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LimeWire is returning, but not for the reason you may have thought. Web3 has two new partnerships in action, one with Tomorrowland and another with AEG Presents. And in more collaboration news, Spotify and Walmart are teaming up to promote subscriptions, while Insomniac and Unity are creating their own musical metaverse. 

Ticket SALE After reporting huge successes in ticket sales this past year, Live Nation is now selling concert passes at very reduced prices, with shows from Rod Stewart, Halsey, Big Time Rush, and more. Is this a sign that sales are slowing down?

John Oliver's Take On The Industry Comedian John Oliver pulled back the curtain on not just Ticketmaster, but the ticketing industry as a whole in this 20-minute, must-watch tirade on his show Sunday night. Oliver digs deep into TM fees and why they are so high, sell-outs that aren’t really sell-outs, the “secondary market”, and other tricks of the trade that many in the industry know too well. Will anything change in ticketing for live shows? Lefsetz says no.

🚨 New Festival A new festival is coming to Ocean City, MD from C3 Presents. The Oceans Calling Festival will run from September 30-October 2 of this year, with over 30 performances across 3 boardwalk stages, a culinary component that celebrates the region, and an amusement park. The event was created in partnership with musicians O.A.R., who will be featured in multiple sets.

NFT Experience Festival Autograph, a Web3 brand co-founded by Tom Brady, is partnering with AEG Presents to give attendees an NFT-involved festival experience. The multi-year alliance will debut Autograph at Buku Music + Art Project in New Orleans on March 25 and will continue with similar events in the near future.  

LimeWire?!Once a platform for piracy, LimeWire has returned as an NFT marketplace. The company is relaunching with intentions to focus on digital collectibles within the music industry, hoping to partner with high-profile artists and provide a space where artists and fans can hold digital trade without the “technical hurdles of the current NFT landscape.”

Insomniac Pairs Up With UnityGaming platform Unity and live music group company Insomniac Events are partnering up to create a metaverse that will immerse fans in a world of non-stop music and dance. 

Another OneIn yet another collaboration, Web3 is working with Tomorrowland and FTX Europe, the European affiliate of cryptocurrency FTX, to move Tomorrowland into the NFT world. Tomorrowland will be exploring various applications of blockchain technology, launching with a platform called The Quest by FTX at the upcoming Tomorrowland Winter festival in France from March 19-26. 

Amazon's Latest Amazon Music has officially released Spotlight, a platform allowing artists to add custom audio messages to their profiles. Any artist with 3,000 or more on-platform listeners can now set personalized recordings to any of their songs, albums, playlists, or stations. 

UTA has a New ServiceAudio IQ, a “data analytics service assisting agents and clients in podcast and audio deals,” was launched recently from UTA. This service, created with the goal of helping give clients a better understanding of their podcast’s viewership or future performance, was established as a shared effort between UTA’s audio division and UTA IQ.  

People News After a three-year absence, AEG’s Country To Country festival has returned. Set for London’s The O2, Glasgow OVO Hydro, and Dublin 3Arena from March 11-13, the biggest country music event outside of the US will feature headliners Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Darius Rucker, and others. 

Live Nation Urban is looking for interns in their Booking, Creative, Branding, and Culture departments. 

Redrock Entertainment is hiring for their upcoming festival season. 

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Festival Returns and UpdatesSimilar to Seven Peaks’ location switch, Ubbi Dubbi will also be changing its venue, returning back to its original home at Panther Island in Ft. Worth, TX from April 23-24 and the festival will no longer have camping. Disco Donnie shared on Twitter, “I’m just as disappointed as you about losing the camping at Ubbi 2022. Unfortunately, under the current economic conditions, it’s [sic] just wasn’t feasible to produce a high-quality festival in Ennis this year.”The fourth annual Sound Mind Live Music Festival for Mental Health will be held in Central Park, NY on May 21. Headlined by Cold War Kids, Big Boi, American Authors, and others, the mission of Sound Mind Live is to employ the power of music to end the stigma surrounding mental health - with a specific focus this year on the impact of Covid. The event will include resources for self-care practices, suicide prevention, and beyond, with ticket sales helping the National Alliance on Mental Health of New York City and its local affiliates. After two years of cancellations, RBC Bluesfest is returning from July 7-17. For ten days in Ottawa, the event will host headliners Sarah McLachlan, Jack Johnson, Luke Combs, Rage Against The Machine, Alexisisonfire, Marshmello, Alanis Morissette, and The National. Chicago’s Pitchfork Music Festival will be headlined by Mitski, The National, and The Roots. The three-day summer festival will be held July 15-17 in Union Park.Sea.Hear.Now music and surf festival is returning from September 17-18 on the beach in Asbury Park, NJ. The lineup, which features 25 bands across 3 three stages, will be headlined by Stevie Nicks, Green Day, Cage the Elephant, and more. The festival will also host surfing events and a competition, with two teams captained by Corey Lopez and Sam Hammer respectively, featuring returning champions Cassidy McClain and Eric Geiselman. Headliners for Danny Wimmer Presents’ Louder Than Life festival have been announced, with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nine Inch Nails, Slipknot, and KISS. The festival runs from September 22-25 at the Highland Festival Grounds in Louisville, KY. In addition to music, attendees will enjoy award-winning whiskey, bourbon, craft beers, and more.

Mary J. Blige is collaborating with Live Nation Urban and Pepsi to create the inaugural “Strength of a Women Festival and Summit.” The for-women, by-women event will take place in Atlanta from May 6-8, featuring three days devoted to music, comedy, and community development. Blige explained, “We felt like after two years of being inside and having to endure so much, that this was the type of experience that people, especially women, deserved.” As a hotspot for young Black creatives and entrepreneurs, Atlanta was a fitting setting for the event, which is partnering with dozens of local, minority, and women-owned companies and vendors, along with the local entrepreneurial community.Independent music distributor Symphonic has created a mentorship program in honor of International Women’s Month, connecting mentees with established music industry professionals. Mentees will have opportunities to gain an understanding of business practices and culture, honing their skills in the industry.

Koks, the most remote Michelin restaurant in the world, is moving to Greenland. 

 In case you thought LinkedIn was getting old, check out this post to change your mind.  The NFL has recently suspended all Covid protocols for the 2022 season. Read to learn more. 

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