Superstruct Entertainment

The company was founded in 2017 by James Barton, the founder of Creamfields and former Live Nation executive, and Roderik Schlosser of private equity firm Providence Equity Partners, which provided seed funding.{{Cite web |last=Barrett |first=Christopher |date=19 May 2025 |title=Superstruct responds to KKR backlash |url=https://accessaa.co.uk/superstruct-responds-to-kkr-backlash/ |access-date=19 May 2025 |website=Access All Areas |language=en-GB}}{{Cite news |last=Crowley |first=Amy-Jo |date=2023-07-13 |title=Exclusive: Live events group Superstruct readied for sale |url=https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/live-events-group-superstruct-readied-sale-sources-2023-07-12/ |access-date=2025-06-01 |work=Reuters |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Hanley |first=James |date=2024-06-21 |title=Global investment firm buys Superstruct for €1.3bn |url=https://www.iqmagazine.com/2024/06/global-investment-firm-buys-superstruct-for-e1-3bn/ |access-date=2025-06-01 |website=IQ Magazine |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=SUPERSTRUCT ENTERTAINMENT LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/10729135 |access-date=2025-06-04 |website=find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk |language=en}}

In January 2017 Superstruct bought 70% of Sziget Festival in Budapest, and the following month invested in Spanish electronic music promotions company Elrow.{{cite web|url=https://www.iqmagazine.com/2017/02/james-bartons-superstruct-buys-elrow/|title=James Barton's Superstruct buys again|website=IQ Magazine|date=23 February 2017|first=Jon|last=Chapple|access-date=4 June 2025}}

In June 2018 Providence Equity Partners acquired a majority stake in Spanish festival Sónar.{{cite web|url=https://www.iqmagazine.com/2018/06/superstruct-backer-acquires-majority-stake-sonar/|title=Superstruct backer acquires majority stake in Sónar|first=Jon|last=Chapple|website=IQ Magazine|date=29 June 2018|access-date=5 June 2025}}

In August 2018 Superstruct invested in Øyafestivalen in Norway.{{Cite web|date=2018-08-08|title=Superstruct invests in Norway's Øyafestivalen|url=https://www.iq-mag.net/2018/08/superstruct-invests-norway-oyafestivalen/|access-date=5 June 2025|website=IQ Magazine|language=en-GB}}

In April 2019, the company acquired Victorious Festival, South West Four, Kendal Calling, Truck, Tramlines, Boardmasters, and Hideout festival from Global.{{Cite web |title=Superstruct Entertainment acquires more UK and European festivals · News ⟋ RA |url=https://ra.co/news/43654 |access-date=2025-06-01 |website=Resident Advisor |language=en}}

In July 2019 it aquired Next Events, the promoter of Germany's largest electronic music festival, Parookaville.{{cite web|url=https://news.pollstar.com/2019/08/07/superstruct-entertainment-invests-in-german-parookaville-promoter-next-events/|website=Pollstar|title=Superstruct Entertainment Invests In German Parookaville Promoter Next Events|first=Gideon|last=Gottfried|date=8 July 2019|access-date=5 June 2025}}

In August 2019 they acquired International Concert Service, the owners of Wacken Open Air.{{cite web|url=https://accessaa.co.uk/sziget-festival-owners-superstruct-acquire-heavy-metal-festival/|website=Access All Areas|title=Sziget festival owners Superstruct acquire heavy metal festival|date=19 August 2019|first=Stuart|last=Wood|access-date=4 June 2025}}

In 2021 Superstruct bought Dutch event promoters ID&T from LiveStyle.{{Cite web|date=2021-09-17|title=UK-based live events firm Superstruct Entertainment buys electronic music giant ID&T|url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/uk-based-festival-promoter-superstruct-entertainment-buys-electronic-music-giant-idt/|access-date=5 June 2025|website=Music Business Worldwide|language=en-US}}

In June 2023 Superstruct bought majority stakes in Mighty Hoopla, Cross the Tracks, and Snowbombing.{{cite web|url=https://www.iqmagazine.com/2023/06/superstruct-acquires-trio-of-european-festivals/|title=Superstruct acquires trio of European festivals|website=IQ|first=Lisa|last=Henderson|date=5 June 2023|access-date=4 June 2025}}

In June 2024, the company was acquired from Providence Equity Partners by KKR for €1.3bn.{{Cite web |date=21 June 2024 |title=KKR acquires live music giant Superstruct in $1.4bn deal (UPDATE) |url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/kkr-acquires-european-live-entertainment-giant-superstruct-in-1-6bn-deal123/ |access-date=19 May 2025 |website=Music Business Worldwide |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Levingston |first=Ivan |date=2024-06-21 |title=KKR to buy owner of European music festivals for €1.3bn |url=https://www.ft.com/content/3263dcfa-2072-4202-bbb0-0f2c410e3c47 |access-date=2025-05-22 |work=Financial Times}}{{Cite news |last=Kwok |first=Karen |date=2024-09-06 |title=Breakingviews - Buyout barons' music fest punt is oddly compelling |url=https://www.reuters.com/breakingviews/buyout-barons-music-fest-punt-is-oddly-compelling-2024-09-06/ |access-date=2025-06-02 |work=Reuters |language=en}}

In January 2025, it acquired Boiler Room from DICE for an undisclosed sum.{{Cite web |title=Boiler Room acquired by Superstruct Entertainment · News ⟋ RA |url=https://ra.co/news/81936 |access-date=19 May 2025 |website=Resident Advisor |language=en}}. In April 2025, former Channel 4 chief Alex Mahon was named as the new chief executive of the company.{{Cite web |last=Koopman |first=Saskia |date=2025-04-28 |title=Channel 4 chief Alex Mahon to run entertainment group Superstruct |url=https://www.cityam.com/channel-4-chief-alex-mahon-steps-down-afer-8-years/ |access-date=2025-05-31 |website=City AM |language=en-GB}}

{{See also|Boycott of Superstruct Entertainment festivals}}

Following the acquisition by KKR, there have been boycotts and backlash by artists, due to its stakes in weapons manufacturing companies, the Coastal GasLink pipeline, and Israeli corporations operating in occupied Palestinian territories.{{Cite web |title=More than 70 artists call on Sónar to distance itself from KKR's "complicit investments" |url=https://mixmag.net/read/artists-sonar-barcelona-distance-kkr-superstruct-investments-news |access-date=19 May 2025 |website=Mixmag}}{{Cite web |last=Pilley |first=Max |date=2025-05-31 |title=Refused explain decision not to boycott festivals backed by KKR investment firm |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/refused-explain-decision-not-to-boycott-festivals-backed-by-kkr-investment-firm-3866377 |access-date=2025-06-04 |website=NME |language=en-GB}} As of May 2025, fifteen artists had dropped out of the 2025 edition of Field Day due to Superstruct's ownership by private equity firm KKR.{{Cite web |title=Midland, Spray, Roza Terenzi and more cancel Field Day sets amid KKR boycott · News ⟋ RA |url=https://ra.co/news/82789 |access-date=2025-05-20 |website=Resident Advisor |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Bowkett |first=Bill |date=2025-05-16 |title=Field Day hit with growing boycott as artists pull out in solidarity with Palestine |url=https://article-swipe.standard.co.uk/news/london/field-day-boycott-israel-palestine-b1227876.html |access-date=2025-05-22 |website=The Standard |language=en}} The same month Mighty Hoopla issued a statement saying that it stands in opposition of the "unethical investments" of KKR.{{cite web|url=https://mixmag.net/read/mighty-hoopla-stands-against-unethical-investments-kkr-superstruct-news|title=Mighty Hoopla says it stands against "unethical investments" of KKR|website=Mixmag|date=16 May 2025|first=Gemma|last=Ross|access-date=4 June 2025}}

{{Incomplete list|date=June 2025}}

{{Columns-list|colwidth=20em|

• Bennicassim
• Boardmasters Festival
• Boiler Room
• Cross The Tracks
• Field Day in London, England
• Field Day in Sydney, Australia
• Flow Sziget
• ID&T{{cite web|url=https://ra.co/news/76077|title=Superstruct Entertainment completes purchase of Dutch festival group ID&T|website=Resident Advisor|first=Sean|last=Beeby|date=20 September 2021|access-date=20 May 2025}}
• Q-dance
• Hideout Festival
• Kendal Calling
• Lost Village
• Mighty Hoopla
• {{ill|Milkshake (festival)|lt=Milkshake|nl|Milkshake (festival)}}{{cite news|first=Jesper|last=Roele|url=https://www.parool.nl/amsterdam/14-artiesten-zeggen-milkshake-festival-af-vanwege-omstreden-eigenaar-je-breekt-hier-het-festival-mee-af-maar-niet-kkr~b8646e67/|title=14 artiesten zeggen Milkshake Festival af vanwege omstreden eigenaar: ‘Je breekt hier het festival mee af, maar niet KKR’|work=Het Parool|date=7 June 2025|language=nl|archive-url=https://archive.is/h7wOx|archive-date=8 June 2025|url-status=live}}
• Øyafestivalen
• Parookaville
• Resurrection Fest
• Sónar
• Snowbombing
• South West Four
• Tramlines Festival{{Cite web|url=https://gigaddict.co.uk/superstruct-entertainment-buys-big-with-uk-festivals/|title=Superstruct Entertainment buys big with UK Festivals|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200202160317/https://gigaddict.co.uk/superstruct-entertainment-buys-big-with-uk-festivals/|archive-date=2 February 2020|date=17 April 2019|website=Gig Addict|access-date=10 May 2025}}
• Truck Festival
• Victorious Festival
• Wacken Open Air
• Y Not Festival
• Zwarte Cross{{cite web|url=https://www.iqmagazine.com/2021/04/superstruct-first-acquisition-post-pandemic/|website=IQ Magazine|title=Superstruct makes first acquisition since pandemic|date=1 April 2021|access-date=5 June 2025}}

}}

{{reflist}}

Category:British companies established in 2017

Category:Electronic music event management companies

Category:Entertainment companies established in 2017

Category:Festival organizations

Category:Music festival organizations