#142

KISS them goodbye đź’‹

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Happy Tuesday! Get ready to dive deep with us on everything live. From StubHub’s view on FAIR to proposed increased costs in performer visa fees, the final KISS tour, and more! Plus, see what’s up next for AEG’s Mo Pop Festival.

Pollstar RecapA record-breaking number of industry professionals attended the 34th annual Pollstar Live! last week, where topics ranged from solving ticketing issues to supply chain and sustainability resolutions, and attendees showed a surprising love for Ticketmaster.

Companies Defining New LimitsFrom music festivals and virtual ABBA-tars to immersive art and rethinking ticket sales, check out the ten most innovative companies producing live events in 2023. An industry innovator says new technology has “unlocked this whole other content category for artists to experiment with.”

The Great Ticketing BattleStubHub isn’t happy with Live Nation/Ticketmaster’s proposed FAIR Ticketing Act, calling it “anything but fair.” The ticket reseller claims the proposition “specifically focuses on regulating the secondary ticketing market and does not include any significant reforms to [Live Nation/Ticketmaster]’s own practices.” In response, a Live Nation spokesperson promised, “the artist will always make the best decision for fans. FAIR Ticketing is not about locking down resale to our site; all resellers can participate if they abide by the terms the artist sets on their content.” And the ticketing battle continues… 

Swiftie v TicketmaterThe Swiftie who filed a class-action lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster is unlikely to get her day in court as the defendant companies are moving to compel arbitration. A judge reviewing the case found that “because the Ticketmaster and Live Nation websites provided reasonably conspicuous notice of the Terms to which Ticket Purchasers unambiguously manifested assent [...] the district court did not err in determining that the Terms, including the arbitration provision, were valid and binding.”

TM New FeaturesThis year’s Eurovision Song Contest events will use Ticketmaster’s SafeTix and SmartQueue technology to get tickets directly into the hands of fans. TM's encrypted tickets feature “powerful fraud and counterfeit protection,” and its SmartQueue technology will provide an “enhanced booking experience” for fans in the UK. A literal world of fans is hoping Ticketmaster can get this one right.

Visas and TouringThe US Department of Homeland Security has proposed increasing the cost of performer visa fees, and the UK entertainment industry is doing everything it can to fight it. Under the DHS proposal, the P visa, most commonly used by touring international music artists, would increase from $460 to $1,615 — a price hike of 251%. Meanwhile, the O visa, a longer-term work visa for established performers, would increase by 260%, from $460 to $1,655. Additionally, both would also require a new $600 surcharge. In a letter urging for an appeal, UK entertainment industry bodies stated that 70% of music industry professionals surveyed said they would be unable to tour the US due to the visa changes and that the costs would potentially wipe out over a third of any profits a tour might hope to make.

Festivals in Forests Live Nation promoters Cuffe and Taylor have agreed to an exclusive seven-year contract to present Forestry England’s outdoor live music series, Forest Live. The pair will be program, present, and provide the framework for outdoor shows at up to seven forest venues across England from summer 2024 and have pledged to ensure the events work towards Forestry England’s net zero ambitions and Live Nation’s Green Nation Charter.

Show CancelledFrankfurt, Germany, has canceled an upcoming Roger Waters concert over his antisemitic remarks. The Frankfurt City Council released a statement announcing the decision, calling Waters “one of the world’s most well-known antisemites.” Waters was supposed to perform on May 28 at Festhalle in Frankfurt, which used to be a Jewish detention camp. The city partially owns the venue, and the council voted to cancel the show.

Ticketing MembershipIndie Brooklyn venue Elsewhere is veering into unknown territory with a new ticket-buying approach. Last week, the multi-room venue launched a membership program that provides three-tiered benefits, including free show entry, access to its Discord, and new music discovery. Co-founder Jake Rosenthal explains the ethos behind the program: “If you’re someone who is coming to Elsewhere once a month, twice a month or up, you’re already doing your part supporting the music scene in our community, and you shouldn’t have to spend $30 five or six times a month to be at Elsewhere,” says Rosenthal. “It’s built with that ethos first, connecting our community more tightly and making it cheaper to come more often.”

KISS Farwell TourAfter 50 years, KISS is ready to wash off the face paint. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame icons announced the absolute final shows of their final tour, The End of the Road Tour. The final shows will kick off in October and end in a massive show in the city where KISS started – New York City. “KISS was born in New York City. On 23rd Street. Half a century ago. It will be a privilege and honor touring at MSG, ten blocks and 50 years from where we first started,” said the band.

 House of Blues Houston is hiring a Backstage Experience Coordinator responsible for administering various Live Nation and venue-designed programs to support local production & touring personnel.

Insomniac is hiring a Social Affiliate Coordinator who will help manage existing specific event campaigns & initiatives and assist with the onboarding and growth plan for internal affiliate and promoter programs.

 DoStuff is looking for a Live Event Sales Account Executive. You’ll be selling Do615, Do502, and DoMORE to local promoters, venues, and event creators of all kinds to help them drive ticket sales and attendees to their events.

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Headliners, Lineups, and Festival Announcements 

  • The roster of headliners for this summer’s Glastonbury Festival is absurdly packed, with Arctic Monkeys, Guns N’ Roses, Elton John, and Lizzo leading the lineup, set for June 21-25 in Somerset, England.

  • The Mo Pop Festival, the boutique Detroit music event known for its good vibes and thoughtfully curated lineups of indie rock, pop, and hip-hop, has been indefinitely suspended by its producers.

  • Lil Nas X, Tim McGraw, and Keith Urban will headline the March Madness Music Festival lineup for Final Four Weekend in Houston, TX, from March 31-April 2.

  • Nelly has jumped on the artist-owned music festival trend, launching Hot In Herre on June 24 in Toronto, Canada, and featuring a variety of millennial favorites, including Akon, Keri Hilson, Ne-Yo, T.I., and, of course, Nelly himself. 

  • Shambhala Music Festival will return for the 24th annual event, featuring headliners GRiZ, RL Grime, Zeds Dead, John Summit, and Gigantic NGHTMRE from June 21-24 in Salmo, British Columbia.

  • J. Cole’s Dreamville Festival is back with headliners Drake, Usher, and Burna Boy on April 1 & 2 in Raleigh, NC.

  • Catbird Music Festival will be the first event of its kind at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts since the original 1969 Woodstock Music & Art Fair. Its inaugural lineup will feature The Lumineers, Tyler Childers, and The War on Drugs on August 19 & 20 in Bethel, NY.

 

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