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The future is now: iHeartMedia and MTV’s VMAs perform in the metaverse, and a German festival runs on hydrogen. But violence, weather, and artist cancelations continue to haunt the industry.

Credit: iHeartMediaFraudulent ChargesFans who attended the inaugural Sacred Rose Festival at SeatGeek Stadium over the weekend are encouraged to check their credit card statements amidst reports of fraudulent charges as high as $2,500. This comes after the festival had to end its final day early due to weather.

Preemptive EvacuationWiz Khalifa ended his Indianapolis concert early on Friday due to rumors of a gun in the amphitheater’s lawn section. Security responded quickly, and all exits were opened per security protocol, but no weapons were found. 3 people were injured during the evacuation of Ruoff Music Center, a Live Nation-owned and operated venue.

The Futur is H[ere]Germany’s Futur 2 Festival was the first-ever festival to be run on hydrogen. The hydrogen, obtained from wind energy, was the next step for the sustainable festival, adding to the solar and muscle (bicycle) power used during its first two editions.

Return to The PlayaAfter a three-year hiatus, Burning Man is back. The 9-day event in The Playa kicked off on Sunday and runs through September 5th. While the city encourages its citizens to be present and stay off the grid, you can catch a glimpse of the action via its live webcast.

iHeart goes MetaiHeartMedia announced iHeartLand, its virtual world on Fortnite, where it will host 20 events over the next year, including a virtual concert (pre-recorded) by Charlie Puth on September 9th. No other dates or performers have been announced. iHeart looks to use the platform to reach new audiences in the metaverse and will monetize the virtual world via sponsorships.

SOS 🏳️Festicket filed a moratorium last Wednesday, hoping for some cushion while it attempts to resolve its business issues. The month-long stay isn’t surprising based on several high-profile departures (Co-Founders Zach Sabban & Jonathan Younes, CFO Matt Hann, and other execs), customers demanding refunds, and its withdrawal from the US market.

Lolla Heads EastLollapalooza announced its Asian debut with Lollapalooza India coming to Mumbai in January 2023. This is the 8th country to host a Lolla event, featuring 40 artists across 2 days. The event is a partnership between C3, WME, Perry Farrell, and Indian partner, BookMyShow. Tickets are on sale now, with the lineup and venue to be announced.

Reading and Leads Festivals HeadachesTwo weeks after announcing replacements for originally-scheduled Rage Against the Machine (The 1975), Jack Harlow (AJ Tracey), and Maneskin (Charli XCX), some ticket holders for the Reading and Leeds Festivals have gotten their money back, but others are still petitioning Ticketmaster for refunds. Ticketmaster originally denied all refund, resale, and transfer requests.

But that was just the beginning for the intertwined festivals; their endings weren’t any better. The Reading Festival ended in flames - burning tents, fights, and thrown objects had fans fearing their safety on its final day. And a 16-year-old died at the Leads Festival following a suspected overdose.

A.I. doesn’t FlyLess than 10 days after Capitol Records became the first major label to sign an augmented reality artist, it became the first major label to sever ties with said artist, releasing A.I. Rapper FN Meka from its contract following cries from activists.

#PeoplenewsLucy Dickins becomes the first woman to head a major music label as she is promoted to Global Head of Contemporary Music and Touring at WME.

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The re-launched XFL is looking for a Sr. Manager of Ticket Operations in Arlington, San Antonio or Houston, Texas.

Symphonic Distribution seeks a General Counsel to play an integral part in its legal needs, specifically focusing on managing and negotiating contracts between Symphonic and its partners.

On the hunt for something new? Our friend Jen Corsilli has compiled a list of people who generously and regularly share jobs on LinkedIn.

Did you watch the VMAs?

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Last Week's Results:

Bad Bunny 

is this year's top-grossing touring artist to date.

Summer of Chaos

This summer, it seems that everyone is on the road at the same time. Artists big and small are visiting cities big and small. Ticket sales are [mostly] up, but those behind the scenes are dealing with lingering pandemic effects, including supply chain disruptions, travel delays and visa issues, lack of staff, and inflating costs across the board. Both artists and fans are canceling plans at the last minute.​​“It’s a lot of factors converging all at once. Not just the uncertainty of coming out of a pandemic, not just the economic uncertainty, not just the political uncertainty, but lots of supply and lots of competition for finite dollars,” says Lawrence Peryer, chief commercial officer at Lyte.

Credit: Charles Sykes/Invision/APThe Video Music Awards never disappoint, and viewers tuned in for this year’s edition on Sunday night in anticipation, with preliminary TV and streaming viewership up 3% from 2021. Some highlights from the night:

• Taylor Swift announced that her new album, Midnights, will drop on October 21 during her acceptance speech for the Video of the Year Award for All Too Well (10-Minute Version).

• Johnny Depp made a surprise appearance as a Moonman because he “needed the work.”

• Snoop and Eminem performed in the metaverse.

• Lil Nas X made a statement on the red carpet.

• Nicki Minaj performed a mashup of her hits and then called for mental health awareness while accepting the Vanguard Award.

• BLACKPINK had stars dancing during “Pink Venom.” The K-pop group won several awards.

September 19-21: IFEA’s Annual Convention in McAllen, Texas

 Heading to The Playa? Where do you fall on the Burning Man hierarchy?

 Marketing for the 2022 midterm election has outpaced the 2020 election by $700 million - already.

Looking for your next read? NPR’s got you covered with a list of “Books We Love.”

 Amazon owns Thursday Night Football, but that doesn’t mean you have to stay home to watch. It partnered with DirecTV on a deal to show the games in bars and restaurants. HBO’s House of the Dragon broke records as 9.9 million viewers tuned into its premiere.

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