ASERIBE E L P SC ION SUB S VERET TO L L U .N E F MAG H T QFOR TO I GO
UKRAINE CRISIS MUSIC SOUNDS OFF FROM OSCARS TO OSLO HANS ZIMMER LIVE
110 AN ILMC PUBLICATION APRIL 2022 | £25 | €25
NILE RODGERS SET FOR ILMC FULL AGENDA INSIDE
ARABIAN NIGHTS THE GULF STATES’ BOOM STEAM POWER FULL AHEAD IN FINLAND
50 YEARS OF ‘LOVE’
PHIL BOWDERY’S GOLDEN TERM
TUESDAY 26 APRIL 10:00–18:00 | LOWER GROUND FLOOR IPM PRODUCTION MEETING INCLUDING E3S Hosts: eps | Megaforce | EFM | ESG The 15th edition of IPM will accommodate over 200 of the world’s most renowned production managers and related experts. This year’s IPM also includes a day of sessions by the Event Safety & Security Summit (E3S) with input from Yourope’s YES Group, MOM Consultancy, the UK Crowd Management Association and the European Arenas Association. For more info, please visit ipm.live
WEDNESDAY 27 APRIL
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here is now just a matter of days until ILMC 34 kicks off and the great and good of the international live music business come together in-person once more. This year’s edition will see more sessions, speakers, and big names than ever, and a focus on both the recovery and sustainability of the business as we move past the disruption and upset of the last two years. ILMC 34 will be the first major meet-up for the business in over 24 months, and we’re predicting a very social – perhaps even emotional! – affair. While the following pages give a snapshot of most conference sessions and workshops, it’s perhaps this year’s social events and the opportunity to reconnect and reacquaint that will be the real highlight. From opening night drinks receptions and get togethers to showcases, quizzes, the prize draw, football (for both large and tiny players), poker, and this year’s sold-out Gala Dinner & Arthur Awards, you’d need to be a seasoned explorer to do it all. So, as the leaders from the live entertainment space prepare to gather in London and discuss this brave new world we find ourselves in, we can promise that this year’s grand ILMC adventure will definitely be an expedition to remember. We look forward to welcoming you, compass in hand, to London very soon...
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10:00–10:30 | ROOM 3 NEW DELEGATES’ ORIENTATION Hosts: Lou Percival, ILMC (UK) & Gordon Masson, IQ (UK) An invaluable introduction for anyone attending ILMC for the first time. It’s a perfect opportunity to meet new people, and find out how to get the most from the conference. 10:00–11:00 | ROOM 4 THE METAVERSE & LIVE MUSIC Hosts: Roblox & Vatom Gaming pioneers such as Roblox and Fortnite have secured rafts of world-renowned artists for virtual experiences over the last two years. With tech giants racing to plant their flags in the metaverse and startups raising substantial funds to join in, a vast virtual new world is emerging. But what does this mean for live music? This 60-minute conversation outlines what the metaverse is, what it means for your business, and why artists should be lining up to perform in it. 11:00–11:15 | ROOM 1 THE ADVENTURERS’ GUIDE TO ILMC 34 Host: Greg Parmley, ILMC (UK) This 15-minute introduction to all the key features of the conference includes any last-minute updates you’ll need and is the official start of ILMC.
11:15–12:45 | ROOM 1 THE OPEN FORUM: A NEW VIEW Chairs: Phil Bowdery, Live Nation (UK) & Maria May, CAA (UK) With a number of industry leaders as guests, Phil Bowdery and Maria May will explore the most critical topics in the post-pandemic business. Charting industry recovery, lessons learned, and just how is the global live business ‘building back better’? From (re) negotiating artist fees and rehabilitating a weakened supply chain, to reinvigorating consumer confidence, what challenges does the business face in 2022 and beyond? And with markets at different milestones along their road to recovery, how are each of our prestigious speakers and leaders plotting live’s big return? 14:00–15:15 | ROOM 1 THE MUSIC BUSINESS: CONVERGENCE & NEW FRONTIERS Chair: Mark Sutherland, journalist (UK) The planet – and indeed the music industry – has never been more connected, with new platforms ripping up the old rulebook and changing the game. As live performances cross from physical spaces to new digital stages, what new opportunities are there for emerging and established artists? And as tech, streaming, gaming, and music continue to converge, where does this place live performance in a post-pandemic world? 14:00–15:00 | ROOM 2 INDUSTRY REPRESENTATION: PEOPLE POWER Chair: Anita Debaere, Pearle (BE) If Covid taught us anything, it was the importance of the business having a voice with both policymakers and the public. Session chair Anita Debaere investigates the power of proper representation and asks whether the business needs to be even more organised in the future. 14:00–15:00 | ROOM 3 THE DRAGONS’ DEN WITH ALEX HARDEE & JOHN GIDDINGS In what will surely be one of the most entertaining sessions in ILMC’s history, industry legends John Giddings and Alex Hardee sit down to review their respective
career paths and retell some of the many stories of their lives in the music business. 15:30–16:30 | ROOM 1 FESTIVAL FORUM: NEW LANDS, NEW ADVENTURES Chair: Alice Hogg, ATC Live (UK) There is a bumper festival summer ahead, and with schedules expanding, extra weekends added and new events launching, the spectre of Covid looks to finally be passing. But two years of lockdown and restrictions have thrown up a litany of new problems–from the supplychain crisis to spiraling costs–ensuring the ripples of coronavirus will be felt for years to come. Agent Alice Hogg and international festival bosses plot the way ahead. 15:30–16:30 | ROOM 2 LIVESTREAMING: ON TRIAL Chair: Estelle Wilkinson, Eleven Management (UK) Livestreaming flourished during the pandemic but with touring returning, will it go the same way as VCR, faxes and typewriters? Not according to those still leading the charge. Session host and Bastille manager Estelle Wilkinson invites leading livestreamers to make their case, before industry professionals pass judgment… 15:30–16:30 | ROOM 4 MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID Host: Hannah Brinley, Music Support (UK) After an unprecedented two years, and with the pressures of an entire industry ramping back up at speed, the topic of mental health is as crucial as ever. But how can we identify if a colleague is struggling, and how best to react and help? This panel looks at Music Support’s Mental Health First Aid course and the benefits it can deliver. 17:00–18:00 | ROOM 1 THE HOTSEAT: CASEY WASSERMAN When Casey Wasserman acquired Paradigm’s North American business 12 months ago, he added names such as Coldplay, Shawn Mendes, Billie Eilish and David Guetta to a huge roster of global sports and entertainment brands, properties and talent. Casey’s move into the music space echoes the career of his grandfather, Lew Wasserman, who grew Music Corporation of America (MCA) into the biggest talent
agency in the world prior to his famous stewardship of Universal Studios. With his sights now set on music, how does Casey view the industry’s pathway to recovery, and just how does he predict live entertainment will evolve over the coming years? 17:00–18:00 | ROOM 2 UKRAINE: CONFLICT Host: Nick Hobbs, Charmenko (TR) Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has created a mounting human cost in front of a horrified watching world. With scores of concerts cancelled, behemoths such as Live Nation and OVG severing ties with Putin’s nation, and promoters and agents in Ukraine forced to flee their homes or seek shelter underground, the implications for live music are severe. The impact on business is already felt in neighbouring countries, with concerns that international acts will be unable or unwilling to visit Eastern Europe this year. The conversation brings together touring executives from the region – both in-person and remotely – to cut through the misinformation and discuss the likely repercussions for the future of the concert business in Ukraine, Russia and beyond.
THURSDAY 28 APRIL 10:00–11:15 | ROOM 2 VENUE’S VENUE: RECONNECT & REOPEN Chairs: Marie Lindqvist, ASM Global (SE) & Olivier Toth, Rockhal/EAA (LU) This year’s round up of the venue sector takes place under four headings: education, knowledge, connection, and understanding. This year's discussion will cover getting back to business, a common approach to health-and-safety protocols, and new operational models for these vital buildings. 10:00–11:00 | ROOM 3 BREXIT & BEYOND: RESHAPING EUROPEAN TOURING Chair: James Wright, UTA (UK) How is Brexit and a changing European outlook going to shape the way we work across borders? Experts from a range of sectors join James Wright to discuss the challenges ahead and offer practical solutions to immigration, social security, carnets, cabotage, VAT, logistics, and more.
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T O T END… 3 + 1 + 2 J 022 BEAM A
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S G Y I P NS GE LA O E I STE FL E K S I T S ER S E S I RT T O S A S 40 N S L +L+ RS E U I
PALEIS SOESTDIJK | 1+2+3+7+8+9+10 JULY 2022
AGENTS AFTER ALL
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
CONTACT
Concert at SEA: lesley@agentsafterall.nl • Royal Park Live: patrick@agentsafterall.nl
THE BIG COMEBACK
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s IQ goes to press, we’re just a couple of weeks away from loadingin to the Royal Garden Hotel for ILMC 34, and I personally cannot wait to be there. I can’t remember a more exciting time in the last decade in terms of the business. For a start, the fact that the magazine is physically going to press for the first time in two years is heartening, but to return with a record-breaking edition speaks volumes for the genuine optimism that is currently running through the industry globally. For many, many delegates, ILMC will be the first in-person event they have attended since spring 2020 – basically since ILMC 32 – and the anticipation of the social euphoria is buoying not only us in IQ Towers but also all of the staff at the Royal Garden, who themselves have been largely out of action for two years because of the hotel’s extensive renovation project. And, of course, most exciting of all is that markets around the world are once again open for concerts and festivals, while elsewhere governments are on the verge of dropping the Covid-related restrictions that have kept venues dark for so long. Hitting the ignition to restart international touring will not be without its challenges, obviously, but the pent-up demand of fans everywhere means that opportunities are boundless, making the debates and discussions at ILMC, IPM, E3S, GEI and TEEM from 26–29 April absolutely crucial for the health of the business. Talking of opportunities, our report on the Gulf States (page 74) highlights the world’s fastest growing region for live entertainment. Elsewhere, one man who knows how to create opportunities for artists is Phil Bowdery. Having chalked up his 50th year in music during the pandemic, we could not let the great man’s landmark pass unsung, so please join us in congratulating him on page 36. Also marking a milestone is Finland’s Fullsteam Agency, with Derek Robertson tracking the company’s first 20 years by talking with founder Rauha Kyyrö and colleagues, as well as numerous friends and partners (see page 86). Highlighting the return to international touring, we also have a special report on Hans Zimmer Live (page 62), which can lay claim to the title of the biggest tour to hit European arenas in years. We’ve also got a roundup of ten hi- and low-tech products and services that promise to make the industry a better, more streamlined place (page 58), with a number of the profiled companies coming to the Royal Garden Hotel to showcase their wares. And if all that isn’t enough to whet your appetite, then get perusing our extensive guide to ILMC’s packed conference and events agenda on page 3. So, we hope you enjoy the magazine’s return to print – and if you are reading this at ILMC, then say hello – it will be a pleasure to see you!
ISSUE 110 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 James Hanley Deputy News Editor Lisa Henderson Advertising Manager Gareth Ospina Design Rather Nice Design Sub Editor Michael Muldoon Head of Digital Ben Delger Contributors Alona Dmukhovska, Semyon Galperin, Marie Lindqvist, Derek Robertson, Adam Woods Editorial Contact Gordon Masson gordon@iq-mag.net Tel: +44 (0)20 3743 0303 Advertising Contact Gareth Ospina gareth@iq-mag.net Tel: +44 (0)20 3743 0304 ISSN 2633-0636
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IN BRIEF INDEX The concert business digest
Oak View Group says it is boycotting Russia amid widespread outrage over the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
The O2 arena’s Steve Sayer tips 2023 to be an even bigger year for live music as the business edges back towards normality.
The Russian concert industry makes a united call for peace as the war in Ukraine intensifies.
Jon Ollier’s independent agency, One Fiinix Live, hires Sean Goulding from UTA.
London’s Koko is to reopen next month following a £70m revamp.
ASM Global is appointed to run operations at West London exhibition centre Olympia London.
Wasserman Music hires agents Matt Elam and Sahil Mehta and promotes Stephanie Aristakesian, Zach Berkowitz, Alex Guaraldi, Daniel Lee, Leigh Millhauser and Jeff Molek to agent. The Ukrainian live music business says that concerts – both international and domestic – will not take place until 2023 at the earliest. Live event organisations across Europe take a stand in condemnation of Russia’s attacks on Ukraine. Live Nation pledges not to do business with Russia following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
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Concerns are raised over the viability of touring neighbouring markets in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The UK’s Glastonbury Festival unveils the first wave of acts for its 2022 edition, which sees Paul McCartney and Kendrick Lamar join Billie Eilish as headliners. The Ukrainian live music industry is stepping up to provide humanitarian, logistical, and military support while Russia continues its all-out assault of the country. Mary J. Blige and Pepsi partner with Live Nation Urban to launch the Strength of a Woman Festival & Summit in the US.
On International Women’s Day, the UK’s Musicians’ Union confirms that Naomi Pohl has been elected as the first female general secretary in its history. Netherlands’ Backstage Pass initiative launches the #spotlightonher campaign for International Women’s Day to shine a light on female crew members. UK collection society PRS for Music becomes the latest music organisation to cut ties with Russia in the wake of the country’s invasion of Ukraine. Live music markets around the world pitch in to support the citizens of Ukraine, as the Russian military continues its full-scale invasion of the country. Kilimanjaro Live CEO Stuart Galbraith tells IQ he is “optimistic but nervous” about the concert industry’s return to business during an exclusive interview. Germany’s Goodlive announces the inaugural edition of Munich festival Superbloom.
The agenda is announced for the in-person return of ILMC, set for London’s Royal Garden Hotel from 26-29 April (see page 3). ASM Global appoints Jen Mitchell as general manager of the AO Arena in Manchester, UK. Last Tour, the Spanish festival organiser and concert promoter behind Bilbao BBK Live, announces a new festival in Lisbon. In the UK, Oak View Group’s new east Manchester development, Co-op Live, partners with Hope Solutions to develop the arena’s net-zero strategy. Belgium’s biggest festival, Tomorrowland, partners with leading global cryptocurrency exchange FTX Europe to “make the leap into Web3 and NFTs.” More than 130 representatives from across Europe’s live sector sign an open letter calling for the EU to introduce tougher laws to combat online ticket touting. The Rolling Stones announce a 60th-anniversary tour of Europe, including two dates at AEG’s Thousands of American Express professionals presents BST read Hyde Park. IQ every day. Make
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In Brief
GET INVOLVED BTS break the global event cinema record after grossing $32.6million (€29.8m) with the first live worldwide cinema broadcast of a concert from South Korea.
Live Nation Norway loses the civil case it brought against Oslo Municipality for awarding All Things Live the concert allocation for Voldsløkka sports park.
AEG Presents announces a multiyear partnership with Web3 firm Autograph, an NFT platform cofounded by NFL legend Tom Brady.
WME parent company Endeavor shares financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year of 2021 – the company’s first since going public in April 2021.
Price-capped ‘ethical’ ticket marketplace TicketSwap expands to new markets in Europe and Latin America. The Scottish Event Campus states its ambition to achieve net-zero by 2030 after making significant moves to reduce its carbon footprint in recent years. The Russian live industry pleads for a moratorium on ticket refunds, as concerts and festivals are cancelled en masse. Construction of Live Nation and Oak View Group’s new arena in Cardiff, UK, is expected to start later this year after the development was granted planning permission. The Dutch government finally announces plans to lift all remaining restrictions on live events. Solo boss John Giddings explains how Genesis’s The Last Domino? tour has navigated the challenges of Covid to triumph over adversity, in an exclusive interview with IQ.
Three benefits concerts together raise almost €20million for charities providing relief during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. IQ research reveals that top promoters and ticketing firms are now experiencing higher ticket sales than pre-pandemic levels.
Want to share your views on breaking industry news? Then get involved in the discussion on Twitter: @iq_mag
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Live Nation president and CEO Michael Rapino gives the lowdown on the company’s “groundbreaking” 5G technology and ticket presale partnership with Verizon during a televised interview on CNBC.
Brian Eno and Aurora are confirmed for a keynote conversation at the Green Events & Innovations Conference (GEI), the leading gathering for sustainability at live events (see page 10).
Australia and New Zealand’s leading concert promoter, Frontier Touring, unveils a new leadership structure for the company.
DEAG reports a strong fourth quarter and a significant increase in revenue and earnings in the financial year 2021.
Oak View Group names Gregory O’Dell as president of venue management at the company’s newly rebranded facilities division, OVG360.
Festival organisers and promoters in New Zealand say that the government’s rollback of restrictions is “meaningless” at this point in the events calendar.
Foo Fighters star Taylor Hawkins is remembered by the international live music world, following his death aged 50.
Germany’s Event Management Forum warns of the challenges still facing the live music sector despite parliament voting to scrap most Covid restrictions.
Madison Square Garden’s controversial MSG Sphere London project is given the go-ahead by planning officials despite objections from rival AEG.
FKP Scorpio launches a new company – FKP Show Creations – specialising in musicals, shows, and family entertainment.
Austria’s Barracuda Music raises at least €2m from a concert to benefit people affected by the war in Ukraine.
Live Nation-owned UK promoter Cuffe & Taylor tells IQ that business is bouncing back strongly from the pandemic.
The UK’s live music industry reacts with disappointment to chancellor Rishi Sunak’s spring statement, which was delivered 23 March in the House of Commons.
Polish television company TVP spearheads a global charity TV marathon with a live music element in aid of Ukraine. Goodlive and Live Base form a strategic partnership to deliver international rap artists to the German-speaking market via hiphop festival Splash!.
A blacklist of performers who have spoken out against the war in Ukraine is leaked to Russian media.
CTS Eventim reports a 60% increase in annual revenue during 2021.
All Things Live launches an intimate three-day music festival for Denmark’s capital city this summer, called Common Ground Festival. Germany’s Goodlive names Annika Hintz as head of music booking for its newest festival, Superbloom. Casey Wasserman is revealed as one of a number of heavyweight keynote speakers set for ILMC 34. Goldenvoice announces brand new alt-country festival, Palomino, due to launch in LA in July.
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Comment
Investing in Live Music’s Future Marie Lindqvist, SVP operations Europe at ASM Global, highlights the importance of supporting and bringing young people into the heart of the business, as part of ILMC’s Bursary Scheme partnership.
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SM Global and the International Live Music Conference are partnering this year to dramatically expand ILMC’s Alia Dann Swift Bursary Scheme, which promotes and encourages the next generation of young executive talent. The Bursary Scheme will see 30 young executives given a place at this year’s ILMC. Through the programme, the selected young executives will also have a dedicated industry mentor and additional networking opportunities taking place at ILMC, via the ASM Global family; a chance to share knowledge, ideas, and to build new contacts within the industry. At ASM Global, we’re committed on a global scale to looking to the future and providing support to young executives and the next generation of talent as the industry recovers from the pandemic. Starting out in the live events industry can be daunting – and access to opportunity can be hard to come by, especially if young people aren’t given the tools to know where to look and who to talk to. The ASM Global team will be at ILMC to meet with this year’s chosen young delegates, and we hope it’s going to be a valuable experience for everyone involved. In this fast-paced, digital age, it’s clear that while these young delegates will learn from us with our many years of experience in the industry, we can learn from them, too. They’re the next generation, after all, and their voices deserve to be heard. So it’s our hope that conversations at ILMC and beyond, with the selected delegates, will be a two-way street – insightful and useful for all of us, sparking debate, discussion and creativity. Opportunities like this, which are face-to-face and truly in-person after two years of virtual conferences and meetings, are an exciting step in returning to normality and making the most from networking. As a young person in any industry, having the opportunity to meet in real life and have those conversations face to face is invaluable and automatically breaks down barriers, which I’m sure we have all come up against in online meetings. To have the chance to meet so many people under one roof, over the course of a number of days, is an exciting prospect. Faces will become familiar, conversations will develop and opportunities may even arise
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during the four days of ILMC. Networking is just as important as a new starter as it is when you’ve been working in the industry for many years, so it’s a valuable skill for these young executives to hone and a perfect opportunity to do so. We’re going to have ASM Global executives on hand from all areas of the business to give these young delegates, selected via the Bursary Scheme, a varied and well-rounded view of everything we do – from sales and marketing to operations and venue management. That means there’ll be someone available to offer advice and answer any questions specific to their area of expertise. We’ll also remain available, should the delegates wish, after ILMC, to continue to build and develop relationships with these young people who are the next generation of business leaders. That could be a simple LinkedIn connection or a quick email to check-in every now and then. The Alia Dann Swift Bursary Scheme, with ILMC, is an exciting partnership for ASM Global and goes hand-in-hand with our ongoing work to create real opportunity for the next generation of industry leaders. Earlier this year, we hosted ASM Global Presents: The Next Great Opportunity – an ambitious three-day international collaborative job fair, across four continents. The goal was to create a unique global search to attract diverse talent and expand our reach within our local communities and express our confidence in the future of live events and hospitality. It was a new and unique way of embracing the online universe, giving as many people as possible the opportunity to discover who we are here at ASM Global, what we do, and the career opportunities available. We’re also incredibly proud of ASM Global Acts, an extension of ASM Global’s longstanding commitments to creating a better workplace, a more diverse workforce, serving the communities where it operates, and contributing to a healthier environment and planet. These programmes are activated at both the corporate and local level, creating value at scale within communities. From all at ASM Global, we’re looking forward to ILMC, and to meeting the Alia Dann Swift Bursary Scheme’s young Thousands of executives. professionals read
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Phil Bowdery 50 Years In Music
PHIL BOWDERY’S GOLDEN TERM
Having been involved in live music since the age of 15, Phil Bowdery marked 50 years in the business during the pandemic. Or he would have done, at least, if he wasn’t neck-deep in helping to save the UK industry. Gordon Masson learns about his remarkable career as we acknowledge his 50th anniversary. Portraits by Alexis Dubus 36
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50 Years In Music Phil Bowdery
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Phil Bowdery 50 Years In Music
There is nothing like a dame: Phil with Shirley Bassey
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ducation is a mantra in Phil Bowdery’s life. “I’ve said to my children many times, ‘Don’t do as I do, do as I say,’ because I was out of school by the age of 15, playing in a band,” he confesses. Still, as one of the doyens of the live music sector, his early departure from school hasn’t served him too badly. Starting life on the road as the drummer for a band called Choc Ice, Bowdery’s early experiences saw him rubbing shoulders with some of the great and the good of the music business. “Our guitarist was Gordon Gaynor, who I still catch up with now and again,” he says. “But our claim to fame was we had a little bit of a break and made a record with Pye, which was the label in those days.” Gaynor tells IQ, “I met Phil through Ray Stiles, who was bassist for the band Mud. So Phil joined us on drums, gigging most weeks, and when we stayed out the night I’d share a room with Phil, which was a laugh. When we went to Germany for the first time, we lived on pizza for a month, playing three [one-] hour sets a night – great fun!” Bowdery continues, “We became the backing band for Mac and Katie Kissoon. Katie is now one of Eric Clapton’s backing vocalists, but she and her brother had quite a big hit at the time, and we ended up on the road with The Supremes and also Stevie Wonder, which were both Arthur Howes tours.” Gaynor comments, “We used to meet Stevie and his band at a hotel in Mayfair, and we all went on the tour bus togeth-
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er. I remember to this day, Phil and I sitting in Stevie’s dressing room as he played us tracks from his first synth album, Music of My Mind; it blew us both away. I have some really fond memories with Phil.” Indeed, another claim to fame was Bowdery’s part in one of Wonder’s biggest hits. He recalls, “One day at soundcheck, he had this huge boombox that he was using to record stuff, and he asked me to play a rhythm while he recorded. So, in theory, I played on the original demo of You Are the Sunshine of My Life, which is pretty nice because I now promote Stevie Wonder in Europe.”
When the Wheels Came Off…
The heady heights of life as a support act were short-lived, however, and Bowdery put aside the drumsticks barely a year after hitting the road. “Things in the band were beginning to fall apart, and suddenly the van wasn’t working, and that was sort of the final straw,” he recalls. “I was 16 at the time, but I still wanted to be involved in music, so I became the non-driving roadie for Mud, who were from my hometown. I got paid £12 a week. When I was old enough to drive, Mud started to have hits, and as the band got bigger and the crew got bigger, that enabled me Thousands to become of their production manager, then the tour manager, and then Iread professionals became part of the management team. IQ every day. Make “With Mud we were doing clubs and things – there sure you was get the a chain in Manchester that owned three venues where we’d
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Congratulations Phil
50 years in the music industry Here’s to many more!
From all your friends at the
Feature Top Ten Tech
As usual, the International Live Music Conference will provide a platform for the hottest new tech products and services during the New Technology: Future Frontiers quick-fire presentations panel, as well as separate opportunities to showcase new developments at both the ILMC Production Meeting (IPM) and the Green Events and Innovations conference (GEI).
TEN TOP TECH TIPS FOR 2022
As a preview to those must-see sessions, we’re giving you a taster of some of the latest tech that you can expect to see demonstrated during our 26-29 April gathering. Further details on these products and services can be obtained by visiting the relevant websites or by meeting the presenters during ILMC itself…
VatomTM Vatom operates and develops the Vatom platform. Vatom natively incorporates the key pillars of Web3 – an identity-based wallet, developer-first immersive web spaces, and a studio for creating smart NFTs and campaigns, and an NFT marketplace. The Vatom platform is a purpose-built metaverse suite for connecting brands, fans, artists, and all points in between. Vatom is powering festivals, venues, livestreams, ticketing and radio with a feature-complete toolkit, bringing Web3 and the benefits of the metaverse to the masses. The Vatom platform is built to scale and can host thousands of attendees simultaneously in the same space, all with video avatars and a fully spatial audio experience. At the heart of the platform is the world’s first NFT-based crosschain wallet. The Vatom wallet seamlessly connects fans to all their NFT and Metaverse experiences with a one-click set up. Easy to access for fans, and easy-to-build experiences and campaigns - Vatom is a #NoCode solution so there are no plug-ins and no technical know-how required. Just your browser and a simple webbased URL lets you add web3 to events in real life and online. Vatom.com
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Dynamic Crowd Management Technology has arrived for event organisers battling with heavy regulation and unaffordable security manpower costs. Until now, security rosters have been set by estimating the maximum staffing required at each point on a worst-case scenario basis. Most of the time these levels are never effectively used or needed. The problem has been providing hard evidence that these levels of staffing are not needed from a customer safety or experience perspective. Dynamic Crowd Management (DCM) software measures crowd density, flow speed and mood of crowds, and provides advance warning of congestion or aggression, so the mobile deployment of resources can be guided to where they are needed and when. Using any CCTV vision, DCM software can send crowd data to managers in a control room that is accurate, unbiased, and consistent. The data from multiple sources can be assessed by a single experienced op- of Thousands erator, and better decisions can be made due to the better measurement professionals read of crowd moods. This allows a scientific assignment of mobile resources: IQ every day. Make case studies have shown a 30% reduction is possible with better sureefficiency. you get the dynamiccrowdmeasurement.com.au
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Photography © Frank-Embacher
HANS ZIMMER LIVE
It might not be as dramatic as some of the movies that Hans Zimmer has provided the scores for, but Thousands of the story of his latest tour isprofessionals truly read one of victory over adversity forday. allMake IQ every sure you get the involved. Gordon Masson reports. whole picture… SUBSCRIBE HERE Magazine 63
Feature_Hans Zimmer
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hen Hans Zimmer Live made its debut in Hamburg on 11 March, the wave of emotion across an audience who had been starved of live entertainment for the best part of two years was palpable. And those scenes were reflected among everyone involved in the spectacular production. “The tour was originally scheduled for Spring 2020, so when we had our first show in Hamburg, somebody from our social media team found out that we had announced that show 858 days ago,” reports Christoph Scholz from Semmel Concerts, which is co-producing the tour with RCI Global. “There were definitely people in that audience who had sat on their tickets for more than two years, so the sense of relief and enjoyment was immense.”
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With an office in Hamburg, Semmel Concerts promoted that opening night. “It was very emotional,” says Scholz. “There was enormous tension on stage and backstage. But the audience, the crew, and the artists were simply very happy to be together again, and the atmosphere was special.”
A World Apart
At press time, Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine was still raging, and thoughts of that senseless conflict are never far from the Hans Zimmer Live touring party, some of whom were forced to flee their country following the Russian invasion. “Our originally scheduled orchestra is the Odessa Opera Orchestra from Ukraine,” reveals Scholz. “Within the first 72 hours of the conflict, ten musicians and their families were able to make it out to safety. But that was only about half of the orchestra and the others were unable to leave Ukraine. As a result, we’ve renamed it
Odessa Opera Orchestra & Friends because we cast musicians from elsewhere in Europe. “On the opening night, Hans introduced the band first after his first song, and there were standing ovations. It was a very touching moment. But we’ve had lots of standing ovations, since. The support has been just phenomenal.” Getting the tour out of the starting blocks has been a monumental task, especially with so many false starts to contend with. “At Semmel, we were already hosting arena shows for domestic acts in Germany last year – between the end of August to mid-November we had 430,000 people attend our shows,” reports Scholz. “So, when we met Hans Zimmer for a production meeting in early September last year, we were confident we were all set to kick-start the tour and go full of Thousands steam ahead.” professionals read But in November, everything ground IQ every day.toMake a halt. “Suddenly, Germany restricted events sure you get the again; the Netherlands never really reopened;
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Profile_The Gulf States
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OMAN
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The Gulf States_Profile
ARABIAN NIGHTS
Garrix, and David Guetta played and a reported 180,000 attended the opening night, represents the new face of live music in the Gulf. That same month, the kingdom also hosted the Formula One Grand Prix, with music from Justin Bieber, Jason Derulo, and A$AP Rocky. Chris Brown, Black Eyed Peas, James Blunt, Wyclef Jean and Craig David are also recent visitors, courtesy of MDLBEAST’s MDLBEAST Presents arm, which has rapidly built a reputation as the market’s leading provider of musical talent. “I don’t play for politicians, I play for people,” Guetta told a Soundstorm press conference, side-stepping the criticisms of the regime that remains the main stumbling block to the international performing community’s guilt-free acceptance of the Saudi riyal. That stumbling block is seemingly getting smaller these days, partly due to the billions at the disposal of a Saudi regime that is investing in entertainment, not only to conjure tourism, but to keep its free-spending domestic audience from travelling abroad in search of fun. “I would assume that the kingdom is the biggest buying market in the world right now,” says veteran Middle East promoter Thomas Ovesen,
As one of the first regions to re-emerge on the live touring circuit, the Gulf States is undoubtedly the number-one growth spot on the planet right now – thanks in no small part to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s interest in live events. Adam Woods reports.
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xactly two years ago, at the very moment IQ was producing its last market report on the live market of the Gulf, not to mention gathering the live music community in London for ILMC, the pandemic closed in, and the world shuddered to a halt. We all know what happened next: lockdowns, calendars in the bin, plenty of pain and an ever-extending timescale for the return of concerts. Every market suffered, and the Gulf was no exception. In the final analysis, the UAE was only fully locked down for around four months and Saudi Arabia for a little over a year, but the hit was a hard one and some restrictions linger on. Nonetheless, due to a unique set of circumstances, this may also be one regional market that has emerged from the whole mess looking sharper and shinier than when it went in. In 2022, the Gulf boasts new live venues, new touring connections and, in Saudi Arabia, a booming new territory that has shifted the centre of the region and – albeit not without controversy – greatly boosted the appeal of the region to international acts. The second edition of MDLBEAST’s Soundstorm festival in Riyadh, a four-day “rave in the desert” last December, where Tiësto, Martin
MAP KEY BAHRAIN
● Al Dana Amphitheater
QATAR
Doha ● Alive Entertainment ● Aspire Logistics ● Liveworks ● Aspire Dome ● Jazz at Lincoln Center ● Qatar International Exhibition
UAE
Abu Dhabi ● Flash Entertainment ● Vibe Events ● du Arena ● du Forum ● Etihad Arena ● Etihad Park Stadium ● Zayed Sports City Dubai ● Broadway Entertainment Group ● Chillout Productions ● Dubai Opera ● EarthBeat Events ● GME Events
● Promoter ● Agent/Promoter ● Venue ● Festival ● Live Nation Middle East ● Sport & Entertainment Solutions ● The Artist Network ● T.O.P. Entertainment ● Al Wasl Plaza ● Caesars Palace Rotunda ● Coca-Cola Arena ● Dubai Media Centre Amphitheatre ● Dubai Opera House ● Dubai World Trade Centre ● Madinat Jumeirah ● Media City Outdoor Amphitheatre ● The Palladium Dubai ● The Rotunda ● Desert Groove ● Emirates Airline Dubai Jazz Festival ● Fiesta De Los Muertos ● What’s On Party in the Park Sharjah ● Sharjah Media Centre
OMAN
Muscat ● Alive Entertainment ● Royal Opera House
SAUDI ARABIA
Jeddah ● King Abdullah Economic City ● MDLBEAST Riyadh ● Diriyah Gate Development Authority ● General Entertainment Authority ● MDLBEAST ● Rotana ● T.O.P. Entertainment ● Diriyah Arena ● Granada Center ● King Fahd Cultural Centre ● King Fahd Stadium ● Victory Arena ● Soundstorm
KUWAIT
● The Al-Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah International Tennis Thousands of Complex ● JACC professionals read ● Kuwait Arena IQ every day. Make ● Live Nation
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STEAM POWER Feature_20 Years At Fullsteam
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20 Years At Fullsteam_Feature
Having established her company 20 years ago, the story of Rauha Kyyrö’s Fullsteam group is an inspiring odyssey. Derek Robertson learns how determination, drive and a mantra that puts the artist first, helped build a Finnish powerhouse.
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Feature_20 Years At Fullsteam
rom humble beginnings come great things. That’s certainly how it has panned out for Finland’s Fullsteam, a group of music companies that now encompasses a record label, management services, a booking agency, event organising, and publishing. Currently celebrating its 20th anniversary, it started out like many music industry endeavours – as a hobby for music lover Rauha Kyyrö. “I was still in high school, and I never thought it would become my profession,” she recalls. “My plan was to go and study law! But then music happened…” Tobbe Lorentz of United Talent, one of the first agents she started to work with professionally, can certainly recall her passion. “My first memory is when Rauha turned up at my home, unannounced, and I opened the door to see this unknown kid with dreads and piercings asking to book my bands,” he says. “I believe my response was: ‘Of course you can. Now go away.’ But I booked Turbonegro with her the week after, and we’ve been working together ever since.” Booking bands was something that, by then, Kyyrö was already adept at. She started out playing in a band but was, by her own admission, “never the best or most talented musician.” But she had smarts and determination – “I was great at getting things done,” she says. Booking shows, promotion, logistics, and taking care of releases became her domain, and she came up with a novel way of getting her own band shows abroad. “The easiest way to do that was to book shows in Finland for a Swedish or German band in exchange for getting to play with them in their home countries,” she recalls. “That’s how I first got into the business of booking shows internationally.” Her abilities earned her the nickname “Fixare” (The Fixer) – and she soon found herself dealing with agents who had got her contact details from their artists who had friends in bands she had promoted. To do things officially and pay taxes, she started her first company Sitruunamaailma (which translates as ‘the world of lemons’) with two friends, and then things really took off. “I started promoting the first ‘bigger’ shows – those with a 900 capacity – and also my first outdoor summer festival,” she says. Bear in mind, this was all before she even left high school – “prodigious” doesn’t even come close. Yet the financial realities of promoting and booking were somewhat harsh – in the early years, it remained very much a hobby. “I was doing all this while working in a record shop in Helsinki,” she says. Even after starting Fullsteam proper in 2002 – it began life as a record label, Fullsteam Records, and was a subsidiary of her previous company, Sitruunamaailma – her ambitions were modest. “The idea was just to release music for great bands that couldn’t
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The Flaming Lips headline Fullsteam’s first major festival, Pitkä Kuuma Kesä, in Helsinki, 2009 © Mari Herrala
Ed Sheeran performed at Malmi Airport in 2019. The biggest concert event ever organised in Finland, with 108,000 visitors over two days © Jukka Åman
get their music out on the existing labels. And I guess it felt great to have a record label.” Releasing music was just the start. Kyyrö soon realised there were many things she could do to help her own and friends’ bands, and so the other aspects of Fullsteam began to grow organically. “We did everything ourselves – book the shows, sell merch, release records, and do the PR. We also had a rehearsal room centre with 50 rooms, so we basically just did whatever we wanted […] for our own and our friends’ bands. It was always some kind of a 360˚ model, but as the business grew and things got more professional, it was necessary to have different companies for different parts of the business.” Kyyrö admits that it wasn’t until 2004 that she actually got paid for booking shows, when she went to work for Welldone – now Live Nation Finland – for two years. The other Fullsteam
companies continued during that time, and on leaving Welldone in 2006, she founded Fullsteam Agency. “That was the first time I started to get paid from my own company,” she says. Those early years were characterised by a cando work ethic and DIY spirit, traits that continue to this day and endeared Kyyrö to all those who worked with her in the beginning. Kalle Lundgren Smith of international booking agent Pitch and Smith recalls booking tours with her back in 2000, when she was still running Sitruunamaailma, and being “so impressed with her professionalism. My hardcore band was used to dealing with promoters on a very DIY level, so this was very different. We were even Thousands offered ac- of commodation on top of the fees, which seemedread professionals like an absolute luxury to us.” IQ every day. Make Before they met in real life, Lundgren Smith sure you get the assumed she was a seasoned pro. “I was picturing
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Your Shout
What are you most looking forward to at ILMC 34?
TOP SHOUT
Besides all the great events, top-class panels, and, of course, the Gala Dinner with the Arthur Award ceremony, ILMCs biggest charm for me always lies in the numerous and sometimes coincidental encounters with international partners. As our business definitely is a people’s business, I’m really looking forward to having some real-life meetings again after all the digital ones. That’s what I’ve been missing the most in the last two years. Karsten Jahnke | Karsten Jahnke Konzertdirektion
No question: the legendary karaoke night and singing with all the colleagues and friends we haven’t seen in years! Christian Doll | C2 Concerts The IPM has been part of my life almost since its inception, so imagine how I felt the last couple of years having to sit at home, in front of a screen, talking to people’s heads and shoulders as we ran virtual bloody conferences. Imagine then how excited I am going to be to be part of a live event. On 26 April, I will be at the IPM, along with new and old friends from all around the world, not just the UK, we are international! We will be talking and listening to each other and learning about subjects relevant to the production industry. If you want to register or know more about the panels, those attending, etc., go to ipm.live. See you there! Carl A H Martin | cahm.uk
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Seeing people in real life. I know it’s all about networking and going to the conferences… but being able to have a coffee with someone you haven’t seen since the last ILMC, apart from on Zoom, is going to be sooooooo amazing! I just hope I haven’t forgotten how to socialise… Sharon Richardson | K2 AGENCY I am looking forward to getting back to some sort of normality, at least when it comes to meeting old friends and some new, as I do every ILMC. With Covid, Brexit and now the impending WW3 still trying my patience on a daily basis, taking a week out of the office with my friends at ILMC is just what the doctor ordered… and remembering those we have lost since the last gathering over a drink or three, especially my great friend, at the bar named after him. See you all soon! Adam Parsons | Siren Artist Management Just the thought of being in the same room with the movers and shakers of the music
industry after two years of not being able to travel to ILMC, is beyond exciting. This event is the birthplace of great projects, collaborations, and even long-lasting friendships, and I’m looking forward to meeting up with the generous pool of talent from all corners of the world. We’ve got a lot of catching up to do. Codruța Vulcu | ARTmania I’m most looking forward to meeting professionals from around the world in person and to discussing how recovery goes on and if there are any lessons learned that may help us in the future. Renatus Nacajus | ISEG I’m looking forward to representing Berlin’s premier midsize venue, Verti Music Hall, at my first ever ILMC. I am excited to finally meet everyone in person. Dirk Dreyer | Verti Music Hall Quite simple: seeing everyone in-person. Everything else is then a bonus. Oh, and, of course, christening Strangey’s Bar and toasting Steve. Martin Goebbels | Miller Insurance As this will be my first ILMC, I am more than eager to meet up again with familiar and new industry contacts from equally new markets that are desirable for us. We will bring concrete ideas to the ILMC and are curious to see if we can win over one or more interested parties for our CAVALLUNA-vision for the coming years. Thousands of After the long dry spell, a live industry meeting professionals read still sounds somehow surreal. That may also beMake IQ every day. the reason for my already existing excitement. sure you get the Thomas Mustroph | Cavalluna
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