Christopher BarrettAEG Presents is fuelling it European expansion with the opening of an office in Oslo, Norway, led by veteran Nordic concert promoter Peer Osmundsvaag.
Osmundsvaag (pictured), will bring 35 years of live entertainment and event promotion experience to the company, when he takes up the position with AEG on March 1. Among the many major shows he has promoted include Eminem at Oslo’s Voldslokka (55,000 attendees) and Rammstein at Bjerke Travbane (60,000 attendees), which to date are the two largest ticketed concerts in Norway. In 2014 he founded Oslo’s inner-city festival Piknik i Parken (PiPFest).
The promoter spent seven years as a founding partner at All Things Live, the largest independent live music promoter in the Nordics and Belgium. In his new role, Osmundsvaag will report to AEG Presents president and CEO of Europe and Asia-Pacific Adam Wilkes.
“Having been lucky enough to work as AEG’s partner since 2006, I’ve come to see them as family; an inspirational and like-minded partner who have played a pivotal role in my career,” said Osmundsvaag, “After nearly two decades it feels both natural and exhilarating to engage on this new chapter together. I look forward to assembling the very best team of people I’ve encountered in my 25 years in promoting, blending seasoned expertise with fresh energy to create a dynamic, experienced and energetic team to take on the future together.”
Added Wilkes, “Peer brings a wealth of unparalleled experience to this new position and regional office. As AEG Presents continues to focus on global expansion at such an exciting time for live music and events, this marks an important next step for our European business. Having Peer on board to further build our company presence in Scandinavia enables us to better serve artists and audiences across the region. I’m excited for what’s to come.”
Osmundsvaag began his career as a DJ and party promoter in 1989, before segueing into concert promotion and founding Atomic Soul in Norway in 2001. While at Atomic Soul, he worked with such high-profile international acts as Eminem, Prince, Robbie Williams, Justin Bieber, Rammstein, Lana Del Rey, Jerry Seinfeld, 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, David Guetta, Swedish House Mafia, Aviici, Sam Smith, and Jamie XX among many others. In 2007, Osmundsvaag co-founded and co-booked Norway’s Hove Festival in addition to booking club Quart in the late 90s.