#187

Issue #187 | January 23, 2024 

The inundation of festival lineups this past week provided a nice reminder that warmer days (and nights) are ahead for many suffering though frigid temperatures. Anyone else dreaming of warm summer nights and radio calls?  

Credit: Qiddiya Investment CompanyMadonna sued over late show startTwo Madonna concert-goers have sued the Material Girl for the 2+ hour delayed start to her December 13 concert at Barclays Center in NY, leaving them “stranded in the middle of the night” and unable to “take care of their family responsibilities the next day.” The lawsuit alleges “unconscionable, unfair, and/or deceptive trade practices” and includes Madonna, Live Nation and the venue as defendants. 

Australian festivals continue to receive government supportAustralia’s Live Music Australia Programme has released a seventh round of funding from the federal government, continuing efforts to revive the industry after Covid. $2.5 million has been allocated to 37 festivals across a wide range of genres and geographical areas this round, including Byron Bay’s Splendour In The Grass ($100,000), Queensland’s Woodford Folk Festival ($100,000).

New Saudi stadium plannedSaudi Arabia revealed plans to build a futuristic stadium on a 200-meter high cliff near Riyadh as part of its bid for the 2034 men’s World Cup. The 45,000 cap arena will have a retractable roof and field and a massive LED wall “to create an immersive experience for fans.” It will be named Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium and owned by the Qiddiya Investment Company which is owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund.

Universal layoffs loomingUniversal Music Group is planning to lay off an “unspecified but significant number of employees” in the first quarter of this year. While details are unclear, the majority of the layoffs are expected in the recorded music division. According to chairman Lucian Grainge, “We will cut overhead in order to grow it elsewhere … we’ve got a plan.”     

Uber 🤝AEG Uber and AEG enter into the largest naming rights partnership in Germany, including multiple venues. In March, Mercedes-Benz Arena will become Uber Arena, Verti Music Hall will become Uber Eats Music Hall, and the adjacent restaurants, cinema and bowling alley that make up Mercedes Platz will become Uber Platz. The entertainment district attracts 8 million people per year. Deal terms have not been disclosed. 

TikTok scores big with virtual showTikTok’s TikTok In The Mix virtual concert drew 33.5 million viewers across its December 10th live stream and 3 additional re-airs. The massive online audience - in addition to the 17,000 that saw it in-person - proves that there is a post-pandemic audience for virtual shows. This was the most-viewed event ever for TikTok and as a result, the platform is planning more. 

Puzzled by Paramore Paramore has canceled multiple festival appearances - including ALTer EGO Fest in California, Vive Latino in Mexico City, Festival Estéreo Picnic in Bogotá, and Lollapalooza Brazil in in São Paulo - and cleared out their social media accounts, leaving many questioning the band’s future. Their official statement cites, “unforeseen circumstances” and ends with “see you in the next era,” perhaps alluding to their scheduled opening for The Eras Tour in Europe in May?

An out-of-this-world rave 🧑‍🚀NASA’s Kennedy Space Center is throwing an out-of-this-world rave. "Kennedy Under the Stars" is being billed as an after-hours techno party featuring DJs, astronauts and a neon mini-golf course. Guests are encouraged to wear “space-themed fancy dress.” The space center's main attractions will also be open during the event.

 Ultimate Music Cruises is hiring a full-time, remote Publicist to help promote its festivals to a broader audience. Country Music Association is looking for a hybrid Social Media Coordinator in Nashville, TN. Salary $43,000 - $47,000, plus overtime.  Tanglewood Music Center (home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra) is hiring part-time Seasonal Grounds Crew to maintain the venue grounds in Lenox, MA.

Coachella lineup:

Lineups, Festival & Tour Announcements

As expected, Coachella’s lineup drop last Tuesday opened the floodgates and festival lineups are pouring in: 

• Coachella: Lana Del Rey, Tyler, the Creator and Doja Cat. Plus, a No Doubt reunion, nearly 10 years in the making. April 12 - 14 and April 19 - 21, at the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio, CA.   👉 Rostr’s annual Who’s behind Coachella

• New Orleans Jazz Festival: Rolling Stones, Foo Fighters, Chris Stapleton, Neil Young, and Vampire Weekend, April 25 - May 5, New Orleans, LA. 

• BeachLife Festival: Sting, Incubus, and My Morning Jacket, May 3 - 5, in Redondo Beach, CA. 

• iHeart Country Festival: Jason Aldean, Jelly Roll, and Old Dominion, May 4 at The Moody Center in Austin, TX. The show will also be broadcast across all iHeart country stations and on iHeartradio.com. 

• Just Like Heaven Festival: The Postal Service, Phoenix, and Death Cab for Cutie, May 18 at Brookside at The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. 

• Lightning In a Bottle: Skrillex, Labrinth, James Blake, and M.I.A., May 22 - 27 in Buena Vista Lake, CA.

• Gov Ball: Post Malone, The Killers, and SZA, June 7 - 9 at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens, NY

• 4848 Festival: Greensky Bluegrass, The Flaming Lips, and Molly Tuttle, July 18 - 20 at Snowshoe Mountain in Snowshoe, WV.

• Harley-Davidson Homecoming Festival: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jelly Roll, HARDY, and The Offspring, July 25 - 28, Milwaukee, WI.

• Watershed Festival: Luke Bryan, HARDY, Old Dominion August 2 - 4 at Gorge Amphitheatre in George, WA. 

• Hinterland Festival: Hozier, Vampire Weekend, and Noah Kahan August 2 - 4 at ​​Avenue of the Saints Amphitheater in St. Charles, IA. 

• VELD Music Festival: Marshmello, Martin Garrix, and Alesso, August 2 - 4 at Downsview Park in Toronto, ON.

• Wildlands Festival: Dierks Bentley and Maren Morris, August 2 - 3, in Big Sky, MT.

• Mondegreen: a new festival from Phish, August 15 - 18 at the Woodlands in Dover, DE (former site of Firefly) 

And in non-festival news,

• The NFL released the Super Bowl LVIII Pregame Lineup: National Anthem: Reba McEntire; America The Beautiful: post malone; Lift Every Voice and Sing: Andra Day

• The Kidz Bop Live 2024 tour will stop at 40 cities this summer, starting in Stamford, CT on June 27 and wrapping October 6 in Alpharetta, GA. 

• Melissa Etheridge and Jewel will co-headline a two-part tour, starting July 11 in Bonner, MT

• Green Day will play their Dookie and American Idiot albums in full during each show of “The Saviors Tour”, starting May 30th in Spain. The North American leg starts July 29 in Washington, DC.

PHEW!

• January 25 - 28 (Anaheim, CA + online): The NAMM Show. Can’t make it in person? Attend online for FREE. Register here.

• Bauer Entertainment Marketing put together this list of the 2024 Top Music, Sports and Entertainment Industry Conferences in North America. Let us know which ones you’re attending, maybe we’ll see you there. 👋

 A tough week for journalism: Condé Nast folded digital music publication Pitchfork into men’s magazine GQ and Sports Illustrated eliminated its entire staff due to a missed license payment.  Spotify’s Daylist is blowing up - too bad the creator was laid off. (Written while listening to cottagecore folksy evening.)

 How the Buffalo Bills and their fans prepped the snow covered field for Sunday’s NLF playoff game. The Coolest things at CES 2024, according to Pollstar 

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