Eight months after BMG joined forces with German live music promoter Undercover, the company has promoted its first post-lockdown live show in 2021.

The open-air concert by Swiss pop and soul singer Stefanie Heinzmann on June 26 attracted over 600 excited fans to Gilde Parkbühne in Hanover.

Booker Isabell König said: “It was an amazing feeling to see one of our artists back on stage after so many months of shutdown. The atmosphere on site was indescribable: the first base drumbeat, the first applause, the first confetti, fans dancing. Things are looking up, and we're already looking forward to everything that's to come.”

Naturally, Undercover’s first show after months of lockdown was a little different to a pre-Covid event. The venue was only allowed one-fifth of its capacity; masks were to be worn at all times but could be removed at the designated seats.

Said Undercover CEO Michael Schacke: “For everyone involved, from the audience to the band and the entire crew backstage – it was a fantastic and very encouraging experience to finally hear and see live music again. We are very optimistic and have great expectations to when the market fully returns.”

The concert is one of around 300 shows in Undercover’s pipeline: Among others, they will promote Stefanie Heinzmann’s “Labyrinth Live” tour in spring 2022 and No Angel’s highly anticipated open-air concert at Berlin’s Parkbühne Wuhlheide in June 2022. Both artists are signed to BMG for recordings. Most recently, the German metalcore band Callejon have signed a deal with Undercover. The concert and tour promoter will take care of Callejon's live activity in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland starting with their 'Metropolis Tour' starting in January 2022.

Dominique Casimir, BMG Global Repertoire & Marketing EU, LATAM, APAC said, “The pandemic may have played havoc short-term with our plans to move into live music, but this was always a strategic long-term move. We have worked with Michael and Undercover throughout the lockdown to ensure that as soon as it ended, we were ready to take things on to the next level. This first show is just the beginning.”

Founded in 1991, Undercover offers artists a new alternative to the established live promotion industry, and now forms the basis for a new live music and event business unit within BMG in Germany.