M.S:Hi! First of all let us thank you for answering our questions, how are you?
MFVF: Hi ! Fine, but as you can guess very busy 🙂
M.S:Let us congratulate you for the great line-up you came up with for this year’s edition, at what point did you think about making the festival a 2 days one?
MFVF: Thanks !
The idea of a 2 days festival began last year, but we could realize it only this year, because of the line up.
M.S:Will it be from now on a 2 days festival? Or is it just a special ocassion for the 5th edition?
MFVF: Maybe yes, we will see the reactions with this edition.
M.S:It’s only nearly a month for the festival, how’s the tickets’s selling right now? Is there a lot of pressure taking into account that in one of the last editions you made a sold-out?
MFVF: With the summer festivals it was slower, but now it starts again to sell well.
Yeah, we made one sold out for the second edition (with Nightwish), but sold more tickets for the 3rd due to the bigger hall.
I can’t tell that this fact makes pressures, these are coming from other point like the big production, high budget, etc … for this edition.
M.S:What’s your opinion about the audience’s reaction towards the festival and the promotion that it’s been done in the media? Are you happy with all of it?
MFVF: We had a lot of good reactions, and course some bad due to some bands’ cancellations. A lot of bands are coming with a new album, so the media follow this event more than last year.
A lot of foreign webzines and magazine make the promotion for the festival, so we are happy for sure.
And this year, people are coming from every continents (USA, Europe, Australia, Japan, …) and of course from a lot of country.
We saw that there are a lot of Spanish visitors this year !!!
M.S:According to yourselves, even if it’s a bit obvious, what will people find at MFVF?
MFVF: A lot 😀
This year we propose a larger choice of font female bands, and nearly all are coming with a new album, so, a new show.
A lot of merchandising stands : bands, cloths, cds, jewels, … and official merch of the festival.
A stand for signing sessions,
Food (outside and inside the venue) like hamburgers, hot dogs, sandwiches (even for vegetarians/vegan). Drinks of course.
We will also manage a cloackroom (for jackets, bags, etc…)
M.S:Following with the festival’s explanation, in Spain it’s not very well-know, so what can you tell us about the place where it’s going to be held?
MFVF: Something important as I receive often this question, this is an indoor festival.
This year, there will be only 1 stage, but a bigger than previous years.
The venue is in 2 parts : first is the hall for audience (4000m²) and second is for the backstage area (2000m²).
M.S:Talking about the line-up, this year we can find Distorted from Israel, Darzamat from Poland, Seraphim from Taiwan… has it been difficult to organize everything for all the bands?
MFVF: When the bands are not well known, it’s hard to book a tour and it takes time.
Most of these bands try to find some other dates around the fest by themselves. It’s probably more difficult for them.
For Seraphim it’s different, as they really needed help, so we’ve booked some dates around the festival, like the warm up show in Brussels, …
M.S:As long as we know, all the band playing this year sing in english, but… do you think in future festivals there would be place for bands that sing in other languages? Like for example Rammstein sing in german and they are quite well-known, or in Spain we have tons of bands that sing in spanish….
MFVF: Not all 😉 One sings in French.
I would like to see more bands singing in foreign language, but it seems that all adapt their songs when they play in another country. Maybe they don’t know how people would react and do not try ?
M.S:In previous editions there have been bands that these days are consider some of the biggest from the present scene in this female metal genre, such us Nightwish, Lacuna Coil, Within Temptation… is it planed by the organisators to have one of those big bands at least for each edition or do you consider best to give support to newer bands like this year with Distorted, Darzamat, Delain…?
MFVF: We need big names to attract people but we also want to give a chance to smallers.
For this year, none of the bands that you’ve mentioned were free. Hopefully for next year(s).
M.S:Is there any band of the ones playing this year that you’re really interested to see live? Why?
MFVF: Leaves’ Eyes, because of their special show, but others like Epica for their new album, Darzamat because I never saw them, Seraphim and Dylath-Leen as we manage them, and a lot of other, but we usually don’t have time to see the bands’ show during the festival.
M.S:Maybe one of this year’s important attractions for people to go is the Leaves’ Eyes’ viking ship and the dvd they’re recording, could you give us any hints about it all? The fact of making the arrangements for such a big stage and the recording made it more difficult for you?
MFVF: Yes, we need a bigger production, start to build everything earlier, have a very professional staff.
Leaves’ Eyes staff is busy to build the show, Viking ship, … we don’t have all the info because it seems that they reserve some surprises like special guests, and other effects.
M.S:Another important fact is the VIP tickets to give access to audience to the backstage so they can meet the bands… why did you choose to do it? Has it always been good for the benefits? Hsa not there been any bad experience that you remember?
MFVF: We started this last year, and people liked the idea. It’s not especially good for the benefits as we ask only 10 euros more than a normal ticket, and these are used for the 2 meals …
It’s only a way to give the chance to some fans to have access to an other area, meet bands outside of the signing sessions. We can make it as we have a big backstage area.
M.S:Do you think you could tell us (in case you knew any already) a band that is included in next year’s edition?
MFVF: Nothing is confirmed at this moment.
But I can tell that one of the bands that are opening for Seraphim at the warm up show in Brussels will open the 2008 festival. This is a kind of competition and the audience + jury will decide on the 13th the name of the winner.We’ve started to work on the next edition, and hopefully will be able to announce some names during the MFVF5.
M.S:From the bands that were possible to replace After Forever, do you think any of them will make it for the next edition? We strongly reccommend Diablo Swing Orchestra, which we consider would give the festival a very particular note of style…
MFVF: We’ve already received a lot of requests for 2008, and not all can play at the fest.
A lot are waiting since a few years.
Bands like DSO weren’t considered as a replacement, as AF is really hard to replace 😉 The names you’ve seen were suggestions made by fans.
M.S:Well, this is the end of the interview, thanks a lot again for taking your time answering and we wish you the best of lucks with this and future editions of the festival!
MFVF: I would like to thank you for supporting the festival, as well as your readers.
See you there !
David A./ Leticia Ballester
