sign in sign up
<<
Home , Guy Oseary

L`eJ BI STAKES FOR -R

D will headline Bonnaroo in what may be the biggest — and most pivotal — booking of the season

HEN U2 ANNOUNCED ITS 2017 tour celebrating the 3oth anniversary of , the itinerary revealed that the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival had landed the Irish band's first-ever (and only) U.S. festival appearance. By live music standards, it was the biggest get of the festival season — rivaled only by Beyoncé's since-canceled headline appearance at Coachella — in a critical year for the Manchester, Tenn., event. One of the world's most captivating live acts, U2 will perform its landmark 1987 album in its entirety — the kind of major draw that the festival, which is scheduled to run June 8-ii, could use. According to Nashville newspaper The Tennessean, Bonnaroo's daily attendance hit an all-time low of 45,537 (left) and Bono during the in 2016, and 28,156 fewer tickets were band's Joshua Tree Tour in 1987 sold than in 2015. That decline cost Live and onstage in 2016 (top). Nation Entertainment, which acquired amajority stake in the festival in 2015, and its partners, festival co-founders comment on what U2 will be paid for its Bonnaroo grossed $12.8 million, which A.C. Entertainment and Superfly, an Bonnaroo appearance, industry sources placed it fifth among the top 10 festivals estimated $9 million in ticket sales. estimate that the paycheck is in the of 2016, behind Coachella (No. 1, with Given the stakes, it's not surprising that neighborhood of $3 million. a$94.2 million gross); Outside Lands Live Nation approached the top touring Whether U2'S anthemic '8os rock (No. 2, $25.8 million); Stagecoach (No. 3, band managed by the head of its will bolster Bonnaroo's attendance by $25.4 million); and Governors Ball division, Guy Oseary. But Live Nation drawing an older demographic than (No. 4, $1.5.8 million). Were it able to hit global touring division president Arthur millennials, who'll be coming to see its daily capacity of 75,000, it could have Fogel, who is promoting and producing Chance the Rapper, Lorde, Flume, been No. 2or No. 3. , says the negotiations Major Lazer and other headliners, isn't Nashville booking agent Jordan Burger, that led to U2 joining Bonnaroo were the only question mark hanging over who attended Bonnaroo in 2016 and hardly dramatic. "I wish Icould make it the 2017 festival. Although last year's has four bands playing this time around, sound really exciting and dynamic, but 40 percent decline in attendance was says there was an upside to the sparser the truth is it came up as an idea that blamed on alack of enthusiasm for crowds: "The lines for the bathroom Ipresented to the band," says Fogel, headliners LCD Soundsystem, Pearl Jam weren't insane, and Iwas finally able to explaining that Bonnaroo's June dates and Dead & Company, extreme heat see the stage." If Live Nation has played fit within the group's seven-week run of conditions and competition from other its cards right, Burger will spend alot North American football stadiums. Nashville-area events also contributed. more time waiting to get into the men's Although Live Nation declined to According to Billboard Boxscore, room come June 8. —D.B.

Pitchfork Music Festival Classic West FYF Feat Newport Folk Festival Panorama Chicago Los Angeles Los Angeles Newport, R.I. New York is among the Fleetwood Mac and Missy Elliott and Lineup includes Fleet For its second year, the headliners. Her Saint the Eagles headline the are slated to headline the Foxes, Angel Olsen fest has booked Frank Heron arts collective will first dates of abicoastal first night of the festival and atribute to the late Ocean, Tame Impala and curate an events series. classic rock fest. with back-to-back sets. Chuck Berry. Nine Inch Nails.

44 BILLBOARD I APRIL 15. 2017