We were simply hit by the ‘perfect storm.’
So simple, it can evidently be said, when the president of the Esbjerg Rock Festival, Carsten Agerbæk, must explain why the once-popular festival now stops after 28 years.
A deficit of around a half a million dollars has sent the festival financially in the knees.
– We were missing 500 guests. If they had come, so we ended up in a nice zero. But a combination of the 30 degrees hot weather, competition from a number of other festivals, free music offer from the municipality and lack of support from esbjergenserne is the reason that we’ve got the deficit. It is fire-too bad, says Carsten Agerbæk to Ekstra Bladet.
The outgoing festivalformand Carsten Agerbæk. Private
for 27 years, was the concert organizer, Søren Højberg from Esbjerg to Esbjerg Rock Festival, which at one point drew over 30,000 spectators.
Later, the figure is, however, dropped to 6,000-and 8,000 spectators.
Last year gave Søren Højberg Esbjerg Rock Festival to an association, which was to drive the festival forward. Højberg continued, however, in the board of directors, where he also has put lots of effort into this year’s festival.
Paradoxically, ends up the creator of the Esbjerg Rock Festival now as a creditor in the estate. How much a concert promoter has to the good is, however, unknown.
Ekstra Bladet has tried in vain to get a comment from Søren Højberg, which is currently on a business trip in London.
On the Facebook appeals more festival guests over, that the Esbjerg Rock Festival moved away from the original theme with the 80-is music. After several esbjergensers opinion, this is the reason for the failing interest from the audience.
– I know well to the criticism. It comes from the same brokrøve, as several different places on the social media continues with this criticism. The truth is, we ran the head against the wall with 80-is the music. It was the same bands again and again. It was a repeat. We simply had to change the concept, explains the president Carsten Agerbæk to Ekstra Pashagaming Bladet.
Agerbæk suggest that the variety of festivals and music-offer is too large in Denmark, if you also must be able to make money on the events.
– There are too many festivals in Denmark, and it will not become easier, when the Municipality of Esbjerg in the summer in connection with the Tall Ships Race – retrieves the names as Lars Lilholt Band, C. V. Jørgensen and Dodo and the Dodos to the city. Here could be thousands of esbjergensere see these artists absolutely for free.
the Municipality has purchased for 1.9 million dollars. The municipality goes so directly in competition with private operators. I will really good question if it is legal, says Carsten Agerbæk.
however, It must in fairness be added, that the municipality of Esbjerg, a year ago, and spat a lump sum of a million dollars in festival-box. Now it’s over, the west jutland mayor, Jesper Frost Rasmussen, notified.
Esbjerg Municipality mayor Jesper Frost Rasmussen (V) will not put more money into the festival. Photo: Esbjerg, denmark
– In Odense, the municipality has sent 23 million dollars after Tinderbox. Here the politicians see the importance of the festival, sounds from Agerbæk.
Carsten Agerbæk also points to esbjergenserne generally not good to back up local actions.
– When the EfB moves down in 1. division, so that the bother we don’t back the players up in the stadium longer. It also applies to the Esbjerg Rock Festival. Last year’s festival was not very good. We will also hit, so bother people not come again. It is a typical mindset for people in Esbjerg, notes Carsten Agerbæk.
the President considers it unlikely that the Esbjerg Rock Festival will be revived.
– I don’t believe It. And it is a pity that we must close. The festival this year was fantastic. I have not heard a bad word about it, says the outgoing president to Ekstra Bladet.
