Primavera Sound Festival 2011 (ES)

Hello all, following there´s what Gabi Ruiz, one of the directors of the festival, posted talking about the solutions and the improvements we want to do for next year, and also asking the forum members to say what you think:

"After several days reading your conclusions about the 2011 edition I would like to open this thread and use it to reflect on what the 2012 edition should be like in order to improve whatever we can.
There are some things that go without saying and where what needs to be done is obvious:

- Bars: I have already started having meetings with the people in charge of setting up the bars in order to change their organisation. Basically we have asked them to find a new company to supply all the personnel putting emphasis on the preparation of the managers of each bar. These changes should have the desired effect.

- System of payment. We will implant a mixed system. We will improve the card system but it will also be possible to pay in cash.

- Toilets. Yesterday I was speaking to the production manager who once again told me that the number of toilets was more than enough but that they were going to carefully study their location. They have a report from the cleaning company that tells us which ones were the most used and which were hardly used at all. With this information we will be able to redistribute them.

- Sound. I have asked for more volume on the two main stages but as always we will be in the hands of the specific sound systems of the bands.

- Security. We are going to stop working with one of the companies in charge of security on the site.

- Llevant stage. We have to improve the access by asking the company that manages the Forum to tarmac another access to that stage. There is more than enough space; the problem is getting the layout right. We have also thought that we should change the position of the bars to encourage the spectators not to stay at the entrance while there is an empty space to the left of the stage. Maybe we should put a continuous programme on that stage to encourage people to stay there.

- Pitchfork Stage. Study the problems of feedback with the San Miguel Stage. Alternating the programme with this stage if necessary.
- Auditori. Don’t touch anything that is already good.

I am very clear on all these points and they are all relatively easy to solve. At least the problem is identified and we know how to proceed.

Right and this is why I have opened this thread. I would like to reflect on the capacity of the festival.
The average this year has been 40,000 people per day (33,000 full festival tickets and 7000 tickets per day).
I think this is a number of people we can deal without any problems. We just need another year with the same layout to solve the problems that have arisen this year. I really think that movement inside the festival this year was much better than in 2010. We also have to take into consideration that PS is an outdoor festival that takes place on a site that was not built for this type of use. What I mean to say is, that we cannot expect to see Neil Young from three meters away with the best of sound systems and without people brushing against us. We are not in a concert hall. However, good open-air concerts on big stages have a magic that makes them special.
So, at this stage I have read a lot of people asking us to limit the capacity. I have already said that there is no way that we will increase the 40,000 per day. Yes, we could reduce this number. And this is where I want to read your opinions. If we reduced the capacity to 35,000 people per day…. would you be willing to pay the corresponding rise in cost? Let’s not kid ourselves; PS is a cheap festival that has trouble making ends meet. From the 6.1-million budget (which could eventually go up to 6.3 m) only 5% is covered by public grants (some of which are returnable depending on objectives) and a 15% comes from sponsors. The rest, an 85% is covered by the price of the tickets and the takings at the bars (food and merchandising takings are practically negligible).
The majority of the tickets are sold before the press conference at a reduced price and many of them include the Pclub ticket that is a loss-making festival. There are other activities that do not generate any income like the concerts in the park and others that do not have direct profitability like the opening and closing parties in the Poble Espanyol and the concerts at the Apolo and other venues. None of this can be changed, for these very reasons PS sets itself apart from the others. Its identity marks are the number of stages, the quantity and quality of the bands, the Auditori and the extras that mean that the festival is with you all year round.
Having said all of this, we can divide the quantity that we would lose if we limited the capacity and can add this amount to each ticket. Obviously the cheapest ticket would notice this increase the most whilst those who have always paid more would barely notice the difference in price. We have to work it all out properly but perhaps this would mean that those who paid 100 euro this year would pay 125 and those who paid 180 would pay 185.

What do you think? It is the only way that I can see to reduce the capacity and to maintain the characteristics of the festival. Anyway, I have already told you that I think that we are capable of working with the current capacity to make PS a comfortable festival. But, I give you the option to reduce the capacity as many of you have asked us to do so.

Let’s keep it polite please. I will give you time to talk about it amongst yourselves, I do not want to influence your opinions"

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