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festivalgoers coming from the UK . The average age of the event ’ s attendees is 25 .
The event consists of around 40 performance areas , including sponsored activations , with 18 stages . Production across the site is handled by Sky Music .
Đukić says Serbia has nothing like the festival and event season congestion issues faced by the UK industry this year : “ Exit is by far the biggest festival in this part of the world . It is one of the few festivals in Serbia where you have huge international artists playing , and we don ’ t have as many big tours as in Western Europe , so it is one of the few opportunities to see these kind of acts in one place at a reasonable price .”
He says tickets sales have been strong , and the event has not been impacted by lingering pandemic concerns . “ Across the media in Serbia the pandemic is not even the third biggest story these days . People here are hungry for these kind of events . The festival provides a real sense of freedom . It can be a bit wild , essentially it is controlled chaos . That is how we are here and that ’ s what we like .”
Separated from Ukraine by Romania , Đukić says preparation for the Exit festival has not been impacted by the war there , and he insists the Serbian chaos does not extend to the supply chain : “ There are no supply chain issues at the moment . In Serbia and Croatia we are seeing inflation increase but nothing that will in any way jeopardise the running of our event .”
Prime mover That positivity is evident at long established Italian promoters D ’ Alessandro e Galli ( Di and Gi ), which is working on the launch of new festival La Prima Estate in Tuscany .
Di and Gi was founded in 1987 by Mimmo D ’ Alessandro and Adolfo Galli and has since promoted shows by many of the world ’ s biggest touring acts including Paul McCartney , Bob Dylan , Elton John , Adele and Jennifer Lopez .
In 1998 it founded the Lucca Summer Festival , a series of shows in July at the 14,000-capacity Piazza Napoleone inside the Tuscan city ’ s walls . Among the artists to have played the event are Elton John , Ennio Morricone , Sting and New Order .
This year has seen Di and Gi promoter Enrico D ’ Alessandro launch a new festival , La Prima Estate , which will run from 21-26 June 2022 in Versilia , Tuscany , just a stone ’ s throw from the beach .
Among the acts confirmed to play the 10,000-capacity festival are The National , Duran Duran and Bonobo , but the event has far more to offer than live music . Extracurricular activity on offer will include dawn yoga sessions , bicycle excursions to the Versilia Hills guided by professional cyclists , SUP and Surf Lessons as well as panel sessions and interviews with artists on the beach . D ’ Alessandro says the concept is aimed at a young adult audience aged primarily between 25 and 45 , who have a healthy disposable income and are interested in a comfortable experience that couldn ’ t be more different from the muddy escapism of the UK ’ s rock festivals .
“ The festival culture is very different in Italy ,” he says . “ Here the kind of festival with multiple stages and music that starts in the late morning and goes on all night never really works . People here prefer some kind of concert series , with less acts each night and a comfortable sleeping situation that doesn ’ t involve camping .”
While the concept of an outdoor
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