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DIAMOND GENT

Thomas Johansson at 75 LEAVE

THEM

WANTING MORI Depeche Mode tour report

TEN YEARS OF THE OVO HYDRO

Time to meet the best fans in the world

BLOSSOM TIME FOR JAPAN

World’s No.2 music market in focus

2023

MAR 23 SACRAMENTO, CA

MAR 25 SAN JOSE, CA

MAR 28 LOS ANGELES, CA

MAR 30 LAS VEGAS, NV

APR O2 SAN ANTONIO, TX

APR 05 CHICAGO, IL

APR 07 TORONTO, ON

APR 09 QUEBEC CITY, QC

APR 12 MONTREAL, QC

APR 14 NEW YORK, NY

MAY 16 AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

MAY 18 AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

MAY 20 ANTWERP, BELGIUM

MAY 23 STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN

MAY 26 LEIPZIG, GERMANY

MAY 28 BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA

MAY 31 LYON, FRANCE

JUN 04 DUSSELDORF, GERMANY

JUN 06 DUSSELDORF, GERMANY

JUN 11 BERN, SWITZERLAND

JUN 14 DUBLIN, IRELAND

JUN 17 LONDON, UK

JUN 20 MUNICH, GERMANY

JUN 22 LILLE, FRANCE

JUN 24 PARIS, FRANCE

JUN 27 COPENHAGEN, DENMARK

JUN 29 FRANKFURT, GERMANY

JUL 01 FRANKFURT, GERMANY

JUL 04 BORDEAUX, FRANCE

JUL 07 BERLIN, GERMANY

JUL 09 BERLIN, GERMANY

JUL 12 ROME, ITALY

JUL 14 MILAN, ITALY

JUL 16 BOLOGNA, ITALY

JUL 21 KLAGENFURT, AUSTRIA

JUL 23 ZAGREB, CROATIA

JUL 26 BUCHAREST, ROMANIA

JUL 28 BUDAPEST, HUNGARY

JUL 30 PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC

AUG 02 WARSAW, POLAND

AUG 04 KRAKOW, POLAND

AUG 06 TALLINN, ESTONIA

AUG 08 HELSINKI, FINLAND

AUG 11 OSLO, NORWAY

SEP 21 MEXICO CITY, MX

SEP 23

FEB 03 DUBLIN,

FEB 06 ANTWERP, BELGIUM

FEB 08 AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

FEB 10 COPENHAGEN, DENMARK

FEB 13 BERLIN, GERMANY

FEB 15 BERLIN, GERMANY

FEB 17 HAMBURG, GERMANY

FEB 20 BERLIN, GERMANY

FEB 22 PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC

FEB 24 PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC

FEB 27 LODZ, POLAND

FEB 29 LODZ, POLAND

MAR 03 PARIS, FRANCE

MAR 05 PARIS, FRANCE

MAR 07 MUNICH, GERMANY

MAR 12 MADRID, SPAIN

MAR 14 MADRID, SPAIN

MAR 16 BARCELONA, SPAIN

MAR 19 LISBON, PORTUGAL

MAR 21 BILBAO, SPAIN

MAR 23 TURIN, ITALY

MAR 26 BUDAPEST, HUNGARY

MAR 28 MILAN, ITALY

MAR 30 MILAN, ITALY

APR 03 COLOGNE, GERMANY

APR 05 COLOGNE, GERMANY

SOLDOUT

APR 08 COLOGNE, GERMANY

Cover photo: M.I.A. at Mad Cool Festival in Madrid, Spain, on 8 July 2023

© Javier Bragado

COMMENT AND COLUMNS

Sarah Slater outlines the constant evolution that ticketing providers need to address to cater for festival fans

Alexandra Ampofo argues that opening doors to include differently abled people in the industry workforce will accelerate support for disability rights & inclusivity

Who is the most memorable act you’ve seen at a showcase gig?

© Anton Corbijn

© Gabriel Liljevall

STORM CLOUDS

Living in the UK for most of my life means that I’ve become accustomed to weather forecasts being both hideous and hideously inaccurate. It’s a nation where we can literally experience four seasons in one day. But if you’ve ever seen photos of a muddy Glastonbury Festival, we’re also pretty used to just getting on with it, despite what atmospheric conditions are thrown at us.

However, the extreme weather stories that now seem to be a permanent fixture on the daily news broadcasts are frightening, and while freak storms have always posed a risk to festival organisers, the summer of 2023 could be a game changer as some insurance companies are reportedly contemplating withdrawing cover for weather-related claims.

German metal festival Wacken Open Air was one of those to take a hit when organisers effectively were forced to close the doors to more than 20,000 ticket holders (see page 10). However, in one of the ‘good news’ stories of the year, the day after Wacken concluded, all 85,000 tickets for next year’s festival sold out in a record 4.5 hours, proving that the loyalty of fans can make even the darkest of times a little brighter.

One band who are currently experiencing that very phenomenon are Depeche Mode, who are mid-way through their Memento Mori tour – the first outing since the passing of co-founder Andy Fletcher. With the European stadium leg now complete, we took a look behind the scenes and discovered that a whole new generation of fans are turning on to the band’s music (see page 30).

We also turn the spotlight on the band’s Swedish promoter, the legend that is Thomas Johansson, as he celebrates his 75th birthday with a look back over an incredible 60 years in music, as well as a nod to the future and succession plans at Live Nation’s Nordic stronghold (see page 48).

Elsewhere, Neil Cooper charts another landmark birthday, as Scotland’s game changing OVO Hydro arena clocks up its first decade in operation (page 72).

This issue also marks our annual coronation of the New Bosses, where 20 of the most impressive young executives from around the world are recognised by their colleagues and peers for their hard work and are heralded as future leaders of the live entertainment business.

And the class of 2023 does not disappoint. The New Bosses profiles (see page 20) are heavily edited versions of the full Q&As that we conducted with our 20 rising stars, so please keep an eye on Iq-mag.net for the full interviews, starting with Vlad Yaremchuk, whose insights into daily life in war-torn Ukraine are heart-breaking. I would implore everyone to take ten minutes out of their day to read it and see if there’s any way you or your organisation might be in a position to help Vlad and his compatriots.

Our August issue wraps up with a market report on Japan (page 80), where Adam Woods discovers a live music industry in transition, thanks to a plethora of new venues either set to open or under construction, and a local business looking to reignite interest in international artists to fill the many dates those arenas and clubs will need to pay their way in the years to come.

Exciting times!

INDEX IN BRIEF

The concert business digest

The Weeknd sets a new attendance record for London Stadium after drawing 160,000 fans over two nights.

Live Nation expands its presence in Latin America by acquiring a majority stake in leading Colombian promoter Páramo Presenta.

Major Dutch festivals Awakenings, Bospop and Wildeburg are cut short due to severe weather warnings.

Madonna’s Celebration Tour is set to kick off in Europe this autumn after the singer confirms the postponement of its North American leg.

Croatia’s live music business is “exceptionally strong” in 2023 so far, thanks to the country’s adoption of the Euro and an increase in international fans, according to LAA managing director Mario Grdosic.

Oak View Group will spearhead the construction and operation of a new ‘world-class’ arena in Austria’s capital city, Vienna.

CTS Eventim formalises the expansion of its live entertainment business in Switzerland by establishing new company TAKK ab Entertainment AG.

DEAG reveals it is on course to attract a record number of visitors to its festivals this summer, with crowds set to soar past 800,000 across its core markets.

Billionaire French businessman François-Henri Pinault is reportedly in advanced talks to acquire a majority stake in Creative Artists Agency.

Alter Art CEO Mikołaj Ziółkowski tells IQ about the raft of new challenges facing the festival sector, citing rising costs across artist fees, unstable economic situations, and the post-pandemic reality.

Ticket sales for this year’s Montreux Jazz Festival are among the best in history according to organisers.

Seventeen people are taken to hospital, mostly for heat-related emergencies, during an Ed Sheeran concert in Pennsylvania.

Australia’s Mushroom Group launches a new booking agency, MBA, in partnership with Guven Yilmaz, formerly of Vita Music Group.

A new report by UK Music highlights the economic impact of the post-Covid return of touring, as 14.4m music tourists helped generate £6.6bn in spending.

Greenhouse Talent says Belgium’s Gent Jazz Festival enjoyed a “successful new start” in its first year under new ownership.

Spanish independent promoter

Last Tour reveals that international sales helped drive a record year for its Bilbao BBK Live festival.

Francesco Sanavio, a pioneering promoter in the Italian music business, passes away at the age of 81.

Elton John’s record-shattering

Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour ends with a box office gross of $939.1m.

Splendour in the Grass, one of Australia’s biggest and longestrunning festivals, reports a 30% drop in ticket sales.

Coldplay confirms their Music of the Spheres World Tour will extend to a third summer, with more than 7.5m tickets already sold.

A pan-European coalition of music organisations calls on EU member states to engage in dialogue with the sector around the issue of cross-border touring.

Primavera Sound Madrid will not take place in 2024, it is confirmed.

Malaysia’s Good Vibes Festival is cancelled after The 1975 frontman Matty Healy hits out at the country’s strict anti-LGBT laws and kisses a male bandmate on stage.

US authorities pause plans for a huge hike in the cost of visas for foreign touring musicians and crew.

Bluedot and Pitchfork Festival Chicago become the latest festivals to be disrupted by extreme weather conditions.

The 1975 could face a class action lawsuit from Malaysian artists and vendors as the fallout from the cancelled Good Vibes Festival rumbles on.

Thousands of professionals read IQ every day. Make sure you get the whole picture…

GLOBAL MARKETS DRIVE LIVE NATION TO RECORD Q2

The growth of international markets powered Live Nation to another record quarter as the promoter posted Q2 revenue of $5.6bn – up 27% year-on-year.

The company reported year-to-date ticket sales of 117m, representing a 20% increase on the same period 12 months ago. Markets outside the US were up 46% overall, with stadium crowds rising 28% to 8m fans, led by Europe and Asia Pacific. Arenas were up 19% to 10.7m fans, largely from Canada, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, and festivals were up 14% to 4.5m fans, driven by demand across all its markets.

“Live music is bigger than ever, with global demand driving the industry to record levels,” says LN president and CEO Michael Rapino. “There’s a more diverse pipeline of artists break-

ing from all corners of the world, and at the same time, tours are going to more markets –particularly in Latin America and Asia. This was our strongest second quarter ever, with 2023 on pace to be a record year and early indicators for 2024 giving us confidence in continued growth.”

Speaking to investors on the company’s earnings call, Rapino said “the artist has been unlocked globally,” with the groundwork laid by the company in non-traditional markets now bearing fruit.

“Consumers, thanks to social media and others, are driving global consumption with no gatekeepers,” he said. “We have 100 offices in over 40 countries. We have been on this march for a long time. And we think there’s still lots of opportunity… in Latin America, Pacific Rim,

OAK VIEW GROUP CHIEF LEIWEKE FORECASTS ARENA BOOM

Oak View Group (OVG) chief Tim Leiweke predicts the next 20 years will see the greatest number of new arena developments “in the history of the business.”

The Silver Lake-backed company, which was founded in 2015 by former AEG CEO Leiweke and ex-Live Nation chairman Irving Azoff, oversees the operations of new venues such as Climate Pledge Arena at Seattle Center; UBS Arena in Belmont Park, New York; Moody Center in Austin, Texas; and Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, California, as well as the Co-op Live development in Manchester, UK.

In a recent appearance on The Bob Lefsetz Pod-

cast, Leiweke was critical of the existing standard of venues worldwide.

“There are billions and billions of people on the planet, but there are only probably 250 arenas that I would consider to be A-class, and even fewer stadiums,” said Leiweke. “Most of them aren’t very good. Most of them are very old. There are hundreds of arenas that are driving our industry as we know it today, but there are not very many arenas like we have in North America in the rest of the world.

“It is pretty shocking, but therein lies the opportunity, which is we’re going to see a huge explosion and a huge opportunity to build these world-class arenas and take what we’ve learned here… and be able to take that with us everywhere we go in the world.”

Other OVG projects include Arena São Paulo in Brazil; CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore; FirstOntario Centre Arena in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; a new arena and entertainment district in Las Vegas, NV and a new arena in Cardiff, Wales, UK.

“Even though there’s thousands of arenas, there’s very few new arenas outside of North America, and yet the demand has never been greater, added Leiweke. “And I think you’re going to see the greatest amount of development of arenas in the history of the industry in these

Eastern Europe.

“We kind of predicted the artists would continue to go global – more global artists and international markets would want to be just like New York – and Boston would want to be hosting the U2 and Beyoncé’s of the world, so we had an opportunity to build out those markets. So, pedal down, we see lots of great growth opportunity for years to come on that front.”

In addition, operating income increased 21% to $386m and AOI was up 23% to $590m.

“I think everyone thought ’22 was the record year and we were headed into an air pocket, and we’ve blown the doors off in ’23,” added Rapino. “We believe for the next multiple years that this industry, in general, is going to have a growth surge on a global basis.

“We don’t think this is just any Covid catchup. We think that this is going to be the time where live on a global basis is going to have an incredible growth run for years to come.”

The firm’s share price soared to a 52-week high of $101.73 on the back of the financial results, although the stock dipped 7.8% after Politico reported the Department of Justice could file an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster before the end of the year.

next 20 years.”

Elsewhere, Leiweke tipped MSG Entertainment’s Las Vegas Sphere project, which is set to open on 29 September with a residency by U2, to “change the industry forever.”

“If you don’t think the industry is changing, then go look at what Jim Dolan’s building with Sphere, because it’s revolutionary. It’s masterful,” he said. “I don’t know how the heck he came up with all of this, [and I’m] not sure how the hell you pay for it. But what I know is he’s going to change our industry forever. And the minute that opens up in September, we will never be the same.”

OVG, which has offices in Los Angeles, New York, London, Philadelphia, and Toronto, is planning its own 25-acre entertainment district in Las Vegas, including a 20,000-seat arena. Leiweke said the firm was formed to “think outside the box and be a positive disruption to the live industry,” and said he had no plans to float the business on the stock exchange.

“OVG is a private company. I’m proud of that.” he said. “I hope we never go public. I don’t want to go public. My intention is never to sell the company. We have certain guiding principles and core values as a company. One of them is we don’t want to be public and don’t have any intention of ever being public. It’s not a quick spin.”

Thousands of professionals read IQ every day. Make sure you get the whole picture…

The desire to escape into a field with friends, family, and live music is not only alive but thriving – with Ticketmaster festival sales up 15% compared to 2022.

The summer will hold memories for hundreds of thousands of festivalgoers around the country. For me, it’s been about four key things:

The power of digital tickets in reducing fraud.

The plethora of festival upsells I wish had been around in my heyday.

The different ways we’re reaching festival fans. How flexibility can take the pressure off payments.

Anyone who works in ticketing knows that the worst thing you have to do is tell a fan that they’ve been sold a fraudulent ticket –heart-breaking. Thankfully today, the technology exists to eliminate these scenarios – digital tickets, encryption, and animation coupled with official resale sites have all led to a huge re duction in the number of frustrated fans coming to our box offices.

Ticketmaster’s digitally encrypted tickets, SafeTix, have been successfully rolled out on large-scale festivals across the UK this summer, with our teams having scanned 4m SafeTix tickets so far this year.

This summer has also seen a boost in spending on upsells as fans look to make the most of their festival trip. From popular add-ons like posh loos and glamour areas (with nicer showers and places to do your hair and makeup), we’ve also seen a 300% increase in people snapping up early-entry tickets compared to last year.

Ticketmaster surfaces these options at every touchpoint in the fan journey, from the purchase process to socials, email, and our festival guides. It’s clear that fans want to create their own bespoke experience and not buy a cookie-cutter one, making it critical to give fans as many options as possible. This is something that our upcoming TM1 upsell product will

enable festival organisers to do, quickly and easily, whilst being able to manage their inventory on the go.

One thing we’ve noticed for many of our hottest shows and festivals is that nearly a third of fans are travelling up to 100 miles to get to a venue. As part of the live music ecosystem, we need to ask ourselves how we can best service these travelling fans – things like hotel packages are a no-brainer. But we also need to meet them where they are browsing, not just ticketing sites but travel and accommodation hubs, too.

Ticketmaster connects with a variety of channels where we can surface tickets to this segment – on sites such as Get Your Guide, Viator, and Expedia – and we’ve seen a definite increase in fans discovering and purchasing tickets this way.

2023 has of course brought its own unique set of challenges, one being the cost-of-living crisis, which has seen marketing teams having to work harder than ever to make their events stand out. The good news is that 60% of fans* state that despite the economy, they are not willing to cut back on live experiences. We are responding to this by providing fans with ways to make their purchase more affordable. Whether through payment plans, which we have offered for several years, or ‘buy now, pay later’ options like PayPal and Klarna, which we have seen a 150% uptake in from 2022. The option to spread costs gives fans more flexibility on what they add to their basket, and they might just decide to add that posh loo after all.

Music festivals are the pinnacle of the summer, the chance to experience escapism, self-expression, and create core memories with family and friends. It’s our job to connect these incredible live experiences with an ever-evolving fanbase that shows no sign of tiring of green fields and mud.

Sarah Slater is Ticketmaster’s vice president of music and festivals

* Research from Live Nation, summer 2023

Thousands of professionals read IQ every day. Make sure you get the whole picture…

“60% of fans state that despite the economy, they are not willing to cut back on live experiences”

SARAH SLATER

“It’s clear that fans want to create their own bespoke experience and not buy a cookie-cutter one, making it critical to give fans as many options as possible”

NEW SIGNINGS & NEW MUSIC

Over the last five years, amongst the chaos of the pandemic, world events, and general changes in the music industry, I have thought more and more about the things I want to change and how to go about them. Amidst all the adjustments we’ve had to make as a society, I can’t help but think about the disabled community and the lack of conversation around the visibility and representation of disabled people in the live music industry.

Instead of shying away from the dialogue, my aim is to help people grow, listen, and attain insight when it comes to the experiences of people with disabilities. It’s incredibly easy to isolate people, subconsciously or not, when we don’t resonate with their personal narrative.

I always ask myself, what can we do as individuals to help those affected by the lack of resources and social modifications to help them navigate the music industry to their best potential?

There was a time when I tried to hide my true self out of fear of being judged, losing out on opportunities or being overlooked, and the overwhelming cloud of feeling like an outsider. But I reached a point where I was putting myself under unnecessary stress because I was pushing my body beyond what it was physically capable of doing. And for what?

Alongside my diabetes, I have encountered other health complications which have altered my physical abilities and made life a constant cycle of modification.

It’s nearing a decade since William Doyle released his Mercury Music Prize-nominated debut album, Total Strife Forever, as East India Youth in 2014. A year later, after touring the world, he released Culture of Volume, but it would be another four years before he returned with the first official release under his own name. The dizzyingly ambitious Your Wilderness Revisited arrived in 2019 and was followed in 2021 by the art-pop masterpiece, Great Spans of Muddy Time. A fifth album is being readied for release in 2024, recorded in his new hometown of Margate; it is his most ambitious, dynamic, and immediate record yet.

Slowly but surely, we will no longer have to come up with innovative solutions to getting around safely or life hacks for inaccessibility. Some of these modifications, such as secure places to store my emergency insulin if I’m camping at a festival or briefing staff on different chronic conditions as well as physical disabilities, have been very transformative for me and those like me.

Being an advocate and spreading awareness is imperative, and so that brings me onto why I have written this piece…

Touring in support of the new record will begin this October, with a handful of dates to be announced shortly. This will be followed by an accompanying album tour in Q1 2024, moving into summer festivals.

“Previous Arts Council research found that only 1.8% of music industry professionals identified as having a disability, compared to the UK population average of 18%. Of those surveyed, 90% agreed that the lack of visibly disabled people in the music industry contributed to under-representation in the sector.” – Chris Cooke

HOTTEST NEW ACTS AUGUST 2023

Disability representation plays a massive role in raising awareness about the challenges, rights, and needs of people with disabilities. I think by spotlighting the areas that are doing the work, noting the spaces that need improvement, highlighting the barriers the disabled community face, and the accomplishments achieved, representation can further encourage empathy, understanding, and support for disability rights and more inclusive initiatives.

“This aim is not necessarily to ask more people to disclose their disabilities […] but to encourage an environment where those conversations are normalised and more people with a disability or long-term health condition can be welcomed into the industry – at all levels – without barriers.” – Ben

Pryce

As human beings, in the most poetic way possible, we’re all so different and no two sagas are the same. Educating where necessary and extending grace to people, no matter their ability, could be so monumental if it was an everyday practice. But to get there, we need to do the work, and part of that work is increasing disabled representation in the music industry and making spaces readily available for everyone.

[So] view the disabled community as valuable consumers. A tangible thing we can all do is refuse to allow accessibility to become an afterthought in our everyday lives. Overall, disability representation is essential because it promotes inclusivity, challenges stereotypes, empowers individuals to reclaim their autonomy, spreads awareness, and contributes to positive societal change. By embracing and valuing the diversity of human experiences, we can actively create a more inclusive world for everyone.

Lastly, I proudly took part in the Unseen. Unheard. podcast discussing the Black, disabled experience in the UK’s music industry. We ask the industry to hear our voices as we’re on a mission to see a much-needed change.

Please check out the report here: https://blim.org.uk/report-unseen-unheard

Alexandra Ampofo is a promoter at Metropolis Music

PREDICTIONS FOR SEPTEMBER

VEYAH (UK), WINONA FIGHTER (US), SKEETE (UK), SUZANNA SON (US), RIONS, THE (AU)

“We can refuse to allow accessibility to become an afterthought in our everyday lives”

ALEXANDRA AMPOFO

Tracking the acts that have found representation at booking agencies around the world.

WILLIAM DOYLE (UK)

AGENT Dave Jennings | Toucan Talent Agency

COUNTDOWN TO IFF 2023

The International Festival Forum in association with TicketSwap (IFF) returns in just a few short weeks, and with a new venue, more delegates than ever, and a bumper schedule of shows, debates, and networking, it looks to be the strongest edition yet.

IFF brings together key music festivals and booking agents at a critical booking period in the autumn, with a schedule of agency and country partner showcases; a multitude of parties, dinners, lunches, and networking opportunities; conference debates and even speedmeetings for those who prefer a more structured introduction.

This year’s edition is moving to a new location – Omeara in South London and surrounding venues. And with 1,000 or so professionals expected, the ninth edition looks to continue the longstanding trend of IFF selling out well in advance.

Partner agencies for this year’s IFF include ATC Live, Earth, CAA, ITB, One Fiinix Live, Primary Talent, Pure, Solo, UTA, Wasserman, and X-ray Touring with over 100 agents from other firms also in attendance. Meanwhile, festival operators attending en masse include FKP Scorpio, Superstruct, Live Nation, DEAG, AEG, and a host of superb independents and more from over 40 markets.

Want to know more? It’s all at www.iff.rocks

AN IFF PASS

INCLUDES:

Entry to all showcases and parties

Access to all conference sessions

Complimentary lunch and dinner on both Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 September

Complimentary beverages

Access to the IFF Networking Scheme

A copy of the IFF Conference Guide containing contact info and rosters of all partner agencies

INTERNATIONAL SHOWCASE 2023

Alongside all of this year’s agency showcases, a trio of country partners are joining IFF’s schedule to present this year's International Showcase. Music from Ireland, Music Finland, and The Spanish Wave will present five of the fastest-rising artists from their respective markets, performing live for delegates.

WHERE & WHEN: Omeara, London 20:00 onwards, Wednesday, 27 September

WHAT’S ON THE AGENDA?

While the focus of IFF is on networking, booking and showcases, the conference agenda highlights key topics for discussion. This year’s programme includes The IFF Keynote with CAA co-heads Emma Banks and Mike Greek, while The Festival Season 2023 sees chair Christof Huber (Yourope) review the summer season. Headliners: The Winner Takes It All? will see WME’s Andy Duggan chair a critical booking debate, while The Audience Session: Community matters invites Ticketmaster’s Sarah Slater to lead a conversation on that most critical festival component – the audience. Full information: www.iff.rocks

SCHEDULE

TUESDAY 26 SEPTEMBER

17:30 EVENT

THE IFF OPENING PARTY, HOSTED BY CAA

Flat Iron Square

19:30 SHOWCASE

UNITED TALENT AGENCY PRESENTS

Amazing Grace

WEDNESDAY 27 SEPTEMBER

09:00

COMPLIMENTARY COFFEE & JUICE Arch 33, IFF Campus

09:30

POP-UP AGENCY OFFICES

Various locations

10:00 PANEL

THE FESTIVAL SEASON 2023 Arch 33, IFF Campus

10:30

IFF SPEEDMEETINGS

Flat Iron Square

11:00

COFFEE BREAK

Arch 33, IFF Campus

11:30 PANEL

THE AUDIENCE SESSIONS: COMMUNITY MATTERS

Arch 33, IFF Campus

12:00 EVENT

COMPLIMENTARY LUNCH

Food Arch, IFF Campus

13:30 SHOWCASE

PLAYBOOK ARTISTS PRESENTS

Omeara, IFF Campus

14:20 SHOWCASE

SOLO AGENCY PRESENTS

Omeara, IFF Campus

15:00 EVENT

THE WME HAPPY HOUR

Carrubo Bar, IFF Campus

15:50 SHOWCASE

X-RAY TOURING PRESENTS

Omeara, IFF Campus

17:30 SHOWCASE

ONE FIINIX LIVE PRESENTS

Omeara, IFF Campus

18:15 EVENT

THE IFF DINNER

In Horto, IFF Campus

20:00 SHOWCASE

EARTH AGENCY PRESENTS

Amazing Grace

20:00 SHOWCASE

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOWCASE

Omeara, IFF Campus

THURSDAY 28 SEPTEMBER

09:00

COMPLIMENTARY COFFEE & JUICE Arch 33, IFF Campus

09:30

POP-UP AGENCY OFFICES

Various locations

10:00 PANEL

HEADLINERS: THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL?

Arch 33, IFF Campus

11:00

COFFEE BREAK

Arch 33, IFF Campus

11:30 PANEL

THE IFF KEYNOTE:

EMMA BANKS & MIKE GREEK

Arch 33, IFF Campus

12:00 EVENT

COMPLIMENTARY LUNCH

Food Arch, IFF Campus

13:15 SHOWCASE

ITB PRESENTS

Omeara, IFF Campus

14:30 SHOWCASE

PRIMARY TALENT INTERNATIONAL PRESENTS

Omeara, IFF Campus

16:00 EVENT

WASSERMAN MUSIC DRINKS

Carrubo Bar, IFF Campus

16:55 SHOWCASE

ATC LIVE PRESENTS

Omeara, IFF Campus

18:30 EVENT

IFF’S ‘BIG FINALE’ DINNER

In Horto, IFF Campus

20:00 SHOWCASE

THE IFF & MVT ‘UNITED BY MUSIC’ MIXER

Omeara, IFF Campus

2023’s PRIMARY PARTNERS

Since launched The New Bosses back in 2008, our track record in recognising future leaders has been impressively accurate – mostly thanks to you, our readers, who take the time to nominate the young, talented colleagues who have been impressing you with their creativity and different approaches to business. And this year is no different, as we recognise 20 of the music industry’s finest executives, aged 30 or under, in association with Futures Forum, the platform for the next generation of live music industry leaders to forge relationships and exchange ideas.

The individual profiles on the following pages are heavily edited versions of the full interviews we conducted with our class of 2023 New Bosses. Please keep an eye on iq-mag.net in the coming days and weeks, where we will be publishing the full Q&As. Congratulations to everyone selected as one of this year’s New Bosses!

ALFIE JEFFERIES (UK)

PROGRAMMING ADMINISTRATOR

THE O2

You’ve experienced what it’s like to tour as a musician. How can people in the business better look after the acts they work with?

In my experience, musicians and artists choose that line of work because they find such great purpose in it. Understanding that and encouraging open and honest discussion about things like finances, wellbeing, and relationships can go a really long way.

How would you encourage the next generation to choose a career in the live music sector?

It’s important that young people are informed about the different opportunities available to them – the live music sector in particular has so many to explore. Raising awareness by providing work experience placements, delivering masterclasses/workshops, and mentoring can be really beneficial ways to encourage young people to choose the live music sector as a career.

Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?

I hope to still be learning new skills and working alongside inspiring people. I’d like to think I’ll still be working at The O2 – I still have so much to learn, and this feels like the perfect environment to develop in.

As a new boss, what one thing would you change to make the live entertainment industry a better place?

Championing diversity is vital. I know that as a cis white male, I need to be doing more to understand my privilege and educate myself as to why that is. It’s important we can have difficult conversations to determine the reasoning for this and take the initiative to action positive change.

ANOUK GANPATSING (NL)

BOOKER | FRIENDLY FIRE

Do you have a mentor or people you can trust to bounce ideas off?

Age Versluis. His advice is spot-on, helping me navigate challenges and grow as an individual, [and] his passion for music is contagious – I love to work with people like that!

Despite the pandemic, you have managed to pack quite a lot into your career to date. What advice could you offer to others who are trying to get a foot in the door of the music industry?

The spot for my internship didn’t even exist. One day, at a record store, I spotted the director of Melkweg. Feeling bold, I approached and asked if he had any open spots for a music management student like me. And he did! Sometimes, if direct internships aren’t available, volunteering at a venue or festival can be another fantastic way to get involved.

Are there any particular events, forums, or platforms you visit to meet peers and expand your network of contacts?

Eurosonic Noorderslag, The Great Escape, IFF, and ILMC. These events offer valuable opportunities to connect with new people in the industry and strengthen existing relationships with those you are currently working with.

Friendly Fire works across a number of disciplines in the music industry. Where would you like to see yourself in five years’ time?

I’d like to have built my own roster with the artists and genres that I like (country, pop, R&B, indie). One of my primary goals is to create a larger platform for country music in the Netherlands and actively contribute to the growth of this genre. Yeehaw!

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LEAVE THEM WANTING MORI

The sudden death of cofounder Andy Fletcher last year had Depeche Mode contemplating the end of the band. But with new album Memento Mori invigorating both the act and their fans, the tour of the same name is arguably their best yet, with armies of ‘Devotees’ filling stadiums and arenas to celebrate the new music and the band’s legendary catalogue. Gordon Masson joined them.

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Photo © Daniel Robert Dinu, Emagic

THOMAS JOHANSSON AT 75

As part of the team that introduced ABBA to the world, Thomas Johansson has enjoyed an equally stellar career, cementing the Nordic territories into the routing of every international tour that visits Europe. Now, with his 75th birthday on the horizon, he’s contemplating the future. But retirement is not a concept he fully recognises, he tells Gordon Masson. © Gabriel

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Liljevall

TEN YEARS OF OVO HYDRO

TIME TO MEET THE BEST FANS IN THE WORLD…

When Rod Stewart opened what was then the SSE Hydro in Glasgow in September 2013, it marked a new era in arena-scale gig-going in the city that has changed the landscape both physically and culturally.

Designed on a Greek amphitheatre model by Fosters + Partners and built on the once neglected Queen’s Dock area of Glasgow that now forms the Scottish Event Campus, the £125 million arena’s spaceship-sized expanse has become the centrepiece of a trinity of neighbouring venues. The original Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre opened in 1985, with the Clyde Auditorium, better known as the Armadillo, following in 1997.

A full decade in the planning, disaster struck in June 2013 when a major fire broke out during construction. Despite the extensive damage, the arena opened just one month behind schedule.

Ten years on from that curtain-raising Rod Stewart show, and what is now the OVO Hydro has hosted more than 1,000 concerts and is on the map as one of the most successful concert venues in the world.

Up until 2019, when Aberdeen’s P&J Live venue opened, the 14,300-capacity Hydro was the largest entertainment venue in Scotland and the fifth largest in the UK. And to underscore the demand for live entertainment in Scotland, in 2019, the Hydro was the second busiest venue in the world (according to Pollstar’s annual numbers), with only New York’s Madison Square Garden getting bigger audiences than the 1m-plus per year the Hydro now regularly attracts.

With the likes of Fleetwood Mac, and Bruno Mars following Rod Stewart’s curtain-raising performance, the Hydro has gone on to host almost every major act in the world. This has included shows by Beyoncé, David Byrne, Billie Eilish, Kylie Minogue, and what turned out to be the last ever appearance in Scotland by Prince.

Comedy shows such as the stage versions of

Scottish TV sitcoms Still Game and Mrs Brown’s Boys have also graced the Hydro’s stage for multiple shows. The 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards was held at the Hydro, which was also used as a venue for that year’s Commonwealth Games. In 2021, the Hydro was also used for COP26, the UN Climate Change Conference that brought together one of the largest gatherings of world leaders to discuss environmental issues in a changing world.

While the Covid-induced lockdowns during 2020 and 2021 closed down live music across the world, the Hydro was co-opted as a vaccination centre. Once live music returned, the venue hit the ground running to sate a refreshed desire for large-scale events.

From Wee to Stoater

But what makes the OVO Hydro so special for artists and audiences alike? For Scotland-based promoters such as Geoff Ellis of DF Concerts and Mark Mackie of Regular Music, the Hydro filled a gap in the market that Glasgow audiences were crying out for.

“I guess the biggest thing with the Hydro is the fact that it’s available all year round,” says Ellis, “whereas previously, the SECC was only available for a few weeks at a time in-between everything else going on there. So, the Hydro has completely opened up the market.

“The fact that it’s a purpose-built entertainment venue makes the actual experience of going there a good one for fans, and that again has really transformed the market, with audiences coming, not just from Glasgow, but from all over Scotland and beyond. This has meant we can do a lot more shows in a venue that feels intimate because of the way it’s been built as an amphitheatre.”

Ellis continues, “I used to say our biggest competition for arena shows isn’t other promoters in Scotland, it’s other cities in the UK or the rest of Europe. Whereas now, since the Hydro opened, Glasgow is usually one of the key cities for artists

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Swedish House Mafia, OVO Hydro 2022

© Michael C Hunter

Consistently recognised as one of the world’s busiest venues, the OVO Hydro in Glasgow has revolutionised Scotland’s live entertainment sector. Now, as the arena marks its tenth birthday, its promoter clients, suppliers, and staff acknowledge the £125m building as one of the greatest investments in Scotland’s history. Neil Cooper reports.

BLOSSOM TIME FOR JAPAN

As the world’s second-biggest music market, Japan historically has been a crucial tour destination for international artists looking to expand their fanbases. Interest in foreign acts has somewhat dwindled in the last decade, but with a slew of new venues under construction, there’s a new drive to return to the glory days. Adam Woods reports.

The western concert business tends to view itself as a global movement these days, professionalising and supercharging new markets one by one – and there is plenty of truth in that narrative.

A market like Japan, however, sits stubbornly outside that vision. Already the second-biggest live market in the world, Japan doesn’t require professionalising by American or European operators, and Covid pains aside, it hardly needs supercharging.

It remains a market ruled by large domestic operators, in which major western live powers are relative minnows, domestic artists are by far the biggest attractions, and big western touring stars often find themselves invited to swap stadiums and arenas for theatres or even clubs.

As it has been for 20 years or more, Japan remains strikingly self-contained. Anecdotally, domestic acts make up 90% of concert ticket sales; for incomers, the market can be riven with complexities and local peculiarities.

But for companies with global intent, Japan represents both a vital strategic beachhead for the wider Asian region and, of course, a glittering prize in its own right.

“Japan has always been a priority for US agents given the importance of the market,” says Kaori Hayashi of leading Japanese promoter Hayashi International Promotion. “The anchor dates for an Asian tour are the Japanese ones, and post-Covid this remains the same.”

Japan was hit hard by the pandemic, but its bounce-back is well underway. In 2021, the concert market in Japan amounted to roughly ¥154.7bn – a big fall from ¥423.7bn in 2019 [source: ACPC], but a partial recovery from the inevitable 2020 slump, which saw the market plummet to ¥58.9bn. In 2023, however, the market is surging once again and widely predicted to return to pre-Covid levels in 2024.

“After the Covid-19 pandemic, the concert and event industry has been recovering, including a

surge in demand due to a backlash against the pandemic,” says Naoya Kurami, CEO of leading ticketing provider eplus.

“As a result, our core business, the ticketing industry, achieved its highest transaction volume from April 2022 to March 2023. Between April and September this year, we predict that the recovery trend will continue, and from October to next March, it will settle into a gradual uptrend.”

In the meantime, a wave of new venues is on the horizon, creating fresh possibilities for new content and potentially easing the booking difficulties that have frustrated many an international tour.

Incoming interests

The biggest international corporates have made no secret of their Japanese ambitions in recent years. Live Nation, CTS Eventim, and AEG all operate there – Live Nation since 2012, most recently under former UDO Artists executive Kei Ikuta; Eventim since 2021, with Asian veteran Jason Miller at the helm; AEG Presents in partnership with local indie giant Avex Entertainment, an arrangement enshrined in a joint venture in 2021.

These operators, alongside large local promoters with a stake in the international business – who include companies such as Creativeman, Hayashi International Promotion, Kyodo Tokyo, Smash, and UDO Artists – are highly engaged with the problem of increasing international music’s share of the market.

“Japan is getting closer to the overseas market as distribution grows and YouTube and TikTok become mainstream,” says Naoki Shimizu, president of Creativeman, operator of the prominent Summer Sonic Festival and one of the leading Japanese promoters. “Our goal is to return to the 25% share of western music that existed 20 years ago. Now it is said to be 10%, but I believe that the share has risen to about 15%.”

There are signs that the market is already moving in a positive direction for international artists.

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Hayashi International Promotion hosted Bruno Mars for a run of five shows in the Tokyo Dome last year

Who is the most memorable act that you’ve seen at a showcase gig?

TOP SHOUT

Black Honey at IFF in 2015. My late arrival on a sleepless flight from Seoul to London was telling my body to stay in the hotel for the night, but our dear friend, the late Steve Strange, was aggressively calling me, numerous times, to come and check out this new band that X-ray was showcasing. I ended up dragging myself, with my eyes half open, to be awoken by the first song that I heard from the band and also a loud shout in my ear from Steve while the act was playing. We ended up having them play Pentaport the following year.

Tommy Jinho Yoon | ICA Live Asia

In 1987, as an agent at ICM, I covered a Guns N’ Roses show at The Ritz in New York. My recollection is that it was not well-attended. The band was so breathtakingly great that when the show ended, the audience went completely silent for more than a beat. It was a lightning-in-a-bottle moment where you felt that you were in the presence of genius. There, in the early stage of its career, Guns N’ Roses was already magical.

Bruce Moran | Live Nation

Before coronavirus shut down the live music world in the spring/summer of 2020, it was such a rush to catch Molchat Doma at Eurosonic Noorderslag in January of that year just as buzz was building internationally for them. Say what you will about TikTok, but without it, this talented band never could have reached so many new fans

all over the world, and it has been fantastic to see a band from Belarus (not singing in English) play festival slots all over Europe and the US as a result.

Charlie Amter | Meltwater

The Struts at some pub in Camden. Why are they not bigger? Also, Storry at The Troubadour earlier this year – amazing!

John Giddings | Solo

The Darkness at the X-ray Touring showcase at IFF in 2019.

Beckie Sugden | CAA

YAK at the Molotov during Reeperbahn Festival 2016. Too bad this band never made it.

Sabine Waltz | IBD Booking

Probably Sinead O’Connor when she was with Ton Ton Macoute. Enough said .

Robert Fitzpatrick | The Odyssey Trust

In the very early ’80s, I went to see Tuxedo Moon in a small open-air theatre in The Hague. There were some 800 people, and the reason why I still remember that day was the support act: it was the very first gig outside the UK of Depeche Mode.

Leon Ramakers | Mojo Concerts

One of the great showcases was Tinariwen from Mali at Womex (Seville) in 2003. Perfect desert blues in no hurry to go anywhere because it’s already there. And they’re still going strong.

Nick Hobbs | Charmenko

As a young kid, two ‘promo tour’ performances I saw at some under-18 events in Gravesend, Kent, always stick in the memory: Mel and Kim at Springhead Hall, and Phil Fearon (Galaxy) at Woodville Halls sparked something off in me, not only for pop music but to put me on the track to want to work in live music.

Gary Howard | UTA

David Gray performing White Ladder pre-release, acoustically with Clune. Two acoustic guitars and he switched between a grand piano. A true “WOW-who-the-f#ck-is-this-guy?” moment.

Denis Sullivan | Feld Entertainment

Yungblud at ESNS 2018. I drifted inside our usual gathering spot at Huize Maas and noticed a very energetic 19-year-old laughing before he got up on stage and delivered a performance so mesmerising that I stood there for the whole time and missed all my meetings for the night.

Boyan Pinter | Spike Bulgarian Music Showcase & Conference

Royal Blood in Groningen at Eurosonic in 2014! The venue was Vera – packed and hot and amazing!

Niek Murray | Pinkpop

I love showcasing gigs – they give me the feeling that I have a chance to fish a pearl out of the sea before others can cast their nets. During IFF, I picked out Franc Moody, who later performed at the Salt Wave Festival. I expect a lot of good from this IFF edition, and I’ve already packed my fishing rod. Sea you soon!

Sara Kordek | Good Taste Production

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STORT TILLYKKE THOMAS JOHANSSON

Mange kærlige hilsner

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