LUK238

issue 238 NOVEMBER 2019

UK ÂŁ6.25

Holy ground

FKA Twigs takes Magdalene on the road

Ambassador Theatre Group for sale?

AIF concern over Live Nation festivals LNG-MCD merger provisionally cleared Committed to the unsigned and emerging live sector see page 32

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contents I 5

Contents

issue 238

6-15 News

The business of live music

10 Forthcoming Events

Key industry gatherings

16-18 Production News

Developments in technology and show production 20-24 Sector Focus Rehearsal Studios

Comment from the key players in an essential live music business sector

26-30 City Limits Liverpool

A look at the people and venues behind live music in the city

14

32 NXT News

Business activity in the unsigned and emerging artiste sector

34-37 Tour Plans

Artistes, their agents and tour period

38 Backstage Stars

Interviews with the key people who shape the industry

16

20

Publisher & Managing Editor: Stephen Parker

Research & Pictures: Calum Campbell Watson

Circulation Manager: Victoria Brush

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Editorial Contributors: Allan Glen, Claire Bicknell, Mike Gartside.

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26

ISSUE 238: November 2019 Published monthly by:

Cover photograph: © Rex 26 Dorset Street, London W1U 8AP, United Kingdom T: 020 7486 7007 F: 020 7486 2002 E: info@live.uk.com W: www.liveuk.com The opinions expressed by contributors to this publication are not always a reflection of the opinions or the policy of the publisher. Information on services or products contained within editorial sections does not imply recommendation by Audience Media Ltd. No responsibility can be accepted for errors or omissions. No part of this publication can be reproduced in any form without the written authority of Audience Media Ltd.

November 2019 • Issue 238 • www.liveuk.com

6 I NEWS

ATG: for sale or not for sale AMBASSADOR THEATRE Group (ATG), the UK’s largest theatre operator may be up for sale.

An article in The Sunday Times claimed that ATG’s majority owner, US firm Providence Equity, was hoping to sell the company for £500 million, after taking control of it in a £350 million deal.

Providence purchased a majority share in the company in 2013

from Exponent Private Equity, who retain a minority stake.

ATG declined to comment when approached by LIVE UK. However, in comment to The Stage magazine, ATG chief executive Mark Cornell says, “The Sunday Times published a completely inaccurate story – without contacting us – and has since removed it.”

ATG operates more than 50 venues across Britain, the US and Germany including the Empire (cap. 2,369) in Liverpool, Oxford’s New Theatre (1,711) and Victoria Hall (1,635) in Stoke, with its ATG Tickets business processing over 11 million tickets a year.

Providence Equity also backs multi-festival owner Superstruct Entertainment, which operates

events such as Kendal Calling (25,000), Truck (18,000), Victorious Festival (65,000).

Providence was unavailable for comment as LIVE UK went to print.

Other ATG venues include Edinburgh’s Playhouse (3,035), Folkestone’s Leas Cliff Hall (1,500), Glasgow’s Theatre Royal (1,505), Manchester’s Opera House (1,875) and Sunderland Empire (1,955).

AIF warns of ‘stranglehold’ damaging festival sector GLOBAL PROMOTING giants Live Nation Entertainment (LNE) and AEG Presents together control almost 30 per cent of the festival market, according to the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF).

The organisation’s festival ownership map for 2019 reveals that LNE, which owns festivals including Download (cap. 110,000), Creamfields (60,000) and Wireless (45,000), and owns Ticketmaster, controls or owns 22.81 per cent of the sector, says the AIF report.

AEG Presents, which Paul Reed promotes London events Barclaycard Presents British Summer Time (65,000) and All Points East (40,000), and owns ticket company AXS, controls or owns 6.22 per cent of the market.

New entry on the chart, James Barton’s Superstruct is the second largest operator with 6.52 per cent of the market, after taking majority ownership of events formerly owned by radio station giant Global, including Victorious (90,000), Boardmasters (50,000), Tramlines (30,000) and Truck Festival (18,000).

“Despite some significant shifts in the UK festival market over the past year, the dominance of Live Nation remains hugely concerning,” says AIF CEO Paul Reed.

“AIF is a growing community now representing almost 20% of festivals over 5,000 capacity in the UK, and the independent sector is in a strong place despite the encroaching and unrelenting dominance of the

Download Festival

major companies and the restrictions that can arise from this.

“However, we repeat our warning: Allowing a single company to dominate festivals, and the live music sector in general through vertical integration, results in a stranglehold

that stifles competition throughout the sector,” says Reed.

AIF’s report is based on a survey of 210 festivals with capacities of more than 5,000, with an overall combined capacity of just over 4,371,100.

The O2’s golden tickets CONCERTS-GOERS with special The initiative is starting with access requirements will now be events at Glasgow’s SEC Centre, able to purchase tickets online like which includes The SSE Hydro (cap, anyone else, thanks 14,300) and the Motorto new technology point Arena (7,500) in developed by Cardiff Ticketmaster.

“We knew we had to Disabled people can do more for disabled fans either buy a ticket and and our team has worked then register their access hard on this groundand/or seating needs, or breaking technology register first and have that endeavours to make the information stored Andrew Parsons ticket-buying simple for and then attached to any all,” says Ticketmaster UK ticket they then purchase.

MD Andrew Parsons.

November 2019 • Issue 238 • www.liveuk.com

The O2

The change comes after disabled access campaigning charity Attitude is Everything (AIE) found that 83 per cent of disabled event-goers had been put-off buying tickets because of the difficulty in also

registering their particular issues.

The AIE survey found many disabled people had to pay extra to buy a ticket that reflected their requirements, while some situations offered no online facility at all.

NEWS I 7

Modest win for top Newsbites management team MODEST! MANAGEMENT co-founders Richard Griffiths and Harry Magee, are the first artiste managers to receive the Music Industry Trusts (MITs) award.

The pair, whose roster includes Little Mix, One Direction, Niall Horan and MNEK, follow in the footsteps of previous recipients such as CAA agent Emma Banks, Kylie Minogue OBE and Universal Music Group

CEO Sir Lucian Grainge.

“It’s fantastic that management has at last been recognised at the Music Industry Trusts awards,” say Griffiths and Magee. “We look forward to many more managers being honoured.”

The MIRs awards ceremony takes place on 4 November at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London and attracts more than 1,000 industry professionals.

A rapturous return

COVER ARTISTE

THE TICKET Factory has appointed Noel Edwards as its commercial director. With 15 years entertainment industry experience, Edwards’ has held roles as director of promoter services at Songkick, business development strategy manager at Crowdsurge and council member at STAR (the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers). As well as being arena operator NEC Group’s box office, selling tickets to shows at Arena Birmingham (cap. 15,890) and Resorts World Arena (15,590), The Ticket Factory works with events nationwide.

American tour, Twigs plays European shows at venues such as London’s O2 Brixton Academy (cap. 4,921), Italy’s Fabrique (3,200) in Milan and the Netherlands’ Royal Theatre Carre (1,756) in Amsterdam.

“FKA twigs has such a timeless approach to her art and for me she is a once-in-a-generation artiste,” says her Tom Schroeder at Paradigm Talent Agency in London.

“The thought, creativity and precision that goes into everything she does is absolutely crystallised onstage. There are no comparisons- she is utterly unmissable, completely compelling. She puts everything into the show, and it leaves both her and the audience exhausted and exhilarated.”

FKA Twiggs is managed by Mikey Stirton.

Noel Edwards

PEER-TO-peer focused charity Music Support is leading an initiative to train industry professionals in what it calls Mental Health First Aid (MHFA). Entering its fourth year, the charity has partnered with 10 music organisations such as industry charity The Brit Trust, the Association of Independent Festivals and higher education provider Backstage Academy, to develop their approach to areas of mental health and addiction within the music business..

THE FESTYVENT app has added new feature Safe@festival that uses live tracking coordinates and identifiers to enable festival-goers to alert friends to their exact location if they fall ill or feel vulnerable.

Another new feature, Share your Schedule, allows people to share information about artiste performances or activities that they are attending. Festyvent client events include Y Not (cap. 26,000) and Truck Festival (10,000).

Richard Griffiths and Harry McGhee

IT HAS been half a decade since the Gloucestershire-born FKA Twigs made her debut with LP1, which peaked a No 16 in the album charts and earned her a Mercury Prize nomination.

Now she’s returned with second album Magdalene, released this month with a host of tour dates to promote it.

After finishing a North

FESTICKET HAS been recognised as one of the fastest growing technology companies in accountant Deloitte’s Fast 50 list. The ticketing platform, which works with festivals including Reading (cap. 90,000) and Leeds (80,00), was selected for its 879 per cent growth over the past four years, whilst increasing activities in the international festival market. Festicket ranked 41 in the list and is the only ticketing company to feature.

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8 I news

CMA clears LN-Gaiety’s MCD acquisition Grace Jones to curate Meltdown

THE PROPOSED acquisition of Irish promoter and venue owner MCD Productions by LN-Gaiety (LNG) has been provisionally cleared by the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA).

MCD is owned Denis Desmond and wife Caroline Downey, with pair also 50/50 partners with Live Nation Entertainment (LNE) in LN-Gaiety, through their Gaiety Investments company. Desmond has also been non-executive chairman of LNE in the UK since 2015.

The CMA initially launched the investigation due to concerns that

the deal would cause damage to competitors in Northern Ireland such as Aiken Promotions, which uses LNE-owned Ticketmaster to sell tickets to its events (see LIVE UK issue 234).

In its Phase 1 inquiry, the CMA said, “This could result in less competition in promotion services to artistes, leading to higher prices for concert-goers, as well as a smaller variety of live music events to choose from.”

However, after a Phase 2 investigation, the CMA and Ireland’s Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has found that the

merger does not raise competition concerns, as LNE has “neither the incentive nor the ability” to damage competition and even if it could, there would be no anti-competitive effect.

The proposed deal would see Desmond and Downey effectively retain half the shares in MCD through LNG, which was formed in 2004 to manage assets from Vince Power’s Mean Fiddler Music Group.

LNG owns Festival Republic – promoter of festivals such as Reading (cap. 90,000) and Leeds (80,000) – and 56 per cent of venue chain Academy Music Group.

MMF examines the role of the artiste manager THE MUSIC Managers Forum (MMF) has published a report identifying potential barriers for managers and is calling for a re-evaluation of the role.

The report, which is entitled Managing Expectations and is underpinned by a survey of 180 managers and in-depth interviews, indicates a “potential disconnect between the increased workload and expectancies shouldered by music managers, and the mechanisms by which they are paid.’’

Key findings from the report Annabella Coldrick

include the improving diversity of music management, artistes’ increasing reliance on financial backing from their management, and concerns over the commercial sustainability of music management businesses.

“The goal of this report is to better explain what a modern-day music manager actually does and enhance understanding of how this has changed in the digital age,” says MMF CEO

Annabella Coldrick.

“We will use the findings to better advocate for our members’ interests and expand our activity on the critical areas identified, such as access to finance, acquiring new skills and mental health, and to initiate discussions with our clients and partners on new business models in management.”

The MMF have identified five potential barriers to managers and their clients reaching their potential, including access to finance, diversification of skills, revenue and new commercial models.

The report follows the launch of MMF’s second annual Accelerator Programme for Music Managers, which provides funding and training for managers looking to make the leap into the role full-time.

GRACE JONES will curate next year’s edition of Meltdown festival, hosted by London’s Southbank Centre.

The annual event will take place on 12-21 June across the Centre’s Royal Festival Hall (cap.

2,740), Queen Elizabeth Hall Benji Ünsal (916), Purcell Room (293) and cultural quarter on the banks of the River Thames.

“There’s no denying it, Grace Jones is unlike anybody else,” says Southbank Centre head of contemporary music Bengi Ünsal “She was the first artiste who made me feel that I could express myself, be whatever I wanted to be, and not be afraid of what the world might say. She is one of the few living artistes who can truly be described as iconic, with a relentlessly individualistic vision.”

Jones will follow in the footsteps of previous curators including David Bowie, Yoko Ono and Pattie Smith.

This year’s curator was Nile Rogers who headlined with his band Chic. The 2020 line-up will be announced early in the New Year.

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November 2019 • Issue 238 • www.liveuk.com

news I 9

MOBO Awards return for 2020

All that jazz for Gaydon CHELTENHAM JAZZ Festival (cap. 7,600) has appointed Dave Gaydon, former head of programming at LW Theatres and previously head of music at London’s Roundhouse (3,110), as its new head of programming.

Following eight years at the London venue, Gaydon replaces Emily Jones who moves to Sage Gateshead (1,700) to become senior producer.

“It’s an incredibly exciting time for jazz music as the Festival approaches its 25th year,” says Gaydon.

“There are a whole host of amazing contemporary artistes I’m looking forward to programming alongside the heritage jazz legends.”

Cheltenham Jazz Festival takes place is in association with BBC Radio 2 on 5-10 May. Acts will be announced in late November.

THE MOBO Awards, a celebration of music of black origin and culture, will return next year after a two-year hiatus, taken to “bring the platform to brand new heights”.

The awards, established in 1996, will take place on 12 November at London’s The SSE Arena (cap.

12,500).

“We felt empowered to bring MOBO back to Brent [in which the arena is located] to coincide with the borough’s Year of Culture because this is where our fight to challenge the status quo to create a level playing field started,” says

MOBO founder and CEO Kanya King CBE. “We are returning with even more determination and energy to support and boost our culture wherever we can, and 2020 will see many positive changes that will impact more and more talented young people, to help ensure that the younger generation will also dare to dream.”

Among the artistes who have performed at the awards are Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Stormzy, P Diddy, Sade and Amy Winehouse.

Tickets range from £25 to £49.

THE CULT were presented with commemorative plaques after their soldout show at London’s Eventim Apollo (cap.

5,100), to mark the 30th anniversary of their Sonic Temple album and a 25,000-ticket sell-out UK tour. Picture from L-R are the band’s agent Steve Zapp of ITB, Cult members Billy Duffy and Ian Astbury, and promoter Alan Day of Kilimanjaro Live.

25 million tickets sold 25 million hearts beating 25 million memories made The O2. It all happens here.

O2 customers get tickets 48 hours before general release – only on Photo: Pete Tong Presents Ibiza Classics, 2017

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November 2019 • Issue 238 • www.liveuk.com

10 I news

All about the music

50 years of Friars Aylesbury for the show.

“After that, Friars was suddenly on the world map and became an essential date for any major UK tour,” says Stopps.

Shows continued at the Borough Assembly Hall until 1975, featuring artistes such as Focus, Dr Feelgood, Lou Reed and Roxy Music, when the venue was demolished.

After a move to Aylesbury’s new Civic Centre (1,250), a December 1976 show with The Stranglers It was just about the music when ushered in the punk era, which led to Friars shows it started and any profit was a useful with Iggy Pop (and Bowie on keyboards), The by-product for the young friends who Ramones, The Clash, Blondie, Tom Petty, The Jam organised the shows. and Talking Heads.

But live music at the time was going By the end of 1984, Friars was struggling to through one of those seminal moments get major bands to play in the relatively small when what would become some of the Civic Centre. world’s biggest artistes began emerging “We decided to call it a day,” says Stopps. “I from the club and college scene. always hoped that someone else would pick-up It was teacher Robin Pike booking Pink Floyd - David Gilmour, Rick Wright, David Stopps, the baton in Aylesbury, but it didn’t happen.”

Smokey Rice, represented by 21-year- Roger Waters and Nick Mason (CR Luton News, November 1969) Friars was dormant for 24 years old David Stopps, for a school dance and Stopps was busy managing that started the ball rolling. The pair were joined April 1971 with a packed show at ‘80s artiste Howard Jones’ global by music enthusiasts Adrian Roach, Jerry Slater, the Borough Assembly Hall (700) success, until a fan persuaded him Terry Harms and John Fowler, and began staging in Market Square, featuring the to do a 40th anniversary concert, from Monday night concerts at the 400-capacity New Groundhogs. Switching which took place on 1 June 2009 Mondays to Saturdays, they went on Friarage Hall (since demolished) in Aylesbury. and featured Pretty Things, Edgar Their first event on 2 June 1969 featured Mike to present artistes such as Fleetwood Broughton and the Groundhogs – Cooper and psychedelic band Mandrake Paddle Mac, Mott the Hoople, Genesis, The three acts that played Friars in its Steamer, and the Friars Aylesbury brand was born. Velvet Underground, Barclay James first year, and were still touring 40 Throughout 1969 and 1970 the friends booked Harvest and Al Kooper, who was key Bowie (January 1972) years later. bands such as Genesis, Black Sabbath, King Crimson, to securing Friars most notable show.

One led to three more, the last of which was Pretty Things, Hawkwind, Mott the Hoople, Van Der Paul Weller in June 2010, at the Civic Centre, Graaf Generator and the Groundhogs.

Rise of Ziggy “That first summer was magical,” says Stopps. “David Bowie had played some pretty big before that too was demolished, to make way for “We all had long hair and wore beads and shows that hadn’t gone done that well, but the Waterside Theatre (1,670), which opened in headbands. It was the dawning of a new age in Kooper told him at a party that his Friars gig October 2010, with Friars presenting Buzzcocks, culture and music.” was the best he’d done in England and that Eddie & The Hot Rods and 999.

“I think we were so successful because we the audience were fantastic,” says Stopps. “It was a do or die gig for Bowie, to see whether were music-driven rather than money-driven and Gold in Dunstable everybody liked that. We were very excitedable Friars also staged events in nearby towns including he would continue to perform live.”

That led to Bowie’s first Friars gig performing about the artistes playing and I was always asking Dunstable, where they promoted Pink Floyd at the Queensway Hall (cap. 1,000) in November 1969, the world premiere of his Hunky Dory album for another encore,” says Stopps.

Now, with Friars presenting shows intermittently, just after the release of their Ummagumma album. on 25 September 1971.

Stopps recalls Bowie in the tiny Friars dressing the Friars club (which Stopps says has 93,000 “We paid the band £475 flat, with tickets at 12 shillings and sixpence [equivalent to about room saying to his band, comprising Mick Ronson, members) is celebrating its 50th anniversary £9 today], and we made more money that night Trevor Bolder and Woody Woodmansey, ”This was with events featuring The Vaccines, (Pink Floyd great tonight, let’s form a band and go out co-founder) Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets, than in the whole year’s 50 concerts in Steve Hillage, Stiff Little Fingers and (early Genesis and do it properly.”

Aylesbury,” Stopps remembers. member) Steve Hackett.

Four months later, on 29 January In August 1970, Friars was told it was 1972, Bowie returned to Friars with the no longer welcome at the New Friars world premiere of The Rise And Fall Of Hall, due to neighbours complaining David Stopps is a regular figure at the LIVE Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars. about the noise. “When you’re putting UK Summit and this year presented The Live He was so attached to Friars that on his on Black Sabbath … they had a point,” Interview with CAA agent Emma Banks (see subsequent show in July 1972 Bowie’s Stopps accepts. pages 14-15.

David Stopps team flew in 50 US music journalists just Friars returned to Aylesbury in

The early Friars Aylesbury team got their kicks from the music and the excitement, with a successful show meaning they could do another one.

50 years ago was also when artistes such as Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, Black Sabbath and Genesis were emerging from pubs and colleges, and David Bowie wondered whether he could successfully perform live.

November 2019 • Issue 238 • www.liveuk.com

shortlists announced buy tickets WWW.FESTIVALAWARDS.COM @festivalawards /festivalawardsltd

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12 I news

Forthcoming events

Elite tributes to arenas

ELITE CONCERTS director John Patrick reports having a particularly successful year, with the company’s Killer Queen show.

NOEA Convention & Awards Dinner The Queen tribute sold-out a short-hall configuration at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Bath Arena (configured for 5,500) in September, www.noea.org.uk grossing more than £130,000 in ticket sales.

The show is also expected to sell out at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena (configured for 4,600) in January, with tickets costing £30.50.

UK Festival Awards “There is a stigma in the industry towards London anything associated with the word tribute and many other promoters choose not to www.festivalawards.com work with such shows,” says Patrick. ”It’s probably because they instantly think of the dreadful impersonator they once saw on holiday.”

BRIT Awards “However, if you can find an incredible act London who not only looks and sounds like the original, www.brits.co.uk but also has the ability to perform on the biggest stage and hold an audience of thousands in the palm of their hand, then you have the makings for something really special.”

Among other shows Elite has promoted are Event Production Show, London King of Pop, a Michael Jackson tribute, which www.eventproductionshow.co.uk/ also visited Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena year.

Live UK Advert Feb 2019.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2019 earlier 08:50 this Page 1

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Elite Team: Danny Solazzo, Bekah West, Sarah Oldham, John Patrick

Elite also took over control of the Grade ll listed St Mary’s Chambers in Rawtenstall, on the edge of Greater Manchester, and with investment of more than £100,0000, have turned it into a fullequipped 300-capacity live music venue.

“It was previously a rarely used functions suite, but we have transformed it into a busy live music venue that is proving popular with artistes and locals,” says venue owner and promoter John Patrick.

Among artistes playing the venue are The Neville Staple Band, The Bluetones and A Band Called Malice.

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July 2019 • Issue 234 • www.liveuk.com

14 I

summit news

Global exploits, discovery, diversity, sustainability, safe resale and more AMONG KEY issues debated at the LIVE UK Summit were the ethics of facial recognition for ticketing, the importance of the grassroots sector and strategies to make resale safe.

The 13th annual conference and networking event took place at the convention facilities beneath London’s new Hard Rock Hotel at Marble Arch on 30 October and attracted around 300 attendees.

The day kicked-off with the The Dream Ticket panel, led by Seatfair’s Dave Newton.

First on the agenda was the subject of exclusive ticketing partnerships for shows, which panelist and DICE CEO Russ Tannen believes could be a solution to ticket touting.

However, See Tickets global CEO Rob Wilmshurst argued, “It only works when artistes or an agent have high demand – otherwise you’re forgoing the maximum reach[through wider allocation]”.

The pair also debated facial recognition and their companies’ differing attitudes towards it.

Tannen stated that DICE would not be developing facial recognition as he believes the platform’s customers valued privacy.

But Wilmshurst told the panel, “We’ll embrace it, prepare for it and wait for the client to tell us he needs it”.

On another subject, Tim Chambers from Tixserve warned of the risks for ticketing platforms from promoters wanting advances from sales and more access to funds, saying, “You’re naive if you don’t think this is all about money for promoters”.

Investing in talent

While Chambers’ closing remark on The Dream Ticket may be true of major promoters, panelists from the unsigned and emerging sector agreed

Everyday People, Maxie Gedge, Emma Lee, Lisa Henderson, Ira Sylvester, Sean Hill

that most emerge from humble beginnings.

Speaking on The Discovery Panel, Crosstown Concerts’ Simon Bailey said, “Sometimes you have to treat shows as an investment and you won’t make money from them”.

The session, which also featured Dominique Frazer from The Boileroom (cap. 300) in Guildford, Polly Miles from Brighton promotion Acid Box and Gurj Summan from Live Nation Entertainmentowned promoter Robomagic, was moderated

by LIVE UK journalist Christopher Barrett and discussed the idea of “payback shows”.

Bailey recalled how Fontaines DC - winners of the Breakthrough Artiste award at the Live Music Business Awards that evening – sold a mere 17 tickets for the show he promoted in Oxford, but returned a year later and sold 1,000.

Frazer from The Boileroom pointed out how crucial the roles that grassroots venues and promoters play in the music ecosystem. “Without grassroots venues, where are the artistes going to come from? The industry doesn’t have a choice, but to get behind grassroots venues.”

Understanding process

The Discovery Panel, Dom Frazer, Chris Barret November 2019 • Issue 238 • www.liveuk.com

While many of the conference’s panels focused on the professionals that make a show happen, The Full Experience brought to the forefront the people working behind the scenes at venues.

Moderated by Tony Moore, music programmer

at The Bedford in London (cap. 250), the discussion began with the importance of teamwork in a venue.

Anna Parry, programmer for AEG’s The O2 (21,000) in London, delivered some sound advice on the value of being versatile in a venue: “In order to truly understand how a venue works, you have to do every job at some point.”

Parry explained how she takes every opportunity to learn from others involved with the venue, whether it’s shadowing the venue manager or take a ticketing agent for a coffee.

Though the size of the panelists’ venues varied hugely in capacity, this point was something with which all could agree.

Elisabeth Carley-Leonard, owner of The Shed (200) in Leicester said training her team to do a host of jobs allowed her to take a well-deserved break and know the venue was in good hands.

Also appearing on the panel was Todd ‘JD’ Malloy from The Key Club (300) in Leeds, and Ade Dovey, now event booking manager at ASM Global.

Out of this world

Bringing together two experienced international agents, the Guardians of the Galaxy panel saw the moderator, Friars Aylesbury promoter David Stopps, pick the brains of Solo Agency’s John Giddings and UTA’s Paul Ryan.

Giddings came armed with stories and musings about Brexit, K-Pop and Formula 1 founder Bernie

summit news

I 15

The Dream Ticket, Rob Wilshurst, Tim Chambers, Russ Chambers, Dave Newton

Live Interview with Emma Banks

Eccleston, before the discussion turned to more serious matters.

The pair discussed barriers to touring in China and South Korea, navigating visa issues, and the ethical conundrums that artistes face when visiting less progressive countries. Giddings explaining how a major artiste he represented had to pay an “exit fee” to leave the Philippines, because “they had guns and we didn’t”, brought much laughter from an enthralled audience The Live Interview session saw CAA agent Emma Banks interviewed by David Stopps.

Having spent almost 30 years as a music agent for artistes such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Florence + the Machine, Katy Perry and more recent additions Green Day and Muse, Banks wasn’t short on stories about the good, the bad and the challenging sides of the industry.

The Interview came hours before she was awarded with Outstanding Contribution at the Live Music Business Awards ceremony at the venue later that evening.

Henderson, the panel comprised of LMHR campaign manager Ira Sylvester, Keychange project manager Maxie Gedge, SheSaidSo’s Emma Lee and UTA’s Sean Hill.

Lee discussed her experiences as a dancer and singer for Basement Jaxx and called for more support for intersectionality – the intersect between social and political identities such as gender, race, class, sexuality and disability – which is a focus of her organisation.

Following the impact of Keychange’s initiative for 50/50 gender splits on festival bills, Gedge was keen to discuss the necessity of targets and why she sees a need for more diverse representation in the music industry.

A central tenet of the Making Resale Safe panel, presented by FanFair Alliance’s Adam Webb, was how artistes can incorporate resale into their live show strategy and protect their

Diverse interests

While organisations such as PRS Foundation’s Keychange and Love Music Hate Racism (LMHR) have helped to bring about change and more inclusiveness in the music industry, there’s still plenty of work to do according to the panelists on Everyday People.

Moderated by LIVE UK news journalist Lisa

Manchester’s multi award-winning music venue 340 cap - gig 450 cap - club

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The Full Experience, Elisabeth Carley-Leonard, Ade Dovey

audiences from exploitation.

“Artistes can make sure the promoters hold the primary ticketing companies to account,” said ticketing security expert Reg Walker from The Iridium Consultancy.

“Don’t put up with crap like ‘it’s the bots’ when your artiste’s show ends up on secondary ticketing sites five minutes after they go on sale,” he told delegates.

Kilimanjaro Live’s San Phillips agreed, saying there’s enough information on how to buy tickets and where to buy them. “Artistes should be sharing this message on their social media, about the difference between primary and secondary ticketing,” she said.

Among the other panels were The Social Network, moderated by David Stopps, which tackled the speed of change across social media, ticketing, marketing and fan interaction.

Playing The Fields discussed the advantages and disadvantages of cashless wristbands at festivals, embracing sustainability and how to grow the business.

In Tech Talk, Playpass MD Steve Jenner and Amplead’s David Hamilton demonstrated their respective company’s latest technological solutions for festivals and the wider live music business.

The World is Enough tackled the logistics of international touring, while Taking Care of Business explored the challenges promoters face in an ever-changing environment, and Down to Earth reckoned with the impact festivals and tours are having on the environment, and what can be done to promote sustainability.

Perfect for album launches, warm-ups and media showcases with L’Acoustics PA, Soundcraft Vi3000 desk, Steinway B Piano, extensive lighting and recording and filming facilities.

Former showcases by:

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Plus flagship monthly nights:

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November 2019 • Issue 238 • www.liveuk.com

16 I

Production news Newsbites TURBOSOUND, MANUFACTURER of the Flashlight and Festival PA systems used extensively in live music during the 1980s and 1990s, including at Glastonbury (now cap.

147,500), has released its new Manchester Series line array, designed for large-scale installations and touring. The system comprises dual 12” full size “variable curvature” line arrays, with model numbers MV 212 and MV 212-XV, plus subwoofers and fly grid. “We want The Manchester Series to become a mainstay on technical riders and installation projects throughout the world,” says Turbosound’s Chris Hinds.

FLARE AUDIO has developed what it says is the world’s first loudspeaker with a fully recyclable enclosure, by using recycled paper clamped between milled aluminium plates. The Zero has no acoustic wadding and no electronic correction (EQ), promising “zero damage” to sound purity. “The world needs to produce new technologies with natural fibres,” says Flare CEO Davies Roberts.“We use an English paper mill which makes greyboard from recycled paper. Any waste is sent back to the mill. The metal plates are machined from solid aluminium and any waste is recycled.”

PROFESSIONAL AUDIO and installation specialist Audiologic has promoted David Smith, previously business development manager, to senior business manager, following “significant growth” in the business. Audiologic works with live music clients including audio manufacturer Nexo. “Dave has demonstrated he’s an excellent operator,” says Audiologic MD Andy Lewis.

Club class with K2 NORTHERN IRELAND’S Two Door Cinema Club prefer an entirely different live sound to their recorded output according to front-of-house (FOH) engineer Ian Laughton.

He says he enjoys the freedom he has on the False Alarm tour and that the band’s production manager Bennie Brongers is happy to specify his preferred equipment, a Midas Pro2 desk at FOH and monitor positions, operated by Steve Donovan, plus an L-Acoustics K2 PA, all supplied by Britannia Row. With the band play-

ing venues including the “notoriously tricky” O2 Victoria Warehouse (cap.

3,500) in Manchester, Hull’s Bonus Arena (3,500) and The O2 (21,000) in London, the system needed to “pack a punch”.

“This band want me to put my own stamp on it and I love that,” says Laughton.

“On the last tour I used the K2 for the first time and it took me a while to get used to the high fidelity. I was really impressed considering how light the box is.”

Brongers adds, “A produc-

Two Door Cinema Club at The O2 with Britannia Row - image by Joe Okpako

tion manager has to listen to their engineers, and what equipment they want to use

from which company. Brit Row are my engineers’ first choice.”

Pixies warm glow with tungsten TO CREATE an asymmetrical lighting rig to complement the “loud quiet loud” music of the Pixies, designer Myles Mangino needed a fixture capable of evoking all the moods in the sound.

The Pixies

Rigging Services

He settled on the Chauvet Professional Strike 1 fixtures for shows at venues including London’s Alexandra Palace (cap. 10,400), Glasgow’s O2 Academy (2,550) and Belfast’s Ulster Hall (1,850) because of both its brightness and ability to recreate a traditional tungstenstyle light.

Flying eight units of the Strike 1s on each of three rows of truss,

he created a variety of asymmetrical looks, including strobing, soft glows and moments of “intense” light.

“I’ve found the best way to achieve the extreme asymmetrical looks I use with Pixies is to start with a symmetrical design,” says Mangino. “I often bring up the full bank of Strike 1s for the big, loud parts, but they are focused at the stage, like upstage par cans, not as blinders.

“Tungsten has been a key to the Pixies look since I first started designing for them in 1986. Our overall look can be defined as tungsten, with deep angles and extreme saturations.”

The Chauvet units were among 80 lighting fixtures supplied by rental company Lite Alternative.

info@riggingservices.co.uk

FROM A CORNER BLOCK TO A COMPLETE ROOF SYSTEM

HIRE SALES INSPECT TEST TRAIN CONSULT INSTALL PROJECTS November 2019 • Issue 238 • www.liveuk.com

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18 I

Production news

Brilliant fit for Tait US-BASED TAIT, the staging and production specialist behind tours by Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and Elton John, has acquired Wakefield-based Brilliant Topco Ltd, better known as Brilliant Stages, fabricator of structures for the Rolling Stones, Take That and Beyonce and Jay Z. The acquisition brings together two businesses with four decades of live event expertise behind them, according to Tait, creating a “competitive platform capable of deploying a truly competitive suite of

live event technology and solutions.”

“We have built the brand with an equal focus on spectacle, design, employees and customers. That makes Tait a perfect match – culturally we are 100 per cent aligned,” says Brilliant MD Ben Brooks.

Adam Davis, chief creative officer at Tait, agrees, “This is a perfect cultural match. We are excited to share with Brilliant our technology, assets, and lessons learned over our 40 years in the live event business.”

Yorke UP and away for Boxes tour

dLive delivers flexibility for Capaldi THE AUDIO requirements for Vampire Weekend have grown significantly since front-of-house (FOH) engineer Neil Heal first worked with the band over 10 years ago.

Following the group’s expansion from a four to a seven-piece, it now uses 120 inputs compared to the 24 it used in earlier times, he says.

While Heal has consistently worked with K1 and K2 systems by L-Acoustics, with this act, the latest tour was the first time he used the French manufacturer’s Autosplay software to tune the system.

The typical system configuration for most venues comprises left and right arrays of 18 K2 per side, with adjacent outfill arrays of 12 Kara on each side for outfill coverage.

Six additional Kara are spread across the stage lip for front-fill, while four ARCS II provide outfill near the front. A dozen KS28

subs anchor the low-end reinforcement, and the entire system is powered by 24 LA12X and six LA8 amplified controllers.

“The Autosplay tool is fantastic,” says Heal. “The user can see it trying different angles as it works through calculations, which is a big confidence builder.”

Vampire Weekend are playing London’s Alexandra Palace (cap. 10,400), Edinburgh’s Usher Hall (2,200) and Birmingham’s O2 Academy (3,000).

Andrew Bush behind his S5000 for Lewis Capaldi Photo by Jacob McDowall

November 2019 • Issue 238 • www.liveuk.com

the band are three Epson 25k Projectors. The custom package is provided by Tringbased Universal Pixels (UP).

“The video element of this show impacts the entire performance greatly.

Tarik’s visuals provide a unique view of the songs,” says Hogenson. “With Tarik’s bespoke Versum programme, each piece of content evolves between shows.

“We use multiple channels of Tarik’s content to drive the LED, projection, and pixel mapping of the X4 bars. I also use Tarik’s content to mix and overlay with our IMAG camera feed. This creates even more depth in the live show, in a production that is so visually driven.”

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AIMING TO immerse his audience in a “sensory bath” of music and abstract visuals, Thom Yorke is deploying a curved array of three to five screens for his Modern Boxes Tour, which plays at Glasgow SEC Hall 3 (cap.

5,000), Manchester’s O2 Victoria Warehouse (3,500) and London’s Eventim Apollo (5,040) next year.

The Radiohead frontman invited audiovisual composer Tarik Barri to provide visuals for the tour, working with video designer Jake Hogenson. They opted for five 2.5m wide by 4.5m high 6mm Leyard CLM hi-res LED screens, which also create a front projection surface.

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20 I SECTOR FOCUS

Soundstage Studios

The art of prac Rehearsal studios offer a lot more than just spaces to run through a stage performance or break-in some new material, they’re also used for video or social media content, album launches and showcases, with some of the leading players in the sector having spent decades developing a service that covers all bases. Claire Bicknell reports.

H Jimmy Mac

aving outstanding facilities is an important part of the offer, but the leading rehearsal studios across the UK know it takes much more than that to keep clients happy and have them return again and again.

This is a sector where relationships and good customer service are key, alongside the other added-value on-site extras which secure repeat bookings.

Established in 1994 as the live side of Trevor Horn’s Sarm studios and raft of companies, Music Bank moved into its new premises in Acton, north-west

November 2019 • Issue 238 • www.liveuk.com

London, in summer 2018 and counts Stevie Wonder, Rod Stewart, Spice Girls, Stormzy and Dua Lipa amongst its clients.

“We have been so busy welcoming back our regulars and many new clients this year, and along with the usual tour and show rehearsals it’s been great to see an increase in bookings for lighting packs, showcases, dance and theatre productions,” says director Jimmy Mac. “We have three large, purpose-built rehearsal rooms, all of which benefit from the on-site massive backline and riser department, in-house repair engineer, long or short-term storage,

tour supplies shop and, of course, our friendly staff.

“Since opening we have been continually told how good the rooms sound, which of course is nice, but it’s also been great to hear how benefits like our private garden area, clean air AC system and trying to tackle as many green issues as possible, make such a difference to the usual work environment.”

Mac believes making the crew as comfortable as the artiste is a priority.

“They are the ones putting in the long hours, and so making sure we have plenty of parking, easy flat load

SECTOR FOCUS I 21

Music Bank Studio

tice in, natural day light and super-fast wifi are just a few basics that make such a big difference.”

Located in London’s Zone 2, Music Bank is close to the local underground station, as well as major road links and Heathrow Airport.

Celebrating its 43rd year in the industry, John Henry’s opened in 1976 in London as a small rehearsal studio with storage and equipment hire, and has grown into a 60,000 sq ft facility on Brewery Road with seven fully-equipped rehearsal studios, an in-house café, a pro shop and services including backline, crewing, transport, production and storage cages.

“The studios can also be combined for various applications and pre-production rehearsals,” says director Johnny Henry, “We’re based on the edge of King’s Cross, with great transport access to anywhere in London.”

Henry adds the studios will be

refurbished in 2020.

“We’re also planning on upgrading the infrastructure with improved wifi, connectivity between the studios and a new café/workspace for clients to enjoy.”

John Henry’s clients include Kamasi Washington, Michael Kiwanuka, Iggy Pop and Camilla Cabello.

Also located in Brewery Road is Sensible Music, with clients including Clean Bandit, Years & Years, Rudimental and Chase & Status.

Studio 4 (10m x 9m x 6m high) is its rehearsal room, featuring natural light, a mezzanine floor, an adjacent production office, one wall is mirrored behind acoustic drapes, and there’s a removable carpeted floor surface, underneath which is a marmoleum floor.

“The last year has been really good, and we’ve started doing rehearsals which include our recording studio control room as a front-of-house [FOH] area, and this worked really well for Clean Bandit and Years & Years” says general manager Jack Freegard.

“More specifically with Years & Years, we were able to provide high quality recordings for playback by utilising our isolated recording booths for drums in the main recording studio. It’s an excellent listening environment for FOH as we have superb monitoring in there, and it is tie lined to Studio 4 so splitting out is easy and painless.”

Multiple choices

Former Muse tour manager Glen Rowe is behind a range of rehearsal spaces.

His charity NEKO Trust is celebrating its first birthday and operates three studios in Wandsworth and in Wimbledon, South-West London, and KYOTO’s new Riverside Studio in Harlow, Essex.

“The studio has very high ceilings to give a fantastic live sound. The word multi-use was made for this studio, with a smooth polished concrete clear floor space of 40ft x 50ft to be turned into whatever is desired,” says KYOTO’s creative director Eva Boursier.

The facility has space for six cars or vans, and tour buses and trucks can rest safely overnight by arrangement.

With clients including Bastille, Frank

John Henry’s Studio

Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Nothing But Thieves and Noel Gallagher, NEKO boasts three rehearsal spaces – The Stables, The Hall, and The Arc – at its Wandsworth HQ. “We offer these spaces at both fullprice and subsidised rates,” says project manager Erin Gibson. “Established touring artistes pay full price as this income allows us to subsidise the professional spaces for smaller artistes who require additional support.”

The Stables is its largest rehearsal studios at 16m x 12m with capacity for 230 people. As well as a large green room, kitchen and bathroom, a riverside garden is available on request.

An all-wooden room, The Hall can accommodate up to 90 people in a 14.5m x 5.1m rehearsal studio space. A kitchen and shower room are included. The Arc has capacity for 145 people, and its rehearsal studio size is 15.3m x 7.9m.

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November 2019 • Issue 238 • www.liveuk.com

SECTOR FOCUS I 23

Elstree Studios

Production Park, Studio 1

“The main things we believe clients are looking for are privacy in the space they hire, helpful staff on-site, flexibility regarding things like opening hours and parking spaces, and the size of the spaces is also very important,” adds Gibson.

SW19 Studios has three spaces available – Studio One, Studio Two and Studio Three.

“This year we’ve hosted some tremendous artistes including Kylie, Queen, Stereophonics, Bastille, Stormzy, Noel Gallagher, Bryan Ferry, Jamiroquai, Pet Shop Boys, Sam Smith, Amy Macdonald, Ed Sheeran, Adele, and many more,”” says general manager Johnny Correia.

Blank canvas

Production Park Studios operates The Mill (formerly Cato Music), a 4,618 sq ft full production studio in Wimbledon, south west London for full production rehearsals up to Academy 1 and small arena level, and Studio 001 (formerly LS-Live) in Wakefield, Yorkshire, a 17,664 sq ft arena sized studio.

Clients include Robbie Williams, The Raconteurs, Royal Blood, Disclosure and

NEKO Trust rehearsal studio

LH2 Studios

the film director Guy Ritchie.

“We have plenty of tour experience in the ranks and this means that we know what our clients want from our studios,” says studio manager Ant Forbes.

“We pride ourselves on not only providing the best blank canvas facilities in which to build and test the productions, but also just the right amount of personality and style in the backstage communal and living areas to make our guests feel happy, comfortable and inspired during their time with us.”

“Clients want privacy, with sole access to the building” Fred Collins

Both studios have had investment and upgrades this year, including a full refit of the hotel rooms and production offices at Studio 001, and the addition of an isolated audio control room at The Mill.

Both sites also now offer backline storage cages with 24/7 access and full security coverage, with further improvements due across 2020.

With Studio 001 located at Production Park’s HQ, it benefits from production offices, catering hall dressing rooms, a hotel, bar, cinemas and dance studio on-site.

The company works closely with others who are part of the Group or who are based on-site, including Brilliant Stages, now part of TAIT Towers.

Famous stages

SW19 Studio

Based in Hertfordshire, Elstree Studios is globally renowned as a leading film studio used by such names as Stanley Kubrick and Alfred Hitchcock.

It also offers its seven stages to live

music rehearsals, with two stages with a height of 50ft which can accommodate full-size stadium tours. Coldplay, Muse, Florence + The Machine, Frank Turner, The xx, Mark Knopfler and The Chemical Brothers have used its facilities.

“We’re close to London, with 24/7 access and we offer the ability to fully rehearse in a large, soundproof stage,” says marketing and events manager Joely Hertz. “We also have a friendly team who will go above and beyond for their clients.”

The site also offers 5-star dressing rooms, wardrobe and make-up facilities, production offices, car parking, on-site catering, around-the-clock security, generous loading in and out areas, and is 20 minutes travel time outside of London.

Two additional, new stages are scheduled to be ready in 2020, being built on the former site used by the Big Brother house.

Broadcast potential

Based in north west London, LH2 is close to Heathrow Airport and has a 17,693 sq ft ground floor area, a rigging grid capable of holding 60 tonnes, and a height clearance of 60ft.

“We have added another eight dressing rooms with 11 now available, and also an additional production office, so we now have two,” says studio facilities manager Fred Collins. “We also have a TX line to BT Tower for live broadcast from the studio.”

Also on offer are catering areas, a meeting room, four loading docks, parking for 12 trucks, four tour buses and 18 car parking spaces, as well as fast wifi throughout the whole building.

“Clients want privacy, with sole access to the building,” adds Collins. “We work with clients to achieve whatever they want, it’s a blank space.”

Bedfordshire’s Millennium Studios works with arena and theatre-sized

Jack Freegard

Ant Forbes

Nina Malivoire

November 2019 • Issue 238 • www.liveuk.com

24 I SECTOR FOCUS

Ooosh! Tours, The Loft

Garage Studios

David Croft

Lee Webber

artistes, with sister site Cardington Studios accommodating stadium sized productions. Clients over the past year include Lana Del Rey, Editors, Years & Years, James Arthur, Cliff Richard and Tom Walker.

“We have invested in building a second sound stage,” says studio sales manager Nina Malivoire. “B stage is blacked out, sound-proofed and comes currently with a production office.

“In the New Year, there will also be a grid in the stage area and en-suite dressing rooms. It’s perfect for live rehearsals.”

Other developments at Millennium include a new catering team.

“Clients come to us for peace and quiet, to create the best tour possible,” adds Malivoire.

“Our great location is close to central London yet outside the congestion zone, and we have free parking, good vehicle access and we’re close to public transport links.”

Studio 1 offers a 600 sq ft performance space, with PA, backline, air-conditioning, kitchen, shower and a separate green room is available. Studio 2 boasts a green room, dressing room, production office, a 40-channel mixing desk, equipment

Stress-free environments

storage, as well as lighting, PA and backline availability.

“Clients are looking for privacy in a discrete, stress-free environment,” adds Croft.

Located in Brighton, East Sussex, The Loft is part of Ooosh! Tours. It offers two production-style rehearsal rooms – Studio 1 at 1,250 sq ft and Studio 2 with 550 sq ft.

“We have clients from Brighton but also those who travel from London,” says studio manager Lee Webber.

Soundstage Studios, based in North-West London, has two rehearsal spaces – Studio 1 and Studio 2. It’s had a busy year, with Dido and Billy Ocean both using the studios recently, with other clients including 10cc, Smashing Pumpkins, Nick Mason and Nils Lofgren.

“We offer a fantastic space with a 1,600 sq ft clear performance area in Studio 2, excellent technical support and also backline rental,” says director David Croft.

Audio Hire Consoles PA Systems Monitoring Mics & Splits Radio Systems Comms IEMs Outboard Recording Production Rehearsals The Pro Shop Staging Hire Rolling Risers Transport Crewing Technicians

“We know what makes for a happy band and crew” Lee Webber

“We know what makes for a happy band and crew. It’s all hands-on deck at first, and a speedy set-up, but we also know when they don’t want a fuss.”

The facility offers nightliner parking with power, natural light that can be curtained-off to create a near blackout, trussing, fresh air ducting, air-conditioning, dimmable lights and a brick wall which is proving popular for video and photo shoots.

“Clients love our brick wall,” adds Webber. “They can pull up the Chesterfield, put lighting up and it looks like a jazz club.”

The Garage Studios, based in South Shields, Tyne and Wear, offers three rehearsal rooms with a full PA system, drum kit, guitar and bass amps, airconditioning and heaters. Artistes using the studios include The Firelight Opera, Smack Mammoth, Post Rome, Beth Macari and XERO. “Our rooms are comfortable, inspiring places in which to get creative,” says director and music producer Kyle Martin.

“Our ambient lighting proves popular with clients, and we also have a broad range of equipment available if clients should need any extras.

“We can often take last-minute bookings, and block bookings are also available.”

A kitchen and breakout area are also available, with plans to refurbish the studio’s mic and control rooms next year.

Specialist Suppliers to the Entertainment Industry

John Henry’s Ltd. - 16-24 Brewery Road, London N7 9NH www.johnhenrys.com | email: info@johnhenrys.com | Tel: +44 (0)20 7609 9181

November 2019 • Issue 238 • www.liveuk.com

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Backline Hire Amplification Guitars Drum Kits Electronics Cymbals Percussion Effects Keyboards Synthesizers Pianos Organs Stage Fans Seating Transformers Pedals Instruments Flightcases

Liverpool 26 I city limits

It must be the best-known music city in the world and although it’s faced a few challenges these past couple of years, the launch of a Music Board has given promoters and venue operators a new skip in their step, as Allan Glen reports

A

Sam Crombie

s befits a city whose musical heritage is central to its culture, earlier this year Liverpool launched an initiative that is likely to have far-reaching implications for venues and promoters, a region-wide Music Board.

The Liverpool City Region Music Board (LCRMB), comprising 18 members and seven observers, will work to ensure music businesses and communities have a stronger voice in local and regional decision-making.

Board members will be tasked with five key priorities, identified through the recent Developing a Liverpool City of Music Strategy report, which aims to sustain, support and develop its music sector.

The priorities include safeguarding and protecting music venues, growing

November 2019 • Issue 238 • www.liveuk.com

current and future music heritage, developing the Beatles’ legacy, increasing access to music education and engaging and developing new talent.

The launch of the LCRMB has been welcomed by promoters across the city and comes at a pivotal moment for the local music scene.

“Liverpool has had a tricky couple of years, with a host of live music venues being closed, either as a result of developers, increasing rent, noise issues or general lack of support,” says Sam Crombie, director of Invisible Wind Factory Ltd (cap. 1,300) and the IWF Substation (300). “But it feels like the city is back in a better place now.”

Promoters, he adds, are now more confident going forward, in no small part thanks to the new Music Board.

“Liverpool City Council is implementing the much-needed Agent of Change bill to protect venues against noise complaints from new residential developments, and the gig-going public seems more aware of how easy it could be for us to lose the live music scene.

“A huge help has been the creation of the Board and the work of the team behind the UNESCO City of Music,” adds Crombie.

Chris Zorba, owner of the Eventim Olympia (1,930), agrees. “The Music Board has been created to, among other things, safeguard venues and to nourish new talent in the local area,” he says. “Music is already firmly established as part of Liverpool as a city, we just need to be able to keep this part of it alive.”

More of both Crombie and Zorba later,

Exploring the live music networks in our key cities and towns I city

limits I 27

M&S Bank Arena

Invisible Wind Factory

but first, one of the Board members is Ben Williams, commercial director of the ACC Liverpool Group, which operates the M&S Bank Arena (11,000).

“Liverpool is globally renowned for its musical heritage, influence and impact on music the world over which was recognised when the city was awarded the UNESCO City of Music,” he says. “The cre-

ation of the Board – consisting of experienced people from a variety of venues and organisations as well as artistes - ensures that the region works together to develop and drive live music into the city.”

Acts playing the M&S Bank Arena include Gladys Knight, promoted by Kennedy Street Enterprises with tickets averaging £58.74, Il Divo (£63.26), Olly

Murs (£50.07), Rita Ora (£37.60), Little Mix (£57.07), Mumford & Sons (£55.96) – all promoted by SJM Concerts; Westlife (£59.76), Eagles (£117.56), both Live Nation Entertainment (LNE), and Vamps promoted by AEG Presents.

The ACC complex also includes Space by M&S Bank Arena (7,000), utilising the flexibility of sister venue Exhibition Centre.

In addition to the new naming rights, which took place in last January, investment remains high at the venue, which hosts up to 40 concerts a year, as Kay Wilson, head of sales - concerts, entertainment and sports, explains.

“We recently invested in a new draping system ahead of our busy autumn/ winter programme,” she says. “The system provides a wide range of easily configurable layout options, including up-stage blacks, straight line drapes and the ability to mask all, or parts of, the upper-tiered seating providing a more intimate feel for smaller theatre shows, comedy or standing floor events and offering greater flexibility for clients’ requirements.”

Forthcoming shows at the venue include Gerry Cinnamon, with tickets from £19.50, Catfish and The Bottlemen (£23.50), The 1975 (£35.00), David Gray (£35) – all SJM, and Liam Gallagher (£30, LNE).

“In 2017 we opened the Liverpool Collection Lounge, a mezzanine floor inside the arena concourse, transformed into a stunning hospitality space with

We will help revolutionize your business.

November 2019 • Issue 238 • www.liveuk.com

28 I city limits

spectacular views across the waterfront,” adds Wilson.

Academy status

Kay Wilson

Venue chain Academy Music Group (AMG) has a significant presence in the city, with a portfolio that includes the O2 Academy (1,200), O2 Academy 2 (500), and the Arts Club (500), which has a secondary venue, The Loft (250).

AMG also has a management partnership with Liverpool Guild of Students, to manage its 2,300 capacity Mountford Hall, the largest standing venue in Liverpool after the M&S Bank Arena.

Around 220 events a year are staged across the O2 venues, with a further 165 in the Arts Club.

Acts playing the O2 Academy include Bear’s Den, MoStack, Gary Numan, Newton Faulkner, Dave, Primal Scream, Heaven 17, Gabrielle Aplin (all SJM), The Good, The Bad and The Queen (Metropolis Music). The Icicle Works (AMG’s in-house promoter Academy Events) and Sleaford Mods (Crosstown Concerts), with John Power (Academy Events), The Faim (LNE) and Hugh Cornwell Electric (The Gig Cartel) performing in the Arts Club.

Eventim Olympia

“O2 Academy2 and the Loft are both often the first point of call on he local band circuit,” says general manager Patrick Doherty. “It’s chosen by local promoters and the likes of LIPA [Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts] for newer emerging artistes.

“The theatre at Arts Club is a muchloved alternative space and often hosts bigger artistes that want a unique space doing under-plays.”

Overall, says Doherty, live music remains vibrant, with the AMG venues central to the infrastructure.

“Our venue capacities are definitely right for the city,” he adds. “O2 Academy is a beautiful former 19th century warehouse that lends itself well to many styles of events due to its industrial feel. It’s a clean space and works very well across all genres of music.”

Southport Theatre, Floral Hall Ballroom & BLISS HOTEL

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Southport Theatre - Capacity 1600 Floral Hall Ballroom - Capacity 800 seated, 1000 standing New events space launching March 2020 - Capacity up to 500 standing

For Venue information, Programming and Marketing get in touch: Emma Lloyd, Head of Creative Tel: 01704 516243 Email: emma@waterfrontsouthport.co.uk waterfrontsouthport.co.uk • blisshotels.co.uk

November 2019 • Issue 238 • www.liveuk.com

southport

Exploring the live music networks in our key cities and towns I city

limits I 29

Arts Club Liverpool

O2 Academy Liverpool

Collaborative benefits

While the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Hall (1,677), a fully-seated venue, undertook a £14 million refurbishment four years ago, improvements are ongoing with an upgrade to in-house lighting stock earlier this year.

Ticket sales, says Richard Haswell, head of programme (hall and events), remain good, although he does issue a caveat.

“There’s an air of uncertainty out there

– dare I mention the B word –and I know we are far from the only venue saying this,” he says. “Though, having said that, everything has held up very well through the Autumn.

“However, our biggest event by a mile was the in-house produced show ‘And in the End’, a collaboration between the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the Bootleg Beatles, and hosted by Neil Innes, to mark the 50th anniversary

of the release of [Beatles albums] Abbey Road and Let It Be. We opened the show in September, followed by a national tour, including the Royal Albert Hall [5,520].”

Other acts currently playing the Hall include Midge Ure (The MJR Group), Squeeze and Heaven 17, The Lightning Seeds, Katherine Jenkins (all SJM), Marillion (Kilimanjaro Live) and Adam Ant (Triple A Entertainment), with Isobel Campbell (Liverpool Philharmonic/Harvest Sun Promotions) and Sharon Shannon (in-house) performing in sister venue The Music Room (250), which hosts up to 160 shows a year.

“In its fourth year, the Music Room is still developing and growing and word is still getting out,” adds Haswell. “Artistes and audiences alike love the sound in the space and the quality of the experience and sales are strong.”

Music Room Specially designed for intimate live gigs Accessible, versatile and contemporary space

Blowzabella, Miles Hunt, Tom Robinson, Seckou Keita, Thea Gilmore, Lindisfarne, Connie Lush, Jah Wobble, Kristin Hersh, Nick Harper, Carla Morrison, Sam Sweeney, Stick in the Wheel, Bill Laurance, Lau, Sharon Shannon, Billy Bragg

250 standing, 190 seated Full in-house production High spec lighting and PA Full Box Office services Dressing Rooms

Richard Haswell Head of Programme richard.haswell@liverpoolphil.com

liverpoolphil.com Box Office 0151 709 3789 November 2019 • Issue 238 • www.liveuk.com

30 I city limits

Steady business

Chas Cole

Jon Keats

Also undergoing significant change is the Eventim Olympia, which concluded a naming rights deal with ticket agency Eventim UK in 2018 and hosts approximately 25 shows a year.

“The venue has undergone many improvements, namely a state-of-the-art sound and light installation provided by Adlib Audio, which are based in Liverpool,” says Chris Zorba. “We’ve also been making constant improvements backstage and to the exterior of the venue and are currently working on some of the less exciting behind the scenes renovations.

“We are always kept busy, and hope that each time a touring party returns to the venue, they are noticing improvements time after time.”

Among artistes playing the venue are The Zutons, Manic Street Preachers, Hobo Johnson & The Love Makers (all SJM), Nick Cave (VMS Live), Elvis Costello & The Imposters, Elbow (both AEG), Night Café (I Love Live Events), Paul Weller (Crosstown) and The Specials (DHP Family).

Business is also good at the Invisible Wind Factory, with acts such as Steve Mason, Fat White Family, Snapped Ankles (all Harvest Sun Promotions), Ibibio Sound Machine, Mahalia (both I Love Live), Elder Island (DHP) and Rolling Blackouts (SJM) playing the venue.

“We host around 30 music shows a year, and ticket sales are strong,” says Sam Crombie.

Liverpool’s club scene, of course, includes The Cavern (350, 300), although no longer the original venue where The Beatles played.

“We have live music all day, every day, with up to five ticketed-events a week,” says director of music and events Jon Keats, who points to local acts Red Rum Club, The Mysterines and Zuzu as ones to watch.

“Ticket sales are generally very good.”

November 2019 • Issue 238 • www.liveuk.com

The Cavern Club

Acts playing the venue include Andy Fairweather Low, A Flock of Seagulls, Martin Stephenson & The Daintees, The Christians, China Crisis (all in-house), Big Country (RAM), The Parlotones, From the Jam and Jah Wobble (all AGMP).

Sounds of the city

With 2,000 delegates attending this year, multi-venue convention and music festival Liverpool Sound City continues to be a major fixture in the live music calendar.

This year festival line-up included more than 300 acts from 27 countries with approximately 75 local artistes playing across three days in May. Headliners this year included Loyle Carner and Mabel.

Sound City marketing manager Lois Warrington says the event is internationally renowned as one of the UK’s leading independent festivals and conferences.

“Sound City provides a huge platform for emerging acts in Liverpool as we take to 18 amazing independent venues across the city and the Baltic Triangle,” she says. “Over the three days, we are joined by industry professionals from not just

the UK but from across the entire world.

“We are able to bring both artiste and industry together for them to learn from one another and develop their careers.

“Year on year we are amazed by the calibre of artistes we have join us and we are proud to be able to present an exciting and diverse line-up and give new acts new opportunities to establish a presence here in Liverpool.”

One of the most renowned Liverpoolbased national promoters in is Chas Cole of CMP Live, which has Deacon Blue and Brit Floyd in M&S Bank Arena, plus Jools Holland & His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, Rumours of Fleetwood Mac and The Classic Rock Show in the Philharmonic Hall.

“Most of our acts are touring internationally, across Europe and the US, and what is interesting to see is the locations where we are regularly having to put on multiple dates,” says Cole. “Liverpool definitely falls into that category.

“We are seeing more and more of our artistes doing multiple nights in the city.

In 2020, Rumours of Fleetwood Mac have three dates in Liverpool and will sell over 6,000 tickets.”

...the beat goes on ©BBC6Music

@cavernliverpool

www.cavernclub.com

32 I

in association with

Twenty years of support THE BODEGA (cap. 220) in Nottingham is celebrating 20 years of ‘helping new artistes on their way’.

Launched in 1999, the Midlands venue has played host to artistes such as Arctic Monkeys, The xx and Florence + the Machine.

DHP Family, which took over the venue in 2004, book the more established acts, while in-house promoter Sam Keirl focuses on showcasing local and emerging acts.

“We try to catch artistes early on in their careers and help them on their way up,” Keirl tells LIVE UK. “We usually find new local acts through our free open mic night, and then get them into support The Bodega

slots with bigger artistes in the room upstairs and hope that they’ll go on to do their own headline show some day.”

Among the homegrown artistes Keirl cites as “ones to watch” is local band Do Nothing. “They played The Bodega in March and now they’re playing on massive festival bills and selling-out bigger shows.”

Other artistes who have cut their teeth at the venue include Slow Thai and Sam Fender.

“It’s crazy to think of bands playing to a couple of hundred people in Nottingham and then a couple of years later they can be headlining Glastonbury. It’s very exciting to see who will be next.”

Showcase focus on Wales AMONG SPEAKERS confirmed for FOCUS Wales next year are Kaptin Barrett from Boomtown Fair (cap, 60,000), Emma Zillman from multi-festival organiser From the Fields and Stuart Readman from London’s Roundhouse (3,100).

The conference and festival, which takes place across venues in Wrexham on 7-9 May, will be celebrating its 10th anniversary and expects to attract around 5,000 people.

Focus Wales

The festival element will showcase emerging and unsigned Welsh artistes such as Art School Girlfriend, Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard and Cara Hammond.

“Having experienced the industry from the perspective of the band and now the promoter, co founder Andy Jones and I wanted to create an opportunity for Welsh artistes that we never had,” says co founder Neal Thompson.

“We wanted to create a Great Escape for Wales and we felt there was enough talent locally to warrant that. The next level we’re able to offer now is exporting these acts and showcasing them on our stages at other events including South by Southwest in Texas and Pop Montreal in Canada.”

Early bird festival passes start from £35.

Dedicated to the business people who drive the unsigned and emerging artiste sector, ensuring a future for the UK music industry

Stage Break

The Shed

The Shed 5 Yeoman Street, Leicester, LE1 1UT Bookings: Tom Carnell T: 0116 262 5782 E: tom@getintheshed.co.uk W: www.getintheshed.co.uk Capacity: 200 Main Room / 80 The Vault PA/lights: Yes Dressing rooms: One Booking policy: “We’re open Monday to Saturday with a range of different events every day including live music, but also expanding to live magic and illusion, Esports, comedy and more.

If it’s good, we’ll book it.”

Best unsigned/emerging acts currently playing the venue: The Slow Readers Club, Press To MECO, Chapter and Verse, As December Falls.

The best advice you can give the manager of unsigned/ emerging artistes: Get your EPK’s online and send a dropbox/ google drive link with all the assets a venue could ever need like generic tour/artiste images in different social sizes (cover image, thumbnail, Instagram, stories etc) so we can pull together everything we need for promo easily and efficiently.

Better known acts who’ve played the venue: Kasabian (first ever show!) and Ellie

VOTED THE MOST WELCOMING THEATRE IN THE EAST MIDLANDS THREE TIMES! BUXTONOPERAHOUSE.ORG.UK For programming enquiries contact Sarah Kell: skell@boh.org.uk Most Welcoming Advert 2019.indd 1

November 2019 • Issue 238 • www.liveuk.com

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34 I tour plans a guide to artistes, tours & agents Artistes

Period

Contact details

5K HD Apr-May Ryan Balch, The Leighton-Pope Organisation

T 020 8741 4453

ryan@l-po.com A1 Apr David Samuel, AMS Talent

T 020 3005 9170 david@asmtalent.co.uk Amy Speace Apr

Nigel Morton, Money Penny Agency T 01377 240162 nigel.morton@moneypennymusic.com

Amy Apr Matthew Bartlett , Midnight Mango Montgomery T 01458 211117 mb@midnightmango.co.uk Anathema Apr-Jun Andy Farrow, NMC Live

T 01274 306361 andy@northernmusic.co.uk Atari Apr Jeff Aug, Maximum Booking Teenage Riot T +49 177 642 4221

info@MaximumBooking.com Bernie Apr-Aug Alec Leslie, ALE Consolidated Marsden T 01829 730488 alecconsol@aol.com Bennett Mar Phil Simpson Wilson Poole Strada Music

T 01482 014971 phil.simpson@stradamusic.com Catherine Apr Matt McCluskey, The Kurkland Agency Russell T 01482 014971 phil.simpson@stradamusic.com Cliff Bennett Apr-Jun Mark Lundquist, MLM Concerts & The Rebel Rousers T +1 161 7254 0007 matt@thekurklandagency.com Craig David Apr Gary Howard, United Talent Agency

T 020 7278 3331 gary.howard@unitedtalent.com Chesney Apr Hawkes

Ryan Balch, The Leighton-Pope Organisation T 020 8741 4453 ryan@l-po.com

Dub Pistols Apr Rob Berends

Paperclip Agency

T +31 24 323 9322 rob@paperclip.agency

Bennett Wilson Poole

Artistes

Period

Contact details

Dreadzone Apr Zac Peters, DMF Music

T 01392 437 744 zac@dmfmusic.co.uk Frank Apr Jeff Aug, Maximum Booking Gambale & All T +49 177 642 4221 Star Band info@MaximumBooking.com Fofoulah Apr-May David Flower, Sasa Music

T 07798 743466 rab@sasa.demon.co.uk Graham Apr Gouldman’s Heart Full of Song

Steve Parker, Miracle Artists T 020 7935 0222 steve@miracle-artists.com

Gong Apr-Nov Glenn Povey, Event Horizon Live

T 07841 594677 glenn.eventhorizon@gmail.com Hannah Apr-May Chris Wade, Strada Music Sanders & T 01377 217662 Ben Savage info@stradamusic.com Holy Moly & Apr-Oct Polly Bolton, Strada Music The Crackers T 01482 014971

polly.bolton@stradamusic.com

Artistes

Period

John Bramwell May & The Full Harmonic Convergence

Contact details

Nigel Morton, Money Penny Agency T 01377 240162 nigel.morton@moneypennymusic.com

Jungle Jun-Aug Albert Samuel, ASM Talent Brothers T 020 3005 9170 albert@missioncontrol.net Juan De’ Jun Marcos Afro Cuban All Stars

David Flower Sasa Music T 07798 743466 rab@sasa.demon.co.uk

Kathryn Apr-May Nigel Morton, Money Penny Agency Williams T 01377 240162

nigel.morton@moneypennymusic.com Kenny Jones Mar Mark Lundquist and The MLM Concerts Jones Gang T 07971401510 Mark@marklundquist.com Lee ’Scratch’ Apr Serena Parsons Perry Primary Talent International

T 020 7400 4500 serena@primarytalent.com

Subscribers to LIVE UK can submit their artistes for free listing in Tour Plans, subject to available space and at the discretion of the publisher. Send your info to: toni@liveuk.com

Where are you touring..?

We’ve been there.

Aircraft charter for over 200 music tours. Our experience counts.

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pUTTING You IN CONTROL

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THE ENGINE SHED – 1600 - 1800 CAPACITY// 825 (SEATED) ENGINE SHED HALF HALL – 700 CAPACITY // 300 (SEATED) THE PLATFORM – 320 CAPACITY // 169 (SEATED)

PREVIOUS SHOWS INCLUDE: CHASE & STATUS, FLORENCE & THE MACHINE, JOHNNY MARR, RUDIMENTAL, BLOSSOMS, JACK GARRATT, KINGS OF LEON

Situated in the heart of Lincoln, on a university campus, The Engine Shed is one of the most celebrated entertainment's venues in the East Midlands.

Following the refurbishment of a disused railway container storage facility, the venue boasts an 1800 capacity in a warehouse-style space making it perfect for all types of events - live music, comedy, club nights & more!

With a L'Acoustics Kara PA & in-house lighting system, as well as marketing support with access to 15,000+ students and favourable venue hire rates, The Engine Shed is suited to all your needs.

CONTACT

MREDPATH@LINCOLN.AC.UK ENGINESHED.CO.UK

a guide to artistes, tours & agents tour plans I 37 Artistes

Period

Contact details

Lisa Ekdhal Apr Pauk Charles, Asgard T 020 7387 5090

pc@asgard-uk.com Lisa Apr-Jun Neil Wornock, United Talent Agy Stansfield T 020 7278 3331

neil.warnock@unitedtalent.com Musical Apr-Jun Serena Catapano, Youth SAS Entertainment

T 07871 075 072 serena@sas-ents.com Nazareth Apr Alan Cottam, Alan Cottam Agency

T 01254 668471 alam@alancottamagency.co.uk NOËP Apr Clotaire Buche, Junzi Arts

T +33 615173539 clotaire@junzi-arts.com Post Malone Apr Sean Goulding, United Talent

Agency | T 020 7278 3331

Sean.Goulding@unitedtalent.com Potato Head June Tim Jennings, Big Bear Music Jazz Band T 0121 454 7020 tim@bigbearmusic.com SAZ’ISO Apr-Jun David Flower, Sasa Music

T 07798 743466 rab@sasa.demon.co.uk Seth May-Sep Dave Farrow, DMF Music Lakeman T 01392 437 744 david@dmfmusic.co.uk

Seth Lakeman

Sophie Evans Apr-Jun Heulwen Keyte,

United Talent Agency

T 020 7278 3331 Heulwen.Keyte@unitedtalent.com

The Jun-Nov Andy Farrow, NMC Live Wildhearts T 01274 306361

andy@northernmusic.co.uk

Artistes

Period

Artistes

Contact details

Sons of Apollo Apr-Jun Andy Farrow, NMC Live

T 01274 306361 andy@northernmusic.co.uk

They Might Aug Zac Peters, DMF Music Be Giants T 01392 437 744 zac@dmfmusic.co.uk

10cc Jun-Jul Steve Parker, Miracle Artists

T 020 7935 9222

steve@miracle-artists.com

Toploader Apr-Jun Mark Lundquist, MLM Concerts

T 07971401510 Mark@marklundquist.com

The Jun- Aug Alex Bruford, ATC Live Lumineers T 020 7580 7773 alex@atc-live.com

Tokio Hotel Jun Georg Leitner,Georg Leitner

Productions | T + 431 914 86 15 gleitner@glp.at

The Trials Mar-Apr Chris Wade, Strada Music of Cato T 01377217662

info@stradamusic.com

T-Rextasy Apr-Jun Mark Lundquist, MLM Concerts

T 07971401510 Mark@marklundquist.com

Period

Contact details

Wolfgang May-Jun Zac Peters Flür Dark Independent Bookings

T +32 468 27 06 12

pieter@darkindependentbookings.com Willie & Apr-May Jeff Aug

The Bandits Maximum Booking

T +49 177 642 4221

info@MaximumBooking.com Xander & Apr-Aug Alec Leslie, ALE Consolidated Peace Pirates T 01829 730488 alecconsol@aol.com Zamilska Apr Ania Marzec

Central Euro Organisation

T +48 22 894 60 35 ania@centraleuro.org

The details shown above have been compiled from information provided to LIVE UK and whilst we make every reasonable effort to ensure accuracy, we cannot be held responsible if data is incorrect.

“We love it when a plan comes together!”

CaLL now For a Quote

For more inFormation: CaLL 0141 954 4641 / 07737 929381 or go to www.bandrunner.Com November 2019 • Issue 238 • www.liveuk.com

38 I BACKSTAGE STARS BACKSTAGE

STARS

Profile

Dan Harris As general manager at ASM Global, Dan Harris is responsible for Hull’s Bonus Arena (cap. 3,500), and The Baths Hall (1,800) and The Plowright Theatre (354) in Scunthorpe. With a new multi-functional hybrid design, the Bonus Arena has hosted concerts with The Courteeners, Stereophonics and Catfish & The Bottlemen since opening in August 2018.

What are your first live music memories?

“I grew up in Plymouth and in the mid-tolate ‘80s there was a relatively healthy local music scene, with several pubs promoting live music seven nights a week.

“My brother and his mates put a band together and I helped lug boxes around and pretended I knew what I was doing behind a mixing desk. I saw a lot of bands around that time – some good and some less so. But there was nothing better at that time than standing in a hot, smoke-filled pub listening and dancing to tunes being belted out.

“Later, in ‘93, I went to Glastonbury Festival for the first time and I was totally and completely blown away by the whole experience – the bands, the theatre, the size of the site – everything.

“It was at that festival that I knew for sure I wanted to work in the live music industry.”

How did you get into the music industry?

“Within my first week at Buckinghamshire College in 1991, I joined the ents crew and ended-up running the nights. I did everything; advancing the shows, sorting out the riders, booking production, promoting the shows, doing the box office and DJ-ing.

“After I graduated I worked as ents manager for the Students Union for a couple of years organising everything from gigs to comedy nights, club nights, awards dinners and an annual black tie ball.

“I continued in the Students’ Union sector and worked at Brunel University between 1998 and 2000, organising and delivering their events programme, which included HedKandi nights and a regular drum ‘n’ and November 2019 • Issue 238 • www.liveuk.com

LIVE UK intervie ws key people who help shape our industry

bass night featuring LTJ Bukem.

“After Brunel I worked for an internet company in London in their broadcast section and we filmed and broadcast events such as the Q Awards, MTV Awards and archived hours and hours of footage for MTV’s new on-demand service.

“It was really exciting work, but the internet bubble burst, the money dried-up and we were all made redundant.

“I hit the freelance world and worked on various events and music tours (2001 – 2003) before taking a job as events manager with the National Trust in the South East of England. After that I went to work as general manager at The Hexagon [1,970] in Reading between 2005 and 2011.”

City of Culture 2017 and I am really proud to be leading the work there, with a great team of people.”

What were your high and low points?

How do you unwind?

“While working for the National Trust I promoted a series of open-air gigs including the only open-air show that year by Ian Brown [July 2004] at Claremont Garden in Esher.

The gig was extraordinary – 5,000 rampant Brown/Roses fans in a sleepy Surrey village.

Noel Gallagher turned up to play a couple of numbers with Ian. “I remember during the sound check sitting on the hill in front of the stage, radio off, with the rest of the crew enjoying our own private gig. A clear memorable moment.

“Opening the Bonus Arena has been a high point. It is tough opening a new venue in a traditionally challenging region against the Brexit backdrop, but the programme has really taken-off and there is huge momentum right now with lots of support from all the major promoters and the city stakeholders.

“The Arena is one of the legacy projects of

Where do you see the industry going?

“I’m intrigued how the technology for the frontof-house customer experience will develop.

There has been a multitude of ideas over the last few years, some of which work reasonably well and others that have been poorly thought through and are actually pointless.

“Nothing will ever replace the live experience, so talk of virtual reality, remote access and such like really irritates me. Live is live and you can only ever get the full live experience by being in the room at that moment.

Nothing replicates it or replaces it.”

“My wife Sacha is the best and has been supportive of my work from day one, putting up with all the weird nuances that come with the live music and entertainment industry.

And I have two brilliant children, Maia [14] and a son, Zayd [11].

“My son plays football and I manage his team, so my Sunday mornings are spent on a wet, muddy touchline encouraging the next crop of football superstars. Quite a challenge after a late-night Saturday show, but a great way to switch-off from work.

“I spend as much time in the garden as I can – nothing too adventurous just looking after it. I listen to as much music as possible. old and new, and I keep discovering some really interesting and fun podcasts too.

“Netflix and I have become good friends and I love watching a good movie or box set when I can.”

WE’RE SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE WON

Live Music Promoter of the Year A MASSIVE THANKS TO THE ARTISTS, MANAGERS, AGENTS AND VENUES WE WORK WITH, AND TO OUR AMAZING TEAM OF PEOPLE. WE’RE PROUD OF WHERE WE HAVE GOT TO, AND HOW WE’VE GOT HERE! WE’RE ALSO DELIGHTED THAT OUR FLAGSHIP VENUE ROCK CITY, THE VENUE WHERE IT ALL BEGAN, TOOK HOME THE AWARD FOR

Best Venue Teamwork (Club)

WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF OUR CLIENTS AND EVERYONE WHO VOTED FOR US AS WINNERS OF

BEST VENUE TEAMWORK IN THE ARENA CATEGORY AT THE LIVE UK MUSIC AWARDS 2019