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German Veteran Promoter Karsten Jahnke Sums Up 2021 Concert Summer

Alice Merton performing at Stadtpark Open Air.
Fabian Lippke – Alice Merton performing at Stadtpark Open Air.

One of Germany’s few remaining independent promoters, Karsten Jahnke Konzertdirektion, reflects on its second summer of promoting shows under COVID restrictions. 

The promoter welcomed more than 200,000 guests at a total of 300 concerts. The annual Stadtpark Open Air in Hamburg, now in its 45th season, attracted 25,000 visitors across 31 concerts. 
The lineup featured mostly German or Germany-based stars including Lotte, Alice Merton, Johannes Oerding, Rea Garvey, Campino, Element Of Crime, Kurt Krömer, Paul Van Dyk, Philipp Poisel, Sophie Hunger, Giant Rooks und Olli Schulz, but also international acts like Anna Ternheim or José González.
The capacity at the Stadtpark venue was restricted to 900 people seated, down from the usual 4,000 standing. 
Capacities were still limited to 900 people, seated, this summer.
Fabian Lippke – Capacities were still limited to 900 people, seated, this summer.
Usually some 4,000 standing guests fit into the scenic venue.

Karsten Jahnke also launched a new concert series this year, called Vor Deiner Tür (On Your Doorstep), visiting four German cities between July and September. The venues: König-Pilsener-Arena in Oberhausen (five concerts), Palastzelt in Schloß Holte-Stukenbrock (nine concerts), Steigerwaldstadion in Erfurt (seven concerts) and the Cruise Inn Terminal Steinwerder in Hamburg (25 concerts).

Capacities varied from venue to venue and according to restrictions in place at various points in time. 60,000 visitors in total witnessed performances by Johannes Oerding, LEA, Max Giesinger, Jan Delay & Disko No.1, Rea Garvey, Wincent Weiss, Alvaro Soler, Sido, Alligatoah, and others.
Karsten Jahnke also realized some 28 tours comprising 237 open air shows with artists and bands like wie Johannes Oerding , Max Giesinger , Rea Garvey, Milow , Nils Landgren, and many more, selling some 142,000 tickets across all shows.
Last but not least, Karsten Jahnke also co-promotes Hamburg’s Reeperbahn Festival, Sept. 21-25. The event’s 16th edition attracted some 25,000 visitors, including 2,000 conference delegates this year.
It’s a remarkable amount of business, seeing that the German government is one of the most restrictive in Europe, when it comes to reopening the live sector. A rep for Karsten Jahnke told Pollstar that the company sold roughly one-fifth of tickets it would have in a normal year.
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