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Concert organizer Gunnar Viese from Baltic Live Agency spoke on Vikerraadio about this summer’s packed concert season in Estonia and the different requests made by foreign artists.
The most recent artist Viese helped bring to Estonia was Bryan Adams, who performed in Tallinn on August 14. Viese admitted that since Adams had already performed in Tartu in 2024, bringing the Canadian singer and guitarist to Tallinn the very next year was something of a risk.
“Every concert is a risk. These days, none of them are easy. I’ll admit, there was a bigger risk factor this time, but I wouldn’t say the audience’s interest has disappeared. I think Bryan Adams is in the same category as Udo Dirkschneider — he could come here a hundred times, but he’ll always draw his crowd,” Viese said.
According to him, the backstage requests that many people find intriguing are usually quite simple. “They all want food and drink, they want to feel at home. One thing that’s different with Bryan Adams compared with, say, 50 Cent or other summer concerts is a very specific requirement: all catering must be vegan, no meat at all,” Viese explained.
He added that every artist has their quirks. “Usually, artists allow as many photographers as apply, but this time only two were permitted and they could shoot only during the first song. Manowar, for example, didn’t allow any photography at all. In 50 Cent’s rider, there were all sorts of champagnes and cognacs. When you start Googling, you realize they’re all his own brand products, which aren’t even sold in Estonia,” the concert organizer said.
Viese also pointed out that in many cases the promoter doesn’t even come into contact with the artist. “50 Cent had an assistant, a tour manager, a security manager — there’s a proper wall around him. I didn’t see him casually. When he came to the Song Festival Grounds, everyone else was barred from going backstage. That’s just how it is. He wants peace and privacy. Not everyone is out to make friends,” Viese noted.
“When I first started organizing concerts, I used to think, oh, let’s get a picture with the artist. But I don’t bother with that anymore. What would I even do with them?” he laughed.
Of all the concerts he has organized, Viese’s favorite was Type O Negative’s 2007 performance at Rock Cafe in Tallinn. “It later turned out that was their only concert in Estonia, because bandleader Peter Steele passed away some time afterward. At that moment it felt like I could just put my feet up. I had been a fan since 1992 or 1993. It was like a kid in a candy store. Luckily, the audience welcomed them warmly and Rock Cafe was packed to the rafters,” Viese recalled.
Unlike many other promoters, Viese doesn’t see a strong need for a larger concert hall. “I’d say there aren’t that many artists who would require a bigger venue. It would have to make solid business sense. I don’t think it’s something the state should do. If some entrepreneurs see potential and want to take that on, then why not, go ahead,” he said.
Viese admitted that despite the crowded schedule, foreign artists have still managed to attract their audiences. “We’ll see at the end of the summer, but I suspect some Estonian organizers might have taken a hit. If someone has to choose between seeing Terminaator for the third or fourth time or seeing 50 Cent once, then they have to make a choice,” he added.
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