Features
Austrian Schlager Rock Star Andreas Gabalier Sells 350,000 Tickets In Germany
Malte Christians – Andreas Gabalier
He calls himself “Volks-Rock’N’Roller,” which can be confusing, because German or Austrian Volksmusik has nothing in common with American Folk Music sound-wise
Germans hold a special kind of love for schlager, a genre that’s unique to the country, as well as neighbouring Austria and Switzerland. The latest proof of this are 350,000 fans buying tickets to see Austrian Schlager/Rock sensation Andreas Gabalier play eight stadiums across Germany, July 1-13.
According to promoter Semmel Concerts, it’s one of the biggest tours in the GSA region in 2019 so far, definitely for an Austrian artist.
The tour kicked off at Frankfurt’s Commerzbank Arena, June 1, and ended at Max-Morlock-Stadium in Nürnberg, July 13, in front of nearly 50.000 fans. Ticket prices ranged from €47,90 ($53,36) to €149,90 ($167).
Malte Christians – Andreas Gabalier performing at Frankfurt
Mastered the jump from arenas to stadiums in 2019
Gabalier’s first stadium tour in Germany celebrates the singer’s career, which spans ten years and six studio albums, five of which went to number one in the Austrian charts. His last two , Mountain Man (2015) and Vergiss mein nicht (Forget me not) (2018), also reached the top spot in Germany and Switzerland.
“From city festivals to the biggest stadiums…there´s nothing better than that…an unimaginable dream has come true. Thank you for 8 memorable concerts,” Gabalier said in a statement.
Semmel Concerts CEO Dieter Semmelmann said, “we are very happy, that Andreas Gabalier´s first stadium tour in Germany is such a great success! In addition to a magnificent production and Andreas Gabalier´s impressive talent as entertainer, it is always a great pleasure to experience the positive attitude and spirit the audience spreads in the stadiums.”
The concerts were produced by Megaforce staging and Media Resource Group (set design, lights, audio and LED).
Gabalier is set to play his only Switzerland concert this year on Aug. 14 at Huttwil Open Air. He’ll close his 2019 touring season with three concerts in Austria, two at Planai Stadion in Schlamding, Aug. 23-24, and the official 10-year anniversary concert at Vienna’s Ernst-Happel-Stadion.
The three Austrian concerts alone are expected to sell some 100,000 tickets.
Moving into stadiums was the logical next step for Gabalier and his team, seeing that he’s been selling our arenas for years. Some of Pollstar’s earlier box office reports show a sold out Hallenstadion Zurich in Switzerland (13,900 tickets sold, $1,474,943 grossed), Nov. 11, 2018, or an 98% sold-out Waldbühne Berlin (21,709 tickets sold, $1,629,116 grossed).