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McGowan’s Musings

So, how did you manage to get through resulting in emergency measures in France. the stage in 2069 I wonder – I’m pretty sure these summer months without us? A fair This year’s edition of Glastonbury was one of I’ll be otherwise engaged! amount has happened since we were last in the hottest ever. Then unusually high winds touch in June, heat waves, high winds, and had their effect on festivals and other events But maybe a festival encouraging alien for us, a new Prime Minister! I can’t quite and attractions. In the UK large events such as visitors may offer something different, express the deep joy and optimism I feel for Boardmasters and Houghton were cancelled, ‘Alienstock’, an Area 51 themed event has our European future now that Boris Johnson and In Winchester, at the Boomtown Fair, been announced to supposedly take place is at the helm – no, you’re right I’m not being dozens of tents were wrecked overnight close to the town of Rachel, (population 50!) serious! Anyway what was that? You think on Friday after 52 mile an hour winds tore Nevada, close to the US Air Force base, which I’m just going to use this intro as an excuse through the campsites. alienists believe houses alien technology. to talk about the bloody weather again…. Coordinators of the now-defunct “Storm well, actually yes I am, as it has to say the I was in Serbia for the EXIT Festival in early Area 51” are now planning a full-fledged least been more than erratic; The summer July, where Ruud Berends myself and others music festival supposedly to take place next kicked off in June , as I’m sure many of you cleverly managed to secure ourselves in month. However the townsfolk of Rachel are across Europe were painfully aware, with the a restaurant as the heavy rain and winds not happy with the idea of their town, which searing heat wave which saw temperatures flattened a couple of the temporary festival apparently lacks shops, a petrol station, and reach 45C in some parts of the continent , venues on the Petrovaradin fortress, but the facilities for cashless payments (Oh No!) EXIT crew pulled out all the stops and the being taken over and are determined that event was up and running within a couple of Alienstock should not go ahead. As far as we hours. The Cure had walked on stage on the know, no comments or ticket applications COLOPHON > first night to be greeted by heavy rain, but have been received from certified aliens. pretty soon this eased off, and even the often Watch this space (ship?)

VIP-News is published by: seemingly not that cheerful Robert Smith, began to smile. Bloody good they were too! So, that’s enough festival reference, but VIP-Booking.com Enghaven 19 one last thing that could relate to aliens; Attrup 8444 Balle Denmark Sticking to the Festival theme, after efforts to according to a new book on DNA, ‘Pleased stage a massive event celebrating ’s To Meet Me: Genes, Germs And The Curious Managing Director: Ronni Didriksen 50th anniversary failed to materialize, the Forces That Make Us Who We Are’, Author [email protected] 15000 capacity Bethel Woods Centre for the Bill Sullivan maintains that following analysis General Manager: Peter Briggs Arts in New York’s Catskills region became of a blood sample from Osbourne, in a bid to [email protected] the only show to celebrate this half century map his genetic code by a research company Writer and editorial: memorial to the 1969 event and its musical called Knome, apparently Ozzy Osbourne is Allan McGowan [email protected] and cultural importance. The nostalgic event a genetic mutant whose genes make him featured (and band of course!), more prone to addiction but also more able Writer: Manfred Tari The Band and Blood, Sweat & to consume large quantities of alcohol. Well, [email protected] Tears on the Friday; Santana played Saturday would any of us have guessed such a thing!? For advertising enquiries please contact: with ; and celebrated Creedence Clearwater Revival Following that observation of the rock and roll Peter Briggs [email protected] with Grace Potter and Tedeschi Trucks Band condition, we at VIP will be preparing to spend +46 70 77 60 480 on Sunday. , Winter, Santana some days in Hamburg at the ever growing Charlie Presburg [email protected] and Fogerty had all performed at the Reeperbahn event, we shall report from there +44 (0) 7980 817496 original festival. How many acts that played in the next issue, but in the meantime Ladies festivals this summer will be around to take and Gentlemen – The News! 2 VIPNEWS > AUGUST 2019 UK Promoter MJR Group sold to TEG From VIP-Daily News

Australian entertainment giant TEG is making business and this acquisition marks a the last five years and this next step in our its first push into Europe with its biggest ever significant step towards TEG becoming a evolution will further strengthen our position acquisition of UK-based promoter and venue global live entertainment powerhouse,” said in the market.” operator MJR Group. Jones in a statement. Both companies are digitally-focused, adds Based in Bristol, England, and with offices The MJR Group, he notes, “has strong Buck, noting “this synergy allows both in Sydney and Port Macquarie, MJR Group management talent and a clever live parties even more leverage by combining produces more than 2,000 shows each entertainment model to which TEG can add each other’s tech expertise and insights to year, including dates for Sia, 50 Cent, ticketing, analytics and digital capability… best connect with live entertainment fans.” and Hans Zimmer, and has operated and (and) brings significant additions to our promoted tours across Dubai, South Africa, venue portfolio.” Going forward, The MJR Group’s operations Japan and China. will be incorporated into TEG’s global TEG’s portfolio is already an impressive one activities, with its U.K. operations to be The group’s four-strong collection of which spans ticketing, live entertainment renamed TEG UK. venues includes Tramshed in Cardiff and and technology. Its interests include Birmingham’s Digbeth Arena and The Ticketek, TEG Live, Qudos Bank Arena, The MJR Group’s international touring Mill. MJR also own the popular club brand Eventopia, and TEG Dainty, Paul Dainty’s operation MJR Presents is producing this Propaganda and has stakes in six other concert and events promotion company October’s four-date Bring That Beat Back venues including The Warehouse in Leeds. which it acquired in 2016. tour of Australasia, featuring Flavor Flav, Bobby Brown, Bell Biv Devoe, Montell Jordan Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. Following the acquisition, The MJR Group’s and Blu Cantrell. three partners, Richard Buck (Group CEO and TEG CEO Geoff Jones says MJR is a “great Head of U.K.), Scott Mesiti (Head of Australia “We’re really excited to join the TEG family fit” for TEG, recognised as Asia Pacific’s & New Zealand) and Dan Ickowitz-Seidler and looking forward to the next chapter,” largest diversified entertainment company, (Head of U.K. Venues and Propaganda), will enthuses Scott Mesiti, MJR Australia Director. and the development goes some way remain with the TEG group. “We have very similar synergies in our toward the Australian business realising its digital approach to the promoting business global ambitions. Buck comments, “We are very excited by and we’re particularly excited about the this venture and the enhanced business infrastructure TEG has at high management “TEG is already Asia Pacific’s leading opportunities brought by TEG. We’ve level, which will provide MJR with the right ticketing, live entertainment and technology worked hard to scale the business over support for our continual growth.”

[L-R] Head of UK venues and Propaganda Dan Ickowitz-Seidler, TEG chief executive Geoff Jones and MJR chief executive and head of UK Richard Buck

3 VIPNEWS > AUGUST 2019 Coda Becomes Paradigm Following Merge of UK and US Companies Allan McGowan [email protected]

The international booking agency business continues to develop, while change. Merging with Paradigm enables us to evolve and challenge a VIP took a short summer break, the ever active UK Company Coda very dynamic marketplace. With this larger Paradigm platform, we can announced a full merger with Paradigm, five years after the American span the globe without losing our personality, ambition, individualism booking agency took a 50% stake in the London-based company. and innovative approach”.

Paradigm CEO Sam Gores stated, “ Coda and Paradigm have had So, from now on, Coda will also be known as Paradigm, though tremendous success throughout our five-year partnership, creating continuing to be lead by Hardee and Schroeder, along with James opportunities and building enduring careers for a roster of exceptional Whitting and Dave Hallybone. talent. We look forward to the next chapter as one global company, driven by agents who share an unwavering focus on the artists we Also, Marty Diamond, who became Paradigm Talent Agency’s head represent and the art they create”. of global music in April, is to be honoured in an upcoming awards ceremony in New York for his “longstanding support” of the live music Adopting the tongue in cheek approach which he has become well industry. He will receive the Summer Stage Icon award at the City Parks known for, Coda UK agent Alex Hardee commented: “We have Foundation’s (CPF) 2019 gala fundraiser on 26 September. achieved the impossible: we found some Americans that we actually get along with”. “I’m one of many who directly benefit from City Parks Foundation and their ongoing effort to enhance and preserve the city’s open spaces,” Colleague Tom Schroeder added: “We are A&R leaders, building says Diamond, whose roster includes Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, Sara creative plans for our clients in an industry that is in a constant state of Bareilles, Janelle Monáe, Liam Gallagher, Snowpatrol and Sigur Rós.

Paradigm London’s James Whitting, Dave Hallybone, Alex Hardee and Tom Schroeder; Paradigm Chairman and CEO Sam Gores, Head of Global Music Marty Diamond, and President Greg Bestick 4 VIPNEWS > AUGUST 2019 Good News for Some Smaller UK Venues Allan McGowan [email protected]

The last few years have been notable for the disturbing number of reports of venue closures in London and the rest of the UK. However, as we have reported, the excellent and continuing work of the Music Venues Trust has gone a long way towards some improvement in the situation. One very successful campaign championed by the Trust resulted in the introduction of the ‘Agent of Change’. Based on a legality in operation in Australia, this principle sought an amendment to the guidelines used by the planning committees of local authorities, whereby these committees introduced the responsibility of developers siting residential properties next to existing venues to both anticipate and counter any future noise issues. The following item reports a successful application of the principle, and an extremely lucid explanation by a judge of the logic behind agent of change.

Guildford Venue Successfully Appeals Noise Abatement Order

The Music Venue Trust has welcomed a ruling in Guildford The order resulted from a complaint from the developer of a new Magistrates’ Court in which a noise abatement order, issued against block of nearby flats. The Shepherd Neame brewery, owners of the a local venue following a complaint by the developer of new block pub, appealed the order, arguing that compliance would reduce the of flats, was quashed following a court application of the agent of business’s revenue, potentially forcing the venue to close. change principle. The developer wished to convert an office block next to the existing Guildford Borough Council first issued the noise abatement order last music venue into a residential property. It would seem obvious that October against the Star Inn, a pub in the town that stages live music. choosing to position new flats next to an existing music venue, would lead to the developer assuming the responsibility to deal with resulting noise issues, however in the past this has not been the case, and situations had arisen leading to at least the imposition of heavy costs to cover acoustic work on the venue owners, and in some cases the closure of venues.

This situation resulted in the the ultimately successful agent of change campaign in the UK, making it the responsibility of developers to both anticipate and counter any future noise issues.

Judge Nick Wattam explained the reasoning behind the decision to refuse Guildford Borough Council’s noise abatement order relating to the Star Inn: “The Star was said to have only been a nuisance Star Inn Guildford because of [the new flats] existing. It wasn’t a nuisance before the 5 VIPNEWS > AUGUST 2019

conversion of the office building into flats. The venue has a useful or In a post on Facebook, the Music Venue Trust, which campaigned reasonable use. Matters in the venue are carried out in a lawful way. for agent of change alongside the likes of the Musicians Union and The venue is no greater nuisance now than when the building was UK Music, said: “Attention all developers: Stop and read this judge’s first converted”. decision carefully. Our door is open to all developers that want to talk sensibly about how to build around grassroots music venues in a The pub’s general manager Georgina Baker told Surrey Live: local manner that protects culture and beloved community spaces”. radio station, “This has been going on for basically a year, so we’ve had a whole year of not knowing whether we can carry on with our The post went on: “Let this case be the end of trying to work around music, whether we can keep booking bands”. agent of change or bend the law or planning guidance. Let it be the start of building great housing that protects our cherished grassroots She added that the real problem was a flawed system when the local music venues”. It then concluded: “Congratulations to the team at council considered the planning application to convert an office block the Star. Absolutely brilliant!’ into flats all the way back in 2013. Officials should have recognised the potential issues with those new flats being adjacent to an existing venue and should have ensured that the developer was working to Georgina Baker deal with those issues as part of the conversion work. Which, of course, is the kind of logic that the agent of change principle says planning committees should always employ.

Commenting on the court’s decision to quash the noise abatement order, Baker added: “It’s such a high, we had no idea which way the decision was going to go even until we adjourned today. It’s so nice that we’ve now got the go-ahead, we can carry on, we can go back to doing our live music and our local bands - that’s what the lifeblood of this pub is”.

Venue Developments Brighton’s The Haunt Announces Capacity-Boosting Relocation

I’m happy to report that a venue in my home town of Brighton is to nights such as Fat Poppadaddys and Secret Discotheque will continue more than double its current capacity: There were reports that The to run, while it will also be working on new nights to take advantage Haunt was to close down but it has now been announced that it is of the larger space. moving into the former cinema next door. Later this month, it will re- open over five floors in the city’s Savoy Centre. The Huant

With a 350 capacity in its current location, the new venue will hold up to 825 people. Retracting walls will also mean it can host 350, 600 and 825 capacity events without looking embarrassingly empty. A smaller 150 capacity second room will also be available for smaller shows.

The old venue will close on 1 Sep, with the new one opening its doors on 19 Sep. There are already 50 shows on sale between the opening and Christmas, with performances from acts including Fat White Family and Swim Deep. The venue has also confirmed that club 6 VIPNEWS > AUGUST 2019

Hoxton, London Venue to Relaunch

Venue operator Mothership Group is relaunching Shoreditch’s Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen as Colours, and will ally with fellow East London multi-art spaces Village Underground and EartH on future programming.

Mothership Group also runs Shoreditch’s Queen Of Hoxton and The Book Club, as well as Patterns in Brighton - they say that Colours will “inject a much-needed vibrancy into Shoreditch’s music landscape”. Colours will be a bold and beautiful temple of creativity and celebration of live music. A testament to Hoxton’s past, which overflows with The new look venue will host gigs, club nights and other cultural seminal moments across club, culture and the art scene, Colours events, while still operating as a restaurant during the day. Though is part of a dedicated push to keep young artists and musicians in that won’t be the only daytime activity, with Mothership saying that it East London”. hopes Colours will become “an incubator for invited local artists and creative networks, providing a free space for collaborators to host Mothership acquired the Hoxton Bar & Kitchen off previous owner meetings, rehearsals and record podcasts”. MAMA in 2015, following the latter’s acquisition by Live Nation.

Confirming all this, Mothership’s Chloe Uppington says: “Painting a So, overall it’s very good to be able to report positive smaller revolution of raw performance and inclusive and accessible culture, venue news! Future of Baloise Session Secured till 2025 Allan McGowan [email protected]

Insurance Group Basler Versicherungen has confirmed the future of The 34th BALOISE SESSION will be held from 12 to 31 October 2019. the Baloise Session until 2025. The Company is extending its current This year’s line-up will be published on 21 August. Advance tickets sales Presenting Sponsorship contract by another five years. This assures the start on 28 August. future of the music festival up to and including 2025. In so doing, the insurance group states that it is demonstrating its close ties with the boutique festival and its commitment to the promotion of music. Beatrice Stirnimann (CEO Baloise Session) and Michael Müller (CEO Schweiz Basler Versicherungen)

Baloise Session

7 REEPER BAHN FESTIVAL

MUSIC, ARTS, FILM, SESSIONS, SHOWCASES, MEETINGS, WORD, DISCOURSE NETWORKING, AWARDS

SESSIONS WITH MATT DILLON ACTOR, US , CORNELIA FUNKE AUTHOR, US , ALEXANDER HOLLAND DEEZER, FR , HOLGER HÜBNER WACKEN OPEN AIR, DE , THOMAS JENSEN WACKEN OPEN AIR, DE , THOMAS MIKUSZ WHITE BEAR PR, US , PATRICK MUSHATSIKAREBA SONY MUSIC, DE , KATE NASH MUSICIAN, GB , KOOL SAVAS MUSICIAN, DE , MOLLY NEUMAN SONGTRUST, US , PUJA PATEL PITCHFORK, US , BOB ROCK PRODUCER METALLICA, CA , ZAN ROWE TRIPLE J RADIO, AU , TILL SCHONEBERG KONZERTBÜRO SCHONEBERG, DE , KLAUSPETER SCHULENBERG CTS EVENTIM, DE , MATT SCHWARZ LIVE NATION GSA, DE , KELLY SNOOK PRODUCER ENGINEER, GB , AND MANY MORE

CONCERTS BY FEIST, DERMOT KENNEDY, SLEAFORD MODS, DOPE LEMON, PENGUIN CAFE, ELDERBROOK, PORTICO QUARTET, AURORA, BILLIE MARTEN, ISHMAEL ENSEMBLE, CELESTE, ONE TRUE PAIRING, SEA GIRLS, THE JAPANESE HOUSE, DONNA MISSAL, JAMES TW, WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS, ALGIERS, AMERICAN AUTHORS, SASAMI, JUSTIN JESSO, SYML, SEBADOH, DEAN LEWIS, AND MANY MORE → 18.–21. SEPT. 2019

funded by supported by

Organiser: Reeperbahn Festival GbR & Inferno Events GmbH & Co. KG VIPNEWS > AUGUST 2019 Application Call from Reeperbahn for ACCESS in Accra, Ghana Allan McGowan [email protected]

There is no doubt that many of the African next „Reeperbahn Festival International“ Representatives of internationally oriented markets are developing fast! Reeperbahn spin-off. This time they invite professionals music companies from Germany and added panels and meetings dealing with this who want to attend Africa’s leading music Europe can now apply to become part of at last year’s conference, and now here is conference, ACCES, which takes place in the delegation to Accra. Prerequisite for news of another of their increasing Festival Accra, Ghana from 28 – 30 November 2019 participation is activity in the recorded, spin – offs taking place in Ghana: to apply until 11 September 2019. publishing, distribution, booking/live or management fields and concrete interest in After visiting Beijing and NYC already this For the third time the Music In Africa the African music market. year with an amazing group of professionals Conference For Collaborations, Exchange from all over Europe, Reeperbahn is now And Showcases (ACCES) will bring together The application deadline is 11 September ready to start collecting applications for its music industry players from over 50 2019. countries to exchange ideas, discover new talent and create business linkages. Held in To get more information about Reeperbahn a different African city every year, ACCES Festival spin-offs (including Accra) meet offers a dynamic programme including the organisers of the partner events as music industry talks, keynotes, showcases, well as the Reeperbahn team, join us the networking sessions, exhibitions and visits info session during Reeperbahn Festival: to music hubs in the host country. Get more 11am, Friday 20 September, Ginger Room, Acces Accra information about ACCES 2019 here. East Hotel. PRS Reports Dance Music as Biggest Growing Festival Genre Allan McGowan [email protected]

At the end of July UK Collection Society PRS Rad Season at Amsterdam Dance Event noted that, according to a new report that Electronic music festivals such as Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) have seen the fastest growth over the last decade.

PRS stated that ADE, which has hosted a PRS for Music-organised songwriters’ camp for the last two years running, has grown more than 23,000 per cent since its first event in 1995, which hosted 300 attendees. Last year’s edition attracted 70,000 punters from around the world to venues across the whole city.

Other Electronic Dance Music (EDM) festivals faring particularly well include Electric Daisy 9 VIPNEWS > AUGUST 2019

Carnival in Las Vegas (up 2,600 per cent), Heritage Festival, which was founded in 1970 Sonar in Barcelona (up 1,233 per cent) and and has grown by 17,000 percent since then. Germany’s Melt! Festival (up 900 per cent). Festival heavyweight, Glastonbury, which StubHub, the company behind the research, has also been running since 1970, has said: ‘The fastest growing festival genre is enjoyed an 8,900 percent growth since it in fact, EDM. This specific genre of festival first opened its gates to just 1,500 people. It is overriding any other, including festivals now hosts 135,000 each June. which host a mix of genres. The fastest-growing festival of the last ‘In second place to EDM is jazz. While at decade is Boomtown Fair, which started in opposite ends of the musical spectrum, it 2009 with 1,000 revellers. The Winchester summer, PRS for Music sends a field team seems that the festival fan base for both has event now has a capacity of 66,000 and has to all the major UK festivals to collect set seriously grown.’ grown by 6,500 percent since its inception. lists from artists and performers, and that members should make sure if the had played However, the jazz results were skewed by the These figures were made available to PRS a festival this summer, that they should be runaway success of the New Orleans Jazz and members, who were reminded that each sure to submit their set lists.

Green Man Festival

Top 10 Fastest Growing Festivals (and growth since first year)

Amsterdam Dance Event, Netherlands – 23,233% New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival -17,043% Glastonbury Festival, UK – 8,900% Boomtown Fair, UK – 6,500% Green Man Festival, UK – 3,233% South by Southwest, Texas – 2,757% Electric Daisy Carnival, Vegas – 2,600% Dour Festival, Belgium – 2,320% Strawberries & Creem, UK – 1,775% St Jerome’s Laneway Festival, Australia – 1,329%

10 THE GATEWAY TO THE FRENCH MUSIC MARKET 10th anniversary - Paris > Pigalle / Montmartre

3 days of international networking 150 keynotes & panels - 15 venues 5925 professionnals - 400 speakers MaMA Invent: the innovation area More than 150 concerts & showcases! VIPNEWS > INDEPTH STORY > AUGUST 2019 Summer Sales in the Concert Business Manfred Tari [email protected]

Even though the practice of staging summer It should also be mentioned that Germany’s “Providence Equity Partners, LLC (USA); sales has a long history in the retail trade, the DEAG acquired a majority stake in I-Motion indirect acquisition of control of ICS GmbH announcement of the takeover and purchase (Nature One/Mayday/Ruhr in Love, among International Concert Service, Wacken (D) et of International Concert Service - and thus of others) at the beginning of June and al.” Subject to the approval of the German the Wacken Festival - by Superstruct, marks that the takeover of Wacken Open Air Federal Cartel Office, the takeover could be another climax in the incidence of buy and by Superstruct at the end of the summer formally sealed within four weeks, which sell in the 21st century concert business. And holidays marks the change of ownership would then provide for a majority takeover this recent transaction took place in the year, of Germany’s most internationally known by Providence Equity, the actual financier when Wacken celebrated its 30th anniversary. festival brand. of Superstruct. The takeover of Next Events GmbH for Parookaville has also been under In this year’s February issue, VIP News The Complications and review since 31 July. If within four weeks no published an article under the heading “Sales Formalities Involved in these decision has been made, the consideration Time in the Concert Industry” and reported Company Take Overs phase will automatically be prolonged by on the financial involvement of investment another three months. companies from outside the industry relating The bigger the buyer, the more demanding to their holdings in concert companies. the procedures are when buying a company. The following entry on the website of the A prominent example of this is the takeover Austrian Federal Competition Authority is One of the key players in this context is of Four Artists by the German industry leader somewhat more revealing, but also more Superstruct, at least as far as the European CTS Eventim, which was not approved by confusing: “LMF Luxco S.à.r.l. intends to festival market is concerned. Within a very the Federal Cartel Office in 2017. Providence acquire indirectly via the acquisition vehicle short space of time, this company has Equity, on the other hand, with fixed assets Superstruct Germany Holding GmbH, 55 acquired the following festivals and concert of around 40 billion US dollars, deals in % of the shares and sole control of (i) ICS companies; Down The Drain (Northside even bigger transactions which explains the GmbH International Concert Service, (ii) Festival/Tinderbox/DK), Elrow (ES), Flow wording of the registration of the deal with ICS Festival Service GmbH, (iii) Hübner & Festival (FI), Oya (NO) Sonar (ES), Sziget the German Federal Cartel Office. Jensen Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, (iv) (HU) and, most recently, Parookaville (DE). Hübner & Jensen GmbH & Co. KG and (v) These transactions were empowered by the Consequently, the notification dated 9 SH-Promotion GmbH & Co. KG to acquire. financial support of the mighty Providence August on the website of the Wacken The proposed transaction concerns the live Equity Partners from the USA. takeover authority reads: entertainment sector”.

The fact is that the Wacken ‘empire’ as a Wacken Open Air company is of course still in operation, albeit with different subsidiaries. Another, on the other hand, is that the business construct of the Wacken operators and their subsidiaries appears like an open book compared to that of Superstruct.

“Acquisition vehicle” Superstruct

Unfortunately, it was not possible to find out why the takeover of the Wacken Open Air 12 VIPNEWS > INDEPTH STORY > AUGUST 2019

and its accessories needs also to apply for the upper classes of the finance community James Barton - CEO Superstruct approval in Austria at the time this article and the concert industry. went to press. Starting young, he kicked off in 1992 in Though a remarkable consideration is the Liverpool with the club event “Cream”. The mentioning of the company names LMF 400 person rave grew into the Creamfield Luxco S.à.r.l. and Superstruct Germany Festival in 1998, which at its best attracted Holding GmbH. According to the entry in the up to 50,000 visitors and made its successful commercial register, the mentioned company debut as an export hit in Argentina in 2000. name “Blitz D19-414 GmbH, Düsseldorf, c/o Further spin-offs followed in Brazil, Chile, Blitzstart Holding AG” became “Superstruct Mexico, Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany Holding GmbH” on 30 July. The elsewhere. company LMF Luxco S.à.r.l., which in turn is based in Luxembourg and represented On top of that, in 2008 Barton tapped by the international law firm Squire Patton into the London listed venture capital fund Boggs, has been the owner of the brand Ingenious Live VCT, one of the very first to expand the industry vocabulary with name “Superstruct” since 20 July 2017. funds to finance concert companies, and in technical terms such as “Due Diligence” or 2012 sold the mother ship, Cream Holdings, “Vertical Spend Estimates”... Location Advantage Tax Havens for £13.9 million to Live Nation. The concert industry giant immediately appointed him Failure of Fishing for Quotes It is part of the development programme of ‘President of Electronic Dance Music’, which, major international companies to be based given the size of the company, is more like Needless to say, the Wacken Open Air is in locations that offer advantages from a the status of a branch manager. At the the best internationally known festival fiscal point of view. In the case of Providence end of 2016, he resigned this post and in Germany. The takeover of this event Equity, the company is located in Providence, established himself as CEO of Superstruct in by Superstruct additionally confirms Rhode Island. In the ranking of international January 2017. and highlights that the live music sector offshore tax havens, however, Rhode Island continues to undergo serious amendments occupies only a lower midfield position. Basic knowledge in buying and in terms of business settings and structures. It is interesting to note, however, that selling Providence Equity has its registered office To get some observations on the meaning of in Delaware according to the entries on the It is obvious that a lot of specialist jargon such deals for the live music sector, VIP News website of the US Securities and Exchange from legal to business questions arises in asked 12 German industry players three Commission (SEC), as does Live Nation. such transactions. While Next Events used questions regarding their opinion on these Delaware, however, occupies a top position the consulting agency Mayland AG for the market developments: in the Champions League of relevant tax sales negotiations for the Parookaville, the havens alongside the Cayman Islands and creators of the Wacken Festival, according How do you expect such deals will change Lichtenstein and ahead of Luxembourg. to their own statements, managed without the concert business in general in the near the help of M&A experts (Mergers & future? James Who? Acquisitions). Do you expect more such deals to take Despite all the indications, James Barton, the Information on whether and which concert place? CEO of Superstruct, is by no means just a companies are next to be sold or taken on resourceful investment mogul who knows board by investors is treated just as discreetly Do you consider these acquisitions rather as the concert business only by observing as the purchase prices for Parookaville or positive or negative for the German festival the share price development of major Wacken. It is already clear, however, that the market? Companies such as CTS Eventim or Live concert business of tomorrow will undergo Nation. Barton, born in 1968, instead knows substantial changes at both national and Guess what happened? VIP News received the festival and promotion industry from international level in view of the ever- statements from three of these players scratch and has come a long way from being growing conglomerates of companies in ranging from “ Just one word : Evil!”, “It’s a local promoter to a middleman between the industry. Reason enough in any case really unbelievable, once again someone 13 VIPNEWS > INDEPTH STORY > AUGUST 2019

WITHOUT any reason.” and “My answer to AEG and Live Nation moving into the all three questions you asked is rather blunt European market years ago also affected Julia Frank but true, I’m afraid: I got no fuckin’ idea.!” us all as well, but not to the point that the independent companies, with an adjustment Perhaps the selection of industry inmates of their game plan, were struggling or dying. approached was inappropriate, but at least Superstruct buying into Parookaville and one of bravely submitted her comments. Wacken will give these festivals financial Julia Frank of Wizard Promotion delivered a stability and they can concentrate on strong proper conclusion and analysis, that covers line-ups and teaming up with the other today’s market developments accordingly: Superstruct-owned festivals. I imagine it will be more difficult for the independent Julia Frank – Wizard Promotions (DE) promoters to place acts in the future, but the German festival market is strong and we The investment industry seems to have have a lot of mid-size events that are very discovered the live concert market, so more successful and sell out in advance every year. of these deals are to be expected in the They depend on us as much as we depend future. We will find out how this will affect on them when it comes to acts as the big us as the industry in general, but we have festival promoters often block them, so learned from the consolidation of major historically we have been working closely labels around 15 years ago, that a lot of with them - a relationship that we will employees and artists were left on the street. continue in the years to come. ImagIne if you could go to one website and get aLL the contacts you need for the european Live music Industry? WeLL you Can! www.vip-booking.com

®

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14 VIPNEWS > AUGUST 2019 The Failure of the 50th Anniversary of Woodstock Manfred Tari [email protected]

When Roger Daltrey, frontman of , DEAG was asked in an interview with the a speech by Thunberg, where she requests was asked at ILMC 2019 about ’s financial paper “Euro am Sonntag” about among other things if it’s “time to rebel” concert at Woodstock (1969), he said that an anniversary edition of the festivals he and calling for “civil disobedience.” The it was “the first nail in the coffin of the says: “I think everything has its time. Of proceeds of this song will be donated to the Vietnam War, the first thing to make the course Woodstock is the biggest global UK movement “Extinction Rebellion.” government sit up and take notice.” With brand for festivals and is anchored in his statement Daltrey at least acknowledges, collective memory as the culmination of the Thunberg itself is the figurehead of the that this festival had a political impact. Love & Peace era. But that freedom, that pupils movement “Fridays For Future” and atmosphere of the past, you is considered according to an article on BBC. Probably not intended by the promoter can’t bring back today in air-conditioned com by Matty Healy, the lead singer of The as documentaries and media reports tents with built-in showers, and that’s a 1975 and their manager Jamie Osborne as suggest, but more or less resulting from the good thing. Basically, it’s nothing more than “the most important person in the world to performances of those participating in the slaughtering an old brand.” give a platform to.” Even more remarkable event. Unintentionally or not, Woodstock is their quote regarding how the band retrospectively became an iconic milestone The days of Grateful Dead are gone, as apparently struggled, when approaching for a progressive perception of popular well as previous political issues. Since other artists to join their charity project for music and its meaning for society issues. then Woodstock at least indirectly and the Extinction Rebellion: “Other artists didn’t unintentionally paved the way for charity want to do it - it’s madness, bigger artists Since medieval times popular music always events such as “LiveAid”, “FarmAid” or than The 1975.” produced protest songs, but Woodstock has movements such as “Rock Against Fascism” been without doubt one of the very first or “Rock the Vote.” This quote says a lot about what has mass events, triggered by popular music. changed since Woodstock 1969 and in As Daltrey in terms of Woodstock correctly Political engagement by the music sector particular how the music industry and refers to the reactions to the Vietnam War appears here and there, but all appears their protagonists have changed. But as as a meaningful political motive that raised to have changed. A very current example Woodstock was staged far away from the concerns in society in those times, there are therefore is the collaboration between the deadly battlefields of Vietnam, today’s today many other political issues that are UK-act The 1975 and Greta Thunberg. The worldwide festival sites unfortunately are equally meaningful for the state and which band teamed up with the Swedish climate more likely than ever before of being hit by shape for the cohesion of society. activist and earlier on in July released the an extreme weather incident. With this in single “The 1975” from the new album mind, never mind Woodstock, think of how One of the best articles summarising “Notes on a Conditional Form”, featuring to launch “Festivals for Future”... the failure of the staging of an event to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Woodstock was published by Billboard. Headlined as “The Turbulent Saga of Woodstock 50: A Timeline”, this story provided an overview about the manifold reasons for, and what lead to the cancellation of Woodstock 50.

Well, leaving aside nostalgia, that particular article in Billboard describes a proper picture of today’s settings in the live music The Who at Woodstock 1969 industry. When Peter Schwenkow, CEO of 15 VIPNEWS > AUGUST 2019 NAMES & JOBS

New MD for Live Nation Finland From VIP-Daily News

Live Nation Finland has appointed Tomi produce high-quality, memorable events and Saarinen as its new chief executive officer, develop our artist roster. We want to be the the company has announced. best partner for artists, and enable them to develop to their full potential, while providing Saarinen, who is based out of Live Nation’s Finns with ever-more exciting experiences. I Helsinki office, was formerly marking director thank Live Nation for this great opportunity.” of Sony Music Finland and has also worked at Finnish radio stations YleX and NJR. He Castrén added: “I leave Tom with a strong, succeeds outgoing CEO Nina Castrén, who stable and successful market leader and is stepping down for health reasons. continues “I am proud of the company, and I believe Tom will continue to increase its Of his appointment, Saarinen said: “It’s great success with his input.” to be part of a top team that has recently over the last nine years and over her 20- performed spectacularly with Muse and Risto Juvonen, Live Nation Finland‘s year career. Her legacy provides Tom with a Metallica, as well as several other gigs over chairman said: “The company is very grateful solid foundation from which to develop Live the Finnish summer. We will continue to to Nina for her contribution, both as CEO Nation’s market leadership.”

Tomi Saarinen

16 UR ON T YOATI GE TR REGIS W! NO

STICHTING EUROSONIC NOORDERSLAG VIPNEWS > BUSINESS > AUGUST 2019 MUSIC IN SHARES Music In Shares Manfred Tari [email protected]

The financial community apparently loves live music. Perhaps this is announced expectation of further growth figures for the on-going outlined by a video clip released by The Economist, where a young business year. reporter asks the question: “Why are music festivals so expensive?” Since the beginning of August the share price of CTS Eventim went The clip scratches the surface of what non-industry-folks or public up, successfully overtaking the 50 Euro per share mark, maintaining interest journalists assume to know about the live music industry. the level of 50.55 Euro on August 23, when this report went to press... However, coming up with a catchy observation the journalist concludes as part of video-report that we are living in the age of the “experience economy.” DEAG - Feeding The Growth Story

‘Well said’, could be the overall assumption, not going too much DEAG acquired 51 per cent of Meves Entertainment Group, a into details about the functioning of this industry, except the hard company specialized in so called “Schlagermusik.” No information facts that artists fees are going up and that festival promoters today on the purchase price has been given, but since June 27 the share have to cope with significantly higher production expenses. price went down from 4.65 to 3.65 Euro...

However, “experience economy” is a proper buzz term that should work for analysts and investment managers to spent a few extra Eventbrite - Slightly Up bucks when it comes to a positive decision how to invest money. The share price of Eventbrite has faced tough times. In March 2019 still above $30, but on May 30 down to $15.33, presently at least CTS Eventim - Convincingly H1/2019 Results it is up to $19.11.

Politically CTS Eventim is, indirectly due to a court decision by the highest EU court regarding its promising Autobahn-toll-business, in Live Nation - The Outperformer the news. Andreas Scheuer, the German minister for traffic signed contracts before the court decision, leading to the fact that the Basically this company fulfils investor and analyst expectations with ministry for traffic might now have to pay compensation fees for its growth strategy. For the business year 2005, the year of the spin the minister’s breach of contract . off from Clear Channel on December 21, Live Nation reported a turnover of $2.51 bn*. Now Live Nation reports for the 2nd quarter Whatever is in it for CTS Eventim has currently caused a political 2019 alone, a turnover of $2.63 bn. uproar. However, the business results for the first half year by CTS Eventim indicate upwards trend for the shares of the company. Backed by positive analyst ratings and due to the fact that institutional investors raised their share holdings in the company The revenue moved up from a previous 606,6 in H1-2018 up to the share is now up to $70,72 and exceeds therewith a market 696,6 million Euros. The revenue for the ticketing division moved capitalization of $15 billion... from 183,4 up to 200,2 million Euros, while that of the live music activities rose from 429,1 up to 504,5 million Euro. Spotify - Summer Recovery The Earnings before Interests, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) peaked at 111,8 million Euros compare to 94,1 million Since June 3rd this share has experienced a recovery, up from Euros one year before, while the management of CTS Eventim $122.81 to $138.0 on August 23.... 18 VIPNEWS > MISC > AUGUST 2019 MEMBER PRESENTATION ARTIST AVAILS

KAREN MÉNDEZ Territory: Worldwide This space is dedicated to present some of our clients using Period: 3 years VIP-Booking.com. Companies presented here have our best Agency: Be Real Agency Agent: Paul Fourmy endorsement... Phone: +32 485 365 696 E-mail: [email protected] Homepage: www.realkeymusic.com

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