Stakes are high for Rock in Rio USA, and who better than mega stars Taylor Swift and Bruno Mars to help them succeed? Over 80,000 people are expected to flock into the festival grounds in Las Vegas this Friday and Saturday, to watch the two stars perform.
Taylor Swift headlines Friday's lineup, along with UK darlings Ed Sheeran and Jessie J, and Bruno Mars will be closing the Festivities on Saturday, following John Legend's upgraded show - he's replacing Sam Smith on the main stage, after the British singer cancelled all the scheduled performances due to a surgery on his vocal cords.
The "City of Rock", as the venue is dubbed, is located near Circus Circus and features a number of entertainment options alongside the concerts. There's a ferris wheel, three "Rock Streets" with street art performers, and even zip lining over the crowd in the main stage area. The whole venue was built from scratch and cost £16 million, funded by Rock in Rio's partner MGM. Most of the structures will remain usable after the festival is over and there are already a few events planned for the site, such as a Country Music Awards show.
Being the first edition in America, Rock in Rio's promoters have stated the venture will come with losses, as the concept is new and the American market is hard to break into.
The venue can hold up to 85,000 per day, and so far the average is half of that - last Friday, No Doubt attracted 37,000 people and on Saturday Metallica drew 45,000.
"We had to adjust our expectations," Rock in Rio's executive vice-president Roberta Medina tells Blasting News at the grounds in Las Vegas. She adds that 160,000 people over two weekends is not too shabby for a festival's first edition ever in the country.
On the other hand, a big chunk of the festival's profits come from sponsorships and licensing, something that is usually a no-no in music festivals in America: Coachella this year had 12 brands, which is already a stretch. In Brazil, where Rock in Rio was created 30 years ago, in 1985, each edition grants them licensing deals and sponsorships with approximately 650 brands. That's their aim going forward, as the deal with MGM spans over a minimum of six years and three editions of the festival.
