Making Up And Being Friends!

German ticketing giant CTS Eventim and Live Nation did at least try to put their legal battle behind them by co-producing new festival Rock ’n’ Heim on the Hockenheim motor racing track at Baden-Württemberg Aug. 16-18.

Photo: Courtesy Marek Lieberberg Konzertagentur

Eventim promoter Marek Lieberberg told Pollstar the companies need to move on and find “a common ground between competition and cooperation.”

The German firm took LN to the International Court of Arbitration, claiming the U.S. company breached its existing ticketing agreement when it merged with Ticketmaster.

On June 12 and after a three-year legal hassle, the arbitration court found in LN’s favour.

“It was the exclamation mark that ends the summer season,” Lieberberg said, after the new co-promotion had drawn nearly 40,000 people per day to the Formula One circuit.

Lieberberg’s Rock Im Pott (Aug. 18), holder of the German Live Entertainment Award for best festival, didn’t fare quite so well.

It still attracted nearly 30,000 to the Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen, although that was 33 percent down on the 45,000 who showed for the debut festival in 2012.

Lieberberg, who promotes Rock Im Pott with Eventim colleague Dirk Becker, feels the lack of a marquee headliner was the likely reason for the attendance drop.

Last year the Rock Im Pott lineup included Red Hot Chili PeppersPlaceboJan DeLayThe BossHoss, and Kraftklub.

The Rock ’n’ Heim lineup included Chase & StatusEnter ShikariFranz FerdinandDie ArzteSeeedKnife PartyKvelertak, and Sub Focus.

Biffy ClyroCasperDeftonesSystem of a DownTenacious D, and Volbeat played both events.