JSA Europe participated in the September issue of IQ-Magazine (№122), specially dedicated to the 2023 festival season, which exceeded the expectations of the organizers of these massive events. Coincidentally, this year JSA took part in staging and production management for almost 10 festivals in Latvia and Romania. In this regard, Alexander Strizhak, managing director and owner of the company, gave a short interview, which was included in the article “SUPPLIERS & DEMAND”:
JSA
The main task for the company of late was to find its place in a changed world,” says Alexander Strizhak, owner and managing director of JSA Europe, a staging and production management company. “In 2023, we were able to return to big business, after a difficult period.” This year also saw the company move most of its activities to Romania, a country with a lot of live music and some major music festivals. Indeed, JSA has prospered with the latter providing staging for both SAGA and Nostalgia/Retro in Bucharest; Rockstadt near the city of Brasov; and alongside Layher for the UNTOLD festival in the city of Cluj-Nopoca.
Indeed, Layher is something of a key partner for JSA. Their main product is Layher multifunctional systems. “We have a longstanding partnership of over 25 years with Layher, and we always use unique solutions from this manufacturer for original engineering designs,” says Strizhak. “This season, we have used the latest products – aluminum TwixBeams. These lightweight power beams are very handy for rigging tasks and other unique features.”
He credits part of JSA’s resurgence with some new tactics when it comes to approaching the market, but also the company’s resourceful, hard-working team of installers, who are also able to train the next generation.
The company is currently promoting the new product FLEXODROM. “It’s a temporary modular venue for various concerts and events with unique features – the structure can be changed or modified, depending on the needs of the event,” says Strizhak. “This should become the flagship product for JSA’s successful and profitable business in the near future.”
Below we also present an introductory text by Gordon Masson, the editor-in-chief of the magazine, about his vision of the situation with the festival business in the world, as well as the development of the idea of holding the International Festival Forum as part of the ILMC.
When the International Festival Forum launched in 2015, little did we know that the event would become such an integral part of the annual festival booking process that the search for headline acts can now begin years in advance of an actual event.
For emerging talent, IFF’s goal was to introduce festive-ready talent to the organizers of some of the hundreds of gatherings that make up the summer season. Our agency partners duly obliged, with the likes of Lewis Capaldi, Tom Grennan, and Yonaka all having showcased at IFF over the years, using festival appearances to accelerate the growth of their fanbases.
With 1,000 delegates heading to IFF’s new HQ at Omeara later this month, we thought that this would be an ideal opportunity to launch the inaugural festival summer wrap-up edition of IQ – marking the end of another outdoor season in the northern hemisphere while acknowledging the start of the hard work ahead of the 2024 season.
So with festivals at the heart of this special edition, we’ll be celebrating the countless thousands of dedicated staff that helped shape the summer just passed, on the eve of the ninth edition of IFF – the largest gathering yet of the world’s top booking agents and festival professionals.
On page 18, IQ has partnered with ROSTR to analyze 50 of the top European festivals, and the results make for fascinating reading, as you will learn for yourselves.
Meanwhile, Mark Beaumont visits the Sziget Festival to join in the 30th birthday extravaganza (see page 66) and learn about the island event’s rich history. Whilst one of Europe’s top festival creatives, Stephan Thanscheidt marks his 25th anniversary in music and shares some of the highlights of his career to date on his road from punk to promoter (page 42). With sustainability central to so many working in the festival scene these days, our Green Guardians List 2023 (page 56) outlines those at the sharp end of making live events greener, as well as identifying whom production directors should be working with to achieve carbon footprint ambitions. Just in case that isn’t enough to have you dreaming of 2024’s fields of opportunity, Adam Woods packs his bags for a visit to the lowlands for this issue’s market focus (page 76) and reports that the Netherlands continues to punch far above its weight when it comes to outdoor events.
I hope you enjoy our first festival’s special edition of IQ, and for those of you registered for IFF from 26-28 September – safe travels. I will see you there!
Gordon Masson
“SUPPLIERS & DEMAND”
Words: Derek Robertson / the beginning of his introductory text to the article:
“Production suppliers might only be involved with major tours and festivals on a contract basis, but they can play a key role in helping them keep fans, artists, and sustainability officers smiling. IQ spoke to four leading production managers and some of the most innovative suppliers that they work with…
Whilst touring schedules and calendars have returned to something approaching normality and fan demand for live music remains high – challenges remain when setting up and executing world-class events. Be- hind the scenes, the real champions are the legions of experts responsible for staging and lighting; sound, screens, and video; security; fencing and barriers; trucking, bussing, and freight; and general infrastructure (production offices, toilets, etc.) – the very building blocks of an event’s success…. “
See also the company’s previous participation in the IQ magazine/issue 111 (June 2022)
“STEELING THE LIMELIGHT” – JSA IN THE IQ-MAGAZINE REVIEW ABOUT THE STAGING SECTOR
JSA Europe and especially the company’s promotional department thanks IQ magazine and Gordon Mason personally for their positive and long-term cooperation.
Версия на русском языке: ПОСТАВЩИКИ И СПРОС. ЗАВЕРШЕНИЕ ФЕСТИВАЛЬНОГО СЕЗОНА 2023