11-14/06/25 Hradec Králové
Park 360

Q & A with festival director Michal Thomes

05. 05. 2020

You can watch a Q & A livestream with our festival director Michal Thomes HERE (Czech only)

Or you can read our summary:

In a recent interview, you said that you are considering a smaller version of the festival with Czech bands only this year. Is it going to happen? 
There is only one Rock for People and it is moving to next year. After we know the regulations by the government for this summer, only then we can think of a substitute happening or any event.

What else does it take to reschedule RfP to the next year, apart from negotiations with bands?
Besides bands, we negotiate with suppliers, where we already paid for deposits, we also deal with financial support from the city and partners. We have the same amount of work as if the festival should take place, we are also working on solutions to continue to function as an agency to retain our staff. This industry is the most affected, so we are largely dependent on attendance, ticket sales and the number of people at the event. This affects us negatively for a whole year. But I am optimistic, and your support gives us good energy to move on.

How much does it cost to reschedule for the next year? And how much does Green Day cost?
Difficult questions. We still can’t say the exact financial damage after the rescheduling but its expected to be in millions. As for Green Day’s fee, the contract prohibits us from disclosing this information, thank you for your understanding.

Are you trying to move the bands to the same day as they were supposed to play this year so we don’t have to change our one-day tickets?
It may happen that some band will not perform on the same day as it was suppose to this year. We do not know yet how much we can replicate the line-up. If a band cannot play at the festival, we will at least try for a solo concert. We will then deal with the tickets individually with you, please stay patient.

Do you already know the date for next year? When do you announce it?
So far we assume June 2020, we are still solving the exact date. Unfortunately, we can’t announce it until we have it black on white, thank you for your patience. 

Are Fall Out Boy, Weezer, The Pretty Reckless, Machine Gun Kelly, Skillet, Horkýže Slíže, Sum 41, Neck Deep, Black Veil Brides coming? Will it be the same line-up?
Yes, we are trying to keep the same line-up as much as possible, although changes may occur. Reactions from bands and agents are good and it seems that most bands will be able to perform next June.

Does the camp ticket remain valid? Will it be possible to buy another type of accommodation?
Yes, it’s the same as with festival tickets. It will be possible to buy another type of accommodation only after the refunds have been resolved, we will let you know in time.

What about enabling sell of name tickets between people? This way people may not ask for a refund. 
We will soon come up with a solution, not only because of coronavirus. Every year, we deal with dozens of people who buy a fake ticket through an advertisement or from a reseller. We are always sorry when this happens. So, we started developing a system that would allow a proven resale among visitors. We release this service soon.

Will there be a Billy Talent concert as part of the RfP Concerts series?
We are changing the date, hoping for September, the question is whether the regulation will ease enough so the concert can take place.

When will In Flames arrive as part of the RfP Concerts series?
In February or March.

Will tickets for juniors and children remain valid next year?
Yes, we have pushed the age limit and the tickets remain valid.

How long will it take to refund the entrance fee after submitting the form?
Please be patient, we want to process it as quickly as possible, we hope to solve it in about a month.

Will there be a limited time when it is possible to request a refund?
There will be enough time. As soon as we confirm the new date of the festival and the first artists, we will announce the deadline for a refund as well. 

How else can we help besides monetary donations?
Keeping your ticket for the festival and festival accommodation is a huge support for us. Or come to one of the concerts of the Rock for People Concerts series, hopefully the season will start in the fall.

What are the chances to get my band to your festival?
We are working on maintaining this year’s program. In case someone drops out, we will deal with adequate compensation in the program (always with maximum effort to maintain the quality and genre balance of the line-up)

We asked for a refund, but we changed our minds. Is it still possible to cancel this request?
Yes, it is possible, thank you for your decision. Write to [email protected]

Will your T-shirt be for sale?
Yes, it will! We are preparing a special merch edition.