The Politics are hot in France

January 7, 2010

The Politics really capitalized on their visit at the Trans Musicales de Rennes-festival last weekend. After the entire festival two out of a total of six music journalists at the web edition of Ouest France, by far the biggest newspaper in France – in terms of circulation, had the band on the top spot on their lists of best gigs at the entire festival while two others had them in their top 4! The concert was incidentally the band’s first gig ever abroad – what a debut!

But how did The Politics end up in Rennes in the first place? Well, they were discovered by Jean-Louis Brossard, the boss of the Rennes festival, when he was visiting the SPOT Festival this summer – where the band played as part of The Danish Broadcasting Corporation’s “Career Canon”. However, back then the politicians were known as Rubberhead Bandits.

Check out the Ouest France lists here here. Click here to watch the entire concert produced by French/German TV station ARTE (with a truly unambiguous audience response)

Source: http://www.spotfestival.dk/index.php?site=2010&option=com_content&view=article&id=608&sid=27&catid=72&language=uk

We are listening…

January 6, 2010

The ROSA / SPOT Festival office resounds with music these days. A staggering total of 925 acts have applied to play at SPOT in May next year. Trying to get to the essence of the many applications English manager Tim Hole and French festival booker Kern Lalot, together with Danish musician Morten Varano anf PDH booker Thomas Nordquist have worn their ears thin listening to all the acts Since Tuesday.

“What’s striking is how much singer/songwriter material we come across – and how many of these artist who are women – just like a lot of acts have a touch of folk in their music”, says Tim Hole on behalf of the curator group. He adds, “And to me it’s also striking how similar it is to the tendencies that we are seeing with the English scene right now”.

Last year there was a distinct predilection for electronic music among the applicants – including both purely electronic groups and acts that merely incorporated electronic elements in to their sound. That has obviously changed this year. Well, it remains to be seen how much it will affect the selection. After all they are still listening and won’t be going home before Friday night – with their ears filled with impressions and tones from new Danish and Nordic music.

Source: http://www.spotfestival.dk/index.php?site=2010&option=com_content&view=article&id=607&sid=27&catid=72&language=uk

Two-Day Ticket with a Christmas Discount

January 5, 2010

The sale of tickets for the 2010 SPOT Festival has started.

The two-day tickets are for Friday 21st of May and Saturday 22nd of May at the 2010 SPOT Festival. The regular price is DKK 495, but since it is Christmas, we offer you the two-day tickets with a Christmas discount! The offer lasts until the 31st of December. Two-day ticket for the 2010 SPOT Festival DKK 395 (+ fee) in this December. As of the 1st of January 2010 the price will be 495 (+ fee).

Purchase your ticket with a discount at: www.billetlugen.dk
Or in one of the FONA stores in Denmark

Source: http://www.spotfestival.dk/index.php?site=2010&option=com_content&view=article&id=606&sid=27&catid=72&language=uk

Some great atmosphere pictures from the last two SPOT Festivals

November 3, 2009
by Amanda Elisabeth Olesen from 2009

by Amanda Elisabeth Olesen from 2009

 

by Amanda Elisabeth Olesen from 2009

by Amanda Elisabeth Olesen from 2009

 

I got you on tape @ SPOT festival 2009 by Jesper Hedemann

I got you on tape @ SPOT festival 2009 by Jesper Hedemann

 

by Thorsten Overgaard from 2008

by Thorsten Overgaard from 2008

Music for SPOT Festival 2010 – open for applications

October 27, 2009

571_th-SPOT2010-Logo

We are currently planning the SPOT 2010 festival, and it is now that orchestras and artists, for who it would have national and international interest, can apply to participate in the festival. Booking agencies, management agencies, record companies, concerts arrangers, the media and so on, are also welcome to suggest Danish or Nordic acts for the SPOT Festival.

Application procedure
All application to the SPOT 2010 Festival is electronic, and you can already now at www.spotfestival.dk/application apply to participate in the festival – follow the given instructions for how information regarding a band, contacts, booking-contract, pr-material and listening material is uploaded to our server.


Application deadline

Tuesday the 1st of December 2009 at 12.00 P.M
www.spotfestival.dk/application

The programme for the SPOT Festival is created, in basis of the received material, sent in by the bands and business associations. The programme is created, choosing groups/soloists, which are currently fore fronting the immediate Danish and Nordic music scene. ROSA’s interests lie mostly within the current new music movements, but also creates the program from a point of view, that focuses on the international music communities interest and demand, which is why previous performances at SPOT doesn’t necessarily disqualify any applicant.

The final program is determined by
ROSA – The Danish Rock Council

It is the SPOT Festivals main purpose to support the qualitative rhythmic music on the national and international market, through showcases-concerts, and by strengthening international knowledge and cultural networks.

More info at: www.spotfestival.dk

http://www.spotfestival.dk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=541&sid=5&catid=14

 

 

 

SPOT invited to participate in cutting edge international festival collaboration

October 22, 2009

569_fulllogodeconcert

SPOT has been invited into the international festival-collaboration De Concert! Who amongst many count members such as, the French Les Eurokéennes de Belfort, Spanish Benicassim festival, Swiss Montreux Jazz festival, Belgium Les Nuits Botanique amongst the more than 20 festival collaborators.

Until recently the collaboration between the festivals has been strictly informal, but now it has become an official federation – particularly because as a federation, you have the opportunity to appear stronger when working with political and cultural partners.

And following an invitation to Canada earlier this year SPOT is now an official member.

- SPOT shares the philosophy of the other federation members, which states that we have to draw on local talent, artistic quality and originality, prior to conform US/UK bands and their clean-cut business priorities, says Paul-Henri Wauters, Managing Director of the De Concert!

 He further turns our attention to the fact, that already from 1987 and on there was collaboration between the Belgium Festival Botanique and ROSA. ROSA and Botanique have previously collaborated with the French festival Printemps de Bourges. Furthermore SPOT collaborated with Botanique, French Eurokéenes and Spanish Benicassim, for the 2006 project Un-Pop Classic, showcasing four European artists in an exchange between the festivals.

SPOT festivals Managing Director Gunnar Madsen says regarding the membership of De Concert!

- We are of course very happy about the membership, which we see as yet another result of ROSA’s and SPOT’s international networking through the last 20 years. When De Concert! choose us, the reason is, that they want to have a better connection to the Northern European music scene (the German festival Melt Festival has also been included, ed.) and from our perspective the motivation to enter this collaboration is, that we receive a concrete and effective access to the  Central European concert market, says Gunnar Madsen and continues:

- Firstly we are going to collaborate with a huge knowledge-network, where we will be able to disseminate our knowledge about the Danish and Nordic music, while we constantly learn even more about, which grounds the artistic and business conditions in Europe work. Thereafter our ambition is to export music to the other festivals. But everything in the mentioned order Gunnar Madsen points out!

De Concert! has the following members: Art Rock, Les Invites de Villeurbanne, Le Rock Dans Tous Ses Etats, Furia Sound Festival, Les Tombées de La Nuit, Les Eurockéennes de Belfort, Les Vieilles Charrues, Les 3 Eléphants, La Route du Rock, Rock In Opposition and Les Rockomotives (all French) Dour Festival and
Les Nuits Botanique (both in Belgium), Festival International de Benicassim (Spain), Melt Festival (Germany), Paléo Festival Nyon and Montreux Jazz Festival (Both Swiss), SPOT Festival (Denmark), Sziget Festival (Hungary) and Festival de Musique Emergente (Canada).

Se mere om De Concert! her.

http://www.spotfestival.dk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=542&sid=5&catid=14

Oh No Ono to be released worldwide

October 9, 2009

Oh No Ono are getting their second album “Eggs” released worldwide, and have started a collaboration with Stefan Juhlin from Pitch & Smith Agency. The Collaboration started after Stefan Juhlin saw Oh No Ono at Reeperbahn Festival.

The Danish band Oh No Ono released their second album “Eggs” earlier this year in Denmark. In the beginning of 2010 the album is to be released worldwide – since the band has signed contracts with the two independent labels Friendly Fire Recordings and Leaf Label, who are based in the USA and England.

In connection to the international release Oh No Ono plan to tour both the USA and England during 2010.

The band will also collaborate with the Pitch & Smith Agency. Stefan Juhlin, who is an agent at Pitch & Smith, saw Oh No Ono when they played at the SPOT on Denmark showcase at the Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg this year, he was so exited about the band, that he now is their new international agent in Europe.

http://www.spotfestival.dk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=538&sid=5&catid=14

Volunteer for SPOT Festival 2010 – (Facebook page)

September 30, 2009

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1808776220

SPOT created international interest in The State, The Market & The DJ

September 30, 2009

After an appraised performance at SPOT new concerts await in Island and Belgium.

The State, The Market & The DJ held a greatly appraised concert at this years SPOT Festival. The concert has now paid of for the quartet from Copenhagen, who are currently working on two international projects:

They are going to play two concerts in Reykjavik – the 24th of September at the Icelandic festival Réttir – Reykjavik Round-Up, which is being set up collaboration with Reykjavik International Film Festival. The second concert is a ”Surprise”-concert in the Icelandic capital.

Besides this the band has gotten in contact with a number of Belgium bookers. This contact has resulted in a short weekend-tour in Belgium, which will be held in January, as a runner-up for a larger tour that will take place in the autumn of 2010.

http://www.spotfestival.dk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=533&sid=5&catid=14

HOT PRESS FINDS MUSICAL TREASURE TROVE IN AARHUS

July 29, 2009

Hot press has in its July issue, found space for a fine article about SPOT Festival.


The Irish magazine Hot Press has given SPOT Festival a fine review in their latest edition. Reviewer Lauren Murphy is especially delighted about ”the clean and compact metropolis” that Aarhus is, she is also pleased with a great deal of the unknown, but absolute potential new acts and musical talent that Denmark & Scandinavia provides. And pours here enthusiasm for the Danish act Bodebrixen out.

She goes on to enthuse over the diversity of acts and styles in Scandinavian music, and how the Festival serves it’s purpose spotlighting the most potential and radiating new bands, which SPOT showcases.


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