Milošeski: Ticket-to-wristband swap was a contractual obligation for David Guetta concert
Organizer Boban Milošeski says ticket-to-wristband exchange was agreed in the contract and is needed to handle 50,000 attendees.
Organizers say the scheduled performance by international DJ and producer David Guetta tomorrow (8 September) will close North Macedonia's 35th independence anniversary celebrations with a major open‑air concert at the Todor Proeski stadium in Skopje, expected to draw about 50,000 people and pose significant logistical challenges.
Boban Milošeski, owner of the Avalon promotion company behind the event, compared the scale of the production to Metallica's May stadium show in Athens and called it one of the biggest music events in the Balkans this year.
Explaining operational decisions, Milošeski said the conversion of paper tickets into wristbands was part of the contractual arrangements with the artist.
"When it's an event at the level of David Guetta's 'Full Monolith Stadium Show', of course there are many rules and protocols that we accepted when signing the contract. We're putting on a show for 50,000 people, so we must make it as easy and as high-quality as possible for attendees to participate in this event," Milošeski said.
Ticket exchange and venue access
Milošeski stressed that the wristband swap was necessary for flow and safety: "From the very beginning we were aware that if there is no ticket exchange for wristbands, there will be no concert. If there are no wristbands, tickets would need to be checked at the gate, and from our experience even at much smaller capacities that takes an incredible amount of time. So, this wristband procedure should be understood as a necessity for holding the concert in the interest of time and because of the stadium's entry infrastructure," he said.
Organizers say every person holding a ticket for David Guetta must exchange it in person for a wristband. Stadium gates will open at 17:00 on the day of the concert, and ticket-to-wristband exchanges will take place at designated points in the City Park prior to entry.
The Ministry of Interior has prepared a specific physical and traffic security plan for the event and announced a special traffic regime for approaches to the Todor Proeski Arena. The Government has not yet disclosed the total cost of the overall 35th independence celebration.
Photo: К. Попов)
