History

ENTERTAINMENT IS PART OF OUR DNA  

In 1993, CONTRA was founded in the Ruhr area, initially as a local event agency. Today, CONTRA is a well-established brand in the European live music industry.

In 1997, CONTRA began organizing tours for the crossover band Guano Apes, followed by successful tours with acts such as HIM, Reamonn, Sunrise Avenue, Nightwish, H-Blockx, and Oomph! in the late 90s and early 2000s. At the same time, the agency produced one of MTV’s most significant live music concepts: the MTV Campus Invasion, which attracted up to 60,000 people each year. After hosting local shows for Rihanna, Nickelback, and 30 Seconds To Mars, CONTRA went on to manage internationally successful tours for its artists.

After 30 years in the business, CONTRA is now one of Germany’s most successful independent live agencies, working across a wide range of genres from metalcore to punk rock, indie music to mainstream pop. Founder and CEO Björn Gralla, along with managing directors Hendrik Czaster and Manuel Carvalho, lead a dedicated team with specialized departments for booking, marketing, ticketing, and production.

Operating from its headquarters in Bochum, CONTRA acts as a global agency for most of its artists, working in all markets, including North and South America, Australia, Asia, and, of course, Europe.

Currently, artists touring Germany, Europe, and worldwide with CONTRA include Electric Callboy, Tokio Hotel, Nightwish, and Beast in Black. Additionally, the agency books the “Zeltfestival Ruhr,” which attracts more than 150,000 visitors annually and has hosted acts such as Ed Sheeran, Joe Cocker, Placebo, Jamie Cullum, and many more.