Preview of IQ Magazine issue 112

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LGBTIQ+ LIST 2022 QUEER PROFESSIONALS MAKING AN IMPACT

GOLD AT THE END OF THE RAINBOW Valuing the pink pound

LOUD & PROUD

Showcasing must-see queer acts

¡VIVA LA MÚSICA!

Latin America’s coming of age

THE GREATEST DANE

Roskilde Festival’s half century

FREIGHT EXPECTATIONS

Transport firms raise their game

PRIDE TAKEOVER EDITION

112 AN ILMC PUBLICATION JULY 2022 | £25 | €25

LIVE NATION ENTERTAINMENT

IS PROUD TO SUPPORT LGBTQIA+ ARTISTS, FANS AND EMPLOYEES THIS MONTH AND EVERY MONTH

IQ112 CONTENTS

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© Kim Matthäi Leland

Cover photograph: Rina Sawayama supported Elton John during American Express presents BST Hyde Park on 24 June © Jennifer McCord/BST Hyde Park

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58 NEWS

FEATURES

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18 22 32

Index In Brief The main headlines over the last six weeks Analysis Key stories and news analysis from around the live music world

COMMENT AND COLUMNS

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A Little Goes a Long Way Nix Corporan outlines ways the live music industry could make concerts safer and more inclusive for queer fans Prejudice and Pride Hatice Arici details the ramifications for the LGBTIQ+ community in Turkey, following the shutdown of Istanbul Pride Your Shout Who’s the best queer act you have seen live?

38 50 58

Loud & Proud Profiling some of the priority queer acts on the rosters of our agency partners The LGBTIQ+ List 2022 Twenty queer pioneers who are making a difference in live music Freight Expectations The industry’s transport and freight experts outline the challenges and opportunities facing them in their busiest year ever One of a Kinder: Roskilde at 50 Derek Robertson looks back on half a century of history that helped to shape Denmark’s iconic Roskilde Festival Gold at the End of the Rainbow Lisa Henderson evaluates the economic and social power of the pink pound ¡Viva La Música!

Adam Woods reports on the extraordinary growth of live music in Latin America

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Congratulations to all nominees in this year’s LGBTIQ+ list

A VERY QUEER HOMECOMING

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was sure I hadn’t forgotten the power of live music, and yet I’ve spent a good portion of the last month in muddy fields or on hot asphalt with tears in my eyes. Hearing Charli XCX dedicate Boys to her “gay boys in the crowd” at Primavera and seeing Years & Years’ Olly Alexander bring cruising, drag queens, and thigh-high leather boots to the Other Stage at Glastonbury felt like a kind of homecoming. I’ve seen queer icons and allies left, right, and centre stage this summer, and it’s been an important reminder of both the social and economic value of representation within lineups – something that’s discussed a lot in this second annual Pride takeover edition.

And before I go on, we must say a huge thank you to Ticketmaster who have stepped up on the issue and our Pride content – we could not have brought you this issue without them.

On page 50, I talk to several executives in the European live music business to find out how they struck gold with the pink pound. On page 18, our agency partners profile the next generation of queer headliners on their rosters. And once again, we’re putting queer professionals at the forefront of our annual Pride takeover, with the 2022 LGBTIQ+ List on page 22. Therein lies your Rolodex of just some of the LGBTIQ+ professionals making an impact in the international live music business and beyond.

While a good chunk of this issue is dedicated to celebrating how far we’ve come with queer representation and equal rights, it’s only right that we commit column inches to how far we still have to go.

In this edition’s comments section (pages 16 and 17), DICE’s Nix Corporan outlines ways the live music industry could make concerts safer and more inclusive for queer fans, and Charmenko’s Hatice Arici reminds readers of the price some people pay for freedom.

And beyond the Pride-specific content, on page 32, IQ editor Gordon Masson learns how the freight and transport business is dealing with its busiest and most challenging year ever. Derek Robertson looks back on half a century of history that helped to shape Denmark’s iconic Roskilde Festival (p38), and Adam Woods reports on the extraordinary growth of live music in Latin America (p58).

ISSUE 112 LIVE MUSIC INTELLIGENCE

Guest Editor

ISSN 2633-0636

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 Guest Editor/ Deputy News Editor Lisa Henderson News Editor James Hanley Advertising Manager Gareth Ospina Design Rather Nice Design Sub Editor Michael Muldoon Head of Digital Ben Delger Contributors Hatice Arici, Nix Corporan, 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

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IN BRIEF INDEX The concert business digest

Agent Paul Fitzgerald dies following a long illness. He was 54.

(See page 10) Promoters scramble to find more dates for Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band after demand sees sales soar past one million tickets for the 2023 European tour.

Oak View Group launches OVG Canada to offer strategic services in venue development and management; booking and content development; sponsorship brand consulting; and third-party partnership sales. The division will be led by president Tom Pistore.

Rockstar Games invests in UK-based promoter and venue operator Broadwick Live.

Broadwick will leverage the injection of funds to expand its portfolio of entertainment brands and venues.

Live Nation makes a strategic investment in plant-based meat company Everything Legendary that will see its produce being served to patrons at select venues and festivals across the United States, including all House of Blues restaurants.

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Germany’s CTS Eventim promises to offer 5G network coverage for festival attendees this summer as part of its partnership with telecommunications provider O2 Telefónica. The service will roll out across Southside, Deichbrand, and Highfield festivals.

Goldenvoice promotes Mark Girton to VP, special events of Empire Polo Club – home to Coachella and Stagecoach festivals.

Most recently he was SVP of special events at parent company AEG Presents.

Justin Bieber postpones a series of North American tour dates after being diagnosed with a rare medical condition, Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, which has paralysed the right side of his face.

Elrow president and board member Vicenc Marti taking on the new role of Vatom GM for Europe.

Venue association Liveurope pledges to continue boosting the circulation of new European talent for the next three years after being selected for EU funding for the third consecutive time. The Brussels-based organisation will see its annual budget increase by 40% (from €500,000 per year for 20142021 to €700,000 for 2022-2024).

Billie Eilish hosts a session at Overheated Climate at The O2 in London, where more than 250 music professionals and sustainability specialists gather for a 16 June series of debates and performances.

ASM Global promotes Martin McInulty to general manager of the First Direct Arena in Leeds. He was previously head of operations at the 13,781-cap venue.

Festival Republic partners with Music Declares Emergency as it pledges to bring grid power to festivals and reduce carbon emissions for the sector ahead of the 2023 festival season.

California-based Web3 company Vatom signals its European expansion by unveiling a newly formed strategic partnership with Superstruct-owned Spanish events brand Elrow. Vatom Europe will operate out of Barcelona, with

CTS Eventim’s DreamHaus appoints Julian Gupta as director of festival booking. Gupta’s team, which consists of talent buyer Benjamin Fritzenschaft and talent buying assistant Moritz Kob, follow him to the Berlin-based

promoter from Goodlive, where they worked on events including splash! in Ferropolis and Heroes in Kassel, Freiburg, and Geiselwind.

Live entertainment powerhouse Superstruct Entertainment acquires a stake in the UK-based professional action sport and music festival Nass (National Adventure Sports Show).

Spain’s Metal Paradise promoter, Bring the Noise, cancels the 15-16 July event due to an “accumulation of circumstances” stemming from the pandemic, with slow ticket sales cited as a major issue.

Germany’s Event Management Forum calls for clarity on the government’s Covid containment plans for the autumn and winter period, after plans for mandatory masks become apparent.

A new AU$10m government scheme is launched to support the recovery of South Australia’s music scene. The Live Music and Event Cancellation Fund will provide financial assistance of between AU$10,000 and AU$250,000 if an event or live music performance is cancelled or rescheduled due Thousands of to the introductionprofessionals of Covid-19 read restrictions.

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Analysis

“ONE OF A KIND” EX-CAA AGENT PAUL FITZGERALD PASSES

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eading live music figures have been paying tribute to music agent Paul Fitzgerald, who died aged 54 following a long illness.

The ex-CAA agent enjoyed a distinguished 25-plus-year career in showbusiness after starting out at Louis Parker’s Concorde International Artistes in the early 90s.

Fitzgerald, who is survived by wife Ellie and daughter Lulu, was the longtime agent for The X Factor Live tour and worked with artists such as Leona Lewis, Steps, JLS, One Direction, Olly Murs, Nicole Scherzinger, Diversity, Ella Henderson, Beverley Knight, and Craig David.

“Fitz was one of a kind,” CAA co-head Emma Banks tells IQ. “Entrepreneurial from his core and with a great love of his clients, he was a trailblazer in his work with X Factor amongst other projects. He was always open to pursuing new projects and avenues with his trademark enthusiasm.

“Paul had a can-do attitude that went from work into his life generally. He was much loved at CAA. Agents across the company in every department globally knew Paul through their interactions at our company retreats or other times that Paul would visit them.

“Paul has left us all far too early and our hearts break for Ellie and Lulu. Gone but never forgotten.”

Fitzgerald, who launched entertainment industry consultancy MYBX in 2018, is credited as a mentor by his former CAA assistant, Chris Ibbs, who was elevated to music agent at the company last year.

“Paul was a true legend in every sense of the word,” says Ibbs.

“A fabulous agent and great friend. His infectious humour was only matched by his huge kindness. It was an honour to work for him, and without his guidance, I simply wouldn’t be where I am today. Thank you, sir. Rest easy.”

SJM Concerts’ Simon Moran and Matt Woolliscroft speak similarly highly of Fitzgerald, both personally and professionally.

“I always got on really well with Paul,” Moran tells IQ. “We did a lot of business with him over the years. He was very hard working and tenacious. As they used to say on The X Factor, he had the ‘likeability factor’ – he was a really great fella.”

“I worked with Paul across many of his biggest artists including the early touring of One Direction, JLS’s incredible run after their appearance on The X Factor, The X Factor tour itself, Beverley Knight, and many others,” adds Woolliscroft.

“He was a sensible and easy going person to do business with.

Loyal to his contacts and hard working for his clients.

“We’d stayed in periodic contact after his illness had meant he’d had to step back from his work, and I was in awe of his positivity. I have missed our more regular contact since he ‘retired.’ He once joked to me, ‘I have never been cool in my entire life’ – he was probably right, but he was a good man with a good heart, and I will miss him.”

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Nova Rock’s loyal fans did not let the weather spoil their weekend

FESTIVALS FORCED TO TAKE A RAIN CHECK

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number of European festivals, including Nova Rock (Austria), Eurockéennes de Belfort (France), and Love Saves the Day (UK), were hampered this month by severe weather conditions.

The most recent victim is France’s Eurockéennes de Belfort, which was forced to cancel its opening two days due to “apocalyptic” storms.

The 35,000-cap festival would have hosted acts including Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Stromae, Diplo, Joy Crookes, Big Thief, and Girl in Red between 30 June and 1 July.

Thursday and Friday single-day ticket-holders will receive a full refund, with those with three-day and four-day passes receiving 66% and 55% refunds, respectively.

Elsewhere, Barracuda Music CEO Ewald Tatar tells IQ that Nova Rock’s biggest challenge was recovering from “the rain of the century,” which hit the country mere days before the festival was due to open its gates.

“During the 3-4 final days leading up to Nova Rock 2022, it rained more in the region than during the period between November 2021 and the beginning of June 2022 in total,” explained Tatar.

Fortunately, only a few performances were cancelled due to the downpour. No such luck for UK festival Love Saves Day, which was marred by a torrential downpour and “lack of cover” on the second day of the event.

The festival’s Lonely Hearts Club stage was flooded at around 7pm, which led to the cancellation of Arlo Parks’ performance. Around this time, the site’s bars were also closed before later reopening.

In response to a large number of attendees leaving and several complaints on social media, the festival’s promoter, Team Love, said: “Fundamentally, it would not be possible to provide cover for 30,000 people simultaneously during a biblical downpour without putting all the stages intoThousands tents and of completely changing the whole identity of the festival – butread professionals with that being said, we will look to provide IQ more cover andMake every day. shelter next year at the event and to ensure that the site-wide sure you get the response system is strengthened.”

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Analysis

PROMOTERS HAIL RECORD SUMMER SEASON

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ive Nation UK says it’s on track for its biggest outdoor season ever, estimating nearly six million fans at its live shows this summer.

According to LN, four million people will attend one of its festivals or outdoor events, while close to two million will attend an indoor show.

After welcoming a total of 200,000 fans to the new Creamfields South in Hylands Park, Chelmsford and Liam Gallagher’s two-night stand at Knebworth (cap. 80,000) over the Queen’s Jubilee weekend, the company went on to attract hundreds of thousands of people to its Download and Parklife festivals.

Live Nation is organising more than 100 events this summer, including tours by the likes of Harry Styles, Lady Gaga, Eagles, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Billie Eilish over the next few

weeks. In Scotland, meanwhile, it reports that 24% of the population will attend a DF Concerts show or festival this summer.

Denis Desmond, chairman of Live Nation UK and Ireland, hailed this summer as “one to remember.”

Elsewhere, DEAG reported the most successful summer in its 44-year history, with more than three million tickets sold for the promoter’s events.

A record total of 3.1m people are scheduled to attend DEAG shows in Germany, UK, Ireland, Switzerland, and Denmark between June and August.

Highlights so far have included Stuttgart’s Kessel Festival, which attracted 50,000 visitors for the first time in late June. A similar number is expected at the upcoming Sion Sous Les Étoiles festival, along with an open-air Die Ärzte concert in Thun, both in Switzerland.

Harry Styles is helping Live Nation enjoy a monumental return to operations

Via its Kilimanjaro Live subsidiary, it has also either promoted or co-promoted stadium concerts by Ed Sheeran and Stereophonics in the UK and Tom Jones at Live at Chelsea. Allied to shows by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and Kiss in Germany, as well as the Rock the Ring festival in Switzerland, DEAG welcomed close to 1.1m paying customers in June alone.

Meanwhile, major international festivals including Nova Rock, Rock am Ring, Rock Werchter, Rock in Rio, Primavera, and Love Supreme have reported record sell-outs and attendances.

OUR SHOWS IN 2022 1099, $oho Bani,1019 (Lucio101, Nizi19, Omar101, Karamel19), 102 Boyz, 65Goonz, A Wilhelm Scream,

A.A. Williams, A1 x J1, Acht Eimer Hühnerherzen, AK Ausserkontrolle, Alex Henry Foster, Allie X, Aly & AJ, Amenra, Amistat, Andy Frasco & The UN, Ansa Sauermann, Apache 207, Archive, As I Lay Dying, Austin Lucas, Author & Punisher, Avi Kaplan, Ayo, Badmomzjay, Beartooth, Being As An Ocean, Beyazz, BHZ, Big Air Festival Chur, Billy Talent, BirdPen, Bizkit Park, Boloboys, Bonez MC, Bongeziwe Mabandla, Boy Pablo, Brian Fallon, Bright Eyes, Brit Floyd, BRKN, Brutalismus 3000, Buddy, Calexico, Caliban, Cari Cari, Casper, Checkmate Collective feat. Negatiiv OG, Children of Zeus, Chuck Ragan, Cleopatrick, Clutch, Combichrist, Conjurer, Cory Wells, Crippled Black Phoenix, Cro, Cro-Mags, Cypecore, Dame, Dance With The Dead, Dante YN, Das Lumpenpack, Dave Hause, David Keenan, De Staat, Decapitated + Despised Icon, Dehd, Denzel Curry, Der Weg Einer Freiheit, Dexter, Die Fantastischen Vier, Disarstar, Dodie, Dota, Dropkick Murphys, Dropout Kings, Duckwrth, Earthgang, Edwin Rosen, Eefje de Visser, Emilio, Era, Eric Nam, Fat Freddy‘s Drop, Feng Suave, Fit For An Autopsy, Flogging Molly, Foreign Air, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls, Frog Leap, From Fall To Spring, Gad Elmaleh, Gashi, Gentleman, Ghali, God Is An Astronaut, GReeeN, Gurten Festival, Haftbefehl, Haiyti, Halocene, Hollow Coves, Human Impact, Hundreds, Itchy, Ivan Ave, Jack White, Jah Wobble, Jaill, James Gillespie, Jaya The Cat, Jeremy Loops, Jerry Cantrell, John Smith, Joy Crookes, JPson, K.I.Z , Kadavar, Kaleo, Kapelle Petra, Karate Andi, Karmic, Katchafire, Kay One, Kehlani, Kelvyn Colt, Kendrick Lamar, Kiefer Sutherland, King Charles, Kodaline, Kontra K, Kool Savas, Kraftklub, Kwam.E, Kytes, La Femme, Landmvrks, Larkin Poe, Laura Jane Grace, Lea Porcelain, Leah Kate, Lemonheads, Lex Amor, LGoony, Lil Tecca, Lime Cordiale, Lionheart, Little Simz, Liturgy, Loathe, Loi, LP, Lugatti & 9ine, LUIS, Luis Ake, Lukas Graham, Lust For Youth, Machine Gun Kelly, Mad Caddies, Madison Beer, Magic Sword, Maid Of Ace, Majan, Mallrat, Max Giesinger, Mayberg, Megaloh, Meshuggah / Zeal & Ardor, Mild Orange, Millencolin, Milow, Mine, Monet192, Monolink, Montez, MoTrip, Movits!, Nada Surf, Nasty, Nathan Evans, Nathan Gray, Nation of Language, Native Young, Neck Deep, Negramaro, Never Say Die Tour 2022, Neville Staple (The Specials), New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble, No Angels, Noah Levi, nothing,nowhere., Nova Twins, Nura, Ocean Alley, OG Keemo, One Step Closer, Open Air Frauenfeld, Open Air Gampel, Open Season, Orbit, Our Hollow, Our Home, Pa Salieu, PA Sports & Kianush & Jamule & Fourty, Palaye Royale, Paleface, Parkway Drive, Passenger, Penny and Sparrow, Pennywise, Polaris, Powerwolf, Pusha T, Querbeat, RAF Camora, Rantanplan, Rapkreation, RAZZ, Rea Garvey, Reezy, Regarde Les Hommes Tomber, Ricardo Arjona, Rogers, Rola, Rude & Rebel Ska Fest, Russ, Russian Village Boys, Russkaja, Saba, Salò, Saltatio Mortis, Schmyt, SDP, Seasick Steve, Sega Bodega, Shaybo, Shelter Boy, Shem Thomas, Sir Chloe, Ski Aggu, Skinny Lister, Slipknot, Slow Magic, Smash Into Pieces, Smile And Burn, Snow Patrol, Social Distortion, Son Mieux, Sons Of The East, Sperling, Stavroz, Stick To Your Guns, Stu Larsen, Swae Lee, Swiss & Die Andern, Symba, SYML, Tenside, Terror, Terrorgruppe, Teuterekordz, The Amity Affliction, The Blue Stones, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Districts, The Dreggs, The Driver Era, The Faim, The Hirsch Effekt, The Kid Laroi, The Menzingers, The Ocean, The Peacocks, The Picturebooks, The Pretty Reckless, The Sheepdogs, The Slow Show, Thees Uhlmann, Thymian , Tim Vantol, together Pangea, Tom Walker, TOMPAUL, Tristan Brusch, Ufo361, Ulysse, Van Holzen, Vancouver Sleep Clinic, Versengold, Vola, Wage War, Wanda, Welshly Arms, Wolf Alice, Yung Gravy, Yungblud, Zavet, Zola Blood, ZSK

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Comment

A little goes a long way Nix Corporan, fan support team lead at DICE, outlines a handful of ways the live music industry could make concerts safer and more inclusive for queer fans.

S

mall changes could make a big difference to queer fans. I’ve been thinking about ways the live industry can better serve those fans and top of the list is better inclusivity and safety.

In that sense, one thing that ticketing companies can do is give fans the option of adding a ‘preferred name’ when registering for an account. Trans and gender non-conforming people often don’t enjoy the name that they were legally given (sometimes called a “dead name” in the community), and so as a result, they’ll use a name that identifies better with themselves in their current state of being.

Last year, I bought a ticket for a friend of mine to see Kaytranada, but as their preferred name doesn’t match the name on their ID, they needed to write their legal name when registering, in the event they might need to show ID at the door. For someone seeing their legal name on the documentation, it could lead to dysphoria or trigger bad memories.

While ticketing companies and promoters may require legal names for identification purposes, their preferred name could show up on the fan-facing side of the profile but venues could still have their legal names on file.

Allowing the fan to add their preferred name creates psychological safety for them and they can feel more confident in their purchase journey. It would also let these fans know that the live industry sees them for who they are.

On the subject of psychological safety, I think a great way to enforce safety in our venues and to make queer fans feel safe is by hiring specialist security agencies like Safe Only, an exclusively queer security/welfare/harm reduction team.

Staff and security must be trained on how to search people in a way that feels safe for queer fans and how to incorporate more inclusive language.

Another thing venues and executives can start implementing is a fund that will help a trans/gender non conforming/person of colour get a cab home. Maybe a portion of ticket sales or bar sales could be dedicated to this fund. Maybe a portion of the bar tab can go towards queer service workers as well?

It happens a lot here in New York City, where queer people will get hurt, or worse, on the way back from the gig. For a lot of performers, performance and art is their source of income and they’ll have to be out of a job because someone didn’t like who they are. Making sure everyone gets home safe, especially a venue’s performer, should be a top priority, and I think adding this fee will show the performer the community cares about them beyond what they give us on stage. DICE’s mission is to get everyone outside, and my personal mission is to get everyone outside and back home.

The final thing, is setting up a buddy system, or queer meetups (maybe like a pregame lounge area) so people can meet up before an event begins. It would be beneficial on both a safety level and a social level, helping to strengthen our community. Some of my closest friends – scratch that, chosen family – are people I met in the lines at gigs. We saw each other all the time in line for the same concerts and the same artists! I think meetups are a great way to uplift and join together an underrepresented community. But also, travelling in big groups would potentially decrease the risk of queer people getting in harm’s way.

“Allowing the fan to add their preferred name creates psychological safety for them and they can feel more confident in their purchase journey” 16

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Comment

Prejudice & Pride Charmenko’s Hatice Arici details the unjust shutdown of Istanbul’s Pride Parade and issues a rallying cry for the LGBTIQ+ people in Turkey.

T

he twentieth Istanbul Pride Parade was supposed to happen on Sunday, 26 June 2022, in Taksim, İstanbul, just like every year since 2003. Days before Pride Week started, the police banned all marches and suppressed all the venues where the events would take place, in the name of “general control.” This pretense has been used by the police force and the government for the last twenty years or so to torment everyone who is “other.”

Law enforcement tried to put pressure on the venues by asking for documents such as tax plates and signboards where the events would take place. Despite all the pressure, Istanbul’s queer community met up and stuck together. When the state and police forces realised that the Pride Week activities could not be prevented under such a weak excuse, the Beyoğlu and Kadıköy District Governorate banned all activities for one week. This decision was illegal and against all human rights – something the Turkish government is a master at. The official pride events committee used their legal rights and made the necessary objections. They had no replies; no results.

Istanbul Pride has “taken place” every year since 2003.

The last march to [actually] go ahead without a ban was in 2014 and drew tens of thousands of participants. It was one of the biggest LGBTQ events in the majority Muslim region.

After 2014, the march was banned each year, officially for “security reasons.” In 2020, streaming giant Netflix cancelled the production of a series in Turkey featuring a gay character after failing to obtain government permission for filming.

Last week, in one of the biggest venues in Istanbul city, people from the audience were physically dragged out of a concert just because they waved small rainbow flags. The police chief in that region ordered the venue to “search the bags; do not let anyone in with a rainbow flag.” According to them, a rainbow flag is an item of propaganda.

After the governor’s office had banned the march around Taksim Square in the heart of Istanbul, queers gathered nearby, under heavy police presence. As usual, the riot police de-

tained us, loading and pushing us onto buses. Journalists and press photographers were handcuffed. By the end of the day, 373 people had been arrested.

We grow angrier every year, every day. But instead of telling the same old story, it’s better to share Pride Istanbul’s press release with you: “Lubunya (Turkish: queer) never gives up.

We, who came together with the theme of “resistance” and rushed to the Gezi [park] in 2013, call out resistance against heterosexism and violence against the increasing homophobia, transphobia and biphobia and all kind of phobias and male-dominated state policies.

We salute those persecuted for Gezi and sentenced to heavy prison sentences unlawfully by the courts. We also salute the Saturday Mothers/People who have been gathering every Saturday at Galatasaray Square for 900 weeks in search of their missing and detained.

Against all policies of disregard, targeting, intimidation, silencing, we shout again from all Taksim streets. We are here, and we will burn anyone without water in our fire. Get used to it or make peace.

We have no intention of leaving.

We will not return. We will not return from this road.

We stand side by side despite the attacks and intimidation on our homes, streets, and bodies, shoulder to shoulder, leg to shoulder. We are here with the grace of all our friends, killed and driven to suicide because of state repression and hatred.

We stand together with sex workers. We are together with our refugee friends who have been targeted with increasing hostility. We are on the street today, dreaming of a boundless, classless, genderless world.

We stand together against the targeting and hate campaigns by the state and paramilitary gangs acting with state power.

We are banned, prevented, discriminated against (and even killed) at every second of our lives. Police violence is aimed at stopping us, but it is not possible. You will be unable to stop the queers.”

“People from the audience were physically dragged out of a concert just because they waved small rainbow flags”

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EL LÍDER MUNDIAL DE EXPERIENCIAS EN VIVO ANFITRIÓN DE MÁS DE 20 MIL EVENTOS ANUALES Líder mundial, socio #1 de los promotores y el mayor anfitrión de conciertos, deportes profesionales, eventos familiares, convenciones, exhibiciones y eventos a nivel global.

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Feature_Loud & Proud

LOUD & PROUD As marks its second annual Pride edition, we again spotlight some of the queer acts and artists that are awaiting festival and headline show bookings. This year’s Loud & Proud profiles include acts represented by 13 Artists, ATC Live, CAA, FMLY, Hometown Talent, Progressive Artists, Wasserman Music, and X-ray Touring.

ELIZA LEGZDINA

(LV)

AGENT Darren James-Thomas | FMLY Agency Eliza Legzdina was picked by NME as one of the highlights at Eurosonic Festival 2022.

A queer, London-based, Latvian, R&B “star in the making” (Crack Mag), she performed with Rudimental at Brixton Academy in June and features on one of their forthcoming singles.

Legzdina featured on lau.ra’s track, Blow, which was selected by BBC Radio 1’s Jack Saunders as tune of the week; while her collaboration with the same artist on Wicked also saw her placed on the 6 Music B-List. She has also worked with Idris Elba on the track Fudge.

Other recent shows include supporting Princess Nokia at EartH in London, while festival appearances have seen her take to the stages at Europavox, The Great Escape, and Pride Porto. Later this summer, she is confirmed to perform at Brighton Pride, Manchester Pride, and Latitude Festival.

JEMIMA COULTER

(UK)

AGENT Jake Nevens | 13 Artists Raised on classical music in Hampshire without context for what was popular, 24-year-old Jemima Coulter has developed a sound meticulously their own. Previously having cut their teeth as one-half of the Hailaker project, which has seen co-signs from the likes of Phoebe Bridgers, Novo Amor, and many others, Jemima’s debut album Grace After A Party releases in July via Hand In Hive, boasting an enviable cast of guest appearances from the world of indie music.

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Loud & Proud_Feature

PAIGE KENNEDY

(UK)

AGENT Rob Gibbs | Progressive Artists Paige Kennedy is an artist and producer from Kent, UK, with an energetic alt-pop sound, drawing on a mix of funk, electronic, and indie. Their recent EP, 4 Degrees, has gained recognition from 6 Music, BBC Introducing, BBC Radio Kent, and Spotify’s Fresh Finds and young & free editorial playlists.

They’ve been gigging regularly in London and Manchester, supporting Peaness and BC Camplight, and have some exciting slots lined up for 2022.

Paige also made the top five out of over 3,000 applicants for the Green Man Rising competition 2021, performing at the live-streamed finals.

Paige is currently working on new material that will be released later this year.

JODIE HARSH

(UK)

AGENT Chris Ibbs | CAA UK cultural icon Jodie Harsh returned with her new single Shock, released 1 July on Warner Records. An irresistible club jam, the track combines rousing vocals and anthemic hooks with a deep, infectious bassline. It follows on from Good Time, an acclaimed release that was crowned BBC Radio 1 Hottest Record in the World by Charlie Hedges.

Kicking off the year with remixes for Kylie Minogue, Years & Years, Sonny Fodera, and most recently Charli XCX & Rina Sawayama, 2022 has been huge for nightlife icon Jodie Harsh. Fresh from supporting Jessie Ware on tour, she is currently in the middle of a hectic festival run with appearances at Creamfields North & South, Elrow, Mighty Hoopla, and Radio 1 Big Weekend, as well as starting residencies alongside Becky Hill at Ibiza Rocks and Danny Howard at Amnesia in Ibiza.

A legendary face of the London club scene, she is currently curating new queer club night Feel It at Omeara alongside Little Gay Brother.

Adding another string to her huge bow, Jodie also hosts her own podcast, Life of The Party, with guests on the latest series so far including Joel Corry, Tom Grennan, Fat Tony, The Blessed Madonna, and Jessie Ware.

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Feature_LGBTIQ+ LIST 2022

IQ is placing LGBTIQ+ executives at the forefront of our annual Pride issue with the second-ever LGBTIQ+ List.

The list celebrates the LGBTIQ+ professionals making an impact in the international live music business and beyond.

This year’s top 20, as nominated by our readers and verified by our esteemed steering committee, have gone above and beyond to wave the flag for a more diverse and inclusive industry – one that we can all be proud of. Without further ado...

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LGBTIQ+ LIST 2022_Feature

GEORGIE LANFRANCHI

“We work in an industry that aims to entertain the entire population.

And that population is made up of extremely diverse audiences” Troy Suda

Tour manager/production coordinator, Only Helix Ltd (UK) Pronouns: she/her/hers georgie@onlyhelix.com

Tell us about a personal triumph in your career My journey with Years&Years, from being their production coordinator to their tour manager, has been by far the most rewarding of my career. Being queer and working for one of the biggest gay icons of our time is a true honour.

What advice could you give to young queer professionals?

Try your best not to hide who you are. This can often be instinctive for queer people, but the industry is changing, opinions are changing, and the best way to help drive that forward is to be visible.

What’s the best mistake you’ve ever made?

Every mistake I’ve made – it’s the best way to learn. Those cringy, stomach-dropping, mortifying moments that stick with you when you realise you’ve messed up, stick with you for a reason. You don’t make those mistakes again!

Tell us about a professional challenge you’ve come across as a queer person in the industry I actually feel that being a woman is more of a hindrance in this industry. Don’t get me wrong, I still get a lot of ignorant questions from people that perhaps don’t (knowingly) have queer people in their life, but you’d be hard pressed to find a queer person that doesn’t!

Causes you support Music Support, CALM, The Trevor Project, David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, WWF, Rainforest Alliance.

Your favourite queer space Flamingos Nightclub in Bristol – which is sadly no more. I felt a real absence of queer spaces growing up, from the countryside towns I grew up in and even the cities I frequented in my university years. It’s so important to keep these spaces going so queer folk have a safe space to go and a place to find and express themselves.

Support your local queer spaces!

DAVID JONES

Chief information officer, AEG (UK) Pronouns: he/him/his linkedin.com/in/davidjones99/ Tell us about a personal triumph in your career I’ve recently been promoted to the role of global chief information officer. In my new role I am leading a new division – AEG Global Technology – which brings together AEG’s talented technology staff in the US and Europe. I am proud to say that this will be the first time that someone in the UK will head up a global team in our company.

What advice could you give to young queer professionals?

Seek out other LGBTQ+ people in your organisation or industry; build friendships and provide support to each other. Being part of the Pride employee network group at AEG has been a wonderful experience. I have made new friends right across the organisation, and our group has been a force for positive change in our company.

Name one thing the live industry could do to be a more inclusive place Empower and support your LGBTQ+ colleagues.

And that means more than simply ‘rainbowing’ your logos, venues and events in Pride month. If your organisation doesn’t have an employee network group then help your LGBTQ+ colleagues to establish one and support them to drive positive change.

The queer act you’re itching to see live this year Steps at Birmingham Pride. Even though they are performing on Sunday evening; I’m too old for such giddiness on a school night…

Your favourite queer space In 2018, the Isle of Wight hosted UK Pride. Peter Tatchell spoke about how ‘local’ Prides were so much more important than those traditionally held in big cities, because it was important for LGBTQ+ people to be visible, embraced and happy everywhere, not just in places like London or Manchester.

I witnessed an enormous Pride flag paraded down the main street of my hometown, enjoyed drag queens in the cabaret tent on the esplanade, and then sang along with Conchita Wurst on the beach stage. My favourite queer space was the Isle of Wight on Saturday, 21 July 2018.

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Feature_LGBTIQ+ LIST 2022

CLOE GREGSON

Senior events manager, Manchester Pride (UK) Pronouns: she/her/hers cloe.gregson@hotmail.co.uk Tell us about a personal triumph in your career A big personal triumph for me was curating the line-up for the Gay Village Party in 2021. It was my first year leading on the programme, and it ended up being the most queer and diverse line-up Manchester Pride had seen to date. The pool of talent in Manchester is incredible, and I created the programme by working with some of the absolute powerhouses that reside here.

Co-designing with Fat Pride, Trans Filth & Joy, Black Pride MCR, and some of the best queer females and femmes.

What advice could you give to young queer professionals?

Don’t be afraid to take up space and support each other!

One thing the live industry could do to be a more inclusive place?

Making sure we are paying local performers and artists fairly.

A cause you support Supporting our trans community and being a loud ally.

The queer act you’re itching to see live this year NIMMO. Your favourite queer space Fat Out Fest.

“I’ve witnessed plenty of virtue-signaling from within our industry, but when push comes to shove there are companies whose actions don’t align with the values they claim to hold” Joel Siviour

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PETER TAYLOR

Founder, Cuffe & Taylor (UK) Pronouns: he/him/his peter.taylor@cuffeandtaylor.com Tell us about a personal triumph in your career Taking the Lytham Festival in my hometown in Lancashire from a one-day, 4,000-capacity event to the 2022 festival, which ran over ten days with an overall attendance of 200,000 people. And if I’m allowed another: getting Britney Spears to play Scarborough Open Air Theatre!

What advice could you give to young queer professionals?

Have courage and determination. Don’t ever be afraid to speak up, and remember to be kind.

What’s the best mistake you’ve ever made?

Selling my bar contract in the early days at a stupidly low price was a mistake that taught me a lot, very quickly.

One thing the live industry could do to be a more inclusive place Keep educating ourselves and each other. To be honest, having just finished the RuPaul Drag Race UK Tour, I actually learnt a lot myself about gender and how people identify. I also think music and show business have always been good industries for people to feel inclusive and safe.

A cause you support Pride Nation. It’s an initiative across our parent company, Live Nation, to promote inclusivity among our LGBTQ+ colleagues. It’s a good channel for education and learning, plus it supports some amazing organisations.

The queer act you’re itching to see live this year Well… I’d say the Christina Aguilera show I’m promoting in Scarborough this year. She is an iconic LGBTQ+ act, and we’ve just finished our 2022 tour with Lea Salonga – a massive gay icon, not least because she’s a real Disney princess!

Your favourite queer space In Lytham, where I live, we’re next door to Blackpool, so anyone visiting me always has a trip to Funny Girls! I also went to Wilderness Festival last year and that felt really inclusive and welcoming.

DAVID DAVIES

Founder and head of live, Double D Live (UK, IE) Head of experience, Catapult Pronouns: he/him/his david@doubledlive.com david@thisiscatapult.com Your favourite queer space I’m involved with a night called Buttmitzvah, which is a Queer Jewish party we’ve grown from The Glory to The Troxy via Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club, Brooklyn, NYC and a few others. It takes the form of a bar mitzvah party and has a whole range of interesting moments you wouldn’t expect to find at a nightclub: Jewish dancing, speeches, bubbas (grannies) trying to get you married off to a doctor and a serious obsession with fish balls. I play the MC (think red tailcoat and heels) and host the night from the stage. It’s one of the few places where I’m able to celebrate both my Jewish and my queer identities.

What advice could you give to young queer professionals?

It’s painfully basic but… be yourself. You don’t need to hide who you are. Being queer is a core part of your identity, but it does not define you.

You are more than the sum of your amazing parts. Your queerness is a massive piece of you and helps inform the whole puzzle. Live music is an industry where we are asking an audience to have a real emotional response to our work, so we owe it to them to be real and honest about who we are.

One thing the live industry could do to be a more inclusive place?

I think transgender rights are the next battleground in society and the workplace – regardless of industry. We need to support our trans colleagues, siblings, performers, artists and network. Obvious but easy things we can do include having company-wide policies like placing pronouns on email signatures that remove the stigma around the choice to include.

The queer act you’re itching to see live this year I don’t often get to see shows when I’m not working, but I would love to go and stand in the audience at a Becky Hill gig and sing (tunelessly) at the top of my voice. Becky’s current show includes four incredible performers from the scene: Margo Marshall, Prinx Chiyo, Dosa Cat – and my absolute fave Freida Slaves. Her show is amazing – it’s the perfect mix of pop and dance bangers with one of the most incredible voices in the UK. Thousands of

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Your partners in freight

Air

Sea

Road

Logistics

ATA Carnets

t: +44 (0) 300 303 5388 | e: info@freightminds.com | w: freightminds.com U N I T 6 , L E V E L 2 , X 2 H AT T O N C R O S S C E N T R E , L O N D O N H E AT H R O W, T W 6 2 G E , U K

With seemingly every act on the planet determined to tour in the coming 12 months, the freight and transport business has never been as busy. But with a genuine scarcity of vehicles, ships and aircraft, and the Covid hangover still hitting personnel numbers, the supply versus demand scenario is unprecedented. Gordon Masson learns how the sector is coping with some monumental challenges.

I

t’s an oft-used phrase in 2022 that the live music business is packing three years’ worth of activity into one year, as postponed festivals and tours from the pandemic period concertina alongside new tours and events around the planet. But, while there will undoubtedly be certain artists and outings that become casualties of the resulting vastly oversaturated marketplace, on paper, at least, the windfall for the

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likes of contractors and suppliers should help make up for some of the darker, revenue-free days that Covid inflicted.

In the freight and transport sector, the order books are full. Indeed, backlogs of requests remain seemingly permanently on reserve for those acts still scrambling to find solutions to get back out in front of their fans, while standard industry practices such as double drivers are all but non-existent for the foreseeable future such

is the dearth of trained and skilled people.

“To be totally honest with you, everyone is working as hard as they ever have – but always with a smile on their faces, and no one is complaining,” reports Rock-it Global managing director Chris Palmer. “Because we had nearly two years without any kind of significant touring, everyone is just so hungry to get back to what we know and love best… 2022 is shaping up to be the busiest year I’ve known in over 20 years

Freight Expectations_Feature

in the industry.”

KB Event CEO Stuart McPherson comments, “We have everything from the biggest stadium tour on the road out right now (Ed Sheeran’s Mathematics) through arena tours such as Little Mix, Craig David, Stereophonics, etc, down to theatres with the likes of George Benson, Gregory Porter and many, many others. We are running from Malta to Finland with acts like Bring Me the Horizon, and we’re doing just about every festival on the circuit with various acts and production trucks over the summer.

“The volumes we are experiencing with rescheduled tours and shows, coupled with new tours, festivals and events, are like nothing we have experienced in 30 years,” he continues.

“This has been exacerbated by the challenges placed on the trucking industry by the TCA [Brexit deal]. The temporary dual registration easement agreed in March, with a planned permanent arrangement in the autumn, means that KB are able to service the European tours we are booked on. But the big challenge facing our sector is that there are now only five com-

panies in the whole of the EU – KB being one of them – that are established and able to take advantage of the dual registration agreement to service tours throughout the UK and EU. This sees a huge demand for these services with a much reduced resource pool to support the industry requirements.”

All too aware of the importance the sector has on delivering live music to the masses, Lisa Ryan, group CCO for EFM Global, comments, “Logistics is a hot topic at a much higher level than previously, due to the many ongoing challenges facing the industry, culminating in the perfect storm for everyone involved in touring.”

Detailing the various aspects contributing to that perfect storm, Ryan bullet points the main issues: Ongoing global supply chain disruption, including port congestion and unreliable schedules Reduced space capacity on board flights and vessels High fuel prices Unprecedented rate levels for international

air and sea freight in particular Extremely high demand for ATA Carnets Short supply of trucks and drivers, particularly traditional music tour truckers Shortage of “spare” aircraft available to the private charter market Resourcing, including staff “My advice is to plan to be late and over budget – in other words, don’t underestimate the budget or the length of time it may take to get from A to B to C on tour,” says Ryan. “Plan ahead, allow contingency, and keep last-minute changes to a minimum, where possible.”

It is sound advice that finds a sympathetic ear with Transam Trucking chief Mark Guterres.

“2022 is proving our busiest year to date after 40 years in operation,” attests Guterres, who explains that his business experienced tremendous upheaval even before Covid reared its head,of Thousands thanks to Brexit. professionals read “Over three years ago we IQ moved a large every day. part Make of our European operations from theyou UK get to [the sure the Republic of Ireland] and the Netherlands, long

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Feature_Freight Expectations

KB Event trucks are a regular sight during stadia load out

before Brexit, so therefore our European operations have been running smoothly for some time now.” He adds, “Our biggest problems continue to be caused by the lack of preparation and planning by the UK authorities.”

Indeed, Guterres himself is now based in Auckland, New Zealand. “Here, I’m nearly a day ahead of the USA and therefore I can bridge the gap between our European offices and operating centres and our US-based customers,” he explains of his antipodean relocation.

New Kids on the Block

Of course, the coronavirus crisis radically changed the world as we know it, and in live entertainment, many companies folded, skilled people left the business entirely, while others used the moment as an opportunity to launch new enterprises to shake up and disrupt the marketplace.

In the freight game, one of the significant players to emerge from the pandemic is Freight Minds – a collection of vastly experienced individuals who initially set up a logistics company called SFW Logistics before morphing into the latest incarnation.

Based at London’s Heathrow Airport, Freight Minds got off the ground in August 2021 when industry veterans Alan Durrant, Geoff Knight,

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Matt Wright and Chris Jenkins began offering services including air passenger and cargo charter; warehousing and logistics; couriers; ATA Carnets; and Brexit-related customs clearance services both into and out of the UK via road.

Addressing the current situation in freight, Wright tells IQ, “[Pre-Covid] we could reasonably rely on published ocean line schedules with the occasional hiccup. Now it seems to be the opposite: permanent hiccups with the occasional vessel running on time.

“There’s been a massive staff reduction in the supply chain since March 2020, and the way these companies communicate has now changed. The vast majority is now expected to be done via email, which isn’t always the easiest way to discuss matters. These companies are rapidly trying to recruit staff to plug the gap, but the pandemic hasn’t helped and Brexit has compounded that further.”

He adds, “Only operating as a new business, the work has hit us like a tidal wave, which has been amazing for Freight Minds, but it’s come with its challenges as we only have so many hours in the day to service our customers.”

Spiralling Costs

One inescapable horror that is affecting companies across the transport and freight sector is

Russia’s war on Ukraine, which has prompted fuel prices to soar and contributed to rising inflation. But there are other costs to contend with as well.

Noting the ever-increasing price of diesel and other fuels, KB Event’s McPherson tells IQ, “Tours and shows are booking so late at the moment that we are quoting pretty much at fuel rates as they sit. However, our drivers’ wages have increased by 46% since August 2021, and for anything we are quoting on that’s more than a few weeks away, we are having to put in contractual clauses to say that we will review the fuel costs prior to start up.”

While those staff wage rises are inevitably passed on to clients, McPherson is at pains to highlight that ongoing fuel cost reviews should lead to lower quotes at some point. “We are being very clear with clients on what fuel rate we are quoting at, and we’re being absolutely transparent that if fuel costs reduce when we are live, we will reduce our charges,” promises McPherson. “It is unreasonable to expect clients to cover fuel increases but not to offer a reduction when costs reduce.”

Thousands of Elsewhere, Ryan notes thatprofessionals freight forward-read ing costs have also taken an unprecedented leap,Make IQ every day. meaning that fees for moving equipment from sure you get the city to city, country to country and continent to

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we are also focused on the next ten, 15, 20 years,

at Freight Minds but given our collective experi-

sitional growth or strategic partnership.”

Freight Expectations_Feature In Brief

continent have soared, post-pandemic.

“Logistics costs, whether via air, road, rail or sea, have been soaring for months and are showing little sign of slowing down in the immediate future,” states Ryan.

“Factors driving these price increases are ongoing global supply chain disruption, port congestion, reduced capacity in tandem with increased demand, staff shortages, high fuel prices and now rising inflation levels in many locations. Plus, the ever-present impact of Covid-19.”

While Ryan is reluctant to specify general ballpark figures, “as it varies dramatically on different routes,” she tells IQ that costs have at least doubled and significantly more in many cases. “I can tell you as an example that from the Far East to the UK, the sea freight rates around the time of the Tokyo Olympics had increased to more than five-times pre-pandemic levels,” she adds.

Covid Recovery

In tandem with many businesses forced to curtail normal operations during the pandemic, Rock-it Global’s senior management team used the down time as wisely as possible in an effort to ensure the company was ready to hit the road running when the green light was finally given.

“We had the foresight to hire a good number of people at the back end of 2021 as we could foresee what was going to happen with the explo-

“We are on a very aggressive employment drive to broaden and train our driving team.

But finding the quality of people we are looking for is proving a real challenge” Stuart McPherson | KB Event

sion of work,” says Palmer. “For me, it is incredibly important to protect the team we have, so we always want to have enough people to cope with the demand. I have an incredible team, from operations to business development to warehouse and transport – and they all manage their own parts of the business – and my job is to make sure that they all have the tools they need to make it all work.”

As the transport business involves a continuous programme of hefty investment, its protagonists, although unprepared for Covid, were nevertheless quick to adapt to the conditions imposed by governments around the world.

Guterres notes that his company rolled out an extensive expansion project prior to the pandemic that is only now beginning to pay off.

“Apart from our UK operations centre, we have Transam Trucking International Ltd based in Cork, Ireland; and Transam Trucking B.V. based

near Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands,” he says, adding, “Shame on Great Britain as most of our trucks are now EU registered.”

KB’s McPherson reveals, “We have spent in excess of £3m [€3.5m] on additional trucks and trailers in the last three months to expand our fleet, but this resource has just been swallowed up, and we find ourselves, on a daily basis, having to turn tours and shows away, at the moment.

“KB are also actively employing management and administration staff and staff to bolster our front-line teams, and we are expanding our director team. We are on a very aggressive employment drive to broaden and train our driving team. But finding the quality of people we are looking for is proving a real challenge.”

Improving Working Conditions

The ability to recruit – and retain – staff has become a multifaceted task. The pandemic saw

FOTO: MATTHIAS HESCHL

SPecialists in event Transport and Logistics THE WAY FORWARD +44 (0)1773 811 136 | SALES@KBEVENT.COM | WWW.KBEVENT.COM UK: KB EVENT LTD, PLYMOUTH AVENUE, BROOKHILL INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, PINXTON, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, NG16 6NS EU: KB EVENT TRUCKING LTD, BALLYSIMON RD, MONACLINOE, CO.LIMERICK, IRELAND V94 P8VF First in the UK for Environmental standards. Committed to sustainable practices since 2006.

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© SH Luftfoto / Stiig Hougesen

ONE OF A KINDER: ROSKILDE AT 50

As one of the world’s greatest festivals, Roskilde is unique in its organisational approach and outlook – contributing millions of Euros to worthy causes over the decades. Having just celebrated (belatedly) its 50th anniversary with 130,000 fans, Roskilde remains one of the must-play festivals for any self-respecting act. Derek Thousands of professionals read RobertsonIQreports. every day. Make sure you get the whole picture…

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Feature_Roskilde at 50

Fans from all over the world make their way each year to the island of Zealand for the iconic festival © Mia Dernoff

I

t’s a fair bet to assume that, back in 1971, when Mogens Sandfær and Jesper Switzer Møller – two high-school students – decided to put on a festival, they had no idea how momentous an event it would eventually become. Sound Festival, as it was called, was a cultural success but a financial disaster – “10,000 people turned up, but less than half of them paid to get in,” remembers Leif Skov, the event’s former director and head of booking. But the seed was sown and, slowly and organically, it grew in size and reputation. For 50 years now, music fans across the globe have flocked to Roskilde, its golden anniversary a fitting milestone for a festival that means so much to so many and has retained its unique character and vibe.

The event started out with a noble goal. “The idea was to bring people together,” says Skov, who notes that that remains the main ethos today. Inspired by Woodstock and the Isle of Wight, and based on their experience from a concert they had organised to support jailed Black civil rights activist Angela Davis, Sandfær and Møller were encouraged by a local Copenhagen agent, Karl Fischer, to do something that was unusual at that time – an outdoor event. Twenty bands – mostly Danish but including US and UK acts like Stefan Grossman, Mick Softley, and The Grease Band – graced the single stage, with those fans who did pay coughing up just 30 Danish Kroner (approximately €4 euros, equivalent to €29 today) for the privilege.

That theme continued in the event’s early years – acts were mainly Danish and drawn from the world of folk, rock and pop. But behind the scenes, things changed. “In 1972, none of the 1971 organisers were involved,” says Skov.

“Instead, it was organised jointly between American folk singer Tony Bush’s Kaunos Ltd, and the Roskilde Charity Society – about 16,000 people turned up. And from 1973 onwards, the Roskilde

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Charity Society became the main organiser under the name Roskilde Festival.”

By 1975, the festival had grown to three stages and a capacity of around 25,000. Bigger names began to appear on the bill, too – the likes of The Kinks, Canned Heat, Fairport Convention, Status Quo, and Procol Harum all played prior

to 1978, with the festival’s booking committee looking to entice the most popular bands of the day. But that year also saw another important development, one that came to shape the festival’s image for years to come – they introduced the Canopy Stage, better known as the Orange Stage.

The festival’s primary icon, the stage had previously belonged to the Rolling Stones. But a chance encounter with a photograph set Leif Skov on a hunt to track it down. “In 1977, I saw a photo of the orange canopy roof in Hyde Park, in NME – it had been used by Queen, I think.

This was long before the fax, web, and mobile phones, so I wrote a letter to NME: ‘Who owns this stage?’ Early in 1978, Roskilde bought the roof from a company in liquidation, and since then it’s been the main stage and the logo for the festival.”

That year “started a new era for Roskilde” says Skov. Bob Marley and the Wailers and Elvis Costello entertained 36,500 fans, who had started to come from further afield – Sweden, Norway, and Germany among others. The festival also started to invite more NGOs and intensified its charity work; Skov started seeing Michael Eavis off-season to “exchange ideas and experiences.”

In 1982, U2 headlined, with 49,000 in attendance;

TESTIMONIALS The first artist I ever booked on Roskilde was Nirvana when they headlined the festival in 1992. Denmark had just won the football, and the fans were wildly waving Danish flags as they celebrated with Teenage Fanclub. I don’t suppose I had ever stood on a stage and witnessed such a vast crowd as the one Nirvana played to; it was quite humbling. I encouraged Kurt to congratulate the fans and he did exactly that, something along the lines of ‘congratulations on winning your game’ in his dry drawl.

After the headline slot, it was traditional to put on another smaller artist and the Screaming Trees had been asked to perform. Unable to hear his vocals, Mark Lanegan had freaked out and attempted to push the monitor wedges off the front of the stage. When a cameraman stepped forward and tried to capture this spectacle, Mark went for the camera and security had to try to restrain Mark, whilst Krist Novoselic and I stood between the two parties and tried to encourage everyone to calm down. The rest of the Trees took this as the cue to destroy the rest of their equipment, and the entire set lasted about 17 minutes.

I was 26 at the time. Our TM was even younger than me. Applause Magazine wrote that I was a prima donna demanding privileges for myself in their gossip column (they subsequently apologised).

Roskilde meanwhile didn’t bat an eyelid.

I have the hugest respect for Leif Skov, Niels Traeden, Rikke Øxner, Anders Wahrén, and the multitude of volunteers who build and run Roskilde. They are measured, reliable, and generous – when I joined a sponsored sleep out during winter in aid of Centrepoint charity in London, Rikke joined us, and the festival made a substantial donation to the charity.

Thousands of They still invite me and the artists I represent year after year, and I’m deeply professionals read grateful.

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Gold at the end of the rainbow_Feature

From groundbreaking drag tours to queer-focused festivals, business is booming for the LGBTIQ+ events industry – and not just during Pride month. Lisa Henderson speaks to executives working in the space to find out more about the economic and social value of the pink pound.

F

or decades, LGBTIQ+ culture was forced to exist on the fringes of society. Few queer artists were allowed to bring their whole selves to the stage, instead forced to hide in plain sight.

This meant there was little to no representation for LGBTIQ+ music fans, and queer-friendly spaces in the mainstream were non-existent.

In Europe, in 2022, queer culture is increasingly celebrated. During this past month alone, Harry Styles headlined two shows at the 90,000-capacity Wembley Stadium; Elton John stole the show at BST Hyde Park; and Years & Years delivered a “jubilantly gay set” on the Other Stage at Glastonbury. LGBTIQ+ acts and allies are taking up space on some of the world’s biggest stages. And this culture is big business at the box office.

“There are a load of artists who have made it and who are inspiring LGBTIQ+ role models – Years & Years, Sam Smith, Christine [& The Queens], Kim Petras, Lil Nas X, for example,” says Live Nation promoter Maddie Arnold, who

is also an alumna of IQ Magazine’s LGBTIQ+ List 2021.

“I’m glad these days people are a lot less prejudiced; you have highly influential people like Harry Styles who will wear non-gender-conforming clothes on stage and celebrate the queer community through his lyrics and onstage performances.”

Stadium-filling icons aside, the value of the pink pound is perhaps best evidenced by the emergence of specialist companies and festivals in the live music business that serve queer artists and audiences. The last 12 months has seen the launch of agencies such as Queer Music Agency (Denmark) and Gallos Talent (UK), ticketing companies like Red Eye (New York), and festivals including Flesh (UK) – all of which cater exclusively to the community.

But not just anyone can strike gold with the pink pound. While many behemoth brands and companies have cottoned onto the economic value of the pink pound (hello Pinkwashing!), few are able to truly connect with those audiences in the same way as those who have put down roots

in the community. In 2022, it has never been more evident that representation pays.

Gaps in the market

More often than not, it’s the executives who are themselves queer who are best equipped to identify trends, spot gaps in the market, and develop new opportunities in the space.

Patrick Janssen, marketing manager at Live Nation GSA, is one such professional. During his previous role at Karsten Jahnke Konzertdirektion (KJK), he marketed the first one-queen drag tour in the German market with Sasha Velour’s Smoke & Mirrors.

Velour rose to fame in 2007 after winning the ninth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, the smash-hit reality TV competition searching for America’s next drag superstar. The series has spanned fourteen seasons (plus several spin-off shows) and airs internationally in countries including the UK, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and Israel.

Thanks to the series, Velour earned acclaimof Thousands on a global scale becoming aprofessionals household nameread in

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¡Viva la Música!_Feature

With investment pouring in, demand for shows outstripping supply, and a raft of homegrown superstars emerging, is Latin America the hottest touring market in the world right now?

Adam Woods reports.

W

hen Latin artists blow up these days, they blow up fast. Move Concerts CEO Phil Rodriguez remembers a call from his Argentinian office in October 2019, relaying a request for artist management from a group of producers in Buenos Aires.

“I said, ‘I don’t think so, but send me what you got,’” he says. “And there was one kid named Tiago PZK, and he was really special. I shared it with some people. I even sent it to Ed Sheeran, who has an incredible ear for music and new talent. ‘Listen mate, what do you think?’ And he goes, ‘You know what, I can’t understand the words, but I can feel the kid.’ So I said, ‘Okay,

let’s do something.’”

Not quite three years on, Tiago PZK’s singles generate YouTube views in the hundreds of millions, and the live roadshow is about to beginof Thousands rolling in earnest. “We wentprofessionals on sale with an areread na in Buenos Aires, we sold out in a half hour,” IQ every day.

Make says Rodriguez. “We had to announce a second sure you get the date, sold that out, too. His debut album hasn’t

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IFF.ROCKS even dropped, but he’s amazing live and we want to build on that.

“We announced the tour, we have 37 dates on the first leg including four or five in Spain and three showcases in the US. We're doing Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, Chile, Paraguay, a lot of arenas plus a bunch of other dates. And that's just an example of one artist that just blew up.

And there’s quite a few.”

The growth of the Latin musical power base has been one of the most irresistible forces in global music in recent years, but it has been supercharged during pandemic times.

At the very top end, Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny was the most streamed artist on Spotify globally in 2020 and 2021, with Colombia’s J Balvin not far behind. Their collaborations with artists such as Drake and Cardi B have injected reggaetón into US urban pop at the highest level, while in the other direction, trap has infused Latin music from Mexico down to Argentina.

Also in serious global contention are numerous fellow Puerto Rican urban acts including “King of Modern Reggaetón” Rauw Alejandro and big-hitting singer-rapper-actor Ozuna, as

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Lollapalooza Chile promoter Lotus Producciones have brought the likes of Martin Garrix to Santiago © Jonnathan Oyarzun

“Now there’s a lot of Latin acts that should really be called international Latin acts or something” Memo Parra | Ocesa

well as Colombian stars like Karol G and Maluma and Argentinian trap artist Duki. And then there are the already established stars such as the retiring “King of Reggaetón” Daddy Yankee and the Despacito-wielding Luis Fonsi.

Latin America has always been a hotbed of regional music styles, from merengue and bachata to cumbia, flamenco and vallenato. It has also made many English-language stars, from Ricky Martin to Shakira to Camila Cabello. But never before has raw Latin music hit the global scene with such force, in such numbers, and so thoroughly on its own terms.

“There were Latin acts that were only famous in Latin countries, and they had a number of

tickets to be sold and that was the market,” says Memo Parra, director of international talent at giant Mexican promoter Ocesa. “Now there’s a lot of Latin acts that should really be called international Latin acts or something. Suddenly other markets get the sense and taste of this music and they get into it.”

The immediate significance for the Latin American live circuit is a major post-pandemic surge, driven by booming regional talent combined with an increasingly intrepid Thousands cohort of of international acts, determinedprofessionals to sample everyread arena and stadium the region has offer.day. Make IQto every The past decade or so has seen a world-class sure you get the upgrade of the region’s production capabilities

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Feature_¡Viva la Música! and venue offering, while regional promoters, often working with international operators such as Move and Live Nation, have carved out an ever wider road for the world’s biggest touring acts.

“In the old days, we were a bit of an afterthought, candidly,” says Bruce Moran, president, Latin America at Live Nation, which has so far put on 99 shows this year in eleven Latin American countries – plenty in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Chile, of course, but also Peru, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic and others.

“We are getting more shows and in more places,” he adds. “Once, an international act would only go to Rio and São Paulo when they came to Brazil, but we just concluded the Metallica run in Belo Horizonte; Harry Styles will finish his run in Curitiba.”

And, while a decade or two ago, a Latin American run might have consisted of five shows in total, these days there are far richer pickings. “We have ended up with three legs of the Coldplay tour, which adds up to 37 sold-out stadiums,” says Moran.

The band has broken records everywhere: an unprecedented (for an international band) four

Foro Sol stadiums in Mexico City in April; six Allianz Parques in São Paulo and ten River Plate Stadiums in Buenos Aires coming up in October and November. But Moran is particularly inclined to single out the fast-growing newer markets, namechecking local partners such as Saymon Díaz in Central America and Alberto Menacho in Peru.

“I’m almost more impressed by the two sellouts in Bogotá, the two in Lima, the two in San José, Costa Rica,” he says. “You don’t expect that; it’s just unheard of.”

And just as post-pandemic Latin America is proving a fertile market for visiting stars, and Latin acts are becoming a truly mainstream force outside the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking world, homegrown successes seem to be scoring bigger wins than ever across Latin markets as well.

“Daddy Yankee is doing his farewell tour, he’s selling out stadiums everywhere,” says Rodriguez. “Duki, he started with one Vélez stadium [José Amalfitani Stadium, 60,000-capacity home of Buenos Aires football team Vélez Sarsfield], and now he’s doing four. This is at the level of a

Harry Styles, almost a Coldplay, and definitely above most Anglo artists that tour the region.”

Promoters

There’s no avoiding the fact that Live Nation has cornered the market for M&A activity in Latin America in the past two or three years.

It wrapped up the long-delayed acquisition of a 51% stake in Ocesa from CIE and Grupo Televisa in December 2021, having purchased majority shares in Diego Finkelstein’s Argentinian market leader DF Entertainment in December 2018 and Chilean promoter Carlos Geniso’s DG Medios in December 2019. Both experienced promoters have remained on board.

Brazil is South America’s most vibrant market, and it is the most hotly contested. Live Thousands of Nation operated in partnership with local powprofessionals read erhouse T4F there until 2017, when the deal exIQ every day. Make pired, and Live Nation went out on its own unsure you get the der former T4F man Alexandre Faria. whole Faria declares himself well pleased withpicture…

2022 SUBSCRIBE so far and counts off his biggest tours on twoHERE hands, from Coldplay and Metallica to Harry Styles and Dua Lipa.

Metallica visited Club Hípico de Santiago racecourse in April 2022, courtesy of promoter DG Medios © Jaime Valenzuela

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ASM Global’s Antel Arena in Montevideo has transformed Uruguay’s live music scene

He estimates that Live Nation is the power player in Brazil in 2022, using the metric of major arena and stadium tours. “The other promoters are doing one or two tours,” he suggests. “We are doing eight or ten.”

But he also has faith that there is better to come. “I think the next two years will be the best years,” he says. “I don’t have visibility on ’24, but 2023 seems to me very strong, too.”

Move Concerts, headquartered in Miami, Florida, is Latin America’s largest independent, with offices in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru and, of course, Puerto Rico – the last of these the source of much of the current Latin explosion.

“Our office in Puerto Rico is killing it – we’ve had 70% of all the shows in the Coliseo de Puerto Rico in 2022,” says Rodriguez. “We just sold out two arenas there with Karol G – over 24,000 tickets. We easily could have done two more arena dates there.”

Move shows this year include stadiums in Brazil for Iron Maiden and Michael Bublé – his first in the country – and a show at the Vélez with Green Day that sold out in three days. But Rodriguez cautions that this year may yet be a one-off.

“I think most people in the business are going to be a little bit more careful next year,” he says. “This year was an abnormality – many of the shows were rescheduled from 2020 and 2021, plus there was a pent-up appetite for concerts.

“2023 will be a huge challenge, with inflation, the labour shortage and supply challenges,” Rodriguez adds. “But so far this year, everything has come out strong. I mean, we just finished an almost four-week run of dates with Louis Tomlinson. In most places it started with half arenas, 4,000-seaters, and we ended up doing full arenas and multiple

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dates. The business doubled or tripled.

“And we're having that with Arctic Monkeys and Interpol. In Peru, for instance, we were going in for 20,000 [at the Lima Arena], thinking it was going to take us a while to sell it, but it blew out in the first day of sales – so, actually stronger than the last time they were in the market.”

Former T4F promoter Jose Muniz now operates as a pure independent under his revived Mercury Concerts brand, promoting in Brazil and across the continent. He identifies a particularly brutal character to this market.

“We have increasing competition, which makes every single tour a big battle among promoters,” he says. “The biggest challenge, though, is dealing with the escalating inflation and the fact that vendors are squeezing out everything they can from promoters. Our budgets are so far off from the reality we had pre-pandemic. It is really hard to predict when all this craziness is going to stop.”

But while a promoter’s share of the international talent trade is not always a lavish one, the shows themselves, needless to say, are doing good business.

“We are having a good year,” says Muniz. “We have just finished a nine-show tour with Kiss in South America, and the shows all sold out. We have an upcoming 16 shows in September and October with Guns N’ Roses in Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Peru, Colombia and Chile, and it seems we will sell out every single market. We also have tours with Eros Ramazzotti, Helloween, Boyce Avenue, Godsmack and Hanson.”

Argentina has long been one of South America’s more volatile markets, given its very much ongoing record of dramatic inflation – rates haven’t been below 10% in a decade, and are tipped to end the year above 70%. But the country is still enjoy-

ing its share of the post-pandemic live boom.

At DF Entertainment, Finkelstein calculates 1.5m tickets sold so far this year and toasts 330,000 tickets sold for Lollapalooza Argentina, on top of highly successful visits from Maroon 5, Kiss, Dua Lipa, Metallica, Rosalía and GN’R, while looking forward to the first Argentinian edition of Primavera Sound and Coldplay’s record-breaking River Plate dates.

“River Plate is 65,000 capacity, and each of them sold out on the on-sale – show ten sold out in, like, two hours,” he says. “There’s no city that did it like Buenos Aires. It’s an absolute record.

And actually it’s even bigger, because when Roger Waters played nine nights [in 2012], eight of them were seated. We have ten nights, all standing. And we only stopped at ten because the guys don’t have more dates available.”

Indeed, underlining the strength of demand among Argentine fans, at IQ's press time DF revealed that all presale stages for Lollapalooza 2023 sold out in one day – a record for the nation.

Mexico, too, is a monster market. In 2019, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) put concert revenues at around $225m (€216m), though the predicted 20% increase for 2020 clearly didn’t materialise. In 2022, however, the market is making up lost ground.

“It’s amazing the way the business came back in Mexico,” says Memo Parra. “It’s just really, really, really, really impressive, the amount of tickets and the time it takes for those tickets to be sold.

“What I was worried about was the amount of shows we had on the books and that the amount would be bigger than demand or that fans would need to decide which to buy tickets for. This year we have 94 stadium shows, and we are going to have 22 festivals.”

Ocesa’s grip on its local touring business is, if anything, more comprehensive than that of any other Latin American promoter – this year’s attractions include Coldplay, Dua Lipa, Harry Styles, Iron Maiden, Justin Bieber, Rammstein, all sell-outs or well on their way. Regional Mexican band Grupo Firme, meanwhile, sold out five nights at the 65,000-cap Foro Sol. “That’s a lot of tickets,” notes Parra.

He is baffled at just where the spending power is coming from. “I don’t know because Mexico’s economics are not happy economics. Right now we have a huge inflation rate, like the rest of the world. There were no benefits during Covid times. People had to use their savings to survive.”

In Chile, promoters such as Live Nation’s DG Medios and local independent Lotus Producciones underpin one of South America’s sturdiest of Thousands markets, and the bounce back has been powerful. professionals read “We were only able to perform IQ everyoutdoor day. Make shows again in March, April 2022, with restricsure you get the tions,” says DG’s Carlos Geniso. “So it’s going to

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Feature_¡Viva la Música! be an atypical year. A record year for attendance because many of the shows scheduled in 2020 and 2021, plus the traffic of 2022, add up to a very large total in tickets sold – historical numbers.”

Likewise, Lotus director Sebastian De La Barra Cuevas echoes a familiar refrain.

“Our industry is selling great – multiple shows and many shows selling out,” he says. “We promoted the tenth anniversary of Lollapalooza Chile with a great line-up and a huge response from the audience, artists and fans. We have different shows announced and on sale right now, and all of them are selling great.

“Everyone is excited and buying tickets. The question is when this momentum will return to a pre-Covid tendency. So we have to be more cautious with our projections for 2023 and early 2024, as we think the market will adjust to lower sales.”

Needless to say, there is far more to Latin America than the very biggest markets. Peru is an important stop, where active promoters include Move and Alberto Menacho’s Artes y Eventos. In Uruguay, the new Antel Arena has provided significant new capacity to busy promoters such as Gaucho and 3/Cuartos Producciones.

Colombia is also in the big leagues these days, with active promoters including Ocesa and Páramo Presenta. The capital, Bogotá, is inevitably the hub – with a recently renovated Movistar

Move Concerts promoted Louis Tomlinson around Latin America, including at Espaço das Americas in São Paulo on 29 May

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¡Viva la Música!_Feature In Brief owner HLR Group and Colombian “Our budgets are soArena farChile off from the ticketing market leader Tu Boleta – has given the country a vital stop for international and Latin reality we had pre-pandemic.

It is tours, taking around 90 shows a year, including Rosalía, Kiss, and Miley Cyrus in 2022. really hard to predict when all this “Colombia is on the circuit now, for sure,” says Movistar Arena Bogotá general manager craziness is going to stop” Luis Guillermo Quintero. “It’s very close to the Venues gentina has Cosquín Rock, while Chile offers Creamfields and Fauna Producciones’ alternative Otoño and Primavera Fauna festivals. Other Mexican events include Apodaca’s Pal’ Norte in Monterrey and Eco Live/Ocesa’s Latin avant-pop festival Ceremonia in Mexico City.

US, very close to Mexico. It’s real normal that an Latin America’s venues – Mexico City’s Josegreatest Muniz | Mercury Concerts artist performs in Mexico City then comes to BoForo Sol, River Plate in Buenos Aires, São Paulo’s gotá, then goes to Santiago Chile, Buenos Aires, Allianz Parque – are internationally synonymous with huge crowds and frenzied good times. São Paulo.

“Before we opened, there was the no venue in the pandemic, lag be-like Arena Outside and an Latin entirelyAmerica’s new 24,000-cap leading venue, markets, Consequently, thisupfront in Colombia.

Andticket now revenues we have awas venue costs and par-that Coliseo Live,venues opening Augustall – but is tween too, new areinmaking the there difference. can receive painful.international artists without any strength in depth: as in Mexico, Yankee Uruguay is benefiting from itsDaddy new ASM Globalticularly issue. After played South America, “Most artists,Kiss we have to in wire the money waythey plays a fullthe fourAntel cities Arena across the country, also which invenue, in Montevideo, told us that performing inshows Colombia so there were ahere lot of that was hadthe cluding Cali, Barranquilla and Medellín. has hosted Damon Albarn’s Gorillaz, Argentin-in advance, easiest venue the to handle, in terms ofticket operation.” paid before pandemic, but the sales In an increasingly well-trodden ianParaguay rockers La–Beriso and Latin-ska veterans Losbeen the thehave Movistar Arena covering it. pandemic, And we didn’t a law like stop-off between Brazil and Argentina – local Auténticos Decadentes in recent months, as wellweren’tDuring main vaccine centre, receiving hadColombia’s in Colombia, where promoters were not promoter G5pro heads the market, selling around theywas as Louis Tomlinson. almost 2m people. least wetopaid the bills,” to refund tickets,“At so we had do that.”

80% ofBuenos all concert tickets largest Aires also and has staging a new the ASM Globalobliged Thousands of saysthe Quintero. same, Paraguay draws heat from the festivals, Asunciónico, a joint producvenue,including the 15,000-cap Movistar Arena.

The ven- All professionals read Elsewhere across the continent, Live markets of its neighbours.

“Since weNation are tionue with in Argentina. hit DF theEntertainment ground running in late 2019 beforesurging IQ every day. Make is working with Oakand View Group GL Events middle of Brazil Chile andand Argentina, “The thing with Paraguay, is it has been a ain the promptly shutting down to Covid.

It managed sure due you get the on a the 20,000-cap in São to open routingarena works,” says Paulo, Nogues.

“They really struggling country ininfinancial couple of months of shows 2020 and terms, reopenedusually whole picture… in 2024.

Chile, too, has thriving get the weekend forathe bigger ASM-operatacts, and so our market very last minute,” says G5pro again with aispacked calendar in September 2021.usually HERE Arena, and GenisoSUBSCRIBE suggests that get Movistar the weekdays.” founder and director Rodrigo “It’s not Likewise, in Bogotá, the Nogues. re-emergence of thewe ed the Pan American Games, which willSpanbe held the market remains more likeformer Brazil Coliseo where you announce an event and Cubierto El Campín as the Mov- Typically, in Chile in the last quarter of 2023,traffic may leave though international is youistar sell it out in day.” operated by Colombiana deish-orientated, Arena ina2018, Escenarios – a joint venture between Movistar behind some venues suitable for concert use.

After 27 long months of inactivity due to the pandemic, DG Medios Chile is back and stronger than ever with 16 artists and 26 shows already confirmed.

Including national record sales at Stadiums and Arenas.

MORE THAN 500,000 TICKETS ALREADY SOLD

Coldplay - Ricardo Arjona - Louis Tomlinson - Michael Bublé

x4 Stadiums (National Record!)

x 5 Arenas

x 3 Arenas

x 2 Arenas

Metallica - Harry Styles - Dua Lipa - Rosalía - Måneskin - Gorillaz Nathy Peluso - Demi Lovato - Porcupine Tree - Fito Paez - A-ha AND MANY MANY MORE GREAT ACTS FOR THIS 2022...

Promoter

CARLOS GENISO

@dgmedios | dgmedios.com

Your Shout

Polly Money © Sam Gomersall

Who’s the best queer act you have seen live?

TOP SHOUT

Egham, Surrey, mid-80s: into a grey breezeblock student union dining hall erupted America’s first drag superstar, Divine.

Fright-wigged, electric, and growling his unique 129bpm version of Frankie Valli’s You Think You’re A Man at some very startled straight boys. Quite what Divine made of sleepy Egham is anyone’s guess but a formative experience for me.

Peter Tudor | Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Polly Money, without a doubt. Her energy is infectious, her voice is smooth like melted chocolate, and her tunes are undeniable earworms.

You’re bound to leave her gig with a smile on your face and a spring in your step.

Lisa Henderson | IQ Magazine Muna at The Garage on 10 May 2022. It was the safest environment and proudest I’ve felt. To be able to hold my partner’s hand and not have to look over our shoulders to make sure we’re safe, is priceless.

Raven Twigg | Metropolis Music Cash Savage & The Last Drinks. Which show?

Every single one. Cash Savage is one the most impressive, powerful, female musicians I’ve ever witnessed. Fervent performances from a musician who has something to tell, who is able to embrace the audience, encourage them to make a change and stand up. Leaving a concert with goosebumps? Sure, from time to time. But leaving a show empowered is something very rare.

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She’s an outstanding human being.

Kai Lehmann | Cabin Artists Courtney Act: The Girl From Oz at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2017. One person, exceptional performance, and a long standing ovation for an extraordinary talent.

Don Elford | ASM Global There have been many, but for me Sigur Rós at (I think) the Zenith in Paris around 15 years ago was utterly mind-blowing. And a special mention for Marc Almond at a Jacques Brel gala I put together in Poznań – he managed to make If You Go Away bleed with passion.

Nick Hobbs | Charmenko The best queer act I have ever seen live is Tiana Major9! I have had the pleasure of witnessing Tiana’s musical journey from an early stage, and she has always absolutely dazzled me. She’s one of the most intricate songwriters I have come across in a long time, and that’s so beautiful to see

because she definitely has the vocals to match.

Tiana Major9 continues to out-do herself!

Alexandra Ampofo | Metropolis Music When I was part of the club promoter community, Strange Fruit, we coordinated the Ladyfest tour. The Gossip at the Spitz (18/8/01) taught me a lot about queer identity politics and the important role of community in live music.

Paul Bonham | MMF The best queer – and underestimated – acts I have seen are Auger (UK) at Weekender Berlin 22 and Sjöblom (SE) at WGT in June 2022.

Sabine Waltz | International Booking Department Ezra Furman! She observes the sabbath, meaning that for 25 hours each week, starting just before sundown on Friday, she doesn’t work, spend money, write or use electricity. That means no Friday-night shows and no Saturday travel. “It’s the best part of my week, every week,” she says.

She’s a beautiful person!

Barnaby Harrod | Mercury Wheels It has to be my client, Steps. Imagine being in The O2 arena and watching 16,000 people all doing the same dance moves to every song. We say going to a Steps show is like getting a cure for depression.

Gary Howard | UTA Fever Ray at Flow Festival 2018. An amazing show.

Rauha Kyyrö | Fullsteam Marc Almond at the entirely candlelit Union Chapel in London c 2000. To see someone who had such a monumental positive impact on queer and alternative teenagers in the 80s perform, at the apex of their career, in such a sump- of Thousands tuous and intimate venue, dripping in candles, professionals read was an experience bordering onIQthe religious.

I every day. Make guess the red wine helped too. sure you get the Mooncat | IQ Magazine

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