ICYMI: Upcoming changes to BOH ⏯️

After five years of free weekly issues, Back of House is evolving. What started as a pandemic side project has become a trusted industry resource and to keep it going strong, BOH is introducing a paid model starting July 1. Free subscribers will now receive one issue per month (the first Tuesday), while All Access subscribers will continue getting weekly insights for just $15/year - or for a limited time, lifetime access is available for a one-time $50 payment. Students with .edu emails will still continue to have full access for free. You can upgrade here, click the link below, or at the bottom of the email to edit your subscription preferences. 

As always, thank you for being part of Back of House. We appreciate you.

18 venues in 18 months = $1B Live Nation investment

Live Nation has big goals for the next year and a half. The company announced plans to spend $1 billion over the next 18 months to build 18 “new and revitalized” live music venues in small cities across the US. According to Oxford Economics (and LN’s press release), this aggressive plan will “spur $2.9 billion in total economic impact, including spending on engineering, development, and construction, along with $1.4 billion in annual economic impact for local communities.”

Live Music Society hands out $765k in grants

Live Music Society has awarded 26 small venues with $765,000 as part of its third annual Music in Action grant program. The funding is given to “to support innovative programs that strengthen community connections, expand access to live music, and improve the concert experience for audiences, artists, and staff at each venue.” A full list of the 2025 recipients is here.

Pollstar’s mid-year report shows mixed outlook

Pollstar’s Mid-2025 Business Analysis offers a mixed outlook for the live music industry: total gross revenue reached a record $3.07 billion (up 8.7% YoY); the first time mid-year totals have surpassed $3 billion. This growth was driven by a 16.7% increase in show volume and a 9.4% rise in average ticket prices. However, average attendance per show fell by 14.9% and average gross per show declined 6.9%, signaling that while more events and higher prices are boosting revenue industry-wide, audience engagement per show is softening with fewer fans per show.

UK’s AIF calls for music festival tax relief 🇬🇧

The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) is advocating for a Music Festival Tax Relief from the UK government. This proposed relief would mirror existing Creative Tax Reliefs for theater and orchestras, targeting smaller festivals with capacities under 30,000. The AIF argues that offering tax relief on qualifying creative and music-related costs would ease financial burdens on independent festivals, decrease the likelihood of closures, and stimulate growth within the sector. AIF CEO John Rostron stressed that this type of tax relief is crucial for supporting emerging festivals, allowing them to flourish and enrich the UK's cultural scene.

Spotify expands mental health initiative with Backline

Spotify has expanded its Heart & Soul program in partnership with Backline. The “Heart & Soul, Mental Health for Creators” program will offer free virtual therapy sessions, access to mental health resources, and community support specifically designed for the unique challenges faced by people in the music industry. By expanding its commitment to wellness, Spotify aims to address the growing demand for mental health care in the creative sector and help normalize conversations around mental well-being in music.

VENU 🤝 Aramark 📈

Venu Holding Corporation has announced a strategic partnership with Aramark Sports + Entertainment to handle food, beverage, retail, and facility services at three key venues: Sunset Amphitheaters in McKinney, TX and Broken Arrow, OK, and the Ford Amphitheater in Colorado Springs, CO. As part of the agreement, Aramark is also making an equity investment in Venu to help enhance its premium hospitality offerings. Alongside the partnership, Venu launched an 8% convertible preferred stock offering available to all investors at $15 per share, which includes dividend income, potential stock conversion, and exclusive perks like concert tickets and VIP experiences to reinforce its fan-owned model.

LIDO festival headliner ran solely on battery power 🔋

Massive Attack headlined the opening night of London’s inaugural LIDO Festival, delivering a historic fully battery-powered performance; a first for a festival of this scale. The feat was accomplished using a 1 MW Grid Faeries x Ecotricity system and Martin Audio’s ML3A sound equipment. Massive Attack’s set served as a bold statement on sustainable live events and community impact and what AEG Presents CEO Jim King hopes to be a paradigm shift in reducing festival carbon footprints while maintaining artistic excellence.

AEG focused on developing future leaders

AEG continued its commitment to diversifying the live entertainment workforce by providing mentorship, real-world experience, and professional pathways for emerging leaders through two recent programs. They hosted a College Connection Program at Cali Vibes Festival, offering University students backstage access and immersive exposure to live event production, operations, and artist relations. Additionally, they welcomed over 40 HBCU interns to its LA LIVE campus during Summit Week, where they participated in panel discussions, mentee luncheons, and tours of Crypto.com Arena as part of the Entertainment Industry College Outreach Program.

RIP Jonathan Mayers

Festival and live entertainment legend, Jonathan Mayers passed away last week, just days before the start of Bonnaroo, a festival he helped create in 2002. Our hearts go out to all of those who knew Jonathan and were touched by him either personally or through one of the many events and creative initiatives he had his hands in.

• AEG Presents Southwest is hiring a Director of Ticketing in Grand Prairie, TX to oversee ticketing and box office operations for all shows. Salary: $95,351.04 - $135,295.54. 

• Matel is looking for a traveling/remote Event Coordinator for its Day Out With Thomas touring program. The role includes up to 70% travel for 25+ events. Salary $58,400 - $87,400. 

• The US Open is hiring multiple seasonal Command Center team members to play an essential role in the guest experience in Queens, NY. $400 day rate. 

• Snap is seeking a Lead, Music Business Development to focus on supporting business relationships with key partners to support its music initiatives in New York, NY. Salary: $121,000 - $214,000 (based on pay zone).

Last Week's Results:
72% of BOH readers have worked an event that uses reusable cups. Nice!

Lineups, Festival & Tour Announcements 

• Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and Three 6 Mafia are going out on the “Thuggish-Ruggish-Mafia-Tour” starting August 21 in Rogers, AR and ending October 4 in Concord, CA.

• Turnstile’s “THE NEVER ENOUGH TOUR” will start in Nashville on September 15 and finish up in Orlando, FL on October 19.

• Twenty-One pilots announced “The Clancy Tour: Breach 2025,” a fall stadium and amphitheater tour across the US and Canada. The tour kicks off September 18 in Cincinnati, OH and wraps in Los Angeles, CA on October 25. 

• Breakaway Music Festival heads to Alabama with The Chainsmokers, Kaskade, Slander, and DJ Diesel, October 3 - 4 at The Orion Amphitheater & Apollo Park in Huntsville, AL.

• All Things Go Festival is continuing its theme of expansion in 2025 by adding a Toronto fest to its lineup. The newest edition of All Things Go is set to take place at the Budweiser Stage in Toronto, ON, October 4 - 5, one week after its simultaneous NY and MD fests.

• Post Malone, Kacey Musgraves and Noah Kahan will headline Redwest Music Festival, October 10 - 12 at Utah State Fairpark in Salt Lake City, UT.

• J Balvin, Doja Cat, and Tems will headline the inaugural FIFA World Cup final halftime show on July 13 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. 

• Rolling Loud creators announce Rolling Loud India, a new 2-day edition of the fest in partnership with local operator District By Zomato. Dates and lineup are TBA.

Cancelations, Changes

• Several live events in Los Angeles, CA have been disrupted due to an 8 PM - 6 AM curfew imposed amid downtown protests, including shows at Walt Disney Concert Hall and Peacock Theater.

• After an initial delay of schedule on Friday, Bonnaroo organizers made the decision to cancel the remainder of the 4-day festival due to severe weather. While organizers were “beyond gutted”, some performances, including SuperJam, shifted to Nashville giving fans a chance to still see live music. Other businesses in Nashville offered discounts to festival guests and Northlands fest offered guests free entry.

• Structural issues persist for Shakira. She postponed her Alamodome show in San Antonio just 40 minutes before doors on Friday and later, her Houston show was pushed from Sunday to tonight (Tuesday), all due to issues “with a truss provided by [a] third-party company.”

• The Jonas Brothers’ announced venue changes on their 20th Anniversary Tour. Planned stops in Washington DC, Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, Dallas, and Los Angeles are shifting from stadiums to smaller arenas and amphitheaters due to low ticket sales. Since the shows are at new venues, ticket purchasers will be refunded and have to re-purchase for the new shows.

• Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy is now streaming on Netflix.

• Managing Ozzy and more music industry advice from Sharon Osbourne. 

• Sand in My Boots ranked the most expensive music festival per hour in the US.

• ​How esports are setting new standards for fan engagement.

• Enjoy a random park for one minute.

• 9 Surprising places to see art in big cities.

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