two months

THE ‘FATHER OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSIC INDUSTRY’ PASSES

Frontier Touring founder Michael Gudinski, for five decades one of the best-known and most-loved figures in the concert business down under, has passed away at the age of 68.

The sudden passing of Gudinski – who died in his sleep at his home in Melbourne on 1 March – has sent a shockwave through the industry in Australia and beyond, with colleagues, artists, business rivals and parliamentarians sending their condolences and appreciation for a man Jimmy Barnes describes as “the heart of Australian music.”

Born Vale Michael Solomon Gudinski to Russian-Jewish parents in 1952, Gudinski founded record label and music publisher Mushroom Group at the age of 20. Mushroom went on to become Australia’s largest homegrown entertainment company, adding booking agency, merchandise, film/TV production, and concert promotion services.

Frontier Touring, founded in 1979, remains Australia’s largest tour promoter, having worked with artists including Ed Sheeran, Kylie Minogue, the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, Paul McCartney and Foo Fighters. It merged with AEG Presents in 2019.

The late promoter was honoured with a state funeral in his home region of Victoria on 24 March at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne – which was full for the first time since Covid-19 brought events in the country to a standstill.

British singer Ed Sheeran, who was granted an exemption to fly into Australia, headlined the memorial, delivering an emotional rendition of his hit Castle on the Hill, which is said to have been a personal favourite of Gudinski.

Alongside Sheeran, there were live performances by Mushroom-associated Australian acts Jimmy Barnes, Kylie Minogue, Paul Kelly, Mark Seymour, Mia Wray, and Vika and Linda Bull.

“Michael, the ‘Big G,’ took this little girl from Melbourne to the world and back home again,” Minogue said.

Taylor Swift, Billy Joel, Elton John and Sting were among the international megastars to post video tributes that were aired on the night.

“We will cherish his memory. Shine on, you crazy man,” said Elton, who trusted Gudinski to oversee his final Australian tour last year.

In a statement, Mushroom Group said, “With the music industry severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, Michael conceptualised and developed Music from the Home Front, The Sound, and The State of Music, platforms designed to showcase and support contemporary Australian music in an incredibly difficult time. It speaks of the man he was that of his countless illustrious career achievements, these projects that supported the industry he loved, were ones he was particularly proud of.

Frontier Touring co-founder Michael Chugg, whose on-and-off business relationship with Gudinski culminated in his rejoining Mushroom Group in 2019, describes the passing of his friend as “shattering.”

“It’s just so shocking,” he told Sydney radio station 2GB. “I first met him when he was a 16-yearold sitting at a desk at an agency in Melbourne, and we were friends, buddies and opponents ever since. It’s just one of the worst days of my life.”

Bruce Springsteen is another of the artists to pay tribute to Gudinski’s achievements: “I’ve toured the world for the last 50 years and never met a better promoter.”

Rival promoters including TEG and Live Nation Australia also sent their condolences, which respectively called Gudinski’s legacy “undeniable” and “extraordinary.”

“You simply cannot tell the story of Australian music without Michael Gudinski squarely in the centre of it,” says Tony Burke MP, Australia’s shadow minister for the arts. “He was instrumental in turning it into a powerhouse, earning him the title ‘the father of the Australian music industry.’”

CORONAVIRUS CLAIMS SHOWTIME BUDAPEST’S MÁRTON BRÁDY

Concert organiser Márton Brády, the founder and leader of ShowTime Budapest and Ticket Express, died of coronavirus complications on 20 March, at the age of 54.

Born in 1966, Brády began his career working for smaller companies, as an organiser of international concerts. In 1994, he founded international concert agency ShowTime Budapest with Austrian partners, and debuted with the Rolling Stones’ first ever show in Hungary in 1995, held at Népstadion. Brády also founded Ticket Express agency in the mid1990s, becoming one of the leaders of the cultural ticket-sale market in Hungary.

A long-time ILMC member, Brády’s company has promoted hundreds of international acts (Bon Jovi, Eric Clapton, Mike Oldfield, Eros Ramazzotti, Leonard Cohen, Pink, REM, Elton John, Simply Red, Deep Purple, Lionel Richie, Jamiroquai, Rod Stewart, Santana and David Copperfield, among others), alongside more than 1,000 Hungarian acts (including Piramis, the Hobo Blues Band, Zorán, Charlie and Tátrai Band) since the mid-1990s.

Sony bought a stake in ShowTime Budapest in 2010, before Brády bought it back in 2013, and since then he had been the sole owner.

Ticket Express operated as part of ShowTime until 2000, then became a member of CTS Eventim group. In addition to the domestic market, it is also present in neighbouring countries. Ticket Express was also the first to launch an online ticket office in Hungary.

The team at ShowTime Budapest, which has been working together for 25 years, will continue the work that Brády started, although they say he is greatly missed.

Alex Nussbaumer, who had worked with Brády, says: “He was a good soul and big music lover. RIP, my friend.”

A DONE DEAL:

PARADIGM TALENT AGENCY CONFIRMS WASSERMAN ACQUISITION IN NORTH AMERICA

Paradigm Talent Agency confirmed it has reached an agreement in principle to sell its music business in North America to Casey Wasserman’s Wasserman group.

The deal, which IQ reported in early March was close to completion, will see Wasserman take over Paradigm’s profitable music assets. With thousands of acts on its roster, the Beverly Hills-based agency represents the likes of Coldplay, Shawn Mendes, Billie Eilish, Ed Sheeran, Kacey Musgraves, David Guetta, Sia, and Imagine Dragons for North America.

Wasserman, a sports agency that manages a reported $4.2billion (€3.6bn) worth of contracts for athletes, sports broadcasters, team coaches/managers and others, has been in talks with Paradigm since at least last summer. It is understood that the former Paradigm music business will sit as a semi-independent operating unit under Wasserman, likely named Wasserman Music. "This agreement is a win for all parties and a vital step on the restructuring path we embarked upon more than a year ago,” Paradigm founder and CEO Sam Gores said. “It represents an important transition for the incredible music agents of Paradigm and the artists they so brilliantly serve. We are huge fans of Casey Wasserman and the company he's built, and I am very pleased that he and his team will be at the helm of this important business line.”

Terms of the deal were not disclosed by Paradigm, though Variety estimates the value of Paradigm’s collective music operations at between $150m (€127) and $200m (€170).

MIXED FORTUNES FOR UK FESTIVALS

While the British government has unveiled a reopening roadmap – which ventures 21 June as the date when all restrictions may be lifted – without an insurance scheme, festival organisers have been forced to take a gamble on this summer.

Live Nation-owned Festival Republic (FR) has put almost all its chips on the table, which is so far paying off.

Wireless Festival (2-4 July), and Reading and Leeds (27-29 August) have sold out, while Latitude Festival (22-25 July) is still on sale.

Download, which would have taken place from 4 to 6 June, is so far the only FR festival to announce it will be unable to go ahead again this year.

Other UK festivals that have sold out include Manchester’s Parklife (11-12 September), Norfolk’s Sundown Festival (3-5 September), Cheshire’s Creamfields (26-29 August) and Hampshire’s Boomtown (11-15 August).

London festivals Field Day (29 August), Junction 2 (28-29 August), and Mighty Hoopla (4 September) have also sold out, in what is being dubbed a ‘festival frenzy’ in the UK.

However, on the other end of the spectrum, Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival, Cambridge Folk Festival and Margate’s Hi-Tide have also decided to call it quits for 2021.

LIVE CELEBRATES INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

DIVINE INTERVENTION:

Companies and associations from across the live music business celebrated International Women’s Day (IWD) on 8 March by paying tribute to inspiring female staff members, executives, performers and role models.

Trade bodies including LIVE (Live music Industry Venues and Entertainment) and Music Venue Trust spotlighted the work of their female members using the respective hashtags #LIVEtogether and #WomenToTheFront.

Liverpool Sound City hosted IWD-themed

Another month, another raft of insurance schemes announced. The Danish government made good on its promises by announcing a DKK500million (€67.2m) safety net for festivals and major events, allowing organisers to plan for this summer without the financial risk posed by a potential Covid outbreak.

The safety net will cover organisers of recurring events with at least 350 participants (such as music festivals, super-league matches, conferprogramming both on its Facebook page and its dedicated Guesthouse streaming platform.

Live Nation France chose to recognise its female staff with a special video, titled Les Femmes de Live Nation, which premiered on Instagram TV, while its UK sister company worked with Swedish singer-songwriter Zara Larsson on a free IWD live stream.

For Australia’s Mushroom Group, IWD provided the perfect opportunity for the women of the company to pay tribute to its late founder, Michael Gudinski, who was known as an advocate for women in live music.

The celebration of women continued at the

ences and markets), as well as events that were planned before 6 March 2020, but will not include new events created during the pandemic.

The scheme is a ‘continuation and simplification’ of the existing organiser scheme and will cover eligible events between 1 May and 30 September 2021, in the event that the Covid-19 situation results in the cancellation, postponement or significant changes to an event.

Elsewhere, the Estonian government announced a €42m aid package for the cultural sector, which includes a €6m ‘risk fund’ for largeannual Grammy Awards, where female artists stole the show with excellent performances and record-breaking wins.

Beyoncé became the most-awarded person in Grammys history after securing her 28th win for best R&B performance for Black Parade.

Taylor Swift also made history at this year’s ceremony by becoming the first female artist ever to win album of the year three times, this time for her lockdown album Folklore.

Billie Eilish and her brother/producer Finneas took home Record of the Year for the second consecutive year, for Everything I Wanted.

And Megan Thee Stallion made her impressive Grammys debut, scooping three awards including Best New Artist, and delivering two performances that were ranked first and second place on Billboard’s performance review list.

Dua Lipa, Cardi B and Doja Cat garnered rave reviews for their performances at the 63rd edition of the Grammys, which took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center on 14 March.

scale events.

The supplementary budget includes €21m to help cultural event organisers (such as promoters) cover the costs of labour hired, with contracts under the law of obligations, as well as other unavoidable costs.

The organisers of international cultural and sports events will also benefit from the separate €6m risk fund, which was designed to support large-scale events with a ‘significant economic impact,’ in the event that they are affected by cancellations, postponements or restrictions.

In Switzerland, the federal government is planning to pitch in with event cancellation insurance for major events.

A newly amended article in Switzerland’s Covid 19 Act says that the government will contribute to the uncovered costs of public events that have ‘cross-cantonal importance’ (such as concerts or festivals) between 1 June 2021 and 30 April 2022.

Under the new act, organisers of major events who have a cantonal permit can claim back costs that aren’t covered by public support measures, insurance or cancellation agreements, if their event is cancelled or postponed due to government-enforced coronavirus restrictions.

It is understood that each of the 26 Swiss cantons (member states) will continue to pay 50% of the costs of cancelled events in their region, as they have done so far in Switzerland’s other compensation schemes. The Swiss government has said it will only contribute, at most, the same amount as the cantons.

MORE EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS UNVEIL INSURANCE SCHEMES

MAJOR EUROPEAN FESTIVALS CANCEL FOR A SECOND YEAR

Some of Germany’s biggest music festivals, including Eventim Presents/ DreamHaus’s Rock am Ring (95,000cap) and Rock im Park (75,000-cap); FKP Scorpio’s Hurricane (78,000-cap) and Southside (65,000-cap); and ESK Events’ Deichbrand Festival (60,000cap), have been called off for a second year running.

The festivals’ promoters, all part of the Eventim Live network, “were compelled to call off the events due to the ongoing uncertainty about infection rates and mutations,” according to a statement from CTS Eventim.

Days after the announcement, German promoter Goodlive cancelled the 2021 editions of Melt! (4-6 June, Ferropolis), Splash! (8 July and 15 July, Ferropolis), Full Force (25-27 June, Ferropolis) and Heroes (18-19 June, Geiselwind, and 23 July, Freiburg).

“After months and months of hard work, so many different ideas and concepts, and hundreds of calls with other festivals, politicians and experts, we have to admit to ourselves that the decision is ultimately out of our hands,” reads a statement on Melt!’s website.

In Switzerland, OpenAir St.Gallen (1-4 July), Gurtenfestival (14-17 July), Zermatt Unplugged (15-25 July), Caribana Festival (16-20 July), Thunerseespiele (14-28 August), and Paléo Festival Nyon, Greenfield Festival, Rock the Ring and Baloise Session, have also called it quits on their 2021 summer events for a consecutive year.

News of the cancellations came days after the Swiss federal government announced an update to its event cancellation scheme, which seems to have left organisers and live associations more uncertain than ever about the viability of this year’s festival season.

In Spain, two of three major Barcelona festivals, Primavera Sound (2-6 June) and Sónar (17-19 June), have decided to forego their 2021 flagship events and focus on smaller in-person events instead. The third, Cruïlla (8-10 July), is pushing ahead with a plan to utilise Covid-19 rapid testing.

Elsewhere, Rock Werchter (1-4 July), one of Belgium’s biggest and most important music festivals, has also been called off for the second year in a row.

NZ & AUSTRALIA SET SIGHTS ON NEW POSTCOVID MILESTONES

Six60 thrilled the crowds at Sky Stadium Wellington in February

New Zealand band Six60 are set to play the world’s largest concert since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic to 50,000 people next month.

The band will be the first act to play New Zealand’s largest stadium, Eden Park (50,000-capacity) in Auckland, on 24 April as part of their Six60 Saturdays tour.

In February this year, it was announced that the famous sporting stadium could host up to six concerts a year, following a five-day hearing in November in which residents’ concerns about potential noise and disruption were addressed.

Six60 were an active voice in the campaign to bring concerts to Eden Park, and frontman Matiu Walters said in a statement: “It’s no secret that Six60 have wanted to play Eden Park for some time now. We always felt that it was important a kiwi band should play the first show at our national stadium.”

The Eden Park concert will be the seventh date of Six60 Saturdays, which is the only stadium tour in the world to go ahead during the pandemic so far.

In January, the band delivered the biggest headline show in New Zealand since the pandemic began to an estimated 20,000 people at Waitangi Sports Grounds in Paihia.

Neighbouring country Australia is inching closer to New Zealand’s post-Covid reality, after the announcement of ‘the largest standing festival since the beginning of Covid-19.’ Inverted Festival is slated to take place on 1 May at Metricon Stadium (cap. 25,000) on the Gold Coast, Queensland (QLD) and is expected to welcome up to 10,000 people.

The all-day event will combine live performances from some of Australia’s best punk rock bands, including Skegss, Spiderbait, The Chats, Trophy Eyes, WAAX, Stand Atlantic and Fangz, with BMX, skate and FMX competitions.

After extensive consultation between QLD health department and Metricon Stadium, the event organisers confirmed the festival would not be subject to zoned areas, meaning that festival-goers can move freely between stages.

QLD became the first Australian state to lift restrictions for events, allowing 100% capacity in stadiums and venues from November 2020.

Meanwhile, Andrew McManus’s One World Entertainment has announced Australia’s first concert series featuring international artists since the lockdown of March 2020. Under the Southern Stars comprises 11 shows across Australia in April and May and features US rock bands Cheap Trick, Stone Temple Pilots and Bush, acting as rotating headliners across the tour.

The shows, which have been approved by the national border force commissioner, will take place in partnership with local and state authorities, who have signed off on the strict Covid-19 regulations that will allow the bands into and across Australia.

One World Entertainment will also bring Kiss to Australia in November, with the band playing their final-ever Australian shows as part of the End of the Road tour.