B’Estival Builds Bit Of A Buzz

Romania’s new three-day festival is creating a buzz among the national media with the state television station TVR already planning to make a documentary.

Guido Janssens of Emag!c Entertainment, who said it’s the biggest project his company has ever taken on, announced the acts confirmed so far at a March 29th press call at Bucharest at RomExpo – where the June 29 to July 1 event will be held. The acts named include Faithless, Morcheeba, Marilyn Manson, Hooverphonic, Pink, Kasabian, Reamonn, Wu-Tang Clan, and Alice Cooper.

The final lineup for the 30,000-capacity event will comprise 30 acts from 10 countries.

The media buzz has been matched by the demand for tickets. Eighty percent of the 6,000 three-day passes were sold in less than three weeks.

Since Janssens, his Romanian wife Laura, and Dutch promoter Leon Ramakers set up Emag!c Entertainment in 1995, it’s provided some major U.S. and European touring acts with a safe partner in a relatively unknown and uncertain emerging market.

Last summer’s 45,000-cap sellout Depeche Mode show in the national soccer stadium was the biggest contemporary live music event Romania’s ever seen.