It’s just days until the world’s top gathering of live music professionals opens its doors and welcomes delegates from more than 60 different countries. The following few pages feature a rundown of many of the meetings, workshops, debates, and events happening from 28 February–3 March.
09:00-18:00 | NINE KINGS FORUM
The 15th annual edition of the Green Events and Innovations Conference (GEI) will bring together leaders, innovators, and sustainability experts in the global live event sector to help drive increasingly urgent environmental action, through shared knowledge and insight.
An amazing line-up includes inspirational speakers such as renowned musician, producer and visual artist Brian Eno, joining Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier, Andy Cato of Groove Armada and Wildfarmed, Rosanna Machado of HM the Queens Platinum Jubilee, and Dale Vince from Ecotricity and Forest Green Rovers FC to name a few.
The conference will deliver case studies, discussion panels, presentations and informed debate from the live sectors thought leaders. In addition the conference presents green supplier exhibitors, networking opportunities, and the opportunity to celebrate green success with the International AGF Awards.
The Green Events & Innovations Conference (GEI) is A Greener Festival’s annual flagship event delivered in partnership with the International Live Music Conference (ILMC).
All ILMC delegates can take advantage of a discounted registration fee when registering for ILMC.
10:00-10:30 | ROOM 3
NEW DELEGATES’ ORIENTATION
HOSTS: LISA HENDERSON & GORDON MASSON, IQ MAGAZINE (UK)
Explaining how to get the most from the conference, Lisa and Gordon give an informal welcome.
10:00-10:30 | ROOM 2
HOW K-POP CONQUERED THE WORLD
CHAIR: TOMMY JINHO YOON, ICA-LIVE-ASIA
The rise and rise of K-pop has been one of the fascinating music business news stories of the 21st century, as superstars such as BTS and Blackpink have gone global, packing arenas and stadiums from London to Los Angeles.
With the help of those who know best, this panel will chart the history of the scene and its protagonists and how it broke worldwide.
11:00-11:15 | ROOM 1
THE SPA-GOERS’ GUIDE TO ILMC 35
HOST: GREG PARMLEY, ILMC (UK)
ILMC MD Greg Parmley welcomes guests to the ILMC 35 retreat as three days of group therapy begins. The official start of ILMC and the debates, events, and shows that follow.
11:15-12:45 | ROOM 1
THE OPEN FORUM:
THE INDUSTRY HEALTH CHECK
CHAIR: MARIA MAY, CAA (UK)
ILMC’s annual state-of-the-nation session is consistently the biggest debate of the conference, tackling a range of critical topics. The spectre of the pandemic may be firmly behind the live music business, but it’s not plain sailing just yet. From an inbound global recession to energy price hikes, rising production costs, skills shortages, and border delays, challenges are mounting.
14:00-15:00 | ROOM 1
FESTIVAL FORUM:
MUD BATHS & OUTDOOR PURSUITS
CHAIR: HOLGER JAN SCHMIDT GO GROUP / YOUROPE (DE)
Holger Jan Schmidt invites a panel of festival experts to share solutions to issues such as rising costs and increased competition for artist bookings, as well as identifying opportunities for growth.
14:00-15:00 | ROOM 4
THE DRAGONS’ DEN: PHIL RODRIGUEZ & MEMO PARRA
Long-time friends Phil Rodriguez (Move Concerts, US) and Memo Parra (OCESA, MX) share stories from their careers, which have been instrumental in the growth of the live music industry in Latin America.
14:00-15:15 | ROOM 3
NEW TECHNOLOGY: THE FITNESS TEST
HOST: STEVE MACHIN, VATOM (UK)
With less than ten minutes to pitch their product, invention, or idea, ILMC’s new tech panel is a perennial favourite. From game-changing developments in production to the latest tools in marketing and mobile, Steve Machin provides a rundown on live music business innovations.
15:30-16:30 | ROOM 1
MARKETING 3.0: THE NEW RULES RULE
CHAIR: JACKIE WILGAR, LIVE NATION (UK)
Between TikTok culture, changing music consumption habits, and the move away from traditional TV and radio formats, the rulebook on marketing live events hasn’t just been edited, it’s been pulped entirely. Jackie Wilgar and her expert panel provide tips into how to best sell live events in the new post-pandemic environment.
15:30-16:30 | ROOM 3
CHAIR: NELSON ALBAREDA, LOUD & LIVE (US)
ILMC puts the key players and major companies from Latin America under the spotlight to ask just what makes the scene so hot right now? Nelson Albareda and his guests will reveal how Latin music has taken the crown as the most popular genre in the world.
15:30-16:30 | ROOM 4
HOST: MUSIC INDUSTRY THERAPIST COLLECTIVE (UK)
Join research psychologist and musician Natasha Hendry; psychotherapist and diversity specialist Sital Panesar; clinical psychologist Marie A. Beau; and tour manager and diversity consultant Lotje Horvers to explore rates of mental ill health, symptom presentations, and disparities in healthcare provision for differing demographic groups.
17:00-18:00 | ROOM 1
HOST: GERD LEONHARD, THE FUTURES AGENCY (DE/CH)
With the scramble to get live music back on the road, how many of us have had time to consider what’s coming? Between the accelerating evolution of artificial intelligence, virtual worlds, remote work, climate change and sustainability, and society and culture in general, is the live music business prepared for our fast-approaching future?
Futurist, author, and film-maker, Gerd Leonhard, shares his vision for the next decade and what it means for the biz. The author of The Future of Music and Technology vs. Humanity, Gerd’s insights into humanity, technology, and the future are worldrenowned.
17:00-18:00 | ROOM 3
STATE OF INDEPENDENTS: OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS
CHAIR: JANE BEESE, MANCHESTER INTERNATIONAL FACTORY (UK)
This session will discuss both the challenges and opportunities independent businesses face; explore how some are working together to strengthen positions; and predict what the future landscape might look like for these fleet-footed operators.
10:00-11:00 | ROOM 3
GEO-POLITICS: THE BIGGER PICTURE
CHAIR: JON COLLINS, LIVE (UK)
In an increasingly turbulent political climate, the consequences for the international live music business are unavoidable. So, what has been the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on touring in Eastern Europe and beyond – and what happens when the conflict, hopefully, ends?
With live music holding limited sway over global political forces, the session examines the place of touring and festivals in a tumultuous world.
10:00-11:00 | ROOM 4
WORKSHOP: BURNOUT, BREAKDOWNS & HEALTHY TOURING
HOST: MUSIC INDUSTRY THERAPIST COLLECTIVE (UK)
What used to be referred to in the press as “exhaustion” is now more openly called burnout and mental ill-health. But which parts of touring can exacerbate or contribute to mental health problems, and who is most at risk?
Roadie medic and GP, Dr S. Arun Castro; psychologist
and frontman of the Boo Radleys Dr Simon Rowbottom; and psychotherapist and touring researcher Tamsin Embleton discuss.
10:00-11:15 | ROOM 2
THE VENUE’S VENUE: THE COST OF LIVE-ING
CHAIRS: EMMA BOWNES, THE O2 (UK) & JOHN DRURY, OVO ARENA WEMBLEY (UK)
While costs and venue rentals are increasing across the world, there’s equally no shortage of new builds and upgrade projects. So, is the venue market becoming more of a gamble or is it still a safe bet in challenging times?
Bringing together venue heads from around the world, we take the temperature of these vital spaces and ask how in step they are with the broader business of promoters, agents, and artists.
11:30-12:30 | ROOM 4
WORKSHOP: CRISIS RESPONSE & HOLDING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH
HOST: MUSIC INDUSTRY THERAPIST COLLECTIVE (UK)
Rates of suicide and mental ill-health are significantly higher in the music business than in many other industries.
Psychologists Rosana Corbacho, Dr Simon Rowbottom (frontman of the Boo Radleys), and psychotherapist Jodi Milstein explain how to recognise signs and symptoms that indicate someone’s mental health has deteriorated to the point where they pose a risk to themselves or other people.
11:30-12:45 | ROOM 1
TICKETING: A FULL HOUSE
CHAIR: JESSICA KORAVOS, OAK VIEW INTERNATIONAL
Shaking off the cobwebs of the Covid storm, the ticketing sector has roared back to life in 2022. And with the return of on-sales and demand, dynamic pricing has been adopted by many artists in a bid to thwart scalpers and retain otherwise lost income. Alongside increasingly varied VIP packages and upsells, it’s clear that defining what a ticket costs is no longer an easy answer. So how do variable pricing, packaging, and pre-sales ensure full houses and happy crowds? What’s next for resale? And how is demand holding up in a cost-of-living crisis? A panel of specialists bring us up to speed.
11:30-13:00 | ROOM 3
IPM: THE GREAT PRODUCTION DEBATE
CHAIR: OKAN TOMBULCA, EPS (DE)
Keeping the show on the road took on a new meaning in 2022, so how are those on the sharp end making it happen, and how can the production community help tackle rising costs and challenges?
14:00-15:00 | ROOM 1
THE VIEW FROM THE TOP: STADIUMS & LARGE-SCALE SHOWS
CHAIR: WILL PAGE, ECONOMIST (UK)
Was 2022 the year when stadiums became the new arenas? With more large-scale shows than ever and big venues scrambling for availability in 2023, stadium and large-scale shows are undoubtedly hitting a new high. And with streaming bringing longestablished headliners to new generations, a hot ticket is now hotter than ever before. But how does the business cope with the increased demand for top-tier shows, and what impact is the booming upper echelon having on those lower down the food chain? Strap in for a deep dive into the booming space of big shows…
14:00-15:00 | ROOM 2
SUSTAINABILITY: WORDS INTO ACTION
HOSTED BY GEI
CHAIR: CLAIRE O’NEILL, GEI / A GREENER FESTIVAL
Following the Green Events & Innovations conference (GEI) on Tuesday 28 Feb, event producer and sustainability expert Claire O’Neill invites some of this year’s top speakers to present the event's key talking points, tools, and observations.
14:00-15:00 | ROOM 4
THE DRAGONS’ DEN: WOMEN IN LIVE
Three senior female business leaders in live music - Lucy Noble, AEG Presents (UK), Jacqueline Zich, DEAG (DE), and Jolanda Jansen, The Ahoy (NL) - sit down with Marie Lindqvist, ASM Global (SE) for an informal conversation about their lives in music, career progression, and learnings along the way.
15:30-16:30 | ROOM 1
THE AGENCY BUSINESS 2023
CHAIR: DAN STEINBERG, EMPORIUM PRESENTS (US)
ILMC’s annual deep dive into the international agency business is always one of the conference’s best-attended sessions, and with veteran promoter Dan Steinberg at the helm, we expect a standing-room only situation at ILMC 35.
Calling on a panel of respected agents, Dan will explore how their role is changing, post-Covid; how artists and their representatives can contribute to keeping ticket prices affordable for fans; and what the ever-changing corporate landscape of this vital sector might look like in 2023 and beyond.
15:30-16:30 | ROOM 2
ONLINE:
CHAIR: MARLEN HÜLLBROCK, MUSIC ALLY (UK)
From livestreaming to the metaverse, in-game performances and virtual shows, the speed of
Empower your fans, capture huge demand, sell out faster than ever before and gain real-time insights
Say hello at business@ticketmaster.co.uk business.ticketmaster.co.uk
growth in online live shows and festivals is dramatic. While livestreaming’s ascendance accelerated during the pandemic, the level of investment in virtual performance spaces is substantial. So, what opportunities do these new platforms and formats offer to the in-person live music sector, and how can they co-exist to drive new revenue streams and opportunities for artists and their teams?
We invite innovators and big thinkers involved in the space to discuss…
15:30-16:30 | ROOM 3
CHAIR: MARK DAVYD, MUSIC VENUE TRUST (UK)
We're all learning that higher production, admin, and energy costs are the new normal. While these can be factored into the ticket price by bigger shows, margins on grassroots touring are far slimmer.
Having weathered the pandemic but now facing multiple new challenges, how are grassroots artists, venues, and their teams making it work in different international markets? Can the industry continue to rely on new talent emerging from a grassroots scene that is nothing more than a labour of love?
Forgetting big shows and festivals for 60-minutes, how healthy is the scene right now, and what new routes are there to making tours work and keeping doors open? And most importantly of all, what does the rest of the live business have to do to protect these vital breeding grounds?
16:45-18:15 | ROOM 1
HOST WITH THE MOST: ED BICKNELL, DAMAGE MANAGEMENT (UK)
As a music manager, McGhee founded the legendary careers of Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe, and Skid Row, and has managed KISS for over two decades. McGhee Entertainment clients have included Guns N’ Roses, Scorpions, Liz Phair, James Brown, and Diana Ross, and with many of his artists having found notoriety of sorts, McGhee’s anecdotes and tales from the road are simply legendary.
McGhee will be sat alongside manager Ed Bicknell who's best known for working with Mark Knopfler and Dire Straits, Gerry Rafferty, Bryan Ferry, and Scott Walker.
17:00-18:00 | ROOM 3
WORKSHOP: VIP & PREMIUM
HOSTS: HELEN JOHNS, AEG PRESENTS (UK) & ANDY PRICE, NEC GROUP (UK)
VIP and premium ticketing options can offer crucial lifelines for artists, promoters, and venues to keep balance sheets in the black. This workshop invites experts in the VIP and upselling business to
provide tips on how to create bespoke packages and deliver once-in-a-lifetime experiences for superfans and corporate clients alike.
10:00-11:00 | ROOM 1
CHAIR: SALLY DUNSTONE, PRIMARY TALENT (UK) An established session at ILMC/Futures Forum, we welcome some of the industry’s fastestrising young execs – all of whom were recognised among IQ’s latest New Boss List – as they outline their vision for a future business.
10:00-11:00 | ROOM 2
LIVE AFTER TIKTOK
CHAIR: SAMMY ANDREWS, DEVIATE DIGITAL (UK)
TikTok has proven to be a treasure trove of talent with burgeoning artists ripe for the picking. But how can we ensure that these newcomers are sufficiently polished to play live before catapulting them from the Internet to the stage? And who is responsible for developing and preparing them for unfiltered performances and unforgiving audiences?
10:00-11:00, 11:30–12:30 & 12:45–13:45 | ROOM 4
All Futures Forum delegates will have access to mentor sessions and a chance to get career advice or general tips from senior figures from the touring and festival worlds.
The list of this year’s mentors will be emailed to all registered Futures delegates in advance of the day with a sign-up form.
11:30-12:30 | ROOM 1
THE YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR
CHAIR: CAROLINE REASON, MATA AGENCY (UK)
Rather than join established outfits, many young execs are choosing to strike out alone and be their own boss, be that across agency, promotion, marketing, and more. So, what’s motivating this new breed of entrepreneurs, and how might their values, attitudes, and expectations disrupt the traditional models of the live music business ?
Wednesday night at ILMC is London Calling… a new, first-of-its-kind Central London showcase of 14 sensational artists, many of whom are performing huge underplays in an intimate, small venue setting. Presenting some of Europe’s fastestgrowing and fast-emerging artists, an ILMC delegate badge ensures free, priority access into all four Soho venues, which are just minutes from the Royal Lancaster Hotel (three stops on the Underground). Shows start from 19:30GMT, with full details and stage times on the ILMC app, website, and in this year’s conference guide. 35.ilmc.com/london-calling
Casey Lowry’s fast becoming one of the most talked about and promising indie names in guitar music. Pulling in crowds with his Springsteen-esque songs about misfortune in love and rich odes to wanderlust, he’s managed to build a captive live audience that knows his songs months before they are actually released, as is the intensity of his fans.
AJIMAL is Newcastle-born, London-based multi-instrumentalist and medical doctor, Fran O’Hanlon. Leaning on electronic, classical, and folk influences, AJIMAL’s second album, As It Grows Dark / Light, was released in 2020 and showcases his haunting and bold song writing, with intimate vocals that weave an otherworldly soundscape of electronica and rich orchestral arrangements.
Electro-pop group Delaporte’s career has experienced a stratospheric leap in terms of subject matter. Previous album Las Montañas [The Mountains] was an ode to freedom and self-improvement, while Titanas manifested as a call to feminism. Their new EP Abril [April] brings a more earthly message for this duo whose sound encompasses sonic flavours from Bomba Estéro and Nicola Cruz to Jamie XX and Charli XCX.
Surrounded by an air of mystique, East London songstress Bel Cobain is akin to some of music’s timeless voices and is her most joyful on stage with her band. Over the past year, they’ve been honing their craft with recent shows at Jazz Café and the Roundhouse, building up their reputation as a live ensemble not to miss.
Demob Happy preceded ‘the great pause’ with four US tours, appearing at festivals such as All Points East, Shaky Knees, Sonic Temple ,and Mad Cool, and touring support slots with the likes of Royal Blood, Nothing But Thieves, and Jack White. Now back with a fresh record deal and an explosive new album – set for release on May 26th – Demob Happy are fuelled up and revving their engines.
Edgär encompasses the song writing of Simon, the harmonies of Garfunkel, and the French touch of Phoenix to deliver elegant pop music.
From Mainsquare Festival to Rétro C Trop, Edgär has rubbed shoulders in recent months with Sting, M, MIKA, Alice Cooper, Simple Minds, Madness, and many others. More than 45,000 people have applauded the French duo since the release of their first album.
Frozemode, made up of I.V.GATLIN, Lisong ,and Cho-Hollow, is a London-based alternative rap trio who pride themselves on their hard-hitting bars, playful and inventive melodies, and musical versatility. Less than a week into the launch of their debut single Maybelline in December 2022, Frozemode secured the praise of tastemaker spearhead and BBC Radio 1 presenter Jack Saunders with a ‘Next Wave’ feature.
Forthcoming album Angel Numbers is an apt title for an artist who bounces between scepticism and wonder, and who is engaged in a constant quest to outwit and outflank the ordinary. Hamish Hawk established himself as a writer of heartfelt, headstrong, unashamedly literate songs with debut album Heavy Elevator while Angel Numbers meets growing expectations head on, with panache and aplomb.
Jelani Blackman has steadily emerged as one of London’s most rousing voices in recent times after what has been a testing few years. A career that began like many Black British musicians, in the church, has since blossomed, and those years singing gospel, as well as the grime and rap influences of his local area in west London have moulded Jelani into one of the most eclectic MCs of our time.
L’objectif are four young schoolmates – each 18 or under - with a shared love of jazz funk, hiphop, punk, post-punk, and almost everything in between. Also inspired by painters Basquiat and Francis Bacon, L’objectif seek excitement in the intellectually stimulating and subjective, finding thrill in the confusion. Their second EP We Aren’t Getting Out But Tonight We Might is out now via Chess Club Records.
Yehan and his sister Zadi are the last signature of the Microqlima label. With their debut album Downloading A New Operating System, they don’t just re-imagine good pop music, they also reshape the future and imagine a civilization that would work for all of us. Quasi Qui already have one foot in the near future, and they can’t wait for you to join them.
Queralt Lahoz is, without a doubt, one of the musical sensations of recent years in Spain. Recently recognised by the prestigious Music Moves Europe Awards 2023, her music is a crossover of Latin, traditional, and urban sounds; soul, hip-hop and dancehall, with a graceful dialogue of coplas and boleros that emerge spontaneously from her flamenco origins and personal landscapes.
Sarah Olivier is expressive, even impressionistic, whimsical, unbridled, unusual, deep, playful. This untameable diva seems to exist in another dimension where her melodies and colourful words take place according to her own fantasy. With Vortex, her third album, she continues to weave her non-conformist web. A release of interiority, intuition, and instinct.
Moulded by their Edinburgh surroundings, swim school absorb influence from a wide range of genres; from 90s grunge to modern indie and dream-pop. The release of their 2021 critically acclaimed debut EP, making sense of it all saw them tackling delicate subjects with a vibrant yet evocative presence.
11:30-12:30 & 14:00-15:00 | ROOM 2
A series of 15-minute presentations by innovators, including Jodi Milstein, RockStarTherapy (US); Beverley Whitrick and Clara Cullen, Music Venue Trust (UK); Emma Wiggin, West Wick Management; Melanie Eselevsky, Move Concerts (AR); Steve Tilley, Kilimanjaro Live (UK), and Gaffer Award winner Nicole Massey (US).
11:30-12:30 | ROOM 3
HOSTS: MANON DELAURY, TEO (FR) & LIZ KORAVOS, ARCHES (UK)
Something of an ILMC tradition over the last decade, this quick-fire session invites producers to present their latest shows in upbeat three-minute spots. If you’re curious what’s the next big show or have a production to highlight and promote, this is a vital session to attend. From touring exhibitions to mammoth arena-filling spectaculars, the session is a 60-minute rundown of the best and brightest in the market.
14:00-15:00 | ROOM 1
Latin music stole the spotlight in 2022 after topping both charts and box offices worldwide, so what genres are set to follow in its footsteps? From Amapiano to Phonk, Reggaeton to Sertaneja, this panel explores the sounds that are set to break out in 2023.
14:00-15:00 | ROOM 3
HOST: JAMES DRURY, IQ MAGAZINE (UK)
With the experience economy world populated by some of the most creative minds in live entertainment, the second of the day’s trio of sessions on the business is a unique in-person conversation…
15:30-16:30 | ROOM 1
CHAIR: DEBBIE MCWILLIAMS SCOTTISH EVENT CAMPUS (UK)
Building on Futures Forum’s mission – to bring together the people who define the business today with those driving its evolution – we’re pairing up senior execs from leading concert businesses with their more junior counterparts to compare experiences and ways of working.
15:30-16:30 | ROOM 2
CHAIR: KIRSTIE LOVERIDGE, AEG EUROPE (UK) Sustainability may be the buzzword of the moment but it’s not just green issues the industry needs to tackle in order to keep the ecosystem alive. Considering the live music business as a whole, the panel will discuss solutions for sustainable employment, pathways into the industry, and how to cultivate a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace for all.
15:30-16:30 | ROOM 3
HOSTS: CHRISTOPH SCHOLZ, SEMMEL CONCERTS (DE) & GEORGE WOOD, THE LUNA CINEMA (UK)
It’s not just live music that rocketed back to life in 2022. From touring exhibitions and theatre shows to family entertainment and ice spectaculars, many producers and promoters are chalking up record returns. But with the expectation of the ticket-buying public rising and more productions than ever available, how is non-music entertainment continuing to both attract and thrill audiences worldwide?
The discussion takes place on the eve of IQ’s annual publication, The Touring Entertainment Report, which will inform and analyse the breadth of entertainment offering in this multibillion-dollar global business.
17:00-18:00 | ROOM 1
With previous Futures keynotes having included Dugi and Dua Lipa and Team Mumford & Sons; and 2022’s Friday keynote seeing Brian Eno, Aurora & Love Ssega in conversation as part of the Green Events & Innovations Conference, this final Friday session is always a highlight. By the time you're reading this, the keynote should have been announced, so please check 35.ilmc.com/whatson for more info.
17:30-19:30 | NINE KINGS FOYER
THE ‘MIND, BODY & SPIRITS’ OPENING PARTY
HOST: LIVE NATION
ILMC’s big opening party goes up a gear in 2023. The ‘Mind, Body & Spirits’ Opening Party will be a major live music industry gathering, bringing together two previously separate first-night social occasions are hosts-with-the-most Live Nation, who’ve kindly stepped up to support ILMC’s opening night and welcome hundreds of professionals on the eve of the conference. With two hours of complimentary wine, beer, and softs, it’s the perfect opportunity for all delegates to reunite, catch up, and ease themselves gently into the conference with a drink in hand (for medicinal purposes only).
18:00-19:30 | ROOM 1
INTERNATIONAL AGF AWARDS
AGF Awards celebrate the top sustainable festivals, arenas, events and suppliers from the global events sector n the last 12 months.
18:00-19:00
NINE KINGS FOYER
THE WME HAPPY HOUR
HOST: WME
Kicking off Wednesday night at ILMC, the team at WME invite all delegates to join them for what is always a very popular event. With 60 minutes of complimentary drinks, it’s a chance to relax and unwind with the whole WME team and hundreds of ILMC members.
20:00-MIDNIGHT
VARIOUS VENUES
LONDON CALLING
A central London showcase featuring some of the best emerging artists in the world. See pages 12 & 13.
00:00-03:00
STRANGEY’S BAR
THE ‘HEALTH KICK’ TABLE FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT
A late-night game of quick reactions and occasionally even skill, The Table Football Competition will see spa-ticipants compete in pairs for both international glory and the world’s tiniest trophy. The tournament is refereed by IQ’s very own fitness guru, Tom Brint, who’ll be making sure that the most daring shots and epic passes are observed.
09:00-10:00
STRANGEY’S BAR
WOMEN IN LIVE MORNING MIXER
Before the day’s sessions and meetings kick off, we’ll be reserving an area of Strangey’s Bar for an informal coffee hour for all female-identifying live music execs at ILMC 35.
There’s no specific agenda or need to book in advance, just turn up, meet, and enjoy some complimentary coffee, tea, and biscuits as ILMC’s Thursday begins.
13:30-14:00
NINE KINGS FOYER
THE NIKOS FUND GRAND PRIZE DRAW
ILMC raises a significant amount of money every year for a charity of its choice in honour of one of its founding members, Nikos Sachpasidis. Hand in your business cards to the people shaking collection tins in your face and be ready at 13:30 for the chance to win some colossal prizes as our chosen charity – Music Minds Matter – benefits.
16:00-17:00
NINE KINGS FOYER
FELD’S CRYOTHERAPY ICE-CREAM BREAK
HOST: FELD ENTERTAINMENT
Not content with conjuring up some of the world’s most magical family shows, Feld Entertainment will also be dishing out ice cream and mementos to take home for the kids during their popular ice-cream intermission. Recharge your blood sugar levels before your next spa treatment!
18:00-19:00
NINE KINGS FOYER
LATIN LIVE HAPPY HOUR
HOSTS: LOUD AND LIVE, GRAND MOVE, OCESA & OAK VIEW GROUP
As part of this year’s Latin focus, all delegates are invited to a 60-minute Happy Hour as the day’s conference sessions wrap up. With complimentary
19:30-MIDNIGHT — WESTBOURNE SUITE
HOSTS: LOUD AND LIVE, GRAND MOVE, OCESA, OAK VIEW GROUP & PRG EUROPE
The international live music business’s best-loved awards – The Arthurs (Arturos) – are handed out during ILMC’s Gala Dinner, which will take place in the Royal Lancaster Hotel’s lavish Westbourne Suite – one of the world’s leading international banqueting venues. With thousands of votes compiled from professionals around the world, The Arturo Awards ceremony will see the shining stars of the industry recognised, while a handful of lucky winners will take home one of the cherished statuettes.
And as if seeing the top promoter, agent, venue, festival, ticketer and more receive recognition wasn’t enough, the event will once again be compered by hostess extraordinaire Emma Banks. Limited to 400 guests, attendees will be transported from the confines of ILMC’s Alpine spa resort into a Caribbean paradise for a very special night. Amid the birthplace of reggaeton, and with a host of surprises planned, the evening begins with a champagne reception followed by a five-star, four-course feast, prepared by award-winning chefs, and a selection of fine wines.
And with the Gala Fiesta being conveniently located in the ILMC hotel this year, it’s just a few steps away from the after-show party, Strangey's bar, and the karaoke.
drinks courtesy of Latin Live’s host partners, all delegates are invited to enjoy a glass or two before the ILMC Gala Dinner or various evening events that follow. For anyone wanting to find out more about the fastest growing market in the live business, a number of Latin Live’s partners will be hosting networking spots around the Nine Kings Foyer.
19:30-21:30
THE HIVE STADIUM, LONDON MATCH OF THE YEAR FOOTBALL
HOST: AIKEN PROMOTIONS
This annual football match will see the UK pit itself against the rest of the world in a 90-minute display of bravery and epic skill. Buses will transport players from the Royal Lancaster Hotel to the grounds and back again, allowing every opportunity for bragging rights afterwards, or time to nurse the odd bruise or three.
Places are limited and must be booked in advance, via event hosts Aiken Promotions. peter@aikenpromotions.com
22:30-02:30
BEECH SUITE THE ‘PRIMAL SCREAM’ KARAOKE & ARTHURS AFTER-PARTY
HOST: EFM GLOBAL LOGISTICS
The ILMC karaoke is always the scene of a multitude of aural sins, all of them against music. Expect some spa-ctacular themed performances by Chakra Khan, Zen Folds Five, Snoopy Doggy Downward Dog, and renditions of Elton John’s Rocket Mantra and Paul Simon’s 50 Ways to Leave Your Loofah.
This event always seems to stretch, almost unbearably, into the early hours of Friday morning. But with props and costumes on hand for inspiration, this late-night scene of fun and silliness is not the kind of event you want to miss (unless, of course, you’re sober).
17:30-19:30
NINE KINGS FOYER THE ‘TOTAL RETOX’ CLOSING DRINKS
To wrap up both ILMC and Futures Forum, delegates can enjoy two hours of complimentary drinks. A chance to continue conversations from the day and network, it’s a relaxed wind down to ILMC. And with the party wrapping up around 19:30, there’s still plenty of time to enjoy Friday evening in London…
TikTok: Time To Act
Marcel Hunziker talks up the benefits of developing a presence on TikTok 32 Crowdsourced Incident Reporting
Sheryl Pinckney-Maas outlines the reasons to consider crowdsourced data to enhance event security 34 Music Minds Matter
Joe Hastings highlights the work of Help Musicians in tackling mental health
Alia Dann Swift Bursary Scheme
in the music industry 37
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Anumber of Europe’s biggest festivals have reported rapid sellouts, despite significant price increases in some cases.
Live Nation-backed Mojo Concerts says Lowlands (aka A Campingflight to Lowlands Paradise) sold out in less than 15 minutes. The 2023 edition of the 55,000-cap Dutch festival will see acts including Billie Eilish, Florence + the Machine, and Charlotte de Witte return to Walibi Holland between 18-20 August.
Discussing the ticket price increase from €255 to €300 on the festival’s own podcast LLowcast, director Eric van Eerdenburg says: “Inflation has hit us hard. It is not in our interest to have an expensive ticket. It is in our interest to have a ticket that is as cheap as possible because then it is easier to sell your tickets. But it’s no different.
“All refugee shelters are full of stuff from the festival industry, everything is becoming much
more expensive and harder to get. People who work for us have all submitted their salary demands, and we must also comply with them. It’s a tough cookie to swallow, but we’re going to deliver something good for it.”
Lowlands sister festival Down The Rabbit Hole – which also experienced a significant price increase due to inflation and higher costs – also sold out faster than ever.
Elsewhere, Tomorrowland has sold all 400,000 tickets, with the first 50% (reserved for Belgium fans) selling out in 20 minutes. This year, the festival will return to its two-weekend format, taking place in Boom, Antwerp, from 21–23 and 28–30 July.
More than 600 DJs will perform across 14 different stages, including Afrojack, Amelie Lens, Armin van Buuren, Lost Frequencies, Netsky, Paul Kalkbrenner, Steve Aoki, Tiësto, and Yves Deruyter.
The debut edition of Lollapalooza India was a sign of things to come for the live music calendar, with a spate of festival brands announcing overseas expansions.
Lolla India drew 60,000 fans to the Mahalaxmi Racecourse Lawns in Mumbai over two days in January, with 40 artists performing across four stages on a 50-acre site.
The festival, which will return in 2024, was produced by founder Perry Farrell, WME, C3 Presents, and India’s BookMyShow. It saw performances from local and international artists including Imagine Dragons, The Strokes, AP Dhillon, Cigarettes After Sex, Divine, The F16s, Jackson Wang, Imanbek, Greta Van Fleet, The Wombats, and Diplo.
The Lollapalooza brand has grown to eight countries on four continents since 1991 and will be the subject of a new Paramount+ music docuseries exploring its history. The three-part Lolla: The Story of Lollapalooza series is being produced by MTV Entertainment Studios and FunMeter, in partnership with C3 Presents, and will chronicle the
Last year, the festival took place over three weekends to “cushion the financial hangover” of six cancelled festivals in 2020 and 2021.
Lowlands and Tomorrowland’s speedy sellouts come after the UK’s Glastonbury Festival sold out in just over an hour, despite a 26% price increase for the 2023 edition.
The Glastonbury on-sale failed to beat 2019’s record of just 34 minutes due to a “technical problem,” as organisers reported “incredible demand” for the 135,000 weekend tickets. Coach packages sold out in just 22 minutes.
Elsewhere, the 20th-anniversary edition of Britain’s biggest heavy metal festival, Download, became the fastest-selling in the event’s history. Download returns to Donington Park in Leicestershire between 8-11 June, running over four days for the first time ever.
More than 60 acts have been confirmed for the 2023 instalment, including headliners Bring Me The Horizon, Slipknot, and Metallica, with the latter playing two unique sets on the Thursday and Saturday nights.
And the 2023 edition of German metal institution Wacken Open Air sold out in a record six hours, organisers revealed. The 80,000-cap festival, which is expanding to four days from 2-5 August, has announced a line-up headed by Iron Maiden, alongside the likes of Megadeth, Dropkick Murphys, Wardruna, Beartooth, Ensiferum, Pentagram, Jinjer, Nervosa, Deicide, Burning Witches, and Two Steps From Hell.
relationship between the festival and Farrell, and the evolution of “the now global cultural phenomenon.”
The legendary Woodstock is coming to South Korea in 2023, marking the first time the festival will take place outside the US. SGC Entertainment says it has signed an official copyright agreement with the Woodstock Music and Art Fair to host a three-day festival under its name with the theme of “freedom, peace, and love.”
The festival is slated for 28-30 July at the Hantangang River Geopark in Pocheon.
Elsewhere, US hip-hop juggernaut Rolling Loud lands in Asia for the first time from 13–15 April. Cardi B, Chris Brown, and Travis Scott will headline the event in Pattaya on Thailand’s Eastern Gulf Coast. Its previous bid to expand into Hong Kong four years ago was aborted due to the 2019-20 Hong Kong protests. The brand will also hold inaugural editions in Germany and the Netherlands this year.
Electronic music festival Lost Nomads will make its UAE debut on the exclusive Soul Beach in Dubai on 11 February. Staged by Farra World, it will be headlined by Dennis Cruz, Andrea Oliva, Apache, and Cuartero. The first edition took place last June in Morocco’s Agafay Desert.
Finally, the Smashing Pumpkins’ The World is a Vampire touring rock festival is heading to Australia, presented by One World Entertainment. The band will be joined by Jane’s Addiction, Amyl and The Sniffers, RedHook, and Battlesnake on the ten-city rock “carnival” from 15-30 April, with local acts opening each night.
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Marketing live events through social media can be challenging in 2023. In a post-pandemic world, traditional data sets and strategies are no longer as reliable as they once were. Meanwhile, due to the changing landscape of social media platforms, marketing has become tough for promoters, venues, and festivals who often have to work within limited budgets and tight profit margins.
Gone are the days when setting up a Facebook event, posting about it, and getting the artist to record a video message to post on their Instagram story could guarantee a good turnout at your event. So, what’s changed?
Let’s look at the problem from the perspective of the most important player in this game: the audience, the fan, or put less romantically, ‘the consumer,’ who is either spending money on live events or deciding not to.
The good news first – not everything has changed. Running targeted digital ads with strong video creativity and consistent posting about upcoming events on both Instagram and Facebook still sells live tickets. This is especially true in cases where artists have loyal audiences who simply need to be reached and informed about an event.
However, TikTok has become a serious competitor for both Meta (Facebook, Insta) and Google (YouTube). The major change that TikTok has brought to the social media space is that the platform’s algorithm prioritises discovery over loyalty when showing content to its users. This algorithm means you are no longer posting to your followers by default but rather to people who are constantly discovering more things from the same niches and content buckets they already like. This is similar to YouTube’s discovery engine but is both more addictive and more interactive.
Most importantly, music is the driving force behind this online fan experience on the platform, a marked difference from more traditional Meta platforms. TikTok is all about discovery and awareness from a fan perspective, and music streaming proves that it can generate “sales” with trending sound snippets breaking hit singles and streaming records overnight.
For a long time now, it’s been enough to focus on Meta and Google technology when trying to market as live venues and festivals. This has changed, with TikTok being one of the most downloaded (and used) apps in the Western world. Whichever genre you are looking at, it’s likely that live music
fans are using or will be using TikTok soon. Taylor Swift fans might not be following your venues, but you will find content uploaded by them using her music and hashtags covering her fan-community-led events and parties.
TikTok is less popular with audiences 35+ and less popular in general in the UK and France. However, in the US, TikTok has replaced Netflix as the second-most-popular app for those under 35, with YouTube remaining the most popular.
While a lot of people still refer to TikTok as ‘social media,’ in reality it has become a place where young people consume more and more long-form video content around live music. And music plays a crucial role in all this, as it’s being used to soundtrack amazing moments in fans’ lives.
It can’t be overstated how this form of content consumption has become the first touching point that a majority of young people will have with “live” music. These interactions will shape both their expectations and buying decisions for attending live concerts and festivals. Ignoring this shift as a promoter could be fatal.
There’s a lot of work to be done with regards to music venues and festivals using TikTok. Playliveartist Ltd has non-representative research with regards to how live music venues are using TikTok creatively. The results: Not much to report! We’ve started a spreadsheet that lists live music venues we thought would be using TikTok. The reality is they don’t… yet.
In conclusion, for live music venues, festivals, and promoters, factoring all of the above into their content strategies could make a real difference to sales. Remember, fans will be searching for keywords related to themed events, genres, and subcultures they are interested in. If you want to reach these people as a venue or festival, try dominating your “niche” and populate people’s discovery feeds with cleverly edited video content from the past performances at your venue.
Being where the consumer spends time and giving them what they are looking for will be the winning strategy when trying to create awareness for your venue and festival.
Marcel Hunziker is the founder of Playliveartist, which specialises in digital strategy, paid social ads, direct-to-fan marketing, as well as digital audience and brand building.
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“Whichever genre you are looking at, it’s likely that live music fans are using or will be using TikTok soon”
Marcel Hunziker | Playliveartist
Having launched a tiny festival while he was still a teenager, Herman Schueremans’ entrepreneurial skills were always destined to get him noticed. But his determination to put his country on the international tour map is truly inspirational. Now, as he marks 50 years in live music, he tells Gordon Masson that he’s looking toward the next chapter in his extraordinary life.
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Having stepped up to arena shows, Lewis Capaldi is currently in the midst of his biggest European tour to date, visiting 32 cities over the course of two months. But with Capaldi’s fanbase rocketing and a new album due for release in May, Gordon Masson learns that ambitions for his fellow Scot don’t stop at the biggest indoor venues…
When Lewis Capaldi played the final UK show of his Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent tour in Aberdeen on 15 March 2020, little did anyone know that 24 hours later, a ban on mass gatherings would be introduced that would curtail any further shows for the best part of two years.
However, during the intervening period, the singer-songwriter worked with his representatives to crank up anticipation of his soon-to-be-released second album (Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent) to such an extent that his return to performing live is smashing records.
Indeed, Capaldi’s return to Aberdeen’s P&J Live Arena on 23 January this year set a new high bar of more than 15,000 tickets sold. “His shows in Scotland for this tour were amazing. He has been very open about his mental health and that anxiety can cripple him sometimes, so it was so powerful to see him enjoying the shows, because hometown shows come with huge pressures,” states promoter Craig Johnston at DF Concerts. “Our Aberdeen show became the highest selling indoor show in Scotland’s history: it’s an incredible achievement.”
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The insurance industry’s crippling losses as a result of the coronavirus pandemic have fundamentally changed the entire landscape for live music. James Hanley discovers that numerous insurers have simply withdrawn cover, while others looking to spread their risk means a more complex post-pandemic task for live music’s specialist brokers.
If these “unprecedented times” have proved anything, it’s that a robust insurance plan can be the difference between survival and extinction for many in the live music business. And while the industry is slowly but surely beginning to resemble its former self, the scars of the pandemic run deep.
“We had huge claims at the start of the pandemic, which led to a lot of change within the underwriting market,” says Tim Thornhill of
specialist brokers Tysers Insurance. “Some insurers increased their rates, and many stepped out and no longer wanted to provide cover for any type of event cancellation or non-appearance insurance at all. We’ve seen that ongoing since live music has returned.”
Indeed, salvation came at a cost: insurers globally reportedly lost more than £8bn in the first year of Covid-19 – £2.6bn of which was incurred by Lloyds of London alone. A number of
stopgap government schemes, meanwhile, were introduced around the globe in a bid to get the battered touring scene back on its feet, to varying degrees of success.
As a result, 2023’s new normal is that insurance firms are still currently unwilling to insure against coronavirus.
“We have seen more enquiries than ever,” says Steven Howell of Media & Music Insurance Brokers (MIB). “Some contingency underwriters have closed for business following large losses, some new markets have entered the space, and all underwriters have amended the policy wordings to exclude Covid and other communicable diseases.”
Furthermore, Howell argues it is no longer a question of how many insurers will offer cover but more of how much cover they will offer.
“Pre-pandemic, many underwriters were happy to take the whole risk or a major percentage of the risk for a large festival or tour, they now wish to limit their exposure for any one event by taking a smaller percentage of the risk,” he continues. “This means we need to source two, three, or four more markets to cover the same event as underwriters seek to spread their risk.”
“Due to losses in the billions, the landscape has changed,” says Charlie Connell, executive director of entertainment for international insurance group Howden. “Insurers are less willing to take on such high levels of exposure and so the capacity for larger events and tours has diminished greatly.
“The breadth of cover has also decreased with insurers extremely concerned of another systemic event causing great losses in the market, which in turn could affect people’s jobs, and even to the point where music insurance being available at all could be in jeopardy.”
In Germany, Christian Raith, managing director at erpam, says, “From our point of view, there are currently few challenges in getting risks covered in the market. Despite the large losses caused by the pandemic, there is sufficient capacity in the German market. Of course, there is still the exclusion of pandemics or covid, but I think every event organiser understands that.”
Martin Goebbels of Miller Insurance suggests rising premiums could tempt some companies back into the market. However, he points out that prices were already on the increase pre2020 since “losses on cancellation insurance had been huge for a number of years.”
“Prices are still less than probably 20 years ago and an awful lot less than 10 or 15 years before that, so they’re not at an all-time high,” he says. “But obviously they are nudging back up because of a number of factors, not principally Covid – the weather situation, globally, is having quite an impact on insurers. And not just bad weather but actually excessively hot weather in recent times.
Thousands of professionals read IQ every day. Make sure you get the whole picture…
Thousands of professionals read IQ every day. Make sure you get the whole picture…
X-ray Touring’s Josh Javor picked up the Agent of the Year prize from show co-host Claire O’Neill at the European Festival Awards during Eurosonic Noorderslag.
Beat The Street were one of the big winners at the Live Production Summit awards in Palm Springs, California, picking up a trio of accolades: favourite ground transport company; favourite bussing company in the United States; and favourite bussing company international.
The London offices of ITB were strangely quiet in mid-January when boss Barry Dickins took the team to Rome for their annual escape.
The Music Venue Trust team visited the House of Commons to launch their annual report and took the opportunity to lobby members of parliament and policy makers on the plight of grassroots venues in the UK.
Impressed by The 1975’s surprise guest at their recent run of shows at The O2 in London, IQ’s backstage after-show party newshound, Lisa Henderson, tracked her down for a quick chat and a selfie.
IQ editor Gordon Masson sat down with pop superstar Dua Lipa and her artist manager father Dukagjin for Eurosonic’s keynote interview in Groningen’s Forum venue.
Home of UEFA Europa League Winner 2022: Eintracht Frankfurt, NFL International Series, German Bowl, UEFA EURO 2024, UEFA Champions League, Monster Jam, WorldClubDome, KPOP.flex, eSports, Many World Records, eps Arena Summit, Christmas Garden & more concerts than in any other stadium in Germany
