#70 (copy 01)

Has Austin City Limits reached its limit?

Today's read ... 6

minutes

SXSW announces its 2022 comeback, and it's not alone - other major festivals are announcing their returns - and in some cases expansions - across the globe. A welcome and relieving sign! But it's not all sunshine and rainbows, as Covid continues to challenge our industry.

Credit: austin360.comHotels are Open for SXSWOn Tuesday, South by Southwest (SXSW) announced that its conference and festival will return in person from March 11-20th, 2022, with hotel bookings and registration open now. A virtual option will continue to be offered, as well. 

Bridgeport Seaside Park Comeback Live Nation’s Founders Entertainment is partnering with real estate developer Howard Saffan in hopes of hosting two concerts in Bridgeport, CT (at the former site of Gathering of the Vibes) in September 2022, with a focus on “Indie/Vibes artists.” The combined audience is expected to be at least 100,000.

Stock Hits an All-Time HighSpeaking of Live Nation, their stock (NYSE: LYV) has seen a value increase of more than 40% since the beginning of 2021, with shares selling for over $100 for the first time. Though their value has dramatically shifted throughout the pandemic, they finally seem to be thriving with the return of the live entertainment industry.  

IATSE StrikeLast Monday in LA, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) voted almost unanimously to authorize their first nationwide strike in their 128-year history. They are in the process of making negotiations for a new deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). 

Electric Picnic: Insurance StoryAfter receiving a substantial Covid-related insurance payout in 2020 covering various canceled events, Festival Republic will not get the same treatment this time around. Its Irish festival Electric Picnic did not happen due to continued health concerns, but hopefully, Ireland will be back to full capacity by mid-October and the 2022 event will take place.

🚨New Festival AlertSMS Event Productions in the UK is planning Wide Skies & Butterflies, a new two-stage festival that will take place next summer featuring a mix of local and international entertainment acts. They will be partnering with services provider Event Genius, who will be their sole partner in payments, access control, and ticketing. 

LA Restriction UpdateOn Wednesday, the LA city council voted to require Covid-19 Vaccination proof upon entering movie theaters, restaurants, and other private businesses. This direction adds to the previous health order mandating organizers of mega-events to show proof of a vaccine or negative Covid test.

Climate Pledge Arena and Covid ProtocolThe new Climate Pledge Arena, home of Seattle’s new hockey team, will require proof of vaccination to attend the Kraken’s games using Clear’s identification platform. Barring religious or medical reasons, a negative Covid test will not be acceptable.

Vaccinations for Public Events Further, in Saudi Arabia full vaccination will be required to attend public events, board flights, use public transportation, and more, as of October 10th.

A&R Expenses CoveredColdplay announced that they will be partnering with Amazon Music to present “the Atmospheres,” an “intergalactic audio-visual event” taking place in NYC, London, Tokyo, and Berlin. Beginning October 15th, this interactive experience will promote their ninth studio album The Spheres. 

 Protecht is looking for a Director of Experience to work with people throughout the entire company to focus on user experience design and customer experience. The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival is hiring a Ticket Office Manager, responsible for organizing and managing operations and staff of the Festival’s ticketing office.  Momentum Worldwide is looking for a Business Leadership Manager to serve as an integral member of a major financial services brand team within the agency, with responsibility for developing and managing client business. The Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. is seeking a Freelance Production Assistant. This role calls for supporting the promos team in working with network promotions and social media, organizing media assets, and more. 

Do you think music festivals should continue to enforce masks and social distancing? 

OR

Last Week's Results:

35% of BOH reader's

 employers offer wellness programs.

Credit: Tomorrowland.comComplications as Festivals Continue to Return In the past two years, Tomorrowland has seen six festival weekend cancellations. For 2022, they are pushing for a third festival weekend “out of economic necessity.” The fourth annual Innings Festival, loosely tied to the opening of MLB spring training, will take place on Feb 26th and 27th of next year in Tempe, AZ. The lineup will feature Foo Fighters, Tame Impala, and St. Vincent, and more. Pharrell has decided not to host the second edition of Something In the Water in his hometown of Virginia Beach, VA, citing in a letter sent to the city manager his inability to have the event there due to a “toxic” and racist environment. It has yet to be announced if the festival will still be happening elsewhere.  Something that did happen is Orlando’s Come Out With Pride festival on October 9th! Aligning with National Coming Out Day, this festival occurs annually in early October.  Paris’ Rock en Seine festival will be taking place for four days, rather than its typical three, next year from August 25-28.

Unfortunately, Genesis has announced a postponement of the last four UK dates of their tour due to one of their members testing positive for Covid. 

 On a happier note, New Kids on the Block are touring in May 2022, with Salt-N-Pepa, Rick Astley, and En Vogue. Get ready for all the 80s and 90s feels. 

This week's spotlight is on... Austin City Limits 🔦

Credit: Erika Goldring/WireImageThe famous music festival went through its first weekend with very little heed to the supposedly enforced Covid-19 protocols. For weekend two, officials hope for more adherence to Covid-safety rules, as Texas has yet to loosen its restrictions. Festival organizers made attempts to combat the spread of the virus, but we have yet to see what kinds of effects these crowds will have on Covid rates. We hope positive cases remain low and that Texas is able to maintain its stage 3 Covid guidelines. Were you working or attending ACL? Want to share your experience? Send us a note at [email protected].

Music Career Summit

October 15-17 Coming up this weekend is Digilogue’s Music Career Summit! This event is for anyone interested in learning all about the ins and outs of being involved in the music industry. 

 The Jonas Brothers have officially released their next venture - popcorn. Read how the brothers are showing appreciation to their friend Rob and his “highly classified” vegan popcorn recipe. 

 See

promoting her first album in six years. After all this time she is still on the charts, with her album 25 re-entering the

this past week. 

 ​​Watch Expo 2020 Dubai’s opening ceremony.

 While freelancing has its upsides, it also has plenty of struggles and hardships. Read to learn more on how to maintain your self-care throughout it all.

 

Questions or comments?

Like BOH? Share it with friends!