Presales – what are we going to do about it?
The pressure point of 2022, the change of average ticket sales in specific markets. We are all wondering what the reason for this could be and for some, this is a challenge that needs to be solved. Some say that ticket buyers can see the bigger bands at festivals, and therefore lack buying tickets for festivals. Others say that touring is too expensive, which makes tickets for club shows too expensive. Depending on the nation, certain target groups are even harder to reach and motivate to purchase tickets. What’s the reason for this change? And would it help if festivals start offering payment in terms? Or is quitting touring and only aiming for festivals the solution? All and all, the main question stays the same: what can we do about it?
Friday 7. April 13:00 - Room 1
Mod: Merle Doering (Catch 22, DE)
Merle Doering is the founder, owner and Managing Director of Catch 22, a young agency that not only books shows all over the world, but also offers bands assistance in management, merchandising and ticketing.
Merle began working in the live music industry as a booking agent in 2010 and from there also worked as tour manager and artist manager. Over the years she has worked with bands such as Death Angel, Sonata Arctica, Finntroll, Skálmöld, Stam1na, Coroner, Pain Of Salvation, Twilight Force, and more.
Brent Oostrum (TivoliVredenburg, NL)
Brent Oostrum is an in-house promoter at TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht. The venue is one of the leading venues in the Netherlands which has six rooms in one building with different capacities for 100 to 2000 people. The venue hosts pretty much every genre, from classical music to jazz to dance nights. Brent is responsible for the heavy/alternative bookings for the venue for bands like Opeth, Heilung, Wardruna, Swans, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Perturbator, Behemoth, and many more. He has a background in marketing but switched to bookings a couple of years ago. Besides his work for TivoliVredenburg he is also involved in the team behind the annual Roadburn festival in Tilburg.
Juan Antonio (Madness Live!, SP)
Founder and CEO of Madness Live!, an events company that organizes tours for international artists and music festivals in Spain. Since its beginnings in 2004, the company has been developing its own identity, as shown on festivals such as Be Prog My Friend (Barcelona) and Rock the Coast (Málaga).
Madness Live! is defined by its passion for music and for always pursuing the highest standards of excellence on each of its events, with the aim of guaranteeing all the attendees the best possible musical experience.
Throughout its story, Madness Live! has worked with artists such as Iron Maiden, Sabaton, Steven Wilson, Devin Townsend, Scorpions, Volbeat, Jethro Tull, A Perfect Circle, Evanescence, Amon Amarth...
Rubén Barros (Talent Nation, EC)
Ruben has been working tirelessly on the biz as much as possible. When he was a teenager in 1994 started a fanzine called Flagrum promoting underground music from several points of the planet. In the 2000s and after finishing his studies as a professional Journalist created HardNews Magazine active for around 12 issues.
Moved by his passion and the almost non-existence of international gigs in his country Ecuador started his career as a promoter organizing shows for artists such as Megadeth, Deep Purple, Morbid Angel, Napalm Death, Anathema, Deicide, Cannibal Corpse, Therion, Mayhem and many more.
Currently is the Booking agent and Tour manager in Latin America, and also for some of them in the US and Canada, for bands such as Mayhem, Leprous, Borknagar, Watain, Rotting Christ, Marduk, Batushka, Suicidal Angels, Kampfar and many more.
During the pandemic he created HOUSE OF GODS, an online merch company producing & selling official merch in Latin America of bands like Kreator, Behemoth, Alcest, Darkthrone, Venom, and more.