Pay with crypto at Breakaway Music Festival

Breakaway Music Festival is, that’s right, breaking away from traditional forms of payment and in 2025 will accept cryptocurrency at all 12 of its festivals. “We’re committed to adapting to the needs of our fans and staying ahead of the curve," says CEO Adam Lynn. The festival will accept crypto for tickets, VIP bottle service, and more. Tickets are currently on sale via Universe.

Noah Kahan raised $2.5 million for mental health

Noah Kahan raised $2.5 million for mental health on his “We’ll All Be Here Forever” Tour this year. Throughout the global tour, Kahan supported 108 different organizations, including his own, The Busyhead Project. Many tour stops included the Busyhead Project Action Village, where fans could explore mental health services. In addition the org partnered with Backline to provide free mental health care and wellness days.

Eventbrite’s mixed Q3 results

BEventbrite reported Q3 revenue of $78.8M, nearly flat year-over-year, with a 13% increase in adjusted EBITDA to $12.8M. CEO Julia Hartz highlighted strong growth in mobile app adoption and marketplace engagement but noted challenges from pricing headwinds. Cost-cutting measures, including recent layoffs, aim to improve profitability while supporting long-term growth​.

UK ticket levy to support grassroots venues

The UK government has endorsed a ticket levy on arena and stadium concerts to aid grassroots music venues, with stakeholders urged to implement the measure voluntarily. The CMS Committee warns of a government-mandated solution if significant progress isn’t made within six months, highlighting the urgent need for industry cooperation to sustain the live music ecosystem​.

Sphere faces quarterly loss

Sphere Entertainment reported $227.9 million in revenue for Q1, with the Las Vegas venue generating $127.1 million—down from $151.2 million the previous quarter. The segment posted a $125.1 million loss, though CEO James Dolan remains optimistic, citing growing artist interest and adjustments to operations as they refine their model.

Canadian Music Week rebranded as ‘Departure Festival + Conference’

The Departure Festival + Conference, debuting in Toronto from May 6-11, 2025, aims to reimagine Canadian Music Week by expanding into new areas like comedy, art, tech, and food, while staying rooted in music. Hosted at Hotel X, the event will feature a mix of live performances, artist showcases, and discussions with industry leaders, reflecting Toronto’s diverse culture and global music scene. With its tagline "music.art.comedy.tech," Departure plans to offer a multidisciplinary experience while staying true to its musical roots.

UPDATE: Live Nation vs DOJ - is the end near?

If you’re wondering what effect President-elect Trump will have on the US Government’s case against Live Nation, you’re not alone. Especially since republicans tend to lean against government interference. In last week’s earning’s call, Live Nation President Joe Berchtold said, “We are hopeful that we’ll see a return to the more traditional antitrust approach, where the agencies have generally tried to find ways to solve problems they see with targeted remedies that minimize government intervention in the marketplace.” In other words, he’s hoping it goes away once the new administration takes over in January.

Liberty Media spins off its live business

Liberty Media announced on its Q3 earnings call that it will be splitting off its live business to a separate public entity, Liberty Live Group, during the second half of 2025. In the split off, Quint - which Liberty acquired in January 2024 - will be moved from its Formula 1 group to the Liberty Live Group. Liberty Live will also hold nearly 70 million shares of Live Nation.

What's new in event venues: the election's impact on hospitality and a new wellness certification

This month, the hospitality industry is responding to the potential impact of a second Trump term, with leaders highlighting opportunities in tax cuts and infrastructure, but concerns over visa restrictions and environmental rollbacks. Additionally, new initiatives like WITT's wellness certification for hotels and the BeCause sustainability platform are setting new standards for eco-friendly and wellness-focused travel. Meanwhile, Asheville, N.C., is working to regain tourism following Hurricane Helene's damage.

Taylor Swift and Beyoncé fans accuse Ticketmaster of price gouging in new lawsuit

A series of lawsuits has emerged targeting Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation, over allegations of unfair practices in the ticketing and live music industries. Taylor Swift fans have filed a racketeering lawsuit under the RICO Act, accusing the companies of inflating ticket prices in collusion with venues and partners. Meanwhile, the US Department of Justice has filed an antitrust case to challenge their market dominance, especially following the botched pre-sale for Swift’s Eras Tour. In the UK, PRS for Music has sued Live Nation, accusing the company of underreporting the value of VIP tickets in licensing payments, a case that could set new standards for premium ticket pricing across the live music sector.

• Leap Technologies is hiring a hybrid Director of Event Operations & Logistics (several North American location options). 

• The New Jersey Performing Arts Center is looking for a Ticketing Operations Manager in Newark, NJ. Salary $60,000 - $65,000.

• Firebird Music is hiring a Director of Artist and Business Management in New York, Los Angeles, Nashville, or Remote. Salary $100,000 - $130,000.

Last Week's Results:
44% of BOH readers think ticketing companies’ revenue in 2025 will flatten out.

Lineups, Festival & Tour Announcements 

• Under the Big Sky (Whitefish, Montana) announced Tyler Childers and Mumford & Sons for their 2025 event, taking place July 18-20, 2025.

• Boots In The Park will return to Bakersfield, CA (March 7), Norco, CA (March 8) and San Diego, CA (April 5), with performances from Brooks & Dunn, Old Dominion, Chris Young, and Parker McCollum.

• London’s Roundhouse announced Roundhouse Three Sixty, a month-long festival featuring “ mix of music, spoken word, theatre, visual arts, podcasts, and club nights” from April 1 - 30, all within the legendary venue.

• South Carolina’s High Water Festival announced Arcade Fire and Lord Huron at Riverfront Park in North Charleston, April 26 - 27.

• Country Thunder Florida announced a move to Tampa and Riley Green, Blake Shelton, and Jelly Roll as the headliners for the May 2 - 4 festival at Raymond James Stadium. The festival was previously in Kissimmee, FL.

• Green Day, Linkin Park, Korn and Shinedown will headline Welcome to Rockville on May 15 - 18 in Daytona Beach, FL.

• Northlands Music & Arts Festival has announced The String Cheese Incident, Cory Wong, Umphrey’s McGee, and moe. for the Swanzey, NH fest, June 13 - 15.

• Ten years later, All Good Festival is being reimagined as All Good Now Festival, with Goose, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, and The String Cheese Incident, June 14 - 15 at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD. 

• Rock The South will feature Kid Rock, Nickelback and Hank Williams Jr. as headliners for the June 19 - 21 festival in Cullman, AL.

• Cody Johnson, Parker McCollum, and Koe Wetzel top the XRoads 41 Music Festival lineup, August 7 - 9 in Oshkosh, WI.

• Linkin Park is adding 50 new dates to their “From Zero World Tour” across North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America.

• 2025 M3F Festival Lineup Drop: LCD Soundsystem, Justice and More!

• BottleRock Announces Star-Studded 2025 La Onda Festival Lineup in California's Napa Valley.

• Jack White Announces Intimate ‘No Name Tour’.

• Tate McRae Announces New Album ‘So Close to What’ & 2025 World Tour

• Tyler Childers Announces Lengthy 2025 “On the Road” Tour

• Olivia Rodrigo to Bring ‘Guts’ Tour to Brazil and Mexico With Support From St. Vincent.

Ultimatums

• Virginia Beach, VA mayor gave Something in the Water festival organizers an ultimatum: get a contract signed or cancel the festival. Pharrell’s hometown festival was originally scheduled for October of this year before being postponed to April 2025.

• 60 million people watched Mike Tyson lose to Jake Paul on Netflix, but is the streaming giant really ready for live sports?

• What does a sustainable diet look like? Here’s what science says.

• Need help with event ticket selling? Here’s 3 steps to the right price.

• 6 reasons to try throwing a punch: boxing benefits.

• 23 corporate gift ideas for the holiday season.

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