Rockin The Globe

Having established itself in Lisbon, Portugal, Roberto Medina is determined his Rock in Rio will continue to establish itself as a global festival brand by starting up in Madrid next year.

Catarina Amorin from Lift PR, which publicizes the event in Portugal, told Pollstar there’s no news of a date or a place, but there are ongoing negotiations to stage it in the Spanish capital in 2007.

This year’s Rock In Rio In Lisbon, which was staged over two weekends at the city’s Bela Vista Park, attracted more than 330,000 people.

Confirming the event as a family day out, the first weekend saw soft drink sales outnumber beer sales by more than two to one.

The 140,000 fans who turned up over the first weekend May 26 consumed 108,000 bottles of water and squash and 7,000 coffees against only 45,000 beers, figures that look even more remarkable given that more than 700 journalists from about 120 countries turned up to report proceedings.

Reviews suggest Shakira, Guns N’ Roses, and Jamiroquai were the highlights on a star-studded bill that also had The Darkness, Groove Armada, Xutos & Pontapes, Kill the Young, and Fingertips.

More than 210,000 turned up on the second weekend June 2 to see a bill that included Red Hot Chili Peppers, Anastacia, Roger Waters, Corinne Bailey Rae, Carlos Santana, Sting, Kasabian, and Starsailor.

Rock In Rio in 2008 will be at Lisbon’s Bela Vista Park May 30-31 and June 6-8.

– John Gammon