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Dr. Dre and Co. delivered a nostalgic halftime show, with hip-hop as the main act for the very first time. Meanwhile, Coachella and Summerfest will no longer require any Covid-related requirements upon entry, Snapchat is bringing you a Tinder-equivalent for nearby live events, and, as always, NFTs in the industry are booming - especially for Steve Aoki.  

Credit: @stagecoach Covid-Related Requirements Coachella and Stagecoach festivals have announced that there will no longer be any Covid-related requirements upon entry - no requirements for negative tests, masks, or, as originally mentioned last fall, vaccines.

Mixed ReactionsComing a day after Coachella’s announcement, Milwaukee’s Summerfest revealed they will also not require masks, vaccinations, or negative Covid tests upon entry. After canceling in 2020, the festival received mixed reactions for putting requirements in place for their 2021 return.

Environmental Partnership The Lumineers have announced a partnership with environmental non-profit REVERB, a company helping promote sustainable touring, in an effort to establish another “climate positive” world tour. The 60-date Brightside World Tour is set to begin February 24 in the UK.

Stubb's Acquired C3 Presents and parent company Live Nation have recently acquired Stubb’s, the beloved 2,500-capacity venue in Austin, Texas that is a principal location for SXSW. They plan to renovate not only the venue and its amenities but also the surrounding land.

NFT Collection DropCoachella recently held an NFT collection drop from February 7-11, accruing $1,474,000 by the end of the bidding. Notably, some of these NFTs included tangible benefits, such as VIP experiences and lifetime passes.

Steve Aoki NFTSteve Aoki, one of the world’s highest-paid DJs, has made more money from selling NFTs in the last year than he made in a decade of music royalties and advances - his most well-known collectible being his “hairy” digital art NFT, which sold for $888,888.88 on Nifty Gateway. Aoki’s own metaverse, known as the Aok1verse, is also in the works.

Festival Job Platform Dutch promoter Mojo launched a new festival job platform, attempting to counteract the major staffing shortage within the industry. The website, www.festivalbanen.nl, was created with TSC Crowd Management and collates jobs via partner companies in the Dutch festival sector. 

LayoffsUK-based event tech start-up Hopin recently fired 12 percent of its workforce, including four members of its senior management team. The layoffs, attributed to “unprecedented growth and several acquisitions,” may indicate that Hopin’s growth was overestimated, or that the virtual tech sector will have struggles post-Covid as hybrid events are still being figured out.

'Matching' Platform for Events Snapchat is partnering with Ticketmaster to create a ‘matching’ platform for events through a new third-party program embedded in the app called Ticketmaster Mini. Snapchat users can use the platform to ‘swipe right’ on events in over 20 countries, which suggests shows based on a user's preference. 

People NewsAfter working for the company for 15 years, AEG Presents promoted Adam Weiser to Senior VP of Global Touring and Talent, working with managers and label partners to oversee the growth of the AEG Nashville office and continuing to produce and promote tours. Additionally, Island Records has appointed Jhared “Jae” Brown, known for his ”artist-first” philosophy, as Vice President of A&R, having begun his music career in 2015. 

Two Parts is hiring a Production Lead in Denver to develop plans in collaboration with the production team and manage third-party vendors and staff. 

 Netflix is looking for a Music Creative Coordinator for film in LA to collaborate with filmmakers and studio execs, coordinate musical objectives for film, help with budgets drafts, and more.

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Credit: Brad CoolidgeLatest Show Updates: Lineups, Cancellations, and MoreWillie Nelson plans on releasing his latest album A Beautiful Time on April 29, the same day he turns 89 years old. He recently announced the cancellation of all but a few of his indoor shows for the foreseeable future, opting for outdoor performances only. While no reason has been specified for this decision, it is likely due to the fact that Covid transmissions are very rare in outdoor settings, which is important for Nelson who has a long history of breathing problems. Organizers of the long-running Charlestown Rhythm and Roots Festival of Rhode Island, Lagniappe Productions, have cancelled their 2022 event and announced that the company will cease operations. Festival co-founder Chuck Wentworth posted, “I have not come to this decision lightly. After consulting with my doctors and my family, we’ve decided that I should step away from festival production for health issues that have taken their toll for the past 12 years.” For over 20 years, the festival was attended annually by thousands every Labor Day weekend. Memphis in May officials have announced the lineup for Beale Street Music Festival in Tennessee. After being canceled in 2020 and 2021, this year’s festival will be headlined by the Foo Fighters, Lil Wayne, The Smashing Pumpkins and Three 6 Mafia. They will be joined by DaBaby, NLE Choppa, Waka Flocka Flame and many more. The inaugural Sound On Sound festival in Bridgeport, CT will take place September 24-25, featuring headliners Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds, The Lumineers, and Stevie Nicks. Promoted by Founders Entertainment in conjunction with Live Nation Connecticut, the festival will feature two stages with no overlapping time sets. Sound On Sound is promising high-end food and beverage options in addition to partnerships with community organizations such as Adam J. Lewis Academy, Make-A-Wish Connecticut, and Special Olympics Connecticut.After Rage Against the Machine recently pushed back some of their 2022 reunion plans, they have since rescheduled new dates with one full tour leg set for this summer and other shows planned for February of 2023. Run the Jewels will remain the support act for almost all concert dates, with refunds available until March 15, 2022. 

This week's spotlight is on ... the Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show 🔦

Credit: Steph Chambers/Getty ImagesAfter the first two quarters between the LA Rams and Cincinnati Bengals came the legendary halftime show, featuring hip-hop for the very first time. This year’s show nostalgically celebrated Dr. Dre’s successful empire of hip-hop and soul, featuring Dre himself, Snoop Dogg, surprise guest 50 Cent, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, and Eminem (with Anderson .Paak on the drums). The halftime show highlighted hit songs from all the artists, each delivering an extraordinary performance and closing out the show together with the final song, “Still D.R.E.” Event producers gave this show an A- average, citing strengths in performance quality and the nostalgic celebration of hip-hop culture, and weaknesses in its production and storytelling value. Typically, the NFL does not pay for their Halftime Show performers, but they do cover expenses and production costs. Dr. Dre reportedly spent $7 million of his own money on the show, while Mary J. Blige seemed at ease with the situation, saying, “Listen, you gonna be paid for the rest of your life off of this…This is the opportunity of a lifetime.” With so many moving parts in a Halftime Show, production and travel costs quickly add up: the NFL spent over $13 million on Jennifer Lopez and Shakira’s 2020 performance, including the costs of staff paychecks.This year’s show was not without slight controversy, including the censorship of Lamar’s police-violence-themed lyrics and Eminem’s kneeling. In a press conference before the game, Dr. Dre said “We’re gonna open more doors for hip-hop artists in the future and make sure that the NFL understands that this is what it should have been a long time ago.” Going back to 2016 when quarterback Colin Kaepernick was not offered a contract after taking a knee during the National Anthem, until today with the NFL having only two BIPOC-owned teams while 71% of the league are people of color, there is certainly more work to be done to better the league’s stance on racial issues and all the culture that comes with it.

 If you’ve ever considered yourself a starving artist, you may be interested in reading this for some financial advice.

Read up to learn what’s in store for the music industry and its TikTok revolution.

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