Syd For Solen pause could boost Roskilde Festival’s lineup

A pause for Copenhagen’s Syd For Solen festival next summer could give Roskilde Festival a better chance of booking sought-after artists, music journalist and critic Kjartan Stolberg told DR.

Stolberg, who writes for the culture publication Soundvenue, said the festivals attract similar audiences and compete for current acts that reflect trends in music. He said Syd For Solen had for several years been particularly well placed to book artists that Roskilde Festival also wanted.

Unlike festivals that often focus on retro acts or familiar names, he said, Syd For Solen and Roskilde tend to seek emerging and timely artists. The pause could therefore be welcome news for people waiting for Roskilde to announce the rest of its programme.

Syd For Solen’s owners have decided not to hold the festival next summer. Festival director Nikolaj Thorenfeldt said in a statement that organisers would not compromise on the event’s standards and could not guarantee they would meet them in 2027.

Stolberg said he suspected complaints from neighbours about festival noise could be one reason it was difficult to secure permission to use Valbyparken, a park in Copenhagen where the event has been held for the past three years. He suggested the organisers might consider moving to Refshaleøen, where other festivals have been held successfully.

The festival began in 2022 and was held in Søndermarken for its first two years. It faced criticism in 2024 over long queues for food, bars and toilets, but Stolberg said the 2026 event appeared to have found its footing and was excellent.

He said he was not certain Syd For Solen would return, noting that some festivals that have paused have not come back. But he described it as an important part of Denmark’s festival scene. Organisers said they would use the break to plan the festival’s next steps towards 2028.