The people in charge of Low Festival said they were formally departing Benidorm. They say this is because they couldn’t come to an agreement with the Benidorm City Council to extend their current cooperative agreement. But it’s not done yet. They will tell you in the next few days where the event will be held next. They said, “Low Festival will keep going in this new place with the same spirit, artistic quality, and dedication to live music that it has had for the last 15 years.”
The festival’s management has been talking to the City Council about renewing the arrangement for another four years for the previous few weeks. The people in charge said that these talks assured the project’s continuation and its safety from any new concessions for the venue. The City Council has given a group of local businesses the job of running part of the premises where the music event has been hosted for years. The event’s dates also fell on the same days as the festival, therefore an arrangement for its use was still in the works. “But in the end, it was not possible to reach an agreement after the facility was given to a new private management company, whose financial terms were not feasible for the festival,” they said.
The event organisers, who run the largest festival in the region and one of the top 10 in Spain, want to make it clear that “Low Festival is not over.” We are continuing forward with the same energy, passion, and professionalism as usual in a fantastic beach city this summer. “This project came from a love of music and will keep growing, just like it was meant to.”
“Low Festival has shown that it can change throughout the past 15 years, overcoming problems like not getting paid but still keeping the allegiance of its fans, artists, agencies, workers, and collaborators. The festival said, “Its trajectory has established it as a benchmark in the national festival circuit, standing out for its approachability, its carefully curated programming, and its respect for the profession.” They had already made this decision public on social media.
Over the past 15 years, the festival has hosted bands that have shaped its history and that of all the Lowers, including Pet Shop Boys, New Order, The Chemical Brothers, Primal Scream, Vetusta Morla, Izal, Lori Meyers, and Viva Suecia, among many others. These bands have ‘contributed to building a project that has grown with all its attendees’.
The new city will be shown off in the next few days, along with the formal announcement of the roster. This lineup will keep the artistic style that has made the festival a must-see event, making July 31st, August 1st, and August 2nd the three best days of the summer.
José Manuel Piñero, the festival’s director and CEO of Baltimore Productions, said what the team was feeling: “We are driven by music, honesty, and the desire to keep making special moments.” That’s why we look ahead with new excitement and welcome everyone who has been a part of our tale.
Both the organisation and Baltimore Productions have thanked all the agencies, bands, sponsors, and media outlets “for the support and trust shown during these years and continue with the project that was born in the Port of Alicante, grew in Benidorm, and now, 15 years later, moves to a new space without losing its essence.”
So, they say they are ready to tackle this new chapter with hope and determination. “Even though there have been problems, we are still committed to live music and the community that has supported the event since it started.” The organisers went on to say, “Moving to a new city is not just a change of location; it is also an opportunity to keep growing and giving the public new experiences.”
Low Festival has had an economic impact on Benidorm of more than 150 million euros, an investment of 40 million euros, more than 900 bands, and an average impact of over 100 million euros.
“We wish to thank Benidorm and all of its citizens, workers, taxi drivers, hotels, restaurants, and retailers who have been with us and helped us over the years. Thanks for all the love, all the music, and for making it all happen. They also thank all the bands, suppliers, and partners for helping them through this new chapter so they may keep sharing the Low spirit.
The City Council’s version
The Benidorm City Council later said in a statement that the developer had told them about its “unilateral” decision just minutes before making it public on social media. They also said that they “deeply” regret this choice.
They then said, “This City Council has always intended to reach an agreement to guarantee the festival’s continuity in Benidorm, but the conditions demanded by the promoter to remain in the city are incompatible with the City Council’s new requirements for managing events.” They stressed that one of the biggest problems is the schedule, which says that the music must stop playing at 2:30 a.m. on weekends.
And they end with, “We thank Producciones Baltimore for the 14 years of working together, during which Benidorm has become a better place for events and the promoter has grown to other cities and regions.”
Author: Derek Appleton
Other Articles
No Comment! Be the first one.