The clock is ticking and the SPOT Festival 2016 is approaching fast. As a little warm-up we’ll give you a few Q&As with some of the participants from the international music industry on their motivations for travelling to Aarhus.
Anja Räßler (DE) – Head of the Show and Light Entertainment Department at Rocket Beans.
Rocket Beans is a German language live-stream TV-channel. Their based in Hamburg and broadcasting 24/7.
How many times have you visited the SPOT Festival?
It is my first time.
What do you and Rocket Beans get from your visit here?
I am head of the Show and Light Entertainment department at Rocket Beans and I am developing some new music shows for our online TV-channel. I am very interested in new artists and musicians and hope to get them for some shows. I also hope to get some great pictures for a short travel film about my trip to the SPOT Festival for Rocket Beans TV.
Do you have any special agendas for this year’s festival?
Not yet, but first of all, I want to see the live acts and hope to meet interesting people.
What is your opinion on the current Danish/Nordic music scene?
I do not know enough about the scene, not yet, but I am always surprised how many great musicians from all kind of genres the North European countries have. I think they have a special and also typical way to support their talents. So more and more artists are noticed outside Denmark or the North and start international careers. That’s interesting because we don’t have a similar development in Germany.
Are the networking possibilities and seminars at the SPOT Festival part of the reason for your participation in the festival?
Not the most important reason, but I hope to network with some promotion contacts for my business.
András Berta (HU) – International Relations Director at Sziget.
Sziget is a Hungarian festival, and one of the biggest multicultural events of Europe, starting in 1993 and already celebrating its 24rd edition. Sziget is not just about music, as it offers several other cultural programs, art, and activities.
Sziget has visited the SPOT Festival many times before – how many?
For me personally this will be the second SPOT, not sure if any of my colleagues have been before. On the other hand I was really impressed already last year. Though not by the beer prices, I guess Central Europe has a definite advantage there 🙂
What do you and Sziget get from your visits here?
Networking, getting new business contacts is probably the most important aspect for me personally. Also doing some local press to promote our own festival can be helpful. And checking out some bands is another important aspect, especially for our Europe Stage, dedicated to up-and-coming acts.
Do you have any special agendas for this year’s festival?
We have a cooperation with the Danish National Radio’s talent program and Sziget agreed to offer a slot for one of their acts that also plays at SPOT. So, there are quite a few bands to check out and don’t forget that originally I’m a marketing/pr guy, but I hope to get a nice briefing from our programmers back home.
What is your opinion on the current Danish/Nordic music scene?
Good acts with highly trained and experienced professionals backing them, so I wish Hungary was as developed as the Nordic countries in this sense.
Are the networking possibilities and seminars at the SPOT Festival part of the reason for your participation in the festival?
Absolutely. It’s always a question how to fit in seminars to a busy festival/meeting schedule, but I’m always trying my best to see a few of those as well.