Filling Up With Petrolio

Andrea Pieroni’s Live is expanding beyond the metal market by acquiring Giorgio Riccitelli’s Petrolio Eventi, one of the country’s upcoming indie music promoters.

Riccitelli’s Rome-based company, which has recently promoted Kula Shaker, Brett Anderson, The Rakes and I’m From Barcelona, will become part of Florence-based Live at the beginning of 2008.

"I work mainly in the metal market but wanted to grow beyond that and so acquiring Petrolio and working with Giorgio is an exciting step," said Pieroni, whose company owns two venues and a catering company.

Riccitelli says joining with Live, which promotes such acts as Metallica, System Of A Down, David Gilmour and Dream Theatre, will raise his profile and enable him to increase his presence in the indie market.

Pieroni also promotes the country’s Gods Of Metal Festival and is returning to Bolgna’s Parco Nord for the 2008 version because he believes headliners Iron Maiden will fill the 30,000 capacity there.

The 2007 festival was held in Milan’s Idropark. Despite being a 35,000-capacity greenfield space near the city centre, the rock fans appear to prefer the Bologna site.

The other acts already confirmed for the 2008 renewal June 27-29) are Slayer, Judas Priest, Megadeth, Him, 30 Seconds To Mars and Within Temptation.