Founded within a concert company
Mojo Barriers was set up within the Dutch concert company Mojo Concerts to manage concert crowds more safely.
History
Mojo Barriers history:
since 1988
Mojo Barriers BV has developed stage barriers since 1988: from the first steel barriers for Dutch concerts to today's aluminium Mojo Barrier® G3, in front of the stage at world tours, festivals and stadium shows.
Twenty five years ago Mojo Concerts realised the need to make events safer and developed the first ever stage barrier.
Cees Muurling · Managing Director, Mojo Barriers, 2014
Timeline
Six eras of Mojo Barriers
Mojo Barriers started in 1988 inside the Dutch company Mojo Concerts, at a time when concerts had no barrier designed to hold back a pushing crowd. Our stage barrier history falls into six eras with three milestones each; for the company as it is today, read about Mojo Barriers BV.
1988–1997 · The beginning
Steel barriers on tour
The first Mojo stage barriers were made of steel. Prince, U2 and The Rolling Stones soon used them at their concerts.
First independent tests
TNO tested Mojo barriers for strength, overturning resistance and sliding behaviour in 1996 (report 96-CON-R0748).
1998–2004 · Aluminium and new offices
The aluminium barrier
Mojo Barriers moved from steel to aluminium, with a barrier about 40 % lighter. TNO strength-tested a prototype in April 1998.
An office near London
In 1998, the same year as the move to aluminium, Mojo Barriers opened an office near London in the United Kingdom.
An office in the US
In 2003, five years after the office near London, Mojo Barriers opened an office in Pennsylvania in the United States.
2005–2010 · Research and recognition
A barrier at MoMA
The Museum of Modern Art in New York showed an aluminium Mojo Barrier section in its exhibition “SAFE: Design Takes On Risk”.
A research programme
With Bucks New University, Mojo Barriers began measuring crowd pressure at Roskilde Festival. More on our crowd safety research.
Launch of the Gatekeeper
Mojo Barriers launched the Gatekeeper at The Event Show at Olympia London, a turnstile that counts visitors in real time.
2011–2013 · Tested and extended
Corners and gates tested
Lloyd's British Testing tested Mojo corners, the Snake Gate and a wedge to BS EN 13200-3, and every element passed.
A lighter touring barrier
A new, lighter touring barrier debuted on Madonna's MDNA Tour, needing 20 % less truck space. An office in Sydney followed.
Tested by TÜV Nederland
In 2013 TÜV Nederland load-tested the first and second aluminium generations, G1 and G2, at 5,000 N/m without defects.
2014–2017 · Awards and a larger group
Supplier of the Year
At the 2015 Event Production Awards in London, Mojo Barriers was named Crowd Barrier Supplier of the Year.
Best Crowd/Pit Barrier
At the Festival Supplier Awards, Mojo Barriers won Best Crowd/Pit Barrier for its configuration at BoomTown Fair 2015.
Part of a larger group
Mojo Barriers became part of an international group for event infrastructure, known today as the MOJO Holding Group.
2018–today · A new generation
Tours, TV and stadiums
The BRIT Awards every year since 2019 and over 100 projects at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. More on the references page.
The third generation
The G3 puts the focus on sustainability. It comes as Straight Section, Vario and Flex corners, and the Cable Gate.
Certified by TÜV NORD
TÜV NORD Nederland certified the G3 Straight, Vario, Flex and Cable Gate at 5 kN/m. Read more about the Mojo Barrier G3.
01 / 06
35+ years of stage barriers
Since 1988, from steel to the third aluminium generation.
80+ references 2018–2026
Tours, festivals, stadiums, sport and city events.
6 countries with group rental companies
Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, Croatia, the US and Australia.
3 continents
Europe, North America, and Australia and New Zealand.
2014
High Fence for the G20 summit
For the G20 summit in Brisbane in November 2014, Mojo Barriers developed the Mojo High Fence to a specification from police and government officials. Each self-supporting aluminium section is 1 m wide and 2.4 m high, with a transparent polycarbonate upper part, and more than 2,000 m of it was set up across the city.
The Mojo High Fence came to Europe in 2015, and in 2017 it was used at the Sydney Opera House.
2006–2026
On stage, tour after tour
The Rolling Stones, A Bigger Bang
Mojo Barriers supplied 350 m of black aluminium barrier for the 17 European stadium shows of the A Bigger Bang tour.
Photo: example
U2 360° Tour
U2, an early user of the steel barriers, took Mojo Barriers on its 360° Tour.
Photo: example
London 2012 Olympic Games
Mojo Barriers set up 700 m of barrier at each of three London train stations serving the Games, and 1,000 m across the three BT London Live sites.
Taylor Swift, The 1989 World Tour
Mojo Barriers were used on Taylor Swift's The 1989 World Tour. In the same year AC/DC took them on the Rock or Bust tour.
King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels
Mojo barriers stood in front of the stage for Coldplay and Ed Sheeran in 2022, The Weeknd in 2023, P!nk in 2024, and BTS and Bad Bunny in 2026.
Photo: example
Eurovision Song Contest
Mojo barriers were used at the Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam in 2021 and in Liverpool in 2023.
Photo: example
Taylor Swift, The Eras Tour
Mojo barriers were used on the Australian leg of The Eras Tour, after The 1989 World Tour in 2015.
Photo: example
Super Bowl and AC/DC
A third Super Bowl after 2023 and 2025 in New Orleans, and AC/DC's US stadium dates at Empower Field, NRG Stadium and the Alamodome.
Photo: example
FAQ
Questions about our history
Projects from 2018 to today are collected on the references page.
Besides tours and festivals, Mojo barriers were used at large public events:
| Year and event | Barrier |
|---|---|
| 2007 · Live Earth | More than 1,200 m at the concerts in London, New York, Sydney and Amsterdam |
| 2010 · World Cup final, Amsterdam | 850 m on the Museumplein for 100,000 fans, then 1,200 m for the team's homecoming |
| 2012 · Diamond Jubilee, London | More than 400 m at the concert in front of Buckingham Palace and along The Mall |
| 2012 · BRIT Awards, London | 2,510 m of barrier equipment at the O2 Arena |
| 2013 · MTV EMA, Amsterdam | 325 m of stage barrier around the main stage, B-stage and catwalk |
Over the years the barrier was joined by:
- 2005: the Barrier Load Monitor System, which measures the pressure a crowd puts on the barrier
- 2008: Line-up Gates for the pen entry system at Roskilde Festival
- 2013: Gatekeeper 2.0, a turnstile with counting and integrated ticket scanning, first used at Lowlands
In the summer of 2016 Mojo barriers went on tour with:
- Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Getaway World Tour
- Bruce Springsteen, The River Tour 2016
- Rihanna, Anti World Tour
- Muse, Drones World Tour
What's next
Follow what Mojo Barriers does next
New test results, products and events from Mojo Barriers BV are published in the company news.