different date is not a valid form of reimbursement, as the chosen date “is usually crucial” to the consumer’s decision to buy the ticket.

“It is therefore not possible for the organiser to compel [the consumer] without their consent to accept that the tickets will be valid for a corresponding event another day,” says Isgren.

Despite ARN’s announcement, Joppe Pihlgren, head of Swedish live music association Svensk Live, says many fans “want to support concerts and organisers” and would rather wait until they can attend the event, than get their money back.

“As an industry we need the information on how and when we can restart,” Pihlgren tells Swedish publication Västerbottens-Kuriren. “I understand it is difficult, bu we need to know so we can plan ahead. This is essential for our operations.”

Unlike the vast majority of European countries, Sweden has kept some of its economy, such as restaurants, bars and shops, open throughout the coronavirus crisis. The government has placed a capacity limit of 50 on live events, leading to the cancellation of Way Out West, Lollapalooza Stockholm and Sweden Rock.

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Swedish concert promoter and festival organiser Luger is expanding into Norway, opening an office in Oslo to strengthen its presence in the Scandinavian market.

Luger now operates in three Scandinavian markets, adding to its Swedish headquarters and its Danish office, which opened in Copenhagen in 2018, led by Sarah Sølvsteen.

The expansion into Norway follows the bolstering of a fellow European promoter’s presence in the country last month, with FKP Scorpio’s acquisition of a majority stake in booking agency Nordic Live.

Luger’s new Norwegian office will be headed up by Torgeir Gullaksen, a veteran promoter with over 20 years’ experience putting on shows and events in the country. Gullaksen joined Gunnar Eide Concerts (now Live Nation Norway) in the late 90s, founding his own promotions company, Goldstar (now FKP Scorpio Norway), in 2005.

The Luger Norway head has worked with acts including Arctic Monkeys, Queens Of The Stone Age, Radiohead, Rival Sons, Tame Impala, The Black Keys, Ben Howard, Arcade fire, Belle & Sebastian and Michael Kiwanuka.

“My aim is to firmly establish Luger as a strong brand in Norway”

“I’m delighted to be joining the Luger family and look forward to working close with Ola and the rest of the team,” comments Gullaksen. “Over the last 20 years or so, I’ve had the pleasure of working with Luger on both international and domestic acts and consider them the best in class in developing new talent over here.

“My aim is to firmly establish Luger as a strong brand in Norway and continue working with the acts I already have existing relations with, as well as become the natural promoter for emerging acts in Norway.”

Luger Sweden MD Ola Broquist adds that Gullaksen is “a great person, a great promoter and a music lover – the ultimate combination.”

Luger is one of the Nordic’s leading promoters, as well as acting as an agency and tour producer for Swedish artists. The company promotes over 300 a year, in addition to festivals including Way Out West, Åre Sessions and – together with C3 and Live Nation Sweden – Lollapalooza Stockholm.

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Artists Kate Nash and Peaches revealed details of the next phase of music industry gender parity project Keychange at Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg today (19 September).

A presentation, hosted by Kate Nash and Peaches alongside Pitchfork editor Puja Patel, laid out the foundations for the next four-year stage of the project. A new management structure, headed up by lead partner Reeperbahn Festival, was also announced.

The news follows the recent announcement that the gender balance initiative received €1.4 million in funding from the European Commission.

Keychange 2.0 will support 216 music creators and industry professionals – 74 each year – from countries including Canada, Estonia, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden and the UK.

The participants will take part in a talent development programme of showcases, panels, workshops, training sessions, networking events and creative labs at 13 festivals across Europe and Canada, including two full network meetups in February and September.

A global database will list all participants and the more than 250 signatories to Keychange’s 50/50 gender-balanced line-up pledge, as well as a mentoring scheme, Keychange conference, online resources, ambassadors and an expanded management team.

“Its encouraging to see all these organisations involved with Keychange because it means that things can finally start to change,” says Nash. “Music is about feeling part of a community and feeling included – it’s about being seen and heard.”

“Its encouraging to see all these organisations involved with Keychange because it means that things can finally start to change”

An open call for Keychange 2.0 participants will launch in October 2019 through the initiative’s website. “Innovative and boundary-pushing” applicants from all partner countries are encouraged to apply. Six participants will be selected per country – three artists and three industry professionals.

Reeperbahn Festival, alongside other leading festival partners from each country – Iceland Airwaves (Iceland), BIME (Spain), Oslo World (Norway), Tallinn Music Week (Estonia), Ireland Music Week (Ireland), Way Out West (Sweden), Linecheck (Italy), Liverpool Sound City (UK), Spring Break (Poland) Mutek (Canada), BreakOut West (Canada) and MAMA (France) – will each host six to twelve international Keychange participants.

“With Keychange 1.0, we have been addressing the necessity of gender equality in the music business since 2017,” comments Reeperbahn chief executive Alex Schulz.

“Phase 2.0 not only extends Pledge 2022 for balanced line-ups in festivals to other organisations and music sub-markets, but also expands our mentoring programmes and workshops as well as the European database, so that our innovators and artists can implement the transformative power of Keychange in the best possible way and carry it out into the world.”

Reeperbahn will work closely with Keychange founder PRS Founder and Sweden’s Musikcentrum Öst to lead Keychange 2.0.

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