Features
Germany Focus 2024 Index Page
For this year’s Germany Focus, Pollstar reached out to a selection of venues, and spoke with some of the country’s promoters about the state of business in a market that is an important node for any tour coming through Europe.
Similar to last year, the top end of the biz is doing great – according to some, better than ever – while the smaller shows, festivals, and venues are having a hard time, generally speaking. If anything, the gap has widened.
Scroll through the features, interview and news items below, to get the lowdown from some of the country’s best and brightest in live.
Main Story:
Size Matters In Germany: The Bigger They Come, The Higher They Go
Interviews:
‘Business Was Never Easy, And Should Not Be’: Q’s With Detlef Kornett, CEO, DEAG
Pollstar speaks with Detlef Kornett, who took over operational management of DEAG from company founder Peter Schwenkow earlier this year, and is now gearing up for the two most important quarters of the year. Given his vast experience in the live events business, Kornett is the perfect man to speak to when trying to gage the health of the industry in a market that’s usually an important node in any tour coming through Europe.
‘Modern Technology In A Historical Setting’: The Charm Of Dortmund’s Westfalenhalle
Pollstar speaks with Sabine Loos, CEO of Westfalenhalle Unternehmensgruppe, which aside from the flagship 15,380-cap Westfalenhalle, also operates Dortmund’s trade fair grounds. Approaching its 100th anniversary next year, Westfalenhalle is one of Germany’s oldest, yet modern live entertainment venues.
‘I Feel Honored To Be Part Of Our Industry’: Q’s With Michael Brill, CEO, D.Live
Michael Brill always seems to be in great spirits, whenever you meet or speak with him. Amidst all the calculating and strategizing a CEO running multiple venues in Germany’s most populous state needs to do in 2024, he still finds the time to simply enjoy, and be blown away, by what this industry has to offer. D.Live will continue to contribute to this offering, and Brill talked about the various ways, in which his team intends to do so.
Back in July, Pollstar reached out to Dr. Frithjof Pils, managing director of Eventim Live, which comprised 39 promoters worldwide at the time of writing, to talk about ongoing plans for the U.S. and beyond, the importance of local repertoire, maintaining a boutique approach in a global industry, and much more. But he also touched upon Germany, where it all began for CTS Eventim, which is why we include this insightful interview again here.
Feature:
How Adele’s Stadium Pop-Up Paradigm Changes The Game
With the level of show production and fan expectation exceedingly high in 2024, it takes something truly remarkable to make an impression. Adele’s Munich residency in August redefined what is possible in live entertainment.
