2026 has barely left the gates, and we already have great news to share as Excite moves forward. We’re happy to welcome the South German club and showcase festival Nürnberg Pop into our exchange network for 2026.
To get a closer sense of what the festival is about, and why this collaboration matters, we asked co-founder and festival director David Lodhi a handful of questions. Below, he reflects on Nürnberg Pop’s identity, its steady growth, and the role cross-border collaboration can still play in today’s Europe.
– For someone who’s never been, how would you describe NBG Pop Festival?
The journalist Sam Walker-Smart wrote a perfect description of what we are doing for Cone Magazine, after having visited Nuremberg Pop for the first time in 2025: CLICK
– Germany already has Reeperbahn, c/o pop, and plenty of other showcase events and festivals – what feels distinct about NBG Pop in that landscape?
All showcase festivals are unique and good in their own way. It doesn’t feel right to single out Nuremberg Pop in particular. The festival’s many special venues in the city center and the picturesque surroundings are definitely something very special. That, and our work, seems to have caught the attention of more and more people from the music and culture industry in recent years, which means they come back every year and their numbers are growing…
– The festival’s been growing steadily over the years. What do you think has driven that growth?
We never wanted to grow quickly, but rather within the limits of our available resources (A big thank you to all our sponsors, supporters, and partners!), our mental and physical capacities, and an organic approach that is as sustainable as possible. The last sentence of Sam Walker-Smart’s article linked above sums it up very nicely: „Nürnberg knew how to host, how to listen, and how to make visitors feel part of something bigger. Nürnberg Pop didn’t shout for attention. It quietly got it right.“
– By joining a network like Excite, what are you hoping it can enable for NBG Pop?
We want to continue building a strong network for European newcomer artists together with all the other great festivals and contribute to promoting acts and encouraging them in their work. We are also looking forward to getting to know the other EXCITE festivals better and to networking and exchanging ideas with each other.
– Zooming out a bit: in times like these, what do you think cross-border collaboration between festivals can actually do — and where does music still have real power?
Europe is strong, even if it seems to be faltering in some areas and needs to redefine its identity. Music and culture are strong and demonstrate this every day in many different ways, setting a good example. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if what we do and develop together could also have an impact on other areas of life and coexistence?