245

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Back of House
March 18, 2025

Issue #245

SXSW Music isn’t dead—it’s being reimagined for 2026 with showcases across all seven nights. A$AP Rocky made a grand entrance at Rolling Loud via helicopter, and Neil Young is ditching Platinum tickets for fairer pricing. Meanwhile, Live Nation lost its attempt to dismiss a DOJ antitrust claim, and Tool fans may sue over their Punta Cana festival’s repeated setlists.

SXSW Music lives on

Rumors of South by Southwest (SXSW) cutting the music portion of the fest have been clarified by organizers: SXSW Music is not dead, but will be “reimagined” in 2026. The second weekend, which has traditionally been dedicated to music, has in fact, been dropped. However, music showcases will now be spread out across all seven nights of the March 12 - 18 event in 2026. The event will be shorter due to the Austin Convention Center’s closure for the next three years.

A$AP Rocky’s Heli-stage 🚁

A$AP Rocky may have been an hour late to his Rolling Loud California set over the weekend, but when he did finally appear, it was in grand style. The recently acquitted rapper appeared above the main stage in a “Don’t be Dumb” branded helicopter (via crane) where he performed his first song before descending to the stage via a reinforced cord. The stunt, while thrilling, wasn’t entirely new to Rolling Loud as Travis Scott arrived for his 2024 set via helicopter, then armored truck.

A nightclub fire in North Macedonia killed at least 59 and injured 155 early Sunday morning. Only one member of the band survived. The venue - previously a carpet warehouse -  often hosted shows and events, but it is being described as an “improvised nightclub” and did not have a license to operate. 15 people have been detained and an Interior Minister indicated that there are "grounds for suspicion that there is bribery and corruption" linked to the fire.

Neil Young wants to leave pricing for his upcoming tour to the “the people.” The veteran artist claims that dynamic pricing, including Platinum tickets, prevented scalping, but put more money into his pocket and “that did not feel right.” Young posted on his website, “Very soon, Platinum tickets will no longer be available for my shows.” He continued, “I have decided to let the people work this out. Buy aggressively when the tickets come out or tickets will cost a lot more in a secondary market.”

Ticketmaster and authorities are investigating a scam in which fraudulent ticket sales for non-existent concerts at well-known Irish venues, including the 3Arena in Dublin and the SSE Arena in Belfast. Scammers have been creating fake event listings and selling tickets that are never delivered. Affected venues have urged fans to only purchase tickets from official sources.

AEG Presents will open a new 4,000-cap venue in Austin, TX as part of River Park, a new mixed-use development coming to the burgeoning city. The new venue will be the hub of the 109-acre project and will “embrace the city’s commitment to sustainability and thoughtful urban development.” It is currently scheduled to open in early 2027.

According to Asociación de Promotores Musicales (APM), the promoters’ association in Spain, the live music industry in 2024 was up 25% from the previous year. APA reported €725,609,673 ($790.4 million USD) in ticketing revenue, led by the city of Madrid’s 96% growth of €185,370,550 ($202.4 million USD).

A new £1.6 million ($2 million USD) initiative aims to boost the global profiles of emerging UK musicians by providing funding for international touring, festival appearances, and promotional activities. The Music Export Growth Scheme, supported by the UK government and industry partners, seeks to help artists break into key markets like the US and Europe. Organizers hope this investment will strengthen the UK’s reputation as a leading exporter of music talent and open new career opportunities for rising stars.

Live Nation’s January attempt to get the “tying” portion of the US Department of Justice’s antitrust lawsuit against them dismissed was denied last week. Tying is when a seller conditions - or ties - the sale of one product to another. In LN’s case, the DOJ argues that it forces Artists to use its promotion services if they want to perform at Live Nation-owned venues. The trial is currently scheduled for March 2026.

Tool fans who attended the band’s “Tool in the Sand” destination festival in Punta Cana, DR are considering a class action lawsuit against the band. Apparently fans were promised unique sets for each of the band’s March 7 and March 8 performances, however, approximately 60% of night one’s show was repeated during night two, before it ended early.

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Lineups, Festival & Tour Announcements 

  • GRiZ returns from hiatus with Seven Stars, a three-day festival in Virginia featuring 67 artists, three sets from GRiZ, and a late-night Ouroboros stage. The event takes place October 10-12, and is produced by 100x Presents and GRiZ Presents.

  • Pitbull, Jelly Roll, and Chris Stapleton will perform at this year’s NCAA March Madness Music Festival at Tower Park at Hemisfair in San Antonio, TX April 4 - 6.

  • J. Cole announced the final lineup for Dreamville with Lil Wayne, 21 Savage, Erykah Badu,and  Ludacris, April 5 - 6 in Raleigh, NC. 

  • AJR’s “Somewhere In The Sky” summer tour starts July 20 at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA and finishes at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, CA on October 4.

  • J Balvin, Don Omar, Maluma will headline Baja Beach Festival at Mexico’s Rosarito Beach, August 8 - 10.

  • ARC Festival has announced Jamie xx, Eric Prydz, and Fisher, August 29 - 31 at Union Park in Chicago, IL.  

  • Pryor, OK’s Born & Raised announced Cody Jinks, Parker McCollum, and Treaty Oak Revival, September 10 - 13 at Rockin’ Red Dirt Ranch. 

  • Mumford and Sons have announced a UK and European tour starting in Stockholm on November 6 and ending December 10 at the O2 in London.

Cancelations, Changes

  • A medical condition and surgery have forced Billy Joel to put his tour on pause for 4 months. He’s already rescheduled most dates and plans to return to the stage in Pittsburgh, PA on July 5.

  • Summer Camp Festival has been postponed from Memorial Day Weekend 2025 to Memorial Day Weekend in 2026 and instead will present a series of shows at the Peoria, IL Riverfront throughout the summer. “The state of the music festival industry, artist conflicts, and more” were cited as reasons for the push.

  • Canada’s Regina Folk Festival is ending after 52 years. Organizers said, “it is no longer possible to continue producing the festival due to financial constraints and reduced operational capacity. The time has come to say goodbye to the Regina Folk Festival.”

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