96 An ILMC Publication FEBRUARY 2021 | £25 | €25
NEW ZEALAND’S POST-COVID REALITY
THE RACE FOR CANCELLATION FUNDS INDUSTRY STEPS UP VACCINE EFFORTS
AGENDA GUIDE ARENAS PLOT EUROPEAN RESTART
Helping your return to live. Virtual Events Digital Tickets Timed Entry Contactless Admission Fan Research Marketing Reach Say hello at business@ticketmaster.co.uk business.ticketmaster.co.uk
IT’S GAME ON FOR THE BIGGEST, MOST GLOBAL ILMC YET With events in the physical world having forced the concert business offline, ILMC is inviting the industry’s top players to suit up, mount their light cycles and join us on the game grid for the virtual experience of the year – ILMC 33: Virtually Live. Featuring over 1,000 digital avatars drawn from across the live music matrix, ILMC 33 will be the largest and most international edition of the conference to date, with the online-only format allowing for a greater number of panels, meetings, keynotes, networking opportunities and after-hours events than ever before. Debuting in 2021 are two new conferenceswithin-a-conference, The Experience Economy Meeting (TEEM) and the tech-focused PULSE,
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while returning favourites include the ILMC Production Meeting (IPM), the Green Events & Innovations Conference (GEI) and the industry's Oscars equivalent, the Arthur Awards, which will stream live from the truly lavish Royal Albert Hall on 4 March. Also streaming live will be a series of showcases presented by the planet’s premier booking agencies, with other evening entertainment including the ever-popular quiz of the year and poker tourney, which – while taking place somewhere deep in hyperspace – is raising funds for the Stagehand Covid-19 crew relief fund back in the real world. Wherever that is. With this year’s conference, for the first time in ILMC history, open to both existing members and ILMC noobs, there’s no excuse for not logging on to live music’s greatest gathering between 3–5 March…
ILMC
TUESDAY TUESDAY 2 MARCH 2 MARCH 2021 2021
09.00–17.00 ILMC PRODUCTION MEETING
The ILMC Production Meeting (IPM), the foremost networking platform for international production professionals, will take place in its traditional slot the day before ILMC kicks off in earnest. IPM 14 will retain much of the familiar IPM schedule and ambience, with the usual array of current topics, panellists and networking opportunities. The schedule combines five main panel topics with several Production Note sessions presenting new ideas and innovations; keynote-style Q&As with veteran gaffers; and various opportunities to network and catch up with colleagues old and new. Panels this year include trucking and cabotage; getting back to work in a Covid-safe way; crew education; wellbeing
09.00–17.00 GREEN EVENTS & INNOVATIONS CONFERENCE
HOST: A Greener Festival (UK) The 13th edition of the leading conference for sustainability in the international events sector takes place online on Tuesday 2 March, concurrent with IPM. With the number 13 being associated with upheaval and destruction, it is fitting that GEI 13 will be held digitally owing to a health emergency, says A Greener Festival (AGF),
and mental health; and sustainability, with speakers including Liz Madden (NoNonsense Group), production coordinator DebbieTaylor, Keely Myers (Global Touring Office), Vatiswa Gilivane (VatiCan Group) and show director Asthie Wendra, alongside a slew of production managers (and former IQ Gaffer Award winners) including Jesse Sandler (Bon Jovi), Bill Leabody (Coldplay), Wob Roberts (One Direction), Jason Danter (Lady Gaga) and Arthur Kemish (Taylor Swift). IPM delegates will be able to interact and get involved in discussions. Outside of panels they can take advantage of the virtual format to network, meet online and schedule chats. A ticket to IPM 14 will provide access to all conference sessions, as well as special break-out discussions shared with the Green Events & Innovations Conference, which takes place simultaneously. The event is also available to rewatch for one month after it has taken place
which organises GEI in partnership with ILMC. The 13th Green Events & Innovations Conference will, therefore, focus on the themes of transition, transformation and building back better from the pandemic. Some of the first confirmed speakers for GEI 13 include Dale Vince, (Ecotricity/Forest Green Rovers), David Ojay (Naam Festival), Tom Schroeder (Paradigm Talent Agency), Frederic Opsomer (PRG Projects), Anna Golding (AEG), Gina Périer (Lapee), Claire O’Neill (AGF) and IQ’s Gordon Masson. As in previous years, GEI 2021 will mix practical case studies with discussion panels, presentations and networking, as well as the latest solutions and technologies in the field of event sustainability. Panel topics this year include the changing face of the festival sector, the importance of events industry collaboration, the GEI-IPM collaboration It’s Not Easy Being Green, and a discussion about restarting events in the most environmentally way possible following live entertainment’s year off in 2020.
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WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY 3 MARCH 3 MARCH 2021 2021 9.30–10.00
THE VIRTUAL GUIDE TO ILMC Host: Greg Parmley, ILMC (UK) ILMC head Greg Parmley welcomes all players to ILMC 33 for the official start of the conference. This briefing will cover everything you need to know about the first-ever virtual ILMC, including key features and tips to help your avatar make the most of their new digital home.
10.00–11.00
GRASSROOTS VENUES: ROUTE TO RECOVERY Chairs: Mark Davyd & Beverley Whitrick, Music Venue Trust (UK) This session brings together an international collection of passionate grassroots music venue operators to shed some light on issues facing their rooms, look ahead to a brighter 2021, and discuss whether there’s further need for cooperation to safeguard these vital spaces.
10.00–11.00
SUSTAINABILITY: THE BEST OF GEI Host: A Greener Festival (UK) Participants in the previous day’s Green Events & Innovations Conference reconvene to discuss the key takeaways and spotlight the collaborative work that has been going on behind the scenes since last year’s conference. If you can’t make GEI this year, this round-up will fill you in on the main discussion points.
10.00–11.00
PULSE: NEW TECHNOLOGY PITCHES Host: Steve Machin, LiveFrom Events (UK) This quick-fire session sees guests given just five minutes to pitch their new product, idea or invention. From XR to VR, holograms to virtual venues, ticketing tools to mobile apps and much more beyond… for anyone looking for a headsup on the newest technology most likely to impact the business, this is a must-see session.
11.30–12.30
THE VENUE’S VENUE: ROOMS TO MANOEUVRE Chair: Debbie McWilliams, SEC (UK) Considering the possibility of the pandemic being endemic and recurring again – as well as how venues re-skill their buildings when shows return – a stellar line-up of venue specialists join forces to achieve some workable solutions to the challenges ahead.
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11.30–12.30
COLLABORATION: THE MULTIPLAYER EXPERIENCE Chair: Manfred Tari, Pop100 (DE) With many international initiatives having seen results during the coronavirus crisis, this session discusses cooperation in the business and asks whether there is an argument for an international live music industry body – an IFPI of the concert business – to serve as a unified front for any further crises ahead.
11.30–12.30
PULSE: SWEET STREAMS – BEST IN CLASS Chair: Lars-Oliver Vogt, Live Nation GSA (DE) With live music on forced hiatus, what have the leading lights in the emergent live-streaming space learnt in recent months about how best to produce, market and promote successful live-streamed concerts? We invite those riding the crest of this new wave of virtual events to discuss.
13.30–14.30
THE TALENT PIPELINE: BRINGING NEW ARTISTS ONLINE Chair: Beckie Sugden, X-ray Touring (UK) Artists who were hoping 2020 would be their breakthrough year have been frustrated by the pandemic shelving most plans for live performances. Will they be given a chance to reset for 2021, or will the industry and fans simply move on to another set of acts? Guest speakers discuss the evolving world of A&R.
13.30–14.30
INSURANCE: THE BIG UPDATE Chair: Katie Moore, Live Nation (UK) What does the next 12–24 months look like for policies and cover, and how different will the insurance market look compared to how it did going into 2020? In what’s likely to be the best-attended insurance session ever at ILMC, we ask what comes next and how to navigate this roadblock to the return of live.
13.30–14.30
PULSE: THE LIVE-STREAMERS’ GUIDE TO LIVE MUSIC Speakers include Matthew Kiichi Heafy, Trivium and Danny Lee, Asian Agent According to those who’ve already lived it, just how fundamentally is live-streaming – whose adoption elsewhere can be seen in the 15m daily users on Twitch and 500m fans of e-sports – going to change live music? PULSE invites a line-up of gamers, streamers and platform-heads to tell us what’s around the corner.
JOIN IN THE ILMC 33 CONVERSATIONS WITH…
ILMC
FRUZSINA SZEP
FRANK TURNER
SAM KIRBY YOH
OBI ASIKA
BEATRICE STIRNIMANN
KAPTIN BARRETT
EMMA BANKS
PHIL BOWDERY
NATASHA BENT
MIKE GREEK
KEDIST BEZ
ARNAUD MEERSSEMAN
15.00–16.00
16.30–17.30
15.00–16.00
16.30–17.30
THE OPEN FORUM: THE BIG BUILD BACK Chair: Phil Bowdery, Live Nation (UK) Fresh off the back of the worst year in the history of the live music business, a team of industry titans helps figure out where we go from here. Join host Phil Bowdery and an allstar panel as they ask the big questions, in what is sure to be an unmissable session.
THE AGENCY BUSINESS: ENTER THE NEW PLAYERS Chair: Lisa Henderson, IQ (UK) The influx of new independent agencies popping up across the globe has been one of the most positive outcomes of the past year, so how does it affect the agency landscape? Four new kids on the block discuss their plans and how they’ll do things slightly differently.
15.00–16.00
PULSE: THE NEW FAN EXPERIENCE Speakers include: Ric Salmon Driift (UK) & Sheri Bryant, Sansar (US) With all the talk of virtual performance spaces, should there be more focus on the fan experience itself? Without sticky floors, spilled drinks, and long bar queues, attending a virtual show has immediate benefits – but what’s going to keep audiences coming back to these new spaces?
KLAUS-PETER SCHULENBERG: THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN Host: Greg Parmley, ILMC (UK) ILMC head Greg Parmley sits down virtually with Klaus-Peter Schulenberg, founder and CEO of global ticketing and live entertainment powerhouse CTS Eventim, to discuss a remarkable career in entertainment and his five-year vision for the road ahead.
PULSE: THE BUSINESS OF LIVE TECH Chair: Mike Malak, Paradigm Talent Agency (UK) Covid-19 may have sped up the adoption of new technology in live music but the evolution will not stop with a vaccine. And as technology continues to change the world around us, where do agents, promoters, venues and others now fit in?
18.00–19.00
THE BIG REPLAY Missed the day’s meetings or joining late from a different time zone or another virtual world and wondering what you missed? Join the ILMC team and one or two session chairs as we discuss some of the key points, themes, comments and information from the day.
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THURSDAY THURSDAY 4 MARCH 4 MARCH 2021 2021 10.00–11.00
BREXIT: THE ENDGAME Chair: Craig Stanley, Marshall Arts (UK) The UK’s exit from the European Union is set to have farreaching implications for concert professionals, with new rules governing customs, work permits, tax, visas and more. A panel of Brexperts assesses the other new normal in European touring.
10.00–11.00
COVID-19: THE STRATEGY GAME Chair: Stuart Galbraith, Kilimanjaro Live (UK) A year on from the great shutdown of March 2020, industry professionals discuss what mitigation measures we can put in place to allow shows to go ahead at full capacity, and what strategies there are to get back up to full speed as quickly as possible.
10.00–11.00
WORKSHOP: THE MOBILE TICKET Did Covid just kill the printed ticket? Mobile is the holy grail for next generation ticketing – and with contactless tech now more in vogue than ever, how far are we from moving to 100% mobile and dumping the paper ticket forever?
11.30–12.30
TICKETING: MOVING BEYOND 2020 Chairs: Scumeck Sabbotka, MCT (DE) & Nicole Jacobsen, Tickets.de (DE) ILMC explores the lessons learned from the pandemic and how the previous 12 months may have shaped the next 12 years of the ticketing industry. And with the business restarting in 2021, how will the relationship and terms between ticketers, venues, fans and promoters have evolved?
11.30–12.30
WORKSHOP: COVID TESTING & MITIGATION Host: Steve Woollett, IQ (UK) To help the industry prepare for a phased reopening, ILMC invites a range of specialists to showcase the equipment and services that will keep artists, crew, and audience safe, and help the live music business get back to work.
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11.30–12.30
TEEM: WHAT’S NEXT IN THE WORLD FOR EXPERIENCE EXHIBITIONS? Chairs: Ella Baskerville, Blooloop (UK) & Tobias Kunz, Studio TK (DE) What does the future of fun feel like? With large and spectacular entertainment sites in development all over the world, we introduce the projects, speak to developers, and quiz exhhibition producers on their expectations.
13.30–14.30
ARTISTS: THE VIEW FROM THE STAGE Chair: Paul Bonham, MMF With Covid putting the brakes on concerts, festivals and tours, has it made the artist community, without whom there would be no shows, think differently about live performance? A panel of creators discuss their outlook on live music, and their observations from the front of the stage.
13.30–14.30
THE ENGINE ROOM: THE IPM REVIEW Perfect for those who missed this year’s ILMC Production Meeting, which took place on Tuesday, this session invites a line-up of production experts to discuss the key takeaways from the day, and the more prominent issues in the live music production sector.
13.30–14.30
TEEM: TAKING EXHIBITIONS FURTHER Chairs: Christoph Scholz, Semmel Concerts (DE) & Abigail Bysshe, The Franklin Institute (US) The past year has seen upheaval and extraordinary collaboration, as thoughtful minds had a chance to rethink the future of entertainment. This conversation features highprofile guests from the museum, attractions and experience industry speaking about what they see as important right now and for the foreseeable future.
15.00–16.00
THE AGENCY BUSINESS 2021 Chair: Tom Schroeder, Paradigm Talent Agency (UK) From new revenue streams posed by live-streaming, to artists breaking by non-traditional means, where does touring now fit in, and how will the role of agencies evolve in the coming months? Has there ever been a more unique time to be a booking agent?
ILMC
BE PART OF THE DEBATE, ALONGSIDE…
ALEXANDRA AMPOFO
IRVING AZOFF
AMY DAVIDMAN
TIM LEIWEKE
JESSICA DUCROU
TOMMY JINHO YOON
NUR OZDAMAR
TONY GOLDRING
BECKIE SUGDEN
TOM WINDIS
MARIA O'CONNOR
MIKE MALAK
15.00–16.00
RACE MATTERS IN LIVE: LEVELLING UP Speakers include: Ammo Talwar, UK Music (UK) In the wake of 2020’s racial injustices and the seminal uprisings that followed, such as Black Lives Matter, top change-makers across the global industry’s most powerful promoters, agencies, and trade bodies discuss how they’re implementing strategies to repair live music’s diversity deficit.
15.00–16.30
THE TEEM X ILMC FLEA MARKET Hosts: Ella Baskerville, Blooloop (UK) & Tobias Kunz, Studio TK (DE) TEEM invites 20-30 presenters from museums, science centres, attractions, cultural venues and similar industries to pitch their latest travelling exhibition (or similar project) to an interested audience of potential “buyers.” Applications for the Flea Market are now open. Contact ???? to participate.
16.30–18.00
THE (LATE) BREAKFAST MEETING WITH IRVING AZOFF Host: Ed Bicknell, Damage Management (UK) From the Eagles to Jon Bon Jovi, Gwen Stefani and John Mayer, to a music empire that includes Full Stop
Management, Global Music Rights and venues disruptor Oak View Group, legendary music exec Irving Azoff needs no introduction. He joins former Dire Straits manager Ed Bicknell to discuss a lifetime at the top of the business.
16.30–17.30
TOURING IN 2021 & BEYOND: THE LONG GAME Speakers include: Arnaud Meersseman, AEG Presents (FR), Kim Bloem, Mojo Concerts (NL) & Tony Goldring, WME (US) Until borders are open and markets are harmonised, the industry’s focus will undoubtedly be on domestic touring. Panellists will discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by the increase in local touring and how the industry can prepare for the eventual return of international tours.
18.00–19.00
THE BIG REPLAY Another chance to join the ILMC team and a handful of session chairs to discuss some of the key points, themes, comments and information from the day just gone.
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FRIDAY FRIDAY 5 MARCH 5 MARCH 2021 2021 10.00–11.00
MENTAL HEALTH: TALKING HEADS Speakers include artist Frank Turner (UK), Prof. Dr. Katja Ehrenberg, Fresenius University of Applied Sciences Cologne (DE), Russell Warby, WME (UK) & Denise Devenish, BAPAM (UK) From authors of new mental health guides for music pro’s to companies pushing the bar higher, we invite an all-star line-up of guest speakers to discuss the live music industry’s collective responsibility towards mental health and the new resources and support that are available.
10.00–11.00
FESTIVAL FORUM: REBOOT & RESET Chair: Beatrice Stirnimann, Baloise Session (CH) As summer 2021 finally creeps into view, what lessons are there to be learned from 2020’s big time out? And does the festival ecosystem still face the same challenges as this time last year, or have its priorities changed? A host of international festival heavyweights discuss.
10.00–11.00
SPONSORSHIP: REINVENTING THE DEA L Chair: Jeremy Paterson, IF Media Consultancy (UK) Covid-19 has sent a bowling ball through the sponsorship sector, removing blockages and opening up opportunities for innovative and adventurous multi-channel solutions. This roundtable discussion looks at what branding and music partnerships will look like when we get back to business.
11.30–12.30
THE WORKFORCE: PROTECTING OUR ECOSYSTEM Chair: Joanne Croxford, Wellness & Diversity Specialist, Live Touring (UK) With many still out of work and struggling, who’s stepping up to support our live music ecosystem, and what more should the business be doing to help? And as the business comes back, how can we limit the skills gap of specialists who have retrained or left the business?
11.30–12.30
FESTIVAL FUTURES: CORE PRIORITIES Chair: Fruzsina Szép, Superbloom (DE) Looking past the big question for 2021 – whether festivals will be allowed to go ahead at full capacity – this session focuses on the evolving passions, priorities and unique features that make the world’s myriad music festivals what they are, going beyond the headliners to consider what these events mean to operators and fans.
11.30–12.30
GENDER EQUALITY: THE NEXT LEVEL From pledges to directories to maps, a number of leading
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organisations have published practical industry-spanning resources to support the sector in its pursuit to be diverse. This session will hear from the pioneers behind the projects, as well as the impact they’ve had on the forward-thinking businesses that have adopted them.
13.30–14.30
WORKING CULTURE: GETTING A LIVE While the pro’s and cons of home working will differ from person to person, what do the experts believe this seismic shift in working culture is having on our communication, mental health and productivity? And as our notion of the office evolves towards anywhere with a Wi-Fi signal, what’s the impact on the business and how we work within it?
13.30–14.30
LIVE-STREAMING RIGHTS: WRONGS & RATES Chair: Paul Craig, Nostromo Management (UK) How live-streaming revenues are divvied up, what deals are in place, and how anyone considering a live-stream should approach the topic are among the topics slated for discussion, as a cast of live music, recorded and rights professionals unpick this relatively new scene.
15.00–16.00
FUTURES FORUM: MEET THE NEW BOSSES Chair: Marc Saunders, The O2 (UK) This ever-popular session, which traditionally kicks off Futures Forum, ILMC’s event for young professionals, welcomes a quartet of emerging execs – all of whom were recognised among IQ’s New Bosses in 2020 – to talk about their journey so far and the challenges facing young executives rising up through the ranks in live music.
15.00–16.00
ROCK: THE MOTHER OF REINVENTION Chair: Tom Taaffe, Paradigm Talent Agency (UK) From setting new standards in the art of packaging shows and tours, to industry entrepreneurs heading off land for maximum-dB ocean cruises, the rock music genre continues to innovate. Paradigm’s Tom Taaffe invites the industry leaders pushing the scene forward to discuss.
15.00–16.00
E3S: SAFETY & SECURITY 2.0 Chair: Gary Simpson, ASM Global (UK) The Event Safety & Security Summit – the international platform for safety and security in the live events industry – hosts this one-hour conversation, bringing together leading security, venue, festival and touring professionals to examine how the industry is responding to the latest threats to the welfare of artists, fans and staff alike.
ILMC
EVENTS EVENTS SCHEDULE SCHEDULE competitions for anyone unlucky enough to go out early, it’s set to be another nailbiter. Especially as there are prizes on offer for the top three players… Bring courage, determination and, of course, your poker face – cameras will remain on!
THURSDAY 4 MARCH 15.00–16.00 SPEEDMEETINGS Thursday’s speedmeeting sessions, which once again see delegates matched with others by business type courtesy of some particularly clever computer algorithms. The next best thing to meeting face to face for delegates who want to add new connections to their live music network.
WEDNESDAY 3 MARCH 11.30–12.30 FUTURES FORUM: MENTOR SESSIONS A highlight of Futures Forum, ILMC’s in-person event for young professionals, these oneon-one meetings provide an opportunity for emerging execs to meet face to face with some of the most successful figures in live music. Details of how to apply will be released ahead of the conference. 15.00–16.00 SPEEDMEETINGS These daily speedmeeting sessions see delegates matched with others by business type courtesy of some particularly clever computer algorithms. Turn up to meet your virtual matches for a five-minute video chat, before being automatically moved on to the next person. 19.00–20.00 THE ‘ESCAPE FROM REALITY’ QUIZ (OF THE YEAR) A fixture of the ILMC Gala Dinner, the annual Pop Quiz returns as an online think-’em-up, with players one to 32 going head to head in an epic battle of brains. Expect questions on the industry and the people in it, as well as tests of your general knowledge and assorted pop-culture ephemera.
19.00–21.00... THE BOB LEFSETZ PODCAST LIVE When a conversation between two of the industry’s most legendary personalities lines up, you have to allow extra time. With no particular end time in mind, The Bob Lefsetz Podcast Live sees the LA-based industry legend host an exclusive edition of his widely syndicated show, interviewing artist manager and longstanding ILMC Breakfast Meeting host, Ed Bicknell. 20.30–21.30 SHOWCASES: ATC LIVE, ITB & PARADIGM ILMC 33 has partnered with some of the top booking agencies in the multiverse to provide delegates with some spectacular live-stream performances from the best new signings and emerging talent out there. Wednesday sees our friends at ATC Live, ITB and Paradigm Talent Agency present a line-up of some of the the best new acts on their books. Featured artists will be published soon, and all showcases will be available to watch back on the ILMC platform after the event. 21.00–23.00 THE ‘BATTLE ROYALE’ TEXAS HOLD ’EM POKER TOURNEY As ILMC goes virtual, so too does its venerable annual poker tournament. With multiple tournament tables, as well as side
18.30–19.30 THE ARTHUR AWARDS 2021 Host: Emma Banks, CAA (UK) ILMC 33 delegates from far and wide can watch as their industry colleagues and friends from around the globe are commemorated during the most prestigious (online) award ceremony of the live music industry calendar, which this year is streamed live from the most iconic venue in London – the Royal Albert Hall.
19.30–20.30 SHOWCASES: HOTS, PRIMARY TALENT, SOUND CZECH & UTA Our Thursday showcases will mix talent from central Europe, courtesy of export offices Hungarian Oncoming Tunes and Sound Czech, with some of the hottest new acts on the rosters of Primary Talent International and United Talent Agency. Expect a stellar line-up of some exciting new artists, details of which will be published soon.
FRIDAY 5 MARCH 13.30–14.30 FUTURES FORUM: MENTOR SESSIONS A second opportunity for younger delegates to connect with senior live music figures. ILMC delegates (suggested age 30 and under) will have the opportunity to apply for mentoring, which will pair successful applicants with mentors able to advise on any aspect of their career or business. Details on how to apply will be released soon.
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LIVE MUSIC’S GLOBAL GATHERING REBOOTS TO A NEW VIRTUAL REALITY
PROVISIONAL AGENDA NOW LIVE 33.ilmc.com
IQ96 CONTENTS
Cover: Breaking Beats promoted The Upbeats at TSB Arena, Wellington, in July 2020. Photo © Mark Russell
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28 NEWS
FEATURES
COMMENT AND COLUMNS
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Index In Brief The main headlines over the last two months Analysis Key stories and news analysis from around the live music world New Signings & Rising Stars A roundup of the latest acts that have found agents during lockdown
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ILMC 33 Agenda Guide Details of our unique 2021 edition of the International Live Music Conference Operation Restart As the European Arenas Association marks its 30th anniversary, we talk to leading venues about plans to reopen The NewZ Normal Gordon Masson finds out how the New Zealand industry is coping in its post-pandemic bubble
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The Other Side of Town Conal Dodds details his firm’s creation of a new live-streaming operation Games Without Frontiers Jesse Kirshbaum extols gaming's ability to introduce artists to new audiences and accelerate career development PULSE Preview Agent Mike Malak reveals his Thousands of expectations for ILMC’s PULSE sessionsread professionals Your Shout IQ every day. Make What are you looking forward to most sure you get the when life gets back to normal?
whole picture… SUBSCRIBE HERE Magazine 13
In Brief
NEW YEAR, NEW VARIANTS…
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and on heart, I confess that I thought 1 January 2021 would bring with it a wave of optimism, that we’d finally put 2020 to bed and, with a vaccine already being given to front-line medical staff, the elderly, and the most vulnerable, there was more than a suggestion that the battle against coronavirus was being won. However, the first few weeks of the year have seen negative news story after demoralising statistic after a more infectious corona variant being dumped on us, and the general mood cowering under even darker clouds. I’m not saying I believed the virus would simply switch off as 2021 rolled around, but every day is a day closer to venues being able to reopen and I was hoping that spirits might be lifted by the prospects of a brand new year. Speaking to our friends in New Zealand (see page 38) – including Scottish-born Stuart Clumpas (whom I’ve known since I was a teenager, having frequented his bars and nightclub in my home town, incidentally) it’s been interesting to hear how they have relaunched operations. Intriguingly, while venues reopening seems to be the saviour moment that many in the live events sector are craving, the experience in New Zealand hasn’t been so straightforward, underlining the fact that live music is a globally dependent business, which needs international tours to retain and develop healthy domestic markets. For anyone pondering what the so-called new normal might be, I commend you to read the advice and experiences shared by our Kiwi colleagues. Speaking of venues reopening, we’ve also taken some time to ask members of the European Arenas Association – which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year (page 28) – about their plans and strategies for reopening, as and when the coronavirus restrictions allow, in their respective territories. Sooner rather than later, hopefully. And when it comes to information about how our peers around the world are preparing to get back to work, then, of course, there’s nowhere better than the International Live Music Conference to discuss such burning issues with the industry’s leaders. So, if you haven’t already pored through it, turn to page 3 for our agenda guide for this year’s unique online-only ILMC. For the first time ever, ILMC will be allowing delegates to catch up with any sessions they miss via recordings on the event’s virtual platform, so if you haven’t already registered your place at the conference, get your skates on and give yourself and your laptop something to look forward to at the beginning of March. With any luck, by then at least, some of us might be vaccinated and a path out of the darkness will finally become more of a reality.
ISSUE 96 LIVE MUSIC INTELLIGENCE IQ Magazine Unit 31 Tileyard Road London, N7 9AH info@iq-mag.net www.iq-mag.net Tel: +44 (0)20 3743 0300 Twitter: @iq_mag Publisher ILMC and Suspicious Marketing Editor Gordon Masson News Editor Jon Chapple Staff Writer Lisa Henderson Advertising Manager Steve Woollett Design Philip Millard Sub Editor Michael Muldoon Head of Digital Ben Delger Contributors Conal Dodds, Jesse Kirshbaum Editorial Contact Gordon Masson gordon@iq-mag.net Tel: +44 (0)20 3743 0303 Advertising Contact Steve Woollett steve@iq-mag.net Tel: +44 (0)20 3743 0304 ISSN 2633-0636
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IN BRIEF INDEX The concert business digest
DECEMBER European and North American concert halls, stadia and convention centres step up to help with national Covid-19 vaccination programmes. Ticketmaster’s global chief operating officer Amy Howe announces plans to leave the company in 2021. Lyte raises $33million (€27m) in a series-B funding round, bringing the company’s total amount raised to $48m (€40m).
JANUARY PRIMA-CoV, Spain’s clinical trial, finds that a live music concert performed under a series of safety measures is “not associated with an increase in Covid-19 infections.” New Zealand festivals are able to bring in the New Year with tens of thousands of non-socially distanced attendees. Ireland’s Aiken Promotions unveils Vision, a six-part online video series filmed at its 1,500-capacity Vicar Street venue in Dublin. Chinedu Okeke, founder of promoter Eclipse Live and executive producer of ‘Coachella in Lagos,’
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Nigeria’s Gidi Culture Festival, is named managing director of Universal Music Nigeria.
FMLY Agency recruits Rob McGee and gains artists including Baby Strange, Beach Riot and Chloe Foy.
Denmark’s live music association, Dansk Live, is granted permission to hold a series of test events.
In the UK, MPs make a fresh call for government-backed insurance.
UK festival stakeholders give evidence at the DCMS Select Committee’s inquiry into safeguarding the future of the sector. Crosstown Concerts, a UK-based promoter, celebrates the successful debut of its new virtual concert platform, selling over 8,000 tickets for Bellowhead. (See page 22) ILMC unveils the provisional agenda for the 33rd edition, which will go virtually live between 3–5 March. Dutch government considers introducing a German-style fund to reimburse organisers whose events are cancelled by coronavirus restrictions. Live Nation Belgium sells tickets to post-Covid party, I Want to Dance Again, despite not yet announcing a date. Seven people who attended a stadium concert on New Year’s Eve instead of self-isolating are fined in Covid-free Taiwan.
ICM Partners appoints seasoned US-based agents Ron Kaplan, Garry Buck and Alex Buck to its concerts division. Roblox raises $520m (€428m) in a new funding round that values the company at $30billion (€25bn). All Things Live strengthens its position in Denmark with a new local booking department in Copenhagen. Secret Sounds, a new Australian festival, reveals the Covid-safe ‘party pods’ that are designed to keep attendees socially distanced. Viva.gr, the Greek ticketing platform, celebrates a successful first month of its new streaming service, having sold more than 150,000 tickets. Stay Sound & Check Yourself, a new book written by GO Group’s Holger Jan Schmidt documenting mental health behind the scenes of the live music industry, is released. UTA hires booking agent Robbie Brown, formerly of WME, as the
latest addition to its Los Angeles music team. Samsung-owned company Harman unveils a suite of in-car audio products designed to capitalise on the drive-in concerts boom. DEAG announces plans to take its stock private as part of a takeover bid valuing the company at just over €60m. British government denies it rejected an offer from the EU to exempt performers from needing a visa for European tours. Dr Anthony Fauci, chief medical advisor to the US president, predicts a return to live in autumn for the US. French music associations Prodiss and SMA organise test shows in Paris and Marseille for this spring. Japan reduces event capacities in Greater Tokyo after PM declares a state of emergency. Charlotte Church, Newton Faulkner and The Supernaturals are announced for at-home charity festival Music Feeds. Spain’s music sector reports a loss of €1bn in direct revenueThousands and €7bn of in indirect revenueprofessionals during 2020. read
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Analysis
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT BEHEMOTHS PITCH IN FOR VACCINATION EFFORTS
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s Covid-19 vaccination programmes roll out internationally, some of North America’s largest promoters, venue operators and industry associations have become the latest organisations to formally offer their venues, staff and expertise toward efforts in the United States, where the death toll is rapidly approach-
ing 450,000. In a letter to new US president Joe Biden, Live Nation, AEG Presents, Oak View Group, the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) and others pledged their empty venues and furloughed staff for the vaccination programme. “It’s human nature to come together in good times and bad, and our industry is committed to doing everything in our power to bring people together again, not just for events, but for every aspect of community that we have been missing,” said Michael Rapino, president and CEO of Live Nation. “Live Nation has venues across the country that are capable of managing critical onsite elements of the vaccine rollout and we are eager to pitch in and be part of the solution.”
Elsewhere, German ticketing and promotion giant CTS Eventim has been commissioned by federal state Schleswig-Holstein to organise local Covid-19 vaccination appointments. Unlike many federal states, vaccinations in Germany’s northernmost state are not assigned centrally by the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians but instead by the contracted party, CTS Eventim. According to the ministry of health in Kiel, the capital of Schleswig-Holstein, the entertainment behemoth was selected based on its ability to deal with the volume of appointment inquiries – something that many federal states are struggling with. Schleswig-Holstein’s minister of health, Heiner Garg, calls the vaccination campaign an unprece-
dented “huge logistical and organisational task.” The scheduling of appointments is actually “not so different from the handling of major events,” according to Alexander Ruoff, Eventim’s COO. “That means limited capacities, ideally a lot of interested parties,” he continues. The company has also received commissions from Austria and Brazil, Ruoff reports, and is “also in talks with other federal states and European countries, from Finland to Italy.” He states, “Today we can practically pull the system out of the drawer.” Live venues are already playing a key role in the immunisation process internationally, with concert halls, arena and stadia, and convention and conference centres offering their services as mass-vaccination sites.
“Live Nation has venues across the country that are capable of managing critical onsite elements of the vaccine rollout and we are eager to pitch in and be part of the solution” Thousands of Michael Rapino | Live Nation
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NEW SIGNINGS
LISTEN TO ’S ‘NEW MUSIC’ AGENCY PLAYLIST HERE
In partnership with a number of agencies, compiles a monthly playlist of new music, much of it released by the new signings to the agency rosters. Among the tracks on February’s playlist are submissions from 13 Artists, ATC Live, CAA, ICM, ITB, Paradigm, Primary and UTA.
NATURE TV AGENT
(UK)
Olivia Sime ITB
MANDRAKE HANDSHAKE AGENT
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Alice Hogg ATC Live
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he door-to-door heartbreak salesmen behind Nature TV are Guy (guitar & vocals), Josh (bass), Zal (drums) and James (lead guitar). Straddling the line between indie-pop and psych-rock, their familiar yet unique sound is often compared to Peach Pit, Real Estate and Beach Fossils. The Brighton-based quartet signed to Heist or Hit in September 2019 and quickly released three singles and EP, Emotion Sickness. The tracks all received rave reviews from tastemaker blogs, support from George Godfrey on BBC Radio One, as well as Spotify playlisting. During 2020, three more singles from their Lady Luck EP were released, all of which received global blog support. Tracks also landed Spotify playlisting on Garden Indie, Lo-Fi Indie and Alt Rocked, along with BBC Radio airplay. A live favourite, Nature TV were hand picked to open for Swimming Tapes, PINS and VANT, as well as providing tour support across the UK with Trudy & The Romance. The boys will be releasing two singles in early 2021 while they wrap up their debut album.
O (UK)
xford psych-collective Mandrake Handshake recently launched exhilarating new cut Gonkulator and announced their signing to cult indie label Nice Swan Records. The indie-stoner-y outfit have already drawn a slew of acclaim from key indie press champions (NME, DIY, Clash, So Young, Loud & Quiet) in their short time together, incorporating influences of krautrock, funk, Japanese animation and Latin pastoral poetry, to create a unique brand of ‘flowerkraut’ amidst a sprawling barrage of psychedelia. Gonkulator is the second offering from the band’s debut EP, which is scheduled for early 2021 release. “This is our three-minute party tune, but in swing 5/4 ‘cause who doesn’t love a good 5/4 groove!? It’s a song about sheer joy, happiness and freedom, for two-and-a-half minutes – can’t be any longer of Thousands because it’s too much otherwise!” professionals read
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Comment
Games Without Frontiers Expert in helping to launch new talent, Jesse Kirshbaum, founder and CEO of creative boutique Nue Agency looks at how gaming can introduce artists to new audiences, and take career development to the next level
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he hottest area in entertainment is gaming. The growth is astounding, with the global video game industry projected to grow by 37% in the five-year period between 2019-2023. Like all elements of youth culture, the gaming world loves celebrity, trends, fashion and, most of all, music. The nexus of music and gaming is creating groundbreaking collaborations and partnerships. The dramatic pause of live concerts in 2020 accelerated gaming platforms and virtual worlds to show their true potential for in-game engagement, with the Travis Scott and Fortnite concert being the current North Star for what can be achieved. Artists are now premiering songs in games, and using this new marketing channel to grow their fanbase and social following, and to sell merchandise and more. Some are even creating their own games, such as Justin Bieber with his boxing-themed single Anyone with a game to match. As a result, brand executives are showing increased confidence in gaming by allocating their budgets to this medium. You need only look at brands such as Adidas, Nike, and Louis Vuitton to see this in action. The savviest are linking music and gaming for the greatest impact, such as Travis Scott becoming a creative consultant for Sony’s PS5. In a nod to the intersection of these three major industries (music, gaming and marketing), 2020 marked the inaugural MusicGamingCon, hosted by music gaming publisher Amanotes and my company, Nue Agency. We believe it was crucial to create a moment of convergence for key individuals in music, tech, media and brands, to focus exclusively on the cross-pollination of knowledge and relationships in this unique world of music interaction through gaming. The conference featured an amazing line-up of panelists who provided plenty of tips for anyone, from artist to executive, looking to capitalise on these merging worlds. Amanotes perfectly combine music and gaming, with 1.5 billion app downloads and over 50 billion gameplay minutes. The company’s head of marketing and partnerships, Jheric Delos Angeles, outlines some key trends:
Increase in exclusive collaborations
We’ll see more and more artists creating original content specifically for gaming, as this is a means for artists (and labels) to reach a broader, already captive audience. It will also result in some very specific interactive formats that are possible only through games’ inventories. Hyper-personalisation
We are also seeing curated content aligned with users’ personal preferences. It is important to deliver a variety of options at the right time, in the right context, to keep everyone engaged. More users are getting smart curated content to fit with personal preference, parallel to how gaming/music tech is trying to enhance the experience of their audiences. Music gaming apps as a showcase for indie artists
Music gaming apps have the potential to provide a platform for independent artists to directly showcase their work. In Amanotes, we deliver high-quality music content to more than 15 million users globally every day. Some trends we’ve seen specific to this space are exclusive collaborations. Going forward, we predict more music for gaming content will be done as a creative effort to reach mass audiences: for example, the Monstercat collection for Rocket League. Opportunities for expanding music education through gaming
Leveraging the dynamics of gaming allows for the creation of apps that enhance music education through the implementation of AI. We’re intensively testing ideas and working with AI initiatives to make music education apps, and we plan to roll out market-fitted products in the second half of the year. As 2021 starts to kick into gear, there are many fresh ways to innovate. It’s important to have forums where we can gather to exchange ideas and open dialogue. Our goal with the next MusicGamingCon will be the emerging hybrid model of physical and digital. We’re also hoping to make this a global conversation, with each region making their own unique contributions. The more we come together, the more innovativeThousands of partnerships are going to happen. professionals read
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whole other asset, and monetising that can complement launching your tour or releasing your album while creating a special moment for fans that they can engage with, whether we’re in a pandemic or not. From an agent’s perspective, what benefits does live-streaming bring you? As much data as possible is always going to help us with our educated guesses about where we can go and what we can do on a tour. The world is a big place, and beyond all the traditional key cities where we go on tour, this can open other doors to understanding where some of those fanbases might actually be.
ILMC this year features the launch of PULSE, an allnew conference and content platform focused on the intersection of technology and live entertainment. PULSE is a collaboration between ILMC, Paradigm agent Mike Malak and digital entertainment expert Yvan Boudillet (TheLynk). Here, Malak previews the sessions that make up PULSE and outlines his expectations for the event.
What is the idea behind PULSE? MM: During the pandemic, people have been doing a lot of live-streams and I was really keen to dive deeply into that and see where it will take our business moving forward. We wanted to put together an event where we could look toward the future of live music, see where everything fits together and where it will take us. Who can we expect to hear from during PULSE? We’ve got a good mix of speakers both from the live-stream space and also some younger forward-thinking people, whether on the label side or promoter side etc, so we can hear what they have to say and we can figure out how we can all work together. We’re also bringing in people from the e-sports and gaming sectors because they are the experts at monetising live-streams and that kind of technology. We are aware that live music is behind all those sectors and we want to learn from those people, so I’ve no doubt they will provide us with some value. We’re very lucky to have secured the likes of Justin Lubliner from Darkroom, Danny Rukasin and Brandon Goodman from Best Friends Music, Tommas Arnby from Locomotion, and Lesley Olenik from Live Nation to shape the discussions on the day, so I’m looking forward to a very informative and productive launch for PULSE.
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Why the focus on live-streaming, in particular? Live-streaming is still a work in progress, but I’m super-excited about what it’s going to do for our business moving forward. We all want to be back at real live shows, but I think this can really supplement artist income, especially new artists that have to budget really tightly to do a tour. Live-streaming opens up different doors in terms of monetising things, and to get into the middle of content – which is basically a show – and create a whole separate experience while monetising it, is a huge opportunity. People are realising that live-streams are a
There’s a session about the “new fan experience”; what can we expect from that? The new fan experience is figuring out how you can create a special moment for fans at home and make that a meaningful experience. So we will look at virtual venues and how fans interact with them, giving them a completely different experience that has nothing to do with a real live show. And on the other hand, we’ll investigate the interesting ways that artists are interacting with the online viewers so it feels like there is a bit more of a connection. Some artists have made content where they pop-up on screen while their fans are watching their show, for instance, but there are lots of different tactics that you can use to really embrace the audience, make them feel like they are part of the show and they are connecting with the artists in a different way. A brand new American act might go to Paris, for example, but what if they have five fans in Lyon and five in Marseille? It might not sound like a lot, but if they buy a ticket for the livestream and they also buy a bit of merch and you give them a way to feel like they are experiencing the show, even if it’s cheaper, that’s going to help that new artist’s budget quite a lot. If you do that throughout Europe, it adds up. Who do you think will be most interested in the PULSE sessions? I hope, based on the amazing speakers that we have from the different sectors of the industry, that PULSE will attract a good spread of people. It’s an issue in our industry that concerns all of us, because we’re all trying to figure out how it works and how we all fit in together – where does the label and publisher fit in alongside the PRS? These are all things to be clarified and discussed together. I hope people also tune in for the New Technology Pitch sessions because, as a lot of us know, there are a million streaming companies Thousands of reaching out to all of us, all of the time, so it willread professionals be good to get an understanding whatday. is im-Make IQof every portant, what’s key and what to look for when sure you get the we’re figuring out who is doing it right.
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THE WORLD’S TOP PRODUCTION SPECIALISTS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS IN A DAY OF DISCUSSION AND NETWORKING
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Feature_EAA 30th Anniversary
The AccorHotels Arena in Paris hosted the League of Legends world championship finals in November 2019
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EAA 30th Anniversary_Feature
OPERATION RESTART As the European Arenas Association marks its 30th anniversary, its members find themselves in the deepest crisis in their history. Gordon Masson talks to some of Europe’s biggest venues to find out how they plan to get back up and running, and the EAA’s central role in that operation…
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THE NEWZ NORMAL 38
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Post-Covid Pioneers_New Zealand
The way in which New Zealand has dealt with the coronavirus is the envy of the world. Live events are allowed without restrictions, but those working in the country tell Gordon Masson that true success will depend on the rest of the world defeating the virus.
W Promoter Breaking Beats brought The Upbeats to the TSB Arena in Wellington on 25 July
hen IQ catches up with Stuart Clumpas, he is at the wedding of Live Nation New Zealand chief Mark Kneebone, and the following morning is flying his plane to Queenstown for an outdoor gig. “How very New Zealand-of-the-moment is that?” he comments, adding how fortunate he feels to be in a place that has dealt so well with the pandemic. “What New Zealand has been able to do, by a combination of fortuitous positioning on the planet, a little bit of taking a punt and getting it right, and just a very cooperative element throughout society, is to stop Covid in its tracks, and then put up strict-but-fair barriers to prevent the virus getting into the country,” says Clumpas. However, while going to a gig
remains all but a dream for billions of people around the world, the reality in the Land of the Long White Cloud is that live music professionals are suffering from some of the same issues as their peers in nations where concerts remain banned. Indeed, never has the term Kiwi been more appropriate, as the national icon is a flightless bird, very much symbolising the current dilemma. “I feel like I’m the living embodiment of The Truman Show,” confesses Clumpas. “We’re in a bubble that nobody can leave or get into.” Former Live Nation chairman Clumpas, who still consults for the company but otherwise runs Auckland’s 12,000-capacity Spark Arena and sister venue The Thousands Tuning Forkof (cap. 375), contends that New Zeaprofessionals read land’s ‘new normal’ comes withMake caIQ every day. veats. “It’s normal sure to all you extents getand the purposes, but there is an uncom-
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