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The messy business of selling out Everyone wants a packed room but who’s responsible to actually making it happen? This panel will address the messy, essential reality of live shows. From the venue to the festival to the agent — chaired by a promoter — let’s unpack promotion, audience wrangling and the unspoken deals that make gigs tick. Honest, practical, slightly chaotic advice for anyone trying to turn a show into a moment that stays in your memory, in a good way. And btw, how many times can a local band play the local market? Carl Martinsson - Monument, SE Birgit Wolters - Krach am Bach, DE Luc Favie - Doomstar Bookings, NL Chair: Vesper De Leon - Majestic Mountain Records, SE

When discovery fades, where’s the future of music? Not that long ago, new music mattered — really mattered. Radio played it, press wrote about it, and TV showcased it. Today, classics rule the waves, the press chases arena shows, and fresh sounds scramble for attention. Let’s get into what’s happening with new music by talking to those who still cares to cover the now — and what it means for artists, media, and fans alike. Why is it vanishing from the big outlets? Can it fight its way back? Or is it simply alive elsewhere — sounding, smelling, and shining a little different? Per Sinding Larsen - PSL, SE Robin Murray - Clash Magazine, UK Anna Rosenström - GP, SE Chair: Annika Forsberg - Artful Fox, SE

How to keep cool when the heat is on Things go wrong. Fast. People freak out, gigs get messy, and deals can implode. But the real pros know how to stay calm, de-escalate, and turn chaos into something that still works. This talk is all about keeping your head when everyone else is losing theirs — in live environments, backstage, with venues, artists, managers, or whoever’s melting down in front of you. We’ll share stories, strategies, and maybe a few scars from the field. Staying professional means knowing when to lose it, and when not to lose it. Søren Weiss - Nightcrawler Management, DK Runa Strindin - Midgardsblot Festival, NO Jorge Dias - GigRocks!, PT Chair: Jose Carlos Santos, The Devil's Mouth, PT

Where brands and festivals meet Brand deals don’t have to kill the vibe. When done right, partnerships can amplify the experience — not just bankroll it. This talk digs into how festivals and brands can work together without selling out the soul of the scene. From meaningful collaborations to shared values and creative integration, learn how to turn sponsorships into real relationships that work for everyone involved, and how bridges between the two can be made smoother. Megan Deveraux - Marshall, UK Per Lundbergh GB - Gabba Gabba Hey, SE Oscar Kriek - TicketSwap, NL Chair: Ellinor Andersson - Electric Hydra, SE

NO HITS, NO BUZZ, NO PROBLEM How to build a relationship with your audience Being in the live game without chasing hype takes guts — and a lot of heart. This talk gets into what it really means to build trust between the people making shows happen and the ones showing up. How do you keep that connection alive over time? And where does the energy come from when it would be easier — and maybe even make more sense — to just stop? Hear from those on the ground building buzz the real way, and why rooms filled with people and a band on stage might just be the last frontier. Dan Jupskaas - Rockeklubben i Porsgrunn, NO Susi Castelo - Alice CPH, DK Luca Landi - Annibale Booking, IT Chair: Katja Vaukhonen - Backbone Management, FI

Why festivals matter — for music, communities and more Festivals aren’t just about headliners and crowd shots — they’re engines for local music scenes and cultural life. In this panel, festivals from Sweden, Norway, Hungary, and Canada, guided by legendary journalist David Fricke, explore how their events bring people together, connect communities and shape regional identity. From the backstage to the city streets, festivals create shared experiences, they often support local artists and scenes, and they make a difference in the places they happen — proving that music is the start of something bigger, something important. Nicki Lowe - Vara in Rock, SE Maud Salvi - Sled Fest, CA Anika Nagy - Sziget Festival, HU Guro Furunes Pettersen - Trondheim Calling, NO Chair: David Fricke - Legend, US

Case study: How LAB Records went top of the chart Eighteen years, countless releases, and one hell of a ride later — independent label LAB Records finally hit No.1 with The K’s album Pretty on the Internet. Label founder Mark Orr walks us through the long game: the early days of DIY hustle, the belief that kept it alive, and how timing, strategy, and chaos somehow aligned for a chart-topping moment. This is a case study in the art of keeping-it-up, in persistence, trust, and the kind of success that doesn’t happen overnight — but sure feels good when it does. Mark Orr - LAB Records, UK Chair: John Kennedy - Radio X, UK

Bokningsarbete med fokus på nya akter (in Swedish) De unga gräsrotsarrangörerna är ofta de första att upptäcka våra nya stjärnor. Hur går de tillväga i sin bokning? Var hittar de artister? Vad letar de efter, samt vad är deras spaningar för framtidens livemusik? * presented by Sensus and Svensk Live Matilda Schyborger - Jazzen på åsen, Enskede jazz Iris Fjellström - Effir Elin Edgren - Grönskan Festival Malva Olofsson - Live at Heart, Klubb Nisch Chair: Hilma Kekkonen Orrell - Svensk Live, Sensus

Forget everything — no maps apply The old music world had its steady rules, now it’s instinct that rules. The old gatekeepers seem to be gone, the maps are useless and the new paths are being carved by anyone brave enough to try. From family festivals mixing guitars with creative experiences - how about rocket building? Rubik’s cube workshops?! - to PR rebels rewriting the story, to Europe’s biggest showcase pushing what “new” even means. This talk is for the ones who refuse to wait for permission. The future’s already here — and you don’t need a map to navigate it. Megan Evans - Deer Shed, UK Petter Seander - Birds Will Sing For You, SE Oskar Stranj - Eurosonic, NL Chair: Lisa Kylsberg - Dynamic Duo, SE

The ups, downs and WTFs of working together Networking sounds fancy but can also mean awkward emails, monthly onlines, endless coffee, and “let’s circle back” meetings. But done right, it can also open doors. From local scenes to international collectives, networks can make or break a scene, an interest, an artist, a venue, or a career. In this panel, voices from Sweden, France, and beyond spill the secrets: what works, what’s a waste of time, and those magical moments when networking actually pays off. Bring your skepticism - and leave the buzzwords at the door. * presented with the support of the French Institute in Sweden and the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. Sophie Broyer - Trente Trois, FR Chloé K. Serme-Morin - Caïman, FR Adriel Cler - Hidden Spark Booking, FR Chair: Maja-Karin Fredriksson - Västra Götalandsregionen, SE

A Toolbox for Music Ecosystem Resilience Get to know MI-RAP, the Music Industry Resilience Acceleration Programme — a three-year EU-funded project built to boost the music sector with fresh tools and smart methods in skills, innovation, and sustainability. From creating disposable-free festivals and training the next generation of technicians, to music tech initiatives like TechTrack, MI-RAP is all about helping the industry adapt and thrive. Join the session to learn more, meet fellow professionals, and share ideas over coffee and sandwiches in a relaxed networking mingle. * presented by MI-RAP, supported by the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme and the EU Marili Randla - Music Estonia, EE Fredrik Sandsten - Göteborg & Co, SE Filip Eklund - Göteborg & Co, SE Chair: Sara Ohlsson - Göteborg & Co, SE

When the machine does the choosing From Instagram to Spotify, the machine decides what we see, hear, and think is winning. But how fair is the game — and who really benefits? Do DSPs drive discovery, shape artist careers, and guide what labels and festivals buy into? Or are they all running on their own hidden agendas? In this talk, voices from inside and around the streaming world — from platforms to analysts, festivals to labels — dig into how they work with the machine, and how they value what gets shown to them. Is human taste still in charge, or are we all just trusting the machine to play fair? Sini Tiainen - Qoubos, FI Daniel Johansson - Musikindustrin, SE Stefan Gejsing - Roskilde Festival, DK Chair: Greg Kennelty, Metal Injection, US

The US live market is probably the most competitive, with fierce pressures - competing with corporate giants, securing funding and managing high costs. Independent players must innovate, build strong local networks, and constantly present captivating programs to survive in this industry. What’s it like to navigate this? What are the biggest issues? And for European artists wanting in on this massive market, strategic partnerships and the understanding of regional audiences is essential. How possible is it to get there? And what’s a good starting point to attract venues, promoters, and festivals to start building an audience? Nate Dorough, Pyramid Scheme / School Night, Michigan, US Lio Kanine, New Colosssus Festival, New York City, US Berkli Johnson, SXSW, Austin, US Chair, Sam Sumpter, Bands do BK, New York City, US

Viva Sounds 2024 – How Is My Live Market Doing? The live market is undeniably tricky for indie promoters, venues, and agents, as most of us know: rising costs, inflation, post-COVID behavioural shifts in ticket sales, not to mention competing with bigger players about the gig-money of the public. But - the thrill of booking the perfect show, the joy of pulling off a show against all odds, and the magic of sharing unforgettable moments with friends keeps being raw fuel to the independent players. How do they keep that spark alive, stay adaptable and find new ways to get their audience's attention while keeping the scene thriving despite the gloom and doom? Carlo Emme, Plan B, Malmö, SE Rachel Ann Lewis, Ravnedalen Live!, Kristiansand, NO Jonas Goncalves, Ya Ya Yeah Booking, Nazaré, PT Chair; Jose Carlos Santon, Devil’s Mouth, Lisbon, PT

This year’s keynote interview welcomes the legendary Simon Williams. Simon will share his journey from writing for NME during its heyday to founding, and still running, the influential Fierce Panda label. Hear about the highs and the lows, the career-defining successes, the challenges of running a label mixed with personal insights from his book; Pandamonium! How to Not Run a Record Label. The book openly covers his experiences in the music industry, not shying away his own struggle with mental health. Do not miss this sit down with one of the industry's most impactful figures, who still goes to more shows in a month than most people do in a year. Simon Williams, Fierce Panda, London, UK Chair, John Kennedy, Radio X, London, UK