Solstice Productions, the association that organised Reykjavík’s Secret Solstice Festival between 2014-2018, has been put into liquidation, RÚV reports. The ruling was made in Reykjavík District Court on May 27. The company made headlines last year for owing the City of Reykjavík and past performers, including the band Slayer, which had sued organisers after only receiving partial payment for performing at the festival.
In April 2019, it was reported that Solstice Productions owed the City of Reykjavík and other parties a total of ISK 42.5 million ($354,000/€314,000), a debt that the capital’s district commissioner had unsuccessfully attempted to recover four times. Icelandic rap collective Reykjavíkurdætur also blasted the festival last year for failing to pay them and then asking them to perform for free the following year. Earlier this year, Friðrik Ólafsson, Solstice Productions’ CEO, was sentenced to pay Slayer around ISK 20 million ($149,000/€132,000).
Festival’s New Organisers Planning 2021 Edition
The company Lifandi Viðburðir ehf. bought the Secret Solstice Festival trademark in 2018 and held the 2019 edition of the festival. The 2020 edition of the festival was postponed until next year due to the COVID-19 epidemic. A representative of Lifandi Viðburðir states that company has settled with all Icelandic artists that previously performed at the festival, including Reykjavíkurdætur.
Note: A former version of this article incorrectly stated that Secret Solstice Festival was bankrupt. It is the festival’s former organiser, Solstice Productions, which is bankrupt.
