4SOUND AT TONS OF ROCK

The music chain is in place in the Arcade building at Tons of Rock, which takes place during the final week of June at Ekebergsletta. They have five or six employees working two shifts throughout the long festival days. Chain manager Magne Iversen says demand is high, and that the visibility means a great deal to the chain.

– Here, we get proper exposure. We become highly visible on the Norwegian map, with an enormous number of people coming by from when we open at 12 noon until it closes at 11 pm. This is the first time we have done this, but it will not be the last, says Iversen.

He says the suppliers taking part are extremely pleased.

– They want to take part again next year, and I have also received indications from several others who want to join as well. This will probably become a new thing for us, says Iversen.

Programme and artist signings

Throughout the festival, 4Sound is holding several guitar meet-and-greets and signings at its stand.

– Mayhem and Bård Kolstad are among those meeting fans with us, Iversen tells the trade magazine Elektronikkbransjen.

4Sound has mainly staffed the stand with employees from its Oslo stores.

– The days are long, but those taking part have festival passes on the days they are not working, says Iversen.

– Is there time to catch any concerts?

– I must admit that the music at Tons of Rock is not quite my genre, but it is great to be here, and so far I have caught Iron Maiden and Dumdum Boys, says Iversen when we meet him on Friday.

In the Arcade building, 4Sound is safely sheltered from the weather, and visitors can shop with them. The best-selling items are accessories such as earplugs.

– We have, among other things, earplugs from Norwegian company Minuendo, which also has its own staff here. We also sell quite a few small guitars and ukuleles, which people take with them to the festival campsite, says Iversen.

Drum kit for NOK 108,000

He proudly shows off a custom-built guitar wall, featuring several models at the very top end of the range.

– The guitar wall is four metres high, and here we display guitars costing up to NOK 100,000, says Iversen.

He also shows a digital drum kit from Roland, in the same price range.

– This will be demonstrated by a drummer later today, says Iversen.

For 4Sound, participating in the festival is about both sales and visibility.

– Marketing is important. We have stores throughout the country, and here we meet music-interested visitors from south to north, says Iversen.

4Sound has had a sales exhibition at the Larvik Guitar Festival for many years. Chain manager Iversen describes Tons of Rock as an investment on a larger scale.

– This is a completely different league. It is great fun, and it will be exciting to see what we can make of it, says Iversen.