#136

Lineups Galore 🎤

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This week is full of icons as we get closer to Rhianna's halftime performance and Madonna goes on tour. 2000's classics will be hitting the stage this summer as more lineup announcements are made.

Credit: Apple MusicTicketmaster Called to the StandShortly after this issue hits your inbox, the Ticketmaster US Senate hearing, “That’s the Ticket: Promoting Competition and Protecting Consumers in Live Entertainment,” will kick off (Jan. 24 at 10 AM ET | livestream here). While the hearing came to fruition following the “Taylor Swift Ticket Fiasco,” it has little to do with fans’ inability to get tickets and instead will focus on the Ticketmaster/Live Nation “dominant market position,'' led by Senators Amy Klobuchar and Mike Lee. Witnesses to appear before the entire US Judiciary Committee include, Joe Berchtold, President and CFO, Live Nation Entertainment; Jack Groetzinger, CEO, SeatGeek, Jerry Mickelson, CEO and President, JAM Productions; Sal Nuzzo, Senior Vice President, The James Madison Institute; Kathleen Bradish, Vice President for Legal Advocacy, American Antitrust Institute; and Clyde Lawrence, Singer-songwriter for the band Lawrence. 

At the same time, the group, Free Britney America, will host a protest outside the U.S. Capitol, in support of ending the Ticketmaster/Live Nation monopoly.

Drakeo the Ruler Lawsuit Moves ForwardLive Nation’s lawsuit over the backstage murder of Drakeo the Ruler at Once Upon a Time music festival in Los Angeles, CA last year is moving forward after a judge agreed with Drakeo’s brother. The suit, filed last year, claims that Live Nation was aware of threats to the artist and failed to provide proper security.

Certified Green FestivalsA Greener Festival (AGF) has awarded 43 festivals from 13 countries sustainability certification for their 2022 editions. The certification is a standard “for festivals and events reducing waste, emissions and enhancing equality and biodiversity.” The full list of AGF certifications is here.

Make Tickets Fair! Live industry organizations have come together across Europe to form the Make Tickets Fair! Initiative, aimed at empowering fans not to get “ripped off by unscrupulous ticket resellers.” The group’s website is currently focused on getting others in the industry to join and includes resources and advice for organizers on the safe resale of tickets as well as an overview of ticket resale laws country by country.

China Eases Covid Performance BansWith China finally lifting some of its Covid-zero restrictions, artists from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan can travel to and perform in Mainland China starting February 16th. However, foreign artists are still prohibited and any concerts or shows must still adhere to pandemic control measures from the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Rihanna is BackApple Music dropped its trailer, “Rihanna is Back,” for its first Super Bowl Halftime Show. Apple Music replaces long-time title sponsor Pepsi this year. The trailer has led to some speculation that Rihanna will be dropping a new album soon - she hasn’t released one since 2016 - but the artist says she’s solely focused on her halftime performance now.

Big Game Security PrepU.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) helicopters have been flying low over Glendale, AZ in preparation for the upcoming Super Bowl. The helicopters are flying in a grid-like pattern to survey the radioactive material on the ground and will use the data in the event of a threat or attack on the big game.

Coachella + YouTubeCoachella and YouTube have extended their live streaming partnership through 2026. This year will be the 11th time the fest has been streamed on YouTube. The partnership includes, “YouTube Shorts content, playlist integration on YouTube Music, more merchandise, exclusive content for YouTube Premium subscribers, and onsite activations from artists as well as creators.”

Woodstock in the MetaverseLast week we wrote about Woodstock going to South Korea for the first time. This week, the iconic festival announced plans to make its debut in the Metaverse with the help of Sequin AR. Woodstock World seeks to “bring together an infinite audience using the 3D metaverse experience” and will focus on emerging artists.

Celebrating 40 years of MadonnaMadonna announced The Celebration Tour, a global tour celebrating 40 years in music starting in July in Vancouver, BC. At the end of the first day of sales for 50 of the shows, they were 98% sold out - many in under 10 minutes. - and 23 shows added to the original 37. More on sales happen this week and additional European dates are expected to be added.

CrowdRx has opened up its application to be part of the temporary medical staff at this year’s Burning Man. Apply here.

C3 Presents is hiring a Premium Experience Program Manager to create world-class hospitality programs at its festivals.

Live Nation Concerts is looking for a Regional Marketing Coordinator and a Booking Assistant, both will work out of its Philadelphia, PA office.

 

Lovers and Friends Festival lineup ...

OR

Last Week's Results:

this year's Coachella lineup.

More Lineups

  • Las Vegas’s May 6th Lovers and Friends Festival is the 2000’s mixtape of our dreams with 50 Cent, Missy Elliott, And Usher as headliners. Tickets are already sold out.

  • The inaugural Echoland Music Festival announced Phil Lesh & Friends, Tyler Childers and Vulfpeck as headliners for its May 11-13 event at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL.

  • iHeartCountry Festival on May 13th in Austin, TX will include Luke Bryan, Kane Brown, Sam Hunt and more.

  • The 20th Anniversary of Lightning in a Bottle Festival will feature REZZ, SOFI TUKKER and Zhu, May 24-29 in Buena Vista Lake, CA.

  • Governor’s Ball announced Lizzo, Odezsa, and Kendrick Lamar as the headliners for its June 9-11 festival, now in a new location at Flushing Meadows in Corona Park, NY.

  • The Harley-Davidson Homecoming Festival, celebrating 120 years of Harley Davidson, will feature Green Day and the Foo Fighters, July 13-16 in Milwaukee, WI.

  • Beach Road Weekend will bring Mumford & Sons, Bon Iver, and Leon Bridges to Martha’s Vineyard, MA August 25-27.

  • GoldenSky Country Music Festival will return to Sacramento, CA with headliners Eric Church, Jon Pardi, and Maren Morris on October 14-15.

 A Twitter thread of unusual party ideas. What would you add?

 

Celebrating the life of

with his Rolling Stone interview

 

Symphonic shares its

of 2023.

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