Interview with FKP Scorpio (Festival Promoter)
There is not much time left until M’era Luna festival 2018. And we are very happy that the organizers of the festival, FKP Scorpio, have found some time to answer our questions and to take us behind the scenes for a little while.
Reflections of Darkness [RoD]: I would like to start with the main changes introduced this year. For the first time, M‘era Luna provides the audience with an opportunity to become a M’era Luna ambassadors. Basically, the visitors turned into the festival distributors (this concept is often used by make-up companies). How did you come up with this idea and was it worth it?
FKP: Such concepts have also migrated to the festival industry. The idea behind it is as simple as it is effective: festivals are events that target groups of people - few visitors come alone. Our ambassador program is aimed at this and it rewards groups that book their tickets together. Since this is already the case, our guests now have an additional benefit without the need to change anything that they do today. We like this system because it allows us to reward our most loyal guests and thank them with various bonuses or with a special experience.
RoD: One issue that is currently causing a great deal of concern is event photography in the context of the GDPR (EU General Data Protection Regulation). M’era Luna has always valued the audience and has even established “The Beautiful Faces of M’era Luna” category. How will you handle it this year?
FKP: The GDPR is not a cause of any “great concern” in this case, because most of information on this subject is based on false assumptions. Our guests will continue to be the focus of our communication in the future.
RoD: How are the bands for the M’era Luna line up selected? Are there any possibilities for bands, especially from outside of Germany, to attract attention without joining the Newcomer Contest? There are so many great bands on the scene who are not newcomers, but have never played at M’era Luna... Many people complain that the same bands always play at all the summer festivals and that some bands play at the M’era Luna every two years. What do you think about this criticism?
FKP: Our band selection is based on a number of factors. Our bookers are closely watching the scene. In addition, we ask for band requests in our annual visitor survey and therefore know that our line-up meets the expectations of the overwhelming majority. Of course, we are always open to new influences, the band competition is an example of that. And those who that a closer look at our line-ups see that we always have a few surprises. By the way, that also includes headliners.
RoD: Who picks the headliners? The headlining acts in recent years were often the bands that have nothing to do with the Gothic / Dark scene like KORN (the guys even asked why they were here as they were standing on the stage), ROB ZOMBIE and of course this year it’s THE PRODIGY.
FKP: This observation is correct - and all these bands have nevertheless had unforgettable shows. The first time THE PRODIGY were on our stage was in 2009, and their concert still has a legendary reputation in the community today. Like most of our visitors, we do not care about rigid genre boundaries. All the acts that may seem out of the ordinary at first glance have performed well live, there is no doubt about it among the visitors at the site and based on our surveys.
RoD: FKP Scorpio hosts a whole series of festivals. What does your work process look like? Is there a separate team for every festival, or is there one large large team that handles all festivals at the same time?
FKP: We have a big team exactly because we organize many festivals. Fortunately, this means that we can allow ourselves to take the musical preferences of our employees into account, so that the makers of M’era Luna are fully backing the festival and all that it stands for.
RoD: There’s something new at at the M’era Luna Festival every year. Last year it was the M’era Luna Academy. What did you learn from this experience and how do you pick the workshops that are being offered?
FKP: Our desire for experiments and new offers is very well accepted. The Academy had a successful first year, and we have recently announced this year’s program, which includes even more workshops and lectures. Their selection is also based on the feedback of our community. All information is available on meraluna.de.
RoD: There has been a “Gothic Garden” at M’era Luna since 2015 - it is a spot for comfortable camping that fits 400 people, sprinkled up with more bonuses. How was this idea born? Do you plan any further improvements in this area in the future?
FKP: This idea has also been brought to us by the community. Our visitors are getting older as well, and of course they do not stop being Goths all of a sudden. Therefore, it is only natural that the desire for more comfort is getting stronger. We understand that well and are we are happy that there are people in our festival family, who wouldn’t do it any other way. And it is important to us that we have the right offers for every taste.
RoD: Who is responsible for the food selection? How do you pick the catering services?
FKP: The decision is largely based on visitor feedback and is made by several employees on our team. In any case, it is important that the range of options has something for every taste and for every time of the day. For example, there should be enough vegan and vegetarian options, but meat eaters should also be able to find something. We consciously use our many festivals to promote the best vendors and to exclude those who do not grow with us. This way, the quality gets better every year and the variety gets wider and wider with it. And each year we try to come up with new specialties and exciting new concepts created just for the festival. Let us surprise you.
RoD: You have released your first jewellery collection in 2017. Whose idea was that and who designed it? How do you decide which merchandise is offered and who designs all the products?
FKP: The idea emerged in our team. We know it ourselves, what role the appearance plays in the definition of the scene, but it is not superficial. The designs are from our partner Alchemy England and are designed in partnership with us. Of course, we also ask our guests for feedback and new ideas every year.
RoD: “Perfect” is a very abstract concept. Every festival has little and big problems, it can be weather, technical issues or something else. What is a “perfect festival” for you as the organizer? Have you ever experienced it?
FKP: That’s a great question! It’s true that the “perfect” festival is a distant star you can never reach. But in the end, the only thing that matters is that our guests have a good time. The M’era Luna has a special relationship with its visitors, for whom it is not just a festival. That means a lot of responsibility, but it also makes us very proud. As long as our community is happy with us and the M’era Luna continues to be a place where the German and European scene comes together, we are very satisfied!
RoD: And finally, we would like to ask you to say a few words to those of our readers who are coming to M’era Luna this year...
FKP: Even if you are mostly dressed in black, make sure that the M'era Luna is as colourful as it has ever been! Meet up with your friends and turn the night into day! We are glad that our scene is a great example of diversity and tolerance - you can all be proud of that!
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