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Athina Kontou / Mother - Green Pilot Tour
Organised by jazzahead! in collaboration with Knutpunkt and Semente Cultural Productions, the "Mother" Green Pilot Tour was a landmark initiative that showcased sustainable touring practices while fostering cultural exchange between Germany and Sweden. Led by bandleader Athina Kontou, this tour marked the band’s first international tour and included eight concerts, a workshop, and professional networking events.
Tour Schedule
19/10/2024: Green Pilot Tour Kick-Off Event at Blinda Tigern, Stockholm Jazz Festival, Sweden
19/10/2024: Stockholm Jazz Festival, Sweden
20/10/2024: Musik i Lerum, Lerum, Sweden
21/10/2024: Vänersborgs Musikförening, Vänersborg, Sweden
22/10/2024: Jazz i Halmstad, Halmstad, Sweden
23/10/2024: Victoriateatern, Malmö, Sweden
24/10/2024: Jazz i Helsingborg, Helsingborg, Sweden
25/10/2024: Workshop at Göteborg Conservatory, Gothenburg, Sweden
25/10/2024: Professional Music Business Meeting at GBG Utopia, Gothenburg, Sweden
26/10/2024: L’Jazz Ljungskile, Ljungskile, Sweden
Sustainability in Practice
Sustainability was at the heart of the Mother Green Pilot Tour, influencing both logistical decisions and event production:
- Eco-friendly travel: The band travelled from Cologne to Stockholm via night train and used public transportation for all local transfers. Each band member had only one flight in total, greatly reducing the tour’s carbon footprint compared to traditional touring methods.
- Green riders: Promoters were encouraged to adopt environmentally friendly practices, including banning plastic, providing vegetarian catering, and promoting public transport for audience members.
- Sustainable communication: The tour’s principles of sustainability and intercultural exchange were shared with audiences through on-stage discussions, workshops, and networking events.
Artistic and Professional Highlights
The Mother Green Pilot Tour delivered both artistic and professional successes:
- Concerts and workshops: The tour included eight performances in diverse venues, from large festivals to smaller local settings. A workshop led by Athina Kontou at Göteborg Conservatory introduced young musicians to sustainable touring and her approach to contemporary jazz.
- Networking: Jakob Fraisse from the jazzahead! team joined the tour as part of an EJN Staff Exchange, fostering connections with Swedish music professionals and promoting collaboration between the two countries.
Challenges and Learnings
The tour also highlighted some challenges and provided valuable insights for future sustainable touring:
- Instrument logistics: As a double bass player, adapting to different instruments each night was particularly challenging. For future tours, using an electric car to transport a double bass may improve comfort and consistency.
- Navigating public transport: Understanding and navigating local public transport systems required extra effort and could be streamlined in future tours with better pre-planning.
- Promoter variability: The band noted significant differences between promoters, ranging from highly professional organisations to more independent setups. Building relationships with promoters in advance would help set clearer expectations and improve overall coordination.
Reflections and Impact
The Mother Green Pilot Tour demonstrated the feasibility and value of sustainable touring:
- For the band: It offered a meaningful first international experience, building their artistic profile while emphasising sustainability.
- For jazzahead!: Organising and participating in the tour provided firsthand experience in sustainable touring, inspiring further efforts to promote eco-conscious practices within the jazz world.
- For the audience: The tour engaged audiences in discussions about sustainability and cultural exchange, fostering awareness and appreciation for these vital issues.
The Mother Green Pilot Tour was a significant step forward in integrating sustainable practices into international touring. Organised with the support of Knutpunkt, Semente Cultural Productions, and EJN, this tour highlighted how environmentally responsible initiatives can be both practical and impactful. For jazzahead!, it was a transformative experience that will serve as a foundation for future efforts to advocate sustainable touring across the global jazz community.
Web Pages
https://stockholmjazz.se/artist/athina-kontou/?lang=en
https://www.ticketswap.de/event/jazz-i-halmstad-athina-kontou-mother/da0a0f89-31c7-4efd-afc5-a42c7fea6418
https://www.bandsintown.com/e/105536002-mother-and-athina-kontou-at-victoriateatern-malmo?came_from=2470&utm_medium=web&utm_source=artist_page&utm_campaign=event
https://www.bandsintown.com/de/e/105750583-mother-and-athina-kontou-at-dunkers?came_from=209&event_id=105750583
https://jazzahead.de/2024/09/12/jazzahead-green-pilot-tour-schweden-2024/
Media
https://www.jazzthing.de/news/2024-10-22-jazzahead-green-touring-tool/
https://www.musikwoche.de/live/jazzahead-fuehrt-gruenes-cooperative-booking-ein-cb8732db9194fb9d94f846a30f096c7e
Social Media
https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17926202063868315/
https://www.instagram.com/p/DAoHCtBo8a5/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/p/DA77yM2sr_j/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DA-cAI0Nj5I/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/p/DBRQGhVN1iF/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/p/DBURHZeR1A1/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/p/DBWcgi3sdZ6/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBWc_4mMrmE/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
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https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBbv1VOsNgg/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/p/DBeXKILsfhn/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBeXPICMefN/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/p/DBgkjXQMn-9/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBg3bnSMmRG/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBjZBd3suC5/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/p/DBlcG4QMdlC/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBlyj-lsKrQ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/p/DBoExzzslOU/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DB1heGpyhoZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Tour Schedule
19/10/2024: Green Pilot Tour Kick-Off Event at Blinda Tigern, Stockholm Jazz Festival, Sweden
19/10/2024: Stockholm Jazz Festival, Sweden
20/10/2024: Musik i Lerum, Lerum, Sweden
21/10/2024: Vänersborgs Musikförening, Vänersborg, Sweden
22/10/2024: Jazz i Halmstad, Halmstad, Sweden
23/10/2024: Victoriateatern, Malmö, Sweden
24/10/2024: Jazz i Helsingborg, Helsingborg, Sweden
25/10/2024: Workshop at Göteborg Conservatory, Gothenburg, Sweden
25/10/2024: Professional Music Business Meeting at GBG Utopia, Gothenburg, Sweden
26/10/2024: L’Jazz Ljungskile, Ljungskile, Sweden
Sustainability in Practice
Sustainability was at the heart of the Mother Green Pilot Tour, influencing both logistical decisions and event production:
- Eco-friendly travel: The band travelled from Cologne to Stockholm via night train and used public transportation for all local transfers. Each band member had only one flight in total, greatly reducing the tour’s carbon footprint compared to traditional touring methods.
- Green riders: Promoters were encouraged to adopt environmentally friendly practices, including banning plastic, providing vegetarian catering, and promoting public transport for audience members.
- Sustainable communication: The tour’s principles of sustainability and intercultural exchange were shared with audiences through on-stage discussions, workshops, and networking events.
Artistic and Professional Highlights
The Mother Green Pilot Tour delivered both artistic and professional successes:
- Concerts and workshops: The tour included eight performances in diverse venues, from large festivals to smaller local settings. A workshop led by Athina Kontou at Göteborg Conservatory introduced young musicians to sustainable touring and her approach to contemporary jazz.
- Networking: Jakob Fraisse from the jazzahead! team joined the tour as part of an EJN Staff Exchange, fostering connections with Swedish music professionals and promoting collaboration between the two countries.
Challenges and Learnings
The tour also highlighted some challenges and provided valuable insights for future sustainable touring:
- Instrument logistics: As a double bass player, adapting to different instruments each night was particularly challenging. For future tours, using an electric car to transport a double bass may improve comfort and consistency.
- Navigating public transport: Understanding and navigating local public transport systems required extra effort and could be streamlined in future tours with better pre-planning.
- Promoter variability: The band noted significant differences between promoters, ranging from highly professional organisations to more independent setups. Building relationships with promoters in advance would help set clearer expectations and improve overall coordination.
Reflections and Impact
The Mother Green Pilot Tour demonstrated the feasibility and value of sustainable touring:
- For the band: It offered a meaningful first international experience, building their artistic profile while emphasising sustainability.
- For jazzahead!: Organising and participating in the tour provided firsthand experience in sustainable touring, inspiring further efforts to promote eco-conscious practices within the jazz world.
- For the audience: The tour engaged audiences in discussions about sustainability and cultural exchange, fostering awareness and appreciation for these vital issues.
The Mother Green Pilot Tour was a significant step forward in integrating sustainable practices into international touring. Organised with the support of Knutpunkt, Semente Cultural Productions, and EJN, this tour highlighted how environmentally responsible initiatives can be both practical and impactful. For jazzahead!, it was a transformative experience that will serve as a foundation for future efforts to advocate sustainable touring across the global jazz community.
Web Pages
https://stockholmjazz.se/artist/athina-kontou/?lang=en
https://www.ticketswap.de/event/jazz-i-halmstad-athina-kontou-mother/da0a0f89-31c7-4efd-afc5-a42c7fea6418
https://www.bandsintown.com/e/105536002-mother-and-athina-kontou-at-victoriateatern-malmo?came_from=2470&utm_medium=web&utm_source=artist_page&utm_campaign=event
https://www.bandsintown.com/de/e/105750583-mother-and-athina-kontou-at-dunkers?came_from=209&event_id=105750583
https://jazzahead.de/2024/09/12/jazzahead-green-pilot-tour-schweden-2024/
Media
https://www.jazzthing.de/news/2024-10-22-jazzahead-green-touring-tool/
https://www.musikwoche.de/live/jazzahead-fuehrt-gruenes-cooperative-booking-ein-cb8732db9194fb9d94f846a30f096c7e
Social Media
https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17926202063868315/
https://www.instagram.com/p/DAoHCtBo8a5/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/p/DA77yM2sr_j/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DA-cAI0Nj5I/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/p/DBRQGhVN1iF/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/p/DBURHZeR1A1/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/p/DBWcgi3sdZ6/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBWc_4mMrmE/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBZJhvCM75F/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
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https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBbv1VOsNgg/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/p/DBeXKILsfhn/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBeXPICMefN/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/p/DBgkjXQMn-9/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBg3bnSMmRG/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBjZBd3suC5/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
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https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBlyj-lsKrQ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/p/DBoExzzslOU/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DB1heGpyhoZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
