#179

Issue #179 | November 21, 2023With US Thanksgiving this week, we wanted to take a moment to thank you. Thank you for reading Back of House, for sending us your news and suggestions, and for continuing to make this “pandemic project” so rewarding. 

We are thankful that we get to work in such an incredible (and at times challenging 😉) industry alongside you all.

Credit: Pollstar via O2 ArenaLondon Mayor rejects SphereMayor Sadiq Khan officially rejected plans for the London iteration of MSG’s Sphere on Monday, saying its exterior would “cause significant light intrusion resulting in significant harm to the outlook of neighboring properties, detriment to human health, and significant harm to the general amenity enjoyed by residents of their own homes.” This ruling goes against his office’s March 2022 decision and his initial position on the project in 2018. 

Swifties vs. Rio Heatwave 🔥Taylor Swift had a tough weekend in Brazil. When she arrived for her three scheduled shows at Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos in Rio de Janeiro, BR, she was greeted by a custom shirt with "Welcome to Brasil" projected on the Christ the Redeemer statue and scorching temperatures. A fan unfortunately passed away during Friday night's show, allegedly due to heat exhaustion. The heat didn’t abate on Saturday, and Taylor postponed that night’s show until Monday “due to extreme temperatures.” Her Sunday show went on as scheduled, with plenty of free water available to fans.

O2 leads industry in sustainability and inclusivityLondon’s O2 Arena is taking its sustainability efforts to the next level by launching an industry-leading Green Rider. The rider is “a guide for incoming productions and tours, outlining considerations and recommendations of how to make more sustainable choices and reduce the environmental impact of live events.” Additionally, the venue is the first UK arena to become a member of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower, “to support visitors living with non-visible disabilities, through awareness-raising initiatives and regular staff training.” 

Live is the futureIn a presentation at Liberty Media’s annual investor meeting, Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino outlined why he believes live music is the future of the music business (not streaming): Live events “deliver scarcity”. Artists may have hundreds of thousands - or millions - of followers, but there are limited tickets to each live show they perform, compared to seemingly unlimited accessibility to listen to streams. He went on to say, “In our business, we don’t actually create the demand, the demand gets created and then we sell the demand.”  

SXSW boon for AustinSXSW continues to be an important event to Austin, TX with this year’s festival boasting a record-breaking $380.9 million economic impact on the city. This beat the 2022 edition (first in-person event since the pandemic) by $100 million and the 2019 edition (last full, in-person festival pre-pandemic) by $25 million. The majority of the growth can be attributed to badge price increases and inflation. 

SeatGeek gets shiftySeatGeek commissioned a poll asking 1000 respondents if they supported the US Department of Justice breaking up Ticketmaster and Live Nation into two separate companies. 60% responded that they supported the breakup, leading the research firm to state, “A majority of Americans support breaking up Ticketmaster and Live Nation.” It is believed that this small survey is SeatGeek’s attempt to shift the narrative away from Live Nation’s support of all-in ticket pricing to the market dominance of Ticketmaster and Live Nation.

DWP donates $100k to Louisville orgsDanny Wimmer Presents donated over $100,000 to local nonprofit organizations in Louisville, KY as part of Louisville Tourism’s “Leave the Legacy” Program. Funds were raised through sales of lawn chair passes and the 25-cent per ticket charity fee at DWP’s Louder Than Life and Bourbon & Beyond festivals. 

Live Nation gros K-Pop presenceLive Nation has signed a deal to produce tours for JYP Entertainment, further expanding its presence in the K-POP space. Seoul-based JYP’s artist roster includes Twice, Stray Kids, ITZY, Xdinary Heroes and NMIXX. The two companies have worked together to promote and produce shows in the past, this new multi-year deal just formalizes the arrangement.  

Thailand's festival pushThailand’s Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, wants to boost tourism and attract more foreign visitors to Thailand by making it a global festival destination. As part of this initiative, the country will host the Thailand Winter Festival and the Colourful Bangkok Winter Festival. Both events include hundreds of festivals and will take place in November and December.

"We will dance again"Organizers of the Supernova Festival in Israel vow to keep going following the horrific terrorist attack on its attendees in October. “We went through something that we had no control over, we will take care of everyone and help everyone … We love the country. We will dance again and that will be our victory,” organizers said during a memorial for the hundreds murdered by Hamas.

  C3 Presents is hiring an entry-level Festival Ticketing Coordinator to support its Festival Ticketing Managers in Austin, TX. Trixstar LIVE is looking for an Operations and Events Manager in Edmonton, AB. Salary: C$75,000–90,000. Danny Wimmer Presents is hiring a Director of Technology Operations in Los Angeles, CA to lead and manage its technology operations. Salary $130,000. Insomniac is looking for a Project Manager, Travel to develop and execute travel initiatives and enhance its ticketing systems in Calabasas, CA. Salary $90,000 - 115,000.

What's for Thanksgiving dessert?

Last Week's Results:

55% of BOH have been to Las Vegas this year alone!

Lineups, Festival & Tour Announcements

• Rolling Loud announced its California lineup last week with Nicki Minaj, Post Malone, Lil Uzi Vert as headliners for the March 15 - 17 festival at Hollywood Park Grounds in Los Angeles, CA. Very shortly after the announcement, Lil Uzi Vert appeared confused by the billing and was later replaced by Future and Metro Boomin.

• Beyoncé is reportedly in talks with James Dolan to be the next artist in residency at the Las Vegas Sphere for a cool $10 million. 

• The Brisbane, Australia stop of the Heaps Good festival scheduled for January 2 has been canceled due to “supply chain and event equipment issues”. The Melbourne (December 31) and Aldelaide (January 6) editions are on as scheduled.

• Jon Batiste has announced his first-ever headlining tour, “Uneasy Tour: Purifying The Airwaves For The People”. The tour kicks off February 16 at the Schnitzer in Portland, OR and ends April 27 in Miramar Beach, FL.

• Country Thunder announced Lainey Wilson, Eric Church, Jelly Roll, and Koe Wetzel will headline the April 11 - 14 festival in Florence, Arizona.

• Standard tickets for Glastonbury sold out in under an hour on Sunday, with travel bundles selling out in 25 minutes earlier in the week. Headliners for the June 26 - 30 festival are promised in the new year as well as additional opportunities to purchase any canceled or returned tickets. 

• Mötley Crüe has been added as a headliner for Ottawa Bluesfest, joining previously announced Tyler Childers. The festival takes place July 4 - 14 at LeBreton Flats Park in Ottawa, ON. 

• Bass Camp Festival announced the dates for its 7th festival at Wingfield Park in Reno, NV, July 27 - 28, as well as the debut of its season pass, granting VIP access to the festival PLUS access to all 20 Bass Camp events throughout the season. 

• When We Were Young adds a second day, Sunday, October 20 to previously announced (and already sold out) Saturday, October 19. The same lineup will perform both days at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds. Some fans are upset about the differences in fees and lack of payment plans for the additional day.

 Junk fees don’t just apply to tickets - see how other companies are pushing back on the proposed junk fee ban in the US.  Ten Outrageous American Festivals.  Are independent artists having a moment or is this a sign of what’s to come? Independents make up > 50% of Grammy noms.

 AI and metaverse tech company Futureverse signs With CAA to create new opportunities for talent and IP.

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