ISSUE 241 FEBRUARY 2020 UK ÂŁ6.25
Windows to the world The Orielles take Disco Volador for a spin
CMA investigates Viagogo’s StubHub takeover The 100 Club granted special status Business rates relief for small venues Committed to the unsigned and emerging live sector see page 14-15
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CONTENTS I 3
Contents
ISSUE 241
4-13 News
The business of live music
8 Forthcoming Events
Key industry gatherings
14-15 NXT News
Business activity in the unsigned and emerging artiste sector
14-15 NXT Profiles
Insight from the venue operators, artiste managers and A&R executives
16-21 City Limits Swansea
A look at the people and venues behind live music in the city
22-27 Feature Rock City at 40
Insight into what has kept the Nottingham venue at the forefront of live music for four decades.
16
28-31 Production News
Developments in technology and show production 32-37 Sector Focus Travel Agents Comment from the key players in an essential live music business sector
38-41 Tour Plans
Artistes, their agents and tour period
44 Backstage Stars
Interviews with the key people who shape the industry
Publisher & Managing Editor: Stephen Parker
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Editorial Contributors: Allan Glen, Christopher Barrett, Claire Bicknell, Mike Gartside.
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Editorial: Lisa Henderson
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22
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ISSUE 241: February 2020 Published monthly by:
Cover photograph: © Rex 26 Dorset Street, London W1U 8AP, United Kingdom T: 020 7486 7007 F: 020 7486 2002 E: info@live.uk.com W: www.liveuk.com The opinions expressed by contributors to this publication are not always a reflection of the opinions or the policy of the publisher. Information on services or products contained within editorial sections does not imply recommendation by Audience Media Ltd. No responsibility can be accepted for errors or omissions. No part of this publication can be reproduced in any form without the written authority of Audience Media Ltd.
February 2020 • Issue 241 • www.liveuk.com
4 I NEWS
CMA forces Viagogo and StubHub to halt merger during investigation THE COMPETITION and Markets Miller. Authority (CMA) has ordered “The acquisition has received controversial resale website regulatory approval in the US, but Viagogo and eBay-owned StubHub the businesses will remain separate to halt their merger globally, allowing the while it continues its CMA to complete its preliminary inquiry. inquiry and consider Protests to the our evidence that CMA after Viagogo’s this deal is a positive £3.9 billion ($4.05bn) move for fans. We takeover of StubHub will continue to work was announced in closely with them December, prompted through this process, it to investigate the with a view to sucimpact of such an cessful completion arrangement, and it soon.” invited input from Adam Webb A StubHub spokesinterested parties person says, “The (see LIVE UK, issue 240). CMA order is consistent with the The watchdog has now served approach we have taken throughan Initial Enforcement Order (IEC) out this process and eBay and Stubdue to “reasonable grounds for sus- Hub will continue to cooperate pecting that it is or with the CMA. may be the case that “As the CMA states arrangements are in in the order itself, progress or in conwe do not expect templation which, if any impact to the carried into effect, planned close of the will result in [the two StubHub and viafirms] ceasing to be gogo transaction. distinct.” We are on track as The order does not previously commuprohibit the complenicated to complete tion of the takeover, the sale by the end of but it does ban the Q1 2020. We believe Andrea Coscelli companies from takthat StubHub and ing any actions which Viagogo will be an may lead to the integration of the excellent combination with signifitwo businesses. cant future growth potential and It also requires the CEO of each will offer tremendous value to fans firm to provide the and partners alike.” CMA with statements Adam Webb, camconfirming compaign manager of pliance every two anti ticket-touting weeks. group FanFair Alli“The requirement ance says, “Unlike to hold separate the the US, where ticket two businesses of touts have a range Viagogo and Stubof platforms to list Hub is an expected on, competition for part of the merger uncapped for-profit process and we fully ticket resale is far acknowledge the more concentrated Sharon Hodgson MP importance of the in the UK. In fact, folCMA’s examination lowing Ticketmaster’s into the deal,” says Viagogo MD Cris closure of Get Me In! and Seatwave, February 2020 • Issue 241 • www.liveuk.com
large-scale resellers are effectively limited to selling via these two sites. “I think there’s growing realisation that allowing those two sites to merge and effectively monopolise that sector of the market as a single entity, brings with it major problems - and especially given the chequered and controversial history of Viagogo.”
“Sites like StubHub and Viagogo have had far too many chances to comply with the law and have not faced any substantial consequences for … breaking the law” Sharon Hodgson MP
The CMA will follow this preliminary inquiry with a formal Phase 1 investigation, in which they consider comments submitted. Separate to the above, the CMA recently identified problems with StubHub’s UK website that could mean it is breaking consumer law. As part of regulatory monitoring, the watchdog found that StubHub UK is not complying with commit-
“StubHub had previously committed to make important changes … It’s therefore unacceptable that we have now found these concerns” Andrea Coscelli
ments it made following a consumer law investigation in 2018. The CMA has identified new issues as well, including failing to adequately warn people that tickets may not get them into an event and using misleading messages about ticket availability. CMA chief executive Andrea Coscelli says “StubHub had previously committed to make important changes to the information
on its site, so anyone buying a ticket would know what they were getting before parting with their money. It’s therefore unacceptable that we have now found these concerns. “We have demanded swift action to resolve these problems and are pleased that StubHub has said it will make changes in response. We will closely monitor the firm’s efforts and, if it does not quickly implement changes that satisfy us, we will take further action - potentially through the courts. “As we continue to examine these consumer cases, it is now imperative that the CMA is given stronger powers to rule on whether a company has broken the law and impose fines if needed. We will continue to work with the Government on the most effective way to achieve this.” Other issues the CMA identified with StubHub’s UK site are targeting UK consumers with tickets for events listed on overseas versions of their websites, which may not comply with UK law, as well as failing to ensure people know exactly where they will sit in a venue, and failing to take sufficient steps to ensure the full addresses of business sellers are displayed. Labour MP Sharon Hodgson, a long-time campaigner against secondary ticket, says, “This is welcome news, but sites like StubHub and Viagogo have had far too many chances to comply with the law and have not faced any substantial consequences for misleading fans and breaking the law. “Serious action must be taken on ticket touts through the courts and legislation needs to be tightened. The CMA needs more powers to really tackle this issue and National Trading Standards needs more funding to crack down on touts. This has been allowed to go on for too long.” Meanwhile, the watchdog continues its regular monitoring of Viagogo.
NEWS I 5
Culture minister reveals support for live music THE GOVERNMENT has revealed plans for a new music strategy to support the UK’s “brilliant creators”. A debate focusing on the economic and social importance of music took place in the House of Commons earlier this month, in which Culture Minister Nigel Adams addressed postBrexit touring, the Copyright Directive and fiscal incentives. “I recognise the need to consider Nigel Adams introducing a comprehensive music strategy, we want our music
industry to continue to be the envy of the world,” says Adams, who also pledged Government support for the “fantastic UK music industry at home and abroad”, in relation to freedom of movement post-Brexit. “Touring is absolutely the lifeblood of the industry. We recognise the importance of the continued ease of movement of musicians, equipment, merchandise once we have left the EU,” says Adams. “Visa rules for artistes performing in the EU will
Million-dollar moments WITH ONE album under their belt – Silver Dollar Moment in 2018 – and the next, Disco Volador due for release on 28 February, The Orielles are gearing up for their return to the road. Formed in 2014, the Halifax trio will kick off their tour at the end of the month, with shows at venues including the Electric Ballroom (cap. 1,500) in London, O2 Ritz (1,500) in Manchester and two nights at Chalk (400) in Brighton. The band will put their headline run on pause briefly to
COVER ARTISTE
open for The Big Moon at the Roundhouse (3,100) in London and Everything Everything at O2 Academy Leeds (2,300). “What makes The Orielles so special stems from their youth,” says the band’s agent Paul Buck at Paradigm Talent Agency. “They have a unique spirit of adventure and defiance. Sonically, they take risks and aren’t scared of failure. This new LP will take you on a trip via the Paradise Garage, The Hacienda and Alice in Wonderland, which combined with an immeasurable warmth and connection between band and audience, will make for the most euphoric live show.” The Orielles’ manager is Damian Brave Morgan at Brave Music Agency.
not change until the implementation period ends in December 2020. It’s absolutely essential that free movement for artistes is protected post-2020.” Adams outlined the Government’s approach in a number of other key areas affecting the music industry including the Copyright Directive which he says the UK is not required to implement in full on departure from the EU.
Elsewhere, Adams committed to keeping creative sector tax reliefs under review and to ensuring music education is a key part of schools’ curriculum. UK Music deputy CEO of Tom Kiehl says, “This debate has highlighted a huge opportunity for industry to work with Parliament to ensure crucial support for music is turned into much needed action.”
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www.millenniumstudios.co.uk February 2020 • Issue 241 • www.liveuk.com
6 I NEWS
Music venues to benefit from business rates relief
THE GOVERNMENT has announced that small and midsized venues across the UK should benefit from a cut in business rates from the spring, as part of a broad package of measures to help small pubs, restaurants and high street retailers. It says premises in England and Wales with a rateable value up to £51,000 will be Tom Kiehl granted 50 per cent business rate relief from 1 April. However, the Government does not appear to have issued any further detail, such as other criteria or even a definition of what constitutes a live music venue in this situation. No one from HM Treasury, which made the announcement, was available to comment as LIVE UK went to press, but the online version will be updated as informa- Kelly Wood tion is received. According to Music Venues Trust
(MVT), its research estimates that £1.7 million will be released back into the grassroots live music sector, with an average reduction in overheads of £7,500 per year for 230 grassroots music venues likely to be affected. LIVE UK was unable to obtain background information on how these figures were reached, despite requests for clarification. MVT, along with industry umbrella organisation UK Music and the Musicians Union have been lobbying for the business rate reduction. “It’s excellent news, we have campaigned for a long time to prevent venues from being vulnerable to huge hikes in rates,” says UK Music deputy CEO Tom Kiehl. “This welcome development represents an important lifeline in the fight to protect venues.”
the UK’s world-renowned reputaMVT CEO Mark Dayvd says, tion for music, and ensure that “There’s still a lot to be done on there is a constant and this specific issue, and diverse flow of artistes we look forward to into all areas of the working with the govmusic industry.” ernments in Scotland The Government’s and Northern Ireland website states that to make sure that businesses below grassroots music vena rateable value of ues across the UK have £12,000 or less don’t a level playing field pay business rates when it comes to busion a property, which ness rates and public automatically rules out subsidies. Mark Davyd benefits for the ven“Billions of pounds ues who fall below the in revenue are being threshold. generated in the music industry Pubs and other venues that presfrom the music that is tested, ent live music have not been elideveloped, finds its audience and gible for business rate relief under emerges from these vital spaces.” the Government’s retail discount Musicians Union official Kelly scheme, although it is understood Wood says, “We welcome this news that those with and are pleased a rateable value to see the Gov“This welcome development below £12,000 ernment finally are exempt from responded to represents an important lifeline business rates the needs of in the fight to protect venues” altogether. the grassroots Tom Kiehl See the next music venues. issue of LIVE UK “Small venfor a comprehensive review of the ues play a crucial role by offering Government’s business rates inistages, audiences and support to tiative and how it will affect music artistes at all stages of their careers. venues. Furthermore, these venues uphold
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NEWS I 7
Croydon Council denies reported £30m overspend on Fairfield Halls CROYDON COUNCIL has denied claims that the refurbishment of the Fairfield Halls complex could end up costing the taxpayer £60 million. According to the website Inside Croydon, during a council meeting earlier this month, Labour council leader Tony Newman refused to deny the £60m figure when confronted by Conservative opposition leader Tim Pollard. The multi-venue complex closed for refurbishment in June 2016, was set to cost £30m and reopen in December 2018. However, the cost of the refurbishment rose to £41m and was delayed by a year, opening last September, although with some
works still incomplete. When LIVE UK approached Croydon Council for comment, a spokesperson would only say, “the current estimated cost of the refurbishment is £42.6m,” adding that further works are ongoing. The renovation includes slightly increased capacities for the Phoenix Concert Hall (up from 1,750 to 1,800) and the Ashcroft Playhouse (up from 750 to 800), along with existing performance space Arnhem Foyer (400) and new addition The Recreational (750). Among the artistes performing at the Phoenix are 10cc, Frank Turner, Boyzlife and Jools Holland and His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra. The Council has signed a 10-year contract with events and management firm BH Live, which runs Bournemouth International operate 012-2001-43473_TourTravel-Ad_CJ7.pdf 1 Centre, 2/4/20 to 10:18 AM the Fairfield Halls - artist’s impression © Rick Mather complex.
The Stables wins council backing against developers
MILTON KEYNES council has refused the application, although the rejected the latest planning applica- developers may appeal, potentially tion threatening the future of The incurring additional legal costs for Stables (cap. 438), a live music venue The Stables. founded by world-renowned jazz “The venue has got robust reserves, musicians Sir John Dankworth and but every penny that is spent fightDame Cleo Laine 50 years ago. ing this appeal is a penny less we Developers Abbey Homes applied can spend investing in music educafor a Certificate of Lawful tion, supporting emerging Development that would artistes and developing new have allowed them to audiences,” chief executive proceed with building and artistic director Monica next to The Stables withFerguson tells LIVE UK. out implementing the “We’re not just losing time condition of a Deed of and money, we’re losing Easement (condition 14), opportunities and we want which was applied to the Monica Ferguson it settled as soon as possible, original planning permisso we can move on and sion granted for the site. know where we are.” This condition ensures new resiA registered charity, The Stables has dents are informed of the proximity already spent in excess of £100,000 to the music venue before moving on legal, planning and noise consulin, enabling the venue to continue to tancy fees. emitting its current noise levels withAmong artistes at the venue are out fear of noise complaints leading Joan Armatrading, Courtney Pine, to enforcement action. Graham Gouldman’s Heart Full of A recent meeting of the council’s Songs, Nigel Kennedy and Marc Development Control Committee Almond.
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February 2020 • Issue 241 • www.liveuk.com
8 I NEWS
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The 100 Club granted special status in new council scheme “We look at all venues on a case-by-case ONE OF the country’s oldest and best-known basis and see what sort of help might best fit venues, The 100 Club (cap. 350) in London, them, given the pressures they’re under. We has become the first music venue to be hope it’s something other parts of London will given special status, thanks to a new scheme adopt, as well as cities with rich music scenes launched by Westminster City Council. like Manchester and Liverpool.” The Oxford Street venue, which has hosted Under the plans, music venues in Westminster live music since 1942, has been granted could benefit from up to 100 per cent business 100 per cent business rates relief by its local Jeff Horton with KT Tunstall rates relief if the property’s prime purpose is as council, reducing its overhead costs by over a grassroots music venue and the organisation £70,000 per year. occupying the property and liable for business “This new business rates relief means we rates, must be not-for-profit. can continue to support the careers of the The venue must also be on the Greater hundreds of artistes who take to our stage London Authority (GLA) register of grassroots each year,” says Jeff Horton, owner of The 100 music venues and, although any such venue in Club. the borough could be assisted if they meet the “This is a game changing approach from a criteria, the scheme primarily aims to support local authority in supporting grassroots music Tim Barnes venues in the Soho area. venues. I’m grateful to Westminster Council “This is the first time that special status has and for the continued support of the Mayor of been awarded to a music venue and it is a London and the Night Czar. great example of what can be done to support “I hope that other local authorities will adopt venues in our city,” says London’s Night Czar a similar forward-thinking approach to support Amy Lamé. “I urge other local authorities the music industry.” to work with us to support venues in their A campaign was launched over a decade ago boroughs and help boost London’s vibrant to help secure the long-term viability of the nightlife.” venue, with artistes such as Sir Paul McCartney Amy Lame Among the artistes who have performed at backing a fund-raising campaign. Westminster councillor Tim Barnes, lead member the venue over the decades are the Rolling Stones, The for Soho, helped push the new policy through using Sex Pistols and Oasis. Localism Relief, the council’s power to define businesses they think are particularly important and deserve relief. “If you let a venue like The 100 Club go, you wouldn’t AGENT EMMA Banks, whose roster includes Laty Perry, Green be able to Day, Florence + the Machine and Musie, has been appointed replicate 75 years to a restructured 11-member, day-to-day management board worth of the most of Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Rick Roskin, co-head of impressive music contemporary music in North America, whose roster includes heritage, even if Eagles and Slipknot, has also been appointed. Other board you replaced it members for the Los Angeles-headquartered agency giant with several new include Michael Levine and Paul Danforth (CAA Sports), Maha venues,” Barnes Dakhil, Risa Gertner and Joel Lubin (movies). The 100 Club © Jamie MacMillan tells LIVE UK.
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February 2020 • Issue 241 • www.liveuk.com
EARS 40 Y
0 E 198 C N SI
ROCK CITY IS THE UK’S LEADING INDEPENDENT MUSIC VENUE AND CLUB. Founded in 1980, we’re proud to have a rich musical history that has seen artists such as David Bowie, Nirvana, Amy Winehouse and Ed Sheeran grace our stage. We’re dedicated to providing the best experience for customers and artists alike, and this passion for customer service has cemented our reputation as a go-to venue for touring artists and gig goers. In recent years we’ve established some huge clubnights, attracting thousands of people on a weekly basis. 40 YEARS ON AND THE VENUE CONTINUES TO GO FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH. HERE’S TO THE NEXT 40!
CAPACITY
MAIN HALL: 1900 BETA: 235
2020 SEES THE VENUE INVESTING IN MAJOR AUDIOVISUAL IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING:
SSE INSTALLED L’ACOUSTICS FILLS ON THE BALCONY FOR EVEN BETTER SOUND FOR GIGS AND CLUBNIGHTS
BRAND NEW, STATE OF THE ART FRONT OF HOUSE AND MONITOR DESKS
rock-city.co.uk
BIG LIGHTING AND VIDEO UPGRADES FOR BETTER OVERALL EXPERIENCE THROUGHOUT THE VENUE
10 I NEWS
Warehouse reopens after major refurb THE WAREHOUSE in Leeds music venues in the UK,” TEG has reopened following MJR chief operating officer Dan redevelopment and a £250,000 Ickowitz Seidler tells LIVE UK. “The Warehouse just so hapinvestment in production pened to be the first out infrastructure. of our current venue The venue, which portfolio for investment is celebrating its 40th and with the 40th annianniversary, now boasts three rooms with a versary, the timing came capacity of 600 for live at an ideal moment. “It’s a great landmark music events and 1,100 in The Warehouse’s lifesfor DJ-led events, a new pan and very exciting to sound system, lighting be promoting live music fixtures, a video wall Dan Ickowitz Seidler here again. The [new and CO2 jets. The venue is co-owned by infrastructure] is going to make promoter Running Wild and TEG for an intimate experience for the MJR, the company formed when audience and the artistes, and the Australian ticketing company quality of the technical producand promoter TEG acquired tion means it will look and sound venue operator and promoter fabulous.” Ickowitz Seidler says the comThe MJR Group (see LIVE UK, issue 235). pany are considering refurbish“TEG were always keen to ing its other venues too and also invest in the UK market and has plans to introduce its leading strengthen the proposition of Australian ticketing operation
The Warehouse
Ticketek to the market in near future. The venue relaunched on 23 January with performances from Badly Drawn Boy and Terrorvision. Artistes that have played there
in their early careers include U2, Oasis and The Stone Roses. Among other TEG MJR venues are the Tramshed (1,000) in Cardiff, The Mill (1,000) in Birmingham and Sub89 (600) in Reading.
Live shows celebrate the BRITs
Week to raise money become,” says Geoff Taylor, chief BRITS WEEK and O2 for War Child The London Palladium for War Child - includ- executive of record industry returns to venues across London (2,286), and Jack Savoretti ing Coldplay, Florence association the BPI and the BRIT around The BRIT Awards, which at Omeara (320). Other acts doing + The Machine, Ed Awards. take place on 18 February, with “It is a fundamental element of Sheeran, Jess Glynne, proceeds from the shows going to shows between 8 and 22 February include Bombay The 1975, Elbow, the build-up to the BRIT Awards the charity War Child. YC• Mabel and Mahalia - with Mastercard, Eand The sixth edition of BRITS Week Bicycle Club, Sigrid and ANDpart•our BOC LLI A and E R ARVEST D H N S E A AEG, O2 War Child. ” you realise what an ALners features Catfish and the Bottleman Declan McKenna. LAY JAM • T-J • C R W A O B L • E TIDE • LS IM L Tcelebration An £502,000 important playing the first show at new venue “Looking back at some KULestimated • BLACK wasING ME ATH AINS • AL ING • BAND OF S B H B C A S IN K • E C N BR . K diverse Rraised UK of SOthe Exhibition London (cap 3,000), of the amazing acts that OPER • ALIC • BLAfor WarRChild ILSOthrough • B.BUK’s EL• BJO K B IAN W CO Q • E A Geoff Taylor WELL INGROS IC W H L E S AGE THE A N C • IG D • B music has Bastille and a six-strong choir at have performed ANyear’s BRITsAWeek. • E • AX TON •talent YitZON FIE BOE in BRITs • BRlast ENTINE C L R L E ID N A O V IE • V A H D E T Y D T U E T M A B KER • IT IS • ORISSE O • BO • CRAIG ET FOR S B O L T M A L T O O SIS E U • B N A B N N T O R R A • IN N B L E A E E M E • DIZZ NEY B JOVI ALON • ARG EY • A BENJA • COURT B • BON ONKEYS WARD • LOSURE • BUGZY M D • AL GR U E M C O • L N Y IN IS H C R O IC IE E E D E T Y N G D K L • E C E D C C O B R B S U A Y A • •C ING •B BIC A BL BOVE & ITECTS • BASTILLE REEMAN RETTY TH N BANDIT N • EMM BOMBAY E E • ARCH T JAXX • S • BUD F ES • CLEA S • DIIV • DIRTY P TON JOH • BLUR • M H L E MACHIN E Y E A C H T R D • T R V A T + A RCADE FIR ILOW • BASEMEN H N P N E C A A U C C • H Y N O IO G R Y E L IP A B R R L IR B B L R L • O • E E R E N L R B A OUGH OF • D NBEA A • GA LIM • F HUCK ITORS • BARRY M RCHESTR DING THR A POWER • BROW • CHRONIXX • C • DEERHO A • EAST 17 • ED DROP • FATBOY S O E • K E N L N IC B E T IO E • S R R U E E •F NK G DY’S LANCH ITISH SE & STATUS ETTA • DE CLARKE • DUA LIP A FRIEND KE AIM • HA FAT FRED JOVI • BR • CHASE AVID GU ERAL FOR RGE MICHAEL • H • JACK WHITE • JA AMILY • OPER N F O U • F C HE • BON RDI B • CARIBOU VID GILMOUR • D S • S N E S H L E IE O H JO -Z E A G IT Y R K G U A F D • F JA A • A • • E C • • D D • AND LETTS .COM L DEA JUNGL ERA • THING EPHANT • NZ FERDIN BEAR • GRATEFU EXANDRAPALACE AND THE LICKS • DANNY V ON BROCO • DON ERYTHING EVERY A E • R L F Z IR • IZ A R B D E Y EV RN TTE HAL W.AL CURVE SPIE • D • GRIZZL ST • JULIE D ZEPPELIN • LET FRANK TU E JONES TERNAL • MARI OL • WW ZY GILLE DAS PRIE DE SIX • E ALS • FOUR TET • C • INTERP LE H BAND • Y JU A O S T • R T • IS R E CAL • DIZ G M P E A P E E E • N T R • E S ’S O A I T T Y O N C T R S S F ER N L A O S D S • S L A A N IK Y E R M IR U H JO A M M S P O D • D CH • INS • FLU LIST • NFRE LCD S MITH • ENTER A FRIEND E MICHAEL • GOO IDLES • INCUBUS FT. NOVE ZER • MA ZY • JORJA S • LACUNA COIL • E R A Z C E L O K O F N R R • A L A JO L A D L A R A • M G C U BIT FUNE AKER OWN GEOR OPER ESS • M ATERS • M VES • OR BO • • IAN BR OMBES • JOHN CO • KULA SH CARNER • MADN MUDDY W OTHING BUT THIE HARVEY • PLACE • • GAZ CO COCK • HOT CHIP MIE XX • JAY-Z • KIRSTY MACCOLL E Y L E S Y IS O J L R N P R • NIE • • O S N E N JA T S • M B O A E • IE N R • H H M T I P IX • O HERBIE IGAN AN JAY • JAMIE OYS • P D OSTPRO MOGWA M GS OF LE B L N O R • P IN R • W O Y K E O • T N O S • D H T S R • S A S R E H B • LO RLIG • PET KEAN SEEDS RGRA • S DYN • JAMES RIEL THE BAD S • LOGIC • MINGU N • RAZO G • SUEDE • SUPE SABIAN • B A A & Y A A V K E M M G A V • E O H R A S N E N E EMICAL F C T L O O R • NICK ZE STIN YD • PE AG N’ B • METR R R SER CHIE • THE CH E LIANNE E L R E O S L A • L U R • V F O R IC E S Q E L D K TH K S E E L H K O N • A IN G LLA G STO • MET FO AINSM W YO LER • P SLAVES HE JAM • 3 LIAM GA E ROLLIN ETH-• NE 7 • THE CH AUL WEL EAT LOAF • 1 RORS • T RILLEX • H R S P T K R 8 M A • Y S • • Z O E • S • K E A E H N A S E N K E E IV E B E IC C S H R H•T AY D ACCA E BLA NE RO P • QU • METALL US • NEW ORDER • PARKW ARK • TH • THE HIG MINEERS • THE M THE SMAS AD • PUL SKEPTA • THE STO E O E M H C E H T V IS H IS E • T T D A S R N E R N U A EL HT BEA ITS • JETS • IC! AT TH HE PRODIGY• PO E • SIGUR ROS • NINE • TH 5 • THE 2 LIPS • THE GASLIG •T S • THE SL T NE • PAN • THE 197 HE LUCKY E ROLLING STONE G N DRUGS L • SAD T R O A E IN • OSBOUR T T R S M F N E A A E A D L W S F IM N R E E H O A H OR T H L E T T O B • RUD Y • D • S • G S N E S O P E KNES T•T E LON VAM • TW E RAK OD 241 • www.liveuk.com FebruaryA Issue L BL• O ES • THE E E PILOTS IGY • TH TAKE THA ROWN • THE DAR E LIBERTINES • TH IT N D Y 2020 IN • H C O O O X C R E R W Y P A R T • • . V E N T T T E E H T B SCO GS • T ETS • TH YS • TH RTHUR M • TW MAFIA • OVEMEN IN P A E A E H T P M S F W T Y U E U B O S S Y P U O D T D O S T H W L N R E E N SOU S • TH Y WOR SHADO WHITE THE PR SWEDISH E STROKE EEHIVE • THE LAST THE CRAZ IS • TROJA ECTIVE •
NEWS I 11
Expanding space for 32nd ILMC MORE OF the conference programme has been revealed for the invitationonly International Live Music Conference (ILMC), taking place at the Royal Garden Hotel in London between 3 and 6 March. This 32nd edition of the event will feature over 100 speakers and 40 sessions including 2020 Vision: The 10-year view (exploring how consumer behaviour around live will change over the next decade), Agency Business (updates to artiste development strategies) and Live through a lens (looking at the impact of social media on the format of shows). Among industry figures who will be chairing sessions and hosting workshops are Alex Bruford and Stacey Pragnell from ATC Live, Jackie Wilgar from Live Nation Entertainmnt and Jo Young from Ticketmaster. “Most of the key players from the industry around the world
all come to London for three days to do great business, catch up, network and have a good time,” conference head Greg Parmley tells LIVE UK. “For this 32nd edition, we’ve expanded into a second hotel site, allowing us to deliver the biggest agenda yet with more panels and more networking space. We’ve got some great companies and delegates lined-up, so this year will be a strong edition.” The agenda will also see the return of Futures Forum, a oneday discussion and networking event created by young professionals for the next generation of live music industry leaders. More than 1,200 delegates are expected to attend from over 50 countries. The conference was launched in 1989 by agent Martin Hopewell, then head of Primary Talent International, until acquired by Parmley several years ago.
Climate action summit hopes to turn the industry activist ARTS COUNCIL England (ACE) and charity Julie’s Bicycle will be holding a climate action summit for the cultural and creative community, with speakers including Jamie Oborne, manager of The 1975 and co-founder of the Dirty Hit label, and Brian Eno. The event, We Make Tomorrow, will take place on 26 February at The Royal Geographic Society in London and bring together 300 delegates to discuss how the cultural sector can strive for a carbon-zero future. “Julie’s Bicycle’s ongoing work with ACE demonstrates that there is no opposition between what art is and how Alison Tickell art does, reducing emissions prompts creativity and activism, and vice versa,” says Julie’s Bicycle CEO Alison Tickell. “We Make Tomorrow demonstrates that creative ideas and action are everywhere, connecting culture to energy, finance, circular economy and nature alongside climate justice, place-making
and community.” Andrew Ellerby, senior manager, environmental sustainability & combined arts at ACE says, “The Arts Council is delighted to be working with Julie’s Bicycle on this urgently needed event, which will host an exciting line-up of high profile speakers as well as performances and workshops, asking what we need to do to achieve a more sustainable future and how culture can help us get there.” The event will include keynote speeches, interactive sessions, performances and cross-disciplinary discussions. Founded in 2007, Julie’s Bicycle supports the creative community to act on climate change and environmental sustainability. Last year, the two organisations collaborated on a report titled Sustaining Great Art and Culture, celebrating the successes of cultural organisations’ efforts towards national and international climate targets.
February 2020 • Issue 241 • www.liveuk.com
12 I NEWS
Energy boost for Birmingham ReBalance adds support to International Women’s Day
THE NEC Group has agreed a deal with pay-as-you-go energy provider Utilita to become naming rights partner of Arena Birmingham (cap. 15,800). From 15 April, the arena will be renamed Utilita Arena Birmingham, the second to be branded by the company after Utilita Newcastle Arena (11,000). Utilita has also Paul Thandi partnered in recent years with festivals including Parklife (80,000) in Manchester, TRNSMT (50,000) in Glasgow and Creamfields (70,000) in Cheshire. “Within our venues we’re
Utilita Arena Birmingham
working hard to have optimum energy usage, and we consider the new Utilita partnership to be an extension of the NEC Group’s awardwinning environmental and sustainability commitments,” says NEC Group CEO Paul Thandi. “The best partners are those who can add value to our visitors, and we’re looking forward to working with Utilita to get our audiences thinking about their environmental footprint.” As part of the new deal, Utilita will also become a partner of the NEC Group’s other venue, Resorts World Arena (15,685), situated on the NEC campus just outside Birmingham City Centre. The NEC Group recently named its charity for the year, with all its fundraising efforts supporting Birmingham Mind, a local charity dedicated to helping people with mental health issues.
February 2020 • Issue 241 • www.liveuk.com
FESTIVAL REPUBLIC’S genderbalance initiative ReBalance will support International Women’s Day by offering those wanting a career in music the chance to meet other women in the industry. ReBalance Celebrates International Women’s Day will take place on 8 March at London’s Union Chapel (cap. 900) in Islington, and feature performances from Nilüfer Yanya, as well as ReBalance-sponsored acts Martha Hill and Tamzene. “We are incredibly proud of what ReBalance has achieved, so it only made sense to take the scheme further by hosting an event on International Women’s Day,” says a spokesperson from ReBalance. “Aimed at newcomers or if you’re just curious, this event is the chance to learn from the
brightest stars and pick-up some tips. Lack of female representation in music is an industry-wide issue, and we want to level it.” The event will offer networking opportunities, panels and educational talks from women in company’s including Festival Republic, its parent company Live Nation Entertainment (LNE) and Sony Music. ReBalance began as a threeyear programme in 2017, which has now expanded into an additional three years, offering five days’ studio time to a core female or female-identified artistes each month between 2018 and 2023, as well as a slot at a Festival Republic or LNE festival. Day tickets are £2 which is donated to the Safe Gigs For Women charity. Evening tickets for Nilüfer Yanya plus guests cost £17.50.
UNIQUE ART DECO THEATRE Ideal for performances, gigs, rehearsals and events • Auditorium capacity: 770 raked theatre seating or 960 standing • One of the capital’s largest stages measuring 13m x 14m • Fully equipped sound & lighting rig with 12m x 9m rear projection screen • Split level foyer space with bar, box office and cloakroom
visit qmgreathall.co.uk call 020 7882 5379
STS Touring offers Backline Rental, Lighting Rental, PA Rental and Staging Rental Tel: +44 (0) 161 273 5984 | pete.dutton@ststouring.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 161 273 5984 pete.dutton@ststouring.co.uk STS Europe | Ian Tompson | +49 343 648 79599
www.ststouring.co.uk
14 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
ACE announces more funding for independent venues ARTS COUNCIL England (ACE) is planning to government’s recently announced business pump another £1.5 million into the grassroots rate reductions for venues in England – will enable many more venues and promoters to music sector until March 2021. This is the second round of funding ACE has thrive within their communities.” Independent Venue Week founder Sybil Bell allocated to the sector, following the launch of the £1.5 million Supporting Grassroots Live Mu- says, “It’s such fantastic news that this vitally important fund is being made sic fund in May 2019. available again. The difference So far, ACE has made 70 awards totalthese grants can make to these ing £1.2m to venues including small, mostly independentlyThe Macbeth (cap. 300) in London, owned local businesses is gameHare and Hounds (400) in Birmingham, changing. The Louisiana (140) in Bristol, The Inde“We helped support some pendent (450) in Sunderland and The venues with their successful apSmokehouse (88) in Ipswich. plications in the last round of Sybil Bell “This investment, alongside other Darren Henley funding and we’re here to help Arts Council project-funded initiatives, plays an important part in helping the grass- many more for the coming period.” The venues can apply for funding for anyroots music sector become more resilient and sustainable,” says ACE chief executive Darren thing from improving facilities to experimental programming, and reaching out to new audiHenley. “Though there is still work to be done, we ences and talent. The Sugarmill (cap. 400) in Stoke-on-Trent is hope this additional £1.5m – along with the
Managing Talent
Michael Adex, 23 Northern Quarterz, Manchester E: Adex@thisisnq.com Your artiste roster: Aitch, Zeph. Favourite venues for seeing and/or showcasing new artistes: Band On The Wall & Manchester Academy, both in Manchester. How important is it for artistes to play live: “I think in order to have a legitimate long-term career as an artiste, playing live is extremely important. For any artiste or fan there still isn’t a better way to properly connect other than a live performance. Social media is a great way to interact with fans but hearing hundreds or thousands of them sing the songs back to you beats getting the same amount of likes on Instagram.”
February 2020 • Issue 241 • www.liveuk.com
among the venues that have already benefitted from the fund, as well as support from Music Venues Trust, Whitelight and d&b audiotecknik. “We’re ecstatic to be able to provide a betterquality experience for artistes and audiences,” says Sugarmill promoter Danni Brownsill. “Now, we’ll be able to diversify our programming and develop new audiences. “We’re also delighted to be partnering with local educators to allow students to come in and train to be the next generation of sound engineers, lighting techs and stage managers, now we’ll have a system that is more of an industry standard.” The venue has played host to artistes including Coldplay, Muse and Daft Punk in their early careers. Applications for ACE grants between £1,000 and £40,000 are open until March 2021. The remaining funds in the first round of investment will be awarded by this April.
Other emerging acts to watch: Ling Hussle. Greatest lesson learned: “Learn how to use in-ears as soon as possible.” Worst live experience: “Aitch was booked for a show in Jersey and we were so excited as it was his first gig abroad. However, the venue turned out to be a half empty pub, with a bunch of drunk people rolling around on the floor. There was no backstage area, just a table which we put between us and the fans. Later, we realized this table was the actual stage. We decided to soldier through but, halfway through Aitch’s set, one of the fans knocked down the speaker and ended the show prematurely.” Current live music projects: Aitch will be embarking on Michael Adex his first Australia and New Zealand tour in March.
NXT NEWS I 15
in association with
Smokehouse lighting a fire under Ipswich music scene THE IPSWICH music scene has been stagnant for many years due to lack of infrastructure, according to Joe Bailey, manager of The Smokehouse (cap. 88), who says he’s taking a different approach to running the venue. Opened in 2016, The Smokehouse doesn’t just showcase local and emerging talent, it helps nurture it from the ground up, in turn investing in the future of the local scene. “We’re a not-for-profit community interest company [CIC] so we use our facilities [which include Punch Studios] to train young people in audio, lighting, production and hospitality, which then leads to pathways to employment,” Bailey tells LIVE UK. The venue’s CIC status also means they only need to charge a £50 hire fee, which goes towards paying the sound engineer, so local promoters and bands have the chance to put on their own nights.
While, bands from the Eastern region can apply to have a professionally filmed and recorded live session in the studios as part of The Smokehouse Live, a project funded by Arts Council England and Start East. Among local artistes who have already benefited from the scheme are Bessie Turner, The Naked French and SUDS - a current favourite of Bailey’s. Last year, The Smokehouse added to their promotional platforms for up-andcoming artistes, launching Sound City Ipswich, the town’s first multi-venue festival and music industry conference, and embraced Independent Venue Week. “Each event was so special and highlighted the untapped potential in the town. My personal highlight is seeing the audience really enjoying themselves and knowing that this is just the start of something big happening for our town,” says Bailey.
Stage Break
Omeara
Omeara 6 O’Meara Street, London, SE1 1TE Bookings: Jack Dedman / Communion Music T: 07846712753 E: jack@communionmusic.co.uk W: www.omearalondon.com Capacity: 320 including guests
Jack Dedman
PA/lights: Yes
Dressing rooms: Two Booking policy: Open. Best unsigned/emerging acts currently playing the venue: The Lathums, Masterpeace, Beabadoobee, Griff, Ashnikko and Alfie Templeman. The best advice you can give the manager of unsigned/ emerging artistes: “Surround yourselves with other like minded people that share similar aims. Join societies such as MMF, be plugged into programs such as PRS Foundation and just generally be out meeting people at shows, conferences and showcases.” Better known acts who’ve played the venue: Celeste, Skepta, Beck, The Amazons, Octavian, Freya Ridings, Sam Fender, Maggie Rogers, Mahalia, The Tesky Brothers, Candi Staton, Ward Thomas, Kylie Minogue, Liam Payne.
The Smokehouse
Wigan’s premier music and event space 1000 seated auditorium On site parking Artisan coffee shop Additional event space TheEdgeWigan The Edge, Riveredge, Wigan, WN3 5AB
01942 244460
www.theedgewigan.com
February 2020 • Issue 241 • www.liveuk.com
16 I CITY LIMITS
Swansea
With two major cities on the journey to reach it from the Bristol channel, Swansea has often struggled to attract the top names. But a new concert hall and major local authority investment in the area is opening up the market, and its venue operators and local promoters are ready. Allan Glen reports
I Angie Dickinson
t’s perhaps fair to say that the biggest challenge for Swansea promoters is more geographical than musical. With Cardiff less than an hour’s drive away – and Bristol less than two hours by train – competition for touring acts in this part of the country can be tough, if not brutal. And common with places such as Inverness and Penzance, there’s usually only one way to go after the show, back the way you came. It’s to little surprise that some local promoters are hoping a new 3,500-capacity arena, funded by Swansea City Council and operated by the Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG), could be the
February 2020 • Issue 241 • www.liveuk.com
venue to raise the profile of the area. “I think if the Ambassador Theatre Group can encourage great acts to their new arena, it will drive a more positive attitude to music in the area,” says Angie Dickinson, artistic manager of Pontardawe Arts Centre (cap. 500). Also hoping the currently-named Swansea Arena will improve business is regional promoter Pablo Janczur of Orchard Entertainment, who outlines his thoughts about the city and the new venture. “Swansea is a university city and second city of Wales,” he says. “There is a strong music scene and heritage here so our shows there always do well. We have
an excellent relationship with the local authority, which has a can-do attitude, and is very pro-active. “It’s more of a partnership, which works very well, with good support from local businesses. People will come from further afield to the west and mid-Wales for events as well. “Hopefully with the onset of the new indoor arena larger touring acts can be attracted to the city.” More on both Orchard and Pontardawe Arts Centre later but first to the arena. The new venue is due to open its doors in 2021 (see LIVE UK issue 239), with work having already begun. Once complete,
Exploring the live music networks in our key cities and towns I CITY
Kings of Leon playing at the Liberty Stadium
ATG expects it to stage 160 performances a year across live music, comedy, theatre and gaming, potentially attracting 230,000 annual visitors annually to the city; positioning Swansea as a desirable destination for both leisure and busi-
ness. Located on the waterside, the venue also marks the first phase of its £135 million regeneration of Swansea Central, which includes shops, restaurants and two multi-storey car parks providing 960 spaces. The council and ATG are now discussing the arena’s content to ensure it complements programmes offered by other Swansea venues. Council leader Rob Stewart says the start of the redevelopment marks a huge step in the evolution of the city. “From our spectacular beach and historical landmarks, to our world-leading universities and institutions, Swansea provides a wealth of opportunity that has been undervalued for too long,” he says. “Alongside the other transformative projects taking place across the city, Swansea Central is a missing piece of the jigsaw that will attract more people to the city centre, and greatly strengthen our economic buoyancy.” ATG currently operates more than 30 venues across the UK, including the Empire (2,369) in Liverpool, Edinburgh’s Playhouse (3,035), Glasgow’s Theatre Royal (1,505) and the Sunderland Empire (1,955), while ATG Tickets processes more than 11 million tickets a year. The new venue is being developed by RivingtonHark, with a planned completion of phase one in mid-2021. “More than ever city centres need local authority intervention in order to thrive, and Swansea is a positive example of what can be achieved with a forwardthinking local council at the helm,” says RivingtonHark’s executive director Mark Williams.
Stadium landmark
Elsewhere in the city, at the top end of the market is Liberty Stadium (29,999),
LIMITS I 17
which opened in 2005 to provide a home to Swansea City AFC and Ospreys Rugby team. Since the stadium’s launch which was built along with the Morfa Retail Park just a few minutes from Swansea city centre, has hosted artistes such as Elton John, P!nk, Lionel Richie (all Marshall Arts promotions),Olly Murs, JLS, Kings of Leon (all Orchard shows), Little Mix, The Killers (both SJM Concerts), with other acts promoted directly by the club, as Rebecca Edwards-Symmons, head of commercial, explains. “We fully promoted a show by The Who ourselves and bought everything in for that one,” she says. As for logistics, Edwards-Symmons says there is a wide range of flexible options open to promoters. “The licence capacity for music events is 29,999, although, practically, the actual figure is approximately 27,000, which includes a pitch capacity of 14,650. “The venue has a summer window between sport seasons and seeks to attract a minimum of two music events during that time,” she says. “There are no events planned for summer 2020.” There are, however, plans for events elsewhere in the city this summer, as Orchard’s Pablo Janczur points out. “For 2020 we’re working in partnership with DHP Family for a one-day event in Singleton Park headlined by Catfish and the Bottlemen, You Me At Six, Feeder and Yonaka,” he says,. “We’re running this event in a 20,000-capacity configuration, with tickets at £35. “We have run events in the park for a number of years now, promoting artistes such as Paolo Nutini, Alfie Boe, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Olly Murs, Jess Glynne, and Pete Tong and the Heritage Orchestra Presents Ibiza classics.” Other acts the company is cur-
Bringing Kings of Leon, Noel Gallagher, Paolo Nutini, Pete Tong and The Heritage Orchestra presents Ibiza Classics, Jess Glynne, Alle Boe, Enter Shikari, Elvis Costello & more to Swansea since 2010. Get in touch:
Pablo.Janczur@thinkorchard.com | 02920 100 888
February 2020 • Issue 241 • www.liveuk.com
BRANgWYN HAll, SWANSEA
Highlights include Paul Young, Bullet for My Valentine, Frank Turner and The Sleeping Souls, Christy Moore, Russell Watson, Marti Pellow, Public Service Broadcasting, The Proclaimers, Ben Elton, You Me At Six, BBC National Orchestra of Wales and The Overtones Seated capacity: 1070 l Standing capacity: 1360 l Flexible capacities l In-house generic lighting l Full box office, marketing/press and technical support
TWITTER www.twitter.com/thebrangwyn
BRANgWYN HAll The Guildhall, Swansea SA1 4PE
FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/TheBrangwyn
FOR RATES ANd AVAIlABIlITY Call 01792 635432 or email tracy.ellicott@swansea.gov.uk
Exploring the live music networks in our key cities and towns I CITY
LIMITS I 19
tistes International Management) Boyzlife (Mark Ellis), The Sensational 60s, Rumours of Fleetwood Mac and Mal Pope. “We programme between 20 to 30 live music events per year in a busy calendar,” he says. “Generally performances sell well, with 80 to 90 per cent capacity being attained.”
Club culture
Pontardawe Arts Centre
rently promoting in the city include Only Men Aloud, Marti Pellow and George Ezra at Brangwyn Hall (1,280) and Stand Atlantic and Dreadzone in Sin City (500, 250). “We regularly run shows in venues such as Sin City and the Brangwyn Hall, amongst others, while we’ve also run a couple of shows in the Liberty Stadium, the last one being Kings of Leon in 2014.” Ticket sales at present, he adds, remain good. “Swansea has a very enthusiastic audience – they like to have a good time.”
Key for concerts
The Grand Theatre (1,020) and Brangwyn Hall come under the jurisdiction of Swansea Council. Brangwyn Hall is currently the largest venue in Swansea and acts which have played there include Wheatus, Delirious and the Manic Street Preachers. According to Paul Hopkins, manager
at The Grand Theatre, the opening of the new arena is likely to increase business across the city. “There is a large mix of venues here, from bars to our 1,000-seated theatre and the Brangwyn Hall as well as a number of large outdoor areas, and, now the new 3,500-seat digital arena,” he says. more than 230,000 annual visitors. “Swansea is looking forward to being able to meet the rising demands of the modern promoter with a host of artistes and talent that may not have thought about Swansea before. It’s an exciting time for live music, as demand is there from the public.” Acts to have played the theatre over the years include Paul Carrack, 10cc, Joan Armatrading, Tony Christie, Tony Hadley, Elkie Brooks, The Proclaimers and The Hollies, while current shows include Daniel O’Donnell, promoted by New Age Theatre Productions, Bay City Rollers (Tangent Management), The Drifters (Ar-
Sin City
Sin City remains one of the most popular venues in the city. In the past, when it was partly operated by the students’ union at Swansea University, it hosted acts as diverse as The Beat, The Dykeenies, The View, Does It Offend You Yeah?, and The Living End. Today the venue is owned by Gary Lulham (see LIVE UK, Backstage Star, issue 234), who was originally general manager at the venue several years ago. “In 2015 the University completed its Bay Campus project which saw a new major campus open in the City, part of this involved several new commercial projects for the students’ union,” he explains. “This meant a complete shift in the focus and approach, so the decision was taken to close Sin City. “The venue, up until that point had been a labour of love for myself and the team and we’d accomplished some incredible things with limited resources. It seemed like make or break time, so I ended up taking the venue over myself and with the support of the team that we had at the time, managed to save it from inevitable closure.” According to Lulham, while facing challenges, the market for music is in good shape. “The music scene in Swansea at the moment is fantastic, not just in terms of the quantity of bands that are forming and playing out on a regular basis, but the quality of the bands is phenomenal,” he says. “There has been a huge surge of young indie bands in the last two or three years, which has become cyclical in nature, as the young fans of these bands reach for the guitars themselves. “The scene could be improved in many ways – there’s always a new opportunity to be had, or something different that can be done, but I think Swansea’s biggest strength is the dedication and positive approach that we have. That said, if the council let us put up a couple of posters, I’d be over the moon.” Acts playing the venue, which hosts up to 140 shows a year, include Hugh Cornwell (The Gig Cartel), Black Tongue, Dream State, Milk Teeth, Pete Doherty, Counterparts, Off With Their Heads, Sam Lewis (all in-house), Joanne Shaw Taylor, Goldie Lookin Chain (both The MJR
Gary Lulham
February 2020 • Issue 241 • www.liveuk.com
20 I CITY LIMITS
Swansea Arena, artists rendering
Group), Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes (Kilimanjaro Live), Himalayas, Stand Atlantic (both Orchard) and The Calling, the latter a co-promotion between Sin City and The Bunkhouse. While ticket sales remain “about as predictable” as the weather and competing with Cardiff is still the biggest challenge, Lulham says there are reasons for local promoters to be optimistic.
“It’s an exciting time for live music [in Swansea] and demand is there from the public” Paul Hopkins
Pablo Janczur
“I won’t lie, being Wales’ second city sometimes means that you come in second place, and we’ve probably had more shows than we’d care to remember end up in Cardiff, that we’d have liked on our doorstep,” he adds. Lulham believes that when it comes to repeat business, there is only one thing that really matters. “There’s nothing quite like a Swansea audience – people really take pride in
February 2020 • Issue 241 • www.liveuk.com
Swansea Grnd Theatre
artistes coming to their hometown and want to show them a good time,” he says. “As much as I’d like to say that people come back because of the venue, the dedication of the team or because I buy everything on the rider … but really, it’s the crowd in front of them that do it.”
Neighbouring benefits
As a multi-purpose culture venue, the 500-capacity Pontardawe Arts Centre hosts a wide arrange of styles and genres, from jazz to pop, funk to folk. Located in the village of Pontardawe, 10 miles from Swansea, acts to have played there over the years include Levellers, Squeeze, Turin Brakes, Richard Thompson, Cerys Matthews and Bellowhead. There have been no major changes to the venue since it was refurbished in 1996, and it currently hosts up to 30 live music shows a year. Acts playing the venue include Andy Fairweather Low (John Turner), Max Boyce (Handshake), The Manfreds (Debra Franks), Fairport Convention, Sharon Shannon and Seckou Keita (Craig Wylie), Steeleye Span (John Dagnell Promotions), Eliza Carthy (Sarah Coxson),
Dreadzone (DMF Music) and Wishbone Ash (Andy Nye). Artistic manager Angie Dickinson points out the benefits, and challenges, facing promoters in the city. “We have the most beautiful venue and something about the space encourages great interactions between our audience and the artiste,” she says. “We are an arts centre so we have a mixed programme of music, comedy, drama and also film. “The downside is that we are in the middle of a tiny town 10 minutes from Swansea and 50 minutes from Cardiff with poor public transport, so most of our audience has a host of alternative options.” In summing up, Pablo Janczur says when it comes to outdoor events, persuading some of the industry that there is a major market west of Cardiff remains one of the biggest challenges. However, even this hurdle presents opportunities, he explains. “Sometimes it works in our favour as, for outdoor events, Cardiff sometimes gets a little bit congested. We’ve championed doing more large events in Swansea for a number of years.”
22 I FOUR REMARKABLE DECADES
Four remarkable decades in rock
Frank Carter at Rock City © Joe Doc
As a stalwart independent presence in Nottingham for 40 years, few venues have a history as long, rich or diverse as the 1,900-capacity Rock City, whose owner and management team have remarkably maintained its status as one of the UK’s best-loved and most influential music venues. Christopher Barrett reports
F George Akins Jnr
Mark Gasson
rom early shows by acts including Nirvana, Pearl Jam, The Smiths and Oasis, to underplays by artistes such as David Bowie, The Cure and INXS, the landmark moments of Rock City’s past are many and varied. Arguably more so than ever, Rock City is playing a key role in Nottingham’s burgeoning music scene, with its management team always focusing on the future. “Up until five or six years ago, hardly any Nottingham acts had sold out Rock City,” says owner George Akins Jnr, MD of multi-venue operator, festival organiser and promoter DHP Family. “In the past five or six years we have had 10 sold-out shows by headline Nottingham acts, including Jake Bugg, Sleaford Mods, London Grammar and Ferocious Dog.” The story of Rock City began when
February 2020 • Issue 241 • www.liveuk.com
Akins’s father George was approached by Sammy Jackson, the owner of Retford’s 400-capacity Porterhouse club, about opening up a new venue in Nottingham. The duo took over a Victorian hall known as The Heart of the Midlands and, with Akins Snr funding the venture, set about transforming it into a 1,900-capacity contemporary music venue. Rock City’s management company, Daybrook House Promotions, led to the acronym that now forms part of the rebranded company’s name. It is a business that now encompasses nine venues, multiple festivals and a promoting arm for artistes including Ed Sheeran. Rock City’s opening night should have been a show by Iron Maiden, but the venue failed an electrical safety test and so a week later the honour fell to The Undertones. Within a year it had also played host to U2, Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk and New Order.
Not much more than a year after Rock City’s unveiling, Jackson departed and Akins Snr was joined by Dave Manson as venue manager. Mason would later be poached by the team at Manchester’s Hacienda (cap. 2,400), where he helped play a part in the venue’s notoriety. Rock City has provided a platform for many up-and-coming acts over the years but it has also proven to be a launch pad for influential live music industry figures. “We have had many people who started out working in the bar at Rock City end-up being big players,” says Akins Jnr. “Dan Ealam started off behind the bar before becoming its general manager and is now our director of live, promoting Ed Sheeran for us.” A Nottingham local, Gigantic Tickets founder Mark Gasson is another executive with experience of working behind Rock City’s bar. The first show he saw there was Echo & the Bunnymen in 1984.
FOUR REMARKABLE DECADES I 23 “After having such a long association with the venue on a personal level, it brings immense pride to know that our ticketing software is used by the venue to sell its tickets and our scanning app is used to scan in all customers,” he says. “When music fans talk about Nottingham, they immediately think of Rock City. By carefully picking the right acts on their way up over the years, the venue has achieved an iconic status, which you cannot simply buy.” Another key player who launched his career at Rock City is Live Nation president of UK touring Andy Copping. Having answered an advert in NME, Copping began working as a DJ at the venue in 1989. Two years later he became Rock City’s booker and in-house promoter, a role he held for 11 years. Copping says he will never forget the delight he felt when he was given the opportunity to DJ at the venue. “I was delirious, it was the Holy Grail for a rock DJ. From the mid-‘80s Rock City’s Friday rock night was legendary throughout the country and beyond. It was the place to go, the atmosphere was incredible, you crossed the threshold and it was like going into another world.” Among early highlights for Copping as Rock City’s booker was a show by Nirvana in 1991, for who Copping rescheduled an existing booking to make room. Another landmark moment came in 1994 with Oasis. “Rock City was the biggest venue on the tour, they were playing 600-capacity venues but wanted to test the water to see how popular the band was outside Manchester. We sold it out in a day,” says Copping.
Solid foundations
Akins Snr made an indelible impression on Copping. “He was without doubt my
absolute mentor, the guy had brilliant business acumen, vision, drive and commitment. I have never seen anything like it in any human being before or since,” he says. Copping admits that Akins Snr’s relentless work ethic could prove exhausting: “He used to work us very hard. I would close the club at 3am and drive back to Lincoln. At around 6am the fax machine would start up and it would be George sending comments.” Akins Jnr took over the management of Rock City in 1994, but naturally his association with the venue stretches much further back. He says that key to its lon-
“Rock City will be around for at least another 40 years – it has always moved with the times and continues to do so” Andy Copping
gevity is the fact the venue’s doors have always been open to myriad genres. “Back in 1982 Nottingham was the epicentre of break dancing, the Rock City Crew travelled all over the world to do battle with other crews. As a little kid we had a break dance crew and on Saturday afternoon we would breakdance at Rock City. The venue was very fashionable, even then.”
Room with a view
Akins Jnr says another reason for Rock City’s ongoing appeal for artistes and audiences is the room itself. “The stage is quite low because the domed ceiling comes down low overhead, it is also quite central and positioned at the side of the room. That means you are
close to the stage wherever you are in the venue, and get the impression you are in a 500-capacity room,” he says. Mike Dewdney, ITB agent for acts including Eels and Five Finger Death Punch, has worked with Rock City for three decades. “Key to the venue’s success has always been that bands want to go back, even after sweating half their body weights under the low clearance light rig,” he says. “The team is professional and an absolute pleasure to work with.” Rock City’s management has long received positive feedback about the sound quality in the venue, which Akins attributes partly to the domed roof, but also its sound system. “For years, bands used to tour with their own systems when playing venues the size of Rock City. We kept seeing the L- Acoustics line array system coming in with bands, so we invested in one. It was designed specifically for the room and it was flown, rather than being stacked on the stage, so you got a better view of the stage. “We have always prided ourselves on making sure the sound at Rock City is incredible,” he says. Aside from the auditory experience and intimate feel of the venue, Copping says the regular club nights have long set the venue apart from its competitors. “There would always be a club night going on after a gig, so the night would carry on until 2am and often the bands would hang out with fans,” he says. Says Dewdney, “The memory of the legendary pre-Monsters of Rock discos, with 1,900 rock folk on their knees dancing to Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It’s Off To Work We Go, is burned into my brain. “I have a piece of that dance floor on my desk right now.” Mike Dewdney
We will help revolutionize your business. February 2020 • Issue 241 • www.liveuk.com
24 I SECTOR FOCUS
Interior of Rock City
Big in Japan
Anton Lockwood
The venue’s reputation as a rock mecca has long stretched far beyond the UK but Akins was nonetheless surprised to find himself selling a chunk of carpet for £400 when one of the most successful Japanese rock acts of the ‘90s, The Yellow Monkey, played the venue. “The Yellow Monkey were a stadium band in Japan at the time. They flew 400 fans over to play a show here because they had heard about the venue. I think they had read in Kerrang! about the venue’s old sticky carpet, and were trying to buy pieces of it,” recalls Akins. The lure of Rock City was so strong for
Black Cherry Lounge at Rock City
a young Anton Lockwood that it led him to move to Nottingham in 1984. Now DHP Family’s head of live, Lockwood says the venue was a decisive factor in his choice of university.
“We have always prided ourselves on making sure the sound at Rock City is incredible” George Aikens
Just weeks after arriving in Nottingham as a student, Lockwood was distributing flyers and posters around the university
campus in exchange for guest passes at Rock City. “At the time there were very few proper rock venues. Rock City was the alternative music mecca and still is. There was always cutting-edge new music being played there, from reggae to rock,” he says. After working as an independent promoter for many years, Lockwood joined DHP Family in 2002 and oversaw the opening of next door venue the Rescue Rooms (450). He was instrumental in the launch of multi-venue festival Dot to Dot, which takes place in Manchester, Bristol and Nottingham, and in a typical year promotes around 1,500 shows in DHP venues and beyond.
FOUR REMARKABLE DECADES I 25
Lockwood says he will always have a great affection for Rock City. Among the many highlights of his time promoting shows there have been sold-out dates by Jake Bugg, Ed Sheeran and Frank Turner. “We got Frank to play his 2,000th concert at Rock City, which was recorded and recently released as an album and DVD. We had 10,000 people try to get tickets, it was an astonishing show,” he says.
Independent spirit
According to Lockwood, Rock City is Turner’s favourite venue, not least because it is one of the few truly independent venue of its size in the UK. “Music is about creativity and individuality,” says Lockwood. “The corporatisation of venues is widespread. I call it the Premier Inn factor; when you wake-up you can’t tell which city you are in. We want all our venues to have an individual feel and identity, and being independent means we can be more creative with programming.” “There are very few independent venues of Rock City’s size left,” agrees Akins. “Bands enjoy coming to a venue that is not homogenised and doesn’t have
a huge corporate brand over the door. “The brand is Rock City and I cannot see how we could fit another brand into that, it is something we have turned down on many occasions.” Martin Fitzgerald, chief commercial officer at Nottingham-based See Tickets, which has operations across Europe and in the US, says Rock City has always been a major local asset. “We are incredibly lucky to have such a prestigious venue in Nottingham,” he
says. “People come to Rock City as much because they want to visit the venue as see the band. It’s great that it has remained independent and maintained the same name since the outset — it is one of the constant things about Nottingham.” Says Copping, “The fact Rock City has remained independent bares testament to George Snr – he made everyone involved in the venue very driven and he instilled that in George Jnr. “Rock City will be around for at least
Top shot “We raise a toast to you and send you the biggest congratulations imaginable for 40 years of being such an amazing and iconic venue. “Every single tour manager and tour bus driver knows how to get to Rock City. Even Robin Hood would admit it’s the best thing about Nottingham.” Tom Carson Mast-Jaegermeister UK music manager
February 2020 • Issue 241 • www.liveuk.com
26 I FOUR REMARKABLE DECADES
Interior of Rock City
Sundara Karma at Rock City
another 40 years. It has always moved with the times and continues to do so.” Crosstown Concerts co-founder Paul Hutton, who has promoted shows there since the 1990s, says, “It’s a good venue; one of the few remaining that I would call a proper old-style venue.”
Going underground
Matt Wooliscroft
Amy Lawson
Aside from the main room, Rock City includes a 300-capacity basement space and the recently refurbished Black Cherry Lounge (700), which opened in 2011 and was previously known as The Rig. The Black Cherry Lounge is used for anything from hip hop, R&B and grime club nights to burlesque shows. Meanwhile, the basement was fully refurbishment in 2018, with a new stage, sound system, lighting rig, bar and seating area. It was also given a new name, Beta!. With three rooms on offer, concerts at Rock City can be upgraded to meet unexpected demand. “In 1992, we booked Pearl Jam in the basement room and it sold out so quickly that we moved them to the main hall,” says Akins. “It was an incredible night. Eddie Vedder crowd surfed and the audience started chasing him. “He ended up in the old food bar where
Main Stage of Rock City
he grabbed a load of burger buns and started handing them to the audience, in order to distract them while he tried to get back on stage.” Another chaotic night that Akins will never forget was the in 1988 when Ozzy Osbourne was due to play Rock City. “He refused to leave his hotel room and when fans were told he wasn’t going to
“The corporatisation of venues is widespread. I call it the Premier Inn factor – when you wake-up you can’t tell which city you are in.” Anton Lockwood
come on stage, a riot broke out, a speaker stack was pulled over and police with dogs were called in,” says Aikens. “In 1995 Ozzy came back and did a secret show at as an apology.” Thankfully, the vast majority of events at Rock City go off without a hiccup and the level of professionalism and facilities at the venue have never been better. Amy Lawson, who is the programmer and has been with Rock City for almost
20 years, says that while the majority of shows at the venue are still rock, she has seen a sharp increase in urban and pop acts coming through in the past three to four years. “The great sound and production in the venue mean it’s a popular choice for promoters of all genres, and we’ve seen huge movements in the diversity of our crowds,” she says. “There will always be a demand for rock acts, but it’s great to be able to showcase a breadth of music and appeal to new audiences.” SJM Concerts promoter v Wooliscroft’s relationship with the venue goes back more than 25 years during which time he has put acts on there including The Killers, Maximo Park, Pendulum, Kooks, and Chase & Status. “I have done so many shows at Rock City over the years it’s hard to remember the first,” he says. “I recall going to see Blur play what I think was the first date of the Parklife Tour in 1994 and I saw Rage Against the Machine play the basement venue in 1993. “The venue is run by people who care about live music in a city that cares about live music, it’s hard to see it not being there. “Rock City will endure as long as live music endures.”
I SLI NGTO N’ S NEW LATE NI GHT MUSI C P UB T h e n ew ly refu rb ish ed p u b is a co sy m eetin g sp o t fo r lo ca ls , g ig - goe r s and mus os alike, offering a strong selection of drinks, one of the only late licenses in the a r e a a n d a n e x c i t i n g c a l e n d a r o f D J n i g h t s , r e g u l a r m u s i c q u i z z e s a n d c o m e d y. Upstair s you’ ll find our historic music venue with an exciting schedule of the best u p co m in g b a n d s a n d fu n , free la te n ig h t p a r ties.
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Newsbites FRONT-OF-house engineer Matt West recreated an analogue sound for Snow Patrol’s Reworked tour, using an SSL L550 console for shows including London’s Royal Albert Hall (cap. 5,300), Leicester’s De Montfort Hall (2,200) and Edinburgh’s Usher Hall (2,200). “I knew SSL would capture the old school analogue vibe,” he says. “It’s a 14-piece band and a very open, live stage. Everyone has a vocal mic, and the guys are all on in-ear monitors.” AFTER NINE years working with Sennheiser’s 500 G3 vocal wireless mic system, Frank Turner upgraded to one of the manufacturer’s newest ranges, the Digital 6000 series, with a Neumann KK 205 capsule. “We tour a lot, so good reliable audio is essential to us,” says Turner’s monitor engineer Johnny Stephenson, who says Sennheiser UK’s Andy Egerton recommended the transmitter with the capsule. CABIN AND modular building specialist Qdos Event Hire, has launched a partnership with rental company Adapted Vehicle Hire (AVH), which works with events including BBC Radio 2’s Live in Hyde Park (cap. 65,000), staged by Festival Republic. AVH is known for its production of a range of vehicles for people with disabilities and, under the arrangement, the company could supply adapted vehicles to Qdos’s event clients, which include Goodwood Festival of Speed (100,000). The partnership follows the acquisition of AVH by Qdos parent, Newship Group.
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
PRODUCTION NEWS Magic mushroom lights for Björk WORKING WITH an “intricate and esoteric” set design by Chiara Stephenson, the video and lighting team for Björk’s Cornucopia Tour needed an organic and fluid look, according to Richard White, the artiste’s programmer and lighting director. Working alongside theatre lighting specialist Bruno Poet, he invited Southampton-based Liteup to provide lights, video server, rigging and control for a tour which visited The O2 (cap. 21,000) in London and Glasgow’s The SSE Hydro (14,300). “The visual starting point for the lighting was the breath-taking video content created by artist and designer Tobias Gremmler, together with Chiara’s striking set,” says White. “The stage floor was modelled on mush-
room heads complete with complex keep control of all the colour and ingill structures on the underside, and tensity parameters from FOH, making string curtains with a LED screen at the artiste’s key light much more live the back.” and controllable.” Liteup mounted 16 Martin MAC He distributed 20 Astera AX3 LightViper Performance and 37 MAC Viper Drop battery-powered LED “pucks” profiles on six over-stage and two around the stage providing a wireless front-of-house [FOH] trusses, with for up-lighting solution to highlight the the main hard-edged moving lights, mushroom gills and other set elewhich were arranged on six over- ments. stage and two FOH trusses, with 29 GLP X4s as the primary wash lights. White used two Robe BMFL WashBeams running on a RoboSpot remote follow spotting system at FOH. “We always try to spot Björk from a side-on angle which isn’t always possible when touring multiple venues,” he says. “Using this system allowed me to Liteup at work with Bjork
MLA cuts ‘horrible’ reflections THE NEED to control the band’s volumes, combined with coverage of the highly-reflective surfaces of one of the venues, London’s 10,300-ca-
Idles at Alexandra Palace
pacity Alexandra Palace, were key factors in choosing the PA for Idles, says front-of-house (FOH) engineer Chris Fullard. His experience with Martin Audio’s MLA system at festivals, convinced him this was the best system for the artistes’ tour and he asked Capital Sound to provide one. The band’s system tech Ben Turnbull explains, “It’s all about having the right boxes to keep the energy exactly where the audience is going to be at Alexandra
Palace. Any spill on to the walls and roof and even empty audience areas can add-up to some horrible sounding reflections.” For Alexandra Palace Fullard deployed a full-size MLA, with 10 MLA enclosures and two MLD Downfill elements per side. Left/right delays comprised eight MLA Compact, while a further 12 Compact provided front fill. Sub frequency reinforcement was created by 18 MLX in a cardioid (heart-shaped) array across the front of the stage. The band also played Glasgow’s Barrowland (1,900) with a smaller system.
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February 2020 • Issue 241 • www.liveuk.com
30I
PRODUCTION NEWS
Overtones Adlib way to slick performance LIGHTING DIRECTOR and set designer Neil Holloway needed a “super slick” look which would fit into a single van for a tour by The Overtones. After a discussion with the artistes, he chose a big band look using the act’s LED logo as a backdrop, rather than video. Working with Liverpool-based production company Adlib, he created a set which aimed for understated elegance, featuring a central staircase flanked by two risers each side for the band, plus four signature big band art deco set pieces. The show also had to be scalable to fit into different sized venues including the Sage Gateshead (cap. 1,640), London’s Indigo at The O2 (2,350) and St David’s Hall (2,000) in Cardiff.
“Every lighting fixture on the rig had to be multi-purpose and work hard in several different contexts to earn its place on the tour,” says Holloway. The core moving light fixtures, Robe Spikies for the beams and Martin MAC Auras for the LED washes, were selected for their small size, power, and functionality. Twenty-four Spikies were distributed on the back and mid trusses, 12 on each, while six of the 10 Auras were on the floor, three per side, for low level cross stage washes, with the other four on stands for cross lighting the band on the upstage risers. ustry neighbour of the finest pedigree.”
Adlib at work with The Overtones
Forum showcase for Simz video STS expands into mainland Europe PLAYING A flagship show at London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town (cap. 2,300), Little Simz decided to use video for the first time. Production manager Eric Wade of EZ Services says he not only wanted to enhance the visual impact of the show, but also capture quality footage, for promotional use. Seeking a new video supplier, he turned to Cheltenham-based Production AV. “We wanted to give everyone in the
Little Simz at Kentish Town Forum
February 2020 • Issue 241 • www.liveuk.com
audience the same experience, regardless of whether they were on the balcony or tucked away where sight lines weren’t so great,” he says. “We had a pretty tight schedule and Production AV were quick to quote and crew the show. The efficiency of their work made the experience very pleasant.” The package included two Sony HDC 1500R Broadcast Camera Channels, two Agile Remote Camera PTZs, and the supplier’s own PPU, alongside a Barco Image Pro to process data being fed to the house projection system. Production AV’s Nathan Dunbar, says, “We understand the challenges of live music video in a demanding environment. You only get one chance to make it perfect.”
MANCHESTER-BASED audio specialist STS Touring Productions, whose clients include Anthrax, Midge Ure and Jack & Jack , plans further expansion over the next 12 months, having already opened an office in Germany. The company, which works with manufacturers such as L-Acoustics and DiGiCo, says he is seeing an increase in demand for spot hire of individual PA systems, control desks, inear-monitor systems and other items, as opposed to complete touring packages. “We’re planning
significant investment,” says STS director Pete Dutton. “Our satellite office and warehouse in Leipzig is already provoking massive interest for us. It gives us the advantage of having equipment in Europe ready to use. “[new division] STS Europe will run alongside STS UK and gives us the advantage of having equipment on the mainland, ready to use.” The expansion allows the company to offer live music touring clients a more co-ordinated Europe-wide service, he says.
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32 I SECTOR FOCUS
New challenges for travel brokers
With sustainability being a hot topic, reinforced by Coldplay’s current stance on touring, specialist travel agents are having to adapt and seek out alternatives, while still providing all the usual needs of touring artistes; not to mention issues related to extreme weather, natural disasters and an inconvenient virus. Claire Bicknell reports.
W Trevor Johnson
ith Massive Attack confirming they will complete their 2020 European tour dates by train and Coldplay looking at sustainable solutions before they go on tour again, environmentallyfriendly touring is in sharp focus. Add these considerations alongside unpredictable events such as extreme weather, natural disasters and terrorist acts, it’s a good job the music industry has some expert travel operators with a wealth of experience. With over 30 years’ in the business, The Appointment Group (TAG) has offices in London, Manchester and Leeds, with five in the US and three in Asia Pacific.
February 2020 • Issue 241 • www.liveuk.com
Globally it provides expertise across five divisions including touring, film & media, corporate, events and private travel. “TAG is a full service global travel management company, but aside from the usual service provisions we are able to provide full touring travel support on the road,” says Trevor Johnson, MD of TAG Touring and Film & Media UK. “The experienced team works alongside tour managers, production managers and controllers to advance hotel stays, flight check-ins and provide a dedicated in-the-field travel service. “It’s the overall experience that clients are looking for,” he says. “This means the combination of multiple elements such
as trust, proactivity, attention to detail, reliability, speed of turn-around, strong communication and personality; when all brought together through one supplier, it gives the client the best possible experience on and off the road.” TAG is also responding to clients’ sustainable travel needs. “We offer clients bespoke analytical reporting options with regards to their carbon footprint and environmental impact, working with a specialised partner organisation,” adds Johnson. “In advance of a touring project, TAG is able to offer key advice and help facilitate solutions for sustainable touring travel and accommodation options. “This is, of course, an artist-specific
SECTOR FOCUS I 33 daily and we will react when there is more information available.” When unforeseen events and challenges affect a tour, TAG reacts quickly with their 24/7 service. “Everyone in the live touring sector will tell you how frequently changes happen, sometimes down to completely unavoidable incidents such as illness or accidents with the artiste, or problems caused by weather, industrial action, natural disasters, global health emergencies and so on,” says Johnson. The company is continuing to develop its TAG GO software application, where clients have fingertip 24/7 access to their travel tour arrangements, assisting with the management of costs and budgets, passenger profiles, hotel rooming lists, itineraries, and more. “Technological advances and innovations are becoming crucial in the future evolution of entertainment travel management,” states Johnson.
Budget backup
scenario in the current time, but we foresee the need for climate-responsible touring becoming hugely prominent in a short space of time.” With the UK now having left the European Union, TAG is also poised to respond to any changes coming after
R Q
the Brexit transition period, which ends on 31 December 2020. “The long term implications of Britain’s exit remains to be seen, on a great number of issues and concerns,” says Johnson. “As with all travel agency businesses, we are monitoring the situation
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Bullet train on the platform
Founded by MD Sarah Currie in 1999, London-based Tour Travel is celebrating its 21st anniversary this year and has recently opened an office in Los Angeles. Its clients include the Rolling Stones, Guns N’Roses and Mariah Carey. “We are dedicated to providing our clients with everything they need whilst on tour,” says Currie. “Apart from the usual travel logistics of managing hotels and flights, we help manage the travel budget, and present suite options to the talent and management team, so they know the particular suite is suitable before they step foot in the door. “We are able to put somebody out on the road to ensure that the tour all goes smoothly, manage the hotel rider and the rooming lists, as well as the day-today changes that invariably happen.
T: +44 (0)1904 777 217 (UK) F: +44 (0)1904 77 172 E: info@Travel4Tours.com W: www.Travel4Tours.com
February 2020 • Issue 241 • www.liveuk.com
34 I SECTOR FOCUS Our supplier relationships are second to none and we’ve recently been asked by two well-known hotels to help design their top suites, as the hotels are very keen to win the touring business.” The company is seeing an increase in clients looking at ways to cut down on their carbon footprint. “Bands and crews are looking at a more sustainable way of travelling,” adds Currie. “Sometimes it just isn’t possible to get from A to B in the timescales involved, and two of the tours we are currently working on this year have both the band and the crew travelling together on the same charter plan. “Whilst this isn’t necessarily ecofriendly, it does reduce the emissions of having to take two charter planes to venues that would otherwise be unreachable within the timescales involved. Reacting quickly to change is all part of a day, and night’s, work for leading travel specialists. “Schedules can change and do change day by day, hour by hour sometimes, but we pride ourselves on having a great relationship with our clients and suppliers so that when major changes
Inside a commercial air plane
do happen, we’re able to jump on it quickly in a calm and organised manner,” says Currie. “We were recently managing the travel logistics for a US band about to tour China which had to be cancelled and rescheduled to another country entirely due to the Wuhan coronavirus.” Future plans include implementing an app this year for its clients to use which
will cover all aspects of the travel logistics, documentation and budgets. “There’s no longer the need for couriering boarding passes to the clients, printing off tour itineraries and schedules; our clients now have their documents on their phones, and we take full advantage of WhatsApp and FaceTime and other channels to communicate, as well as having our own
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SECTOR FOCUS I 35
travel, hotel accommodation, car hire, trains, meet and greets, chauffeur drive, and we cater to all budgets from lowcost to high-end.” Brown states clients are looking for “good service and value for money”, with the company going the extra mile for when the unexpected does happen.
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bespoke portal to keep everything in one place,” explains Currie.
Bespoke service
Glasgow’s The Tour Company has worked with clients including Bob Dylan, Paolo Nutini, Paul Simon, Twenty One Pilots, The Beach Boys and Marilyn Manson. It’s also celebrating its 21st anniversary this year.
“Each of our clients has their own specifications and preferences when it comes to accommodation and travel,” says office manager Julie Brown. “We are very fortunate to have great relationships with suppliers and we will always do our best to get the best deals possible for our clients. “We specialise in all aspects of travel offering and all key services including air
“There are numerous reasons travel schedules change. Airline strikes can cause problems, and we usually find a way around that. We have great staff and can react quickly to assist our clients if and when situations arise,” adds Brown. York-based Travel4Tours was established in 2008 to provide travel management services for touring artistes including Pale Waves, 10cc, Tom Morello, Tesseract, Girl in Red and Tyler Childers.
February 2020 • Issue 241 • www.liveuk.com
36 I SECTOR FOCUS
Claire Robinson
“Primarily we book hotels and flights, but we also book trains, ferries and ground transport for our clients,” says owner Claire Robinson. “We assist on budgeting during pre-production and produce detailed itineraries which will be refined as needed until agreed with the client or as routing is finalised. “To ensure everything runs smoothly at check-in, we deal with the online check-in, the pre-booking of baggage and advance all hotel stays with special requests as needed. We provide financial protection, 24-hour support and only use reputable suppliers as there’s too much at stake.” When the unforeseen does happen, Travel4Tours is there to help. “Issues are very rare as we put a lot of effort into advancing our clients’ travel and reconfirming everything, so we don’t get problems when they arrive at the airport or the hotel,” states Robinson. “When the tour is underway, issues we can deal with include last-minute rescheduling, missed or cancelled flights and visas not arriving in time. “For last-minute changes, we have a 24-hour emergency contact number which luckily doesn’t get used that often.” The company hasn’t noticed any particular travel requests to date that are driven by sustainability and the need to reduce carbon footprint. “Our clients still want the best value flights at the most convenient times, but we expect sustainable travel to become more of a consideration in the future as the impact the choice of transport has on climate change becomes more understood,” adds Robinson.
Staying alert Alison Rodgers
Eton-based Detonate Travel was founded in 1996 and has been trading
February 2020 • Issue 241 • www.liveuk.com
Private Jet
for over 50 years by CEO Alison Rodgers. Its clients include artistes such as UB40, Pete Tong, Norman Cook (aka Fatboy Slim), Kim Wilde and Meduza.
“We foresee the need for climate-responsible touring becoming hugely prominent in a short space of time” Trevor Johnson
“We offer the full package in terms of travel,” says Rodgers. “When bands fly, they need to know they are all booked on the best possible route with all their specific requirements taken care of. This can involve all the excess baggage elements to taking account of instruments, through to dietary and seating preferences. “We will also find the best hotels for them in the most convenient locations and organise ground transport where
necessary. We can organise private jets when scheduled airlines aren’t offering suitable routes or times, and greeters at the airport to ensure the whole journey and experience goes as smoothly as possible.” Many of its clients are also provided with reports on their carbon footprint, so it can be offsett. It also offers the DATA SENSE interactive online management system which enables clients to have 24/7 access to their real-time travel data. “Organising travel can be very complex, so we take the headache away from management – there’s the comfort in knowing that in the event of problems or unforeseen circumstances, we are on hand 24 hours-a-day to fix it,” says Rodgers. “Recently there have been missed flights, and re-routing of flights due to coronavirus as well as airline strikes and natural disasters. “We receive travel alerts so we are prepared to offer alternatives before travellers even realise there is a problem, and we have alternative solutions in place before all the flights sell-out.”
THE PERFECT LINE-UP Issue 40
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A GUIDE TO ARTISTES, TOURS & AGENTS TOUR PLANS I 39 Artistes
Period
Contact details
Artistes
Period
Artistes
Period
Contact details
5K HD
May
Ryan Balch, The Leighton-Pope Organisation T 020 8741 4453 ryan@l-po.com
John Bramwell May & The Full Harmonic Convergence
Alexis Ffrench May-Jun
Emily Robbins, UTA T 020 7278 3331 Emily.Robbins@unitedtalent.com
Jungle Brothers
Amy May Montgomery
Matthew Bartlett , Midnight Mango T 01458 211117 mb@midnightmango.co.uk
Juan De’ Jun Marcos Afro Cuban All Stars
Anathema
May-Jun Andy Farrow, NMC Live T 01274 306361 andy@northernmusic.co.uk
Atari May Teenage Riot
Jeff Aug, Maximum Booking T +49 177 642 4221 info@maximumbooking.com
Boyz on Block
May
David Samuel, ASM Talent T 020 3005 9170 david@asmtalent.co.uk
Blackfoot
May
Jeff Aug, Maximum Booking T +49 177 642 4221 info@Maximumbooking.com
Bernie Marsden
May-Aug Alec Leslie, ALE Consolidated T 01829 730488 alecconsol@aol.com
Cameron Graves
May
Matt McCluskey, The Kurland Agency T 01482 014971 matt@thekurlandagency.com
T.Rextasy
Chesney Hawkes
May
Ryan Balch, The Leighton-Pope Organisation T 020 8741 4453 ryan@l-po.com
Dreadzone May
Zac Peters, DMF Music T 01392 437 744 zac@dmfmusic.co.uk
Fofoulah
David Flower, Sasa Music T 07798 743466 rab@sasa.demon.co.uk
May
Graham May Gouldman’s Heart Full of Song Gong
Chris Wade, Strada Music T 01377 217662 info@stradamusic.com
Holy Moly & May-Oct Polly Bolton, Strada Music The Crackers T 01482 014971 polly.bolton@stradamusic.com Joe Satriani May
May
Kenny Jones Jun and The Jones Gang
David Flower Sasa Music T 07798 743466 rab@sasa.demon.co.uk Nigel Morton, Money Penny Agency T 01377 240162 nigel.morton@moneypennymusic.com Mark Lundquist MLM Concerts T 07971401510 mark@marklundquist.com
Steve Parker, Miracle Artists T 020 7935 0222 steve@miracle-artists.com
May-Nov Glenn Povey, Event Horizon Live T 07841 594677 glenn.eventhorizon@gmail.com
Hannah May Sanders & Ben Savage
Nigel Morton, Money Penny Agency T 01377 240162 nigel.morton@moneypennymusic.com
Jun-Aug Albert Samuel, ASM Talent T 020 3005 9170 albert@missioncontrol.net
Kathryn Williams
Cliff Bennett May-Jun Mark Lundquist, MLM Concerts & The Rebel Rousers T +1 161 7254 0007 mark@marklundquist.com
Contact details
Wayne Forte, Entourage Talent Associates T +1 212 633 2600 wayne@entouragetalent.com
The Lumineers
Lindisfarne May
Graham Smout, Strada Music T 07971 072 938 graham.smout@stradamusic.com
Lisa Ekdahl May-Jun Paul Charles, Asgard T 020 7387 5090 pc@asgard-uk.com Lisa Stansfield
May-Jun Neil Wornock, UTA T 020 7278 3331 neil.warnock@unitedtalent.com
Musical Youth
May-Jun Serena Catapano, SAS Entertainment T 07871 075 072 serena@sas-ents.com
Ruby Turner
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: grace@liveuk.com
usic rentals
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www.esp-musicrentals.co.uk February 2020 • Issue 241 • www.liveuk.com
40 I TOUR PLANS A GUIDE TO ARTISTES, TOURS & AGENTS Artistes
Period
Contact details
Nazareth
Sep
Alan Cottam, Alan Cottam Agency T 01254 668471 alam@alancottamagency.co.uk
NOËP
May
Clotaire Buche, Junzi Arts T +33 615173539 clotaire@junzi-arts.com
Potato Head June Jazz Band
Artistes
Period
Contact details
Tim Jennings, Big Bear Music T 0121 454 7020 tim@bigbearmusic.com
Ruby Turner Sep-Oct Nick Peel, Miracle Artists T +44 207 935 9222 nick@miracle-artists.com SAZ’ISO
May-Jun David Flower, Sasa Music T 07798 743466 rab@sasa.demon.co.uk
Seth Lakeman
May-Sep Dave Farrow, DMF Music T 01392 437 744 david@dmfmusic.co.uk
Dan Silver, Value Added Talent T 0207 704 9720 dan@vathq.co.uk
10cc
Steve Parker, Miracle Artists T 020 7935 9222 steve@miracle-artists.com
The Jim Dandies
Jun-Jul
Jul
Tim Jennings, Big Bear Music T 0121 454 7020 tim@bigbearmusic.com
Contact details Georg Leitner,Georg Leitner Productions | T + 431 914 86 15 gleitner@glp.at
T-Rextasy
May-Jun Mark Lundquist, MLM Concerts T 07971401510 Mark@marklundquist.com
UB40
Jun-Aug Gary Howard, UTA T +44 207 278 3331 garyhoward@unitedtalent.com
Wolfgang Flür
May-Jun Zac Peters Dark Independent Bookings T +32 468 27 06 12 pieter@darkindependentbookings.com Jeff Aug Maximum Booking T +49 177 642 4221 info@Maximumbooking.com
Xander and May-Aug Alec Leslie, ALE Consolidated the Peace Pirates T 01829 730488 alecconsol@aol.com Zamilska Steve Hillage Band
The Trials May of Cato
May
Ania Marzec Central Euro Organisation T +48 22 894 60 35 ania@centraleuro.org
Graham Smout, Strada Music T 07971 072 938 graham.smout@stradamusic.com
The Lumineers
Jun- Aug Alex Bruford, ATC Live T 020 7580 7773 alex@atc-live.com
The Wildhearts
Jun-Nov Andy Farrow, NMC Live T 01274 306361 andy@northernmusic.co.uk
They Might Aug Be Giants
Zac Peters, DMF Music T 01392 437 744 zac@dmfmusic.co.uk
The Way May Down Wanderers
Phil Simpson, Strada Music T 01482 014971 phil.simpson@stradamusic.com
Toploader
The Way Down Wanderers
Period
Willie & May The Bandits
Sons of Apollo May-Jun Andy Farrow, NMC Live T 01274 306361 andy@northernmusic.co.uk Steve Hillage Oct Band
Artistes
Tokio Hotel Jun
May-Jun Mark Lundquist, MLM Concerts T 07971401510 Mark@marklundquist.com
UB40
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.
Rigging Services
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42 I BACKSTAGE STARS BACKSTAGE
STARS
Profile
Sarah Phillips As CEO of the 4,000-capacity Plymouth Pavilions – the south-west’s largest concert hall – since 2018 Sarah Phillips’ responsibilities range from programming to overseeing the venue’s expanding ticketing operation The Ticket Store. Having a career in marketing across Europe and the Far East before joining the Pavilions 16 years ago, helps in making the best of concerts with artistes such as Elbow, Beth Hart, Michael Kiwanuka, Becky Hill, Jools Holland and His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra and Deacon Blue. What are your first live music memories? “I was a real girl of the ‘80s, living the dream at Radio One Roadshows – with acts such as Kylie, Black Box and Gabrielle – and screaming myself horse for the latest Stock, Aitken and Waterman offering when the Hitman Roadshow rolled into town with Kylie, Sinitta and Sonia. Oh, how times have changed. “But the first gig that had a real impact on me was Michael Jackson’s HIStory Tour at Wembley Stadium in 1997. I certainly wasn’t prepared for the sheer spectacle of a gig of that size and I completely soaked up the atmosphere. “Over the years my musical tastes have certainly matured, but my love for the live experience is just as strong.” How did you get into the entertainment industry? “I did Business Studies at University and started my career by specialising in marketing. Many years in the field facilitated some amazing experiences, living and working in the Far East and organising events as far flung as South Africa, the States and Europe. “Through marketing I experienced many industries before landing a role as marketing manager here at the Pavilions in the early 2000s. Over the years my role developed, firstly accumulating sales and ticketing, not just at the venue, but partnering with established city-wide enterprises to ticket high profile events including several years of MTV Crashes. “Developing the ticketing side of our business eventually grew into its own breakaway venture, The Ticket Store, which has evolved
February 2020 • Issue 241 • www.liveuk.com
LIVE UK intervie ws key people who help shape our industry
into a service provider for events across the south-west. “Never one to stand still, in 2016 I handed over the sales and marketing mantle to a fab team with fresh ideas and embarked on my next Pavilions’ chapter as I swapped creativity for number-crunching and assumed the role of director of operations, heading up our customer and visitor services divisions, as well as our onsite Ice Rink. “In late 2017 our [then] CEO broke the news that he was heading for pastures new and I was approached to head-up the venue, which I feel truly privileged to do alongside our director of facilities, Richard Findlay, and our talented team. “The Pavilions has hosted some fantastic shows, with my personal favourite being P!nk, along with Radiohead, Green Day, My Chemical Romance, Van Morrison, Paul Weller, Coldplay, Oasis, Michael Bublé, Alice Cooper, The Prodigy, Biffy Clyro, Ben Howard, Kasabian, Bastille and One Direction.” What were your high and low points? “Every event we do comes with its own set of unique circumstances and the solutions that my teams find to overcome even the seemingly impossible complications never cease to amaze me. We all know that, in this industry, no two days or problems are ever the same. “My career has afforded me so many wonderful and diverse live experiences – often when I have least expected them! We’re in the business of connecting acts with their audiences and seeing the enjoyment of our patrons will, for me, always be hugely rewarding.”
“As for setbacks, outside of a couple of redundancies and of course, the odd cancelled performance or event at short notice, I’ve been very fortunate. The worst that’s come my way is a day stuck in a limo with a couple of Posh and Becks look-alikes, a few days on tour with a 6ft walking-talking pint of beer and an event reception desk, a huge fish tank, full of dead goldfish. Where do you see the industry going? “There are exciting times ahead for our venue, an opportunity for us to reinvent ourselves within the entertainment business and continue supporting our local community. “The industry may suffer setbacks during uncertain times, but there’s nothing like live entertainment and we feel privileged to be custodians of making these experiences happen for our customers.” How do you unwind? “I am hugely fortunate to live in Cornwall, a truly beautiful part of the country, with my extremely supportive husband Mark and our two crazy young children Matilda, age 7, and Sebastian, 5. “Family life certainly keeps me busy when I’m not at my desk and I’m never happier than when I’m spending time with them and friends, enjoying the local beaches, countryside and of course the local gin. “Mark and I have always loved to travel, with the children in tow our globetrotting wings are clipped a little for now, but we’re making the most of some amazing family holidays, chilling and spending quality time in the sun.”
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