More on Lyte’s demise

Early last week details around fan-to-fan resale platform Lyte’s mysterious disappearance were fuzzy. Here’s what we’ve learned since: 

CEO Ant Taylor resigned on September 12 and the board is currently seeking a buyer. Lyte staff were told the company was ceasing operations at an all-hands that week and their access to company property was restricted. The demise appears to have begun with its Festicket acquisition in September 2022 and its entrance into the primary ticketing market in November 2023.

Lost Lands and North Coast Music Festival have filed lawsuits in Los Angeles and New York against Lyte for lost revenue. 

Many events are scrambling to solve for missing inventory in real-time.

Lost Lands campground incident 🦕

A man drove over tents and campsites in the vendor campground at Lost Lands Festival early Sunday morning, injuring two. The driver was arrested and charged with aggravated vehicular assault. There was lots of discussion about the incident on Reddit - including a video that has since been removed - that the festival released a statement.

Coldplay pays it forward

Coldplay announced that they will donate 10% of their proceeds from their summer 2025 shows in London’s Wembley Stadium and Hull’s Craven Park Stadium. The funds will go to UK’s Music Venue Trust to support grassroots venues and emerging artists. As a band that came up through grassroots venues, they are supporting those who supported them.

NITO files complaint against BOTS Act violations

The National Independent Talent Organization (NITO) has filed a complaint with the FTC over ticket scalpers violating the Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act. They are asking for a formal investigation. The complaint includes examples of specific technologies which enable scalpers to violate the BOTS act and actionable recommendations to combat them.

Ongoing: Live Nation antitrust lawsuit

Last week, Live Nation requested the dismissal of two key parts of their ongoing antitrust lawsuit filed by the US Department of Justice. They argue that the states’ claims of consumer harm are illogical; any harm - if proven - would affect venues, promoters, artists and competitors, not ticket buyers. They also challenge claims of illegal tying, stating that companies aren't required to work with competitors.

Meanwhile, CEO Michael Rapino says concert ticket prices are “incredibly affordable.”

Festival average age rising in the Netherlands and Belgium

A recent analysis by Dutch ticketing system Eventix reveals that the average age of festival-goers in the Netherlands and Belgium has risen from 26 to 31, with the proportion of attendees over 35 doubling, while the under-26 crowd at festivals has decreased. In contrast, clubs continue to attract younger audiences, with a steady 18-26 demographic. This shift is attributed to rising post-pandemic costs, which older attendees can better absorb, while clubs have kept prices stable for younger patrons.

More festivals embrace sustainable power sources

More and more festivals experimented with powering their stages with batteries and other renewable energy sources this year, including Lollapalooza, SXSW, Mill Valley Music Festival, and Luck Reunion. The technology continues to get better - and more reliable - making it a viable option for key festival locations, including the main stage. REVERB’s Music Decarbonization Project, which aims to eliminate carbon emissions created by the music industry, continues to be a driving force behind many of these initiatives.

New financial support for Australian music festivals

New South Wales introduced a new financial support package for music festivals, alongside a review of the Music Festivals Act. The $3 million AUD ($2 million USD) emergency fund aims to help struggling festivals, addressing challenges like disproportionate policing charges. However, industry leaders like Bluesfest founder Peter Noble argue that more significant investment is needed to save the sector from further decline.

#peoplenews

• Co-op Live: Guy Dunstan will become the General Manager and Senior Vice President of the UK venue beginning in October.

• Oak View Group International: Rebecca Kane Burton will become Executive Vice President of Venue Management, following a stint as interim GM of OVG’s Co-op Live.

• Save The Music’s “Hometown to Hometown” event will honor Ali Harnell, President of Live Nation Women, and artists Brittney Spencer and Maren Morris on October 15 at City Winery Nashville.

• ImagineX Productions is hiring a contract Festival Box Office Technology Manager for Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta from October 5 - 13 in Albuquerque, NM. Rates starting at $25/hour.

• AEG is looking for Guest Services, Maintenance/Site Operations Staff, and Box Office Attendants at the Ford Amphitheater in Denver, CO. Rates vary between $20 - $28/hour.

• Alterra Mountain Company is hiring a Director, Brand Partnership Development in Denver, CO. Salary $85,000 - $128,000.

• CONCACAF is looking for a hybrid, entry-level Events & Travel Services Operations Administrator in Miami, FL.

Last Week's Results:
67% of BOH readers prefer to eat in a restaurant when traveling for work.

Headliners, Lineups, and Festival Announcements 

• Stevie Wonder will be performing 10 concerts in October on his “Sing Your Song! As We Fix Our Nation’s Broken Heart” tour in critical election states. 

• #ivotedconcerts announced their first election night concert, November 5 at the Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas, NV with Cake as headliner.

• Macklemore, Neon Trees and Seven Lions will headline the inaugural, free Neon City Festival, November 22 - 24, at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center during the same weekend as the F1 race in Las Vegas, NV.

• Kevin Lyman has confirmed that Warped Tour will be returning in 2025 in celebration of the tour’s 30th anniversary. Lineup, dates, and further details “should be ready in a few weeks,” said Lyman.

• Noah Kahan and The Lumineers will headline the 2nd edition of Playa Luna’s Out of the Blue Festival in Cancun, Mexico, January 4 - 7.

• Two days later, Playa Luna continues their Mexican festival slate with Dead Ahead, a festival curated by Bobby Weir and honoring the Grateful Dead with collaborations including Sturgill Simpson and Trampled by Turtles, January 9 - 13, also in Cancun.

• Guess the tour wasn’t ruined after all. Justin Timberlake extended his “Forget Tomorrow World Tour,” adding 8 new dates - on top of the 53 he already completed - starting in January. ICYMI, he pled guilty to the DWI charge.

• Coldplay has added stops in Asia, India and the United Arab Emirates to their “Music of the Spheres World Tour” which began in 2022. The new dates are in January and April 2025.

• Two nights of Metallica, plus Rob Zombie, and Alice in Chains will headline the 2025 Sonic Temple Art + Music Festival, May 8 - 11 at Historic Crew Stadium In Columbus, OH. Metallic will headline both Friday and Sunday nights with their “No Repeat Weekend” playing of unique sets each night.

• Iron Maiden announced the European and UK legs of a new 50th Anniversary World Tour, “Run For Your Lives” in 2025 and 2026. The tour kicks off in Hungary on May 27.

• Luke Bryan, Cody Johnson and Bailey Zimmerman will headline Country Jam Colorado, June 26 - 28 in Mack, CO.

• WE Fest announced HARDY, Jon Pardi and Cody Johnson as headliners for the August 7 - 9 festival at Soo Pass Ranch in Detroit Lakes, MN.

Cancelations, Changes

• The city of Springfield, OH canceled its annual CultureFest, scheduled for last weekend, “in light of recent threats and safety concerns” to the city following debunked claims of illegal residents eating people’s pet dogs and cats.

• Gordy’s HWY 30 Music Fest, originally scheduled for October 17 - 20 in Ft Worth, TX, has been canceled following a dramatic change in lineup from country artists in 2023 to Nelly, Vanilla Ice, Hinder, and Color Me Badd slated as headliners in 2024.

• All scheduled concerts at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, Spain have been postponed due to noise complaints from neighbors.

• Thursday, September 26 at 1 PM ET (online): Incentive Trips Unveiled: Creating Once-in-a-Lifetime Experiences That Drive Ongoing Success. Register for free.

• Thursday, September 26 at 2 PM ET (online): WHO KNEW The Smartest People In The Room, Jeremy Sirota and Lawrence Peryer. Register for free.

• Tuesday, February 25 (Royal Lancaster Hotel in London): A Greener Future’s Green Events and Innovations Conference (GEI17) in partnership with the International Live Music Conference (ILMC).

We’re starting to put together our 2024 BOH Gift Guide. 

What’s on your list? What are you gifting? What are you asking for? 

Send us your suggestions: [email protected]

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