The International Festival Forum (IFF) has announced that legendary German promoter Marek Lieberberg and his son Andre (pictured, left) will be the joint subjects at this year’s IFF Keynote.
Marek (pictured, right) founded the Rock am Ring festival alongside twin site Rock im Park more than 30 years ago. Last year, he joined forces with Live Nation to form Live Nation Concerts Germany to promote concerts and festivals in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
In their first joint keynote, the father and son team will be sharing lessons learnt from their six decades in concert promotion, including the 2016 edition, which was cancelled after more than 80 people were injured by lightning strikes.
The keynote completes the conference agenda at the invitation-only event for festivals and booking agents, which will welcome around 500 professionals to its second edition at Proud Camden from September 28-29.
Other topics include The Therapy Session, an annual sparring match between festival bookers and agents, and Agent & Festival Roulette, which will see guests spinning IFF’s Wheel of Fortune to answer previously submitted questions at random.
“After last year’s sell-out launch event, we’re broadening the IFF agenda to include more of the key topics in the international festival business,” said co-founder Ruud Berends, Networking Music. “And with more showcases than ever, more agency partners, and even a few more invited delegates, it’s looking like a great second edition.”
Other panels include Contracts & Licensing (chaired by Glastonbury’s Ben Challis), which will discuss a summer affected by bad weather, cancellations and performance licensing issues. The Artists: View from the Stage meanwhile, invites a panel of future headliners to feedback directly on their festival experiences.
IFF’s conference agenda sits alongside its two-day showcase schedule presented by partner agencies ATC Live, CAA, Coda, ITB, LPO, Pitch & Smith, Primary Talent, UTA, WME and X-ray Touring. Each agency will showcase their priority festival artists for 2016, and conduct Q&As with festival delegates.
