LIVEUK 236

ISSUE 236 SEPTEMBER 2019 UK £6.25

Read all about it

Emeli Sandé back on the road

MJR Group acquired by TEG VMS Live appoints new CEO Global divests final festival Committed to the unsigned and emerging live sector see pages 26-27

Dedicated to the Business of Contemporary Live Music

CONTENTS I 3

Contents

ISSUE 236

4-11 News

The business of live music

8 Forthcoming Events

Key industry gatherings

14-19 City Limits Dundee

A look at the people and venues behind live music in the city 20-25 Sector Focus Stage and tour lighting

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

26-27 NXT News

Business activity in the unsigned and emerging artiste sector

26-27 NXT Profiles

Insight from the venue operators, artiste managers and A&R executives

28-33 Production News

14

Developments in technology and show production

34-37 Tour Plans

Artistes, their agents and tour period

38 Backstage Stars

Interviews with the key people who shape the industry

20

Publisher & Managing Editor: Stephen Parker

Research & Pictures: Calum Campbell Watson

News Editorial: Lisa Henderson T: 020 7486 7007 E: lisa@liveuk.com

Administrative Manager: Grace Ramsay

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

Accounts Manager: Murali Sri Balaskanda Advertising: Gareth Ospina, Tom Brint

Sales Director: Gareth Ospina

T: 020 7486 7007 E: gareth@liveuk.com E: tomb@liveuk.com

Advertising Executives: Tom Brint

Design: Charles McQuaid

28

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33

ISSUE 236: September 2019 Published monthly by:

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.

Septmeber 2019 • Issue 236 • www.liveuk.com

4 I NEWS

MJR Group acquired

by Australian company PROMOTER AND venue operator The MJR Group has been bought

by Australian promoter and leading ticketing company TEG, in a deal that will see MJR rebranded as TEG UK. Bristol-headquartered MJR, which says it works on more than 2,000 shows per year across its portfolio – including events in Australia – will be incorporated into TEG’s global operation, and be the vehicle for TEG to introduce its ticketing solutions to the UK. The three MJR partners, group CEO Richard Buck, head of UK venues and club brand Propaganda Dan Ickowitz-Seidler and head of Australia & New Zealand Scott Mesiti, will remain within the business.

MJR owns and operates the Tramshed (cap. 1,000) in Cardiff and The Mill (750) in Birmingham, has stakes in six others including The Warehouse (500) in Leeds and recently acquired theatrical

production company Imagine This.

“The MJR Group is a great fit for us,” says TEG CEO Geoff Jones. “It has strong management talent and a clever live entertainment model to which TEG can add ticketing, analytics and digital capability.”

Buck says, “We’ve worked hard to scale the business over the last five years and this next step in our evolution will further strengthen our position in the market.”

Jones says the acquisition of MJR provides TEG, which is headquartered in Sydney and owns ticketing market leader Ticketek, with a strong presence in the UK and European markets, and reflects the company’s commitment to international expansion.

Earlier this year two MJR operated venues closed, The Assembly (1,000) in Leamington Spa and Sheffield’s Plug (1,200), with the latter set to reopen this autumn (see LIVE UK issue 234).

TEG MJR - Dan Ickowitz-Seidler, Geoff Jones and Richard Buck

Watchdog clears AEG-SMG merger THE COMPETITION and Markets Authority (CMA) has cleared the proposed merger between venue management giants AEG Facilities and SMG. Following the completion of the transaction, the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) subsidiary and SMG will each own 50 per cent of the combined entity, which will be named ASM Global (ASM).

Wes Westley “We are pleased that the proposed merger … has received unconditional clearance from the UK Competition and Markets Authority,” says AEG in a statement.

“The parties anticipate closing the transaction in early October.”

ASM will bring together AEG Facilities’ managed venues such as The SSE Arena - Wembley (cap. 12,750) in London and SMG Bob Newman venues including First Direct Arena (13,780) in Leeds, Manchester Arena (21,000) and Newcastle’s Utilita Arena (11,000).

The O2 (21,000) in London remains

owned by AEG. Together ASM will operate more than 310 venues across five continents.

“This merger is a major step for our industry,” says SMG president and CEO Wes Westley, based in Philadelphia.

“We plan to accelerate innovation by combining our expertise to deliver increased value and offer enhanced capabilities to municipalities and venue owners worldwide.”

Following the completion of the merger, Westley will join the ASM board, while AEG Facilities president Bob Newman will become president and CEO. “It is an honor and privilege to be a part of this exciting new company, which brings together the two organisations where I have worked for the bulk of my professional career,” says Newman.

ASM will be headquartered in Los Angeles.

The transaction is expected to be completed later this year.

Cash problem forces cancellation of Wheels and Fins festival MUSIC AND water sports festival Wheels and Fins (cap. 5,000) has been cancelled at the last-minute due to what the organisers describe as “financial constraints”.

The event was due to take place in Joss Bay in Kent between 7–8 September, featuring artistes including Friendly Fires, Slaves and Mystery Jets.

“It is with absolute heart-breaking agony that due to financial constraints on our small independent festival, we have been forced into the devastating decision that Wheels & Fins festival 2019 has been cancelled,” says a

statement on the festival’s website. a process … we hope to have a fuller tickets were priced at £67.20, available “To the artistes, traders and sup- picture within a week,” Dave tells LIVE from Ticketmaster. pliers who we have worked tirelessly UK. The seaside festival was founded in with all year, we apologise for the huge A day ticket cost £36 and weekend 2012, originally a free event. inconvenience this causes. To our loyal ticket holders we are truly devastated to disappoint you and thank you for your continued support.”

The organisers, brothers Dave and Dan Melmoth, say they’re working with ticketing partners and solicitors on the next steps, but had not issued a statement regarding refunds as LIVE UK went to print.

“We are currently working through Wheels and Fins

Septmeber 2019 • Issue 236 • www.liveuk.com

NEWS I 5

VMS Live directors exit, new CEO appointed A MAJOR shake-up among as acquiring Hull Box Office, which executives at venue management sells over 80,000 tickets a year.

“VMS Live is in a great space in company VMS Live has seen two directors leave, a new CEO this dynamic sector and I am very appointed and the wife of the much looking to working with the company’s late founder Steve new team to build on the incredible foundations Steve Forster appointed to the Forster, Richard Maides board in a non-executive and Carl Bathgate have role. put in place,” says Van Richard Maides and Carl Horck.

Bathgate have stepped “We’d also like to give down as directors, special thanks to Richalthough remain shareard and Carl who led holders, while Bert Van the company over this Horck, a veteran of the difficult recent period. events industry, has been Bert Van Horck Both have now resigned appointed CEO. Forster died two weeks after a following a transfer of their duties.”

Former operations director serious car crash in April (see LIVE UK Maides tell LIVE UK, “Following issue 232).

Under Forster’s management, negotiations with Steve Forster’s VMS Live won contracts to man- estate, myself and Carl [who was age and/or exclusively promote commercial director] were unfortuvenues such as Liverpool’s Eventim nately unable to come to an accord Olympia (2,000) and the University in relation to the future direction of of East Anglia’s LCR (1,550), as well the company.

Extraordinary being AFTER A three-year hiatus, singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé has returned to the spotlight with her third studio album, Real Life, released this month.

Sandé’s earlier career highlights included receiving an Ivor Novello-award for her Top 10 hit Next to Me, along with

COVER ARTISTE

performing Abide with Me at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, and Read All About It during the closing ceremony.

Now, armed with a new Top 10 album, Sandé returns to the stage this autumn with shows at venues such as Edinburgh’s Usher Hall (cap. 2,200), , Manchester’s O2 Apollo (3,500), the Bonus Arena (3,500) in Hull, Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall (1,700) and London’s Eventim Apollo (5,000).

“This is Emeli’s most extensive tour of the UK to date,” says her worldwide agent Tony Goldring at WME in Los Angeles. “There’s great anticipation as she hasn’t toured the UK for three years and she’s performing in some markets for the first time.”

Sandé is managed by UK-based Michael Richardson .

“Carl and I collectively worked as including promoting and producdirectors and owners of VMS Live for ing live entertainment and starting over 13 years and are proud of what up venues, and I am looking forall of our team achieved together ward to working with him to take during that time. We remain share- the company forward.”

Van Horck’s previous roles includholders in the business and wish it ing being CEO of Nethcontinued success.” erlands-based event The pair say they crowd management intend to continue workspecialist ICMS, which ing together and an trades as Showsec in announcement regardthe UK, and MD of de ing future projects will be Boer Structures UK. He made soon. has also worked within Forster’s widow Kate the organising comsays, “I am focusing on mittees of multi-sport the opportunity to preRichard Maides events, such as heading serve and continue to the safety and security grow the legacy of my late husband. Bert has a unique department during the Glasgow track record in the event industry, 2014 Commonwealth Games.

City Limits - Dundee See pages 14-19

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September 2019 • Issue 236 • www.liveuk.com

6 I NEWS

Rewind back with founder and consortium takes over

Rewind Scotland © Steve Turvey

ONCE BRIEFLY the country’s second-largest festival operator, radio station giant Global has divested its final event, Rewind.

The ‘80s-themed brand comprises three events, the original Rewind (cap. 40,000) in Henley-onThames, Rewind Scotland (30,000) in Perthshire and Rewind North (20,000) in Cheshire, although the latter was cancelled this year due to extreme weather.

Global, whose stations include Capital, LBC and Classic FM, acquired Rewind in October 2016 from David Heartfield’s Impresario Festivals for an undisclosed sum, with Heartfield now one of the three parties involved in taking it over.

The other two are Live NationGaiety, the Live Nation Entertainment (LNE) joint venue with Irish live music entrepreneur and LNE non-executive chairman Denis Dsmond and wife Caroline, and SJM Concerts.

Heartfield tells LIVE UK that he was approached by Live Nation to oversee the running of the Rewind and the booking of acts, but it is too early to reveal the division of ownership between

the three entities.

“Rewind will be back under the old management,” he says. “Some of the people who have been working on it for the past two years will stay and a lot of the original people who were involved in it will come back. We will be returning Rewind to what it was.”

The brand was launched in 2009 as the ‘80s Rewind Festival and has continues to feature artistes who largely enjoyed their heyday in that period.

Heartfield says all three festivals will take place next year under the new ownership.

“We need to look at venue contracts and agree deals, hopefully that will be done quickly,” he says.

“We are working on the line-up at the moment and coming up with some great acts for next year.”

Global spent tens of millions of pounds building a festival portfolio that totalled more than a dozen events. It began divesting them this year (see LIVE UK issue 232) and has now fully exited the live music sector. It closed its touring division in 2017 after executives Sam Bush and Joe Schiavon moved to LNE.

AEG and Eden join forces for Sessions AEG PRESENTS has formed a joint venture with educational charity the Eden Project to enhance its annual Eden Sessions concert series.

A new company will manage and book the shows, with John Empson, who founded the Eden Sessions in 2002 and has programmed every concert since, continuing to lead the booking.

Eden Project strategic head of marketing Rita Broe, who has run the Eden Sessions for the last eight years, will head the new company alongside fellow directors Eden Project CEO

Gordon Seabright and David Harland, CEO of Eden Project International.

Located near St Austell in Cornwall, Eden Project hosts six annual 6,000-capacity Eden Sessions adjacent to its iconic rainforest and mediterranean biomes.

“This partnership is a big moment for us and we’re sure it will deliver great things,” says AEG Presents co-CEO Steve Homer.

Among acts to have played at the former china clay quarry include Oasis, Elton John, Kylie Minogue, Bjork and Sigur Ros.

Eden Sessions © Ben Foster

Solar panels announced for the LIVE UK Summit ENERGISED BY the move to a new venue – London’s Hard Rock Hotel and its Cumberland Place conference facilities at Marble Arch – the annual LIVE UK Summit has announced its full conference programme.

Under the banner New Venue, New Date, New Focus, the event is set to take place on Wednesday 30 October.

Conference sessions range from Everyday People, covering

diversity and gender balance issues, Down To Earth (sustainability) and Guardians of the Galaxy (international booking agents) to the Managing Talent-sponsored Maximising Returns (tour revenue) and The World Is Enough (taking artistes overseas), and Taking Care of Business (concert promoting).

The highpoint of the event will be The Live Interview, which features the world’s top female international agent Emma Banks

September 2019 • Issue 236 • www.liveuk.com

of CAA, whose roster includes Katy Perry, Green Day, Red Hot Chili Peppers Arcade Fire and Florence + The Machine.

More than 300 delegates are expected to attend from across the industry - including grassroots to national event promoters, festival organisers, operators of venues from clubs to stadiums, artiste managers, booking agents, service providers, industry organisations and politicians.

Early-bird registration costs £115 + VAT until 4 October, after which full rate is £140 + VAT. For more information, www.liveuksummit.com. If you are a member of an industry organisation, check whether it has negotiated a discount registration rate.

The event is followed in the evening at the same venue by the Live Music Business Awards. For more information, see www.livemusicawards.co.uk.

NEWS I 7

Mission from Mars as Dovey joins SMG Fatboy Slim supports indie TROF AND Mission Mars venue pro- of live entertainment.” venues with return to roots Dovey will work alongside event grammer Ade Dovey has joined arenas and concert hall owner/manager SMG development and bookings manager Sarah Hodson, liaising with promotEurope.

In his new position as an event book- ers and event organisations as well as ing manager with the SMG team, Dovey developing new clients.

“We’re delighted to have someone will work with venues such as the First Direct Arena (cap. 13,781) in Leeds, of Ade’s calibre and track record of success on board, and we look Manchester Arena (21,000) forward to working with him and Newcastle’s Utilita Arena and the team to deliver a (11,000), as well as assorted wave of rich, new and excittheatres and concert halls. ing product for our events Previously he was head of calendar,” says SMG executive programming at Mission Mars vice-president of European and produced more than 700 operations John Sharkey. events a year for Manchester SMG’s merger with AEG venues including the Albert Facilities, the venue manageHall (2,500), Gorilla (600) and Ade Dovey ment subsidiary of Anschutz The Deaf Institute (260).

“The vision of SMG Europe is cre- Entertainment Group, owner of arenas atively progressive and the business is such as The O2 (21,000) in London, has constantly expanding,” Dovey tells LIVE been cleared by the Competition and Marketing Authority (see news story on UK. “Coming from my independent page 4).

The deal, which is expected to be background and grassroots venues into the world of arenas, theatre’s and completed later this year, will result in large-scale capacities, I am looking the creation of ASM Global, with more forward to bringing my experience, than 310 venues and/or management passion and knowledge into this area worldwide.

FATBOY SLIM (aka Norman Cook) has lent his support to Independent Venue Week (IVW) by playing an intimate show at the 200-capacity New Adelphi club in Hull on 18 October.

Cook first played the venue 35 years ago as a member of The H o u s e m a r t i n s, when the band made their live 3 November 1984 debut.

The New Adel- Sybil Bell

phi show marks the 35th anniversary of the club’s launch as a live music venue.

“I first met Norman in what must have been 1984, when he was delegated to give me £5 to hold a Housemartins rehearsal at The Adelphi,” says owner and programmer Paul Jackson. Since opening, he says the club has

presented more than 30,000 performances and a combined attendance of around one million people.

IVW founder Sybil Bell comments, “What a way for one total legend to honour another.”

She goes on to say that IVW would love to see more artistes who are well established going back to venues that supported them on their way up. While there is some during IVW, Bell says that more would always be very welcome.

IVW’s next seven-day celebration of small music venues and the people that operate them will run from 27 January to 2 February. IVW is also a supporter of the LIVE UK Summit on 30 October, with a discount registration offered to IVW participants.

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September 2019 • Issue 236 • www.liveuk.com

8 I NEWS

FORTHCOMING EVENTS SEPT 27-OCT 05 Sensoria Sheffield www.sensoria.org.uk

OCT 08 Event and Safety Security Summit London www.e3s.world

OCT 30 LiveUK Summit London www.liveuksummit.com

OCT 30 Live Music Business Awards London www.livemusicawards.co.uk

NOV 8-10 AFO Conference Stratford Upon Avon www.festivalorganisers.org

NOV 14-15 Off The Record Manchester www.otrmcr.co.uk

NOV 19-21 Reproduced Sound Bristol www.reproducedsound.co.uk

Headingley gets live show permit THE OWNERS of Emerald Headingley Stadium in Leeds have been granted a license to host two concerts per year with an audience capacity of up to 9,999.

Leeds City Council’s licensing sub-committee has granted permission to Leeds Cricket, Football & Athletic Company, the owners of the 17,500-capacity venue, to host live music shows on its pitch.

The new license will see the venue, which is home to Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCCC), Leeds Rhinos rugby league club and Yorkshire Carnegie rugby union club, become one of the city’s biggest music venues, behind the First Direct Arena (cap,

13,781).

A YCCC spokesperson says it would work with residents to minimise disruption during concerts by keeping a close eye on noise levels, switching off floodlights at 11pm and setting-up a telephone line for complaints during events.

The application was for live music and supply of alcohol on Fridays and Saturdays from noon until 11pm and on Sundays from 11am until 6pm, on four occasions per year.

The first event under the new license will be Proms on the Pitch on 21 September, featuring a 52-piece orchestra, to celebrate the completion of a £45 million overhaul of the stadium.

MVT and PRS Foundation to support new female promoters

GRASSROOTS VENUES campaigner Music Venues MVT strategic director Beverley Whitrick. “Strong, Trust (MVT) has partnered with the PRS Foundation diverse teams need young talent and FB:GP is a way to nurture that.” to launch an another initiative aimed MVT launched FB:GP in April at encouraging women and “gender last year in partnership with social minorities” to become promoters. website Music Planet Live (MPL). The A follow-up to MVT’s aim was to stage 100 shows promoted Fightback:Grassroots Promoter by women across the country, with (FB:GP) project, launched in 2018 (see MPL pledging to invest £100,000 to LIVE UK issue 219), the new initiative underwrite potential losses. will provide training and mentoring Whitrick tells LIVE UK that 55 for participants to start staging shows applicants were paired with mentors from spring. and 22 went on to promote a show.

MVT says the project will Of those, 75 per cent made a loss underwrite shows that make a loss, and the remainder made a profit or removing any financial anxiety for the Beverley Whitrick broke-even, she says. aspiring promoters.

“There wasn’t a lack of enthusiasm, The initiative is open to women and gender minorities aged 18 to 25, who are it was purely because an awful lot of the young interested in promoting but not yet taken a first women are students and they realised that they step, or who have made s start and feel they need wouldn’t have the time to deliver shows,” says Whitrick. more guidance.

She says the emphasis in the new initiative will “The grassroots music venues network is full of amazing people but fresh blood is always needed be on increased training to reduce the need for to ensure the sustainability of these venues,” says losses having to be underwritten.

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September 2019 • Issue 236 • www.liveuk.com

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10 I NEWS

Tom Baker leaves Field Day TOM BAKER, co-founder of London festival Field Day (cap. 40,000) has announced his departure from the after 12 years with the event.

In 2017, the festival was acquired

by Global-backed Broadwick Live, the promoter behind events such as South West Four (20,000) and Standon Calling (17,000) Broadwick Live moved the twoday event from its long-term home of Victoria Park to Brockwell Park in 2018. The festival relocated again

this year to the company’s new the right time for me to now move venue Drumsheds in Tottenham. on to new things,” says Baker.

“After 12 years of liv“It’s a blank canvas, a ing and breathing Field challenge but time to do Day; something … that something exciting and seeded out of earlier creative in a very changed multi-genre events my landscape.” partner [Field Day coHe will continue as founder Marcus Weedon] a promoter under his and I did before – Return Eat Your Own Ears banOf The Rural at the 291 ner, which will promote Gallery and Homefires at King Gizzard & The Lizard Tom Baker Conway Hall – it feels like Wizard at Alexandra Palace

Stevenage FC to host concerts THE OWNERS of Stevenage Football Club (SFC) have revealed plans to host summer music events in its stadium.

The venue was used for a WBO World

Stevenage FC Stage

September 2019 • Issue 236 • www.liveuk.com

heavyweight title fight in May, which used half of the pitch and the stands, drawing an audience of 7,850.

With its new 1,400-seat stand and additional bar and hospitality facilities soon to be complete, management believes it can offer a capacity of approximately 10,000.

“After our boxing success this year, live music is the logical next step for our stadium, especially with a new top class north stand increasing capacity,” says SFC director Stuart Dinsey, a former owner of industry publication Music Week. We are perfectly positioned and the local area has a huge appetite for live music SFC chief executive Alex Tunbridge adds.

“We are perfectly located for easy access from London and Hertfordshire itself has a large catchment area and thriving music fanbase. We’d like to move quickly and are open to all suggestions for making something exciting happen.”

A feasibility study conducted by production expert Keith Wood, a site manager on the recent Bon Jovi tour, says the venue is suitable to stage concerts for between 10-12,000 people.

(10,400), Bill Callahan at Eventim Apollo (5,100) and Nick Murphy at O2 Academy Brixton (4,9200) this autumn.

“A few other things are bubbling and I do hope to bring back music and art event Concrete and Glass, and stage the amazing Four Tet and Squid Soup Light collaboration in somewhere in Europe next year,” says Baker.

This year’s Field Day in June featured Skepta, Jorja Smith and Diplo.

Dean James launches events and brand partnerships agency FORMER MEAN Fiddler Music Group (MFMG) CEO and co-CEO of MAMA Group Dean James has launched live events and venue management company BeSixth, with offices in the UK, Australia and the US. The operation, which encompasses student marketing agency Campus Group and production division BELive, was co-founded by Campus Group CEO Gavin Aldrich.

BeSixth will specialise in brand partnerships and activations, and live events. It also owns and operates East London venues Oval Space (cap, 1,000) and Pickle Factory (200).

Campus Group creative strategy director Tim Leslie has taken on the role of BeSixth MD, while former Columbia Records, Elektra Records and Warner Bros executive Jon Leshay will run the US office from Los Angles.

“BeSixth’s offering is designed to allow brands to access the best live experience and entertainment has to offer,” says James. “Matching artiste and brand profiles correctly allows for campaigns that really tap into youth culture, generating results you can’t get via other means.”

James was CEO of MFMG from 2000 to 2005 and co-CEO at MAMA from 2005 to 2014.

NEWS I 11

Greenwich gets new Magazine A NEW venue a stone’s throw from AEG-owned the O2 Arena (cap, 21,00) has opened, offering a 3,000-capacity indoor concert space and an exterior area, branded Showground, able to accommodate 7,000.

Warehouse-style venue Magazine London was constructed on the Greenwich Peninsula by property developer Knight Dragon, the company behind the transformation of the area.

The venue’s operator, Vibrations

Magazine London

Group, which manages London’s Printworks (3,000), says it has invested £1.2 million on in-house sound and lighting systems. Among the acts confirmed to play is Michael Bibi.

“Magazine London is set to become an integral part of the capital’s events landscape,” says Vibration Group strategy and creative director Simeon Aldred. “This is a huge milestone for the development of Greenwich Peninsula. To have created a brand-new cultural venue here is crucial in adding to the cultural diversity of the area.”

Situated on the banks of the River Thames, with views of Canary Wharf, the venue is less than 300 metres from North Greenwich Underground station.

Showcase fund boosts acts and economy THE PRS Foundation says its International Showcase Fund (ISF) has generated £5.3 million for the music industry and economy since 2016, according to an independent report by Nordicity.

The fund provides support for fledgling acts performing at key showcase events such as Eurosonic Noorderslag in the Netherlands, SXSW in Texas, Germany’s Reeperbahn Festival and Canadian Music Week.

The report found that more than £850,000 had been granted to 364 “export ready” artistes to showcase overseas between April 2016 and March 2019.

It says 91 per cent of supported artistes surveyed had positive outcomes such as recording, publishing, management and agency deals, and being booked for live performances.

The research also found that, on average, artistes who had benefitted from ISF support had seen their live audiences nearly triple and Facebook reach increase by 66 per cent, and 73 per cent on Twitter.

Forty per cent of supported artistes were from a black, Asian and minority ethnic background (BAME), with 43 per cent were women, trans or non-binary.

“A staggering 98 per cent of grantees said they would not have been able to showcase internationally without support from our expanded list of partners,” says PRS Foundation CEO Joe Frankland.

Organisations involved in the initiative include the Department for International Trade, Arts Council England, PPL, the Musicians’ Union and Creative Scotland.

FOR LIVE MUSIC

PRS for Music passionately supports the live music industry.

We are home to more than 140,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers whose music is performed live at tens of thousands of events across the UK and internationally every year.

Our aim is to make using music easy through our licensing process while ensuring music creators are fairly paid the royalties they are due.

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September 2019 • Issue 236 • www.liveuk.com Live UK ad 2019 PRS.indd 1

10/09/2019 09:49:57

NEW VENUE NEW D Listen talk learn exchange network connect The LIVE UK Summit is an action-packed, one-day event of networking, conference panels, presentations and discussions tackling key industry issues and new developments.

Conference sessions include: Guardians of the Galaxy (international booking agents)

The Dream Ticket (primary ticketing)

Taking Care of Business (concert promoting)

The Discovery Panel (unsigned and emerging)

Playing the Fields (festival sector)

Everyday People (diversity & gender balance issues)

Down to Earth (sustainability)

The Full Experience (venues)

The Social Network (digital interaction)

Tech Talk (new tech presentations)

Final panels added: A Managing Talent session

Maximising returns (tour revenue streams)

FanFair Alliance presents

Making resale safe (and excluding the touts)

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The world is enough (taking it global)

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Early-bird rate ÂŁ115 + VAT until 4 October

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DATE NEW FOCUS If you are in the business of live music you will need to be there Wednesday 30 October 2019 Hard Rock Hotel and Great Cumberland Place conference rooms Great Cumberland Place, Marble Arch, London W1H 7DL

First speakers announced:

The Live Interview Emma Banks Presented by David Stopps

John Giddings Solo Agency

Vicky Hungerfood Bloodstock Open Air

David Stopps Friars Management

Tim Chambers Tixserve

Todd ‘JD’ Malloy Key Club

Bee Adamic Liberty Music PR

Emma Banks has been called a lot of things over the years, such as Woman of the Year and Second Least Offensive Agent, but perhaps long-time business associate Chris York at SJM Concerts put it most succinctly a few years back. “Emma is simply the best at what she does”.

Banks has paved a remarkable career path, rising to the top of an industry dominated by males through a combination of determination, skill and a passion for music.

“Before I went to University I would never in a million years have thought I would have a career in the music business,” she once said, but being involved in promoting students union shows with New Order and The Pogues changed that.

She also once said, “I didn’t want to be an agent, I though they were appalling scumbags.”

Emma Banks artiste roster includes Green Day, Florence + The Machine, Katy Perry and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

14 I CITY LIMITS

Dundee

The birthplace of Scotland’s leading promoter DF Concerts, not to mention acts such as Average White Band, Deacon Blue and Snow Patrol, the city has faced a few challenges in recent years, but its promoters and venue operators knows how to fight back and keep its music scene buzzing, as Allan Glen reports

I

Susan Gillan

n one sense, the music scene in Dundee – Scotland’s third city – has been hit by the loss of a new festival and the closure of a venue that had been open for close to 20 years.

The festival was Carnival 56 (cap.

10,000) and the venue was The Reading Rooms (250).

In a Facebook statement in 2017, the organisers of Carnival 56 (see LIVE UK issue 214) stated that, following the inaugural event, they hoped to return in 2019, but that has failed to happen.

Acts who performed in 2017 included The Charlatans, Rudimental and The Fratellis. Attempts to contact the organisers as LIVE UK went to print were unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, closure of The Reading Rooms, known locally as The Small Town

September 2019 • Issue 236 • www.liveuk.com

Club, was announced in a tweet in June.

In a statement, the venue announced,

“Unless you’re heading to Aberdeen, it’s not on the way to anywhere Derrick Johnston

“Once again we would like to thank everyone for their continued support over the last 17 years. As you may or may not know, the last seven months have been arduous to say the least.”

Venue promoter Jim Grieve says the problems began when police started searching people at the door, following concerns over drug-taking and anti-so-

cial behaviour.

“We then went up to the board for licence review and police said the venue was operating under the good management of myself and the premises manager,” he says. “I thought the police activity would stop, but sadly not.

“The six months before had begun to take its toll on the venue and customer attendance was dropping off. I made the decision to close, because I never got into this 40 years ago to promote events whereby folk go out for a good time to see acts or DJs and are then met by police at the entrance.

“The Reading Rooms was a complete one-off and we’ll never see a venue like it again in Dundee. It was a moment in time.”

Acts who played the venue included

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

Caird Hall

Franz Ferdinand, The Damned, Lee Scratch Perry, The Mighty Diamonds and Azymuth.

Grieve says while he hopes to open a new venue at some point, in the meantime he will be keeping The Reading Rooms brand alive by putting on shows at The Kings (600), with Mungo’s Hi-Fi x Eva Lazarus, supported by Dunc4n and

Terraform this month.

Elsewhere things look more positive, with two of Dundee’s longest-established spaces, the legendary Caird Hall (2,300) and Fat Sam’s (1,050) among those reporting an uptake in business.

Fat Sam’s is where Stuart Clumpas, now an expat and head of Live Nation New Zealand, started his promotions business Dance Factory, later to morph into DF Concerts, before being sold to Irish live music entrepreneur Denis Desmond and then Live Nation Entertainment.

“Dundee is totally buzzing at the minute,” says Caird Hall manager Susan Gillan. “There are so many visitors for all reasons, including all the students at the universities. Everywhere there seems to be huge excitement.

“The music scene has always been vibrant and this continues from the grassroots to the major worldwide artistes appearing at various city venues.”

Among acts playing the Caird Hall are Royal Blood, Bombay Bicycle Club, The Libertines, Biffy Clyro (all DF Concerts promotions), Craig David (Liz Hobbs Group), Rumours of Fleetwood Mac (CMP Entertainment) and Ant Middleton (SJM Concerts).

“Tickets are selling really well for all genres, including the tribute acts,” says Gillan. “It’s not a specific type of show which sells best at the venue, it’s just what’s most topical.”

One of the reasons audience and artistes enjoy coming to the venue is how it looks, she adds.

“The Caird Hall is one of the most beautiful venues in the UK as confirmed

by BBC Music. It also allows the artiste to be up close and personal with their audience which is something they miss out on playing arenas.”

LIMITS I 15

Gardyne Theatre

Landmark success

“Things have been picking-up for a while, with recent shows in our main room by Lewis Capaldi, Foals, Two Door Cinema Club, Peat and Diesel, Sam Fender and Tide Lines,” says Fat Sam’s Gus Robb.

“Ticket sales are brisk, and people are happy to stay local.”

Robb credits the upturn to several factors, notably Fat Sam’s’ facilities.

“The 1,050 room is one of the best in the country for ease of production and atmosphere,” he adds. “Calvin Harris, Paolo Nutini, The Charlatans, Chvrches, Franz Ferdinand, KT Tunstall and The Streets have also all played the venue.”

Indeed, the venue’s track record of speaks for itself.

“We have hosted Biffy Clyro four

Angus Robb

We will help revolutionize your business.

September 2019 • Issue 236 • www.liveuk.com

16 I CITY LIMITS times, local favourites The View at least six times, with three shows from Idlewild and four for Embrace,” says Robb. “Bands do like the venue and keep coming back.”

Variety is key

Scott McRuvie

As for seated concert venues, the Gardyne Theatre (369), located on the Gardyne campus of Dundee and Angus College, and the Whitehall Theatre (710), cater for just about every genre of music.

At the Whitehall, venue and promotions manager Scott McRuvie says the theatre is in a constant state of transition.

“We have been renovating throughout the past five years with all public areas now having been improved, resulting in a recent four-star rating from Visit Scotland,” he says. “In recent years we have also renovated our bar, front of house area, auditorium, façade and our old bar area into what is now known as the Alhambra Room, a stunning VIP space, that celebrates the old theatres and cinemas of Dundee.”

According to McRuvie, live music in Dundee is thriving, helped by the recent opening of the V&A museum.

“The city has a fantastic night-time of-

Gardyne Theatre

fering that is now complemented by the V&A as well as other local attractions. As a result, Dundee can now offer tourists a full day’s entertainment. We have seen a positive effect on audience numbers since the V&A opened.”

“We host a wide range of music genres

that range from pop and rock bands to tribute acts that return year on year.

“Our pricing structure is very competitive for promoters and offers the opportunity to do great business.”

Acts playing the venue include Go West (Entertainers), Bay City Rollers (Ar-

One of the most beautiful gig venues in the UK BBC Music

Unique and Intimate, 800 - 2300 Standing and Seated options Enquiries Tel 01382 434451 cairdhall@leisureandculturedundee.com September 2019 • Issue 236 • www.liveuk.com

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

LIMITS I 17

away after a while.

“Popular genres include jazz, blues, country, musical theatre and soul.”

Acts playing the venue include Lloyd Cole (Regular Music), Be Bop A Lula (The GRT Group), Budapest Café Orchestra (self-promoted), The Fureys (Joe McCadden), Ali Bain and Phil Cunningham (Firefly Productions), Elio Pace with David Brown (Barry Collings) and The Roy Orbison Story (Barry Steel).

“The unique selling point here is that there are no restricted views in the auditorium,” she adds. “We have a great tech manager backstage and front-of-house manager. These two are the main link to promoters coming back to Gardyne.

“Nothing is any trouble and we try and accommodate to the best of our ability. We have seven dressing rooms and two rehearsal rooms. We also have our own recording studio.”

Conroy’s Basement

tistes International), Johnny Cash Roadshow (Clive John) and Queen Rhapsody (MCR Presents).

Offering a mixture of original artistes and tribute acts has also proved successful for the Gardyne Theatre.

“Ticket sales are quite good and we

do tend to take a lot of online bookings rather than face-to-face,” explains theatre co-ordinator Sharon Breen. “This year has been slightly different, the tribute bands have done quite well, but we need to be careful not to book these on a too regular basis, as that tends to slide

Basement culture

At pub level, one of the most active spaces is Conroy’s Basement (100), with the booking and operation controlled

by Make That A Take Records.

Over the past two years the venue has undergone structural as well as operational changes.

Fully Seated – Flexible capacity – 500 or 710 seats Dundee’s premier variety venueRock, Pop, Musicals, Concerts, Comedy, Dance, Talk Shows For bookings please contact Scott McRuvie, Venue Co-Ordinator

facebook.com/whitehall.theatre.dundee

Email manager@whitehalltheatre.com Tel – 01382 322684 www.whitehalltheatre.com September 2019 • Issue 236 • www.liveuk.com

18 I CITY LIMITS

The Whitehall Theatre

Derrick Johnstone

“We’ve had some upgrades to our PA System and our stage has been extended,” says MTAT’s Derrick Johnston. “It’s been an ongoing evolution but we’re just about where we want to be.”

Eschewing any notion of “markets” for live music, Johnston says he prefers to see the music scene in Dundee in different terms.

“I don’t think of it as a market at all,” he says. “The scene around the Basement feels more like a community than a marketplace. Dundee has always been a city that’s very supportive of live music, amongst those who go out and support it, rather than the authorities.

“The challenges are much the same as in any regional city, we’re on the east coast and unless you’re heading to Aberdeen, it’s not on the way to anywhere so you have to make a specific effort to

come here.”

This, he adds, has an impact on the number and frequency of international touring bands visiting the city.

“However, we’re very lucky to have established trust with the punk community and local scene. Dundee is getting way more hype now with the arrival of the V&A, but I’d be hesitant to say it has had a direct impact on the number of people coming to punk shows.

“That said, the scene is in excellent shape right now.”

Acts playing the venue include Hexis, Katie MF, Queequeg’s Coffin, Nervus (all MTAT), Waxwork Monologue (selfpromotion) and Billy Mitchell (Regular).

While reluctant to define what makes Conroy’s Basement different from the myriad pubs in central Scotland, Johnston says he hopes whatever

it is is for the right reasons.

“I’m not sure this is a question for me to answer, but I’d hope it’s because the Basement is essentially run by punks for punks,” he explains. “We’ve all been in bands a long time, from the grassroots up, and know what it’s like to tour and visit different scenes.

“We try to be as open, honest and communicative as possible. We’re pulling for all bands, we want everyone to be awesome, and we’ll do whatever we can to help facilitate that.

Music, he adds, isn’t always a competition. “As such, I have no idea how others would compare us to venues in Glasgow or Edinburgh,” he adds.

“We’re a 100-capacity basement built with blood, sweat and tears, like every venue run by folk who give a s***t.”

LONDON’S LARGEST INDEPENDENT LIVE MUSIC VENUE 10,000 STANDING CAPACITY & 150 YEARS OF ICONIC MUSIC HISTORY - FROM PINK FLOYD TO FLORENCE + THE MACHINE. alexandrapalace.com/venue-hire | 020 8365 4314 September 2019 • Issue 236 • www.liveuk.com

Since 1983 Fat Sam’s has been one of the most vibrant dynamic and recognizable live music venues in Scotland. We have hosted some amazing shows over the decades...Danny Wilson, Simply Red, Fairground Attraction, Deacon Blue , Gabrielle , Hue and Cry, Stiff Little Fingers, The View, Calvin Harris, Paulo Nutini , Imelda May, Biffy Clyro, Twin Atlantic, Franz Ferdinand, KT Tunstall. The Charlatans, The Courteeners, Gerry Cinnamon, Seasick Steve, Chvrches, Foals, Two Door Cinema Club, Lewis Capaldi, Sam Fender, and many more!

Three separate rooms with capacities of 300, 550 ,1100 make us one of the most versatile around.

Fat Sams and Fat Sams Live, 31 South Ward Road Dundee DD1 1PU Tel 01382 226836 | For Bookings contact : gus@fatsams.co.uk

20 I SECTOR FOCUS

Shining lights Ever since emerging artistes in the late-‘60s and early-‘70s built their own lights from Party Four beer cans with reflector bulbs, impressive lighting has been an essential factor for any self-respecting concert act. Fortunately, the UK is blessed with some of the best lighting hire suppliers in the world, as Claire Bicknell reports

W

ith spectacular advances in LED technology and application, concert and festival stage lighting is at a high point and shows no signs of slowing down.

Screens are being installed in a varieThe once impossible is now possible, and lighting designers (LDs) are utilising available technology to its full potential, creating bold, visionary, innovative and immersive light shows.

One of the leading companies in the sector, Production Resource Group (PRG) was founded in New York in 1982, and its UK arm started in 1998 with the acquisition of Birmingham-based Light and Sound Design. It now has offices in 17 countries on five continents and reaches into a further 23 countries through

September 2019 • Issue 236 • www.liveuk.com

alliances and partnerships.

PRG (UK) supplied lighting and rigging services for the 65,000-capacity Barclaycard Presents British Summer Time in London’s Hyde Park, where headliners this year included Celine Dion, Stevie Wonder, Barbra Streisand, Florence + The Machine and Robbie Williams, as well as for the Spice Girls’ UK tour. Other clients include Post Malone, Billie Eilish, the five-day Boomtown (66,000) festival and Creamfields (70,000).

PRG director of music Yvonne Donnelly Smith handled the lighting and rigging requirements for the Steel Yard arena at Creamfields.

“The design couldn’t fail to blow you away when used to its full potential by headline acts such as Eric Prydz and Carl Cox,” she says. “The centrepiece was undoubtedly the grids of truss over

the audience, housing over 900 LED Revolution BLADES. Split across six sections, over the centre and to each side of the audience, the trusses moved to create an all-encompassing effect the audience couldn’t escape from.

“The Revolution blades were pixel mapped and run through a Resolume media server, controlled by a grandMA2 lighting console at front of house.”

Donnelly Smith says that the affordability and availability of LED lighting fixtures has allowed LDs to expand the production.

“Allowing a lighting designer the ability to often now double the number of fixtures in an arena in turn creates a larger impact visually, and also creates a cohesive feeling between the video and lighting for the concert.”

PRG offers its clients access to one

SECTOR FOCUS I 21 have been particularly successful, the first waterproof outdoor 440w beam,” he says. “Waterproof fixtures are in high demand now and we’re seeing a lot of manufacturers with new offerings in this area.”

CSE also offers its own trucking – from van to artic – and a large selection of prerigged fixtures.

“We can offer great value whatever the size of the event,” says Cruickshank.

“Our focus is on relationships and our equipment. Our project managers are completely focused on achieving what the client wants within their budget.”

“The next generation of laser lighting should be more compact” Stephen Lakin

Flexible qualities

PRG - Creamfields

of the largest inventories of rental equipment globally, including lighting fixtures, with 24/7 global and next day support available across Europe and North America.

Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, north London-based Colour Sound Experiment (CSE) has worked with Underworld for 26 years and counts Groove Armada, Skunk Anansie, Above & Beyond, and Jess Glynne amongst its clients, as well as festivals such as Leeds’ Mint Festival (10,000).

An early industry adopter of LED video for concert lighting, it now owns over 800sqm of LED screen in different pitches and over 1,000 moving head lights.

The company has recently taken on its fourth warehouse space and increased its staff to 31.

“Live music clients want intensity and reliability, as well as innovation,” says MD and founder Haydn Cruickshank.

“Lighting directors know what they want and if we don’t already have it, we’re always open to investment to ensure we can help them realise their vision.

“We’re often the first to buy a particular range – for example, the AquaBeams

LED too,” says Sangwell.

Automated future

West London’s Entec Sound & Light is one of the country’s leading entertainment production suppliers.

The company was founded in 1968 and counts Alice in Chains, The Good, the Bad & the Queen, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Erykah Badu, The Beach Boys and John Barrowman amongst its clients.

“Lighting forms a major part of our full 360° production service, encompassing sound, video, staging, set design, rigging, stage management, expert crew and other elements that go towards creating the best all-round event to suit the budget” says MD and head of lighting Noreen O’Riordan.

“We will help to create a light show with maximum impact, using a fine blend of today’s best technology and world-class lighting technicians.

“Our warehouse contains everything from old school PAR lamps and blinders, to the very latest in intelligent LED fixtures and control consoles. Based on user specification and industry popularity, we carefully select our stock from the

Celebrating its 30th anniversary next year, Bristol’s Fineline Lighting has supplied to stages for artistes including Kylie Minogue, Liam Gallagher, Primal Scream and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds.

“Generally we’re working on someone else’s rider and specifications, so our clients want that delivered efficiently, cost-effectively and safely,” says MD Rob Sangwell. “We frequently work with a lot of bands in a day, so we need to be flexible and adaptable.

The company offers 24/7 support, and Sangwell is proud of its service offerings.

“Support and back-up is the cornerstone of what we do. We’ll move heaven and earth to solve a problem. There isn’t a limit to the back-up we give – as far as we’re concerned, we’re being paid to deliver a job and will do whatever is needed.”

In terms of lighting 517 Yeading Lane, Northolt, Middlesex UB5 6LN, trends, Fineline highlights United Kingdom the new generation of large-scale LED spots com+44 (0)20 8842 4004 ing to market. sales@entecLIVE.com “LED washes have been fb.com/EntecSoundLight out for a few years now, but we’re getting to the point Photography © Joe Okpako • projoe.photography where spots and profiles are

Rob Sangwell

Noreen O’Riordan

Haydn Cruickshank

entecLIVE.com

September 2019 • Issue 236 • www.liveuk.com

22 I SECTOR FOCUS

Entec - Alice in Chains © Joe Okpako

Mick Freer

world’s most innovative brands.

“Every item of equipment is maintained in perfect working order and, where applicable, kept up-to-date with the latest software editions.”

For a recent tour by Clean Bandit, Entec collaborated with Dave Smith at Specialz on the design and manufacture of seven upstage rotator pods, each fitted with Martin VDO Sceptron 10 1000mm linear LED battens. Mounted on wheeled bases, they were capable of rotating 360° and delivering a variety of graphical permutations.

“The presence of LED stage lighting continues to expand and developers are

Hawthorn - O2 Arena © Mark Knopfler

finding more interesting ways in which to integrate LED into their latest products,” adds O’Riordan. “Recent technologies such as remote-controlled follow spots suggest that the role of automation will grow in the future.”

Social media

Founded in 1987, Hawthorn is based in Melton Mowbray, Cambridge and London, with recent lighting investments including Robe LEDBeam 150s™.

Clients include Steven Wilson’s To The Bone UK and European tour, featuring a touring lighting package which included Clay Paky Sharpy Wash, SGM P-5

LED Wash, Martin MAC Viper Profile and Performance fixtures. The company also supplied Mark Knopfler’s Down the Road Wherever tour.

“Having supported Mark Knopfler on his 2015 tour, we once again worked with lighting designer Mark Henderson, along with Tellson James, to supply lighting equipment,” says head of concert touring Mick Freer.

“This included Martin MAC Viper Profile and MAC Aura XBs, GLP impression X4 Bar fixtures and Chauvet Professional Nexus Aw 7x7 fixtures. A High End Systems Hog 4 was chosen for control.”

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Solution for Events & Exhibitions, Pro-rentals, DJs & Bands, Access September 2019 • Issue 236 • www.liveuk.com Manufacturer:

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Truss, staging and rigging manufacturer

Area Four Industries UK Unit 5-6 Beechwood Estate, Cattle Dyke

SECTOR FOCUS I 23

Protec Production Technology - Bao Festival

As one of the largest technical event equipment suppliers in the UK, with sound and video to staging, power, rigging and drapes also available, Hawthorn can provide a complete package. It also offers in-house prep and test facilities, content production and 24/7 support, with an in-house lighting team (moving lights and conventionals) available.

“The main thing our clients need is reliability,” says Freer. “When an artiste is on tour, often for months on end across multiple countries, the LX team want the peace of mind that comes from using well maintained, reliable equipment.”

Freer believes social media has had an

Hawthorn - Royal Albert Hall © Steven Wilson

effect on expectations of stage lighting.

“Lighting designers now not only have to consider what the show will look like to the audience in the room, but they also have to think about how it will translate when the audience is snapping away on their phones and sharing on social media,” says Freer. “It has to have that wow-factor.

“With the big [festival] hitters such as Belgium’s Tomorrowland [65,000] and Coachella [125,000] in the US constantly pushing the boundaries when it comes to stage lighting, audiences are able to see what is possible and this ultimately filters down and influences the smaller

shows.”

With on-stage video also dominating many sets, a happy balance needs to be found between video and lighting provision.

“Video provisions on tours are getting bigger and bigger, and this is definitely affecting the stage lighting,” adds Freer.

“With technology such as holograms now being used in live music performances, the lighting needs to be carefully considered to work alongside these.”

Heavy loads

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Protec has Its European base is in

Mark Knopfler ‘Down the road wherever’ International tour

TECHNICAL SUPPLIER TO THE LIVE MUSIC INDUSTRY We supply lighting, video, draping and video equipment for concert tours and festivals in the UK and beyond.

w: hawthorn.biz

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t: 01664 821 111

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e: info@hawthorn.biz September 2019 • Issue 236 • www.liveuk.com

24 I SECTOR FOCUS

Entec - LynyrdSkynyrd - Remote Followspot Operators © Joe Okpako

Stephen Laken

Birmingham, and Middle East operations in the United Arab Emirates and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It also works across Africa, Asia and the Far East.

“We offer full lighting provision from design and creative input, to supplying arena tour riders,” says CEO and founder Stephen Lakin. “We specialise in owning the latest technologies and our lighting department is equipped to supply lighting for intimate shows or stadium spectaculars.

“We are always one of the first to embrace the latest technologies and in the last 12 months we did the lighting on Dubai’s Bao Festival [60,000], which included over 200 moving fixtures. We also provided our grandMA2 and new grandMA3 consoles for the event.

“We provide what lighting designers are looking for to fulfill their designs and that is whatever the latest trend or technology is.”

Lakin says weight load can still be an issue but new technology will tackle this problem.

September 2019 • Issue 236 • www.liveuk.com

“We are occasionally impacted by the weight load when supplying a show. The next generation of laser lighting should be more compact and open the door to even more creative lighting designs.

The company has recently invested in laser sourced lighting and Clay Paky Xtylos.

“Lighting directors know what they want” Haydn Cruickshank

“We’ve ordered 350 Clay Paky Xtylos, the next generation in lighting efficiency,” adds Lakin. “They have a much higher CRI [colour rendering index] than LED lights, and are in theory twice as efficient.”

Southampton-based GLS Lighting works with artistes including 10cc, The Flaming Lips, Joan Baez and Gossip`, as well as festivals such as Boomtown.

Formed in 1995, it encompasses all aspects of show lighting and offers complete systems right from the design stages through to the final event.

“Tech trends are still pushing more LED but the rise of more and more IP55 fixture has proved to be one of this year’s highlights, allowing creativity to continue outside the stage roof,” says director Ian Turner.

Floor packages can be extremely effective for clients wanting an impressive lighting solution.

“All shows need to differentiate theirs from the ones that came before and after them in the bill, and the floor package is king here,” explains Turner. “Many smaller festivals and venues cannot clear out the rig to take in full production, so a clever floor package is what people seek.

“The latest tech toys are all focused on that. Our stock of GLP JDC1 strobes, for example, have been flat out all summer – a small item which provides a big look.

The new products coming in from Astera have also seen similar growth in usage in our stocks.”

Budgets, of course, still dictate what lighting is taken out.

“There is a strong driver to keep costs down, so designers and tour managers are looking to see what they can fit into the bus trailer with the backline a lot more than before. At GLS we gave a specific range of cases, products, distros and more that are designed just for that, and to keep weight and volume to a minimum,” adds Turner.

“Often it isn’t affordable or possible to bring the LD or any techs in early, so we can prep the entire show, patch and label and dispatch it ready to go,” says Turner. “We will then provide a handover technician to go through how it works on the first load-in and to make any changes needed.”

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26 I

in association with

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

Forty years on track for Winchester star THE OWNER of Winchester’s only live music venue, The Railway Inn (cap. 150 and 60)is hoping to persuade artistes such as Ed Sheeran and Dua Lipa to return to where they played early shows in their careers.

Next year, the venue will celebrate its 40th year of promoting live music and owner Dan Lloyd has revealed he’s invited back artistes who once graced its stage, including PJ Harvey, Kasabian, Laura Marling, The Feeling

and Frank Turner.

At the top of Llyod’s list is Sheeran, who played The Railway Inn in 2011, just a few months before the release of his debut album, and Dua Lipa, who was already signed to Warner Music Group when she played there in 2015.

“We’re a small venue but we’re on the touring circuit for artistes who are on the cusp of breaking,” says Lloyd. “We’ve been helping to break

The Railway Inn

acts for 40 years so our reputation is strong.”

The venue has two stages, Platform 1 (150) and Platform 2 (60) and Lloyd estimates that they’ve hosted around 204 shows already this year, featuring both local and international artistes.

As well as shows staged by in-house promoter Jim Knight, agencies booking acts into the venue include Midnight Mango, SC4M and Playpen.

The Railway Inn, exterior

Managing Talent Chris Bellam, 40

Other emerging acts to watch: Master Peace, George Moir

Underplay London

Greatest lesson learned: You can’t play enough live shows but if you are not rehearsed enough you shouldn’t be playing.

E: chrisbellam@underplay.co.uk Your artiste roster: APRE, Artschool Girlfriend, Polly Money, Porij, Chikaya, Calva Louise, Dead Nature and more Favourite venues for seeing and/or showcasing new artistes: Scala, The Dome, MOTH Club in London and Deaf Institute Manchester How important is it for artistes to play live: It’s extremely important. Live is where true fans come to see their artist and can be converted in to followers for life and of course, new people can be won over too.

Worst live experience: Having the band setup and ready, a packed audience waiting for the show, and the stage electrics blow up and we couldn’t perform.

Current live music projects: Art School Girlfriend (supporting Marika Hackman, plus November 2019 headline tour) and APRE (supporting Inhaler throughout September and October and then 2020 headline tour) Chris Bellam

“One of the finest concert halls to perform in.” Elvis Costello

A gem of a venue with a world-class acoustic With a reputation for quality and excellence, the Grade II* listed St George’s Bristol attracts international classical, jazz, folk, world, and spoken word artists. The unique and intimate atmosphere, recording facilities, and great team, make St George’s perfect for artists and audiences alike. Based in the heart of Bristol, with a stunning new extension, café bar,and backstage spaces now opem, there’s even more to discover.

Registered charity no. 295178. Photo by Evan Dawson

September 2019 • Issue 236 • www.liveuk.com

events@stgeorgesbristol.co.uk | 0117 929 4929 | stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

NXT NEWS I 29

in association with

Worthing gets new venue WORTHING IS about to get a new, purpose-built venue to host concerts, comedy and club nights.

Located in the grounds of Soundhouse Studios, The Factory Live (cap. 350) is a partnership between the studios and local event organiser Atom Promotions, which has staged concerts with acts such as 10cc, Grandmaster Flash, The Charlatans in the area.

The venue launches at the end of September with a performance from The Allergies and tickets priced at £12.50. Other shows feature The South (at £22.50), Toyah Wilcox (£20) and Beardyman (£16).

“We will deliver high quality events for both new and emerging talent alongside established and heritage acts, and expect to do about 100 live music events a year,” says Atom Promotions Thom Milner-Smith.

“This partnership will allow us to grow

the range of seminal events that have been staged in my hometown for the past 10 years.”

The Factory Live, which is situated on an industrial state, will also boasts a 200-capacity studio performance space.

Atom was formed in 2009 and produces events across the south east and in London.

Stage Break

The Black Box © Sarah Jones

The Black Box

18-22 Hill Street, Belfast, BT1 2LA Bookings: Rachael Campbell-Palmer The Factory Live

T: +44 (0) 2890244400

Momentum announces more grants

E: admin@blackboxbelfast.com

PRS FOUNDATION, the charitable sub- land, Arts Council of Wales, Welsh Govsidiary of performance royalty collection ernment, Arts Council of Northern Ireland society PRS For Music, has announced the and Invest NI. next wave of emerging artistes to receive Spotify, the official digital partner on support from its Momentum the fund, contributes additional Music Fund. funding and a reward package Girl Ray, I SEE RIVERS and The containing promotional opOrielles are among the 17 arportunities. Event partner Ben tistes who have been selected by Sherman offers live opportuniindustry professionals to receive ties, additional marketing, proa contribution towards either motional and bespoke branding marketing, touring or recording. support.

“I’m looking forward to fol- Joe Frankland Since launching in 2013, inilowing the progress of this latest tially with the support of Arts round and how this support impacts their Council England, the fund has supported individual careers,” says PRS Foundation over 200 artistes, more than 100 UK tours CEO Joe Frankland. totaling comprising 650 shows and the The Momentum Music Fund grants recording of over 90 albums. awards of £5,000-15,000 from a fund creSam Fender, Anna Calvi and Tom Misch ated PRS Foundation, PPL, Creative Scot- are among recent recipients of grants.

Capacity: 240 standing 180 seated

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

bandonthewall.org info@bandonthewall.org

W: www.blackboxbelfast.com

Rachael Campbell-Palmer

PA/lights: Yes Dressing rooms: One Booking policy: “We have live music every night of the week and work with a diverse range of music genres. The venue is available to hire at affordable rates. We also have opportunities to programme emerging acts into some of the local music and arts festivals and put names forward for support slots.”

Best unsigned/emerging acts currently playing the venue: Fears, Problem Patterns, Gender Chores, Rebekah Fitch, Blue Whale, Sister Ghost, DANI The best advice you can give the manager of unsigned/ emerging artistes: “Pitch the right act to the right venue, do some research into the venue you are contacting and tailor information accordingly. Make press packs attractive and concise, do not send to much info or generic emails.”

Better known acts who’ve played the venue: Two Door Cinema, Young Fathers, Cate Le Bon

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:

Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Snarky Puppy, Gregory Porter, GoGo Penguin, Billy Bragg, Robert Glasper, Asian Dub Foundation, Paloma Faith, Roy Ayers, Will Young, Nils Frahm, James Blake and more.

Plus flagship monthly nights:

Mr Scruff Keep It Unreal, Craig Charles Funk & Soul Club and more.

September 2019 • Issue 236 • www.liveuk.com

28I

PRODUCTION NEWS Newsbites Blood Red Rose for Colonel Tom ITALIAN LIGHTING manufacturer Claypaky has appointed AC Entertainment (AC-ET) as its UK distributor, handling products including the Axcor 400 range, the B-Eye and the Xtylos. The agreement builds on a 40-year collaboration between the two companies and demonstrates a “shared vision of a more modern relationship” according to Claypaky CEO Marcus Graser. Paul McCartney, Snow Patrol and Bigflo & Oli are among Claypaky clients.

STEVENAGE-BASED The Rigging Team (TRT) has appointed Matthew Millward, whose expertise includes being an in-house technician through to touring production manager on large scale arena shows, as technical manager. “Matt’s wide-ranging understanding of our business will ensure he remains an enduring member of our team,” says a company spokesperson. TRT works in venues such as London’s Royal Albert Hall (cap. 5,200) and Theatre Royal (2,000).

HIGH END Systems has released a new fixture as part of its Sola Series range. The SolaWash 1000 automated luminaire is available as either the Ultra-Bright engine producing 20,000 field lumens, or a High CRI Engine. “The SolaWash gives designers a wide gamut of pure and even colours and a beautifully simple feature set,” says High End’s Matt Stoner.

High End clients include Robbie Williams, Jackson Browne and Rob Thomas.

A CURVED architrave with an LED surface dominates the stage of Rod Stewart’s Blood Red Rose tour, while portrait-oriented screens frame the production.

The system, designed by lighting and production designer Mark Cunniffe and supplied by video company Colonel Tom Touring, needed rapid data processing and tidy cable runs to carry content for the 4K screens, according to the company’s Phil Mead.

Created to be adaptable for the tour’s variety of venues, which include The O2 (cap. 21,000), London, Bristol’s Ashton Gate Stadium (27,000) and the AECC (8,500) in Aberdeen, the video package includes 300 ROE Carbon CB5

LED panels for the architrave. These are powered by Tessera SX40 LED processors by manufacturer Brompton Technology, which also supplied XD data distribution units.

A curved ‘eyebrow’ header comprises 156 ROE CB5 panels Brampton at work with Rod Stewart SX40 is the 4K workflow, which allows in Air Frames, also processed by an SX40 with XD data us to get more [video] tiles onto one distribution. The legs are each built server output,” explains Colonel Tom’s from 72 ROE CB5 panels with two XD Phil Mead. “The fibre and XD units make for more effective distribution units per side for distribution.

“One of the main advantages of the and cleaner cable runs.”

MegaPoints extra impact for Howard HOWARD JONES wanted an electronic, robotic look to his stage show, with video having the equivalent impact of another band member, rather than overpowering the production.

Lighting designer Yenz Nyholm of

Howar Jones on tour with Robe

September 2019 • Issue 236 • www.liveuk.com

New Illumination Lighting Design worked with Jones and producer Stephen Tayler on what they describe as an off-beat design featuring a clean, streamlined stage backed by an eight metre by three metre transparent screen which concealed most of the lights.

Nyholm chose a range of moving lights including 12 Robe MegaPointes and 26 LEDBeam 150s, supplied by rental company Siyan, for shows including The Sage (cap.

1,640) in Gateshead, Manchester ’s

Bridgewater Hall (2,350) and The London Palladium (2,300).

The screen was hung on a rear truss with a black silk backdrop suspended behind. Eight MegaPointes were rigged on the back truss, with four on the floor behind the screen but in front of the curtain.

“The top fixtures were used for back lighting, gobo looks and animations onto the back, as well as for aerial interaction into the crowd,” says Nyholm. “The deck-based fixtures behind the screen created powerful moody beams and silhouettes throughout the show.

“The light weight and flexibility [of the MegaPointes] are fantastic – they can go from a narrow pin-point to a super-wide wash.”

Voting open until midnight Wednesday 2 October Wednesday 30 October 2019 Hard Rock Hotel and the Ocean suite

Great Cumberland Place, Marble Arch, London W1H 7DL Tickets ÂŁ145 +VAT (15% discount for LIVE UK Summit delegates and LIVE UK subscribers) For more information: T 020 7224 2442 or info@liveukevents.com

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Voting open until We

www.livemusic

The nominee shortlists are...

Best Venue Teamwork – Stadium

Best Venue Teamwork – Arts Centre

Last year’s winner: London Stadium Anfield, Liverpool Etihad Stadium, Manchester John Smith’s Stadium , Huddersfield Principality Stadium, Cardiff Ricoh Arena, Coventry St Marys, Southampton Twickenham Stadium, London Wembley Stadium, London Stadioum of Light, Sunderland Carrow Stadium, Norwich

Last year’s winner: West End Centre, Aldershot The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen The Junction, Cambrdige CCA, Glasgow The Old Market, Brighton Band on the Wall, Manchester The Stables, Milton Keynes St Marys Music Hall, Walthamstow Newhampton Arts Centre, Wolverhampton St George’s, Bristol Exeter Phoenix, Exeter Pavilion Arts Centre, Buxton The Black Box, Belfast

Best Venue Teamwork – Arena Last year’s winner: The O2, London Alexandra Palace, London Arena Birmingham Bonus Arena, Hull Brighton Centre, Brighton The SSE Arena, Belfast First Direct Arena, Leeds M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool Manchester Arena The SSE Arena - Wembley, London Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham The SSE Hydro, Glasgow Best Venue Teamwork – Theatre/Concert Hall Last year’s winner: O2 Academy Brixton, London Albert Hall, Manchester Eventim Apollo, London Music Hall, Aberdeen O2 Guildhall, Southampton The London Palladium, London Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool Plymouth Pavilions, Plymouth Royal Albert Hall, London Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London Roundhouse, London Usher Hall, Edinbugh

Sponsors and Suppliers

Best Venue Teamwork – Campus Last year’s winner: Manchester Academy Anson Rooms, Bristol Art School, Glasgow Asylum, Hull Leeds University Union, Leeds Mountford Hall, Liverpool Pleasance Theatre, Edinburgh Queen Mary Union, Glasgow Reading University, Reading The Engine Shed, Lincoln UEA, Norwich Sheffield University, Sheffiled Best Venue Teamwork – Major Club (cap 800+) Last year’s winner: Koko, London O2 Academy, Bristol Electric Ballroom, London The Leadmill, Sheffield Riverside, Newcastle O2 Academy, Oxford Rock City, Nottingham Scala, London Fat Sam’s, Dundee O2 Academy, Leicester

Best Venue Teamwork – Club (cap under 800) Last year’s winner: Rescue Rooms, Nottingham Esquires, Bedford The Boilerooom, Guildford Brudenell Social Club, Leeds Concorde 2, Brighton Omeara, London The Sugarmill, Stoke The Craufurd Arms, Milton Keynes The Horn, St Albans The Hug and Pint, Glasgow The Met Lounge, Peterborough Think Tank, Newcastle Agent of the Year Last year’s winner: Kara James, WME Steve Zapp, ITB (Biffy Clyro, Courteeners, Editors) Alex Bruford, ATC Live (Nick Cave, Georgia) David Kaplan, UTA (Indoor Pets, Hollie Cook) James Alderman, Free Trade Agency (The National, War On Drugs, Future Islands, Sharon Van Etten) Mark Ngui, CAA (Panic! At The Disco, Twenty One Pilots, Fall Out Boy) Natasha Bent, Paradigm Talent Agency (IDLES, Bastille) Summer Marshall, CAA (Mahalia, Jorja Smith) Anna Bewers, Paradigm Talent Agency (Nothing But Thieves, As It Is, Boston Mannor) Ben Winchester, Primary Talent International (Catfish & the Bottlemen, Ride) Charlie Myatt, 13 Artists (Radiohead, Arctic Monkeys, Tame Impala) Jon Ollier, CAA (Ed Sheeran) Lucy Dickins, WME (Mumford & Sons, Hot Chip)

Artiste Manager of the Year Last year’s winner: Conrad Murray, Simon Moran & Dave Salmon, SJM Management Alison Lamb, Prolifica (You Me At Six, Twin Atlantic) Ami Spishock, Fort William Management (War On Drugs, beirut ) Bernadette Barrett, Big Bear Management (Mahalia, Lisa Hannigan) Dave Bianchi, Various Artists Management (Yonaka,The Hunna) Helena Antoniades, Hale Artists (Billy Lockett) Jamie Oborne, Dirty Hit (The 1975) Marcus Russell, ignition (Catfish & The Bottlemen, Noel Gallagher) Mark Bent, Mother Artist Management (IDLES / Heavy Lungs) Rob Whitaker & Jackie Wade, Zoot Management (Editors. Public Service Broadcasting, Ghost Poet) Sarah Stennett, First Acess Entertainment (Rita Ora ) Scott Kirkwood, Kingdom Management (Lewis Capaldi, Aaron Smith, Lucia) Stuart Camp, Grumpy Old Management (Ed Sheeran) National Promoter of the Year Last year’s winner: Kilimanjaro Live DHP Family Metropolis Music Kennedy Street Enterprises AEG Presents Goldenvoice CMP Entertainments SJM Concerts Live Nation Entertainment Marshall Arts Senbla Academy Events Regional Promoter of the Year Last year’s winner: Orchard Entertainment, Wales

ednesday 2 October

cawards.co.uk Alex Murray, One Inch Badge (South of England) Andy Smith, Futuresound (North-East) Communion, London Dave McGeachan, DF Concerts (Scotland) Ian Binnington, PVC (South of England) Katy Barnes, SW1 Productions (Cornwall) Steve Davies, SSD (North East) Emma Zillman , From the Fields (North of England) Abbie Marshall, VMS Live (Various Locations) Indie Promoter of the Year Last year’s winner: Luke Hinton, Juicebox Live Brian Reynolds, 432 Presents, Glasgow Chris Horkan, Hey! Manchester Jason Hall, The Craufurd Arms.

Milton Keynes Joe Coates, Please Please You, York Matt Woodhams, Matt Woodhams Presents, Bournemouth Nathan Clark, The Brudenell Social Club, Leeds Lisa Lout & Patrick Marsden, Lout Promotions, Brighton Thom Milner-Smith, Atom Promotions, Worthing Tom Holloway, Sonic Gun Concerts, Birmingham Wesley Jones & John Wickstead, Now Wave, Manchester William Robinson, I’m Not From London Events, Nottingham Polly Miles, Acid Box, Brighton

Maarten cobbart, (The 1975) Mark Friend, (Ed Sheeran) Pete Gunn, (Kasabian/The SLP ) Rebecca Travis, (Florence + the Machine, Ellie Goulding) Simon Parkinson, (Jorja Smith) Trevor Plunkett, (George Ezra) Best Record Label Partner Last year’s winner: Julie Weir & Joel Death, Music For Nation Aaron Watts and Richard Hannan, Big Indie Records John Dryland, Cargo Records Sean Mayo, PIAS Mike Holdsworth, Secretly Canadian Adam Greenup, So Recordings Dante & team, Spinefarm Records Tim Dellow, Transgressive Records Spectacle of the Year (Best Production) Last year’s winner: The War on Drugs, Alexandra Palace Parkway Drive, Alexandra Palace Catfish and the Bottlemen, Citadel Foo Fighters, Reading Festival Courteeners, Heaton Park, Manchester Billie Eilish, Reading Festival Shawn Mendes, The O2 The 1975, Reading festival Drake, The O2 Ariana Grande, Arena Birmimgham Don Broco, The SSE Arena - Wembley Muse, The O2 Twenty One Pilots, The SSE Arena - Wembley

Tour Manager of the Year

Best Festival (cap 40,000+)

Last year’s winner: Tre Stead Carl Lewis, CDL Touring (Mahalia) Oli James, (Sam Fender) Emma Edgar, Crossover Live (Hot Chip, Wolf Alice) Glyn Roberts, All Sorted Management (Courteeners, The Horrors) Ian Martin, WPL Music (Catfish & The Bottlemen) Liam Sexton, Mother Artist Management, (IDLES)

Last year’s winner: All Points East Boomtown Fair, Winchester British Summer Time, London Download, Donnington Park Glastonbury, Somerset Isle of Wight Festival, Isle of Wight Reading Festival, Berkshire Creamfields, Cheshire Wireless, London

Best Festival (cap 15,000-39,999) Last year’s winner: Splendour, Nottingham Bearded Theory, Derbyshire Bloodstock Open Air, Derbyshire Blue Dot, Cheshire Cornbury Festival, Great Tew Green Man, Wales Leopolooza, Cornwall Love Supreme, Glynde Nass Festival, Somerset This is Tomorrow, Newcastle Wilderness, Oxfordshire Latitude, Henham Park Best Festival (cap under 15,000) Last year’s winner: 2000Trees, Gloucester AmpROCKS, Ampthill Balstock, Baldock Beat Herder Festival, Keighley Beautiful Days, Exeter End of the Road, Dorset Inner City Live, Hull Kendal Calling, Kendal Leopallooza, Cornwall Neverworld, Tunbridge Wells This is Tomorrow, Newcastle Wilkestock, Hertfordshire Best Festival – Multi-Venue Last year’s winner: The Great Escape, Brighton Balstock, Baldock, Herts Camden Rocks, London Future Days, Birmingham Hit The North, Newcastle Let’s Rock, Various locations Mutations, Brighton Sound City, Liverpool Swn Festival, Cardiff Visions Fesitval, London Breakthrough Artiste Last year’s winner: IDLES Billie Eilish Easy Life Fontaines DC Gerry Cinnamon King Princess Lewis Capaldi Mabel Mahalia

Squid The Kut The Snuts Yungblud Slowthai Greatest Brand Impact Last year’s winner: Dr Martens – festivals Co-Op, Download Huawei, All Points East Ibis Music, Tom Grennan Manchester Levi’s, Various O2, Venues Tinder, All Points East & British Summer Time Hyde Park Vans, Reading Festival Best Festival Performance

Last year’s winner: The Cure, British Summer Time Bring Me The Horizon, All Points East Parkway Drive, Bloodstock Open Air Celine Dion, British Summer Time Chris Stapleton, C2C Festival Slipknot, Download Dave, Glastonbury Stormzy, Glastonbury Biffy Clyro, Isle of Wight Festival Post Malone, Reading Festival Twenty One Pilots, Reading Festival The 1975, Leeds Festival Nothing But Thieves, Truck Festival Backstage Star Last year’s winner: Wai Mundia, DHP Family Amy Field, PRS Cat Munro, Live Nation Charlie Renton, Primary Christina Soufleris, CAA Ed Frith, De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill Emma Hogan, Crosstown Concerts Fiona Flynn, Integro Insurance Grant Court, SRLV Helen McGee, Academy Events Lubica Gombolova, Paradigm Talent Agency Sam Risner, Wembley Stadium Tifeya Bellot, Festival Republic

Celebrating 30 Years Lighting - Video Rigging - Staging

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I 33

PRODUCTION NEWS

HK to work ‘long and Several upgrades for Under The Bridge hard’ at Network SHEFFIELD RECORD shop owner and promoter Martin Leverton needed a “next level” sound-system when he opened Network, a new 500-capacity music venue in the city.

The venture, in collaboration with Sheffield’s DINA Arts Centre, follows Leverton’s success running a 150-capacity venue above his Record Junkee shop, which has hosted showcases by IDLES, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes and Fat White Family.

Levenson says the system needed to sound great with a diverse range of genres, and work “long and hard” every week.

Having worked with the manu-

facturer at his previous venue, he chose an HK Audio system sourced through distributor JHS, comprising four HK Audio Linear LTS enclosures.

The system uses the company’s multi-cell transformer technology which promises an “impressive” long throw capability in a compact format. Six L5 SUB 4000 A units provide the low frequencies configured two of the top end units ground stacked on three of the subs per side.

“We’re really pleased with the venue and are sure the new HK Audio system will perform perfectly,” says Leverton. Artistes scheduled to play Network include DJ Rahaan, Agnostic Front and AA Bondy.

A&H keeps Brass polished TO ENABLE the tour by Brass Against, which has up to 24 band members and plays protest songs with brass instruments, Production & Touring (P&T) had to devise a cost-efficient and transportable production package, according to P&T’s Mike Taylor.

It also had to be flexible enough to play 500-capacity venues plus a support slot for Lenny Kravitz at The O2 (cap. 21,000) in London, “The whole lot had to fit into a bus bay,” he says, opting to use an SQ digital mixer by Allen & Heath for the sound. This, along with in-ear monitors, microphones and stage boxes, fitted into a single flight case.

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

The console system comprised SQ-6 consoles, three DX168 remote I/O boxes, a DX Hub, an SLink card and a Waves card.

“It is super compact and easy to set up,” says Taylor. “We split the console over two layers, so when we are only using one console, we can process the channels for monitors differently to front-of-house [FOH].”

He adds that both FOH and monitors are run from a single showfile, but when the production requires two consoles, FOH and monitor positions can take control of their own channels. Brass Against also played festivals such as Boomtown (60,000) and Greenbelt (10,000).

THE 550-capacity Under The Bridge (UTB) live music venue located at Chelsea Football Club’s Stamford Bridge stadium in west London, has revealed a technical upgrade comprising a new LED wall, LED lighting and audio system.

The wall, a 3.9mm Pitch LED, improves video resolution at the venue to 1080p, while the lighting rig includes LED spots and fresnels to allow for “a host” of colour mixing options, according to the venue’s creative manager Alan Tenenbaum.

“We are one of the first venues in the country to use Clay Paky’s new wash and beam fixtures, the

B-EYE K23 and Mini B,” he says.

“The positioning of these will enable lighting options from all angles in the venue and allow clients to highlight any chosen space.”

Visiting audio engineers for artistes including The Christians, Secret Affair and The Blow Monkeys will also enjoy a Shure Axient Digital wireless system, and high-performance RF. ““Since Under The Bridge launched in 2011, we’ve taken great pride being one of the UK’s most unique and technically advanced, mid-sized, multi-purpose venues,” says Tenenbaum.

New LED wall at Under the Bridge

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September 2019 • Issue 236 • www.liveuk.com

34 I TOUR PLANS A GUIDE TO ARTISTES, TOURS & AGENTS Artistes

Period

Contact details

5K HD

Feb

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

A1

Feb-Mar David Samuel, AMS Talent T 020 3005 9170 david@asmtalent.co.uk

Amy Speace Feb-Apr

Anathema

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

Mar-Jun Andy Farrow, NMC Live T 01274 306361 andy@northernmusic.co.uk

Atari Feb-Apr Jeff Aug, Maximum Booking Teenage Riot T +49 177 642 4221 info@MaximumBooking.com Bernie Marsden

Feb-Aug Alec Leslie, ALE Consolidated T 01829 730488 alecconsol@aol.com

Béla Fleck Feb and Abigail Washburn

Matt McCluskey ,The Kurkland Agency | T +161 7254 0007 matt@thekurklandagency.com

Beardyman Feb

Serena Parsons Primary Talent International T 020 7400 4500 serena@primarytalent.com

Gong

Artistes

Period

Contact details

Artistes

Period

Buster Shuffle

Feb

Pip Martin, Midnight Mango Ltd. T 01458 210954 pip@midnightmango.co.uk

Georgie

Feb-Mar Olly Hodgson, Paradigm Talent Agency | T 020 7017 2500 olly.hodgson@paradigmagency.com

Cliff Bennett Feb-Mar Mark Lundquist, MLM Concerts & The Rebel Rousers T 07971401510 Mark@marklundquist.com

Gong

Mar-Nov Glenn Povey, Event Horizon Live T 07841 594677 glenn.eventhorizon@gmail.com

Cut Capers

Hannah Apr-May Chris Wade, Strada Music Sanders & T 01377 217662 Ben Savage info@stradamusic.com

Feb-Mar Phil Simpson, Strada Music T 01482 014971 phil.simpson@stradamusic.com

Craig David Apr

Gary Howard,United Talent Agency T 020 7278 3331 gary.howard@unitedtalent.com

Dub Pistols Mar-Apr Rob Berends, Paperclip Agency T +31 24 323 9322 rob@paperclip.agency

Kathryn Williams

Half Moon Run

Contact details

Feb-Mar Alex Bruford, ATC Live T 020 7580 7773 alex@atc-live.com

Holy Moly & Apr-Oct The Crackers

Polly Bolton, Strada Music T 01482 014971 polly.bolton@stradamusic.com

Dreadzone Feb-Apr Zac Peters, DMF Music T 01392 437 744 zac@dmfmusic.co.uk

John Bramwell Feb-Mar Nigel Morton, Money Penny Agency & The Full T 01377 240162 Harmonic nigel.morton@moneypennymusic.com Convergence

Frank Mar-Apr Jeff Aug, Maximum Booking Gambale & All T +49 177 642 4221 Star Band info@MaximumBooking.com

Jungle Brothers

Jun-Aug Albert Samuel, ASM Talent T 020 3005 9170 albert@missioncontrol.net

Fofoulah

Kathryn Williams

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

Feb-May David Flower, Sasa Music T 07798 743466 rab@sasa.demon.co.uk

Graham Mar-Apr Steve Parker, Miracle Artists Gouldman’s T 020 7935 0222 Heart Full of Song steve@miracle-artists.com

Kenny Jones Feb-Mar Mark Lundquist, MLM Concerts and The T 07971401510 Jones Gang Mark@marklundquist.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

Brand & Sponsorship Support

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b-linebars.com September 2019 • Issue 236 • www.liveuk.com

Staffing Solutions and Bar Management

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A GUIDE TO ARTISTES, TOURS & AGENTS TOUR PLANS I 37 Artistes

Period

Contact details

Lisa Ekdhal Mar-Apr Pauk Charles, Asgard T 020 7387 5090 pc@asgard-uk.com Lisa Stansfield

Feb-Jun Neil Wornock, United Talent Agency T 020 7278 3331 neil.warnock@unitedtalent.com

Musical Youth

Feb-Jun Serena Catapano, SAS Entertainment T 07871 075 072 serena@sas-ents.com

Nazareth

Feb-Mar 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 Feb-Jun Sean Goulding.United Talent Agency | T 020 7278 3331 Sean.Goulding@unitedtalent.com SAZ’ISO

Feb-Jun David Flower, Sasa Music T 07798 743466 rab@sasa.demon.co.uk

Sophie Evans Feb-Jun Heulwen Keyte, United Talent Agency T 020 7278 3331 Heulwen.Keyte@unitedtalent.com

Toploader

Artistes

Period

Contact details

Sons of Apollo Mar-Jun Andy Farrow, NMC Live T 01274 306361 andy@northernmusic.co.uk

Artistes

Period

Toploader

Feb-Mar Mark Lundquist, MLM Concerts T 07971401510 Mark@marklundquist.com

Spratleys Japs

Feb

Steve Forbert

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

T-Rextasy

10cc

Jun-Jul

Turin Breaks Feb

The Australian Pink Floyd

Feb-Mar Neil Wornock, United Talent Agency T 020 7278 3331 neil.warnock@unitedtalent.com

The Lumineers

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

The Trials of Cato

Mar-Apr Chris Wade, Strada Music T 01377217662 info@stradamusic.com

The Wildhearts

Jun-Nov Andy Farrow, NMC Live T 01274 306361 andy@northernmusic.co.uk

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

Steve Parker, Miracle Artists T 020 7935 9222 steve@miracle-artists.com

Tokio Hotel Jun

Wolfgang Flür

Contact details

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

Feb-Jun Mark Lundquist, MLM Concerts T 07971401510 Mark@marklundquist.com Pieter De Clercq, DMF Music T 01392 437 744 zac@dmfmusic.co.uk

May-Jun Zac Peters, Dark Independent Bookings, T +32 468 27 06 12 pieter@darkindependentbookings.com

Willie & Apr-May Jeff Aug, Maximum Booking The Bandits T +49 177 642 4221 info@MaximumBooking.com Xander & Feb-Aug Alec Leslie, ALE Consolidated Peace Pirates T 01829 730488 alecconsol@aol.com Zamilska

Feb-Mar Ania Marzec, Central Euro Organisation T +48 22 894 60 35 ania@centraleuro.org

NOËP

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.

EASTSIDE EVENTS & PROMOTIONS - PROMOTING EVENTS IN THE NORTH EAST AND BEYOND CONCERT PROMOTION | EVENT ORGANISATION | EVENT MANAGEMENT | ARTIST LIASON | ARTIST BOOKING | PUBLICITY DISTRIBUTION

Contact Daryl on 07850 915 184 | daryl@eastsideevents.co.uk | www.eastsideevents.co.uk September 2019 • Issue 236 • www.liveuk.com

38 I BACKSTAGE STARS BACKSTAGE

STARS

Profile

Ant Forbes Having toured extensively with artistes such as Guns N’Roses, Oasis, Elbow and The 1975 in earlier years, Ant Forbes srill likes to keep his hand in with the occasioinal touring escapade. That’s alongside running Production Park’s rehearsal studio The Mill in south-west London, where clients include Phil Collins, Royal Blood, The Raconteurs, Kylie Minogue and The Royal Opera House.

What are your first live music memories?

“One of my very first experiences of live music was playing guitar at a jam night at an old haunt The Blues Tavern in Farnham, Surrey, when I was 13. Denny Laine from [Paul McCartney’s] Wings was on the keyboards and I rembember being pretty rubbish.

“The first proper gig I went to was AC/ DC at Wembley in 1991 and I was hit on the back by a bottle of piss. I didn’t care though, it was amazing and had a huge impact on me.

“Probably the most inspiring gig in my early days was Guns N’Roses also in 1991 and at Wembley Stadium, supported by Faith No More and Soundgarden. I remember that show so well and it was the first time that I noticed the sheer amount of people working on the sidelines. I’m pretty sure that was the day I decided that whatever I did in life, it would be something in the music industry.”

How did you get into the music industry?

“I’ve only ever really worked in the music biz. I had a number of crappy jobs when I was at college and just after, so I could pay the rent. Otherwise I was firmly commited to getting my band Vex Red a deal. We were eventually signed to Virgin/EMI in 2000.

“We toured globally for around three years with bands such as Stained and Bush, headlining the London Astoria [cap. 2,000] and playing the Reading Festival main stage in 2002. We went our separate ways the next year and that’s when I decided to start workSeptember 2019 • Issue 236 • www.liveuk.com

LIVE UK intervie ws key people who help shape our industry

ing for bands rather than being in one.

“During the Vex Red days I had always been interested in sound engineering and, living in Portsmouth in those days, asked the house engineer at the Wedgewood Rooms to give me a few pointers, and then went out touring with the band Reuben as tour manager and sound engineer. I guess that was my first music-related job, unless you count selling T-shirts at a Jason Donovan gig.”

“From 2003 onwards I was basically touring full-time until 2015 when my second son was born, working with a huge number of artists including The 1975, Oasis, Elbow, Guns N’Roses, The Darkness and Leftfield.

What were your high and low points

“On the low point side, I was monitor engineer for The Cribs a number of years ago and not really up to the task, to be honest. It was very stressful and made me realise how important it is to learn your craft properly.

It really sorted me out though, and was the kick-in-the-ass that I needed at the time.“ Touring with The 1975 was a real high point. I started with them when they were playing little half-full lclubs, but within a couple of years were filling arenas. They had very good management [Jamie Oborne at All On Red] and it was an extrmemly gratifying experience to be part of their story.

“One of the highlights with The 1975 was the show at the Royal Albert Hall in 2014 – surely one of the most spectacular venues in the world.”

Where do you see the industry going?

“I really like working with the team at Production Park. It’s a great company and I feel lucky to have found a role that I enjoy that lets me go home to my family … most nights.

“As I run the London studio and the rest of the company are based up in Wakefield, I

particularly enjoy the defacto role as the southern UK/London embassy for Production Park.

“My team provides the facilities for artistes to build, test and rehearse their productions in either The Mill Studio or our flagship Studio 001, previously LS-Live, in Wakefield.

“I’d love to have Nine Inch Nails in the studio – incredible music with such great production potential. Trent, if youre reading this,

get in touch mate, I’ve got a great deal waiting for you,”

How do you unwind?

“I have a fantastic wife, Laura, and two amazing boys, Indy and Albie, and fortunately they’re all very supportive of my busy life.

“Laura and I are renovating our house, so a bit of DIY is always on the cards and I find that quite relaxing. I’d like to end-up in a house that we’ve renovated on the Cornish coastline overlooking the cliffs and a beautiful sandy beach.

“Meanwhile, Vex Red recently reformed after 16 years away, and we are currently releasing new material and soon to be touring … a little.”

Add a date in Hull to your tour!

Featured in Billboard magazine as one of the top 20 new venues in the world to watch in 2019.

Since opening in August 2018 acts coming through Hull include...

George Ezra

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds

Simply Red

Boyzone

Catfish & The Bottlemen

James Blunt

OMD

Gregory Porter

Romesh Ranganathan

SJM

Triple A

AEG

@bonusarenahull /bonusarenahull

Crosstown/SJM

SJM

Kennedy Street

Kilimanjaro

DHP

Off The Kerb

Enquiries: 01482 456224 / hull@smg-europe.com www.bonusarenahull.com