With the 2024 festival season fast approaching, a raft of major events have announced updates on what’s in store this summer.
The lineup for the inaugural edition of KALORAMA Madrid has been finalised, with LCD Soundsystem, Raye, Massive Attack and Sam Smith topping the bill.
The festival is set to take place at the Recinto Ferial Fairgrounds between 29–31 August, the same dates as its Portuguese counterpart, MEO KALORAMA.
Peggy Gou, The Smile, Jungle, The Postal Service, Death Cab For Cutie, The Smile, The Kills, Gossip and Fever Ray are also set to perform at KALORAMA Madrid, promoted by Last Tour (Bilbao BBK, BIME).
Wireless Middle East has also fleshed out the programme for its second edition, which has been pushed back from spring to winter this year.
“This change aims to create an even more unforgettable and enjoyable event”
The Abu Dhabi event, set for 23 November at Etihad Park on Yas Island, will be headlined by SZA, 21 Savage and Yeat.
Karan Aujla, Fridayy, Flo Milli, Raf Saperra, Faris Shafi, Dina Ayada, Mazen, Lancey Foux, Seedhe Maut and Stick No Bills are also due to perform.
James Craven, president of Live Nation Middle East, which promotes the event, apologised for the rescheduling but said that it would allow them to curate the best possible lineup.
“This change aims to create an even more unforgettable and enjoyable event, allowing us to curate a lineup that surpasses all expectations,” he said.
The debut edition drew 25,000 fans and was deemed a “huge success” by Live Nation Middle East.
“The success of last year’s Country Bay Music Festival was immensely rewarding”
Also returning for a second edition is the Miami-based Country Bay Music Festival, promoted by Loud and Live.
Scheduled to take place 9-10 November at the Miami Marine Stadium, the second edition boasts headliners Zac Brown Band and Carrie Underwood.
Dustin Lynch, Chase Rice, Diplo presents Thomas Wesley, Chris Janson, Parmalee, Gabby Barrett, Chayce Beckham, Niko Moon and Redferrin are also due to perform.
“The success of last year’s Country Bay Music Festival was immensely rewarding,” says Nelson Albareda, CEO of Loud And Live. “As a first-year festival, we not only hosted a premier country music festival in Miami featuring stellar artists, but also provided an exceptional experience for our music fans and partner sponsors. The festival reaffirmed our city’s reputation as a vibrant playground and established Miami as a must-visit destination for country music enthusiasts from around the world.”
Elsewhere in the country music sphere, Florida’s Kickoff Jam (30 Aug – 1 Sept) has been cancelled.
“We are going to cancel Kickoff Jam and provide refunds”
Garth Brooks, Carrie Underwood and Alabama were due to headline the 2024 instalment at Frank Brown Park in Panama City Beach.
“After the success of Gulf Coast Jam [held May 30-June 2] this past weekend in Panama City Beach, we realised the weekend after Memorial Day is a much better time to host a festival,” Kickoff Jam producers stated in a post on the festival’s Instagram page. “So, we are going to cancel Kickoff Jam and provide refunds.”
Needtobreathe, Lauren Alaina, Restless Road, Randy Houser, the Oak Ridge Boys and Rhett Akins were also due to perform.
Meanwhile, Dutch festival Mañana Mañana has announced that its upcoming 10th edition will be the last.
The festival, promoted by Superstruct-backed Feestfabriek (Party Factory), will bid farewell between 13–16 June in Achterhoek, in eastern Netherlands.
The organisation indicates that despite all efforts, ticket sales are not good enough to make the event profitable.
Swiss new music festival Radar is expanding with new locations and more days
“In the week before the festival starts, we had to make a difficult decision: Mañana Mañana 2024 is the tenth, but also the last edition,” Feestfabriek wrote in a statement.
“We want to be honest with all the dear and loyal visitors who have been looking forward to next weekend for months. That is why we choose to inform visitors and other involved parties in advance about this incredibly difficult decision. We don’t want to go out like a night candle, but like a crackling campfire with all our friends around it: we are going to make it a fantastic farewell party with laughter and tears! Let’s say goodbye to this unique discovery festival with a party. And for those who have never experienced our wonderful event, this is the last chance.”
In more positive news, Swiss new music festival Radar is expanding with new locations and more days.
The Gadget-promoted event will return to Langstrasse Zurich for two days, 13 and 14 September, showcasing 25 national and international acts performing in eight locations.
Earl Sweatshirt, Swim School, SKAAR, Fiona-Lee, Chubby Cat and Somebody’s Child are among the acts set to perform at Radar.
Venues include Frame, Gonzo, Zukunft, Bar 3000, Alte Kaserne, Waxy Bar, Plaza and Longstreet Bar.
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