UK: The events and ticketing agent Skiddle has conducted research into young people’s attitudes towards phone usage at gigs. According to its research, over a quarter of young people (27%) think that mobile phones should be banned at live music events because filming and photography is distracting and takes away from the experience. Over 1,200 young people between the ages of 16 – 30 were questioned about the use of mobile phones at gigs and festivals from November 20 – 23. Of the 27% who thought mobile phones should be banned for filming and photography purposes: 37% said they were…
Author: Festival Insights
Jason Robert is the co-founder and CEO of HelloSugoi. In June 2017, he launched the world’s first blockchain-based event ticketing platform. He is also the co-founder of the popular ‘Real World Blockchain’ Meetup. As an active educator and community builder, Jason has facilitated numerous public speaking engagements on the topic of blockchain and event ticketing, including appearances at the UCLA Anderson School of Management, Innovate Pasadena, BlockCon, and SF Music Tech Summit. 2017 will go down in blockchain history as the year that moved the needle within numerous industries. While the cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, has flooded the news channels and increased…
Alex Trenchard is the Founder and Festival Director of Standon Calling, a 17,000 capacity festival in Hertfordshire. Standon Calling was the first UK festival to embrace RFID technology and has continued to do so for the last five years, working with PlayPass to enhance its cashless offering over the last two. In addition to Standon Calling, Alex has produced the immersive film production Secret Cinema, and creates experiences for a number of brands via his company, The Ink & Paint Club. Alex currently sits on AIF’s strategy board. Standon Calling is a boutique music festival set in the beautiful Hertfordshire…
UK: A Greener Festival, the not for profit organisation committed to helping festivals and events to minimise their environmental impact around the world, has won the Green Apple Environment Award in the international campaign to find the greenest companies, councils and communities. AGF competed against more than 500 other nominations in the Green Apple Awards for Environmental Best Practice, which was presented at the Houses of Parliament, London. Over the last decade AFG has assessed and accredited more than 400 festivals worldwide including Glastonbury Festival (UK), Roskilde Festival (DK), Bonnaroo (US) and Falls Festival (AU). It has delivered sustainable event…
UK: The ticketing and cashless provider Weezevent has won the account to provide the Gin Festival with its unique solution on a long-term deal. The Gin Festival is the largest growing event in the UK with over 60 events catering for 170,000 people in 2017. Weezevent will provide both access control and cashless at all events throughout the UK, a significant business win for the French ticketing and cashless solution that has mass adoption across music and sporting events in France. Weezevent CEO, Pierre Henri-Deballon, said: “After a first year on the UK’S incredible market, the adventure continues and we…
UK: TRNSMT Festival will return to Glasgow Green in 2018 and will extend its music offering across two weekends. The main festival weekend will take place over three days from June 29 – July 1, with two shows taking place the following weekend from July 6 – 8. Glasgow city centre will provide the backdrop to TRNSMT Festival in Glasgow Green, and the brand new two-weekend experience will deliver a world-class festival line-up set to be revealed later this month. TRNSMT’s inaugural edition had headliners Radiohead, Kasabian and Biffy Clyro entertain 120,000 revellers across its three days, and its extended…
UK: Slam Dunk Festival is set to return for its biggest year to date in 2018 and has announced that Slam Dunk South will now take place at Hatfield Park, having outgrown its former home in Hatfield, the University of Hertfordshire. Over double the size of the previous location, Hatfield Park is located in the grounds of Hatfield House and situated directly opposite Hatfield train station, making it even more accessible and accommodating for festivalgoers wishing to revel in Slam Dunk Festival’s alternative extravaganza. Festival Director, Ben Ray, said: “Slam Dunk Festival South has been taking place in Hatfield since…
UK: Attitude is Everything, the UK’s leading authority on live music accessibility for deaf and disabled people, has published a new DIY Access guide – presenting a series of cheap and simple tips to make gigs and shows more inclusive, and help artists and promoters maximise their audiences. The aim is to make performances as accessible as possible, even if a stage is up or down a flight of stairs, with the guide providing advice on: How to set up an accessible seated viewing area How to make your own DIY captions for lyrics Information to include on online event…
UK: The festival phenomenon Arcadia has announced its biggest standalone event yet, taking place in London from May 5 – 6 to celebrate its 10th anniversary. The two-day event will see the iconic 50-tonne, fire-breathing spider land in the heart of London, as the Metamorphosis show welcomes dance music heavyweights to perform from the belly of the beast. Teaming up with London event specialists LWE, Arcadia’s first ever London show is primed to bring its signature fusion of circus, sculpture, engineering, art, dance music and 360 degree animatronics. Londoners will have the chance to step inside Arcadia’s fully immersive landscape,…
USA: After a hugely successful festival launch during Miami Music Week in 2017 – with headline acts that included Andhim, Art Department, Ellen Allien, Hernan Cattaneo, Rodriguez Jr., Steve Lawler, and tINI – Rapture Electronic Music Festival will return to the historic Virginia Key Beach Park on March 22, 2018. The multi-stage festival – which is set in pristine beachside surrounds – provides an alternative experience to the usual Miami pool parties and will feature a specially curated line-up comprising top underground electronic talent. Setting itself apart from other events during Miami Music Week, Rapture Electronic Music Festival features several…