Tomorrowland
Tomorrowland Officially Cancels 2021 Festival: “The Entire Team Fought Till the End”
After a tumultuous week for Tomorrowland, the organizers of the world-famous music festival have been forced to abandon its 2021 edition due to COVID-19 safety concerns. “It is with heavy heart that our organization must announce that the 16th edition of Tomorrowland Belgium cannot take place in 2021,” reads a statement shared on the festival’s Instagram. “The entire team fought till the end and did everything in its powers to write a new chapter in the history of Tomorrowland.” “Our dream was to welcome the People of Tomorrow, who we’ve been missing for too long, to celebrate life to the fullest,” the post continues. “But unfortunately, the local government has not given the permit to organize Tomorrowland.” The news arrives after Belg...
Belgian Mayors Unwilling to Reverse Permit Rejection for Tomorrowland 2021
Tomorrowland may very well have just been dealt its death blow as far as its prospects for a 2021 edition are concerned. Late last week, news had dropped that the Mayors of Boom and Rumst were not willing to move forward with granting Tomorrowland a critical permit to take place in 2021, citing multiple factors they deem risks to public safety. This rejection at the local level came as somewhat of a surprise given the national government had conditionally green lit the event under a specific series of stipulations. Mayors Jeroen Baert and Jurgen Callaerts then went on to reject the permit request, saying that the federal government’s previously promised event guidelines, which would permit 75,000 person events, have not yet been enacted. They also cite a lack of poli...
Tomorrowland 2021 Unlikely After Belgian Government Rejects Permit Application
Despite a rosy outlook in recent weeks, it looks like Tomorrowland will abandon its 2021 dates after the Belgian government rejected the festival’s permit application. According to VRT News, the mayors of Boom and Rumst have refused a permit to host the massive music festival, which is currently planned for August 27-29 and September 3-5. At a press conference, they reportedly cited “risks to public safety and health” as the impetus for the rejection. Organizers called the decision “a sledgehammer blow” after Tomorrowland—one of the world’s most popular electronic dance music festivals—had already been postponed due to the impact of COVID-19. “We haven’t had a festival for two years, which is very hard both financially and emot...
Belgian Officials Force Tomorrowland to Cancel 2021 Festival
During a press conference Thursday in Belgium, government officials said that while they revere the festival and regret this outcome, they have to follow current law and react to the current situation regarding the virus, especially on an international scale. For Tomorrowland to happen, its roughly 75,000 daily attendees would need to undergo testing for each day of the three-day event, officials said Thursday. The Belgian government stipulates that private companies cannot do the testing, and today local officials noted that the police do not have the resources to provide that level of testing. The police also have stated that they would not be able to secure the area sufficiently if they would also have to check IDs and proof of vaccination. In a statement, Tomorrowland said th...
Tomorrowland 2021 Green-Lit By Belgian Government—But Questions Still Remain
The Belgian government has made a pivotal decision to green-light festivals of up to 75,000 attendees. The new provision goes into effect on the August 13th, effectively allowing Tomorrowland to move forward with their originally planned dates over two weekends: August 27-29 and September 3-5, respectively. As IQ notes, the motion also paves the way for Pukkelpop and the Formula 1 Grand Prix race, among other events scheduled to take place this year. “We are very happy to receive this news, but we will wait for the conditions and rules before we will communicate about the organization of the festival,” a Tomorrowland spokesperson said. “We are very positive, and we look forward to organizing a festival at the end of August.” The mainstage at Tomorrowland 2...
Concerts Get the Green Light in the Netherlands Ahead of Amsterdam Dance Event, Lowlands
Now more than a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, the light at the end of the tunnel is shining brighter than ever as countries gradually decrease their lockdown restrictions. The Netherlands, for example, has now announced its third wave of rule relaxations, with the country’s latest round of updates including a green light for ticketed concerts and festivals to return on June 5th, the NL Times reports. The news is especially promising for electronic music staples scheduled for this summer, such as Amsterdam Dance Event and Lowlands. The Netherlands’ annual three-day music and performing arts festival, Lowlands. Bart Heemskerk According to Dutch Health Minister Hugo de Jonge, contact tracing app Coronamelder will be a key element for safely ushering in the return of ...
Tomorrowland Announces Lineup and Stage Headliners for Second Annual Virtual Festival
Amid a tumultuous year for Tomorrowland, the iconic dance music festival brand is set to move forward with the second edition of its virtual event, Tomorrowland Around The World. And after announcing the first wave of artists in early May, organizers have now shared a staggering full lineup. In typical Tomorrowland fashion, they’ve tapped a slew of major DJs, who will join previously announced headliners Adam Beyer, Armin van Buuren, Claptone, Nicky Romero, and Tale of Us. These include Tomorrowland favorites Alan Walker and Lost Frequencies, among many others. Tomorrowland The digitally rendered version of Tomorrowland’s fabled Mainstage will be graced by Walker, Afrojack, van Buuren, Claptone, Fedde Le Grand, KC Lights, Kölsch, Lost Frequencies, Nicky Romero, Robin ...
Belgian Government Signals Return of Tomorrowland, But Will Require “Corona Passport”
As the 2021 edition of Tomorrowland hangs in the balance, the Belgian government has expressed confidence that large music festivals will return this summer. However, the path to Tomorrowland 2021 could prove to be a complex one. Tomorrowland organizers on May 11th shared a statement in reaction to comments made by Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, who asserted in a recent tweet that large festivals should be possible in the second half of the summer. De Croo’s remarks arrived after the Flemish government presented its “Freedom Plan,” a proposal to relax COVID-19 restrictions month by month and reopen various economic sectors. “We are delighted and grateful to hear that the Belgian Government has given a realistic perspective for large ...
Tomorrowland Gets New Life From Belgium’s Goal to Reopen by September
That could prove challenging for Tomorrowland, one of the biggest EDM events in the world, which typically draws about 400,000 attendees to Boom, Belgium. The 2019 edition ran six days over two weekends. After canceling last year, the festival scheduled its annual flagship event, normally held in July, to Aug. 27-29 and Sept. 3-5, because of ongoing COVID-19 flareups in Europe. It’s unclear whether the festival would need to adjust its planned dates or capacity to accommodate Belgium’s rules. Nevertheless, organizers sounded a hopeful note on Tuesday. “We are delighted and grateful to hear that the Belgian Government has given a realistic perspective for large festivals in Belgium towards the end of the summer,” Tomorrowland said in a statement. “We want to study the guidelines and paramet...
Tomorrowland Announces Dates and First Artists of Second Annual Virtual Festival
Organizers of Tomorrowland Around The World, the virtual version of the iconic dance music festival, recently confirmed it would be returning for its second year. They’ve now announced the dates for the two-day digital music festival, Friday, July 16th and Saturday, July 17th. For being the company’s first foray into the convoluted world of virtual festivals, the inaugural edition was impressive, winning the prestigious FWA of the Month honors, the largest online award program in digital design and development. Round two is looking to be no different with numerous world-class artists already signed on to perform. Joining the lineup will be Adam Beyer, Armin van Buuren, Claptone, Nicky Romero, and Tale of Us. More acts will be announced in the coming weeks. Armin...
Tomorrowland is Planning Another Virtual Festival for Summer 2021
As the dates of its 2021 festival hang in the balance due to the uncertainty of COVID-19, the organizers of Tomorrowland have confirmed a virtual event. Back in July the fabled festival brand aired its first-ever digital edition, Tomorrowland Around The World, tapping David Guetta, Martin Garrix, Eric Prydz, Charlotte de Witte, and many more for performances and attracting over 1 million viewers from an exhaustive list of countries. Organizers then followed with a momentous virtual fest on New Year’s Eve, broadcasting an expansive slate of performances from elite DJs performing on the brand’s curated 3D stages. The event brought together fans from a staggering 151 countries. A new report by Billboard has uncovered plans for a second edition of Tomo...
Tomorrowland’s Austin Kramer on Breaking Artists Worldwide, Building Community via New Radio Show
Austin Kramer has come a long way since his first concert in 1997, when he saw the band Boston in Rapid City, South Dakota. The former Global Head of Dance & Electronic Music at Spotify now holds over a decade experience in music and has become widely known for breaking new artists and hits to millions worldwide. Sifting through the overwhelming amount of pitches he receives, he listens to over 100 track submissions per day and has even had a track named after his love of coffee (“Kramer’s Cup”) for consideration. Last month, Kramer announced his next big stop: an official move to another global music brand, Tomorrowland. On April 5th, the music industry plug began hosting his own One World Radio show, UNreleased with Austin Kramer, which promises to bring 10 never-be...
