Reggio Emilia festival rebrands twice as Travis Scott concert remains uncertain

The Hellwatt festival in Reggio Emilia, Italy, has undergone two name changes in two weeks, first to 'Summer Shows' and now to 'Pulse of Gaia.' The management of all dates at the RCF Arena has been handed over to Zamna, an electronic music brand from Tulum, Mexico. The festival, initially presented in February as one of the most ambitious ever in Italy, faced organizational doubts, particularly regarding artistic director Victor Yari Milani, who was removed in early May by venue operator C.Volo over mismanagement and cost overruns. While the concerts on July 5 and 11 are confirmed, the status of the opening night on July 4 (featuring Wiz Khalifa, Ty Dolla $ign, Ice Spice, Offset, and Baby Gang) and Travis Scott's July 17 show remains unclear. Baby Gang is currently incarcerated on weapons and robbery charges. Tickets for both dates are still on sale. The rebranding is seen by music journalist Damir Ivic as a cosmetic fix that fails to address underlying issues, as many original staff remain. Ivic warns that a scaled-down festival could disappoint audiences and cause reputational damage worse than cancellation, though cancellation would require refunding tickets against significant sunk costs for C.Volo.