Saturday rocks with Musikmesse Plaza: pop-up market with direct sales and events
photo by Marc Jacquemin
For the highlight of a week full of music, Frankfurt will move all faders to full blast with new Musikmesse Plaza – an innovative event concept aimed at musicians and music lovers.
It will be held for the first time in the eastern section of Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre on Saturday, 6 April 2019 – immediately after Musikmesse and Prolight + Sound (2 to 5 April 2019).
Saturday rocks with Musikmesse Plaza: pop-up market with direct sales and events
photo by Marc Jacquemin
For the highlight of a week full of music, Frankfurt will move all faders to full blast with new Musikmesse Plaza – an innovative event concept aimed at musicians and music lovers.
It will be held for the first time in the eastern section of Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre on Saturday, 6 April 2019 – immediately after Musikmesse and Prolight + Sound (2 to 5 April 2019).
Together with partners from the creative business, Messe Frankfurt is planning a pop-up market with a variety of thematic worlds: from vintage instruments, via sound-recording media, to merchandising. Companies can present their products in this attractive setting and sell them directly to consumers. These presentations will be rounded off by a brim-full programme of musical events, workshops and educational events, as well as highlights of the Musikmesse Festival in Frankfurt’s clubs.
While the spotlight is on professional encounters from Tuesday to Friday – during Musikmesse and Prolight + Sound – the Saturday will be particularly varied, creative and resonant at Musikmesse Plaza. “We are lifting the experiential factor to a new level with Musikmesse Plaza, a concentrated platform covering not only musical instruments but also many other aspects of the creative business”, says Michael Biwer, Group Show Director of the ‘Entertainment, Media & Creative Industries’ Business Unit of Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH. “Simultaneously, we are refining the B2B and B2P focus at Musikmesse during the week. Thus, exhibitors can reach all relevant target groups effectively within 5 days.”
Between cult guitars and vinyl culture
The foundation of Musikmesse Plaza comprises five thematic worlds, the heart of which is the Instrument Market where manufacturers and dealers have the chance to sell their products directly to consumers. There are special stand-rental prices for exhibitors taking part in Musikmesse from Tuesday to Friday. Another focal point is Vintage Instruments. In cooperation with No. 1 Guitar Center Hamburg, the “Vintage Guitar Show” will be organised where everyone can buy, sell and trade their instruments. Additionally, visitors will find a selection of vintage drums, electric organs and other collectors’ pieces for ambitious musicians. Moreover, they can gain insights into the history of PA systems.
In the Sound Recording Media + Labels segment, vinyl fans will find a CD and record exchange open to both private and commercial dealers. Record labels and other music-industry companies have the opportunity to make presentations at Musikmesse Plaza. The Accessories + Lifestyle segment brings together a broad spectrum of products. There, visitors will find everything from instrument equipment, via fashion and merchandising articles, to consumer electronics, jukeboxes and arcade machines. Moreover, segments such as books, posters and photography now also have their place in the event.
The highlights of the Events + Education section include workshops by top musicians, showcases by artists of various genres, autograph sessions and ‘meet & greets’. The successful ‘Discover Music’ project for young people, which sends kindergarten and school children on a musical journey of discovery, is being extended to include the Saturday. There, young newcomers to the world of music can take their first steps with musical instruments while even experienced musicians can expand their horizons. There will also be lots to do and see in Frankfurt in the evening. The Musikmesse Festival provides the framework for concerts in the city’s clubs – from the start of Musikmesse on the Tuesday to the end of Musikmesse Plaza on the Saturday. Additionally, Musikmesse Plaza visitors can look forward to a grand closing concert in the ‘Festhalle Frankfurt’.
Triumvirate on the entertainment firmament
With the addition of the new Musikmesse Plaza concept on the Saturday, Messe Frankfurt now operates a three-pronged brand structure for its events in a musical context:
• Musikmesse, Europe’s biggest trade fair for the music industry, Tuesday to Friday, 2 to 5 April 2019
• Musikmesse Plaza, Pop-up Market – Gear. Vintage. Lifestyle, Saturday, 6 April 2019
• Musikmesse Festival, culture and concert highlights throughout Frankfurt, Tuesday to Saturday, 2 to 6 April 2019