IQ102

102 An ILMC Publication AUGUST 2021 | £25 | €25

TOURING EXHIBITIONS REPORT IFF 2021 PREVIEW

THE FUTURE FOR LIVE-STREAMING

RETURN TO LIVE Industry leading insights, advanced ticketing technology, local expertise and global reach to help you on your journey back to live.

Discover more at business.ticketmaster.co.uk

IQ102 CONTENTS

Cover: Kaiser Chiefs at Latitude Festival © Matt Eachus

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NEWS

FEATURES

COMMENT AND COLUMNS

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Index In Brief The main headlines over the last month Analysis Key stories and news analysis from around the live music world New Signings & Rising Stars A roundup of the latest acts that that have been added to the rosters of international agents

International Festival Forum Preview As the team plans for a hybrid IFF conference and showcase event, we share details of the 28–30 September schedule Touring Exhibitions Report 2021 Jon Chapple talks to some of the world’s leading producers to find out how the touring exhibitions sector remained operational throughout Covid Ahead! Full of Streams What now for live-streaming, as concerts and festivals finally re-emerge, post Covid restrictions?

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Reinventing the Early-bird Ticket Luis Sousa believes now is the ideal time to reimagine ticketing strategies IPM Production Notes Guns N’ Roses production coordinator Debbie Taylor shares lessons learned through implementing Covid protocol Q&A: The View from the Top Jessica Koravos and Ann Jackson affirm Oak View Group’s plans to build back better Your Shout What won’t you miss about the business when live shows resume?

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TUNNEL VISION

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t’s August – the height of the summer festival season in the northern hemisphere – and while it’s a lot quieter than it should be, there are definite signs that the recovery has started. Serbia’s EXIT Festival was a smash success, Slovakia hosted Pohoda On The Ground, and Chicago celebrated the return of Lollapalooza, while in the UK, the likes of Latitude and Standon Calling saw people gathering in fields again, albeit at the latter they had to go home early thanks to some truly biblical rain storms.

There is some light finally at the end of what has been an unfathomably long tunnel. And while it’s certain that the summer season will again be a fraction of its pre-pandemic self, the good news is that many promoters and their production teams are back at work, while preparations for Q4 touring are looking very positive indeed.

But, in the rush to get back to business, let’s hope the promises of the last year are not forgotten. This is not the time for tunnel vision.

The pandemic pause allowed the entire industry to take a long hard look at itself, and many, many organisations joined ranks to promise to build back better. Improvements in equality, diversity and attention to equitable pay structures for staff have been pledged, and aspirations on sustainability have been made. It’s now time to deliver on those promises and truly make the live music business an environment that can attract the best talent, no matter where they are from, what they look like, or how they choose to identify.

Natasha Gregory makes the point more eloquently than I do in Your Shout (page 40), where decision makers can also find a range of issues that industry professionals would like to see confined to history.

Elsewhere in our August edition, Jon Chapple checks in with our touring exhibition producers and promoters (page 22) to find out how they have been faring, as one of the very few sectors still allowed to operate over the past 12 months, while, looking ahead, we have a preview of what you can expect at this year’s International Festival Forum which takes place next month (page 18).

Our comment articles come courtesy of Ann Jackson and Jessica Koravos from Oak View Group; Luis Sousa at Festicket; and Guns N’ Roses production coordinator Debbie Taylor, who shares some of her experiences of establishing Covid protocol measures for crews, which is definitely worth a read for anyone hoping to be involved in touring any time soon.

And I talk to some of the pioneers in live-streaming (page 32) to gauge their expectations for the months and years ahead, now that actual live shows are becoming a reality again. Fingers crossed, by the next issue of IQ, the majority of us will be able to say that we’ve experienced the thrill of being at a gig again.

ISSUE 102 LIVE MUSIC INTELLIGENCE IQ Magazine Unit 31 Tileyard Road London, N7 9AH info@iq-mag.net www.iq-mag.net Tel: +44 (0)20 3743 0300 Twitter: @iq_mag Publisher ILMC and Suspicious Marketing Editor Gordon Masson News Editor Jon Chapple Staff Writer Lisa Henderson Advertising Manager Steve Woollett Design Rather Nice Design Sub Editor Michael Muldoon Head of Digital Ben Delger Contributors Ann Jackson, Jessica Koravos, Luis Sousa, Debbie Taylor Editorial Contact Gordon Masson gordon@iq-mag.net Tel: +44 (0)20 3743 0303 Advertising Contact Steve Woollett steve@iq-mag.net Tel: +44 (0)20 3743 0304 ISSN 2633-0636

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IN BRIEF INDEX The concert business digest

Nightclubs and dance music festivals lost more than three quarters of their value in 2020 due to Covid-19 opening restrictions, the IMS Business Report 2021 reveals.

BTS 2021 Muster Sowoozoo, a twoday virtual concert with the K-pop superstars, is attended by 1.33 million unique viewers from 195 countries.

Wild Mint, one of Russia’s biggest festivals, is left RUB47million (€540,000) in debt after local authorities cancel the event at the 11th hour.

Campaigners in Europe, Asia and Australasia warn that the move towards digital and mobile tickets for events, attractions and transport, accelerated by the pandemic, risks broadening the ‘digital divide’ and excluding older people as life returns to normal.

Viagogo is investigated in Australia for allegedly breaching anti-ticket touting laws in the state of New South Wales, where it is illegal to resell a ticket for more than 10% over face value.

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Lina Ugrinovska, one of the best-known booking agents in the Balkans, launches her own agency, Banana & Salt, offering international booking, consulting, training and educational services for artists and music professionals.

Live Nation teams up with nine of Denmark’s biggest festivals – Roskilde Festival, NorthSide, Heartland, Copenhell, Smukfest, Tinderbox, Jelling Musikfestival, Nibe Festival and Grøn – for a oneoff event marking the reopening of the country, Back to Live, set for 4 September.

Australia’s TEG announces the launch of TEG Rockefeller, a new global partnership and joint venture with the Rockefeller Company of New York.

The findings of the Ambition Live Again test concert in France show that attending a show is not associated with an increased risk of transmission when certain hygiene and testing protocols are followed.

There were zero Covid-19 infections during a pilot event series, Modellprojekt Kultur/Reallabor Leipzig, held across nine venues in May and June, organisers announce.

CTS Eventim confirms it will receive €102m government aid for November–December 2020 “to strengthen the result for the current financial year and the company’s liquidity.”

ID&T announces it is taking the Dutch government to court over new Covid-19 restrictions, which are reimposed just weeks after they were lifted.

The UK’s entertainment and media industry is forecast to return to growth and be the biggest market in western Europe by 2025, according to PwC’s Global Entertainment and Media Outlook 2021–2025.

The EAA’s Arena Resilience Alliance publishes a report analysing findings from more than 20 test events hosted at 12 of its partner arenas across Europe.

Serbia’s Exit Festival takes place, attracting 42,000 festivalgoers from more than 70 countries on the opening day alone and recording no Covid-19 infections across the weekend.

Slovakia’s Pohoda on the Ground did not record a single positive Covid-19 result throughout the “extraordinary” five days it took place, according to organisers.

Live Nation confirms that Theresa Velasquez, who was a senior vicepresident of strategic partnerships for the company, lost her life in June’s tragic apartment block collapse in Miami.

Within hours of rules being relaxed, UK vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi announces that full vaccinations will be required for entry into nightclubs and venues with large crowds from September.

Ticketmaster will provide digital ticketing technology for six Oak View Group arenas as part of a newly announced global partnership between the two firms.

In Brief

Cider company Magners faces legal action for allegedly refusing to pay more than £1.7m (€2m) in owed sponsorship money after partner event Cheltenham Festival became a Covid-19 superspreader event.

The 20,000-capacity Ticketpro Dome, South Africa’s largest indoor venue, will close to events and become a giant used-car dealership after owner Sasol Pension Fund sold the building to WeBuyCars.

Up to 20,000 fully vaccinated music fans will gather on the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City on 25 September for the world’s biggest test concert to date, the Quebec provincial government announces.

Benefit concerts in Germany and Belgium help to raise money for those affected by the catastrophic flooding that has swept across continental Europe this month.

The Belgian federal government launches its Covid Safe Ticket, a domestic health pass that will certify the Covid-19 status of attendees to major entertainment and sports events.

CTS Eventim announces the launch of Eventim Live Asia, an expansion of its European promoter alliance Eventim Live, headed by ex-Live Nation exec Jason Miller, with a focus on China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia.

Finland’s major live music companies condemn all forms of harassment and discrimination following a series of allegations posted on the #MeToo-inspired Instagram account @punkstoo.

More than four fifths of Australians say they consider international artists to be a significant factor in their decision to attend live events in the future, reveals a major new survey commissioned by Live Entertainment Industry Forum.

UK festival safety initiative Festival Safe releases a new guide that aims to make fans aware of how Covid-19 will affect the festival experience, as well as steps to take to keep each other safe.

There will be no Pukkelpop this year after all, the festival announces, as a result of new government regulations that would have required it to almost triple its onsite testing capacity with less than a month to go until gates open.

Khvylia, a former Soviet sanatorium on the outskirts of Kiev, has been converted into a live music venue by the team behind the world-renowned Georgian club Bassiani.

Dutch festivals such as Lowlands, Down the Rabbit Hole and Mysteryland are delivered a death knell after the government extended its ban on multiday events until September.

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Hundreds of thousands of music fans flock to festivals such as Latitude, Standon Calling and Tramlines for the UK’s first big festival weekend since the summer of 2019.

Live Nation GSA (Germany, Switzerland, Austria) announces it will launch a German edition of Download Festival, the UK’s premiere rock event.

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Analysis

ED LL E C AN C LAST-MINUTE CANCELLATIONS FOR MAJOR EUROPEAN FESTIVALS

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utch festivals such as Lowlands, Down the Rabbit Hole and Mysteryland, will not be permitted to take place this summer after the government extended its ban on multiday events until September.

The ban on non-seated public events and multiday festivals with more than 1,000 attendees came into effect on 10 July and was set to remain until 14 August, when the government would decide whether festivals after that date could go ahead.

However, the cabinet has sealed the fate of the summer season sooner than expected, ruling out multiday festivals until at least 1 September due to uncertainties surrounding the Delta variant of Covid.

The government’s tightening of restrictions comes in spite of Fieldlab’s findings from three months’ worth of pilot events in the Netherlands that show that the risk of Covid-19 infection, when following certain hygiene and testing protocols, is about the same as being at home.

Fieldlab is an initiative of the Dutch government and several trade bodies, including the Alliance of Event Builders.

More than 30 other event organisations including Event Warehouse/Paaspop, DGTL and

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F1 Dutch Grand Prix Zandvoort joined ID&T as co-plaintiffs in its legal proceedings against the Dutch government over the “carelessly prepared” restrictions.

The government may provide more clarity on Monday 2 August about the possibilities for oneday events without overnight stays.

Elsewhere, there will be no Pukkelpop this year after all, the festival announced, as a result of new government regulations that would have required it to almost triple its onsite testing capacity with less than a month to go until gates open.

Pukkelpop – the last remaining major international music festival in Belgium following the cancellation last month of Tomorrowland – has been told by the Belgian federal government it may not proceed this year in its current form,

according to a statement from organisers.

The 66,000-cap festival would have taken place near Hasselt between 19 and 22 August with artists including Liam Gallagher, Editors, Future, Anne-Marie and Marshmello.

“The current framework has made it impossible for us to organise Pukkelpop,” say organisers. “The additional demands in terms of testing would require us to almost triple the testing capacity at, and in the run-up to the festival.”

The festival has initially planned for a daily Covid-19 testing capacity of 7,000. However, recent changes in the minimum time for festivalgoers to take rapid antigen (lateral-flow) and PCR tests ahead of the event, announced by the Belgian government on Monday, have finally rendered Pukkelpop 2021 unfeasible, the statement continues.

“The current framework has made it impossible for us to organise Pukkelpop. The additional demands in terms of testing would require us to almost triple the testing capacity at, and in the run-up to the festival” Pukkelpop statement

Analysis

Hockenheimring has hosted numerous concerts over the decades © Marcel Ruf/Flickr

LIVE NATION GSA TAKES DOWNLOAD TO GERMANY LIVE NATION MOURNS THERESA VELASQUEZ

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ive Nation confirmed that Theresa Velasquez, a senior vice president of strategic partnerships, lost her life in last month’s apartment block collapse in Miami. She was 36.

Police in Miami Dade county officially identified Velasquez on Saturday 17 July. She is one of at least 97 fatalities following the collapse of the 12-storey Champlain Towers South building on 24 June.

Velasquez was based in Live Nation’s Los Angeles headquarters, but had reportedly arrived in Miami just hours before the fatal incident, to visit her parents, Angela Maria, 60, and Julio

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ive Nation GSA (Germany, Switzerland, Austria) is launching a German edition of Download Festival – the UK’s premiere rock event, promoted by Festival Republic.

Download Germany will take place on 24 June 2022 at the Hockenheimring, a motor racing circuit situated in the Rhine valley near the town of Hockenheim, which Live Nation GSA head Marek Lieberberg has prior experience with.

Lieberberg’s former company Marek Lieberberg Konzertagentur (MLK) previously held Rock’n’Heim at the same location, in coopera-

tion with Live Nation.

The festival took place annually from 2013 to 2015, welcoming around 40,000 fans across three days for the first two years. In 2015, the event was reduced to a one-day event.

At the time of writing, Download Germany has not announced any artists or released tickets for the 2022 event.

Download Germany will be the UK brand’s fourth sister event. Other sites are Download Australia, which would have debuted in 2020, Download Madrid, and Download France in Paris (both of which last took place in 2019).

Cesar Velasquez, 67, who had lived in apartment 304 at the Surfside condo for nearly a decade.

Both Angela and Julio also died in the collapse.

In a statement, Live Nation said, “Our hearts break for the loss of our beloved Theresa Velasquez, her parents Angela and Julio, and everyone taken far too soon in the tragic accident in Surfside, FL. “Theresa was an impassioned leader at Live Nation, who elevated every project she was part of, at the same time breaking down barriers for women and the LGBTQIA+ community. We will always remember and honour the impact she made and will miss her dearly.”

Penning his own tribute, Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino tweeted that she was “a beloved friend, daughter, sister, and co-worker.”

She began her career in music as a nightclub DJ in Miami Beach and built a reputation that allowed her to tour internationally as a DJ and producer, performing at the likes of SuperMartXé in Madrid and Circuit Festival in Barcelona; Miami Beach’s White Party and Aqua Girl Miami; New York’s Electric Zoo and Mysteryland USA. She

later teamed with Grammy-nominated DJ Hector Fonseca to start a music label, Audio4Play.

A graduate of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., Velasquez obtained a master’s degree in music business studies from New York University. Prior to joining Live Nation, six years ago, she worked for Sony Music and SFX Entertainment.

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Analysis

BRITISH LIVE MUSIC INDUSTRY GETS BACK TO BUSINESS

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fter more than a year of closure, the British live music industry was finally able to fully reopen without restrictions from 19 July.

Now, large events, such as music concerts and sporting events, can resume without any limits on attendance or social distancing requirements and attendees will no longer be legally required to wear a face mask.

Following ‘Freedom Day,’ hundreds of thousands of music fans flocked to open-air venues across the UK last weekend (25-25 July) for the country’s first big festival weekend since the summer of 2019.

Festival Republic’s Latitude and Superstruct-backed Tramlines, both 40,000-capacity, Broadwick Live’s Standon Calling (15,000-cap) and Alexandra Palace’s Kaleidoscope (10,000-cap) were among the events to take advantage of Covid-status certification – ie requiring proof of vaccine or a negative Covid-19 test from attendees – to do away with social distancing and create the first “normal” festival experiences of the coronavirus era.

While the two biggest events were held as government-backed pilots as part of the Events Research Programme (ERP), all four festivals implemented some form of pre-event screening for Covid-19 status: Latitude, Tramlines and Kaleidoscope used the NHS (National Health Service) Covid Pass app to check festivalgoers were either fully vaccinated or had returned a negative test, while Standon Calling went a step further, requiring a negative test even if attendees had received both doses of a Covid-19 vaccine.

Latitude took place from 22 to 25 July at Henham Park in Suffolk with performers including Bastille, Wolf Alice, The Chemical Brothers and Bombay Bicycle Club.

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The Chemical Brothers were one of Latitude 2021’s headline acts © Emily Marchoveccio

Festival Republic MD Melvin Benn told local media that the stringent entry requirements meant the Latitude site was “close to being the safest place in England” last weekend, with even performers not able to bypass the checks (two acts, Fontaines D.C. and Alfie Templeman, were forced to cancel after testing positive and were replaced

by Sleaford Mods and Sports Team, respectively).

The first festival most of those in attendance had been to since 2019, the same applied to many of the event’s staff; Benn told the BBC he knew of technicians and support staff who had been “breaking down in tears” that they were able to work again after 16 months of minimal event activity.

In Hertfordshire, popular boutique event Standon Calling made a welcome return from 22 to 25 July, planning four days of family-friendly fun headlined by Bastille, Hot Chip, Primal Scream and Craig David’s TS5.

Though it, too, successfully navigated Covid-19 to go ahead as planned, the festival came to an abrupt end yesterday after organisers were forced to pull the plug due to the flash flooding that had left much of southern England underwater.

Also taking part in the ERP was Tramlines,

which welcomed 40,000 people a day to Hillsborough Park in Sheffield from 23 to 25 July.

In further good news for England, international performers who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 in the United States or European Union will no longer need to quarantine after entering the country from Monday 2 August, the British government has announced.

The change, which comes into force at 4am BST on 2 August, will see the replacement of mandatory quarantine with a single Covid-19 test before departing their country of origin and a PCR test on the second day after their arrival in England. The new rules apply to all countries rated ‘amber’ for coronavirus risk, with the exception of travelers from France, who will still be required to quarantine.

In addition to the pre-departure test, arrivals from the US will also need to provide proof of US residency.

To take advantage of the changes, artists will need to have taken a vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency or the US Food and Drug Administration (ie Pfizer/BioNTech, Oxford/AstraZeneca, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson) and been vaccinated in either the EU or US.

Analysis

MIXED REACTIONS TO COVID PASSPORTS IN EUROPE

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s governments across Europe implement or consider enforcing ‘Covid passes’ or ‘passports’ as a condition of entry to concerts and other indoor events, there’s been a mixed response from the live industry.

Since 21 July, concertgoers in France are required to show a Pass Sanitaire before entering any venue over 50-capacity. The digital or paper document proves the holder has either had a negative Covid test recently or had both vaccinations (or one in the case of single-dose vaccines.)

For events with more than 1,000 attendees, this law has been in place since May. Angelo Gopee, general manager of Live Nation France,

says the tightening of the rules means additional work for venues, security and staff.

“We have a festival this weekend in Fontainbleu with 2,500 people per night for seated shows. We have put in place a Covid control point before security, so people can show their Pass Sanitaire. It’s not ideal, but there’s nothing else we can do for now.

“I think people should see this move as an opportunity to see more concerts.”

AEG Presents France GM and VP, Arnaud Meersseman tells IQ: “There were protests against the Pass Sanitaire – I think about 100,000 people across 20 cities came out, but polling shows 62% of people approve of the pass.

“There has been some moaning in the indus-

“What the live music sector urgently needs from government is clarity, details and guidelines. Any new proposals should be designed primarily to make venues as safe as possible” Phil Bowdery | Chair of the Concert Promoters Association

try about the potential impact on ticket sales because it adds another layer of friction for the customer at a time when the sector has been hit hard already. But I don’t agree. I think this is the best way to get back to business and to nudge people into getting their vaccinations. It will take a while to come into play and it’s very new, but because people have to use this pass for transport and to go to restaurants, I think it will soon become second nature.”

In the UK, the government insists it will push ahead with plans for vaccine passes. Prime minister Boris Johnson announced that from September people will have to prove they have had both vaccinations as a condition of entry to nightclubs, venues, and other crowded indoor settings.

Phil Bowdery, chair of the Concert Promoters Association told IQ: “With September only a few months away, what the live music sector urgently needs from government is clarity, details and guidelines. Any new proposals should be designed primarily to make venues as safe as possible, which is why we are surprised that testing seems to have fallen away given the entire Event Research Programme was based on that.

“We are also crystal clear that there must be fairness in how this is applied. Small music venues – the same size as many pubs, restaurants and other hospitality businesses, which are likely not to be affected by this policy – must not be treated any differently when it comes to the need for proof-of-vaccine certification.”

In Austria, people have to show proof of a negative Covid test or of being fully vaccinated before attending venues, bars theatres and other indoor spaces. The country offers free tests at drop-in centres. Other countries, such as Italy and Ireland, are considering implementing similar protocols for indoor events.

In Belgium, the federal government has launched its Covid Safe Ticket (CTS), a domestic health pass that will certify the Covid-19 status of attendees to major entertainment and sports events.

The CTS may be used for events of over 1,500 people to certify that all attendees are either fully vaccinated or have returned a negative Covid-19 test in the previous 48 hours. The pass, originally planned to be introduced on 1 July, will apply to outdoor events from 13 August and indoor events from 1 September.

While the ‘safe ticket’ eliminates the need for social distancing, promoters must implement a crowd management plan, as well as ensuring adequate ventilation (in the case of indoor shows), which is measured by a CO2 meter, according to the Belgian government.

Covid Safe Tickets are not mandatory – event organisers are free to put on shows without them – but non-safe ticketed events must comply with social distancing regulations and ensure all guests wear a mask, according to Flemish prime minister Jan Jambon.

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NEW SIGNINGS & NEW MUSIC

LISTEN TO ’S ‘NEW MUSIC’ AGENCY PLAYLIST HERE

Each month, ’s partner agencies help us to compile a playlist of new music, much of it released by the new signings to their rosters. Among the tracks on August’s playlist are submissions from 13 Artists, ATC Live, CAA, ITB, Mother Artists, Paradigm, UTA and WME.

WET LEG

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midst a night of hazy scenes in their native Isle of Wight, Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers found themselves at the summit of a Ferris wheel. They decided to start a band. The band is called Wet Leg. Arming themselves with guitars, a penchant for French disco, effervescent imaginations, and a shared love of The Ronettes and Jane Birkin, through to Ty Segall and Björk, they set about making some recordings of their own.

Enter their debut single, Chaise Longue, and a deal with legendary indie label Domino, while forthcoming live appearances include support slots with Jungle and Inhaler.

(UK)

© Hollie Fernando

AGENT Adele Slater Paradigm

BROOKE COMBE

(UK)

AGENT

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Lola Mitchell 13 Artists

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dinburgh-born vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, Brooke Combe, recently released her new single A-Game. Already familiar to legions of fans on social media through viral covers of the likes of Marvin Gaye, her acclaimed debut single Are You With Me? arrived in May to a rapturous response, while her latest track provides another tantalising window into the world of a singularly talented young artist.

Combe will play a first Glasgow headline show at the legendary King Tuts on 5 August – tickets sold out in a matter of hours – highlighting the buzz surrounding the soulful newcomer.

Combe discovered a love for music aged just five, after getting her first toy drum kit. Now aged 21, she has added saxophone, trombone, guitar, bass and piano to her repertoire, and taken influences from the 90s R&B played in her parents’ house, as well as the Motown her grandparents would play for her in order to help develop her songwriting skills.

New Signings

ARTIST LISTINGS 2manydjs (BE) Nick Cave, Paradigm Al Matcott (AU) Adele Slater, Paradigm Anfisa Letyago (IT) Nick Cave, Paradigm Apollo Junction (UK) Steve Zapp, ITB Arlo McKinley (US) Olly Hodgson, Paradigm ATEEZ (KR) Mike Malak & Nick Matthews, Paradigm Banks Arcade (AU) Ross Warnock, UTA BbyNutha (US) Rebecca Prochnik, Earth Agency Beardyman (UK) Rob McGee, FMLY Agency Beenie Man (JA) Myles Jessop, UTA Beren Olivia (UK) Ryan Penty, Paradigm Brooke Combe (UK) Lola Mitchell, 13 Artists Buju (NG) Sam Gill, Earth Agency Bushbaby (UK) Josh Gunston, 13 Artists Butch Dawson (US) Rebecca Prochnik, Earth Agency Callum Beattie (UK) Colin Keenan & Steve Taylor, ATC Live Charlotte de Witte (BE) Nick Cave, Paradigm CJ Pandit (UK) Lola Mitchell, 13 Artists Client 03 (UK) Peter Beer, FMLY Agency Closet Yi (KR) Ollie Seaman, Earth Agency Companion (US) Angus Baskerville & Hayley Leaver, 13 Artists D.C.R. Pollock (US) Tom Taaffe, Paradigm Danielle Ponder (US) Clementine Bunel, Paradigm Du Blonde (UK) Rob McGee, FMLY Agency edbl (UK) Marlon Burton, ATC Live EST Gee (US) Ari Bernstein, ICM Partners Finn (UK) Alasdair Howie, FMLY Agency Fumez The Engineer (UK) Max Lee, Earth Agency H. Hawkline (UK) Caitlin Ballard, ATC Live Holiday Ghosts (UK) Duncan Smith, PlayBook Artists Jess Iszatt (UK) Ryan Penty & Lucy Putman, Paradigm Joeboy (NG) Ishsha Bourguet, James Masters & James Osgood, UTA

HOTTEST NEW ACTS THIS MONTH 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

LAST MONTH 19 5 13 93 15 8 53 50 18 29 5

PREDICTIONS FOR AUGUST 2021

ARTIST RANCID EDDIE (AU) SPELLLING (US) EMELINE (US) LUKE HEMMINGS (AU) REMBLE (US) SLUMP6S (US) LIANA FLORES (US) SHOUSE (AU) GOODBOYS (UK) SMILEY (CA) WESTON ESTATE (US) DHRUV (UK/IN) BIG30 (US) EST GEE (US) KA$HDAMI (US) WET LEG (UK), KENNDOG (US), TEEZO TOUCHDOWN (US), VER:WEST (NL), BIGWALKDOG (US)

Artists not in the current top 15, but growing quickly

Fastest growing artists in terms of music consumption, aggregated across a number of online sources.

JULY 2021

John Francis Flynn (IE) Eleanor McGuinness, PlayBook Artists Joshwa (UK) Josh Gunston, 13 Artists Just Wondering (IE) Matt Bates, Primary Talent Liam Doc (FR) Alasdair Howie, FMLY Agency LoneLady (UK) Rob McGee, FMLY Agency Lyzza (NL) Kayleigh Lawrence, Earth Agency Madge (US) Felipe Mina Calvo, ATC Live Man On Man (US) Tom Taaffe, Paradigm Mandy, Indiana (UK) Sarah Joy, ATC Live Mannequin Pussy (US) Graham Clews & Sam Lister, ATC Live Margot (UK) Rob Gibbs, Progressive Artists Marina Trench (FR) Alasdair Howie, FMLY Agency Masi Masi (UK) Chris Smyth, Primary Talent Meth Math (MX) Felipe Mina Calvo, ATC Live Midas the Jagaban (UK) Hannah Shogbola, UTA Mohan (UK) Lola Mitchell, 13 Artists Molly Lewis (US) Eleanor McGuinness, PlayBook Artists Momma (US) Will Marshall, Primary Talent Mr Eazi (NG) Ishsha Bourguet, James Masters & James Osgood, UTA Mychelle (UK) Angus Baskerville, 13 Artists Naomi Banks (UK) Peter Elliott, Primary Talent Nia Archives (UK) Hannah Shogbola & Ishsha Bourguet, UTA Nick Mono (UK) Mike Malak & Andy Clayton, Paradigm Ones (UK) Jack Clark & Steve Nickolls, UTA PEAKS! (UK/IT) Kara James, ITB Piers James (UK) Sally Dunstone, Primary Talent Piroshka (UK) Darren James-Thomas, FMLY Agency POiSON ANNA (UK) Sally Dunstone, Primary Talent Prentiss (US) Tom Taaffe, Paradigm Pretty Preachers Club (UK) Chris Smyth, Primary Talent Princess Goes To The Butterfly Museum (US) Graham Clews, ATC Live Profiler (UK) Tom Taaffe, Paradigm Pussy Riot (RU) Lucy Atkinson, Earth Agency PYRA (TH) Rob McGee, FMLY Agency Rainn Byrns (UK) Rob Gibbs, Progressive Artists ROMderful (UK) Sam Gill, Earth Agency Rudie Edwards (UK) Alice Hogg & Marlon Burton, ATC Live Scribz Riley (UK) Craig D’Souza, Primary Talent Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 (NG) Sam Gill, Earth Agency Shane Codd (IE) Cris Hearn, Paradigm Shouse (AU) Laetitia Descouens, Primary Talent Slaney (IE) Sol Parker, Paradigm Soulwax (BE) Nick Cave, Paradigm Storefront Church (US) Graham Clews & Stuart Kennedy, ATC Live swim school (UK) Olivia Sime, ITB T e s t p r e s s (UK) Jason O’Regan, Earth Agency TALK (CA) Andy Clayton, Paradigm TEKE::TEKE (CA) Sarah Joy & Stuart Kennedy, ATC Live The Let Go (UK) Matt Bates, Primary Talent The Mary Wallopers (IE) Rob Challice, Paradigm The Reytons (UK) Sol Parker & Tom Taaffe, Paradigm The Warning (MX) Geoff Meall, Paradigm TK & The Holy Know-Nothings (US) Olly Hodgson, Paradigm Tory Lanez (CA) Scott Mantell, ICM Partners TV Girl (US) Guillaume Brevers, Hometown Talent Agency Wayne Snow (DE) André Marmot, Earth Agency Waze (UK) Cris Hearn, Paradigm Wildflower (UK) Darren James-Thomas, FMLY Agency Willow Kayne (UK) Jack Clark & Obi Asika, UTA Wrenn (US) James Whitting & Olly Hodgson, Paradigm Yasmin Williams (US) Angie Rance, Beth Morton, UTA Your Favourite Garçon (IT) Josh Gunston, 13 Artists Zola Blood (UK) Darren James-Thomas, FMLY Agency Magazine

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Reinventing the early-bird ticket Luis Sousa, marketing director for Festicket and Event Genius, believes the challenges of Covid have created opportunities to reimagine ticketing campaigns.

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he idea of the early-bird ticket is simple. Fans who book at the very start of a campaign, well in advance of an event, are rewarded with a cheaper ticket than those who purchase further down the line. It’s a tried-andtested formula that customers have come to expect, and it’s no huge surprise that it is often enough to encourage a significant portion to book early. But could there be a better way to approach the idea, one that works better for events and fans alike?

Customers are always on the lookout for a good deal, but as a research study conducted by professor of neuroeconomics Dr. Paul J. Zak demonstrated, they are not only attracted to discounts on a purely rational level, but also on a chemical and emotional one. In the study, participants given a $10 coupon while grocery shopping were shown to have higher levels of Oxytocin – a 38% increase – as well as dramatically reduced stress indicators compared to those who received no coupon.

There are definite parallels to be drawn between this study and customer behaviour when purchasing tickets. At first glance, simply deciding on a price for the general admission ticket and then working backwards to create a cheaper early bird works, but there are better ways to approach the concept, and the benefits that a more holistic, strategic approach can offer to both promoters and fans should not be underestimated.

Value to Fan vs Cost to Promoter

There are more creative, innovative and ultimately more cost-efficient ways to offer the same benefit and value to customers than the aforementioned tried-and-tested approach.

One obvious example would be to add cashless food and drink credit to early-bird tickets rather than lowering the ticket price alone. Using a cashless/contactless system like Event Genius’s egPay, this credit could be applied to an RFID wristband upon entry or redeemed at any event bar or vendor via a barcode on a mobile phone.

For example, £10 of cashless credit to spend on food and drink onsite offers the same value to customers as a £10 reduction on the ticket price. But crucially this would no longer cost the promoter £10 in real terms, resulting in increased

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revenue on each purchase without the customer losing out on any value. Everybody wins...

Similarly, other extras could be added to an early-bird ticket package. These could include discounts on: accommodation and travel; onsite facilities such as parking, lockers or charging stations; priority entrance – ideal for larger capacity events; tickets for ancillary events – pre-parties, after-parties, boat parties etc; and artist or festival merchandise.

Each of these could be used to offer value to the customer that is equal to, or in many cases greater than, a simple reduction in ticket price, while ultimately costing the organiser less in real terms.

Flexibility

Another way organisers can offer added value to customers – without negatively impacting their own revenue – is with the use of flexible payment plans. The ability to pay in instalments has proven to be immensely popular across a number of different e-commerce platforms and industries, and the world of live events is no different.

Since introducing our own payment plan, we have regularly seen that over half of sales have come from payment plan orders – and in some cases upwards of 60%, as was the case for this year’s Promiseland Festival in Australia. And this has been the case for both shorter term campaigns of 3-6 months as well as longer term campaigns of 9-12+ months.

While the value offered to the customer is one of convenience and flexibility, rather than a discount, the ability to pay in regular instalments is proven to have increased sales.

Festivals offering fans the option to purchase via a payment plan benefit from an increase of 34% in sales according to our data, and we’ve found that offering a payment plan also increases the average order value by 74% – with the uptake of higher value items like accommodation and travel increasing dramatically.

At Event Genius, our outlook is always end-to-end.

Through the development of our 360-degree platform we have realised the true potential of a more holistic approach to ticketing campaigns and want to share the benefits with both fans and organisers alike!

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PRODUCTION NOTES

Welcome to the jungle As the North American market starts to move through the gears, Guns N’ Roses production coordinator Debbie Taylor shares some pointers for those lucky enough to be preparing to return to work.

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e are finally starting to see movement in the industry with shows slowly starting up and events being prepped. Over here, in the US, we are getting ready for a tidal wave of tours to hit the road. I count myself lucky to have been engaged in a few events in the last couple of months including VaxLive! at SoFi Stadium and the Verizon Big Concert for Small Business show. I have implemented Covid protocols and monitored their effects on both events and crew and am now using that knowledge to prepare for the upcoming Guns N’ Roses tour. There are definitely obstacles to overcome, but that’s what we do as industry professionals – adapt and rise to the challenge. In the spirit of collaboration, here’s a few things I’ve learnt along the way: We are facing shortages in all areas from gear to equipment, vehicles to crew. Don’t be surprised when you can’t source what you are looking for. Plan ahead as much as you can, reassess your needs and think outside of the box.

This is a time for dynamic management, where a one-sizefits-all approach won’t work. Flexibility is required.

Masks may be here to stay, whether it be for Covid-19 protection or for seasonal flu outbreaks. Find a mask that is comfortable. For now, it’s another essential piece of work equipment and should serve its purpose without being too uncomfortable.

If you wear glasses, good luck with finding an antifog solution.

When writing your protocols keep them as uncomplicated as possible. As well as keeping everyone safe they need to be practical, easy to follow and even easier to implement.

If you’re engaging a third party to write your policies, don’t expect them to know how our very unique industry runs. Explain the minutiae. This is a great chance to revisit the event and to refresh your own memory.

Reach out to others to see what they are doing, the issues that they are facing and how they are dealing with them. Others may have the solution that you are looking for.

Once written, allow yourself enough time to wrap your head around your plan. Walk through your show with the protocols in mind.

Think how they will affect you and your work from load-in to load-out.

When communicating your policies keep it simple. You have probably been dealing with and thinking about the ramifications of Covid-19 for a long time but others have not.

Complacency will set in, sooner than you think. Be prepared for this.

You will be dealing with many different viewpoints. Covid is a divisive subject, and most people have an opinion. Treat people with respect but get them on board with your show’s policies regardless of their view. People are entitled to their beliefs, however, following your guidelines is essential and a requirement of their job.

Instill confidence in your team. Ensure that they know your policies are there to keep them safe and to keep the show running. This may be the first outing for many, and people may be nervous about their health and livelihood.

Empower people with the information you are providing. If you can explain the reasoning behind the policy you’ll end up with an army of CCOs who will facilitate the successful implementation of your Covid plan.

You will be slower at your tasks. Cut yourself some slack, you haven’t done this for a while. Time management became more critical for me and has actually led to a more streamlined way of working.

Expect the unexpected on your return to work. You will be affected in ways that you can’t imagine. You may feel uncomfortable, but that will pass.

Don’t give up on any good habits that you have formed in your enforced time off. It’s easy to get swept back up in work mode but remember to take care of yourself.

Catering will be different. The buffet may be gone but I’m grateful for the increased handwashing and sanitisation – it’s been a long time coming!

Don’t get bogged down with the small details. A lot of safe Covid practices are common sense. You are adaptable and before long you will absorb these practices into your daily routines (for as long as they are required).

And finally, embrace the changes, enjoy the company, stop for a second and soak up the atmosphere. We’ve been waiting a long time to get back out there, make it count.

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View from the top Oak View Group’s co-chairperson, Jessica Koravos, and chief people & culture officer, Ann Jackson, tell company has been in a unique position to respond to the pandemic and build back better.

What has the pandemic looked like so far for Oak View Group (OVG)?

JK: OVG is the largest sports and entertainment venue company in the world but none of our venues are open yet. So, we’ve been on a really different ride from our peers in the industry. They’ve been in batten-down-the-hatches mode whereas we’ve been in full-on construction mode on six buildings throughout this whole thing, and those processes haven’t stopped at all.

Has that put OVG in a unique position to respond to the pandemic in the design and build phase?

JK: Yes. We have been able to do a lot of thinking about what we need to change as a result of the pandemic. For example, speeding up the road to paperless. We were looking at it much more from an environmental standpoint but then we saw it from a sort of sanitation standpoint – customer touchpoints are really necessary now. We also looked at all of the catering and how we could minimise touch – and make food more grab and go.

Also, readjusting the airflow and ventilation and making sure that our metrics are all in line with the new research that is coming out on airborne transmission. Making sure the materials are antibacterial, that doors that might have opened and shut maybe just stay open. We’ve had the luxury of being able to react in real-time to these things.

How has OVG supported its employees during this tumultuous time?

AJ: I’m really proud of the way OVG has decided to support the employees throughout the pandemic, not laying people off, letting them keep their benefits, bringing people back as things opened up and it became safe to do that. From an onboarding perspective, we’ve been trying to make employees in remote places feel like a part of it by, say, sending them swag because they’re just sat at their dining-room table, and not at an OVG office.

We’re hoping that we’re going to have 100% of employees

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how the

back in the office by the fall, based on what’s going on with the pandemic. We want to make it a very festive environment that says we’re glad that we can spend time in each other’s real presence, but at the same time there’ll be protocols in place, not to prohibit or make anyone’s job more difficult, just to keep them safe.

As OVG expands internationally, what’s your strategy for creating diverse teams?

AJ: We’re making sure that we go about hiring with intention. Whether that’s reaching out to HBCUs (historically Black colleges and universities) or diverse professional organisations to ensure that we have a larger slate of people that we can consider for the roles that we’re looking to fill. For example, we’re supporting diverse students to do an MBA in Sports and Entertainment Management at Seattle University’s Albers School of Business and Economics. So we can start building that pipeline to venues like our Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle and get people back into this industry to get a more diverse interview.

Why is making diverse hires good for business?

JK: OVG is lightyears ahead of our competitors in terms of gender diversity. One of the reasons it’s so important is to do with the fan experience. If there aren’t people designing a fan experience with everybody in mind, then it’s going to fall short for big chunks of the population and people aren’t going to feel welcome. It’s just as important from a customer service point of view too; if fans are being greeted by a wall of people who are different from them.

Just look at the UK’s events research programme that our almost completely white male government is putting forward. They’ve picked cricket, football, Formula One racing, Wimbledon and the snooker championships. There are virtually no women and virtually no people who aren’t white in any of the event research programmes and that kind of gender and racial data gap is what creates a crap experience for most of the population.

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After an online-only edition in 2020, the International Festival Forum returns to London as a physical edition this September. The world’s leading B2B platform for music festivals and booking agents will see its usual mix of showcases, conference sessions, keynotes, parties and networking, with most of the content available on demand and online afterwards.

IFF retains its invitation-only ethos for the leading professionals in the business. And with 800+ delegates expected to attend, AND as the first major meeting of the international business in 18 months, the 2021 edition promises to be truly unique.

If you have a suggestion for a conference topic, event, presentation or speaker, please get in touch with greg@ilmc.com. If you are interested in any of our commercial or sponsorship opportunities, contact steve@iq-mag.net.

HOW TO ATTEND

IFF is an invitation-only event for booking agents and music festivals. To request an invitation, a link to register, and to receive email updates, please visit www.iff.rocks/register

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TUESDAY 28 SEPTEMBER

WEDNESDAY 29 SEPTEMBER

VENUE: GABETO

VENUE: JAZZ CAFÉ

18:30–20:30 IFF OPENING PARTY: HOSTED BY UTA

09:30–10:30 COFFEE, JUICE & REGISTRATION

The first major industry gathering in 18 months, the IFF Opening Party is where everything kicks off, whilst also providing delegates with an opportunity to grab their conference pass early, and avoid the queue the next day. The party is hosted by UTA, who’ll be laying on complimentary drinks and more for all registered delegates.

Hot and cold refreshments will ensure that delegates are suitably hydrated/caffeinated for the conference sessions that follow.

VENUE: CAMDEN ASSEMBLY 20:45–23:00

SHOWCASE: ITB PRESENTS

As the IFF Opening Party wraps up over the road, ITB kick off the agency showcase schedule at IFF 2021, presenting a selection of their hottest new signings.

10:30–11:30 PANEL: THE THERAPY SESSION Host: Gordon Masson, IQ Magazine (UK) From tales of agents and promoters working more closely than ever, to discussing how we all bounce back post-pandemic, this is a chance to tell your story, your team’s story, and to share experiences and learnings to the benefit of all.

11:30–12:00 NETWORKING COFFEE BREAK Hot and cold refreshments will ensure that delegates are suitably hydrated/caffeinated for the afternoon conference sessions.

IFF2021

12:00–13:00 PANEL: THE ROARING 20s?

Covid has altered consumer expectations and attitudes, so how do artists, agencies and the festival sector keep pace? From ticket sales and longstanding calendar entries, to new players and casualties, what do the next three years hold?

13:00–14:00 COMPLIMENTARY DELEGATE LUNCH The complimentary delegate lunch will see all IFF delegates suitably fed and watered before the agency showcases begin at nearby venue PowerHaus. The Jazz Café team will be delivering a full buffet, while a pay bar operates in the venue.

VENUE: POWERHAUS

(FORMERLY DINGWALLS)

15:00–16:30 SHOWCASE: PARADIGM PRESENTS The team at Paradigm showcase four of next year’s most exciting additions to line-ups.

16:30–17:00 NETWORKING BREAK Whether it’s to grab something from the bar or chase that next booking, IFF hangs fire for 30 minutes…

17:00–18:30 SHOWCASE: PRIMARY TALENT & ICM PARTNERS PRESENT Following the recent tie-up between these two key booking agencies, the teams descend en masse to PowerHaus for the third showcase slot of the day, presenting four of their most promising new signings.

VENUE: GABETO 18:45–20:45 THE IFF DINNER, HOSTED

BY PRIMARY TALENT & ICM PARTNERS

Immediately after their showcase wraps up at PowerHaus, Primary Talent & ICM Partners invite all delegates around the corner to Gabeto for dinner and drinks. With sumptuous cuisine, booze and some great company, it’s going to be a bustling two hours before the late-night showcases kick off.

VENUE: VARIOUS 21:00–23:30 LATE-NIGHT SHOWCASES Details of Wednesday’s late-night schedule will be published here shortly.

14:15–15:00 SHOWCASE: EARTH AGENCY PRESENTS

Earth Agency launches Wednesday’s showcase sessions with four of the hottest new signings to the agency.

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IFF2021

NEED MORE INFO?

The up-to-theminute schedule, and information about how to attend or partner with IFF, is all on the website www.iff.rocks

THURSDAY 30 SEPTEMBER VENUE: JAZZ CAFÉ 09:30–10:30 COFFEE, JUICE & REGISTRATION Hot and cold refreshments to help reanimate delegates before the second day of IFF kicks off.

10:30–11:30 PANEL: THE AGENCY BUSINESS 2021 As the industry bounces back, what does the landscape for this vital sector look like, and how differently might agencies be operating moving forwards?

11:30–12:00 NETWORKING COFFEE BREAK Whether it’s to grab something from the bar or chase that next booking, IFF hangs fire for 30 minutes…

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IFF2021

12:00–13:00 THE IFF KEYNOTE: MELVIN BENN & FOLKERT KOOPMANS

Chair: Maria May, CAA (UK) For a truly unique keynote this year, we welcome two festival titans to the IFF stage: managing director of Festival Republic, Melvin Benn, and FKP Scorpio MD, Folkert Koopmans.

13:00–14:00 COMPLIMENTARY DELEGATE LUNCH A sumptuous buffet to power delegates through the afternoon, and a chance to network and catch up with friends before the showcases that follow.

VENUE: POWERHAUS

(FORMERLY DINGWALLS)

14:15–15:00 SHOWCASE TBC Our first agency presentation busts Thursday’s showcase sessions wide open with two future festival headliners.

15:00–16:30 SHOWCASE: X-RAY TOURING PRESENTS Who remembers when The Darkness played at IFF in 2019? Known for curating some of the best music at IFF, it’s X-ray Touring’s top four new signings…

16:30–17:00 NETWORKING BREAK Whether it’s to grab something from the bar or chase that next booking, IFF hangs fire for 30 minutes…

17:00–18:30 SHOWCASE: ATC LIVE PRESENTS Always one of the busiest IFF showcases, ATC Live presents a standout selection of stellar new signings.

18:30–19:30 THE IFF CLOSING BBQ Immediately after ATC Live’s showcase, all delegates are invited to join us on the terrace of the PowerHaus for a complimentary barbie (with options for vegetarians and vegans too), giving everyone a chance to recharge before the very special event that follows…

20:00–22:30 THE SPECIAL EVENT A final event to finish of IFF 2021, details of which will be released shortly.

Feature_Touring Exhibitions

DECENT EXPO-SURE Jon Chapple talks to the companies that have spent the pandemic making a (Covidsafe) exhibition of themselves

Public fascination for the pharoahs means exhibitions like Tutankhamun: His Tomb and His Treasures are universally popular

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raditionally, IQ’s annual touring exhibitions reports have found a sector thriving in concert with, but somewhat overshadowed by, an equally ebullient live music market. But as venues shut down, borders closed and social distancing became the norm, the relative strengths of the exhibition format were thrown into stark relief – and for many producers, promoters and venues, Covid-secure exhibitions have been one of the only success stories of the past 17 months.

Manu Braff from MB Productions/MB Presents, says, “I got caught with my pants down” (like nearly everyone else in the industry) in March 2020, with a Cirque du Soleil show ready to go in Antwerp just as “sanitary restrictions hit us and I had to close the show down before it could open.” Thankfully, touring exhibitions have helped partially keep MB and others open.

London- and Rotterdam-based World Touring Exhibitions (Travelling Bricks, 3D Doubt Your Eyes, Living Dinosaurs) continued working throughout much of the pandemic, opening or extending shows in the US, Germany and Bulgaria, although the “levels are absolutely tiny compared to what we did before,” says Corrado Canonici, who adds that the downtime has, however, provided an opportunity to think about the future and acquire a number of new shows, which will be announced in the near future.

After a few months, “I saw I had to be creative,” continues Braff. “So, the first thing I did is that I imagined a new forest walkthrough experience, Lanterna Magica, with my partners with whom I do a light festival here in Belgium,” he explains. “We sold a lot of tickets, but we weren’t allowed to do it. So that was my first trial. And then we started looking at museums, which for some reason were allowed to stay open.”

Braff says he was helped by the fact that, in Belgium, the museums reopened in mid-2020, when other venues were still closed. “So, we got the authorisation to do exhibitions in museums,” he explains, “and once that started it hasn’t stopped since. We’ve done five exhibitions since September 2020.”

Also playing into exhibition organisers’ hands last year is the fact that venues that would normally be fully booked were available because of the lack of concert touring. “I even did an exhibition for the first time ever at the Sportpaleis [arena] in Antwerp,” continues Braff. “Together with the Sportpaleis, we are co-promoting Imagine Exhibitions’ Real Bodies exhibition in their VIP arena, and we’ve been doing that since December 2020 quite successfully. It was a way of creatively occupying empty spaces.”

Other recent projects for MB include photography exhibition The World of Steve McCurry (Antwerp), Dino World (Brussels and Madrid) and a sand sculpture experience on the Middelkerke seafront.

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Harry Potter: The Exhibition will make its debut in the United States next year

Imagine Exhibitions enjoyed success with its outdoor Dino Safari

Touring Exhibitions_Feature Leading expo producer Imagine Exhibitions (Jurassic World: The Exhibition, The Hunger Games: The Exhibition, Angry Birds: The Art & Science Behind a Global Phenomenon) is gearing up for its next major launch, Harry Potter: The Exhibition, which will premiere in Philadelphia in 2022, and it’s the wizarding world that kept up morale in the darkest days of spring 2020, says president and CEO Tom Zaller. “We all had this hope because we were working towards trying to get the licence for Harry Potter, so there was a sort of light at the end of the tunnel, even when the tunnel was pitch black with Covid,” he says. “We all had this burning desire that we could get this thing and make it happen, and you need that: to be working for something.”

Though the lockdowns in the US were less severe, and shorter-lived, than in many parts of Europe, Imagine also adapted some of its exhibitions to work around 2020’s ‘new normal.’

“We converted several of our dinosaur shows into outside drive-through shows, so that was a big financial bonus for us also,” Zaller says. “It

was good for team morale, but it also helped financially to have some income coming in when everything else had dried up.”

Against their better judgment, the team at Germany’s SC Exhibitions (recently rebranded Semmel Exhibitions) have spent the best part of this year moving their exhibitions across the globe, with operations manager Anna Lenhof overseeing the relocation of Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes across Michigan, from Dearborn to Chicago, and Tutankhamun: His Tomb and His Treasures from Zurich to Seoul. While “risky” projects, “everyone was so motivated because we all wanted to work again and have a project that can actually take place and welcome visitors,” she recalls.

For the move to Chicago, “normally we would work with our German technical crew, but at that time German people were not allowed to enter America, so we had to additionally hire an American crew, which caused a lot of extra costs, but we didn’t want to risk not having anyone there to install and open the exhibition,” Lenhof continues. (Ultimately, “we somehow convinced the embassy that our [German] crew was essential and they allowed us in,” she adds.)

Tutankhamun presented even more difficulties, with Lenhof and team contending with visa issues, multiple cancelled flights, and the global freight disruption caused by container ship Ever Given’s blocking of the Suez Canal to get the ex-

“Planning the installation of an exhibition outside of Europe during a global pandemic is not for the faint of heart!”

Anna Lenhof | Semmel Exhibitions

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Nelson Mandela is, of course, the star of The Long Walk to Freedom

hibition to Korea. “Planning the installation of an exhibition outside of Europe during a global pandemic is not for the faint of heart!” she says.

As full-capacity shows return in much of the world, Canonici says promoters, battered by the economic impact of the pandemic, are looking for “simpler, easier, popular” exhibitions to ease them back into ‘normal’ business. “They want shows that are easier logistically, and based on a popular subject… Basically, everybody wants less risk and more certainty that they’re going to sell the ticket,” he explains. “Which is understandable.”

Fortunately, the same is true for fans, he continues: “During the Covid-19 lockdowns, the only thing many people could do was share photos with each other. I received so many pictures from my friends and family on [instant messaging app] WhatsApp; they were doing pretty much nothing at home, but they were still sending messages about anything, just for something to do.

So, I think that social media is now even more important. Because of Covid, something that is simple, entertaining and appealing on social media – whether it’s an exhibition or another form of entertainment – that’s what people want.”

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“We can’t just go straight back to full price straightaway, like nothing has happened” Corrado Canonici | World Touring Exhibitions

For Pascal Bernardin, founder and president of promoter Encore Productions (Titanic: The Exhibition, Game of Thrones: The Touring Exhibition, Harry Potter: The Exhibition, Imagine Van Gogh, Imagine Picasso), consumers’ increased reliance on social media is a double-edged sword, with the desire to document their experience getting fans through the door – but also contributing to a proliferation or poor-quality events that exist solely to provide an ‘Instagram moment.’

“Some of these [substandard] events have a place where it’s good to take a photo to send to your friends or put on Instagram and Facebook.

I think that is the only way they get so popular,” he explains. But a single Instagrammable feature isn’t enough to sustain interest, and create word of mouth, if the show is below par: “When

you are in the premises, you need that quality,” he adds.

According to Braff, “People who have never done exhibitions before are getting into it” after seeing the popularity – and viability – of the format during the on-off lockdowns of 2020–21, providing competition for the established players. “I think there are going to be a lot of amateurs trying to do things, and it’s going to give a bad reputation for those of us who are doing better work,” he says.

Bernardin predicts that the “exhibition market is going to go wild” in the years ahead as the coronavirus pandemic recedes, with “immersive exhibitions” such as Imagine Van Gogh – where, like a “rock show […] you are totally immersed in the art” – set to continue their popularity.

is now

New branding: “SC Exhibitions” stands for “Semmel Concerts Exhibitions.” We thought a little refresh would be nice, so we have rebranded to “Semmel Exhibitions.”

New exhibition celebrating 100 Years of Disney: Apart from working on a new logo, we are in the middle of the creative development of the official exhibition marking the centennial of The Walt Disney Company. We will produce two exhibitions: one touring the Americas and the other a global tour. The first exhibition will open in February 2023 at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. We are now planning the 2023–26 tour, so please contact us if that sounds interesting to you.

The stunning reconstruction of the Royal tomb and treasures in this huge historic exhibition is now open in Seoul at the War Memorial of Korea until April 2022. The Europe tour opens next on September 10 at the Reiss-Engelhorn-Museum in Mannheim, Germany. There are three iterations of our current exhibition touring worldwide, and the 2023–25 tour is now in planning. We would love to hear from you!

For people around the world, Marvel conjures up images of one thing: super heroes. Whether in the vibrant colours of comic books, or the all-consuming brilliance of the big screen, Marvel characters have captured imaginations for a little over 80 years now.

The exhibition is open until the end of October at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, where we are sold out almost every day. We are now planning the Europe and world tour from the end of 2023.

For a list of contacts and to subscribe to our newsletter visit www.semmel-exhibitions.com

© 2021 MARVEL

Feature_Touring Exhibitions Music-themed exhibitions, though, are “not so easy,” he adds: “The best one I’ve seen was the Pink Floyd exhibition [Their Mortal Remains] at the V&A in London, but it died everywhere else it went, from Germany to Paris. It was a great exhibition, but for some strange reason it didn’t work. Rock & roll exhibitions are not an easy thing to do.”

“From my perspective, I see a bit of a renaissance in museums and science centres,” Lenhof’s colleague Christoph Scholz, director of international projects and exhibitions for Semmel Concerts, says. “In 2020, when the world shuttered the doors on exhibition spaces, there was a quiet behind-the-scenes revolution of thought. Industry insiders wondered: Was it time to retire the ‘white box’ museum? Should exhibition spaces become multi-layered, interactive, transformative spaces that reflect and work with the com-

munity around them? Why not create a mashup: mix up a traditional museum event with a superior food experience in an extraordinary setting? Now that the world is opening up again, and people are hungry for experiences, I think the industry is ready to show the visitor something new.”

“I think there’ll be a lot of immersive video shows in the next couple of years, because the Van Goghs in America have exploded and everybody wanted to get that ticket,” adds Zaller, “and so their sales have exploded. It’ll be very interesting to watch that space to see how many other immersive digital-projection experiences come around, and if it sticks as a new format.”

“We need to deliver a holistic experience to today’s audience. They need to come to a resonant, memorable place,” continues Scholz. “That can be a museum with a celebrity chef’s restaurant; a

“Now that the world is opening up again, and people are hungry for experiences, I think the industry is ready to show the visitor something new” Christoph Scholz | Semmel Concerts

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concept like the one of Hauser & Wirth, a global leader in the arts world, who brings the classic contemporary art gallery to a farm in beautiful Somerset, England, or a historic military hospital on a tiny Spanish island, or a carefully renovated factory building in Downtown LA. It can be an immersive projection show, such as what L’Atelier des Lumièresdoes in a World War II U-boat wharf in Bordeaux.”

Scholz recommends IQ readers “travel to Las Vegas to visit the new epicentre of the experience economy, a complex called Area 15. Here you can see the future of immersive attractions, new forms of exhibitions, and nostalgic reminiscences of entertainment from yesteryear, such as a roller disco. Just a few weeks ago I went to Miami where Superblue combines the latest things in immersive and experiential art with the structure of a classic white-cube gallery. Go

Comic book-based exhibitions such as Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes capture the imagination of fans, young and old

Imagine Exhibitions is proud to announce the world tour of Harry Potter: the Exhibition commencing 2022 Available for Booking in APAC, EMEA, North America, and Latin America sales@imagineexhibitions.com | www.imagineexhibitions.com

WIZARDING WORLD and all related trademarks, characters, names, and indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s21)

Feature_Touring Exhibitions

Real Bodies continues to be a hit wherever it visits

to Universal Studios or anything Disney does; check an open-air art gallery and park like the High Line, or the experiential park Little Island in New York City.

“Cultural tourism was strong prior to the pandemic and will be strong again when travelling is safe again. We live in vibrant times. The exhibition arts sector is super productive, and the creative minds behind new exhibition spaces are excited to show next year’s visitors something new.”

In recognition of cash-strapped promoters’ caution to commit to new exhibitions, Canonici says World Touring Exhibitions is still offering “friendly discounted prices” to its partners, providing a boost to the market. “We understand that we need to help promoters,” he says. “We can’t just go straight back to full price straightaway, like nothing has happened.”

World Touring Exhibitions’ newest offering is The Long Walk to Freedom, which features “nearly 100 bronze statues, life-sized, of all the people who dedicated their lives to ending Apartheid in South Africa,” Canonici explains. “Their struggle for justice is something that’s very much in line with what’s happening in the world at the moment,” he continues, “so I think it’s going to

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be very popular, and an exhibition that will resonate with people.”

For Semmel, “I think our priority is to learn as much as possible from the last two years, because what happened to our business, and other businesses in our society, will also shape the industry in the future,” says Lenhof. “For example, for productions like Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes and Tutankhamun we need to take into account that travelling from one country or one continent to another might not be as easy as it was before. We’re also facing the challenge that many freelancers might have changed professions when we start again.”

Another challenge will be securing venue availabilities once concerts return, Braff says.

“Venues are becoming less and less available for the foreseeable future, because everybody wants to go back to what they were doing before,” he comments. “I think I’m going to continue doing exhibitions – the ones I’ve done already, the big brands like Tutankhamun and Harry Potter and Titanic and the big touring exhibitions, are people pleasers – but it’s still a risk. I think the risk is going to become greater again within the next year or two than it was [in 2020] when we were

the only ones around.”

Audience expectations, meanwhile, will continue to rise, says Zaller, compared to when fans were prepared to accept lower-quality experiences given the restrictions on events. Referring to the drive-through dinosaur exhibitions, he adds: “People really wanted to be entertained, so I think they were willing to look past the parking lot – I mean, to a five-year-old, it doesn’t matter: those dinosaurs are real. But for me, it was difficult to not be able to deliver a fully immersive experience because we were literally working in an empty parking lot, and I like to hold myself to a certain standard, so doing them was hard at times. But in the end people loved them.”

SC, meanwhile, is pondering more practical considerations ahead of the premiere of its latest exhibition, which celebrates 100 years of the Walt Disney Company, in 2023.

“We are currently working on concepts that make visiting our exhibitions even more safe when it comes to interactivity, for example,” says Lenhof.

“We’re aiming to use less touchscreen technology – and queuing could also still be an issue, even when we will celebrate the premiere. So, we need to plan ahead and think about those challenges.

“We don’t know if in 2023 everything will be like it was in 2019. It could be that people are still more cautious when it comes to hygiene and touching things, and maybe they’ll still want to keep their distance from other people they don’t know. That’s why we are facing those problems now to avoid as many issues nearer the time.”

CONTRIBUTORS

PASCAL BERNARDIN | ENCORE PRODUCTIONS MANU BRAFF | MB PRODUCTIONS/MB PRESENTS CORRADO CANONICI | WORLD TOURING EXHIBITIONS ANNA LENHOF | SEMMEL EXHIBITIONS CHRISTOPH SCHOLZ | SEMMEL CONCERTS TOM ZALLER | IMAGINE EXHIBITIONS

AHEAD! FULL OF STREAMS The significant winner throughout Covid-19’s restrictions has been live-streaming, with tens of thousands of gigs attracting millions of viewers over the past 18 months. But as live shows and touring kickstart, what’s next for this developing new revenue stream?

Gordon Masson reports.

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he live-streaming gold rush is far from over. As live gigs and festivals return, the future for this fledgling industry looks rosy, as artists around the world now know that they can leverage the global reach of the Internet to allow fans to remotely view their performances.

Whereas the argument in 2019 was that people surely wouldn’t pay for tickets to watch something on their computer screen, the reality of the past 18 months has debunked that theory, while technology has also allowed those viewers to watch their favourite artists on their wide-screen TVs. “We’ve had a year of almost working in a vacuum,” notes Driift co-founder Ric Salmon. “In this phase, now, where life returns to normal as touring starts, managers, agents and artists themselves will become hyper-focussed on trying to get back out on the road and generating as much money as possible, so understandably the focus might fall away a little bit from doing live-streams.

“We’ve pre-empted it for months, but now we have to see how live-streaming will fit in the overall plan for an artist. I don’t think we have the answers to everything yet, but there’s still a huge amount of interest and there’s a lot of new business coming our way.”

While some predict a temporary downturn in live-streaming activities, others are more bullish about the prospects as touring resumes.

“The past year has been bananas,” states Stephen White of San Francisco-based StageIt. “We did 6,400 shows in 2020. That’s about a third of what Live Nation does, so it was a crazy year for us, in terms of volume, as artists just didn’t have other ways to connect with their fans.

“When I took over as CEO in May of 2020, we immediately started a venue programme, as we knew that without some sort of revenue stream these venues were going to die. So, we started putting cameras into venues where folks wanted to work exclusively with us, figuring out how to bring in mobile crews safely, and really getting venue staff trained on how to do this, so that the sound and lights guys can also operate the live-stream without a huge learning curve. That was massively important for us as it established a network of venues that were already using the platform. And now that they are starting to reopen, we’re not seeing any downturn. If anything, what we’re seeing is, the more shows there are, the more opportunities there are to live-stream.”

Damon Albarn was one of the acts that performed during Driift’s Glastonbury show

© Anna Barclay

Changing Landscape

When Live Nation acquired streaming platform Veeps in January, it became apparent that partnerships between live-streaming platforms and venues would play a major role in the future of the business.

Veeps is installing its technology in more than 60 Live Nation venues, including instituMagazine

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Feature_Live-streaming tions like The Wiltern in Los Angeles, where From the Wiltern shows are already available to stream from $15 (€13) a ticket.

Elsewhere, YouTube is working on a new 6,000-seat theatre in Los Angeles from where it intends to stream shows, while on a smaller scale, streaming platform Mandolin recently agreed an exclusive partnership with City Winery to stream concerts from its eight music venues around North America.

However, the fact that a venue signs a deal with a live-streaming platform does not necessarily mean that the artist will agree to that service streaming their show, because broadcasting contracts are usually thrashed out between the artist/artist management and the streaming service itself. But the landscape is changing and Live Nation’s deal with Veeps, in particular, is prompting some to envisage new exclusivity clauses appearing in promoter contracts to cover streaming rights.

That doesn’t deter White, who notes that if a venue has an existing agreement with the likes of StageIt, that presence will give the incumbent platform an advantage when it comes to any visiting act. He comments, “One thing that has been really interesting for us is that we’re now having a different set of conversations. Through the pandemic, all of the efforts from our side were with the artist – either directly with the artist or, in some cases, through artist management. All of a sudden, now that the world is reopening, the agents and promoters are coming back into the picture, so we’re having to do a bit of that education cycle again.”

“We know that artists are probably going to perform fewer times on a tour but do bigger shows as they try to address sustainability” James Massing | LIVENow

That’s a scenario the hierarchy at UK-based LIVENow also recognises. “During lockdown, some agents struggled to find out where their place in the ecosystem was and some were trying to generate revenue for their clients,” says chief content officer James Sutcliffe. “There were some tough conversations because the approach was ‘my client wants to do a live-stream, make us an offer.’ But now, they are back to their day jobs and we’re having much more sensible and collaborative conversations. It’s not true of every agent and every agency, but, generally, they are now seeing us as a service provider rather than a chequebook.”

Nevertheless, there’s no escaping the numbers. Steve Machin reveals his former company, LiveFrom, paid out substantial sums to its artist partners in the past year. “LiveFrom did 400 shows last year, using about 1.5 petabytes of streaming data, and we wrote cheques to artists for $3million [€2.5m],” Machin tells IQ. “That $3m came from tickets and merch. We would bundle packages so that we’d have, for instance, a $10 [€8.50] ticket; a $30 [€25.50] ticket with a T-shirt; and a $70 [€59.30] ticket with a T-shirt and poster. We also got into a super

LIVENow recently broadcast an event with Celeste from the Union Chapel in London

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bundle that involved a moderated Q&A with the band, which was a $75 [€63.50] ticket for a limited run of tickets. But we did it for a week, so you’d do 15 meet-and-greets a day, Monday to Friday, then the show would go out on the Friday night, and you’d have the Q&A afterwards.

It generated a lot of money.”

While LiveFrom was all about live-streaming shows, Machin’s new operation, Concert Vision is developing a different business model. “It’s going to be like Disney Plus for concerts,” he says.

“So, we’re going to be licensing everything from Blondie or The Ramones at CBGBs, all the way through to all the Eagle Rock catalogue and then stuff that’s taking place in a month’s time.

There is a lot of content that has been filmed, shown once and is languishing, so there’s just a wealth of under-monetised stuff for a mix of casual and super fans.”

Competition & Consolidation

The relatively low cost to entry in the live-streaming sector means that hundreds of new enterprises have taken advantage of the demand for entertainment over the past year, with varying degrees of success.

Online events hosting service Hopin has been on a strategic shopping spree, acquiring the likes of Attendify, Boomset, Jamm, Streamable, StreamYard and Topi in its attempts to bolster its portfolio. Other players such as Flymachine are expected to target independent venues, making it the indie to Live Nation’s Veeps, much in the way that Ticketfly was the indie to Ticketmaster. And elsewhere, pure play tech players like Mandolin and Maestro are offering back-end services, while other platforms such as Moment House have been compared to a Patreon model for music artists, thanks to its fan engagement capabilities.

“There are already a few companies that have quietly disappeared, and I think there will be a few more go the same way,” observes Salmon.

“There was a moment in the middle of it all when there were a bunch of crazy offers flying around – bidding wars between streaming companies and platforms who had only in been in business for a month – and that was not sustainable. So, in many ways, a bit of consolidation is probably a good thing.”

StageIt’s White agrees. “A lot of the companies that started in 2020 are now at the one-year anniversary and are wondering what to do as they figure out how to be a real business,” he says. “It

Feature_Live Streaming

Melody VR’s Liam Gallagher Down By The River Thames show was a massive success

will be tough for some of the smaller platforms to sustain a real business when they do not have the volume of performances, so we’ll continue to see consolidation over the course of the next 12 months, in pretty significant ways.”

One operator that is benefitting from the mergers and acquisitions element is Melody VR, which in August 2020 pulled off the surprise purchase of Napster.

“We’ve rebranded as Napster, but we’re still operational as Melody VR,” explains Melody VR founder and CEO Anthony Matchett. “We’re rebuilding the Napster platform to have a lot of Melody’s content, to give it a real edge and create a service that isn’t really out there.”

Matchett is quick to acknowledge the role that the pandemic has played in helping to establish the credentials of live-streaming. “It’s one of the sectors that got overlooked when it really probably shouldn’t have been,” he says. “But the pandemic has been a catalyst for people taking live-streaming really seriously, which is interesting because when you can’t tour, you suddenly realise that there was maybe a different way to do things, all along.”

In terms of business models, StageIt’s White reveals that his company now operates on an 80/20 split with the artists – a deal he believes will become the industry norm. He adds, “To realise that you can still have an experience – which is not the

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“…you’re thrown together with four random people to emulate the people around you at a gig: you can interact with them, or mute them, which is maybe something we’d like to have in real life when we’re at a gig too” Max Wentzler | Z|ART Agency

same as being there – but you can do it from the comfort of your living room, on your big-screen TV, across your nice hi-fi system, and not have to pay $14 for a beer, has been a real eye-opening experience for a lot of people. Both fans and artists figured it out, so to say that it is here to stay would be an understatement – it’s very much part of the fabric now of live performance.”

The Importance of Control

Unsurprisingly, for a business that relies heavily on technology, there have been a number of broadcasting failures that have hit the headlines over the past year – notably a Marc Anthony show, and a live-stream from the site of Glastonbury Festival. Despite such problems, consumer confidence has remained high, while for the streamers themselves, the lessons appear to revolve around ensuring they have control over all

aspects of operations.

“There have been enough bad live-streams where customers are asking why they paid £15 or whatever, especially with bands you thought would have done better. And fans only have so much patience with that stuff,” notes Driift’s Salmon.

“Look at what happened with us at Glastonbury: we delivered something that I’m hugely proud of, artistically, but with the access code issues that we had, which affected about 25% of ticket purchasers […] If anything is anything other than perfect these days, if you cannot access it immediately, we’re out, and that’s one of the great challenges of all of this.”

Dissecting the Glastonbury experience, Salmon tells IQ, “The biggest takeaway for us was that having numerous providers of tech trying to interlink with one another is where

Live-streaming_Feature issues can occur. Ultimately, the best solution is for a platform or a company like Driift to have everything housed within one vertical – to have ticketing, access codes, stream hosting, the video player itself all within one singular ecosystem.”

That’s a concept Napster’s Matchett recognises. “We don’t rely on anyone external, apart from Internet providers,” he says. “So, the servers, the back end, the cameras, are all ours, because you cannot really rely on a third party when you are going to put your name to something. Ultimately, it’s your responsibility to the fan and the artist, so we do everything in-house to give us greater control. It’s more costly, but it provides stability, and artists knowing your stream isn’t going to fall over, is a really important element.”

Thankfully, the sector has seen many more successes than failures, with some events like LIVENow’s Studio 2054 show with Dua Lipa, in November 2020, introducing millions of new customers to the live-streaming concept. That event, along with the company’s growing roster of shows, has required an army of people to join the operation’s ranks. LIVENow’s chief commercial officer, James Massing, who became employee number 12 in September 2020, reveals: “We’re now at more than 100 staff!”

Indeed, the pandemic meant a rapid re-examination of LIVENow’s remit was needed as

the company pivoted to take advantage of the situation. “The business was originally set up to stream live events that were happening: we wanted to be the go-to place to stream an event anytime from anywhere in the world,” continues Massing. “But when the pandemic hit and live paused, we had to then create our [own] events, and that’s why shows like Dua Lipa’s Studio 2054 originated.”

Acknowledging that control over such events is crucial, Massing adds, “We became a virtual venue, a promoter and a ticketing platform – we were investing in the content, investing in the show and then we were monetising that content through pay-per-view ticketing sales, bringing sponsors on board, sub-licensing after the event, and selling merch, which is a simple formula and very similar to what live music promoters do.”

Economies of Scale

While live-streaming allows artists to tap into a global reach, it’s not just established acts and big corporations that have been benefitting from the opportunities that the technology can deliver.

Berlin-based promoters Z|ART Agency tapped into the possibilities of live-streaming to help expand its capabilities during the pandemic. MD Max Wentzler says the broadcast element will play a bigger role in the business as physical

touring returns.

“As promoters of international acts, sometimes we only get two or three markets to play in and sometimes those markets are more of a logistical decision rather than based on the fans,” says Wentzler. “Germany is huge and we have a lot of people living in densely populated areas outside of the popular media cities, which often means those people cannot get to the actual gig.”

He continues, “We see ourselves as an add-on to existing shows. We’ve also been approached by artist management and a couple of labels who would like to do album release events using our software – something we’ve successfully done for Giant Rooks who went into the charts at number three after the show.”

Wentzler reveals that Z|ART received funding from the German government to help it develop its live-streaming platform, while more recently, CTS Eventim has inked a deal for Z|ART to distribute content.

“It was only us [in Germany] at the beginning, but relatively quickly there have been a couple of other live-streaming platforms that have launched here. They are more tech companies that developed software for conferences and other areas but who see music as a great market where there is high demand. But we’re still a little ahead of the curve, because we’ve been doing

A New Paradigm For Live Events Live and on-demand content across music, sport, fitness and entertainment.

Feature_Live-streaming it a bit longer than the others, and the fact that we’re also existing promoters means we know the politics of the business and what is involved in putting together a show, whereas a pure tech company does not have that same knowledge.”

Of course, the ability of live-streaming to reach every device screen on the planet can pay dividends for acts hoping to build a fanbase. That realisation spurred Liverpool Sound City organisers to become early adopters of the technology.

“We’d been looking to branch out through some kind of digital strand for the company, even pre-pandemic,” explains Sound City marketing manager Sean Fay who talks up streaming’s ability to connect to a global audience, “because Sound City at its core is a music festival for new music discovery.”

He tells IQ, “For instance, we had a band

called Say Sue Me from Korea, who are capable of selling out arenas in their own country, and we brought them to arguably the most famous music city in the world, Liverpool, where they played a tiny venue like the Cavern Club. But their hardcore fans back in Korea would love to see that, so that’s one of the reasons behind our investment into live-streaming.”

The move was accelerated when it became apparent that Fay and his colleagues could not even put on a gig by a band from around the corner. “It became a question of how can we continue to provide entertainment to audiences who come to our festival for music discovery, off the strength of our curation, as well as how we could help to support artists through the pandemic.”

As a result, Sound City launched its Guesthouse platform in April 2020, and since then, it

The Lathums at Blackpool Tower provided Guesthouse with one of its most popular live-streams to date

has showcased more than 300 artists. “Everyone is looking forward to getting back out to gigs and festivals, but Guesthouse is very much here to stay as it’s a new opportunity for artists and we really believe it can continue to grow in the future. Fans of grassroots music from around the world are also coming into the platform to discover new talent,” reports Fay. Wentzler says Z|ART is also advising acts on how they can use the broadcast format over a longer period of time “to help build a fanbase and strengthen those artist/fan community relationships.” He discloses, “One of the things we’ve found over the past 16 months is that a lot of artists do not have a good way to communicate with their fans – they maybe have Instagram or Facebook, but that’s not wholly reliable with the way the algorithms work.”

And, of course, the soar-away success of live-streaming has also led to the birth of a support industry. Switchboard Live, for instance, has a remit to help operators boost the number of eyes that see their content.

“Our SaaS [software as a service] application was built to manage the distribution and syndication of live content to more than one social channel,” says Switchboard Live CEO Rudy J. Ellis. “Our end goal is to get any type of live content creator or publisher more viewers on their live-streams by leveraging multi-streaming, which is the ability to take that one single stream and publish it to multiple social destinations at the same time.”

Recently, Ellis oversaw the launch of a new product called StreamShare that allows clients to invite participants, sponsors, brands, influencers and ambassadors to opt in their own social channels, so that they can also carry content live.

“Switchboard Live has experienced 4x growth in monthly subscribers since the beginning of the pandemic, primarily due to the fact that a lot of people were scrambling to figure how they could take an in-person event to online.’

Ellis adds, “What we’ve built was germane to the pandemic, where now you have more people watching content on different platforms. Some people who have a Facebook account may not have a YouTube account, for instance, so we are facilitating the video to make it to those platforms.”

Experience is Key

With so many platforms now competing for attention, those that are focussing on the details may well emerge triumphant, as delivering excitement to fans who watch online will undoubtedly help persuade those consumers to return again and again.

Revealing that Z|ART has established set-ups that allow events to break even after just 300 or 500 ticket sales, Wentzler says that the company has spent much of the last year creating something unique.

“My business partner, Hauke [Steinhof], and

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Live-streaming_Feature

“The rights stuff is going to bite a load of people on the ass” Steve Machin | Concert Vision

I have always been interested in technology, behavioural economics and psychology, and we’ve approached our events in a way that we try to create an experience from the point you buy a ticket to when you leave the show as well. So, we brought that same ethos to our live-streaming concept,” says Wentzler.

“We’ve tried to emulate the gig experience, so that when you buy a ticket you get to the venue door and enter into the foyer where there is a merch stand and a virtual bar. If you visit the merch stand and click on an item, it will directly link to the band’s online merch store, so 100% of the revenue goes to the artists. The virtual bar is a pure interactive space where you’re thrown together with four or five random fans from wherever in the world they’re watching. And in the concert room you’re thrown together with four random people to emulate the people around you at a gig: you can interact with them, or mute them, which is maybe something we’d like to have in real life when we’re at a gig too.”

And as a promoter, Wentzler has already identified solutions to address key areas of concern for event organisers. “If a show in Berlin is sold out but Hamburg isn’t, we can geoblock off Hamburg plus 20 or 30 or 40 kilometres. And then, if Hamburg also sells out, we can bring those people back in.”

Licensing & Rights

Although the revenues are flowing, the elephant in the live-streaming room remains the question over rights, which many territories are still trying to come to agreement on.

Concert Vision’s Machin declares, “The bit that remains elusive is the licensing and the rights stuff, and there will be a natural coalescing around the organisations that get those rights nailed down.”

Napster’s Matchett comments, “A lot of people who have entered the space don’t really understand the rights. So maybe as well as consolidation, we’ll just see some of the start-ups who lacked the tech infrastructure or the means to secure the rights licences just fading away.”

Machin adds, “The licensing side is definitely going to become a driver in live-streaming as the market matures. The rights stuff is going to bite a load of people on the ass. It needs solving and we have a solution that Concert Vision will be marketing later in the year.”

Noting that the rights issues become hugely

complex when multiple territories are involved, Machin predicts that some platforms may opt to only operate in certain countries. “National players might spring up, so that anyone that does a deal with the PRS in the UK might end up having a different approach and a different model to someone else in the States who has a deal with ASCAP or BMI,” he says.

The Future

Far from spelling the end of the live-streaming boom, the return of live events is invigorating action in the sector, with many predicting that most tours will now involve at least one livestream show.

Napster’s Matchett says, “From the artist side, if they’re already doing the show, they can see the live-streaming side as pure upside. If they can sell an additional 40,000 tickets for the live-stream, then wonderful. That’s part of the mentality shift: people now realise there is actual money in live-streaming, whereas a few months ago I’m not sure anyone had really done it that successfully.”

While the live-streaming business is having a significant impact on the popular music world, Wentzler says Z|ART is taking lessons from its classical compatriots. “The philharmonic in Berlin has been running its own live-streaming for years, so we can maybe look to the classical world to learn a bit more and take that as inspiration,” says Wentzler. “In fact, we’ve recently started to do dynamic pricing on ticketing – something the classical world has been doing for years too.”

Predicting massive growth in the years ahead, StageIt chief Matchett is eyeing global expansion. “Overall, what we’re going to see is just 100% more live-streaming,” he states. “Our user base and artist base is broader than North America. It’s still about 65% North America, but we’ve got quite a footprint in Ireland and the UK, and we’re now live in South Africa and Nigeria and starting to do a good volume of shows there.”

Sutcliffe is similarly optimistic about the year ahead for LIVENow, highlighting that the pentup demand for live music brings real opportunities. “There are going to be waiting lists of people who could not get a ticket to the actual show for any number of reasons […] and that’s where live-streaming can really layer in.”

Machin concludes that the development of the online gig will open doors for operations like Concert Live to introduce other entertainment packages for fans. “Imagine it’s David Bowie’s birthday, so you do a Bowie Weekend where you make available all of his concert video for fans to watch, but crucially you also allow those fans to interact, because we’ve discovered that the ability for fans to connect around the world is a significant part of the streaming experience.”

Driift’s Salmon believes that there is still some evolution needed in live-streaming, but the format has now been established, thanks to the revenues it can provide. “The future will depend on where you fit your live-stream element,” he says. “Do you fit it around an album campaign, or an album launch, or an album announce, or a tour announce, or the beginning of a tour, or the end of a tour? I think you can look at it in all those ways, but it will all depend on the type of artist, type of demographic, genre of music and so many other factors.”

Massing highlights the growing desire of artists to cut their carbon footprints as another driver. “We know that artists are probably going to perform fewer times on a tour but do bigger shows as they try to address sustainability,” he says.

“We’re finding our position within the music ecosystem, working with people rather than against them,” continues Massing. “LIVENow has sold tickets across 190 countries, our platform is in ten languages, and we have a proven ability to reach and engage audiences live for the artist. So we’re expecting huge growth in terms of the number of events on the platform in the year ahead.

CONTRIBUTORS

RUDY J. ELLIS | SWITCHBOARD LIVE, SEAN FAY | SOUND CITY, STEVE MACHIN | CONCERT VISION JAMES MASSING | LIVENOW, ANTHONY MATCHETT | NAPSTER GROUP/MELODY VR, RIC SALMON | DRIIFT JAMES SUTCLIFFE | LIVENOW, MAX WENTZLER | Z|ART AGENCY, STEPHEN WHITE | STAGEIT Magazine

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Your Shout

are not, but without them we cannot possibly deserve the epithet ‘creative industry.’

Nick Hobbs | Charmenko The ubiquitous shared cheeseboard backstage.

Rob Challice | Paradigm Personally, for sustainability, festivals should dump the three-day timescale and run for at least five days, starting small Tuesday/Wednesday. It’s crazy to build a whole town for such a short time, and there are loads of way to monetise, after all, it’s most people’s actual holiday.

Chris MacMeikan | Continental Drifts

What won’t you miss about the business (circa 2019) when live shows resume?

TOP SHOUT

I wish for a true understanding of everyone’s actual needs in companies, and to look at what really equates to a company being truly equal and fair.

Everyone having to be in the office 9am-5pm is not equality in my eyes and is a silly excuse for “Well, if X has to come in at 9am so should Z…” A diverse workforce is a healthy one. Flexitime should not mean paying less. For example, if you have an amazing parent (mother or father) wanting to join your company but wants to pick their kid(s) up from school often, you should celebrate that, and not penalise them for it and pay them less. I promise you a parent who is able to truly be a good (and as guilt-free) parent to their kids as possible, will be one of the best employees you could have. Pay them fairly. You either trust someone or you don’t. I don’t think it should just be the top people at companies that get their breaks and golf days.

This industry isn’t as inclusive as we think: we have so far to go. It will be interesting to see how many companies reopen and make all their staff come back to the office every day and have to pay again for expensive commuting (themselves) because they can’t afford to live close by.

‘Empathy’ has been a widely used buzzword throughout the pandemic across the industry, let’s see how much of it remains… Being the last person to leave the office shouldn’t be celebrated, but a healthy balance and equally balanced view, support and understanding on what everyone’s individual measures of ‘success’ are, should be.

I can’t wait to see awards events that recognise people’s compassion, empathy, respect and kindness above numbers of hours worked, stadiums booked, albums sold etc. Whenever I speak to my kids on what I want them to be, I just want them to be happy. We should strive for the same in ourselves and each other.

Natasha Gregory | Mother Artists Live

6pm meetings on a Friday.

Max Lee | Earth Agency This might be wishful thinking but we try… I would like a workplace (physical or virtual) to be somewhere where everyone speaks their mind

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without inhibition. Meaning there should be no hierarchy of ideas, proposals or criticism. Someone who just joined the company from university or someone with years of experience should have the same freedom and encouragement to express themselves. Some ideas are good, some

The cock swinging (I hope).

Claire O’Neill | A Greener Festival I won’t miss the moaning at shows. Everyone will be grateful to be there (and earning a few bob).

John Giddings | Solo Agency I surely would not miss all the inefficient last-minute changes, pure ego-driven “bigger, louder, faster” demands for shows, to show off and to develop the brand of a festival or an artist. Unfortunately, I do not expect this to change as it represents what is at the core of our industry: the ego.

Nevertheless, I hope for some voice of reason to slow down the speed and scope of productions, as there simply will not be the same environment on the side of suppliers to make all the madness happen. But already it is clear that clients do not really see any of these issues as the number of requests for 2022 demonstrate that there will be three summers worth of events rolled into one.

Unfortunately, the current signs for the upcoming year tell me that the industry seems to be unwilling or incapable to build back better.

Anonymous We can save a lot of transportation time by cutting down on in-person meetings and still having many [of them] on Zoom.

Jarred Arfa | Artist Group International I don’t miss (and hopefully won’t miss) the legions of highly experienced professionals who constantly worry about what other people are booking instead of finding satisfaction in their often-tremendous achievements.

Brian Reynolds | 432 Presents I’d like to quote my friend and colleague Anderz Nielsen of Gearbox Agency in Denmark: “Let’s use the crisis in the music industry as a chance to get back to the principles of trust, sincerity, mutual respect and loyalty!”

Rob Berends | Paperclip Agency

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