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Lots of new events are in the works, including the biggest K-Pop event to date, a multi-date comedy show, and some exciting music festival revivals in the mix. Next summer is giving us a lot to look forward to if all goes well. (Plus, Travis Scott finally lets the world know what he’s thinking.)

It's Official On December 6th Live Nation closed an acquisition for 51% of OCESA Stock, paying a total of $416 million. LN says Mexico-based OCESA Entretenimiento is the world’s third-largest concert promoter. The acquisition was first announced in summer 2019 but the plan had been paused until now due to Covid. 

NYC Vaccine Mandate UpdateLast Monday, NY Mayor Bill de Blasio announced an expansion of New York City’s vaccine mandate. Beginning today, December 14th, customers and employees at private businesses, such as indoor dining, entertainment venues, and gyms, will be required to show proof of a double vaccination. 

Baseball and Facial Identification The New York Mets have partnered with software company Wicket to provide facial identification for those entering Citi Field. After a successful pilot in the second half of the 2021 season, the opt-in program, called Mets Entry Express, will be available at all gates beginning opening day 2022. 

UK Vaccine PassportsMichael Kill, Chief Executive of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), is worried about the widespread use of the UK’s Covid Vaccine Passports. He argues that Covid has done enough damage to the live event sector, and the passport protocol will only make it worse - in Scotland and Wales, trade is already down by over 25%. 

Preventing Omicron's SpreadIn Europe, markets are taking new measures to prevent Omicron’s spread, with new social distancing requirements, mask mandates, lockdowns, and capacity restrictions. European countries are taking a variety of stances regarding their preferred Covid protocols, anywhere from Austria’s full national lockdown and mandatory vaccinations, to Spain’s 80% capacity limit for indoor events.

Fighting Ticket Scalpers and Giving BackTicket scalpers have always been a big source of contention, and Ticketpass is tackling the issue in a unique way. The UK-based ticketing platform, founded by Rodrigo Bautista in 2016, is focused on ethical ticket resale (and primary sale) and has partnered with Global Giving, allowing a portion of booking fees to be donated to charities, along with a fee cap regardless of the ticket price.

The Largest K-Pop Fest in EuropeEurope’s biggest K-Pop festival to date was just announced for May 14, 2022, in Frankfurt, Germany, and will be held by K-Pop Europa. So far, the revealed performers include Monsta X and G(I-DLE). The 40,000+ capacity event is part of a 5-year plan to grow the K-Pop genre in Europe, which has been rapidly gaining popularity.

Investigation of Australian Music IndustryAustralia is launching an investigation exploring sexual harm, harassment, and systemic discrimination in the Australian music industry, led by consultants Alexandra Shehadie and Sam Turner. The Music Industry Review will span six months and be delivered by June 2022, supported by APRA AMCOS, among other lobbyist groups.

Music Industry Pros Get in the RingOn March 3rd, the 18th annual boxing gala “Ringside: A Fight for Kids” is taking place in Franklin, TN. Run by Rumble on the Row, the gala hosts music industry professionals who will square off in the ring to benefit charities providing funds helping disabled and underprivileged children.

People NewsGina Rotolo and Drew Gershenson were recently appointed for roles within the newly unveiled Coachella Valley Firebirds and Arena franchises, as VP of Marketing and Communications for the Firebirds and Director of Booking for the Arena, respectively. Rotolo has previously been a consultant for DoorDash, NHL, Live Nation, and more, along with four years as director of Artist Relations and business development at MGM Resorts International. Before working with Oak View Group, Gershenson was the Director of Programming for ASM Global’s Paycome Center in Oklahoma City and worked as the Senior Tour Director for Live Nation for over a decade.

Have people news to share with us? Send it to [email protected].

 Tomorrowland Music is hiring a Visual Creative in Belgium to collaborate closely with artists and labels and uphold the visual creative direction of Tomorrowland Music. 

 Live Nation is seeking an Accounting Manager for their Miami office to oversee financial statements, manage budget data, and more. 

 Live Nation is also looking for a Regional Assistant Box Office Manager in Irving, Texas, to assist with ticketing operations for multiple concert venues around the US. 

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• Danny Wimmer Presents has announced the openers for 2022’s Welcome to Rockville festival, taking place May 19-22 at Daytona’s International Speedway in Florida. Acts include Guns N’ Roses, Korn, Kiss, and Foo Fighters. In a press release, Wimmer explained, “We knew we needed to up the ante in 2022 so we went and booked the biggest lineup that has ever been booked for an American rock festival. We are so excited to welcome the biggest names in rock for one epic weekend this May.” 

• The Hangout Music Festival is making its return for 2022, with headliners Post Malone, Tame Impala, and Halsey. From May 20-22, Alabama’s Gulf Shores will host performances from Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, Fall Out Boy, and many more big names. The festival is returning in-person for the first time since 2019, and tickets are on sale now. 

• From April 28-May 8, L.A. is hosting Netflix is a Joke: The Festival. After being delayed due to Covid concerns, this stacked comedy show will take place across 25 venues and feature numerous comedians who already have Netflix specials or shows. Notable names include Dave Chappelle, John Mulaney, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Jerry Seinfeld, David Letterman, Chris Rock….and the list goes on and on. Select shows are set to be recorded for later streaming on Netflix.

• Goldenvoice is reviving one of its earliest festivals, This Ain’t No Picnic, headlined by The Strokes and LCD Soundsystem. The California-based event will take place at the Rose Bowl on August 27-28 of next year, featuring six stages of artists from “the past, present, and future spanning cutting-edge indie, hip-hop, dance, underground and everything in-between.” The festival has returned only a few times since its original date in 1999 and is currently selling tickets. 

• For one day, Live Nation New Zealand is teaming up with local promoter Common People and Dunedin Venues Management to launch the Fortune Festival. Taking place April 2, the 5,000 capacity, the multi-stage event will be headlined by Salmonella Dub, joined by Tiki Taane, Laughton Kora, and more. After losing a good amount of their revenue from large-scale event cancellations, Dunedin Venues Management is excited to be hosting the festival this spring. 

This week's spotlight is on... Astroworld Updates 🔦

Credit: Getty Rick Kern/Getty ImagesImages

In a 50-minute video posted this past Thursday, Travis Scott spoke up about the incidents at his Astroworld Fest. He conversed with Charlamagne Tha God, describing his side of November 5th’s fateful events. Scott claims he did not know of any deaths until the performance was over, finding out the information only a few moments before a press conference post-concert. 

The show continued for 40 minutes after the Houston Police Department determined it was a mass casualty event, but Scott says he was never given the reason for why the performance was cut short at the time. He understands the media’s desire to put the blame on him, even if the more accurate target may be the event organizers. Scott can take the heat, saying, “I could take stepping up to figure out what the solution is so that it never happened again.” He is hesitant to blame his fanbase and the hype/rage culture that exists at his performances. Further, in response to some victims’ families rejecting his offer to cover the funeral costs, he explains, “All things are understandable. At a time where they’re grieving and trying to find understanding and they want answers…I’m always gonna be here to want to help them. I got to continue to show up for that.”

In response to the Astroworld tragedy, there was an online petition addressed to Coachella organizers Goldenvoice and Paul Tollett calling for Travis Scott’s removal from the festival. With almost 60,000 signatures, the petition has made an impact as it was recently announced that Scott will no longer be performing at Coachella 2022, based on reports from Indio, Coachella’s hosting city, and Community Services Manager, Jim Curtis. 

There have been a total of 275 Astroworld lawsuits, representing over 1,250 people. According to a new filing with the Texas Supreme Court, these suits are set to be consolidated into one single case. The lawsuits are against Travis Scott, Astroworld promoters Live Nation and ScoreMore, venue manager ASM Global and more. Nearly all the cases describe the same or similar descriptions of negligence, security failure, inadequate crowd control measures, etc. Consolidating the cases may be helpful to prevent duplicative discovery, eliminate the chance of conflicting legal rulings, encourage efficient conduct, and conserve judicial resources. 

 It can be incredibly draining to sit at a computer for what feels like all day, every day. Here are 6 steps you can take to add some more fun to your typical workday. 

 Think you’re an Excel master? Last weekend the best of the best participated in a unique esports competition, the Financial Modeling World Cup. The event took place live on ESPN3 and even had its own merch. Australia’s Andrew “NGOAT'' Ngai took home the crown this year; time to start training for next year’s event.

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