UK: COPTRZ, the commercial drone solution provider, has announced the launch of a new service division specialising in the real-time detection of drones at events and stadiums. It promises to be the first specialist service offering of its kind in the UK and comes at a time when drones continue to cause havoc during high-profile events. Festivals have been amongst the first to clamp down on the use of drones, with Glastonbury imposing a site-wide ban last year. Despite the clamp down, security officials have been perilous to the threat of drones when event boundaries are regularly breached. COPTRZ has…
Author: Festival Insights
Electric Castle will host its sixth edition this July, returning to the fifteenth century Transylvanian monument from which it derives its namesake with a characteristically eclectic cast of international talent. Amongst other auspicious factors, the festival’s unique and historic location, wealth of ancillary offerings, and collaborative spirit have resulted in an especially loyal fanbase that returns year-on-year. Insights spoke with Andi Vanca, Electric Castle’s Head of Communications, about the festival’s unique backdrop, the eclecticism of its line-up and more. Festival Insights: Seeing as the festival is part-named after the historic monument that serves as its backdrop, it seems that the…
UK: Festival Republic has announced a laundry list of environmental improvements it will be rolling out across all of its events this year. The promoter has joined forces with the Greenpeace events team again this year to help festival-goers stem the tide of plastic pollution. All plastic bottles bought at Festival Republic festivals have a refundable deposit. The scheme started with water bottles in 2009 and has now expanded to cover all plastic drinks bottles, to encourage festival-goers to return these items for recycling. Last year Greenpeace volunteers at festivals collected over 380,000 plastic bottles and thousands of signatures for…
UK: Live At Leeds has revealed that it will host a full day of music industry talks and workshops as part of the first ever Unconference on May 4. Kick-starting the festival weekend, the Unconference will be rounded out with a Momentum Music Fund showcase at The Wardrobe, headlined by newly announced Leeds favourites, Marsicans. The Unconference is a day of panels, workshops, presentations and networking for those working in, or aspiring to work in the music industry, as part of Live At Leeds and Leeds International Festival. Artists, producers, managers, promoters, and general enthusiasts are invited to attend. This…
CHINA: Some of the biggest names in EDM – including Martin Garrix, Tiesto, and Afrojack – performed at China’s ISY Music Festival from March 2 – 3, held at Haitang Bay Beach in Sanya. The festival’s main venue was outfitted with an expansive E-Series sound system from Adamson, who also kept the artists in the mix with its S-Series monitor solution in the DJ booth. “Adamson’s E-Series is my favourite audio system. It meets all of our requirements in terms of volume, clarity, and impact,” said Stephan Themps, FOH engineer for Martin Garrix. “We actually set a record at ISY…
AUSTRALIA: The 10th edition of Vivid Sydney – the festival of light, music and ideas – will commence on May 25, featuring a new precinct within the eponymous city’s Luna Park, the return of the much-loved Customs House, and a fantastical blend of everyday objects and Australian-inspired motifs on the sails of the Sydney Opera House. Australia’s Minister for Tourism and Major Events, Adam Marshall, said: “Vivid Sydney has delighted and inspired people from around Australia and the world. With the Festival now in its 10th year, visitors and locals alike can once again expect to be mesmerised by the…
ALBANIA: Kala Festival has unveiled the selection of ancillary entertainment and wellbeing activities that will grace its debut event, taking place at Dhërmi, an intimate beach location on the Albanian Riviera from June 20 – 27. Attendees will be able to take advantage of a selection of activities at the festival’s first edition, including snorkelling; hiking its surrounding trails; and taking to the open seas via pedalo, kayak or stand up paddle board. Day-long excursions will be available, allowing festival-goers to tour Osumi Canyon – a 26km-long river gorge filled with underground passages, caves, and waterfalls that can be stumbled…
HUNGARY: Sziget has unveiled three stages worth of additional acts for its upcoming edition, set to take place from August 8 – 15 in Budapest. Artists set to perform on the World Music Stage include Les Negresses Vertes and Transglobal Underground. The Europe Stage will host breaking acts including Tommy CA$H, KETTCAR, Blaudzun and Fresku. International electronic acts who will play at the Colosseum include Ben UFO, Eagles & Butterflies, The Martinez Brothers & Tiga. Sziget is one of the world’s largest music and arts festivals, and won Line-Up of the Year at the European Festival Awards 2017 for the…
UK: Bluedot – the festival of science and music situated in Cheshire’s Jodrell Bank Observatory – has announced that the legendary BBC Radiophonic Workshop will celebrate its 60th anniversary at the event in the form of a live performance and onsite installation. The Radiophonic Workshop’s live set will feature iconic sounds and visuals from across its 60-year career. It will also bring a number of ‘artists in residence’, who will use everything from binaural microphones to iPhones to collect sounds from around the festival site before working them into compositions that embody Bluedot’s values of curiosity, creativity and collaboration. Paddy…
Tom Sutton-Roberts is the general manager at the multi award-winning independent venue Troxy, right in the heart of East London. Tom has always worked in the live music industry – from sound engineering to festival production and he now works at Troxy to oversee venue operations and growth. Here, Tom explores the importance of both independent and grassroots venues in relation to both festivals and the music industry as a whole. As GM of one of London’s last remaining independent venues, I’m hugely passionate about safeguarding our music scene and supporting grassroots venues. Not only are these venues the places…