Touring
Los Angeles’ Forum Arena Is Now the Kia Forum
The 55-year-old Forum in Los Angeles has landed a new naming partner. Going forward, the Southern California arena will be known as the Kia Forum. Automotive company Kia has become the naming rights and official automotive partner for the arena, which used to serve as the home of the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers. “Kia America is proud of our history in Southern California going back to the establishment of our US Headquarters here in 1992, and so we all celebrate now being part of one of the most historic, and emotionally-connected live entertainment and sports venues in California – if not the world,” said Kia America vp of marketing Russell Wager in a release. “We are thrilled to be a part of the entertainment and excitement of live music and events at the Kia Forum moving forward.” The Foru...
Could Austin Be the Model for How to Save a Music Scene?
Austin’s success in the last decade as the so-called Live Music Capital of the World has come with a major drawback – the artists who call the city home have been the first ones priced out of the market. That paradigm might begin to change thanks to a non-profit group organized by Austin venue owners along the city’s famed Red River Street. On March 18, members of the National Independent Venue Association flocked to one of those venues for a special happy hour toasting their survival and return to Austin after a two-year closure. Their host for the day, Empire Control Room owner and NIVA cofounder Stephen Sternschein and longtime colleague Cody Cowan, executive director of the Red River Cultural District, were on hand catching up with friends and discussing recent improvements to the area...
CTS Eventim Revenues Grew Nearly 60% in 2021 With Help of Economic Aid
German ticketer and concert promoter CTS Eventim generated revenue of 407.8 million euros ($449 million) in 2021 – half of which came from government COVID-19-related economic aid, the company announced Thursday (March 24). That was up 58.8% from 256.8 million euros ($283 million) in 2020 but less than one-third of its revenues of 1.44 billion euros ($1.54 billion) in 2019 and less than half of the 1 billion-plus euros it achieved in both 2017 and 2018. Ticketing revenue of 224.1 million euros was 39.7% above 126.6 million euros in 2020 but less than half of pre-pandemic levels in 2018 (447.1 million euros, $492 million) and 2019 (481.6 million euros, $530 million). The segment’s revenues were helped by 112.2 million euros ($124 million) of COVID-19 economic aid from Germany and other gove...
Australia’s Frontier Touring Unveils New Leadership Team
A little more than a year after Mushroom Group founder Michael Gudinski unexpectedly passed away at age 68, the principals at Mushroom Group subsidiary Frontier Touring have unveiled a new leadership structure to ensure the “legacy, mission, and culture of Frontier is preserved and nurtured,” according to a press release. Frontier’s executive team will be comprised of four members of the current leadership team, all of whom have been elevated to new roles within the company: Dion Brant to CEO, Susan Heymann to CFO, Reegan Stark to chief marketing and communications officer and Andrew Spencer to chief commercial officer. The executive team will report to the Frontier Touring board, comprised of representatives from both AEG Presents — which formed a joint venture with Gudinski and Frontier ...
Hardwell to Close Out Ultra Miami 2022 After Four-Year Hiatus
Four years after stepping away from the EDM scene that made him a global star, Hardwell will take the stage again in Miami next weekend at Ultra Music Festival, Billboard has learned. The Dutch DJ-producer will close out the three-day festival as the “special guest” in the final main stage slot at 9 p.m. on Sunday, March 27, say three people familiar with the matter. Explore Explore Hardwell See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Hardwell, whose real name is Robbert van de Corput, rose to fame amid the hands-in-the-air commercial explosion of dance music in the U.S. from 2012 to 2018, headlining major festivals like Ultra and TomorrowWorld and holding residencies at top-flight venues like Hakkasan in Las Vegas. He produced a slew of high-energy progressive ho...
MSG Names Lucas Watson President of Sphere Venues
Business brand veteran Lucas Watson has been tapped to lead Madison Square Garden Entertainment Sphere venues. Watson will officially join the company on March 28 as president, MSG Sphere. The first MSG Sphere venue – MSG Sphere at The Venetian in Las Vegas – is currently under construction and is scheduled to open in the second half of 2023. The final cost for the venue is expected to come in at $1.66 billion. With over 25 years of global experience accelerating growth and building brands, Watson is set to drive various aspects of MSG Sphere’s commercial strategy including go-to-market planning and bookings, which will feature a wide range of bespoke “only in Sphere” attractions, residencies, conventions and product launches. He will work closely with his colleagues across MSG Entertainme...
OVG360 Names Gregory A. O’Dell President, Venue Management
Venue management and hospitality company OVG360 named Gregory A. O’Dell president, venue management. OVG360 – a division of global sports and entertainment company Oak View Group – will welcome O’Dell to his new role in April after he departs his position at the helm of Events DC, the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia. He’ll report directly to OVG360 CEO Chris Granger. O’Dell, who brings over 25 years of experience to the role, will lead the venue management line of business within OVG360, overseeing venue operations for more than 230 properties across the globe, including stadiums, arenas, convention centers, performing arts centers, cultural institutions and state fairgrounds. “Greg is truly a unicorn in the live events industry in that his immense lea...
Concert Business Moves From Pandemic to Endemic as COVID-19 Restrictions Lift
The live event industry fought hard to implement COVID-19 vaccine mandates and mask requirements in order to bring back shows, but with dropping cases and high inoculation rates, promoters and venue owners are steadily moving away from strict safety precautions. When Coachella announced in February that it is dropping all COVID-19 safety restrictions for its upcoming event in April, it set the stage for the entire festival season to come. Coachella producer Goldenvoice, which also runs the country music-focused Stagecoach in the same location, said both Indio events would no longer require fans to show proof of vaccination, obtain negative COVID-19 tests prior to entering or need to wear masks. Coachella — with headliners Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and Kanye West – was the first major fes...
Phoebe Bridgers Announces Reunion Tour 2022: See the Dates
Phoebe Bridgers is headed back on tour! On Monday (March 7), the singer-songwriter unveiled the 2022 dates of her ongoing Reunion Tour. The North American leg of the run will kick off April 13 at Phoenix’s Arizona Federal Theatre before making stops in Las Vegas, Dallas, Atlanta and Chicago, as well as at multiple festivals throughout the summer, including Coachella, Forecastle Festival and BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival. From there, Bridgers will hop the pond for a European dates beginning at Fairview Park in Dublin, and playing numerous fests in just as many countries — from Glastonbury and Lollapalooza Paris to Madrid’s Mad Cool Festival and Roskilde Festival in Denmark. Explore See latest videos, charts and news But that’s not all. Following shows at the O2 Apollo in Manchester and ...
Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino’s 2021 Bonus Worth $10.5M
Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino is set to collect $10.5 million in stock as part of his annual performance bonus after hitting certain financial goals, defined by the company’s Compensation Committee, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday (March 4). Rapino also receives a $3 million annual salary, but is expected report a salary below $3 million for 2021 because of a voluntary pandemic pay reduction. The value of the shares will certainly change by the time they fully vest based on the company stock price at that time. Friday’s shares are valued at $114 per share based on the company’s most recent closing price, with about $5.3 million worth of shares (46,272 shares) vesting by May 10 and equal amount vesting by Aug. 16. Live Nation president and CFO Jo...
Brooks & Dunn Are Rebooting For Their First Arena Tour in Over a Decade
Brooks & Dunn will return to arenas for the first time in over a decade with their Live Nation-produced Reboot 2022 Tour, which will launch in Evansville, Ind., on May 5. The trek builds on the duo’s 2021 amphitheater tour, and will wrap June 25 in Detroit. The trek will include a stop at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on June 18, as well as stops in San Antonio; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Savannah, Ga.; and more. Explore See latest videos, charts and news Openers for the tour will include King Calaway, Dillon Carmichael, Tenille Townes, Morgan Wade, Tyler Braden, Gabby Barrett, Jordan Davis, Riley Green, Walker Hayes, Jon Pardi and more. Two of these artists will take on the supporting slots at each tour date. “Last year we fired up the buses and ‘let it roll’ again,” shared Kix Brooks in a ...
John Mayer Tests Positive for COVID-19 Again: ‘This One’s Got the Better of Me’
COVID-19 has derailed John Mayer‘s Sob Rock tour once again. The musician announced late on Thursday (Feb. 24) that additional members of his band have contracted coronavirus, including himself — for a second time. “More members of the band tested positive for Covid today, and I was one of them,” the “Wild Blue” singer shared in an Instagram post, explaining that the next four shows will be rescheduled once again. “This is a bummer for everyone in the band and crew, to say nothing of the question hanging over everyone’s head – mine included – as to how I tested positive on PCR twice in two months.” Explore Explore John Mayer See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news He added that while his first bout with COVID was “extremely mild,” he hasn’t been quite as fortu...
