#141

It’s a Live Nation.

Today's read ... 6 

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February is coming to a close. With the first day of March tomorrow, festival season is quickly approaching (I am sure we don't need to remind you twice). LN continues to dominate our newsfeed. We've got you covered, breaking it all down and dropping any Easter eggs that might shed light on what will come during 2023.

It’s a Live Nation

Lots of news coming out of - and about - Live Nation last week. We’ve got you covered with some of the top stories, starting with its Q4 and end-of-year results announcement. 

Live Nation’s Q4 and end-of-year results indicate that demand is high - fans don’t just want to go to live events, but they are prioritizing spending on live events - with record attendance at concerts. They saw 121 million fans attend 44,000 shows in 45 countries, generating $13.5 billion in revenue. They sold 550 million tickets, generating $2.2 billion in ticketing revenue, and saw sponsorship revenue grow to $1 billion. With a total of $16.7 billion generated in 2022, they project no slowdown in 2023.

LN: Largest Financial Supporter of Musicians

Within Live Nation’s 2022 financial report, it indicated that it spent $9.6 billion on “investment in artists,” making it “the largest Financial Supporter of Musicians”. According to President and CEO Michael Rapino, “This is up 45% and further reinforces our role as the largest contributor to artist income. As part of this, we helped shift $700 million to artists with more market value ticket pricing, even as the entry price to a show stayed below $35 in the U.S.”

LN: A FAIR Ticketing Act

On Friday, Live Nation released a statement announcing its support for a Fair Ticketing Act, stating, “Fans mean everything to artists, and the best way to ensure a fair ticketing experience for live music fans is to put more control in the hands of the artists themselves.”  The Act includes 5 Reforms: Artists should decide resale rules; Make speculative ticket selling illegal; Expand and enforce The Bots Act; Crackdown on resale sights; Mandate all-in pricing. 

LN: Meanwhile, at PollstarStudents in the Music Industries Studies program at the University of South Carolina have the opportunity to learn on-site at some of the biggest music festivals in the United States thanks to a partnership with Danny Wimmer Presents and a grant from the University’s Center for Integrative and Experiential Learning (CIEL) that has been in place since November 2021. DWP provides opportunities for students at festivals like Welcome to Rockville, Louder than Live, and Bourbon and Beyond, as well as providing their lodging. The grants from CIEL cover travel and any additional expenses incurred along the way. 

LN: Scholarships for Music & Live Event Industry Students

Music Forward Foundation and Live Nation have opened up applications for their six 2023 scholarships, granted to college juniors or seniors pursuing careers in the music and live entertainment industries. Students can apply for the four $10,000 scholarships and two $5,000 scholarships here through March 31, 2023.

Lost Lands Unaffected by DerailmentAnd now for some other news… Even though the Lost Lands Festival is not until mid-September, organizers released a statement following the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, to reassure fans. In the statement, they said that the festival grounds are 150 miles southwest of the derailment and with winds that blow predominantly towards the northeast, so they avoided any potentially dangerous or deadly fumes. They will continue to monitor the situation as it develops and the festival gets closer.

Cali Vibes Fest Focuses on SustainabilityGoldenvoice’s Cali Vibes festival made real changes to address sustainability at this year’s event. While the proximity to the ocean and overall vibe of the festival has always led organizers to think about sustainability, this year’s headliner Jack Johnson and his team helped them take their efforts to a new level. The festival eliminated single-use water bottles and had refillable water stations; it partnered with r.Cup on reusable beer cups, trash was sent to a local “waste-to-energy” power plant that burns waste to power about 35,000 homes, and they used recycled materials from the 2022 fest to create 2023 merch.

🛑 Stop the Sphere!AEG Europe continues its attempt to stop the development of the proposed MSG Sphere in London. The project has been green-lit by the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), but AEG, owners of London’s O2 Arena, are now pleading with Mayor Sadiq Khan, who has final approval, and Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove, citing the impact it will have on the O2, the traffic, and public transport, and that it will “tarnish the London skyline.” The Sphere was first proposed in 2017, with the first applications submitted to LLDC in 2019.

Bumbershoot is Back!After a 3-year hiatus, including financial difficulties, changes in ownership, and of course, Covid, Seattle festival Bumbershoot is returning Labor Day Weekend 2023 to celebrate its 50th Anniversary. Originally started in 1971 and produced most recently by One Reel, a local non-profit from 1980-2019, AEG Presents joined as a partner in 2015. The new edition will be produced by New Rising Sun, led by Seattle cultural veterans Steven Severin, Greg Lundgren, and Joe Paganelli, and is backed by Amazon. The local company will underwrite the fest’s pre-sale, offering $50 one-day and $85 weekend passes, half off 2019 prices. Additionally, Amazon plans to give out 5,000 tickets to area nonprofits and community organizations alongside Third Stone.

Show Me the $$$$Check out what Travis Scott, Eminem, Radiohead, Ariana Grande, The Weeknd, and other headliners were paid to headline Rolling Loud and Coachella.

 Outstanding In the Field is looking for managers to join its tour crew for the 2023 season.

Girl Scouts of the USA is hiring a remote Director, Corporate Events to help establish and implement the organization’s national event strategy.

 Want to be part of a world tour? A Wright World is looking for a PA / Road Manager for a top-level client.

 Elevate Sports Ventures is seeking a Pricing Analyst in Charlotte, NC (remote possible) to be part of its pricing strategy team at Dynamic Pricing Partners.

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Last Week's Results:

are down with love capsules at festivals.

Headliners, Lineups, and Festival Announcements 

  • The inaugural Après at The Amp festival will feature Polo & Pan and Big Gigantic, April 7 - 8, to mark the “de-winterizing” and season-opening concerts in Vail, Colorado.

  • Goldenvoice released the lineup for Goldenvoice Presents April 2023, its slate of “Coachella Sideshows” leading up to and around the festival in intimate venues around Los Angeles and the Bay Area, April 12 - 22.

  • SunFest in downtown West Palm Beach, FL, announced Chainsmokers, Flo Rida, and Jack Johnson for its May 5 - 7 festival.

  • The Beale Street Music Festival is returning to Memphis in May, May 5-7 in TN. Headliners include The Lumineers, Greta Van Fleet, Earth Wind & Fire, The Roots, and Robert Plant & Alison Krauss.

  • Tamarindo Festival, a new Afro-Latin festival by Adobo DMV and Broccoli City, is coming to Washington, DC, on May 6.

  • Troubadour Festival heads to Aggie Park in Austin, TX, with Midland, Shane Smith & The Saints, and lots of Texas BBQ on May 20.

  • HIVE Music Festival in Salt Lake City, UT, will feature Post Malone, Kid Cudi, and Joji June 9 - 10.

  • Blake Shelton, Kid Rock, and Darius Rucker are headlining Barefoot Country Music Fest in Wildwood, NJ, June 15 - 18.

  • Jazz Aspen Snowmass (JAS) will feature Foo Fighters, The Lumineers, and Old Dominion, September 1 - 3 in Snowmass, CO.

  • Guns N’ Roses will close out this year’s Aftershock Festival in Sacramento, CA, on Sunday, October 8th. The rest of the lineup hasn’t been announced for the Oct 5 - 8 event.

  • When We Were Young has added a second date - Sunday, October 22 - with the same lineup as Day 1, featuring Green Day and Blink-182 at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds.

 Haven’t gotten enough of RiRi? Rihanna is taking the stage again soon - this time as a performer at the Academy Awards on March 12.

 Influencer Jake Paul took on Tommy Fury in a boxing match over the weekend in Saudi Arabia, and for the first time in his career, Paul lost. Here’s a play-by-play.

 Coming to Netflix in March.

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