Prolight + Sound and Musikmesse magnets for more than
108,000 visitors from all over the world with innovations and events
Exhibitors satisfied with the
course of business and orders placed
New concept from 2016: opening
to private visitors on all days and stronger trade-visitor programmes
The international Musikmesse and Prolight + Sound trade
fairs at Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre closed their doors on Saturday
evening after a successful four-day run jam-packed with musical and dramatic
highlights. “Over 108,000 visitors from 146 countries witnessed a dazzling
display of new products, stars and events presented by 2,257 exhibitors[1]”,
said Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt. “Musikmesse
and Prolight + Sound confirmed their role as a source of impulses for active
music making, event presentation and new business contacts.”
This year, both fairs were characterised by an excellent
trade-visitor standard, a good propensity to order and a high level of
internationality, which resulted in a significant increase in the level of
exhibitor satisfaction at both events. Particularly successful at Musikmesse
was the new business area for improved contacts between manufacturers,
distributors and musical-instrument retailers. “The fair is an extremely
important platform where exhibitors can launch their new products – and judge
their position in relation to their competitors. In this connection, the fair
is distinguished by great internationality whereby the new B2B area was a very
useful improvement this year. Naturally, the fair is also important to help
consumers develop a feeling for music”, says Gerhard A. Meinl, Chairman of the
Federal Association of German Musical Instrument Manufacturers (Bundesverband
der Deutschen Musikinstrumenten-Hersteller e. V. – BDMH). Confirming this
assessment, Dr Christian Blüthner-Haessler, CEO of Julius Blüthner
Pianofortefabrik, said, “We generated lots of business and gained many new
customers during the four days of the fair. Particularly in a time when the
climate in the sector is rather inclement, Musikmesse 2015 came fully up to
expectations.”
With full aisles, a busy atmosphere on the exhibition
stands and a high-grade conference programme, Prolight + Sound 2015 underscored
its position as the leading international trade fair for the event technology
and entertainment sector. The Professional Lighting & Sound Association of
Germany (Verband für Licht-, Ton- und Veranstaltungstechnik – VPLT) was
also very pleased with the results of the fair: “From our point of view, it was
once again clear that the heart of the sector beats at Prolight + Sound. This
year, thanks to numerous products and services, the media, theatre, fair and
events segments came even more closely together and were to be seen at a glance
at the same time and place during the four days of the fair. Simultaneously, we
see here just how international our business is”, said Helge Leinemann, Member
of the Board of VPLT. Besides Germany, the top ten visitor nations at Prolight
+ Sound are the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, France, Austria,
China, Great Britain, Sweden and Poland.
Everything that makes the world sound good: four days
jam-packed with stars, events and entertainment
Nowhere else can music aficionados see and hear such as
host of innovations from the field of musical instruments as at Musikmesse in
Frankfurt am Main. Particularly popular are extraordinary designs with, for
example, airbrush paintwork and instrument decorations with LEDs or hologram
effects. Moreover, an increasing number of manufacturers are making use of
unusual materials, from exotic wood, via amber, to carbon fibre. Indeed, the
‘carbon violin’ by Mezzo Forte was presented with the German Musical Instrument
Award during the fair.
At the same time, the extensive programme of events makes
Musikmesse an extraordinary musical experience. With the fair opening to the
general public on two full days this year, greater emphasis than ever before
was given to making the fair an unforgettable occasion. With over 1,000
concerts, workshops, autograph sessions and presentations, the Musikmesse event
programme had something for all tastes – from classic, via funk and soul, to
rock and heavy metal. The big names appearing included star pianist Lang Lang,
Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi, ‘Schlager’ singer Guildo Horn, the pop-rock
shooting stars from Luxuslärm and members of the Donots band.
One of the special highlights was ‘In the Eye of the
Rock’n’Roll Hurricane’, a photographic exhibition by star photographer Neal
Preston, which gave visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in 45 years
of rock history. One of the most important aims of Musikmesse is to promote
music making among young people. To this end, Messe Frankfurt once again
increased the spectrum of facilities and services. Thus, on the one hand,
opening the fair on the Friday made it easier for school groups to attend the
fair. On the other hand, the Music4Kids participatory exhibition sent over 8,000
children aged from three to ten on a journey of musical discovery with
extraordinary instrument creations, sound experiments and sound installations.
At the School Jam finale, young talents competed for the title of ‘Germany’s
Best School Band’. Moreover, the European School Music Award for particularly
worthwhile music-teaching projects was presented at the fair.
Innovations for even more effective events
The event business is booming – and the expectations on
impressive productions are growing constantly. As in the past, this year’s
Prolight + Sound presented everything necessary for creating a spectacular
event whereby the sector is more innovation-driven than virtually any other.
Thus, Prolight + Sound reflected many of the trends that spur the industry. For
example, 3D mapping technology makes building facades come to life, digital
sounding mixing and mobile recording technologies provide for increasing
flexibility while high-resolution displays ensure pin-sharp images –
increasingly, with a touch function, too. Moreover, the sector is attaching
greater importance to sustainability. Economical amplifiers, LED lighting and
projectors with a long service lives make ‘green events’ increasingly
realistic. With this broad spectrum of products, Prolight + Sound was once
again the international hotspot of the entire sector and the showcase for a
complex and expanding industry. “The impression made by this year’s Prolight +
Sound is very positive, vibrant and dynamic. Here, we encounter an exceedingly
heterogeneous clientele and are very pleased with the course of business. We
have been able to show our portfolio of products in an optimum light and thus
reach customers from all over Europe, as well as many from overseas, the Middle
East and America”, says Christian Massmann, CEO, Eyevis GmbH.
Prolight + Sound not only generates impulses for product
innovations as a showcase: a high-grade conference programme revolving around
event technology and event management ensures it is the most important venue
for basic and advanced training. With the ‘Theatre and Film Colloquium’, this
year’s fair offered a series of events aimed specifically at visitors from the
fields of theatre technology and equipment. For this target group, Prolight +
Sound offered a new product section – Stagery – which attracted numerous new
exhibitors and visitors to Frankfurt and thus expanded the spectrum of segments
and themes covered.
New concept from 2016: opening to private visitors on all
days and stronger trade-visitors programmes
Messe Frankfurt presented a new concept for the two fairs
during Musikmesse and Prolight + Sound 2015. To come into effect next year, the
concept orients both events more towards the needs of the musical instrument
and entertainment industry. “The new concept focuses equally on strengthening
the contact-making process between trade and industry and on the completely new
contact areas between manufacturers and consumers”, explained Detlef Braun.
To this end, Musikmesse will open its doors to consumers
with music-style specific exhibition halls on all days. At the same time, there
will be an exclusive business hall open to trade visitors only, which will give
them and exhibitors more room and contact space for undisturbed business
discussions.
To implement the new concept, Musikmesse will move to the
western section of Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre next year and occupy
more than 95,000 square metres of indoor, outdoor and conference space. Thus,
in its new location comprising Halls 8, 9.0, 9.1, 11.0, 11.1, the Galleria and
Portalhaus, as well as the adjoining outdoor areas, Musikmesse will remain as
big as ever.
At Prolight + Sound, numerous product extensions in
recent years have created a potential for growth that the organisers must make
space for. Accordingly, Prolight + Sound will move to the eastern section of
Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre from next year and occupy Halls 1,
3, 4 and 5, as well as the Congress Centre and outdoor exhibition areas.
To strengthen the new consumer components of Musikmesse
and the trade-visitor focus of Prolight + Sound, as well as to retain the
important synergistic effects of both events, the sequences of days on which
the two fairs are held will change from 2016.
Prolight + Sound begins on Tuesday and ends on Friday.
Musikmesse begins on Thursday and, in the interests of
private visitors, ends on Sunday. The hours of opening are also changing: the
fairs will open from 10.00 to 19.00 hrs on all days.
The next Prolight + Sound will be held from 5
to 8 April 2016.
The next Musikmesse will take place from 7
to 10 April 2016.
