#166

Issue #166 | August 22, 2023While Ed Sheeran closes the door on performing at the Halftime Show, Billy McFarland is once again asking people to trust him by buying tickets to his latest “festival”, and Diplo wants to take you waaaaay south.

Credit: Kate PatayFyre Fest 2 tix on saleThe moment we’ve been waiting for is here: Tickets to Fyre Festival 2 are now on sale! The festival will take place in “the Caribbean” at “the end of next year.” The first 100 tickets are available for the bargain price of $499; later prices will range from $799 - 7,999. As part of Billy McFarland’s big announcement on TikTok, he said that “it really all started during the seven-month stint in solitary confinement.” Seems legit.  

Festival drug useAccording to survey data shared by Hypebot, 77% of US festival attendees say they plan to use drugs at a festival and 9.6% say “maybe.” Of the substances attendees plan to take, marijuana takes the top spot at 66% with second-place cocaine far behind at 37.4%. Psychedelics, MDMA, and Ketamine round out the top 5. This concerns festival organizers not only for guest safety reasons, but also because fans who use drugs tend to buy less alcohol, which leads to less revenue.

Grammy U expands membership eligibilityThe Recording Academy has announced the expansion of its Grammy U program, which provides opportunities for emerging music industry professionals and creatives. The program no longer requires members to be in college and instead will now welcome recent college graduates and those aged 18-29 pursuing careers in music. This expansion aims to offer a broader range of emerging talents access to educational and networking opportunities, helping them to develop their careers and navigate the complexities of the music industry more effectively.

South African Fyre FestBefore there was Fyre, there was TribeOne Dinokeng Festival, an intended 100,000-cap, 3-day festival in South Africa canceled just days before its start in 2014. A recently released report on the event’s downfall reveals some new details, including that it sold only 318 tickets 3 weeks out from the event, artists such as Nicki Minaj, Wizkid, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis hadn’t been paid, and of course, overspending.

Live music boosts Singapore tourismTourism in Singapore is being buoyed by live events, thanks to collaborations between the government and the Singapore Sports Hub. Live music is playing a large role with upcoming performances by Coldplay (6 nights in January) and Taylor Swift (6 nights in March) making stops at the 55,000-cap Singapore National Stadium. In fact, Coldplay broke the city-state’s record for most tickets sold by an artist in a day.

Lessons from TaylorNow that the first part of Taylor Swift’s tour is in the books, BizBash took a look at what the event industry, and specifically, those focused on delivering world-class guest experiences, can learn from her tour. Check out their 6 Event Lessons Learned from Taylor’s Tour.

AEG brokers first naming rights deal in ThailandAEG Global Partnerships signed its first major deal following its expansion into the Asian Pacific market last October. The deal gives UOB naming rights to AEG’s new 6,000-cap entertainment venue in Bangkok, Thailand, UOB Live, which is scheduled to open in February 2024. 

Oslo's green festivalØya Festival in Oslo, Norway is a model for environmentally conscious and socially aware events. This year’s event (August 8 - 12) incorporated numerous eco-friendly practices such as banning single-use plastics, promoting recycling, and sourcing local and organic food options. Beyond environmental considerations, they also included discussions and initiatives related to social responsibility and inclusivity.  

Suspect Philly cancellations for The BossBruce Springsteen postponed his August 16 and 18 shows in Philadelphia, PA because he had “taken ill”, however, there is now speculation that low ticket sales for the shows were the real reason. This follows the uproar around The Boss’s ticket price strategy when the shows went on sale last summer. Earlier in the week, “a large quantity of previously held-back tickets” became available that were “intentionally held back by organizers to create the illusion of limited availability.” 

Ed Sheeran doesn't want the Halftime Show gigEd Sheeran thinks he’s not American enough to perform at the Super Bowl Halftime Show, removing himself from the list of potential headliners. Sheeran says, “I’m not gonna have dancers on stage, I’m not gonna have fireworks and blah blah. I just can’t, that’s not me.” But… he is open to being a guest of another performer, just so he could say he did the Super Bowl with “whoever.”

  AEG is hiring a VP, Premium Services to join its Artist Services team, based in the LA office. Salary $159,289-$251,132.   Insomniac Clubs is looking for an Academy General Manager in Hollywood, CA (on-site). Salary $90,000 - 110,000.     Imagination is hiring a Production Director, Live Experiences on-site in New York, NY. Salary $150,000 - 180,000.

Fyre Fest 2

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Last Week's Results:

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Lineups, Festival & Tour Announcements

• Lana Del Ray is going out on a limited, 10 show US tour, starting September 14 in Franklin, TN.

• The Deftones’ 4th annual Dia De Los Deftones Festival will feature 100 Gecs, Knocked Loose, and others, November 4, at Petco Park in San Diego, CA.

• Tyler, the Creator, SZA and ‘the Hillbillies’ (aka Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem) will headline 2023 Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival, November 11 - 12 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA.

• Diplo and Secular Sabbath are heading south - very far south - in their latest endeavor: a 7-day luxury Expedition to Antarctica with “live performances, ambient sound experiences, engaging discussions, breathwork & yoga throughout the voyage onboard.”

• Skrillex is set to headline the 2024 FriendShip, a 5-day cruise from Miami to Harvest Caye, Belize and back, January 6 - 11. 

• Australia’s Byron Bay Bluesfest will celebrate 35 years March 28 - April 4, 2024 with Jack Johnson, Tom Jones, and The Teskey Brothers.

• Luke Combs will hit 13 US cities and 1 in Canada on his 2024 “Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old Tour”, starting April 12 in Milwaukee, WI.

• Madonna announced that the postponed US leg of her “Celebration Tour” has been rescheduled and will start December 13 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY after the UK and European dates. Several dates have been canceled as part of the schedule shuffle.

Hurricane Hilary made her presence known in the southern US over the weekend, causing several events to be canceled:

• Insomniac’s Interstellar festival, LA Waterfront, CA.

• My Morning Jacket and Fleet Foxes concert, Hollywood Bowl, CA (rescheduled for August 28).

• Chicago concert, Costa Mesa’s Pacific Amphitheater (September 5).

• Young the Giant concert, San Diego State University (September 5).

• Michael Franti and Spearhead concert, Greek Theatre, CA (September 15).

• Sports: Dodgers and LA Galaxy games on Saturday, both canceled.

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 15 fun things to do when it’s too hot outside. Post Malone plays a tiny desk concert. 

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