IQ42

Issue 42 LIVE MUSIC INTELLIGENCE An ILMC Publication. July 2012

THE VIRTUAL FESTIVAL

L AUNCHING

N EW E VENT

A

IN

2012

A WRISTED DEVELOPMENT

RFID MAKES ITS MARK ON FESTIVAL SCENE

MARKET REPORT – FRANCE RECESSION BITES GALLIC BUSINESS

THIS COULD BE PARADISE

C OLDPLAY ’ S

REMARKABLE

M YLO X YLOTO T OUR

HAPPY BIRTHDAY O2

W ORLD ’ S

TOP ARENA TURNS FIVE

MORE THAN A MAN ON THE DOOR ROGER EDWARDS FROM ILMC TO EGYPT MOUSSA ABU TALEB TALKING TICKETS PETER MONKS CLOUDS ON THE HORIZON GEORGIA TAGLIETTI

Contents News 6 In Brief The main headlines over the last two months 7 In Depth

16

Key stories from around the live music world

Features 16 IQ’s Virtual Festival

Advice on launching a festival in 2012

22 A Wristed Development RFID makes its mark on the festival scene 30 This Could Be Paradise

Coldplay’s ground-breaking Mylo Xyloto tour

22

50 Formidable or Formidable Adam Woods hears that the recession is taking a hold in France 58 Five Years at the (Big) Top

AEG executives celebrate The O2’s fifth anniversary

Comments and Columns 12 More Than a Man on the Door Roger Edwards examines security in Olympics year 13 From ILMC to Egypt

30

Moussa Abu Taleb hopes for more tours following the Arab Spring 14 Talking Tickets Peter Monks urges more cooperation in ticketing 15 Clouds on the Horizon

Georgia Taglietti reviews Spain’s festival market

64 In Focus

Queen’s Jubilee, charity walkers, award winners and more

66 Your Shout

Your most memorable festival experiences

50

58

July 2012 IQ Magazine | 3

TIME FOR CHANGES Another summer, another needless fatal accident. But with investigators seemingly intent on apportioning blame, Gordon Masson ponders whether an ILMC prediction may come true...

It’s the height of summer here in the northern hemisphere, but rather than shooting the breeze about the success of festivals or the quality of the mud at said weekenders, unfortunately, the live music industry is once again under the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, following the death of drum tech Scott Johnson.

The 33-year-old died and others were injured when the stage roof at an outdoor Radiohead show in Toronto collapsed on 16 June, prompting Canadian authorities to launch an investigation they believe might result in criminal charges.

While nobody wishes to see the finger pointed at them for something so devastating, the fact that people are still being killed for simply doing their job in 2012 is farcical and if the police do identify a culpable company or individual, then it might do the live music business the power of good in the long run. As The Event Safety Shop’s Tim Roberts suggested at the ILMC Production Meeting back in March, if people’s wallets or liberty are threatened, then just maybe the business will start treating the issue of safety as seriously as they should.

On a positive note, Steve Machin’s application for the .tickets internet domain (see page 9) could provide the ticketing business with an effective answer to webbased fraudsters. Not only has he received plaudits from entertainment ticketing operators, but the likes of airlines have also backed his idea and I’d urge anyone who hasn’t registered their support to do so as a matter of urgency, because the more evidence ICANN has to make its ruling, the better. Machin can be contacted via his email, hello@dotTickets.org.

In your July issue of IQ, you’ll also find

our extended tour report on the massive Coldplay Mylo Xyloto tour (page 30), which as well as embracing new technologies to engage fans, runs on a unique schedule to allow band and crew time to recharge their batteries every month.

As The O2 arena celebrates five record-breaking years (page 58), we talk to senior AEG executives to discover the secrets behind the venue’s success and their plans to take the building to even greater heights in the next five years.

Adam Woods talks to those working in France (page 50) and learns that the economy isn’t just harming box office receipts, but there’s a real danger that the country’s plans to build a swathe of new multi-purpose arenas could be shelved if arts subsidies are slashed.

And elsewhere in this edition, Chris Austin asks the experts for their advice on how to launch a sustainable new festival in such a saturated market and I mix with the boffins to find out all about the exciting capabilities of RFID and the various new revenue streams it could be set to generate.

Finally, expect to find an email in your inbox from us within the next few days, asking you to nominate your favourite up-and-coming leader for our annual introduction to The New Bosses.

Usual rules apply – the nominees have to be aged 30 or under and should be making a name for themselves in their market and/or internationally. But they can come from any sector in the music business – agents, promoters, artist management, venues, production, A&R, PR, recorded music, publishing or wherever. So don your thinking caps and nominate the upstarts who have most impressed you over the last 12 months.

Issue 42 LIVE MUSIC INTELLIGENCE THE ILMC JOURNAL, July 2012 IQ Magazine 140 Gloucester Avenue London, NW1 8JA info@iq-mag.net www.iq-mag.net Tel: +44 (0) 20 3204 1195 Fax: +44 (0) 20 3204 1191 Publisher ILMC and M4 Media Editor Gordon Masson Editorial Consultant Greg Parmley Associate Editor Allan McGowan Marketing & Advertising Manager Terry McNally Sub Editor Michael Muldoon Production Assistant Adam Milton Editorial Assistant Laura Bennett Contributors Manfred Tari, Chris Austin, Adam Woods, Roger Edwards, Moussa Abu Taleb, Peter Monks, Georgia Taglietti Editorial Contact Gordon Masson, gordon@iq-mag.net Tel: +44 (0)20 3204 1195 Advertising Contact Terry McNally, terry@iq-mag.net Tel: +44 (0)20 3204 1193

To subscribe to IQ Magazine: +44 (0)20 7284 5867 info@iq-mag.net Annual subscription to IQ is £50 (€60) for 6 issues.

July 2012 IQ Magazine | 5

News

In Brief...

APRIL US artist management and music publishing company Primary Wave Music hires former EMI and Warner Music A&R man Clive Black to head up its new UK office.

Sydney Entertainment Centre will close in December 2012 to be replaced by an 8,000-capacity multi-purpose arena as part of New South Wales government’s AUS$1billion (€800m) plan for an entertainment precinct at Sydney’s Darling Harbour.

Authorities in the Toronto suburb of Markham green light an ambitious $325m (€260m) proposal to build a 20,000-capacity arena.

SuperVision Management’s James Sandom and Cerne Canning jump ship to set up Red Light Management’s new London office, taking with them clients such as Crystal Castles, The Cribs, Franz Ferdinand and Kaiser Chiefs.

Live Nation makes a deal with One Direction shows in Toronto, Detroit and Chicago to sell merch the day before the group’s concerts, stating sales of programmes, posters and shirts should rise.

Beastie Boys’ Adam ‘MCA’ Yauch loses his battle with cancer, aged 47.

Viagogo UK raises eyebrows by shifting its operational base to Switzerland.

Speculation that it wants to resell Olympic Games tickets without falling foul of British law is confirmed when it emerges it has a deal to sell tickets on behalf of the Spanish Olympic Committee.

Former Clear Channel Entertainment Europe chairman Paul Gregg sells family-owned Apollo cinema chain to conglomerate Vue for £20m (€25m). In 1999, Gregg sold Apollo Leisure Group to SFX Entertainment for £120m (€150m).

Ticketek gets the nod from AEG Ogden for the ticketing services contract at the new Perth Arena in Australia. The 15,500-capacity venue opens in November 2012.

Acts from the four home nations of Great Britain are confirmed for a special concert to coincide with the opening of the Olympic Games in London. Duran Duran, Paolo Nutini, Snow Patrol and Stereophonics will perform in Hyde Park on 27 July.

Investment firm Silver Lake Partners completes a transaction to acquire a 31% stake in William Morris Endeavor. No financial details are disclosed, but Silver Lake says it will help the agency exploit digital opportunities for its clients.

Bee Gees’ frontman Robin Gibb dies at 62 after losing a long battle with cancer.

Adam Yauch

MAY

Australian festival Splendour in the Grass wins a four-year battle against protest groups to gain local authority approval for a move to a permanent site in Byron Bay. Disco diva Donna Summer dies after a long battle with cancer, aged 63.

The late Luciano Pavarotti’s manager, Herbert Breslin (87), widely credited for the tenor’s ascent to global fame, dies of a suspected heart attack.

JUNE Supermarket giant Tesco buys a 91% share in music streaming site We7 for £10.8m (€13.5m).

The estates of Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison say they are exploring the idea of turning the late legends into holograms.

Former AEG Germany CEO, Detlef Kornett, forms a venue consultancy company, called Verescon, with DEAG chief Peter

Schwenkow. The business will advise on areas such as content, marketing and budgeting.

Limp Bizkit points the finger at a lack of barriers for safety issues during a festival show in Poland. The 1 June gig at the 30,000-capacity Ursynalia Students Festival in Warsaw reportedly involved fans being crushed and passing out.

The BBC records the biggest British TV audience of the year with its coverage of the Queen’s diamond jubilee concert on 4 June. Paul McCartney, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Kylie Minogue, Tom Jones, Robbie Williams and Madness, are watched by an audience peaking at 17m.

Popkomm, Germany’s oldest annual music conference and trade fair announces its cancellation for 2012. Delegate numbers have dramatically decreased in recent years, leading to speculation that the event may be scrapped completely.

Swedish telecom operator Tele2 pays an undisclosed sum to secure naming rights for Stockholm’s new stadium. The AEGoperated building will have a retracting roof and a maximum 40,000-capacity when it opens next year.

Music Finland, the new organisation formed by the unification of Music Export Finland and the Finnish Music Information Centre, officially opens for business under the guidance of executive director Tuomo Tahtinen.

SMG Europe promotes John Knight to regional vice-president. He will continue to oversee operations at Manchester Evening News Arena, where he was general manager, but will add Belfast’s Odyssey Arena, York Barbican and the under-construction Leeds Arena to his remit.

Staging firm ES Group collapses with debts of AUS$6 (€4.8m). The company, which services festival clients Good Vibrations, Future Music and Parklife, is reportedly criticised by administrators for “bad management, poor cost control, excessive wages and salaries.”

To subscribe to IQ Magazine: +44 (0)20 7284 5867 info@iq-mag.net Annual subscription to IQ is £50 (€60) for 6 issues.

6 | IQ Magazine July 2012

News

AEG and CTS Buy Eurosonic to Focus on Finland Hammersmith Apollo Finnish talent will be the main focus at the Eurosonic Noorderslag event after organisers named the country as its main partner for its January showcase and conference programme.

The focus on Finland will be organised by trade export body Music Finland in cooperation with radio station YleX, the Finnish Cultural Institute for the Benelux and the Embassy of Finland in The Netherlands. In the past, countries such as France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Belgium, Norway, The Netherlands and Ireland have benefitted from the exposure that Eurosonic provides through its talent focus initiative. “[Eurosonic Noorderslag] has succeeded in creating excellent chances of connecting with and showcasing to a top-notch international delegation comprising festival bookers, media and key players from other industry sectors alike,” says Music Fin-

land executive director Tuomo Tähtinen. “Considering this and the current, steady uprising of interesting new Finnish acts in all genres, the country partnership couldn’t take place at a better time.”

Delegate registration for the 27th edition of Eurosonic has now opened and creative director Peter Smidt is also inviting acts that would like to perform at the 9-12 January event to register on the website or apply through the Sonicbids music networking social site.

“Music Export Finland, Finnish Music Information Centre Fimic, YleX, Provinssirock and Ruisrock Festival have been steady partners from the start of Eurosonic Noorderslag,” adds Smidt. “With successful acts like Disco Ensemble, Astrid Swan, LCMDF, French Films, Reckless Love, Mirel Wagner and many, many more there is enough reason to do a focus on the healthy Finnish music scene at Eurosonic Noorderslag 2013.”

AEG Live and ticketing giants CTS Eventim have agreed a joint £32million (€40m) bid to acquire London’s landmark Hammersmith Apollo venue from HMV-owned Mama Group.

The sale of the 5,000-capacity building is conditional upon obtaining competition clearance in the UK and Germany and HMV obtaining shareholder approval, but the entertainment retailer is confident the transaction should be completed by August. The Apollo will be operated by a company called Stage C, jointly-owned by AEG and CTS. The sale represents a significant return for HMV, which will use the proceeds to restructure its existing £220m

(€275m) bank facility. The company bought Mama Group in a deal worth £46m (€57.5m) in 2009 and Mama continues to operate London venues HMV Forum (2,300-capacity), Heaven (1,000), The Garage (800), Barfly Camden (450), Jazz Café (400) and The Borderline (300). Elsewhere in the UK it owns Manchester’s HMV Ritz (1,500), Edinburgh’s HMV Picture House (1,500) and the HMV Institute in Birmingham (1,500).

AEG currently owns and operates The O2 and IndigO2 music club both in Greenwich, London and the company says the Hammersmith Apollo will provide a complementary fit to both AEG and CTS’s existing UK operations.

PrimaveraPro Details Festival Financial Impact Festivals can offer a way out of the present economic problems by bringing in jobs, employment, tourists, media benefits and cold hard cash to a region. This was the message that came across loud and clear on the second day of PrimaveraPro, which experienced 1,400 participants – a rise of 27% on last year, with attendees from 43 countries. “[PrimaveraPro] has really taken a huge step towards becoming one of the main conferences in Europe when it comes to joining music and business,” said Alber-

to Guijarro, co-director of the San Miguel Primavera Sound festival.

Bearded Theory promoter Rich Bryan said the ongoing recession was the biggest threat to festivals, coupled with the sheer number of events.

Another major difficulty facing festivals – and one which came up on several panels – is the scarcity of headlining acts.

“There isn’t enough headliner talent to go round,” said Ear to the Ground’s Jon Drape, while discussing the number of older bands who are headlining festivals this year during the Future

of Festivals panel. “It is difficult for artists to get to a point where they can headline festivals,” agreed Mama Group’s Adam Ryan. “It is very difficult to develop and build a solid fan base. For young bands, I think the new generation of fans have no concept that music has value,” he said.

One key panel, Big Benefits: The Positive Role Of Festivals In Their Cities and Communities, detailed how much money events can generate for local economies – and the numbers were quite staggering: South By

South West festival has an economic impact of $168 million (€134m) for the city of Austin, Texas; Way Out West Sweden has a financial impact of €10m for Gothenburg and Eurockeennes is worth €2.5m to Belfort in France. “Festivals are a massive opportunity to make jobs,” noted Womad director Chris Smith. “There are huge benefits to communities [from festivals]. The future of festivals lies in us promoting ourselves as an asset to society and a way out of these problems.”

July 2012 IQ Magazine | 7

News

Small Festival Wows Catalan Sounds Attract to Win Bursary Crowds to The Great Escape Cockermouth Rock Festival has been gifted £2,000 (€2,500) worth of accreditation by wristband supplier ID&C as winner of the company’s inaugural Grass Roots Festival Competition.

Taking place in the UK’s Lake District, 20-22 July, the 5,000-capacity event, nicknamed ‘CockRock’ by fans, stood-out amongst 42 other festivals that applied for ID&C’s bursary prize, with the judges revealing that its dedication to charity, support for its local music scene and devotion to audience experience swung the vote.

“We’re chuffed to receive the recognition for CockRock and this kind of financial contribution is worth its weight in gold,” says CockRock festival chairman Clint Stamper, who reveals the not-for-profit event builds most of its equip-

ment and loans it out to other events throughout the year.

“We’re definitely a thrifty festival. Our DIY approach means we can develop other areas of the festival like the line-up and toilets,” he says.

Originally a barbecue fund-raiser, seven years later, the festival has donated over £44,000 (€55,000) for the Cumbrian Mountain Rescue and Air Ambulance services and this year will feature headline slots by Tinchy Stryder and the Fun Lovin’ Criminals.

ID&C’s Craig Bennett says the competition denotes the start of an annual gesture.

“We ran the competition to give something back to smaller festivals who embody a grass roots ethos. Reading the entries reconfirmed our feelings that the industry is still thriving, and full of enthusiastic people with amazing ideas.”

Showcase and conference event The Great Escape attracted a record 16,000 attendees to its 10-12 May programme, where more than 300 acts squeezed in to every possible performance space in Brighton.

With personalities such as Placebo’s Brian Molko, producer Trevor Horn and Glastonbury chief Michael Eavis on hand to bolster the conference agenda, the total number of registrations for the three-day event topped 1,600 as music industry delegates from around the world descended on the seaside town.

This year’s lead international partner was Institut Ramon Llull, which brought eight bands – Mujeres, Me And The Bees, Seward, Amics del Bosc, Ninette And The Goldfish,

Oso Leone, Furguson and The Suicide Of Western Culture - on its Catalan Sounds tour to The Great Escape and saw a number of Catalan music executives participate in panel sessions to discuss live opportunities in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands.

“Our two showcases were crowded and the acts got an amazing response from both the industry and press, with Seward receiving praise and repeat plays

by Jon Kennedy at Xfm Radio in the UK and garnering interest from some European promoters,” says Catalan Sounds’ Maria Lladó Ribot. “Taking part in the festival with such talented acts definitely helped to raise the profile and awareness of our music, which is one of our main objectives.”

James Barton

Live Nation Eyes Cream Expansion

Live Nation is exploiting the growing demand for electronic dance music by expanding the Creamfields brand internationally, after acquiring a majority share of parent company Cream Holdings. In May, Live Nation bought a controlling stake in

Cream from investment firm Ingenious Media Active Capital for £13.9million (€17.4m), but the remaining details of the transaction were not disclosed.

As part of the takeover, Cream founder James Barton has been appointed as Live Nation’s president of electronic music and has relocated to Los Angeles. Having established the Cream name 20 years ago, Barton hints that it was perhaps time to reinvigorate the brand, and the acquisition by Live Nation has provided him with a global remit to do exactly that. “Initially the strategy will be for me to focus on North America, but in parallel to that, we will be seeking new markets where

8 | IQ Magazine July 2012

we can take dance and electronic music,” says Barton.

“My role is not to go into developed electronic markets such as Belgium, Holland and Spain, but to identify new markets where we can develop the business.”

Barton’s brother Scott becomes managing director of Creamfields and will remain with the company’s other staff in Liverpool. “We have a great team and an experienced team in Liverpool and we’ve built a very successful business, which is exactly why Live Nation was interested, so there aren’t about to be any radical changes,” says Barton, adding that nobody else from Cream would be following

him Stateside, as he intends to recruit a new team to help with the expansion plans.

Paying tribute to Barton as a “pioneer in the electronic dance space,” Live Nation president and CEO Michael Rapino says. “With this acquisition, Live Nation further establishes its position in electronic music and expands its concert platform. We intend to launch new festivals in key markets in North America, Europe and Southeast Asia.”

At IQ’s press time, Live Nation acquired Los Angeles-based promoter Hard Events for an undisclosed sum, to further bolster its position in the electronic dance music sector.

News

Machin Makes .tickets Domain Move The UK live entertainment business is spearheading an ambitious attempt to clamp down on global ticket fraud by backing an application to create a new web domain exclusively for sites that meet high standards of consumer protection and security.

The idea to try to take control of the .tickets domain came about at ILMC 24 when technology panel chairman Steve Machin realised it could provide the ticketing industry with a readymade answer to online fraud. As a result, when the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) announced the 1,930 applicants for new domain words on 13 June, Machin’s The Dot Tickets Organisation was one of five applicants for

the .tickets domain.

Machin hopes that if ICANN grants the domain name to the ticketing industry, fans will be able to securely seek out the likes of www.festival.tickets or www. venue.tickets. He tells IQ, “We believe that our .tickets application is an independent and open structural solution that can be controlled, trusted and communicated simply and consistently to ticket buyers worldwide.”

Music Managers Forum CEO Jon Webster agrees, “Stamping out fraud in the ticketing industry is a significant challenge for the live entertainment industry and one that the MMF feels strongly about as it has a direct impact on our clients’ customers – the

fans of live music. We believe The Dot Tickets Organisation proposal will create a safe, secure and trusted environment online, making it easier for fans to spot scams and to visit only trusted websites for ticket sales and information.”

The Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers is also backing the move. Secretary Jonathan Brown says, “We strongly support innovative initiatives that will deliver high levels of awareness and protection for customers in the ticket marketplace. We look forward to working with The Dot Tickets Organisation as they continue to build coalitions within the ticketing industry and across borders.”

The UK’s National Fraud Office suggests ticket fraud

cost over £168million (€208m) in 2010 alone. Globally, that figure could reach several billion Euros.

Key to Machin’s bid is a series of geographic and sector-specific committees for the likes of sports, live entertainment and airline businesses, which would be responsible for setting the rules by which companies would be eligible to apply for the new domain name to market and sell tickets. Machin states, “We want to hear from any organisations who wish to get involved, to support our application, and to help us play our part in what we believe will benefit millions of vulnerable fans worldwide.”

ICANN’s ruling is expected in January 2013.

News

Melvin Benn

Benn Parts Ways with Glastonbury

Melvin Benn is severing his ties with Glastonbury Festival to concentrate on his own stable of events with Festival Republic. Live Nation will assume control of the stake in the mega-fest, while Benn and Glasto founder Michael Eavis will work together to find a

new operations director.

Benn is the current licence holder for the Somerset-based event, having taken over operational control a decade ago and during his tenure has helped grow Glastonbury to an annual capacity of 177,500 and claim the throne as the world’s most famous festival.

In addition to being chairman of Wembley Stadium, Benn has a growing number of events to oversee at Festival Republic, as the company has been expanding internationally in Ireland, Germany, Norway and the United States, prompting the mutual decision to walk away. “From an operational point of view, myself and my

EDM.biz Finds Strong Beat in First Year Proving that the growth of the electronic dance music (EDM) scene shows no sign of slowing, a new conference launched last month for specialists in the field.

Immediately preceding North America’s largest EDM event, Electric Daisy Carnival, in Las Vegas, EDM.biz attracted 500 delegates from 5-7 June.

While music industry conferences are now as common as cruise ship applications from X-Factor contestants, EDM. biz’s opening salvo of speakers ferociously marked its territory.

One of the most notable was Live Nation’s Michael Rapino whose presence, in the wake of purchasing Creamfields, sent a clear sign to attendees. “Electronic music is the most exciting thing that’s happened to the live music business in the last 20 years,” he said. “This space will make everyone in live music wake up and think ‘wow what am I doing for my fan?’ ”

Other luminaries in attendance included Lollapalooza founder Perry Farrell, Insomniac CEO Pasquale Rotella and Shelley Finkel of the newly revived SFX Entertainment, who outlined expansion plans rooted in the scene. “The focus will be to consolidate many of the promoters around the world operating in the EDM space,” he said. “The key is that if you go to Electric Daisy, there’s 360 more days in the year – how do you continue to engage with them all year around?”

With the major entertainment companies now having noticed EDM, and DJs even now making Forbes Celebrity 100 list (Tiesto at 84, and Skrillex at 92), the primary message from EDM.biz was of a scene no longer an underground sensation. “It’s an underground culture that’s now bursting out into mainstream culture,” said Stephanie LaFerra of Atom Empire.

10 | IQ Magazine July 2012

team have taken the festival as far as I can and it is time for a change,” says Benn. “It has been a wonderful journey with Michael but Latitude, Berlin, Hove and Electric Picnic, none of which existed in 2002, are my priorities, alongside maintaining Leeds and Reading as the bastions of the festival calendar they are, not to mention my demands at Wembley.

That said, I am committed to ensuring as smooth a handover as possible to the new team in Pilton and enjoying Glastonbury for many years to come as a festival-goer myself.”

Paying tribute to Benn, Glastonbury founder Eavis says that his daughter and

son-in-law will take on more responsibilities as the event goes forward. “Melvin definitely earned his stripes running the gates for us during the 80s.

This was a difficult time dealing with the closure of Stonehenge, the Battle of the Beanfield and the travellers and my attempts to accept them here at Worthy Farm was exciting but very challenging. I’ll be sorry to see him go, but he has masses of responsibility with all of his shows across the world and now is a good time to part company. I’ve got just about the best team in the business and Emily and Nick are heading up the next generation to take on more responsibility as well.”

WOMAD Celebrates 30 Years

World music festival WOMAD is celebrating a summer of birthdays as key events in its global stable reach landmark anniversaries. The organisation itself is marking 30 years, while WOMAD Cáceres in Spain chalks up its 21st edition, WOMADelaide turns 20 and WOMAD Sicily holds its 15th gathering.

The inaugural event 30 years ago was as a free festival in Shepton Mallet, near Glastonbury in England.

Unfortunately, that festival resulted in the organisation’s bankruptcy, but a charity concert organised by one of WOMAD’s founders,

artist Peter Gabriel, resurrected the project and in the decades since, the World Of Music, Arts and Dance has flourished to become one of the largest international festivals in the world, visiting 20 countries and producing more than 160 events.

Using the 30th anniversary as a springboard, organisers are hatching big plans for the future to continue to take the event to new markets, with artistic programmer Paula Henderson revealing there have been discussions to launch festivals in Brazil and Russia in the near future.

Artists for this year’s 27-29 July, 30th birthday festival at Charlton Park in Wiltshire include Robert Plant, Keb’ Mo’, Femi Kuti and Gurrumul, among many others, with Henderson promising a number of surprises at the event. “Festival-goers should expect the unexpected,” she adds.

News

Prosecution Department Investigate CTS Eventim CEO The Munich offices of CTS Eventim have been searched by the public prosecution department after company CEO Klaus Peter Schulenberg was implicated in a case of bribery with regard to the resale of tickets for the World Cup held in Germany in 2006.

Officials launched investigations in 2009 and carried out searches of ten offices in 2010, amongst which were the offices of CTS Eventim, the DFB (German Football Association) and several private individuals.

During the initial searches, CTS Eventim was considered an injured party, however this has since changed.

As the official ticketing partner for the DFB, Eventim handled the entire ticketing operation for the tournament. However, Bild reports that about 50,000 tickets were actually resold through a company called O&P Event Marketing GmbH which profited to the tune of €12million, and that it was Schulenberg and one

other person that benefited from the large sum.

Also under investigation is a former employee who left the company in 2004 to work for the World Cup organisation committee.

In a statement, CTS Eventim confirmed that the offices of the company had indeed been searched, and declared that the company board had offered the prosecution department its full cooperation and promised full transparency with regards to the case.” In

addition, CTS Eventim has engaged a law firm in order to carry out an internal audit.

Due to the ongoing investigations, neither CTS Eventim nor the DFB are able to reveal any further details at this point in time.

The news found its way onto financial websites and shortly after it became public the company’s share price dropped. On 15 June CTS shares closed at €28.15 and by 28 June they were down to €23.45.

Rock in Rio Partners with Brazilian Giant US$350million (€280m) will be poured into the Rock in Rio brand over the next five years.

Medina will continue to manage the festivals, assuming the role of chairman and CEO of the new company. IMX Live will structure the new venture’s financing and has already taken over the new European editions of the festival held in Lisbon (May and June) and Madrid (June and July). Rock in Rio returns to Brazil in September, 2013 and the following month makes its debut in Argentina.

To date, Rock in Rio has staged ten editions in Brazil, Portugal and Spain.

“We have always admired

one another and have wanted to get to know each other better,” says Medina of his new partner. “We are taking a leap into establishing global recognition of this brand, which is already known in various parts of the world. We are looking forward to being among the world’s important international events.”

With assets of $30billion (€24bn), entrepreneur Batista was this year ranked by Forbes as the world’s seventh wealthiest person. “Rock in Rio is a global brand, which has helped to establish a positive image of Rio de Janeiro abroad,” comments Batista.

“It is pure pleasure to be part-

nered with Roberto Medina and prove that we have capacity and resources, not only to host mega events, but also to export this product.”

The Brazilian-born duo say they will “explore all options for a brand that bears the Rio name, allowing the name and positive image of its namesake city to be exported around the planet.” In a statement, they add, “This will be especially significant during this era of great promise for Rio de Janeiro as it is soon to play host to the live 2013 Confederations Cup, 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

Stage Collapse Kills Drum Tech

in North America. In an interview in Rolling Stone, he says, “You need to go to steel. The shows nowadays are getting heavier and heavier with the lighting and the video screens.

These aluminium roofs, they can’t take the weight.” He adds, “There’s just been too many accidents. I have guys working who are really upset about it. Why go out and do a show and have something fall on your head and die?”

Meanwhile, the UK’s Institution of Structural Engineers’

Advisory Group on Temporary Structures has stated it will update its temporary demountable structures guidance “to address recent structural collapses” including the Radiohead incident and similar stage failures last year at Bluesfest in Ottawa, Canada; the Indiana State Fair in the United States; and Pukkelpop in Belgium. The guidance will also incorporate changes in practise due to the introduction of Eurocodes and could be published by April 2013.

Rock in Rio has agreed one of the largest transactions in the history of the live music industry, through a partnership deal with Eike Batista, the billionaire owner of one of Brazil’s biggest companies, EBX Group.

In an effort to take the massive festival to other territories, founder Roberto Medina has sold 50% of Rock in Rio’s holding company to IMX Live, which is described as “the entertainment arm of IMX, the holding company of the EBX Group and IMG Worldwide.”

Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed, but the partners claim that up to

Calls for promoters to stop using aluminium roofs for stages are growing following last month’s catastrophic stage collapse in Canada that claimed the life of 33-yearold drum tech Scott Johnson and injured three other crew members.

The Canadian government is investigating the circumstances surrounding the tragedy at a Radiohead show in Toronto’s Downsview Park on

16 June to try to pinpoint who was responsible for the incident. The authorities are reportedly examining the roles of four companies, including promoter Live Nation and Radiohead’s Ticker Tape Touring.

In an effort to prevent similar incidents happening in the future, veteran production manager Lars Brogaard is campaigning to end the use of lighter aluminium in temporary structures – a common practice

July 2012 IQ Magazine | 11

Comment

More than a Man on the Door

Roger Edwards – self confessed ‘veteran venue manager’ and partner in Access Risk Control highlights the availability of new technologies to ensure our leading events are as secure as possible...

I have always been a concert-goer, since the days of the twice-nightly package tours, and continue to be a consumer even after having enjoyed a long career at the top of venue management. At the risk of becoming a marked man, I also enjoyed a drink at these events and when not granted access to the largesse available in the VIP area – and not being a fan of endless queues for service nor the level of bar prices – I took my own. It’s easy: a large, flat flask tucked in the waistband in the small of the back, plastic if I thought metal detectors were going to used. My point is that the flask could have just as easily been a gun, knife or even a basic heavy-duty iron bar.

As a buildings manager, over the many years I have had to deal with difficult crowds and difficult events at which (either because of the reputation of the artists, or on police advice, or even as a consequence of threats made to performers) we have implemented entry searches. Fortunately, I have avoided major incidents, although like many venue colleagues I’m sure, I have picked up discarded knives of various types, cudgels, hypodermics, and on one extreme occasion a very effective sprung flick knife, bizarrely following a televised international snooker final.

As building managers, promoters and producers, we obviously have a duty of care to safeguard the interests of our customers, even if it may cause them some inconvenience or restrict their own self-protective reactions resulting from unexpected incidents.

“ As a venue manager it has always intrigued me that while police and dogs search front-ofhouse, large armies of labour and tons of kit are coming in the back unchecked.”

This year the UK has an unprecedented run of large events, including of course, The Olympics, which on top of the attendant audiences will attract the attention of further millions of international followers via television, press and the internet. At the time of writing, the UK press is reporting arrests of suspected terrorists together with successful prosecution of others. This would suggest that somewhere out there it’s possible that some form of crowd disruption

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is being planned, whether at a small-scale event, which would put the larger ones on edge, or targeted directly at major events.

So against this background I was very pleased to be invited to bring my building and event experience to the team that has developed a mobile means of bringing the level of security you now expect at airports etc to events and venues. Technology that I considered to be part of future fiction (as employed by Tom Cruise in Minority Report) I now know to be a present and fast developing reality in the form of what is known as a Mobile Security Check Point (MCP).

Pooling 50 years of experience identifying operational requirements for major UK and international events and venues, Access Risk Control (ARC) recognised the increasing threat of terrorist and crowd disruption at high-profile gatherings.

Input from law enforcement forces, government agencies and security companies worldwide, provides accurate security sector intelligence predicting ‘increasing additional risks’ for the organisers of major events at sports stadiums, political conferences or more unstructured venues such as rock and pop festivals, street fairs, protest marches, in fact any large or even not-so-large crowd gathering.

MCPs need not be confined to audiences but can add control to large temporary workforces. As a venue manager it has always intrigued me that while police and dogs search front-of-house, large armies of labour and tons of kit are coming in the back unchecked. A second generation model MCP2 is now available fitted with sophisticated security management systems including instant lighting, CCTV scanning and data collection via biometric recognition, WiFi mesh data verification, long-throw audio system, walkthru body and baggage scanners, narcotic and explosive detection, daylight video screens and more.

Of course, not all events require all of these capabilities all of the time, so these units can be tailored to a client’s exact end-user requirements to become an effective deterrent and offer another option in the fight against those who disrupt our lives whether through vandalism or something more serious. You can learn more at www. accessriskcontrol.com

Comment

From ILMC to Egypt

Moussa Abu Taleb, MD of Event House in Cairo recounts how his visit to ILMC 24 has encouraged him to try to attract more touring artists to Egypt...

Like many in this industry, I first started organising events while I was studying and then became attached to it. I joined the first and the leading mobile operator in Egypt, Mobinil, in 2001 as an events executive and resigned in 2006 as the sponsorships & event manager of the company. Meanwhile, I started my first private agency in 2004 focusing mainly on magazine publishing and in 2005 we got the chance to organise a concert at the Pyramids featuring The Scorpions. This was our first successful event and that is how it all started.

In 2006, we introduced a sort of Woodstock concept, called SOS Music Festival. This was simply a one-day event with around eight to ten local underground bands playing back-to-back with an average attendance of 20,000 people. We presented 12 editions of SOS. ILMC 24 was my first ever conference and I guess I’m now addicted – I know that you’ll definitely see me again next year. During the conference I found myself questioning whether I’m doing what I want to do properly or whether this is only just the start. During the conference I was asked many times whether I represent a venue or an artist and I had to explain that we are an events management agency representing many clients, yet we rarely do public events and concerts.

Upon my return from the ILMC I evaluated all the meetings and discussions that I’d had during the conference. I figured out that to be on the right track I should hold my own events no matter what the dilemma of the sponsors vs. tickets challenge presented.

I had to ask myself if Egypt is ready to host international concerts. We have all kinds of outdoor and indoor venues that can host any kind of event, even outside of Cairo. I have always been aware of Egypt’s advantages: positioned in the centre of the world, with 80 million people of which at least 4 to 5 million are interested in attending events, an average of 13 million tourists from all over the world and the best weather almost all year round. It was always bad management, government decisions and lack of planning that made all the international artists bypass Egypt and not consider it part of their usual international tour routing.

“ But what our market and other similar markets really need to do at events like ILMC is to convince the agents and the artists that they owe it to their fans to come to them wherever they are.”

We do face huge problems in organising big-scale events in Egypt. These include: • The artist fee is always high as they consider us part of the Middle East (Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha) territories with access to government support and funding.

• Taxes: we pay 25% on any ticket sold.

• Sponsors: they do really support events. Yet, due to the high cost of any event production, their participation is not sufficient, which makes us think twice as to whether we should go ahead with the concert.

• Tickets: the fans always look for complimentary tickets and leave the decision to actually buy very late after having tried every possible way to get in for free.

• Ticket Prices: setting these is always a challenge.

Should we try to sell 4,000 tickets for US$100 or 8,000 for US$50?

We have worked before with WME and usually we try to reach the exclusive artist agency directly as the mark up on the offer we receive exceeds 3040% most of the time.

I guess most of the above challenges are the same everywhere in the world.

But what our market and other similar markets really need to do at events like ILMC is to convince the agents and the artists that they owe it to their fans to come to them wherever they are and to make compromises regarding their high fees in these markets.

I would love to work with professionals from ILMC and with the help of IQ, on hosting a conference in Egypt for the first time ever to allow attendees to get the feel for the country and to check out all the possible opportunities more closely.

When any of you see me at the ILMC next time, you will see what a great difference the 24th edition made to how I think and how I have run my business over the past year, and in the future.

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Comment

Talking Tickets

Peter Monks, assistant general manager at The Ticket Factory urges discussion and cooperation for a safer ticket environment...

I like to see myself as an anthropologist of the ticketing industry, having worked in events for 15 years. Over that time, the one social culture that has never given up the ghost and could quite possibly be argued as being one of the most creative drivers of innovation is our dear friend – the tout.

Just as Ticketmaster and others (my own company included) have driven the growth of online ticketing, we must also take some collective responsibility for the genesis of the online ‘bedroom’ tout. The ingenious lengths these crooks go to just to make a quick buck, relying on demand often outstripping supply, and the innocence or maybe naivety, of their customers (victims) is astounding.

Following the fairly recent failed attempt to bring legislation to the UK industry, secondary ticketing seemed, to many, the answer to the problem – if you can’t beat them, join them! But following the Channel 4 Dispatches programme in February and the very heated Twitter streams that followed, (#ticketscandal) we all know how that story ends.

“ It’s an interesting twist that many arenas are now looking to bring their ticketing arrangements back in-house. This complete 180-degree turn from the past two decades of outsourcing could challenge the dominance of several big players.”

The work of STAR (Society for Ticket Agents and Retailers) is a growing voice from ticket agents, venue box offices, the CPA and NAA, that presents customers with both reassurance and accreditation through a new ticketing Kitemark. But surely both government and industry should work together to agree the principles of ticket transferability, re-sale and fraud?

The power of the 2012 Olympics and the fear that fraudulent ticket sales have the potential to embarrass us in front of the entire world’s media, has presented an opportunity for our industry to collaborate with the Metropolitan Police (in the form of Operation Podium) to firmly tackle this ongoing crime. Arrests have been made and criminals prosecuted, but what will the Olympic legacy be for our industry once the closing fireworks fade and the TV crews pack up and go home? Whilst the unfortunate high profile issues with the official resale of Olympic tickets has potentially further reduced the public’s confidence, I have high-hopes that the work of Podium and STAR will ultimately generate a safer ticket environment.

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This brings us back to the age-old question of whether an event ticket is a commodity and does the purchaser have the right to sell it on? Of course, for many in our industry, this is where the debate heats up. I’m of the pragmatic opinion that should someone’s plans change, they should be able to sell or pass the ticket on, after all we have encouraged them to commit well in advance of the gig. Do we really want to go down the German route of personalised ‘assigned’ tickets for every show?

But it’s a tough, dirty world out there; the ongoing recession has curtailed the glory days of live entertainment (“the saviour of the music business”?) and concert ticket prices seem to have stabilised in the past year. But surely we’re still not helping ourselves here. The insurgence of daily discounting websites has got to be seen as a consequence of over-priced tickets for those harder-to-sell seats at the back of the arena. A pressure of course driven by the artist’s deals, but with the pace of new technology, one wonders whether the simple art of concert promoting has somehow been lost along the way.

It’s an interesting twist that many arenas are now looking to bring their ticketing arrangements back in-house. This complete 180-degree turn from the past two decades of outsourcing could challenge the dominance of several big players, if a level of momentum is achieved. Customer data is still clearly king and this realisation has taken many, far too long to grasp.

Regional venues are undoubtedly in the best position to speak to their loyal audiences, if adequate CRM systems are in place. Being able to sell a ticket to faithful local customers directly further enhances a venue’s service and its understanding of that customer – allowing additional products and services to be sold more intelligently at a later date. Venue loyalty and local promotions will always be one of the strongest sales tools; the Tweenies’ fans of 2001 will no doubt have been the One Direction fanatics of 2012.

Furthermore, the dominance of digital and social media is outstripping radio and print as a promotional tool for gigs. It will be interesting to see if, as a result of this ‘insourcing’, promoters will seek additional sources of revenue to compensate for the reduction in booking fee rebates generated through their own ticketing deals.

As a board member of INTIX (the International Ticketing Association), I can’t stress enough the importance of sharing our knowledge, insight and views amongst peers and the next generation of industry experts.

Clouds on the Horizon

Georgia Taglietti, head of communications for Sonar Festival, reviews the situation for Spain’s festival market…

Finally and sadly the Spanish bailout is now a reality. The situation will be tougher during 2012 and next year does not look better. Under this gloomy atmosphere of economic collapse, the live music industry of the country faces a contradiction which is yet to be resolved. As for Sonar 2012, we sold out our three-day passes, and most of the Sonar-byDay singles, meaning this was one of the strongest editions to date. We had over a 5% increase in attendance.

It has been quite unexpected. But of course our core target audience does not come only from Spain, there are other countries, which are increasing their attendance, like the US, or Russia, where the EU crisis is still not affecting the overall purchase power of the festivalgoer.

All the main Spanish festivals or big events that have survived the cuts from the city councils – their main promoters or supporters – have been doing fairly or very well, depending on the status of the event and the brand. It’s also true that this year could be an exceptional situation, helped perhaps due to the Olympics happening in London, which changes the UK summer festival scenario, plus no Glastonbury in 2012.

“ The ingredients that make Spain the perfect festival home are there. Sun, good outdoor and indoor venues, established brands, great airport connections and the years of experience in booking acts make a great recipe for a festival setting.”

But still the ingredients that make Spain the perfect festival home are there. Sun, good outdoor and indoor venues, established brands, great airport connections and the years of experience in booking acts make a great recipe for a festival setting. Though the dark clouds are gathering, with huge cuts by sponsors and institutions, governmental doubts on how to deal with culture in a time of shortage, and the struggle of independent promoters facing the increasing pressure of the big multinational companies interested in getting a piece of the cake, it won’t always be sunny over Spain. But festivals become the true meeting point where people stop and forget about the gloom for a while. Plus it’s true that for the price of one live show you get a much wider choice of acts and entertainment. So here we are now, taking things as they come, knowing that every year will be a struggle, but ready to celebrate our 20th edition next year with all our weapons in hand and ready for the fight!

Virtual Festivals

Virtual Festival Launching a festival might be a foolhardy exercise in the current economic climate, but plenty of brave promoters are doing it. Christopher Austin asks the experts how they’d succeed in an already saturated market...

Richard Branson once quipped that the fastest way to become a millionaire was to start out as a billionaire and then go into the airline business. As one of the music industry’s legendary figures, he could just as well used a festival analogy, having racked up losses on various events down the years.

In the UK alone, gatherings including The Last Jubilee, WOWfest, Rough Beats, Golden Down, Crystal Palace Garden Party, Cloud 9 and Sonisphere have been cancelled this year, while long-established events such as the Big Chill and Glastonbury have taken a year off. But while even seasoned veterans can lose their shirts, hopeful novices are risking their all to introduce new festival concepts in a bid to find a sustainable niche in the market. Not to be outdone, IQ sought the guidance of key suppliers and contractors on how to make our hypothetical Virtual Festival a success.

Obviously the question of finance is first and foremost in suppliers’ minds when it comes to working with a new, and therefore untried, event and the majority of companies we spoke to for this exercise insisted that if they were to contribute their time and services to the likes of the IQ Virtual Festival, payment would have to be made in advance.

AGreenerFestival co-founder and Glastonbury Festival lawyer Ben Challis had first-hand experience of the lastminute demise of a festival recently when his band was due to perform at the ill-fated punk event The Last Jubilee in June. He describes the festival’s downfall as “a text book example of a messed up event – lots of pissed off suppliers, bands and of course, ticket holders!” Challis’s legal services are exclusively tied into Glastonbury and so he is not looking to work with new festivals, but if he were ever in that position there are a number of guarantees he says he would insist on.

Firstly, he would want proof of there being full insurance

cover, the involvement of an experienced production manager and great booker, plus the promoter being able to demonstrate a clear understanding of the market and the audience. He also says that he would make sure the event had the backing of the local authority and the local police, and that the organiser had a clean track record in the industry.

Most importantly of all, Challis says the promoter needs to have the finances in place to withstand making a loss, and not just on the first event. “You will almost certainly not sell out in year one or make any money – so start small and build up and make sure you know your market and your audience,” he says.

Safety With offices around the world, leading crowd control barrier manufacturers and providers Mojo Barriers has worked with a number of new festivals during its two-decade history, including the first Lowlands Festival and the debut Sonisphere UK event. Mojo Barriers international manager Alex Borger says that the company is happy to consider working with new and smaller festivals, which is great news for our Virtual Festival, but he insists IQ’s team would need to put crowd safety front of mind.

“Financial diligence and payment terms are of course important but for us it’s also the guarantee that they have their guests’ welfare and safety in mind throughout the planning of the event and the festival itself. They need to have a good grasp of the issues and what’s required to ensure a safe event.

Mojo Barriers specialises in safe crowd flow and dynamics and we’re happy to work with new festivals and events on this,” says Borger.

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Virtual Festivals

Showsec director Simon Battersby’s best advice for a new festival is “put a roof on it. A nice, dry artificial environment is definitely a good idea.” All joking aside, he reports that Showsec are constantly approached by people wanting to create new events and while he admits a handful do have a good plan in place, there are a number of criteria that his company looks at. “We’re fairly clinical when it comes to seeing what finances people have, as that’s a gauge on how viable their proposition might be,” says Battersby. “There are lots of folk that think getting a field and putting on some bands is enough, but if we’re going to get involved with a new event, it has to be something unique and different from what is already in the market, while we’ll also look at what other contractors they’re dealing with to give us an idea of whether they know the right people to help make the event a success.”

Ticketing and access Peter Monks, assistant general manager at The Ticket Factory says his company is also happy to consider taking on fledgling festival operators and can help them maximise their exposure in the market. As well as making sure tickets are on sale early and early-bird offers are used wisely, Monks urges that first-time festival promoters think carefully about new technology and what can be achieved via social media to maximise their chances of success.

“ Don’t assume anything – weather,

lineup,tickets sales, promotion, etc, have a plan to cover every eventuality.”

– Dave Newton - WeGotTickets

“With advancements in social media and E-commerce, is there the potential to organise/promote a festival via social media channels? Our AudienceView Tiki system allows customers to buy tickets online directly through Facebook and reserve them for their friends. Festivals are usually a high-value ticket, so this innovation could work really well as customers don’t have to pay out lots of money that they then have to rely on friends paying back,” says Monks.

Dave Newton, founder of WeGotTickets says the best advice he can offer is, “Don’t assume anything – weather, lineup, tickets sales, promotion, etc, have a plan to cover every eventuality.” Despite the number of festivals that dominate the summer season in Europe, Newton believes there are still opportunities to launch new gatherings, as long as they “take the risk of being distinctive.” He notes, “Copying what others are doing may be a quick way to establish an event but it won’t set it apart and won’t breed loyalty amongst your customers.”

As a specialist in grass roots events, Newton’s company is an ideal partner – and sounding board – for newcomers.

“Our marketing reach is far and wide and if someone has an event that we think will appeal to a segment of our customer database then we will happily do what we can to promote it through WeGotFestivals.com, an email marketing plan and our social networking outlets.” Indeed, backing up anecdotal evidence that numerous new events are taking the plunge in 2012, Newton tells IQ that the number of festivals his staff are dealing with this year has increased by about 20%. A market leader in the provision of security wristbands and branded lanyards, ID&C has worked with fledgling festivals throughout its 17-year history and has introduced solutions such as security woven and transfer-printed fabric wristbands, UV printing and tamper-proof self-locking systems. It positively embraces the opportunity to work with first-time festival promoters and actively encourages those prepared to take such risks to tap into ID&C’s experience.

“We’re regularly approached by start-up events looking for advice on their accreditation and access control, something we’re very happy to share. Festival suppliers need festivals, so it’s important we get behind them from the beginning,” says ID&C’s marketing manager Craig Bennett.

Indeed, such is its commitment in helping promoters step up a level, ID&C goes as far as offering an annual bursary competition that gives up-and-coming festivals a chance to have their security wristbands and accreditation paid for.

“As a family-run company ourselves, we understand the perseverance needed to get an idea off the ground. We’d never turn away a festival because it is in its first year. Festival suppliers need festivals, so it’s important we get behind them from the beginning,” says Bennett.

Staging and structures Fortunately for our Virtual Festival we would also be in a position to team up with an expert partner in all infrastructural aspects of the festival’s construction. With offices in Denmark, Germany, Australia and North America, EPS is a

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Lee Denny

Virtual Festivals

The Actual Festival Seven years ago, Lee Denny launched a festival in his parents’ back garden. In the years since, LeeFest has grown into a significant annual London weekender and in 2009 it won Best Grassroots Festival at the UK Festival Awards. A member of the Association of Independent Festivals, Denny offers his advice to other prospective festival promoters on how to build an event from scratch.

Make a plan

Think about the event you want and how to create it before you start. We just jumped straight in, which was fun and worked for a while but has caused difficulties in our progression.

Think about the target market, what makes your festival unique and how you’ll convince artists that your festival is right for them.

Find a site

A garden seems great until there are 350 people destroying years of your mum’s hard horticultural toil. Find a site with good HGV access, good substrate, away from flood plains, away from residents, near public transport links and with plenty of natural features and beauty.

Stick to your budget

It’s so tempting to increase the budget to meet your desired outcome, but you can end up in serious trouble. It’s hard for us being non-profit (all our revenue goes to the children’s charity KidsCo) as we don’t have big capital reserves for when things go wrong. Keep any budget increase at a manageable rate.

Licensing

Make the right first impression and get on the good side of the council. They are incredibly powerful, and even though the law is there to protect you too they will ruthlessly find ways of doing what they want, and unless you can afford a court appeal you can’t do much about it. major full-service international player in the concert and festival business and happy to consider working with new events.

EPS managing director and founder Okan Tombulca says that the company always looks to work as independently as possible when it builds a festival’s infrastructure for two key reasons. “Firstly, if we do it on our own we know what we are doing and that it is working at the end. Secondly, we want to make a promoter’s life easier – especially considering that in the first year he will have enough problems to cope with,” he explains.

Tombulca says the perfect festival starts with the perfect site and that the amount of available space is a key consideration bearing in mind the need to accommodate stages, backstage, parking, camping, VIP, artists, catering

Expect the unexpected

We’d been reading insurance documents for years thinking ‘acts of civil disobedience and war’ would never happen.

Then, a day before we opened last year, five miles away at our main transport station, it did. Hundreds of ticket holders couldn’t make it – we lost a lot of money through reduced income and convincing the council that our folky charity festival wouldn’t spawn riots. Anything can happen, so be flexible and prepared.

Get advice

Bestival founder Rob da Bank told me organising a festival can be the loneliest job in the world, and at times I’ve felt that. It’s not all music and bunting-covered fields – for 360 days a year it’s emails, spreadsheets and Twitter. We recently joined the AIF – a network of over 40 independent festival organisers. They meet every two months and have a host of support staff and service providers to help.

Team, friends and family

Most importantly, festivals are about people; the real difference between success and failure is having the right ones involved. Without the talented and enthusiastic people on our team there wouldn’t be a festival (just me in an empty field, dreaming). Your team, friends and family are the ones that will pick you up when you’re down, and pick up litter for weeks – so look after them.

and bar areas. He also points out that the festival site should be easily accessible via both private and public transport and that a number of other practical considerations should be taken into account.

“The venue should be more or less weather proofed and it is good to have a backstage area you could drive trucks on and build a stage from. Additionally, it would be good to have a turf/ grass area with good drainage. Camping and parking (if there is any) should be very close to the festival site,” says Tombulca.

Another multi-service and technical product supplier open to engaging with new festivals is South Africa’s Gearhouse, whose portfolio of service offerings includes rigging, lighting, audiovisual and power. Gearhouse has teamed up with the brand new three-day 5FM Music Festival, which takes place

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Virtual Festivals

in the seaside town of Jeffrey’s Bay and features more than 50 acts including the UK’s Hard-Fi and a multitude of local talent including Prime Circle and Ard Matthews.

Work with the best Gearhouse joint MD Ofer Lapid says he would happily work with IQ on its Virtual Festival as long as we could demonstrate a professional approach to organising the event and had arranged all the necessary supporting infrastructure such as refreshments, catering, toilets, security, marketing and publicity.

Likewise, Dave Crump, CEO of Creative Technology Europe & Middle East, one of the world’s leading suppliers of high performance LED large screen displays, would not consider entering into a contract with a promoter unless they could demonstrate sufficient industry experience and provide a quality infrastructure. “We always expect to work with professional and experienced operators, if there are not satisfactory health, safety and welfare facilities for both audience and contractors we would rather not be involved,” says Crump.

In order for Virtual Festival to succeed, Mark Hamilton, MD of security service G4S, is adamant that it should not follow the path of those event organisers who cut financial corners by employing cowboy contractors. “There is no point in entering into this market if your only way of turning a profit is by negotiating down your suppliers, which in turn may well result in an all-round inferior offering to the festival-going public. Never underestimate the expectations of the public,” he says.

New opportunities Having worked at hundreds of festivals around the world Transam Trucking’s Mark Guterres believes there is very little left in the way of opportunity in the festival market.

Furthermore, he advises against anyone setting up a new event in what he sees as a saturated and unsustainable market. “Even experienced festival promoters lose their shirts, so if you are new at the game, save your money and don’t do it,” says Guterres.

Formed in 1975, Britannia Row Productions has supplied audio equipment and technicians to many first-time festivals including WOMAD in 1982 and the likes of Wireless and Sonisphere in the years since. Unlike Guterres, Britannia Row MD Bryan Grant believes there will always be space for a new festival in the market but that it must have something different and interesting to offer. “Just because you have a field it doesn’t mean you’re a promoter. What is it about your festival that’s going to attract an audience?” says Grant.

Ben Challis is also confident that given the right idea, locations, artists, management and suppliers there remains space for new events. “There have been some really interesting festival start-ups over the last few years. Some are now well established and very successful, look how well

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“ Lots of folk think getting a field and putting

on some bands is enough, but if we’re going to get involved with a new event, it has to be something unique and different.”

– Simon Battersby, Showsec Bestival has done. Some smaller festivals have really carved out interesting niches and well-booked events and boutique festivals can build loyal followings,” he says.

ID&C’s Bennett believes that the music industry is becoming increasingly segmented and that the array of new genres on offer provides innovative entrepreneurs with an opportunity to find an individual footing. “With just about every genre crossing over into mainstream pop, organisers are being presented with plenty of opportunities, whether it’s a brand new festival or a new alignment with a particular type of music. A few years ago, nobody really knew much about Dubstep, now festivals like Outlook in Croatia and Global Gathering here in the UK have dedicated Dubstep stages, extending their overall following,” says Bennett.

Gearhouse’s Ofer Lapid agrees that there is certainly space for new events in the market, not least in his native country.

“In South Africa we have such an amazing climate and such a wide range of choice for beautiful surroundings. You just need to make your arrangements and take advantage of the natural opportunities we have here for outdoor festivals,” he enthuses.

So, would IQ’s Virtual Festival stand a chance of making it, if it launched during one of the deepest recessions ever? With the guidance of the experts who contributed to this article, Probably not, given our limited promoting experience, but with the imagination to come up with an innovative concept.

“There are always opportunities in the market for those with creative talent or an entrepreneurial spirit,” says Hamilton.

“Festivals are by their very nature generational and existing festivals do not always provide the fun and entertainment they seek.”

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RFID

A Wristed Development Predictions about RFID revolutionising the live music business appear to be reaching fruition. Gordon Masson discovers there’s more to the technology than just access control and cashless...

R

adio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Near Field Communication (NFC) may be the latest buzz words to be mesmerising live events organisers, but the technologies have been around for decades and are in everyday life, from hotel key cards to contactless debit cards. But while the technology is already proven, its use at live music events is only just starting to make an impact.

In a nutshell, RFID chips contain a unique identifier, much like a bar code or magnetic strip on a credit card. Scanning these chips can provide a wealth of data about the device or, in the case of its use in the live music sector, the person who

is carrying that device. The technology was, in fact, invented in 1948 as a spin-off development of radar, but it took another couple of decades for the concept to leave the laboratory and find commercial applications. Early use included electronic anti-theft tags for merchandise as well as transportation systems where it was exploited for speedy toll collection in particular.

In terms of access control, RFID use exploded during the 1980s as vast numbers of companies and organisations tapped into its benefits for personnel access. As science progressed, equipment inevitably shrank in size, allowing developers to add new layers of functionality, so that state-of-the-art systems

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RFID

– Laura Moody, Blondefish

”

can now process infinite amounts of data for each and every RFID-enabled microchip. And that’s where the excitement begins in terms of the live entertainment industry.

The benefits of using RFID for access control are multiple, but some of the main positives for live music are that it helps eliminate counterfeiting, it can provide precise data on capacity in every area of a venue or site and it proves a huge hit with fans because of its ability to radically cut queues.

“I could write you a list as long as my arm of the benefits an RFID system could give us,” says Mark Hatch, director of Central Catering Services. “Unfortunately, we’re still some way from having completely cashless events, so although you might see RFID wristbands used for access control at festivals this year, you’re only likely to see limited trials for cashless.”

As the concession rights holder for UK festivals such as Isle of Wight, V, T in the Park and numerous other weekenders, Hatch’s company has a £30million (€37.5m) turnover and has been looking at RFID for “six to eight years” to try to develop a workable solution for major outdoor gatherings.

“The technology is definitely there, but there’s still an education process to go through with the public,” says Hatch. “Also, it’s still too expensive to provide terminals for every concessionaire on a site – you’re probably looking at £1-2m (€1.25-2.5m) in roll-out costs for an entire festival site because, taking Isle of Wight for example, I’ve got more than 100 food outlets, about the same number of non-food stalls and then all the beer and beverage outlets too and they would all need multiple terminals to serve the audience. In saying that, the benefits are phenomenal, so if we do this slowly then it will be an exciting future.”

Early Successes

D

espite that understandably cautious approach in the UK, there have already been successful deployments of RFID-enabled cashless systems in North America and Europe, while in New Zealand, Scott Witters’ Rhythm and Vines Music Festival introduced cash-free payment systems some time ago and in 2011 added a cashless functionality to its RFID wristbands for its 25,000-capacity crowd.

The likes of ski resorts have been using RFID lift passes for years, while in music, a pioneering success story can be found in Hungary where Gábor Lévai, CEO of Metapay, reveals operations using RFID started three years ago. About 90% of Metapay’s business is based on loyalty cards and retail gift cards, but Lévai believes its music festival RFID cards will be the major growth area going forward and the company

24 | IQ Magazine July 2012

announced a strategic alliance with Intellitix in March this year as a result.

“We did six festivals in Hungary last year and provided more than 550,000 people with our RFID cards to make those events fully cashless,” says Lévai, whose company recently scooped the Hungarian innovation prize. “Festival organisers and merchants tell me that they have seen a revenue uplift of between 15 to 30%,” continues Lévai. “It appears people who go to events without budgetary constraints are spending more, while those who have a limit in mind are spending right up to that limit because there is no waiting time and they find it easy to spend their money.”

Typically, for a cashless network, Metapay’s system allows vendors to key in the total price for goods on a point of sale terminal; the customer simply taps their RFID card on the terminal, which takes fractions of a second to complete the transaction. As a result, vendors neither have to handle cash nor count change for refunds. “We had more than five million transactions across the six festivals we serviced in 2011 and the peak was 16 transactions per second, which lasted for about two hours. That means we had to design a server that can process more than a million transactions per day,” says Lévai.

While the technology beds in, both with consumers and merchants, Lévai intends to have top-up booths manned by staff. “We want personnel to be communicating with customers initially, but next year I think we’ll be ready to introduce some self-service terminals and in five years they will probably all be self-service.”

One of the most high profile proponents of RFID in the music business is Intellitix. Its founder, Serge Grimaux, muses that when being a ticketing company evolved from simply selling tickets to becoming a marketing partner, operations such as his Czech Republic-based Ticketpro went from processing “the ‘d’ for dollar to the ‘d’ for data.” In 2010, Grimaux undertook a major RFID trial in his native Canada. “The Festival d’été de Québec attracts up to 155,000 people a day for 11 days, so it was definitely a good way to test the system and prove it worked,” says Grimaux, who believes the real power of the technology lies beyond its access and cashless capabilities.

“People buy an event ticket to have fun, so you can personalise a chip in their ticket – or wristband – so that they can interact with Facebook, or any other profile site they have, simply by ID&C’s RFID wristbands for Bamboozle festival

“

Smirnoff say this is a better way for them to reach their target audience than TV advertising, plus it is considerably cheaper.

RFID

“

The patron is the master of their own data – this is not a case of Big Brother watching you; it’s up to the individual how much information they want to share with their friends.

”

– Serge Grimaux, Intellitix scanning that chip. Not only does that allow them to interact with their community of friends online, but also with people at the event itself. The patron is the master of their own data – this is not a case of Big Brother watching you; it’s up to the individual how much information they want to share with their friends.”

Intellitix activated one million RFID chips in 2011 and US festival promoter clients include C3 Presents, AEG’s Goldenvoice and Live Nation. Grimaux predicts that number will rise to between 3 million and 5 million this year, flying in the face of those who remain doubtful about the speed of adoption. He notes that RFID activated wristbands can allow bands to interact with that audience by offering free downloads or other incentives to fans who ‘Live Click’ their wristbands at terminals placed near performance areas. “The beauty of live clicking was clearly demonstrated at Coachella,” adds Grimaux.

“With just 30,000 fans activating their wristbands there were 30 million web page impressions for the festival, so we’re really rewriting the book with RFID.”

Business Goldrush

I

ntellitix are just one of Several companies jumping on the RFID band wagon, with rivals such as Intelligent Venue Solutions, Fortress, Etherlive and EITS vying for a share of the spoils and each providing business to a variety of suppliers to facilitate their systems.

Wristband manufacturers Dutchband partnered with Intellitix at Eurosonic earlier this year, but have been making RFID wristbands for a number of years. Dutchband MD Michiel Fransen recalls using RFID at Lowlands Festival five years ago, when 5,000 people were invited to participate in a video diary project. “Camera teams were able to tag them, using the wristbands, and that personal footage, intercut with footage of the festival, could then be posted on that person’s social network sites,” he says.

Fransen observes that although RFID will be introduced at a number of events this year, 2013 will likely see its big breakthrough. “For each event, a very secure database needs to be built and there’s a lot of hardware and infrastructure needed around it, so the cost per visitor is still a lot higher than traditional wristbands,” he says. “Wristbands are only about 25% of the total cost because you need to make sure all the hardware is reliably connected in a green-field site and that you’re doing something smart with the system.” He observes,

26 | IQ Magazine July 2012

“If you can sell the brand activation concept to sponsors then it becomes a lot easier to finance.”

Another wristband company is ID&C, which, like its Dutch competitors, manufactures the bands that incorporate RFID chip technology. Operations manager Steve Daly says ID&C recognised the benefits to the live business eight years ago, but nobody was capable of delivering the infrastructure needed.

“Now companies like Intellitix, IVS and Payment Solutions have started popping up and demand has started to snowball,” reports Daly. “In terms of enquiries, we have seen a ten-fold increase on last year, although the numbers adopting RFID are admittedly lower. But as the costs come down, middle-tier festivals and smaller events will start getting involved too. Cost is very much the driver at the moment.”

Daly contends the use of RFID technology at live events allows five main aspects: access control; cashless transactions; social media activation; brand activation; and data mining.

But he notes, “Taking a modular approach is sensible – you introduce the concept of the wristband as your ticket and start drip feeding other applications as you go along.”

That evolutionary approach will be crucial if the technology is to become commonplace, states Hatch. “In terms of making festivals cashless, there are still hurdles to overcome,” he tells IQ. “At the moment, if you have a closed loop system then customers can only use the wristband in one place. Although that gives you the advantage of being completely in control of your data and how customers interact with you, the disadvantage is that as soon as your customer walks out the gate, the wristband is defunct and from a brand or sponsor point of view that’s not a great result.

The converse is an open loop system, which is effectively using the RFID chip like a debit card so it can be used in high street retailers or wherever. The problem with that is there are lots of [Financial Services Authority] rules in place regarding who owns that data and how it can be used. So we’re trying to create some kind of crossover whereby you can use open loop technology on the festival site, but impose some closed loop parameters so you can control at least some of the data.” Hatch adds, “It’s difficult to strike a balance between the systems, but this year we’re working with Mastercard and Vodafone at Isle of Wight Festival.”

Isle of Wight Festival’s Rob Langford says, contrary to popular rumour, the event is yet to introduce RFID access control. “We use barcoded wristbands, which are essentially the same as RFID, but without the expensive chip,” he says. “Last year we had a trial with Mastercard where 500 VIPs were given RFID gift cards. It was phenomenally successful, but that’s maybe because people were given £30 of free beer money,” he laughs. “But that persuaded us to try something bigger, so this year anyone who got a ticket through Vodafone’s VIP pre-sale will get an RFID fob to thread on to their wristband.” Langford insists it’s Mastercard that makes such exercises possible. “The limitations that both open loop and closed loop systems suffer make it too big a risk to get involved with just yet – it would be a huge investment to make an entire site RFID or NFC ready – so while we can see there might be benefits, we’re taking a slow and steady approach on this.”

Metapay’s music festival RFID card

RFID

NFC and RFID

A

s the pace of technological breakthrough accelerates, some experts believe that RFID subset, Near Field Communication (NFC) could become prevalent, primarily because various phone manufacturers are already building chips into their handsets, which will effectively allow RFID functionality on mobile phones. ID&C’s Daly is sceptical.

“I used to work in telecoms and I know it takes five to ten years for the various parties – the handset manufacturers, the network operators, the chip developers – to get their paths to converge,” he says. “A promoter is only going to switch to NFC when 100% of their audience has that ability, so we reckon we have a good seven to ten years in the market for RFID wristbands. Unlike a wristband, which is attached to an individual for the duration of an event, a phone can be passed around. The integrity of your data diminishes if other people can use someone else’s chip to buy drinks, for example.”

Others are bullish about NFC’s prospects. Laura Moody, MD of live events technology specialists Blondefish, uses RFID tags to associate people with events or venues by allowing them to instantly post photos and messages on social media sites about their experience. “RFID works well, but moving forward it’s going to be NFC as more and more people get their hands on phones with NFC chips.” Moody believes contactless payment will be the main driver for NFC adoption by the mobile phone industry. “Our business can ride on the back of that demand.”

However, she also concedes it could take up to five years for NFC phones to become widespread.

Using drinks company Smirnoff as an example, Moody states that if 1,000 people use RFID technology to share an experience on their Facebook page from a Smirnoff-sponsored music event, very quickly the number of hits for the brand can reach over one million. “Smirnoff say this is a better way for them to reach their target audience than TV advertising, plus it is considerably cheaper,” states Moody. Monitoring data

from events across Europe, she observes that consumers in the UK appear more willing than their European counterparts to divulge their data and participate. “In Germany, for example, we might only get 50% of people sharing their experiences online, whereas in the UK that will easily be 90-95%.”

Specialist consultants Backbeat believe the opportunities for brands to exploit RFID are set to explode in the coming months.

“I compare the transformation that RFID and NFC will bring to live events (and our entire world) to the transformation that the internet has brought to our daily lives in the past 20 years,” says Backbeat’s Rosa Martinez, who currently works with Intellitix on many of its brand solution projects. “What makes it truly unique from other technologies such as augmented reality [QR codes, Aurasma, Blipper] is that it allows the physical environment to behave differently towards each individual fan, or what information we have on that fan.”

Martinez believes the use of RFID and NFC at live events provides brand sponsors the opportunity to connect their activation onsite with other parts of their advertising campaigns.

“I get frustrated with people who don’t see beyond using these live clicks to share posts or photographs on Facebook,” she says. “There are incredibly entertaining possibilities combining data-enabled games, personalised video content, gamification and co-ownership of real time events by a crowd. Those who understand the potential will generate new substantial sources of income on the back of RFID and NFC.” Citing one of her current projects she details how Samsung UK “is activating at a Red Hot Chili Peppers show in Knebworth and at Wakestock

“

Those who understand the potential will generate new substantial sources of income on the back of RFID and NFC.

– Rosa Martinez, Backbeat

”

July 2012 IQ Magazine | 27

RFID

IVS’s cashless RFID system at Isle of Wight Festival

“

We’re trying to create some kind of crossover whereby you can use open loop technology on the festival site, but impose some closed loop parameters so you can control at least some of the data.

”

– Mark Hatch, C entral Catering Services festival this year using Intellitix as the RFID partner.”

A particular advocate of the NFC subset is Miles Quitmann, managing director of Proxama, which is bidding to provide contactless technology at a number of international live music events this year. “All major manufacturers will bring out phones with NFC capabilities – and not just in their smart phones,” states Quitmann. “The kind of things we are working on will allow people to tap their NFC-enabled handset against a poster to buy your festival ticket, for example. One of the hurdles at the moment, though, is that contactless payments are limited to about £15 (€18), but as consumer confidence grows, that limit should increase fairly quickly.”

Paul Pike, co-director of Intelligent Venue Solutions (IVS) first started working with RFID when he was at electronics giant Philips, whose semi-conductor division developed what eventually became the chip used in London’s Oyster card public transport pass. Since then he was also involved in NEC Group’s activation of RFID at The O2 arena and is now concentrating on festivals. “We use a platform known as MetaCore for access control at the likes of Goodwood and the Isle of Wight Festival and this year we’re working with Barclaycard and Vodafone at both Isle of Wight and Wireless to introduce elements of social media activation,” says Pike.

IVS is also working closely with Mastercard on an open loop cashless solution whereby punters left with money on their wristband would be able to spend it elsewhere or simply transfer the money back into their bank account. “It’s not all

28 | IQ Magazine July 2012

just about access control and payment – at the back end there is a wealth of data and CRM benefits, as well as a host of Facebook and social media knowledge to be mined,” says Pike.

Rather than working as rivals, Dan Trigub of San Franciscobased operation Blue Bite tells IQ that his company has agreed a global alliance to help promote the use of NFC as a viable mobile marketing tool. With Blue Bite representing the Americas, Trigub explains that there is a knowledge-sharing ethos with its counterparts Proxama (which covers Europe, the Middle East and Asia) and Australia-based Tapit (Asia-Pacific), allowing the trio to liaise on global campaigns.

Trigub says that while RFID and NFC both will prove effective for cashless transactions, Blue Bite is primarily concerned with content delivery and therefore favours NFC. However, he too admits “NFC is still two or three years away from any significant penetration.”

Having trialled NFC and RFID systems, Metapay’s Lévai believes there is a case to run both in tandem, especially as both technologies can use the same hardware and effectively fulfil the same functions. “We ran a project with Vodafone at Sziget Festival where they gave about 300 ‘super users’ NFC-enabled phones which could be used at the same RFID point of sales terminals for cashless transactions, but also had extra features such as checking their cash balance and topping up that cash using their phones. RFID in wristbands is just starting and we’re working to integrate the technology we have in our festival cards into wristbands as well. But we’ve already used NFC in access control applications, so we’ve proved that NFC can be used for more than just payment, so that’s something we are already keeping an eye on and looking to develop.”

Backbeat’s Martinez concludes, “For those who think the change is many years away, take note of the following: Samsung have just announced a new product called TecTiles; Nokia has NFC Hub; and Clear Channel deployed their Playsuit range of NFC-enabled billboards last year. The revolution has already started.”

Teething problems are inevitable, however, and last month Hurricane Festival’s plans to use RFID technology were shelved at the 11th hour. But event organisers who have trialled systems report positive feedback. Stuart Galbraith’s Kilimanjaro Live partnered with Samsung and Intellitix to debut RFID at its Red Hot Chili Peppers gig at Knebworth on 23 June. “It was seamless,” enthuses Galbraith. “We used it for access control only, this time, but it worked with no problems whatsoever. Access times were greatly improved and there’s a definite possibility, using RFID, to reduce the number of access lanes you need for a large scale event.”

In fact, Galbraith is so impressed by the system that he’s already approved its use at his 6-8 July Wakestock Festival and is accelerating plans to exploit its full potential at future events.

“The ambition is to repeat the use of RFID next year and roll out additional functionality, so we’ll be running cashless trials as early as summer 2013,” he adds.

Mylo Xyloto

Mylo Xyloto

THIS COULD BE

PARADISE Coldplay’s elevation to stadium act is a direct result of their ‘hardest working band in showbiz’ attitude. Gordon Masson discovers that family commitments have made their biggest tour to date, Mylo Xyloto, a unique outing for all involved...

live shows. They’re certainly the biggest band in the world at the moment.” And Rob Ballantine, of UK promoters SJM, agrees.

“Coldplay are easily the hardest working band on the road. In between dates they do a lot of promo and TV appearances that the band asks to do – that says it all. They’re at the top of their game – there’s not another act out there that can touch them.”

As Chugg hints, behind the scenes in the Coldplay camp there’s a distinctly familial feel. The stadium shows undoubtedly make Mylo Xyloto the biggest tour in Europe this year, but despite the tight deadlines for the massive production, backstage just minutes before the show explodes into life, there’s a heady mix of calm professionalism mixed with the excitement of what the audience is about to witness.

Photo © Miller

“Bigger than U2,” is one of the most often used phrases when speaking to promoters involved in Coldplay’s spectacular Mylo Xyloto tour. Comparisons to the Irish rockers’ legendary Zooropa tour abound, but with Coldplay embracing new technology to take the audience experience to an entirely new level, you won’t find too many people arguing with the assertion that they are now the biggest band in the world.

“I’ve been part of the Coldplay family in Australia for a long time and it’s been amazing to watch them grow,” says veteran promoter Michael Chugg. “They truly are one of the best live acts I’ve ever seen – and I’ve seen a few.” Phil Bowdery, Live Nation International Music’s president of touring, comments, “It’s great to see how they have evolved, especially when it comes to the

Photo © Miller

July 2012 IQ Magazine | 31

Stadium show rehearsals in Porto

Mylo Xyloto

“

The band are now all family guys, so short but sharp bursts of tour energy is the best way forward for them.

“

– Steve Strange, X-ray Touring Tour manager Marguerite Nguyen believes the band’s attitude toward the production crew explains, in part, why things run so smoothly. “We’re a travelling family and whatever we can do to make it easier for everyone just makes that family all the happier,” she says. “On the Viva tour we were away for months – maybe eight or nine weeks on the road at a time – and that hurts, but this tour we’re doing three weeks on, ten days off, which allows people time to go home or whatever.

Although it obviously costs more to have people flying home every few weeks, it’s a much better environment and I think everyone appreciates it.”

Artist manager Dave Holmes reveals that the time-off element is a direct result of the marital status of the Coldplay principals. “The band will still end up spending about 18 months on the road, but the way we have routed the tour allows them to fulfil their family commitments. It’s a different strategy, but it’s all about keeping the band happy and it’s worked.” He observes, “The crew seem to appreciate the time off as well, but, like me, they all realise that they are part of something very special with this tour and that really shines through with the hard work and pride everyone seems to have.”

Such a timetable can have its challenges. Agent Steve Strange of X-ray Touring comments, “The band are now all family guys, so short but sharp bursts of tour energy is the best way forward for them. For the European shows they are mostly able to fly home every night: it’s a case of flying in to wherever they are playing at lunch time and after the show getting a police

32 | IQ Magazine July 2012

escort to the airport, so wheels up can be within 45 minutes of the show ending.”

But it’s not just the artists that have to be catered for. Caroline McCann, general manager of travel organisers The Appointment Group reveals the “massive numbers” of personnel involved in Mylo Xyloto. “On the stadium legs, the band party is usually 14 or 15, then there’s the core Universal crew of 80, three steel crews of 19 each and two advance crews of nine people each.

And of course you also have double drivers to look after and book hotels for, so it’s a huge undertaking,” says McCann. “In the United States there will be a few extra flights involved, but I’m glad to say that it’s all going very well and the second leg of the European stadium tour is now all in the planning stages.”

prospekt’s march For a band that’s never out of the spotlight, it’s quite a surprise that Coldplay’s last outing ended in 2010 when they concluded the Viva La Vida tour at the Estadio Universitario in Monterrey, Mexico. That performance was the 170th date of a jaunt that took in five continents, played to more than 1.5 million people and grossed $116million (€93m) in the process. Plans for the current excursion are limited to about half that number of shows, but as befits a band that can lay claim to being No.1, the size of the venues on this tour mean that even more fans have been able to get tickets.

The impression that they’ve never been away is down to some crafty planning by band members Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman and Will Champion, creative director Phil Harvey, manager Holmes, agent Steve Strange and his USbased equivalent Marty Diamond.

“After Viva I started thinking about how rock records are set up in contrast with pop records,” explains Holmes. “With pop you release two or three singles before the album drops, but typically with a rock album just one single is released a few weeks before the album. Unless that’s a particularly great single, though, you continually see rock records fail and I

Mylo Xyloto

If you had told me a year ago “ that I’d be tour managing one of the

biggest bands on the planet, I’d have thought you were crazy, but actually once you settle in to a routine it’s like clockwork and it helps that Coldplay are the nicest people to work for

– Marguerite Nguyen, tour manager

“

leftrightleftrightleft At IQ’s press time, the Mylo Xyloto tour had just passed its half way point, having made the transatlantic hop for its second North American stint where the band have 25 arena shows scheduled across seven weeks. In late August, Coldplay return to mainland Europe for ten stadium shows across seven countries, before travelling Down Under for four outdoor shows in New Zealand and Australia.

The fact that Coldplay are more than capable of filling US stadiums is not lost on Holmes, but neither he nor the band are in any hurry. That patience is praised by Live Nation’s Bowdery. “They’re playing multiple dates in arenas in America and that just makes more sense for them. It’s a quicker way of moving around the States than taking the massive stadium show on tour.”

Of course, switching from 50,000-capacity stadium shows to the more intimate indoor venues is not without its challenges and new personnel have been brought in for the Mylo Xyloto tour, with the chief changes seeing industry veteran Bill

34 | IQ Magazine July 2012

Photo © Miller

didn’t want to take that risk.”

The strategy Holmes devised involved playing multiple festivals. “We deliberately didn’t talk about the new record – we didn’t even name it,” he recalls. As well as introducing new material to Coldplay fans, the festival dates also helped build the fan base. “I thought we’d be able to get to 16-24 year olds who probably hadn’t seen a Coldplay show before and that pretty much turned out to be the case.” That success has changed his long-term strategy. “It’s wise for a band to go out and play festivals every three or four years as a way to introduce themselves to new fans,” he says. And taking a broadside at the band’s critics, he adds, “A lot of people seem to have a negative view on the band without ever having seen them. It’s great to watch those opinions change.”

Coldplay’s 2011 festival slots included Rock Am Ring and Rock in Park (Germany), Glastonbury and T in the Park (UK), Pinkpop (Netherlands), Rock Werchter (Belgium), Optimus Alive (Portugal), BBK (Spain), Main Square (France) and Heineken Jammin (Italy). “The set up for this tour and album campaign has been brilliant. It feels perfect,” says Strange.

“The festivals were the best thing they could have done: the band enjoyed the no-pressure element, but they were still able to play two or three teaser songs each night to subtly introduce the album to those markets. That brilliantly paved the way for the live campaign. Dave Holmes has made a lot of fantastic decisions over the years, but that was a master stroke.”

Leabody taking on the role of production manager and Nguyen moving up the ladder to become tour manager, replacing longtime Coldplay collaborator Andy Franks.

“We have a universal crew who do everything, but we won’t be taking everyone from the European stadiums leg to the USA because those are multiple nights in arenas so the show is really scaled down,” Nguyen tells IQ. In terms of the stadium shows, she explains there are three infrastructure crews – Red Steel, Blue Steel and Green Steel – which leapfrog each other from venue to venue to install stadium flooring and build the stage, towers and other infrastructure. “We also have two advance teams who come in and flip-flop into venues for the likes of catering and rigging,” says Nguyen. “Then the production crew come in when all the backbone is built and bring in all the show’s video screens, sound and lighting.

“The set up for the arena shows is entirely different, with a scaled down stage and only one production team, loading in and out in a matter of hours. However, as the majority of the North American dates are multiple nights in arenas, the relentless build and deconstruct routine does not occur every day.”

Mylo Xyloto visits Ricoh Arena

Mylo Xyloto

brothers and sisters As production assistant on the Viva La Vida tour, Nguyen’s promotion within the Coldplay ranks highlights a progressive stance on equality on the part of the band. “It’s great – there’s me as tour manager; the head of venue security, Jackie Jackson; the girls in management; and Nicole [Kuhns] as our production coordinator,” says Nguyen. “Everyone has been super supportive, from the band downwards. If you had told me a year ago that I’d be tour managing one of the biggest bands on the planet, I’d have thought you were crazy, but actually once you settle in to a routine it’s like clockwork and it helps that Coldplay are the nicest people to work for.”

Kuhns contends that the band’s attitude towards female staff

was what lured her to jump ship from Rod Stewart’s production crew, where she had spent “eight great years”. She tells IQ, “On the Viva tour I spent a month as second assistant on the stadium run. I liked it so much that when I was asked to come back, I jumped at the chance. One of the reasons I came back was because it is a woman-heavy tour – we’re freakos about organisation and we’re women who don’t mind working in a man’s world. We’re also a lot better at multitasking than our male compatriots,” she laughs.

Highlighting the solidarity of both sexes among the crew, Kuhns adds, “We had a 17-hour bus ride from Madrid to Nice and then went straight into the load in, but because everyone loves working on this tour, there was no grumbling and we just got the job done.”

the scientist Production manager Bill Leabody is one of the very few Coldplay newbies, but with decades of experience on outings such as David Bowie, The Cure, Depeche Mode, and Aerosmith, he was a natural choice and started working on the Mylo Xyloto tour in February following the departure of Wob Roberts.

“There are a lot of challenges on this tour, but probably the biggest one is that we don’t have a roof on the stage, so we have to fly lights, sound and video screens from towers,” says Leabody. “Coldplay wanted to convey the feeling that

eps turf protection in Zurich

Mylo Xyloto

everyone is in it together – if the audience gets wet, then so do the band. As a result, all the equipment on stage has to be protected.” He adds, “I wasn’t aware of the roofless stage when they hired me, but it just means that you have to have a different mindset.”

Drum tech Sean ‘Bash’ Buttery explains the lack of a roof can be problematic. “The rain can quickly put the drum skins out of tune, so no roof is a bit of an issue. But if the heavens do open we have a canopy to cover Will and the kit, so we can deal with it, even though a bit of rain inevitably blows

through,” he says.

Jon Greaves of lighting suppliers Lite Alternative had a 12man crew out on the stadium leg of the tour and a smaller core crew on the American arenas leg. Talking about the outdoor show, he says, “There’s an awful lot of technology exposed to the elements and given our unpredictable European summers, there was a lot of work involved to try to minimise the effects of nature. It’s a bit whacky, having a vast open stage with no cover, and that makes it challenging for everyone involved – lighting, video, sound, pyro, everyone.”

Such an unusual set up has an impact on numerous aspects and Martin Goebbels of Robertson Taylor Insurance Brokers reports, “Coldplay’s spectacular and huge stage design, even with no roof for the outdoor shows in UK/ Europe, and the co-ordinated flashing wristbands didn’t represent any problems due to their professionalism and attention to detail. I can’t speak highly enough of my dealings with them over so many years.”

trouble The difficulties of performing out in the elements have also meant some unusual requests for contractors. One of the tour’s main suppliers, eps, has provided the likes of stage barriers, cable protectors and special rubber mats to provide stability on the sometimes slippery stage surface. “For some cities, like Porto and Zurich, eps additionally provides the local

Mylo Xyloto

promoters with a flooring system (Arena Panels, Remopla), turf protection (Terraplas), security gates, crowd-control barriers, flag poles and production vehicles like gators and golf carts,” says eps head of marketing Yvonne Kloefkorn.

Another of the issues caused by the roofless set-up has been the carpet on stage having to be binned any time it rains. “That’s maybe something we’ll look to resolve when we come back to Europe later in the summer for those stadium shows,” notes Leabody. Tour accountant Alex Pollock is charged with dealing with any such tweaks. “If the band has an idea for the show, I can advise them of what the financial impact of that creative decision will be,” he explains. “The magnitude of putting on a stadium tour like this is phenomenal and expenses on local labour and the likes of the plastic pitch cover are considerable.

We have 62 trucks on the road now, so we’re really a moving city. But on this show we build things such as plywood walls to cover stadium seating, or pens for generators and those costs all mount up.”

Coldplay hit you with lots of their “ effects within the first five songs, so you’ve got pyro, confetti cannons, balls bouncing around the audience and the Xylobands lighting up all at the start of the show.

“

The tour’s impressive LED round screens. Photo © Miller

– Bill Leabody, production manager

When it comes to generators, Fourth Generation became part of the Coldplay family when it supplied power for Viva La Vida - the band’s first stadium tour. Company MD Tweed Hurlocker says, “With production load-in times and touring schedules extremely tight in nature, multiple systems were essential. Two 440 kVA twinpak generators and two 325 kVA twinpak generators provided over 3,600 amps of power, whilst two systems of five kilometres of mains cable, were utilised on each show.”

The response to the show from venues and promoters is nothing but positive. Liz Cooper, marketing director at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena reveals Coldplay now hold the record attendance for a single gig at the stadium. “Every ticket was sold whether it was standing on the pitch or the 2,000 hospitality packages we had in our corporate lounges.

This was the first time we had kicked off a band’s [UK] tour and everyone had a fantastic night.”

Portuguese promoter Everything Is New hosted the first night of the stadium tour in Porto and as a result had the band in town for rehearsals as they configured the show for outdoors. “They played a festival in Portugal less than a year ago, so they’ve basically played to more than 100,000 people here within 12 months and I don’t know if anyone else could do that,” says company MD Alvaro Covoes. Indeed, Covoes tells IQ that the only other stadium show in Portugal this year is Madonna and just two weeks before that date, tickets were being advertised on TV at a 20% discount. “We went on sale with Coldplay in December and sold about 90% of the tickets

40 | IQ Magazine July 2012

Tour video crew: Darren Montague, Pieter Laleman, Ed Jarman, Andy Bramley and Sacha Moore

Mylo Xyloto

xI saw the arena show at The “ O2 last year and I also saw them

play outside at the Hollywood Bowl and it has to be one of the most spectacular shows that anyone has ever put together.

“

– Michael Chugg, Chugg Entertainment in two weeks. The rest were production holds, but following rehearsals they sold in one day,” he adds.

Australian promoter Michael Chugg has been working with the band since the late 1990s, but when they bring the tour to an end in November, it’ll mark the first time they’ve played stadiums Down Under. “We sold 180,000 tickets in the first day, but I wasn’t surprised – I expected to do the business,” states Chuggy, who reveals that apart from production holds, the tour has now sold out with more than 210,000 tickets snapped up.

“We’ve got people travelling from all over Australia for the shows, plus quite a number of Coldplay fans from Asia because they’re not playing there on this tour.” He adds, “I saw the arena show at The O2 last year and I also saw them play outside at the Hollywood Bowl and it has to be one of the most spectacular shows that anyone has ever put together.”

While most of the global shows have a single promoter –

with the majority being Live Nation – the band decided to reward Polish promoters Alter Art with one of the very few co-promotes after being impressed by their professionalism on a festival date last summer. “It’s an honour and pleasure to be a part of this tour,” says Alter Art’s Mikołaj Ziółkowski. “Thanks to the band, the managers and Steve Strange, just a year after their first visit and an amazing concert for 60,000 at Open’er Festival, we will co-promote the show at the new National Stadium in Warsaw.

It’s really great and I really appreciate it.”

Mylo Xyloto

They are a promoter’s dream “ because they have that ability to sell

out everywhere... I’ve seen them in most territories now, but the reaction is universal: people love them.

“

Chris Martin. Photo © Miller

– Phil Bowdery, Live Nation

fix you While the Viva La Vida tour was renowned for its pioneering use of projection spheres, Mylo Xyloto has a circular theme, providing those working on the visual aspect of the show with a new set of challenges. “Everyone else was using 4:3 screens and then moved to 16:9, so to be using circular is unusual,” says Ben Miles of MixedEmotionsLondon, who handles the show’s visual effects and graphics. “Outdoors we use pure LED lights, so keeping the screens circular is quite different. Tiles of LED are square, but we map them to be as close to a circle as possible then put a mask frame around them to create the circular shape.

As far as I know, nobody has done that before.”

Video director Andy Bramley states, “Our job is to make the audience at the back feel as though they are in the first ten rows. The lovely thing about the set up for the stage outdoors

is that when it gets dark, the five main screens look like they are floating. In the arena shows there are six screens – five projections and one central, custom-made LED screen.”

Renowned for their production innovation, Coldplay always push the envelope for their live shows, prompting video engineer Ed Jarman to comment, “We’re constantly hiring or buying stuff that hasn’t been tested properly and that means battling with the technology to get it right for the shows. Using the round screens has been challenging, but we’ve been doing it for a while now so we’ve got it down to an art.”

Such is the camaraderie among the vast Coldplay production team that buses supplier Beat The Street’s drivers actually ask to get involved when the band goes on the road. “The nice thing for us is that the production people also request certain drivers,” says the company’s Tim King who had five 45-foot doubledeckers, three high-deckers and a 45-foot support bus out on the European tour, plus three VIP day buses for the UK shows.

And the band’s loyalty doesn’t stop there. Mary ShelleySmith of caterers Eat to the Beat, says, “[We] are proud to have been working for Coldplay since October 2000. Over the years as the band have continued an ever upward spiral of success, so have we continued to mature and grow. Our crew always really enjoy Coldplay tours as everyone of the touring entourage supports each other, which is something that comes from the top down.”

Acoustics specialists Wigwam Hire is another long-term supplier, having worked with Coldplay since 2002. “We’ve seen the band grow into one of the biggest acts in the world, says director Chris Hill. “We have a great relationship with the band, management and crew and it’s a pleasure to be involved with a band who know what they want and will do everything to achieve a result. Coldplay have supported some great charities over the past years, and, as we do the same here at Wigwam, it is great to see people putting something back into the system.”

speed of sound Apart from the awesome spectacle of the Xylobands which turns audience members into a living light show (see breakout, page 49), Coldplay’s show has a whole host of special effects to wow the audience. “The wristbands are very effective, but unlike other acts, Coldplay hit you with lots of their effects within the first five songs, so you’ve got pyro, confetti cannons, balls

44 | IQ Magazine July 2012

Fans wearing Xylobands become Coldplay’s living light show © Miller

Mylo Xyloto

bouncing around the audience and the Xylobands lighting up all at the start of the show,” says Leabody. “As a production manager, staying on top of the latest technology is part of our remit, so I’m constantly having discussions with production designer Paul Normandale to see if there’s anything new we can use to improve the show.”

Such improvements keep accountant Alex Pollock busy, but he contends that one of the most intriguing elements of the Mylo Xyloto production is that there isn’t a bad seat in the house. “Depending where you are sitting, you get a completely different show from others in the audience,” he says. “If you are at the very top and back, that perspective lets you see the entire stadium lit up by the wristbands. If you’re up high, the lasers below are like a floor leading to the stage, whereas down low they are above your head, so there’s a big contrast in audience experiences and the band and creative people have spent a long time planning those elements.”

The band’s trio of London shows were something of a risk for the promoter. When Bruce Springsteen played Emirates Stadium – home of football club Arsenal – in 2008, the local authorities imposed a strict 75 decibels noise limit. Ballantine reveals that SJM liaised with the council for months to allay concerns. “We spent extra money on special directional speakers, so instead of just cranking the sound up to 11, we flew speakers from the stadium roof to direct the sound down to the audience.”

Live Nation’s Bowdery admires the band’s approach to new

46 | IQ Magazine July 2012

markets and venues. He first worked with Coldplay in 2009 when they played Hong Kong, Singapore and Abu Dhabi.

“They are a promoter’s dream because they have that ability to sell out everywhere,” he says. “They played Turin on this tour because we couldn’t get Milan for [soccer] reasons, but they were still able to sell out 40,000 tickets. The same was true in Spain – last time they played Barcelona and this time they did Madrid, but it was the same sell-out situation – they’re unbelievable. I’ve seen them in most territories now, but the reaction is universal: people love them.”

the hardest part Although some acts would be reluctant to step back a level after such an overwhelmingly successful stadium leg, Holmes is adamant that the move to stadiums in North America would still be premature for Coldplay, and the band has not been swayed by a temptation to cash in. Agent Marty Diamond says, “They haven’t yet staged a proper stadium tour in North America, but that’s under discussion and they’re certainly ready for that next level. On Mylo Xyloto we could definitely have toured wider, because there’s a lot of territory still uncovered, but the plan was based on the band’s touring schedule. Obviously, I would love to have more dates with them, but they always leave people wanting more and that’s a great achievement.”

Holmes confirms those preliminary stadium talks for America. “Looking at how fast the arena shows sold out, we would definitely be able to sell stadium shows,” he says.

Mylo Xyloto

“But I’m just not convinced that the American audience likes stadium shows that much. They are more accustomed to watching sports in arena settings and I think they prefer concerts that way as well. But we’ll definitely go outdoors in America at some point. That might not be on the next album – maybe the album after that.”

That cautiousness in maintaining the relationship with their fans is an ethos that runs throughout the Coldplay camp, from the band right through to the roadies and merch vendors.

Holmes underlines that approach. “In arenas, [the audience seating is] almost 360-degrees. One of the biggest challenges is that we don’t want to price the seats round the back of the stage too high – and there are a number of seats that don’t have good sightlines that we’re blocking off, because it just wouldn’t be fair to sell them at all.”

god put a smile upon your face

Photo © Miller

Close to 2 million people will have witnessed the Mylo Xyloto tour by the time it winds up in November, but as the band quietly continues to build its fan base, the word of mouth about the shows is anything but hushed.

“Coldplay have taken the live experience to a new level,” says SJM’s Ballantine, applauding the way they continually visit new markets. “In terms of the UK leg of the tour they have gone against the mould to take the show to as many people across the country as possible, playing Coventry in the Midlands and Sunderland in the north east, which are fairly under-served markets.”

Diamond concurs. “I’ve never seen a set-up as impeccable and well thought out.” And praising Coldplay’s long-term vision for breaking the lucrative American market, he adds, “When Coldplay first came here they played the clubs and they’ve never left a step out along the way. They are always very conscious in terms of ticket prices for their fans, but also the way in which they engage and remain responsible to those fans.

Everyone on the tour is friends and a lot of people see Coldplay as family – I certainly see myself as that. The whole production has a very familial feel to it, from top to bottom.”

“The inner sanctum of their crew has been with them since day one and that definitely has helped foster that familial feeling,” observes Strange. “It’s a great production team and they know each other well. Bill [Leabody] is new, but [stage manager Craig] ‘Fin’ Finley used to be the production manager; [head of venue security] Jackie [Jackson] has been there forever and knows the structure inside out, and the whole management side of things is hugely impressive.”

Indeed, Strange admits that even he was surprised by the speed of ticket sales for the Mylo Xyloto tour, “We were into our options sometimes within an hour or two of the on-sale.” But despite the effects, such as the Xylobands, Strange concludes that the reason for the band’s success is simple. “It’s all down to consistently great songwriting and that powerful creativity,” he states. “I’ve watched them develop as a live act and just get bigger and better every year. But this show is just spectacular and I never tire of seeing it – there’s so much going on that every time you see it, you discover new elements.”

48 | IQ Magazine July 2012

Photo © Miller

Mylo Xyloto

involve the audience and I can see others wanting to use it in a different way – possibly the electronic and dance community – but there could be a tremendous number of uses.”

However, the band’s manager, Dave Holmes, reveals that there’s one stumbling block to other acts and events using Xylobands. “There have been a lot of enquiries about the wristbands, but those tend to tail off when people find out the costs,” he says. “But as the technology becomes more affordable you might see them being used elsewhere.”

Production manager Bill Leabody reveals that each show uses about 60,000 wristbands. “There are big deliveries coming in constantly because the suppliers can only make a certain number per day. We have a guy whose sole task is to look after the wristbands, activate them and make sure they are distributed to all venue entrances so that they can be handed to the audience as they come in.”

And the effectiveness of the gimmick is just another element of Coldplay’s dedication towards their fans, according to international agent Steve Strange. “The fact that the band have deliberately put themselves in a position where if it rains they get wet is really embraced by the audience and the wristbands idea just takes that another step further – it’s not cheap, but by God it works. Also, they keep the ticket prices reasonable – a general admission ticket for under £50 for a show of this size is really good.”

Jason Regler – RB Concepts

One of the biggest talking points on Coldplay’s Mylo Xyloto tour is the show’s use of thousands of Xylobands, which effectively turn the audience into a living light show. The flashing device has gone down a storm amongst fans, with the wristbands distributed free to ticket holders as they enter a venue, although guitarist Jonny Buckland recently claimed that the cost is a staggering £400,000 (€500,000) per show.

Xyloband inventor Jason Regler, of RB Concepts, tells IQ he was inspired by Coldplay’s Fix You performance at Glastonbury 2005: “[The idea] was put on the backburner as I had other projects going on at the time. I also had to make it work, which I did not have time or resources to do back then,” recalls Regler.

Nonetheless, he proposed the idea to creative director Phil Harvey at a Coldplay rehearsal in 2011. Hooked on the concept, the band invested in the technology to help realise Regler’s vision. As a result, the wristbands are being used for the entire Mylo Xyloto tour, with nearly two million units ordered.

Each recyclable Xyloband contains a radio frequency device.

Batteries are activated upon entry to the show and the device allows Regler and the band to dictate when and how often its LED lights flash. The wristbands are manufactured in five different colours: red, white, yellow, purple and green to create a stunning visual effect when they are synced to the music.

“People are blown away by the wristbands,” says North American agent Marty Diamond. “It’s a very interesting way to

July 2012 IQ Magazine | 49

France:

Formidable or ?

As the Euro crisis continues to deepen, the live music business in France is starting to feel the pinch. Adam Woods learns what industry professionals are doing to weather the storm.

50 | IQ Magazine July 2012

France

Introduction The English-speaking world took a rather superior line on French music for decades. John Lennon once waspishly compared French rock music to English wine and, as has been noted around here before, Elton John declared in the 1970s that the French couldn’t organise a concert in a toilet.

That’s old news in 2012. Sir Elton includes Nice’s Palais Nikaïa, Lyon’s Halle Tony Garnier and the ancient Arène de Nîmes on his touring schedule this summer; France produces world-class talent in many genres, from Daft Punk and David Guetta to Phoenix and M83; and even English wine receives moderate respect – although not, obviously, among the French.

But while the status of France in pop’s league of nations is much improved, it’s difficult to make the case that these are great times for the French live music business. The recession is finally biting live entertainment, and even an arts-friendly new government, a remarkable, state-subsidised infrastructure and some fresh anti-scalping legislation seem unlikely to turn things around very fast.

“For the first time in my career, I am losing more often than I am winning. And when I lose, I’m losing more than the profit I’m making when things go well,” says Gérard Drouot,

the leading independent promoter, who set out in the business in 1974 but, by his own acknowledgement, enjoyed his best ever years as recently as 2009 and 2010.

Busy and initially a little terse, Drouot is ruing a tough night in Lyon with Guns N’ Roses the night before, where, needing an audience of 8,000 to make the show pay, sales stalled at 5,000.

“We still have acts who are doing better than others,” he says.

“Our Bruce Springsteen and Leonard Cohen shows have sold out, and my colleagues have sold out Metallica and Coldplay.

But Springsteen and Cohen came to Paris when their albums were released and did press conferences. That was unheard of 20 years ago, but promotion is important now, and some artists realise that.”

Beneath the economic challenges, the big-name sell-outs, the middling and smaller-scale disappointments and the occasional high-profile disasters, this is the lesson that is emerging loud and clear among French promoters: work with artists and there are very often things you can do, as flexible French independents are seeking to prove. Assume the old ways still hold true – as promotion-averse Axl Rose does, to the chagrin of his promoter – and you may find you have problems.

The market While most European industries cottoned on to the hard fact of the recession three or four years ago, the dreaded decline set in mere months ago in the French live business. All the same, it has rapidly made its presence felt.

“It’s not a good time,” says veteran Salomon Hazot of Nous Productions, even as he reflects on a sell-out with Coldplay at Nice’s Stade Charles-Ehrmann/Nikaïa, co-promoted with Alias Productions. “The big acts will do okay, or you are a total idiot.

But when I do medium or small shows, it is dead. It’s scary.”

“I have been told by politicians that the crisis has been with us for three or four years,” says Drouot. “To me, it began this year. I hope it won’t stay long, I but I think it may be three or four years.”

Most major promoters have tours that defy the bad portents. For Drouot, it’s Springsteen, Cohen and a rampaging farewell tour

by Scorpions. The grand successes, like the disappointments, are unpredictable. “That’s always been the case,” says Drouot, brightening. “If it was predictable, I would have been a billionaire years ago.”

One bright spot on the horizon is the introduction of a new law to tackle scalping, which makes it illegal for anyone to resell a ticket for more than face value without the consent of the promoter. “It is too new to have had an impact yet, but I think it will help,” says Drouot. “I remember a Leonard Cohen show three or four years ago at the Olympia where someone sold 50, €120 tickets behind my back for €400 each, and they made more money from those 50 than I made on the entire show.”

At the same time, according to François Thominet, managing director of Ticketnet, there is a need to offer tickets in nontraditional ways. “People have less and less purchasing power,” he says. “Like in the travel industry, we have to modify the way we display ticketing with new channels to promote events

at discount prices. We are developing a real-time interface to integrate ticketing into any kind of e-commerce website to enable partners to sell ticketing and manage back office sales by themselves.”

The market’s woes, meanwhile, aren’t yet reflected in the official numbers. The most recent figures, released by the Centre National des Variétés, relate to 2010 and portray a market that hosted 44,860 shows, generated €600m in ticket sales and entertained crowds of 20.4m. Of those shows, 6,047 were free, highlighting one of the major characteristics of French live entertainment: there have long been subsidies galore, for festivals, venues and grass-roots development. But public funding is inevitably in decline as the economy suffers, and many fear the worst for the events, musicians and venues supported by the state, at local and national level. The other side of the coin is that France has strong industry bodies and networks. Prodiss, the live music trade organisation, lobbied hard for the anti-scalping legislation, and the MaMA Event, which takes place in Paris on 25-26 October, works hard to keep French live industry professionals in the international loop.

The international stock of French-signed artists is particularly high, given the profile of acts such as Guetta, Cassius, Justice, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Camille, Sebastien Tellier, Laurent Garnier and others. Eric Vandepoorter of the French music export office in London, reports that there were 900 concerts

by French artists in the UK last year, with London a predictably key city, given its expatriate population of about 300,000. “It is not just about artists playing to French crowds,” he says. “80% of the time, these shows are put on by UK promoters and the target is English crowds - Francophiles, or people who don’t even think about where it comes from.”

July 2012 IQ Magazine | 51

France

Promoters

l to r Armel Campagna, Clotaire Buche, Claude Cyndecki and Jean-Paul Roland

An old-school bastion of independence in all sorts of ways, France has a strong tradition of indie promoters. These include Drouot’s GDP, Alias Productions, Nous Productions (which was sold to Warner Music France in 2010) Jackie Lombard’s Interconcerts and a cohort of indies, including Azimuth, Caramba, Les Visiteurs du Soir, Quarter Libre and 19 others, who since 2006 have grouped themselves together as Live Boutique to find safety in scale.

As indies do, many of those in France still bridle slightly at the incursion of Live Nation into the market in 2007. But while international corporates may not be to the French taste, Live Nation France, first under Jackie Lombard and, for the last two-and-a-half years, under Angelo Gopee (previously of Nous Productions), has won a certain rivalrous respect. “We know that Live Nation are better and better in terms of organisation,” says Hazot. “Before, they were not as good as they are now, and that was fine for all of us, but now it is going to be a bit scary.”

For his part, Gopee is one promoter who, while acknowledging the tough conditions, doesn’t appear preoccupied by them. “Of course the market will be going down a little bit, but when you are doing the right shows for the right price, you can do well,” he says. 30 Seconds To Mars tore through France last year, he recalls, priced at €27, and consequently the shows sold out across the country, with an average of around 6,000 punters at each. LMFAO had a similar experience, he adds, and while established names can command higher prices, they also need to offer a superior experience. “The key to the market is not to overplay it,” says Gopee. “We consciously underplayed Sting on his Back To Bass tour, where he was doing 3,500 everywhere and he sold out. 9,000 people won’t pay €60 to watch from a long way back, but when you are doing something intimate, people can really enjoy it. It was a perfect tour.”

Not every superstar is scaling down for maximum intimacy, of course, but Gopee has words for those who complain about high ticket prices for the biggest shows. “Anyone can say Madonna is expensive, or Gaga is expensive,” he says. “But what we are trying to explain to people is it’s not expensive because people are trying to make a lot of money – it’s because the production on those shows is huge.”

It is true that a general recalibration is taking place, however, in the knowledge that a cash-strapped market simply can’t support as many events at the same prices as it once could.

And in the spirit of a market founded by independents, it is the indies who believe they know the way forward.

Alain Lahana, a veteran who operates as the one-man Le Rat des Villes, takes an all-round approach that encompasses record

52 | IQ Magazine July 2012

releases and tours carefully tailored to the artist, both in France and beyond. The long-time French promoter of Patti Smith, he recently scheduled a tour of towns and venues that had particular meaning for her, scheduling full shows and afternoon musical readings in unconventional spots. In Charleville, where Smith’s hero Rimbaud was born, she played in the church he attended as a child. “We are building stories, you know.” Lahana reflects.

“We don’t always reproduce the same thing – we try to do a special model for each and understand what the artist wants.

With Patti’s tour, we did 41 events in a month and everything was sold out three months ahead. We didn’t even print a poster.”

Other projects include Après, a new, budget-priced Iggy Pop album of mostly French covers, which Lahana signed for France, and the blossoming international career of NigerianGerman singer Ayo. “Obviously, it’s a hard time in general,” he says. “If you speak just about concerts, there are too many of them. Ticket prices are too high, and to my mind, there is not a fantastic service given to the audience. There are too many records, as well, and they are too expensive. So we take these parameters and try to make it work.”

Plenty of others are also experimenting with leaner ways of working. “Right now, we are choosing artists who are talented, of course, but who are also prepared to be smart,” says Clotaire Buche of Caramba Spectacles. “It is about not spending too much and having a strong act and a great show, even if you don’t have a single on the radio. Our artist Ben l’Oncle Soul only sold 10,000 copies of his album in Germany and he won best club tour of the year at their live entertainment awards.

Zaz is selling out venues of up to 7,000-capacity in Europe, Japan and Turkey, and she only sings in French.”

Some things, meanwhile, stay the same. On the domestic front, it remains standard practice for national promoters to work with a variety of local promoters on nationwide tours.

Claude Cyndecki of Cheyenne Productions is one such promoter, operating from Tours across the Loire Valley, but also lately expanding into national productions, including the RFM Party ’80s nostalgia tour, which has sold 170,000 tickets, and the long-running comedy show Les Bodins.

The way to keep attendances healthy, Cyndecki agrees with Gopee, is equal attention to quality and price. “I don’t want to do one-shot tours to make a quick, one-time profit,” he says.

“My goal is to build a career plan for artists in the medium and long term. If you have a policy of low prices and quality shows, and you choose the room right, you are going to sell all your tickets, and that means the artist is happy and so is the public.”

France

Festivals

“

– Gérard Drouot

”

“France really is a festival country,” says Jean-Paul Roland, general manager of Les Eurockéennes de Belfort, which last year brought 95,000 visitors to its 100,000-capacity site in north-eastern France. He can support his assertion, too. Festivals bring half as much into SACEM (the French performance collection society) as the entire French touring sector combined. There are more than 800 musical festivals playing all kinds of music, two-thirds of which take place during the summer. Whether there will be quite as many in the future, as public subsidies for such events are inevitably squeezed, remains to be seen.

Among the bigger operators, which include Less Vieilles Charrues, Rock en Seine, Les Francofolies de La Rochelle, Les Eurockéennes and Trans Musicales de Rennes, there are relatively few outward signs of the suffering felt in other areas of the live market, but given the level of international artist fees, most have to ration their use of major foreign names.

“As our festival takes place during the busiest summer weekend [29 June to 1 July], when there are 40 other European festivals, fees for top international headliners are somewhat on the expensive side for us,” says Roland. “Fortunately, French artists who are less in demand abroad this year, like Shaka Ponk, 1995, and C2C, will draw a lot of people.” Les Eurockéennes are also treating themselves to Jack White this year, along with The Cure, Alabama Shakes and French names

including the internationally-recognised Justice and Fránçois & The Atlas Mountains.

Perhaps because of the vast number of French festivals, it is well known that only one of the majors sells out in advance, and that’s Les Vieilles Charrues, the French Glastonbury, which is 21 this year and will bring Bob Dylan, Sting and Portishead to the small village of Carhaix in Brittany from 19-22 July.

“Tickets are selling well,” says director Loïck Royant. “As of now [late May], we’ve sold slightly over 155,000 tickets, but we have a month and a half to go, so we think we have a good chance of selling out all four days.” The festival has a capacity of 53,000 per day, with a further 10,000 guests, media and VIPs. “We are still the biggest festival in France, in terms of the number of visitors, the artist fees we pay, which stand at €3.2m this year, and the total budget, which is €11.5m.”

Live Nation’s Main Square festival, in Arras, northern France, doesn’t have quite the same scale, but after eight years it counts itself as the fourth-biggest in France, with 100,000 attendants over three days and headliners including Pearl Jam and Blink-182. It also has the second-biggest Facebook page in France, which says something for how promoter Armel Campagna is seeking to grow the event – one of the few French festivals to take place in a city.

“We are learning a lot that way about what people want,” says Campagna, who also brought I Love Techno to France last December with a first event in Montpellier. “The big difficulty is price resistance. France is very protective with price and always has been, especially with festivals. The tradition has always been €35 for a day ticket and you see 45 bands, and that’s changing, because it’s impossible now.

I’m just between €50 and €60, and anything under €45 is a second-tier festival.”

Festival Les Vieilles Charrues 2011 © Pierre Iglesias

For the first time in my career, I am losing more often than I am winning. And when I lose, I’m losing more than the profit I’m making when things go well.

July 2012 IQ Magazine | 55

France

Venues A Wave of Arena-building recommended in Arenas 2015, a 2009 report commissioned by Rama Yade, then Secretary of State for Sport, is under substantial threat in the perilous economic climate.

The public and private push for a new breed of venue in France, which famously lacks purpose-built arenas any larger than the medium-sized Zénith chain, is steadily losing the support of private investors. A 10,000-seat arena near Bordeaux has already been cancelled, and other projects exist in a state of limbo.

In partnership with Pennsylvania-based Global Spectrum, UK-based NEC Group has won the right to manage Lyon’s 15,000-capacity Villeurbanne Arena, due for completion in 2015. It is involved in two further tenders, including one in Orléans, with the possibility of two more, but NEC Group International managing director Koen Melis concedes that nothing is certain. “There were plans for between eight and 12 venues to be ready for 2015,” says Melis of the 2009 report.

“I don’t know if that’s a realistic figure anymore.” He clearly has high hopes for the Lyon project, but given that it is 100% privately funded, he admits there could be problems. “The stakeholders are doing everything they can, but it’s very difficult to say anything about if and how fast it will progress,” he says.

What hangs in the balance is a major private influx into an area that has long been driven by public funds. AEG Facilities remains involved in the renovation of the Bercy arena, but, for now, a more general revolution is not expected. Combined with AEG’s involvement in the renovation of Bercy, it represents something of a shift for a country that has built most of its enviable – if possibly slightly impractical – network of venues to a very specific template, and very often with state and regional backing.

Besides the Zénith network of small arenas, a major part of the state’s bequest to live music since 1997 has been the creation of the scènes de musique actuelles circuit(SMAC) – a network of small- and medium-sized venues across the country, all supported to a lesser or greater extent by money from the Ministry of Culture and powerful local mayors.

“Every town has got one,” says JD Beauvallet, a journalist with music and culture magazine Les Inrockuptibles. “They employ about 20 people each and they have rehearsal

space, help for new bands, and they put on shows, so even in a small town of 200,000 people, you have bands playing every night. That is quite healthy, in a way, but it is also completely artificial from a commercial point of view.”

Now there are roughly 150 such venues, and the network constitutes both a major boon to young musicians and, down the road, a significant candidate for cost-cuts. The newly appointed French Prime Minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, has been a wellknown supporter of the arts as Mayor of Nantes, so the SMAC venues are probably safe for now, but Beauvallet believes they will be in the spotlight as long as budget cuts are required.

Some venues, of course, are likely to be more sustainable than others. Numerous cities and towns in France have built their own thriving music scene around a particular small- or medium-sized venue. Clermont-Ferrand, which sits on a plain in the middle of the Massif Central, has long been derided as one of France’s dullest places, but now it is ‘la ville la plus rock de France’ (‘the most rocking town in France’) according to retailer Fnac, largely because of the scene that has grown up around one well-run venue, La Coopérative de Mai. Combining a 464-capacity club and a theatre for 1,500, La Coopé has made a tour stop of Clermont-Ferrand, bringing hundreds of artists in 12 years, including Morrissey, The White Stripes and Lou Reed.

“The guy who runs it, Didier Veillault, is amazing, and with the bands he has booked, he has basically built an audience from scratch,” says Buche.

It is not only at the smaller end of the market that France is well catered-for. The chain of Le Zénith arenas, built between 1983 and 2008 and now running to 17 buildings across the country, has its critics, but it has done much to encourage promoters to build provincial tours. “We do a lot of shows in the provinces that are sold out,” says Live Nation’s Gopee.

“We sell-out a lot of shows in Nice, and you also have Lille, Nantes, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Strasbourg, which all have their own Zénith. It’s an incredible venue – easy to load in and out, with catering, dressing rooms…”

In Paris, promoters now have access to a range of venues including the 2,600-capacity Olympia, the original Zénith (6,000), Bercy (up to 17,000) and the city’s two stadiums, Parc des Princes (45,000) and Stade de France (70,000). Nonetheless, as in virtually any thriving capital city, the capacity is finite. “If you are looking to make a show in Paris in six months’ time, 80% or 90% of venues are already booked, and you will find there’s maybe only Mondays available,” says Buche.

“But they are very nice venues, and they are all learning how to get private sponsorship, which is obviously becoming a lot more important. I must admit, when you travel abroad, you realise you can’t complain.”

Main Square Festival

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Five Years at the (Big) Top When AEG first revealed plans to build an arena inside the Millennium Dome, sceptics predicted it was throwing good money after bad. But as The O2 celebrates its fifth birthday, Christopher Austin learns this was just phase one for the record-breaking venue...

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ittingly, the 80,000-square-metre, tent-like structure housing The O2 arena is one of the few manmade objects visible from space. The O2 arena has been the world’s most popular concert venue every year since owners Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) opened its doors on 24 June 2007, thanks to the galaxy of stars who have graced it and the millions of fans they have entertained.

The 23,000-capacity arena now stands gleaming at the pinnacle of the live music industry. In 2011 alone, more than 1.9 million tickets were sold for events at the venue and every year around 8 million people visit The O2 building. But far from resting on his laurels, AEG Europe president and CEO Jay Marciano tells IQ he is developing strategies to build on the foundations of that remarkable success. Among the initiatives that will play a part in the next phase of the venue’s evolution is the establishment of ‘cornerstone’ events, including a push to

make The Brit Awards a week-long celebration of British music.

The development of The O2 as the world’s leading venue is a huge achievement for AEG and all the more impressive considering that the building, designed by renowned architect Richard Rogers, had become something of a blot on the landscape. In the late 90s, Tony Blair’s New Labour Government poured close to £800million (€995m) into building the Millennium Dome to house its ill-fated Millennium Experience project. The structure soon became known as an expensive white elephant, was branded a failure in the popular press and proved to be a very visible embarrassment for the government – one that even a trip into space couldn’t hide.

Fortunately, the Philip Anschutz-backed Meridian Delta consortium’s successful bid to lease the Dome for 999 years, and the resulting deal with AEG, changed everything. Not only has the structure transformed into a state-of-the-art

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The O2 arena’s vital statistics • Opened on 24 June 2007 with a concert by Bon Jovi • A capacity of 23,000 • The venue’s roof holds 120 tonnes of lighting and rigging • More than 1.9 million tickets were sold in 2011 • Over 70% of the venue’s visitors arrive via public transport • The O2 attracts 8 million visitors each year • The volume of The O2 is equal to 13 Royal Albert Halls, 10 St Paul’s Cathedrals or 2 old Wembley Stadiums • In terms of tickets sold, The O2 arena has been the most popular venue in the world every year since it launched

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The 02 naming rights deal has proven to be one of the most successful music partnerships ever created; it has been wildly successful for both 02 and AEG.

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– Jay Marciano, AEG multi-facility entertainment complex, but in tandem it has acted as the springboard for the regeneration of the entire Greenwich Peninsula. And it’s unprecedented success has also been the catalyst for other venues around the world to raise the bar on the facilities they offer their customers and visiting artists, prompting the investment of countless millions of pounds, dollars and euros into refurbishment projects and new-build wannabes.

“It probably took a naive American company to come over and do it because the conventional wisdom was that it wouldn’t work there,” smiles Marciano, who in the early part of this century was a member of the team responsible for conceiving and designing The O2 in his previous role as AEG Live chief strategy officer.

Marciano says that at the time of AEG’s acquisition of the lease, many believed that the Dome’s east London location was not sufficiently accessible or appealing enough to support a mainstream live entertainment venue. “As we developed the vision, we became convinced the transportation links were

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better than the widespread perception at the time. The [London Underground] Jubilee line comes to the front door, there are great parking lots, which many London venues do not have, and we acquired the commuter passenger ferries – Thames Clippers – so we believed there were several solid ways to get to the venue,” says Marciano. On 27 June a new cable car line connecting The O2 and ExCel conference centre on the other side of the River Thames opened, providing yet another route to the arena.

Even with a sufficient transport infrastructure established, there remained the question of how to, quite literally, raise The O2’s roof within the existing Dome structure. “Once we were committed to the vision, that was it, but there were definitely challenges. We couldn’t take the tent down so we had to figure out how to build everything within it,” recalls AEG Facilities Europe executive vice-president Rod O’Connor.

Architects HOK Sport and engineering consultancy Buro Happold were brought on board, as part of the £600m (€746m) building programme and developed some ingenious solutions. Among their many impressive achievements was the design and construction of a 4,000-tonne roof that had to be prefabricated in situ on the floor of the Dome. It then had to be jacked up and twisted into place, as the use of cranes under the existing structure was not an option. O’Connor believes that a key factor in the success of The O2’s construction was AEG’s hands-on approach to the venue’s development and active partnership with its designers. “One of the ways an arena ends up facing problems is if you don’t have the operating group involved in the design phase. We always sit down with the designers at the front end,” says O’Connor.

Another partnership that has paid considerable dividends for AEG is its agreement with telecoms group O2, in a deal widely regarded as ground-breaking. Current AEG senior vice-president Paul Samuels played a key role in securing the £6m-per-year naming rights deal for the venue back in 2005 when he was head of sponsorship at O2. At O2, Samuels was the major broker in sponsorship deals with the likes of Arsenal Football Club and the England rugby team, but nothing like The O2 naming rights partnership had been attempted before.

Samuels admits that when he was first approached by AEG he needed some convincing. “I got a phone call from a company called AEG; I thought they made washing machines. They said they had just taken over the Millennium Dome and asked if we were interested in sponsorship, I said ‘no thank you’ and promptly put the phone down.” A trip to AEG’s US venues in Los Angeles and Las Vegas soon convinced Samuels that working with the company was an opportunity not to be missed. The naming rights proposal was put to the O2 board and was initially given short shrift. Eventually though, Samuels’ determination paid off. “The 02 naming rights deal has proven to be one of the most successful music partnership’s ever created; it has been wildly successful for both 02 and AEG,” enthuses Marciano.

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While providing a significant boost to AEG’s bottom line, the partnership has also presented O2 with a significant customer engagement opportunity. Key to the agreement were advantageous terms for O2 customers, including entry to select areas of The O2 and advance access to tickets. According to Samuels a number of promoters initially reacted frostily to the idea of O2 customers being given priority access to tickets, but they soon warmed to the idea. “They know that O2 has a marketing machine that can really help sell tickets – they are a strategic partner,” says Samuels.

Among the many promoters impressed by the benefits of The O2 naming rights deal is SJM’s Chris York. “It delivers innovative marketing options and unique bespoke events such as the New Year’s Eve Kasabian show,” he says.

Obviously the venue has proved to be a hit, not just with promoters and fans but also with artists and their crews. “The artists love it on a number of levels,” says The Agency Group’s Neil Warnock. “The contemporary design creates a feeling of intimacy despite the venue’s size, the acoustics are extraordinary and the backstage area is superb. Artists also get good feedback from their crew and that makes for a much more pleasant touring experience; if the crew are happy, your band are happy.”

In its five-year history there have been no shortage of great gigs at The O2, whether it was Bon Jovi performing on the roof to open the venue, Led Zeppelin’s triumphant return, Roger Waters’ spectacular delivery of The Wall or the succession of lengthy artist residencies which kicked off with Prince’s legendary 21-night stint. The venue has also become home to a number of marquee sports events including the ATP tennis tournament and NBA basketball and is playing host to the London 2012 Olympic gymnastic competition. It has also staged performances by comedians including Michael McIntyre and Peter Kay and attracted 40,000 people to watch ballet.

For Marciano, the diversity of the crowd demographic visiting the venue is proof of its success and something that he is now looking to build on. “Theoretically, we are just coming out of a deep recession and yet the business model has continued to perform magnificently. It allows you to have the confidence to start thinking ‘what else can we do in phase two and three?’” he says.

Firstly, Marciano is looking to subtly change the arena’s brand messaging with an increased focus on the venue’s heritage.

“Throughout history there have been a select group of proven and historic live entertainment destinations. I know it is a little early to think about The O2’s heritage, but where it might have taken great live entertainment destinations like the Royal Albert Hall or Carnegie Hall 50 or 75 years to enjoy the status of a must-play venue, things move much faster today,” says Marciano.

Secondly, AEG is concentrating efforts to host a number of annual ‘tent-pole’ events that will become synonymous with The O2.“Over the next several years, you will begin to see us identify and develop a number of cornerstone events which will take place at The 02 each year. Initially, not all of these will be money makers, but we hope that, over time, they will grow and potentially make use of other venues around the city. This requires commitment and years to achieve, so it’s not a oneyear plan, it is a three- to five-year plan,” states Marciano.

Residencies Prior to the opening of The O2 arena, London had witnessed a scattering of artist residencies down the decades: Eric Clapton’s 24 nights at the Royal Albert Hall and Pink Floyd’s 14-night stint at Earls Court being among them. But nothing captured the public’s imagination quite like Prince’s 21 nights at The O2 just months after the venue was unveiled. During Prince’s lengthy run at The O2 he played for more than 52 hours and attracted an audience of half a million people.

Since then, AEG has encouraged a number of other acts to avoid the strain of incessant touring and let their fans do the traveling. Among the artists that have played multiple dates at The O2 arena are the Spice Girls with 17 shows; Bon Jovi’s 12-dates; Take That, who performed nine gigs; and Rihanna, who holds the record for a female solo artist with a ten-date run.

Despite the sad demise of Michael Jackson prior to commencing his much-heralded 50-night residency in 2009, AEG has shown no sign of backing away from the multidate business model that has proved such a success for the company, particularly in Las Vegas.

AEG has a history of staging lengthy residencies, including Celine Dion’s marathon stint at The Colosseum in Las Vegas, which saw her play 717 shows over a five-year period. She is now due to play 70 shows per year at the AEG-owned venue for the next three years. Likewise, Elton John has returned for a long-term residency at Caesar’s Palace having completed a run of 241 shows over a five-year period there in April 2009.

AEG Europe president and CEO Jay Marciano tells IQ that residencies continue to be a key element of the company’s vision for The O2 in the years ahead. “Residencies create a lot of impact in the market and they form an important part of the programing we will be very focused on in the years ahead,” he says. “Had Michael Jackson played, it would have been historic. Now the legacy is the 50 shows that never played, but the point is that 50 shows is as many that Madison Square Garden will host in some years, but at The 02 it can be achieved by a single artist.”

He believes there is no shortage of artists able to sell-out a series of gigs at The O2, with few locations being better placed than London to host residencies. “If Rihanna can sell out two nights at Madison Square Garden in New York City and then come to London and sell out ten nights it begins to illustrate just how deep the market is here,” adds Marciano.

“

Artists love it on a number of levels.

The contemporary design creates a feeling of intimacy despite the venue’s size, the acoustics are extraordinary and the backstage area is superb.

”

– Neil Warnock, The AgencyGroup July 2012 IQ Magazine | 61

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Testimonials “It’s hard to believe that a phoenix would actually rise out of the ashes of the much maligned Millennium Dome, and what a magnificent phoenix it has become.”

Barrie Marshall – Marshall Arts “I don’t think anyone anticipated just what a difference the O2 would make to the UK live entertainment market. In the five years since it opened we have witnessed some of the biggest onsales ever experienced in the UK ticketing business, including the 21 nights of Prince, 17 dates of Spice Girls, Led Zeppelin and of course the 50 Michael Jackson concerts. There have been many, many more. It has been an incredible five years.”

Chris Edmonds - Ticketmaster UK “The O2 has been transformational in as much as providing a purpose-built destination venue, which London has always lacked.

It has captured the imagination of the concert-going public.”

Alex Hardee – Coda Agency “This building serves as a permanent reminder that if you believe in excellence, you nurture brilliant talent in all fields and the public respond by enjoying and appreciating their valuable leisure time in the best way possible.”

Chris York – SJM

“The O2 is a great venue and is a wonderful addition to the arena circuit. With its large capacity, it enables promoters to bring over the biggest attractions and adds more choice for the public to see those attractions in the capital.”

Danny Betesh – Kennedy Street “I know a lot of people that actively look for shows to go to see at the O2 and I think that is quite a new experience in London.

The O2 is probably the first ‘destination’ venue that I can think of in the UK.” Emma Banks – Creative Artists Agency “The O2 arena provided London with a landmark arena setting – something that the city desperately needed. The O2’s amazing acoustics and great sight lines make it one of the best arena experiences in the world.”

Peter Elliott – Primary Talent “It is a flagship in Europe for what can be done with a venue.

The most important thing about The O2 is not so much that it works extremely well from a production and artist point of view, but that it gives the general public a great experience.

The kind of experience that The O2 arena provides hadn’t been available before in English venues.”

Neil Warnock – The Agency Group Another sell out show at The O2 arena

“David Campbell and AEG did a fantastic job in launching the venue and they aggressively targeted us for the Rolling Stones and Barbra Streisand (who still holds the biggest gross figure for one show). It is easier to get to than Wembley from Fulham, which is amazing.”

John Giddings – Solo Agency

“The venue has had a very positive impact in terms of offering a state-of-the-art large-scale arena in London, offering great facilities at a competitive price. The O2’s continued success demonstrates it’s not purely in a honeymoon period.”

Conal Dodds – Metropolis Music

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In Focus...

Do you have a photo for inclusion? email info@iq-mag.net 1

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1. A Greener Festival directors Claire O’Neill, Ben Challis and Helen Wright took to the Highlands of Scotland recently to plant the first 300 trees in the Festival Wood project. The environmental organisation has partnered with Trees for Life which is working to restore native forests and wildlife habitats at Dundreggan near Loch Ness.

2. The O2 arena’s general manager Rebecca Kane, assistant GM Sally Davies and programming manager Emma Bownes cornered Live Nation’s Andy Copping backstage at Kanye West and JayZ’s Watch The Throne shows to present him with an award to mark the venue’s biggest hip hop tour to date.

Sydney Entertainment Centre general manager Steve Romer 3. poses with the prestigious Professional of the Year award, presented to him by the Venue Management Association at the VMA Congress Gala Dinner.

4. Irish promoter Denis Desmond, agent Carl Leighton-Pope and Live Nation bosses John Probyn and Paul Latham limp, hobble and wheel themselves toward the finishing line of The Long Walk – a sponsored trek that took the quartet 144 miles from Download Festival at Donington to Hyde Park in London. To date they have collectively raised nearly £100,000 (€123,800) for their chosen charities.

5. Festival director Paulo Fellin, EvenPro’s Phil Rodriguez and production director Maurice Hughes join Rock In Rio Lisboa’s crew for a well earned break during the five-day festival which featured headliners Bruce Springsteen, Linkin Park and Metallica.

Over the past ten years, the festival has raised over €5million for various socio-environmental causes.

Ollie Green of Stageco stands proudly front-of-stage in 6. preparation for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in London. The stage which took 1,000m2 of decking and eight days to build was seen by millions over the jubilee weekend.

7. Creative Artists Agency VP Rod Essig welcomes Tim McGraw to the company’s 20th annual BBQ in its new Nashville offices.

8. Business manager Stuart Johnson launches Nearly New AV, a service offering the audio visual industry a method to trade used, rental and ex-demo equipment in Europe. The company will concentrate on both the buying and selling of used equipment.

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Your Shout

TOP SHOUT!

“ What is your most memorable festival experience, good or bad?”

Artur Peixoto, Everything Is New My most memorable festival experience was to be arrested two consecutive years at Reading Festival (2008 and 2009).

Firstly, because I was supposedly taking pictures of girls’ asses on the campsite; and secondly, because I was reported by event security for being a tout! OMG!!!

Gerry Stevens, Talent Care International It was back in 1979 when I was in charge of a festival in Milton Keynes.

The festival was for one day and featured, amongst others, The Police and Squeeze and I was in charge of all the production and logistical elements.

The show was totally sold out (30,000) and I am sure that we could have sold 300,000 tickets. Unfortunately, early in the morning of show day the skies literally opened up and we had to deal with torrential rain all day.

Apart from having to cope with the on-stage problems caused by the rain I had to help protect the public from the rain as it was open-air. Being a quick thinker I called Milton Keynes Council and asked them if they could help with 40,000 large dustbin bags.

They very kindly obliged and we were able to give them to the crowd to give some sort of protection from the rain.

The show happened, it was great, the audience loved it and kept reasonably dry, although some were knee-deep in mud and water.

Bryan Grant, Britannia Row Productions Getting a noise complaint at a well known urban festival the day before it started...

Ed Grossman, MGR My most memorable festival experience was dreadful. A car load of us went to see Led Zeppelin at Bath Festival, circa 1969: PRE-GLASTO!! We arrived at 8am, paid our ten bobs-worth (50 pence) and walked into a site with no facilities and no tea being sold at that time. There was no shelter and the heavens opened and drenched us. We went home and missed the show. I am still upset about it; VERY!

Anonymous I had been looking forward to attending this Irish music festival featuring two of my favourite bands on the same day!

The festival website said that the event schedule would be published before the day. I checked the website over fifty times to find the info about band/stage/ times. Incredibly, NO info was published – there was no way of telling what time my favourite bands would be performing.

Interesting that when I arrived at the gates they were selling the ‘passes’ featuring the info for bands/stages/

times. I was furious that this easily available info could have been listed on the website and instead they chose to fleece the punters for an extra £5 (€6.20). I had also missed one of my favourite bands who had already played an early slot. This was a very poor experience for me from the days before I attended up until the festival itself.

Nick Hobbs, Charmenko As a music-crazy 19-year-old fan of Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band, what could be closer to nirvana than being invited onstage by the band to dance during the band’s set at the Bickershaw Festival? Mud, mud and more mud, along with Hawkwind’s loose-breasted Stacia.

Sam Heineman, Sam Heineman Events Hands down, it was the 1992 Roskilde Festival with Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Faith No More. Ton’s of others during a totally sunny, amazing time at one of the best festivals on earth. The entire line-up, the audience as well as the festival organisers were all fantastic.

Thank you, Leif [Skov]!

Will Page, PRS For Music Watching Deodato perform at North Sea Jazz 2002. Some people hadn’t seen him perform since the early 70s, others didn’t know who he was – but after a spiritually uplifting two-hour performance everyone was touched.

A musical treat, quite unlike anything I’ve experienced since.

If you would like to send feedback, comments or suggestions for future Your Shout topics, please email: info@iq-mag.net

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