Three of the great festivals of our country, Vineña Rock, Sónar and ResurrectionThey have decided to respond to the controversy about the involvement of Supersructs in these festivals and KKR, as well as what that means.
The purchase of the company Supersruct Entertainment –Which already had part of the ownership of Spanish events – by the fund KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.) A few months ago he communicated in some media, but it has not been until, a few days ago, when The jump Recover the news, which the snowball has grown rapidly. The festivals that have Supersructa among their partners are Viña Rock, Monegros Desert Festival, Arenal Sound, FIB, Resurrection Fest, Les Arts Festival, Wild Madrid, Fest Fest, Brunch Electronik, Sónar, Brava Madrid, interstellar, Tsunami Xixón, Granada Sound, Off-Sónar and others. In each case, the weight that Supersruct can have is different.
That led to groups such as, among others, Reincidents, Fermin Muguruza, Kaotiko, Los de Marras, Kaos Urban They launched communiqués stating that they would not act again in any of the festivals while KKR continues to be part of his shareholders. To that we must add the angry response from the public on social networks.
The framework of societies, partners and companies is something really complicated in these times of globalization and the controversy has emerged from the KKR relationship with companies such as Axel Springer, which in turn one of the owners of the YAD2 real estate, who has been accused several times by NGOs to be behind the sale of properties raised over the occupied Palestinian territories. And thus we would reach the relationship with the Spanish festivals.
The largest number of artists belong to the Viña Rock spectrum, so we would be talking about not participating from 2026, since the festival was held last days 1-3 in Villarrobledo, with the participation of several of the groups that have positioned themselves from now on. On the other hand, the information on the purchase of Supersructure by KKR appeared in January of this year, and had been executed in June 2024.
The first statement launched by one of the festivals to which the controversy had splashed was that of Barcelona Sónar Festival. It points out that “we are a platform that promotes diversity, inclusion and respects the freedom of expression of its artists, participants and collaborators. The festival team has always worked and will work with the premise of favoring respect for universal human rights. The festival firmly condemns all kinds of violence. Since its foundation more than thirty years ago, we welcome local and global cultural expressions that they have in Sónar their natural space to projected their natural space to projected their natural space to projection of his communities “.
Subsequently, the Dream He has launched a second statement that is as follows: “To our community, artists, public and partners:
In recent days, we have received legitimate messages and requests from public, artists, institutions and partners. We understand that the lack of a sufficiently clear public response on our part in the face of such a serious humanitarian situation has generated discomfort and confusion.
From Sónar, we want to explicitly express our solidarity with the Palestinian civilian population trapped in the humanitarian catastrophe that is lived in Gaza. We also extend this solidarity to all the people who suffer the consequences of violence and the violation of human rights anywhere in the world. We care and concern the suffering of thousands of innocent people suffering from the cruelty of wars, occupations and genocides of which the international community is witness.
KKR’s participation in the festivals sector has raised questions and concerns. In 2018, the Superstruct Entertainment group acquires Sónar. In the summer of 2024, Superstruct is acquired by the KKR investment firm, among others. We want to express clearly that Sónar is disconnected from any KKR action. We have no interference or, of course, any control over your investments or decisions.
Our independence remains complete in all areas that define Sónar’s identity: the artistic line, the festival’s management and our ethical and cultural commitment, which has remained firm over thirty -two years. Since its origins, Sónar has been a land of creative freedom, a tool for social transformation to the service of artists and thinkers and a host and projection space for all those voices that represent their communities. Protecting and caring for these spaces of expression, encounter and criticism is today more urgent than ever. We care, it implies and we need it all. Now and always, Sónar is a festival of Todxs, not subject to anyone’s acronym; A collective space, built among many voices, that defends freedom of expression, critical thinking and commitment to peace, justice and culture. “
But now it has been Viña Rock and Resurrection who have taken their vision and launch two communications clarifying the data they consider erroneous or biased. Rock vineyard He points out that it is a directed and interested defamation campaign, while defending the accusations. In the statement, it can be read that “Viña Rock does not finance any violent cause or contrary to human rights, neither directly or indirectly. Affirming otherwise is not only false, but deeply unfair. We have already launched legal actions in front of those who are behind this defamation campaign, behind which economic interests also have to do with the defense of human rights. (…) Supersruct Identity, programming or values of the Viña Rock Festival.
For its part, the concert promoter Kill He has launched his own statement about Viña Rock. In its statement, José GómezDirector of Matrile points out the following: “It is time to clarify our origins and that do not misrepresent, nor use our history, nor our name. We are a concert promoter that we did the vineyard-rock, since 1996, first in the Villarrobledo football field, where we put 4,000 people, until 2006, in Benicàssim, which we reached 180,000 people. Viña-Rock, since its inception, as recognized by the judge of first instance, until later the Provincial Court, it was granted to Ayto for its intellectual property, that is because the idea of the name was his. Benicàssim, the year that the festival has had more support from the public. Of this vineyard, as they claim, but eighteen, the years of its management.
The Galician Resurrection Festival He has also given a clear response in this regard. He has done it with a statement in which they show their disagreement with the information that has recently disseminated. “In recent days, serious accusations and misinformation have been given by truthful accusations and misinformation, so we would like Of course, the festival does not finance any war. Just a few months ago, there is the American company KKR, present in hundreds of companies inside and outside our country.
The independence of the Resurrection Fest team in the festival management has remained intact for 20 years, as well as our ethical values, and we believe that proof of this is the multicultural program of the festival during all these years.
We remember that Resurrection Fest is a festival organized by Galician companies that maintain total autonomy in their management and decision making from its foundation to this day, composed of a team of more than 1000 direct workers, local suppliers, artists, and public originally from more than 40 countries, whose cultural and social impact in the region and throughout the country is undeniable.
As every year and since its inception, Resurrection Fest has been a meeting point for thousands of people from various nationalities, a collective space of cultural freedom and tolerance, and thus will continue to be. We wait for you once again on stage and in Viveiro. “
Out of respect for the public and in defense of who we are ✊🏽
Thanks to those who are part of the Viña Rock family. See you as always: on stage, with music and with you. pic.twitter.com/GHVDMCSRTQ
– Viñarock (@vinarockoficial) May 19, 2025
