Triumph and tragedy surround Shakira’s free concert in Brazil 🇧🇷

A crew member working on Shakira’s Brazil concert setup was killed in a stage-related accident during production load-in on April 26. “The victim suffered severe crushing injuries to his ​lower limbs after ​becoming trapped in a lifting system, ‌the ⁠brigade said, citing witness accounts.” Investigations into the exact cause are still underway and load-in continued ahead of the May 2 show.

On a positive note, Shakira performed a free show in front of 2 million fans on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach; her largest audience ever. It wasn’t a record for the venue though - last year’s Lady Gaga show in the same location brought in 2.1 guests.

Oak View Group 🤝 Make-A-Wish

Oak View Group (OVG) has launched a new national partnership with Make-A-Wish that will bring wish-granting experiences to arenas, theaters, and live events across OVG’s venue network as well as raise critical funds for the organization. Through the collaboration, OVG will provide unprecedented access to its venues and partners to host Make-A-Wish experiences for children nationwide, starting with an “unforgettable Las Vegas experience” at BTS’s show in May at Allegiant Stadium. The “Round Up For Wishes” point-of-sale campaign will debut at 70 OVG venues with a goal of raising over $250,000 by August.

Lots of speculation, no answers following Live Nation verdict

It appears that there will be no quick answers - or repercussions - following the Live Nation verdict. Many are speculating on what happens next, including changes to Live Nation’s amphitheater business, venue exclusivity, and potential for independent venues to compete more effectively. Ticket prices aren’t expected to change much, though the verdict may give promoters more flexibility and leverage when negotiating with - potentially multiple - ticketing providers. Industry leaders in the UK and Europe aren’t worried, they view this as a localized US disruption. Other ongoing suits (such as the BOTS Act case mentioned below) are expected to have an impact and at the end of the day, a lot of it will come down to how strictly any of the resulting reforms are enforced. Of course an appeal could draw things out even longer.

Judge rules that the BOTS Act applies to humans too

A federal judge has ruled that the Federal Trade Commission’s BOTS Act lawsuit against ticket reseller Key Investment Group (TotalTickets.com and Front Rose Tix) can move forward. The defendant argued that the case should be dismissed since they used humans to purchase tickets, not bots. However, the judge ruled that the BOTS Act - which prohibits using automated software ("bots") to bypass security measures on ticketing websites - can be applied to human purchases as well. In his ruling, Judge Russell III said, elevated ticket prices could be caused “either by ‘bots,’ or humans who write the code behind the ‘bots,’ or individuals who work in concert to recreate what bots otherwise accomplish.”

Mexican soccer venue will get a facelift thanks to OCESA 🇲🇽

OCESA has unveiled plans for Coliseo GNP Seguros, a major new venue development in Guadalajara, Jalisco that the company says will help reshape the region’s live entertainment landscape. The 30,000-cap venue is currently called the Estadio 3 de Marzo and is owned by Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara. They recently leased it to OCESA (which is majority-owned by Live Nation) to convert the primarily soccer stadium into a premium multipurpose arena, taking advantage of the booming live industry in Mexico.

Royalty payouts in the UK buoyed by major tours and festivals 🇬🇧

UK’s PRS (Performing Right Society Limited) for Music distributed more than £100 million ($135.3 million USD) in live music royalties during 2025, marking the first time in its 110-year history that payouts from concerts and festivals crossed that threshold. The payout is up 13.2% from 2024. The record figure reflects continued post-pandemic growth in touring, higher ticket prices, and stronger international demand for live performances, specifically across major stadium tours and festivals. For songwriters, composers, and publishers, it is a significant reminder that the concert business is becoming an increasingly important royalty generator, not just a promotional platform for recorded music.

Live Nation Spain, UAX launch live entertainment degree programs 🇪🇸

Live Nation Spain is partnering with Universidad Alfonso X el Sabio (UAX) and UAX Mare Nostrum to launch specialized degree programs aimed at training the next generation of live entertainment professionals. Their new Master’s in Live Music Management, Master’s in Management of Culture, Sport, Media, and Entertainment, and MBA in Music Business programs are designed to bridge the gap between academia and the entertainment industry and will cover concert production, venue operations, artist management, sponsorship, ticketing, and event business strategy.

UK’s ticket-scalping ban has been put on hold 🇬🇧

The UK’s long-discussed effort to impose a stronger ban on ticket scalping appears to be delayed for at least another year, frustrating consumer advocates who had pushed for faster action. Government officials say they still support tougher resale protections, but legislative priorities and continued consultation have pushed the proposal down the road. The delay means fans will continue dealing with inflated secondary market prices and limited enforcement against bulk resellers through at least 2027.

AEG Presents wants to get funnier with the help of Outback Presents

AEG Presents announced a strategic partnership with Outback Presents to boost its footprint in the comedy world. Outback Presents is one of North America’s largest independent comedy promoters. According to a release, “The partnership brings together AEG Presents’ global live platform with Outback Presents’ category defining expertise in stand-up comedy, comedy festivals and comedy touring.”

Taylor Swift helps UMG artists get a (potentially) massive payday

A specific provision in Taylor Swift’s 2018 contract with Universal Music Group (UMG) is paving the way for a massive windfall for artists. As UMG moves to divest 50% of its $2.7 billion equity in Spotify, the superstar’s foresight ensures that proceeds are distributed to artists on a non-recoupable basis, meaning artists receive cash directly even if they still owe advances or label costs. As a result, hundreds of UMG artists are expected to benefit from what would otherwise have been a shareholder-focused financial transaction. It is a landmark victory for artist rights, demonstrating how top-tier leverage can be used to secure structural equity across a major label’s entire roster rather than just for a single individual. Thanks Taylor!

Note: Sony and WMG also have similar clauses in their contracts, Sony similarly distributed $$ to artists in 2018.

• The Snow League is hiring a remote Event Operations Manager - America to lead end-to-end operations for its winter sports competition events.

• MTD Water is seeking a hybrid Project Manager in Atlanta, GA or Las Vegas, NV to coordinate and support the execution of temporary water infrastructure systems for large-scale live events, including music festivals and sporting events. 

• Madison Square Garden Entertainment is looking for a VP Events & Experiences in New York, NY to own event strategy and execution across MSG Sports, MSG Entertainment, and The Garden of Dreams Foundation. Salary: $160,000 - $245,000.

Last Week's Results:
44% of BOH readers feel the Danny Wimmer expansion to include a concert division makes sense, but is a totally different game than festivals.

Lineups, Festival & Tour Announcements 

• Amazon Music will livestream Rolling Loud in Orlando, FL this weekend.

• New York City’s Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage is celebrating its 40th anniversary with more than 60 free and benefit shows in neighborhood parks across the five boroughs - including the iconic Central Park - starting May 30 with Dance Gavin Dance / The Fall of Troy / Wolf & Bear in Central Park.

• MoonPay X Games Sacramento is making its debut June 26 - 28 with Kaskade, Mustard, and Subtronics at Cal Expo in Sacramento, CA. 

• Rolling Stone announced its first ever music festival, Stateside, featuring Noah Kahan at the Hutton Brickyards, in Kingston, NY on July 4. 

• Foster The People’s “Good Mourning Sunshine Tour” will cover North America from July 9 through October 23.  

• Guster’s On The Ocean Festival in Portland, ME will include Iron & Wine, Watchhouse, and daily sets from Guster, August 7 - 9.

• The inaugural LA Jazz Festival will run 17 days from August 7 - August 23 across the city of Los Angeles, CA. John Legend and Janelle Monáe will headline the closing weekend with more artists to be announced soon.

• Kacey Musgraves is going out on the “Middle of Nowhere Tour”, starting in Chicago, IL August 21 and ending on October 27 in Seattle, WA. Musgraves is currently in the middle of 3 underplays at the 800-cap Gruene Hall in New Braunfels, TX with The Mariachi Brothers (May 3 - 5).

• Shaboozey’s “Outlaws Never Die Tour” will kick off September 8 in Phoenix, AZ and wrap in Los Angeles, CA on October 27.  

• “The Unraveled Tour” will take Olivia Rodrigo through the United States and Europe with 65 shows starting September 25 in Hartford, CT and ending May 2 in Barcelona, Spain.

• All Things Go DC announced “The Hayley Williams Show”, Mitski, Brandi Carlile, Lola Young, Muna, Zara Larsson, and Ethel Cain, September 25 - 27 at Merriweather Post Pavillion in Columbia, MD. 

• Freaky Deaky 2026: The Revival announced ILLENIUM, Disco Lines, and Crankdat, October 30 - 31 at Travis County Exposition Center in Austin, TX.

• Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan are teaming up for their “Double Down Tour” in stadiums across the US. The duo’s first stop is in Missoula, MT on August 1.

Cancelations, Changes

• Post Malone and Jelly Roll have pushed back the start of the second leg of their “Big Ass Stadium Tour”, with several shows cancelled outright. According to Post Malone, “We ain’t ready for tour just yet,” however multiple sources cite low ticket sales. Meanwhile, Jelly Roll added 3 new dates to his “Little Ass Shed Tour” during the same time.

• Barry Manilow is postponing his May residency at the Westgate in Las Vegas until July due to his ongoing cancer treatment. His UK run in June will go on as scheduled.

• ZAYN has cancelled all US dates of his “KONNAKOL World Tour” due to an undisclosed illness.

• An idiot’s guide to music AI companies. 

• iHeartMedia is in talks to be acquired by SiriusXM Holdings. 

• Top events and branded activations from Stagecoach. 

• Ontario is investing more than $20 million to support local festivals and events.

• If your job feels like a dead end, create value.

• Spirit Airlines has ceased all operations. What should you do if you had a flight with the airline?

• Celebrating Cinco de Mayo? Check out some appetizer ideas.

• From Superfans To Traders: Inside Kalshi’s Music Boom.

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