Live Nation Sweden has moved to acquire a majority stake in Stockholm-based Stureplansgruppen Live. SPG Live is a Swedish electronic music concert promoter that operates some of the most popular events in the Nordic region, including Summerburst Festival in Stockholm and Gothenburg, which in 2015 has confirmed such talent as Avicii, Axwell /\ Ingrosso, Afrojack, Dash Berlin and others.
SPG Live is also the promoter who will be hosting Alesso's first Arena show this year April 25 at the Ericsson Globe in Stockholm.
"We are incredibly proud of what we have accomplished with SPG Live, and at the same time very happy and excited about what's about to come. As part of Live Nation and its organization around production, marketing, PR, sponsorship and their long experience of big events, we will be able to lift our business another level while retaining what have made our festivals and concerts so great," said Anders Boström, festival general manager for SPG Live, in a statement.
SPG Live also hosts a fall festival in Stockholm called Lights Festival that hosted the likes of Tiësto, Dimitri Vangelis & Wyman, Sander van Doorn and others in 2013 and will be returning in 2015.
"As we continue to grow our electronic business globally, I am delighted that we are bringing SPG into the Live Nation family," commented James Barton, present of Live Nation Electronic Music. "I look forward to working closely with Anders Boström and Karl Ohlsén Pettersson as they look to develop our business in the region."
In addition to the acquisition, Live Nation and SPG Live will cooperate with regards to food and beverages for certain Live Nation Sweden events.
Live Nation has made a large push into the dance event space with acquisitions of Insomniac, which operates Electric Daisy Carnival, and Hard Events, which hosts Hard Festival, Holy Ship! and Creamfields in the U.K. This is already in addition to its recent purchase of C3 Presents, which operates ACL and Lollapalooza. The rich keep getting richer.
