a.s.s concerts & promotion

a.s.s. concerts & promotion, headquartered in Hamburg, can be counted among Germany’s most established and successful tour promoters. The company was founded in 1979 by Dieter Schubert and is today headed by him, along with Michael Bisping and Dirk Gehrmann. a.s.s. concerts kept developing and has since been increasing its number of employees, turnover, and fields of activity. Besides the main business area as booking agency and tour promoter for rock-, pop-, folk-, jazz-, and world music artists, a.s.s. concerts operates in gala- and event booking (K-Musix, led by Ina Keilitz) and runs two departments for local events headed by Andreas Hatzegan and Christian Waaga.

The a.s.s. company family

The a.s.s. family consists of two additional companies. Both started off as divisions of a.s.s. concerts and have since become autonomous companies, still owned by a.s.s. concerts. Selective Artists is a booking agency with focus on young German, but also European singer-songwriter, electro-, and indie artists, headed by Christoph Pancke and Andreas “Pese” Puscher. Dragon Productions, run by Jörg “Schrög” Düsedau, has an artist roster of hard rock and metal bands.

30 employees in Hamburg and eight more in branch offices in Berlin, Düsseldorf, and South Tirol work for the a.s.s. company group. With this team a.s.s. concerts can present about 1.200 concerts annually and places its artists at numerous festivals. a.s.s. does not only host shows in Germany, but also books in the markets of Austria, Switzerland and the Benelux-countries. Various artists are additionally represented by a.s.s. in the full European market.

a.s.s. concerts as part of the Mehr-BB Entertainment GmbH

Ever since 2013 a.s.s. concerts is part of the Mehr-BB Entertainment Company, a leading musical presenter in Germany. The Mehr-BB Entertainment Company runs several stages all over Germany including the Mehr! Theater at the Hamburger Großmarkt and the Capitol Theater in Düsseldorf. Both venues also host a.s.s. concerts’ productions.

a.s.s. concerts as a local promoter

Also since 2013, the a.s.s. local department does not only host an increasing number of concerts from a.s.s.’ own tour portfolio, but also concerts from several other agencies. In December 2018 a.s.s. concerts opened a new local office, located with the Mehr-BB Entertainment offices in Düsseldorf. With the new team a.s.s concerts organizes events all over the Ruhr and Rhein area. Besides concerts, a.s.s. also hosts comedy and infotainment shows in both Düsseldorf and Hamburg.

Promotion of young artists and newcomers

Next to the concert and tour business, the promotion of the young is an important component of the work done by a.s.s. The intensive A&R work reflects in the fact that some artists, who play very big audiences today, have been working with a.s.s. at the beginning of their career. Furthermore, an essential part of a.s.s. concerts is the close and individual relationship and the intensive counselling that a.s.s. offers its artists.

Cultural programmes at the EXPO

a.s.s. concerts can build upon its experience with EXPO participations in 2012 in Yeosu, South Korea as well as in 2017 in Astana, Kazakhstan and in 2019 in Peking, China. At all these world exhibitions a.s.s. concerts has designed and executed the cultural programme of the German Pavilion in collaboration with the Exhibition Hamburg and Weyand Consulting, presenting a multifaceted overview of Germany’s cultural scene. a.s.s. concerts expects to carry out further cultural programmes for German EXPO contributions in the future.

a.s.s. artists

Some of the national and international artists a.s.s. concerts has collaborated with are:
Faithless • Fury in the Slaughterhouse • Ich + Ich • Meat Loaf • Wir Sind Helden • Schiller • Rory Gallagher († 1995) • Kim Wilde • Nina Hagen • Juli • Christina Stürmer, just to name a few.

The current a.s.s. roster includes:
Fischer-Z • Bernd Stelter • Alphaville • The Hooters • Dee Dee Bridgewater • Dionne Warwick • Wishbone Ash • Fish • Procol Harum • Bob Geldof • De-Phazz • Blackmail • The Toasters • Michael Schenker Fest • Crash Test Dummies • The Stranglers • Imelda May • Maggie Reilly • John Mayall • Snarky Puppy • Das Lumpenpack • Queenz of Piano • 10cc • Silly • Tanita Tikaram • Donovan and many more.

Selective Artists, who are dedicated to building national and international careers, represent:
Benne • Michael Schulte • Nisse • Wallis Bird • Tom Rosenthal • Haller • Tom Schilling & The Jazz Kids • Mogli • Elif • June Cocó • Balbina • Klan • Sophie Hunger • Tina Dico • Glasperlenspiel • Joel Brandenstein • Jack Savoretti • Anna Depenbusch and many more.

The hard-rock and metal agency Dragon Production offer among others:
Michael Schenker / MSG • Triptykon • Sonata Arctica • Primordial • D-A-D • Serum 114 • Uli Jon Roth • Destruction • Enforcer • Moonsorrow • Ross the Boss • Grave • Motorjesus • Riot V • Nitrogods • Hamferð • Triumph of Death