Paleo Preps For Annual Rush

It will be interesting to see how the recession hits a small market with so many festivals, but new booker Dany Hassenstein says he sees no signs that Paleo-Nyon in Switzerland is about to feel the pinch.

The festival, 25 kilometres north of Geneva, has sold out its six days every year for the last decade. Lately it’s been a question only of how long it takes for all 210,000 tickets to sell.

Hassenstein said sales for concerts staged by Opus One – the festival’s promoting company – haven’t dropped, which includes a 12-date run with the “Mamma Mia” stage show and concerts by Bob Dylan, Lenny Kravitz, Depeche Mode and Pink. Hassenstein worked on Paleo’s production team for seven years before joining and taking over the international booking operation from Seb Vuignier.

He said he was particularly looking forward to this year’s onsale April 20, his first since Vuignier left to set up Takk Productions, his own promoting company. He’s pleased to have booked a bill that includes Placebo, Kaiser Chiefs, The Prodigy, Franz Ferdinand, Moby and Amy Macdonald.

“Obviously we have to be aware of the economic situation, but our ticket price is affordable at about euro 32 per day and I actually think it’s good value,” Hassenstein said.
The other acts on the 34th Paleo-Nyon (July 21-26) include Snow Patrol, Rodrigo y Gabriela, White Lies, Ayo, The Ting Tings and Pete Doherty.