12 19 16 6 20 23 VIPNEWS PREMIUM > VOLUME 206 > NOVEMBER 2017 17 7 21 22 15 14 4 10 2 VIPNEWS > NOVEMBER 2017 McGowan’s Musings For practical reasons we will not be both the worst and the best of humanity. festival’s 50th edition. The ‘Sonar Calling putting out a December issue this year, so Many things took place that would be best GJ273b’ project will take place in two parts, unbelievably this will be the last VIP News forgotten but cannot be – it will be essential with a total of 33 pieces of music, each ten of the year! I know this is a cliché – but to stay vigilant in 2018, and to apply all that seconds in length - being transmitted to 2017 has flown past! It has certainly been has been learned from the horrors of the last Luyten’s Star, only 12 light years from us, an eventful and dramatic year – with far few months to hopefully see our festivals making it the closest star to Earth with a too many disasters besetting the live music and shows operate safely and our audiences known potentially habitable exoplanet. industry. We have certainly been deeply able to feel as secure as any of us can in troubled by events that have revealed admittedly difficult times. Luyten’s Star is twelve light years away from us, possibly giving aliens time to receive, Of course the ramifications of this year’s digest and return their own message within atrocities continue; just recently a number of 25 years. Let’s hope the ticket touts don’t new lawsuits have been filed in relation to jump in creating ‘Close Encounters of the the mass shooting that occurred at the Route Secondary Kind!’ 91 Harvest festival in Las Vegas last month. Alongside the estate of the gunman, venue Since we last spoke I was in Luxembourg owners MGM Resorts International and for the tenth edition of Sonic Visions (see promoter Live Nation are defendants in the report in this issue), now that event has an COLOPHON > cases. Much as more and more efforts are impressive alien look to it as it is presented made to add to security measures, obviously within the huge towering metal structures, VIP-News is published by: nothing is fool proof, and there are it seems now unused, that operated the steel VIP-Booking.com Enghaven 19 ever more risk factors and responsibilities for foundries and blast furnaces that used to be Attrup 8444 Balle Denmark the live industry to contend with. a huge part of the small country’s economy. Managing Director: Next trip will be in January to Groningen for Ronni Didriksen But of course there were the good things Eurosonic Noorderslag, nothing other wordly [email protected] too, and there’s no doubt that the business about this ever expanding Dutch event….. or General Manager: Peter Briggs continues to develop, with new players and is there? We’ll report back! [email protected] new markets making their marks around the Writer and editorial: world, and even, in the case of the Sonar So for those of you that celebrate it, have Allan McGowan [email protected] Festival, out of this world! The Spanish event a great Christmas, and if you don’t, enjoy Writer: intends to celebrate its 25th anniversary whatever holiday you do! We’ll keep Manfred Tari next year by inviting aliens to its 50th! To worrying about BREXIT and hope that the [email protected] mark the occasion, it’s sending music from budget is kind to the business! (see article in For advertising enquiries please contact: artists including Jean-Michel Jarre, Autechre, this issue). Please keep us informed of how Peter Briggs [email protected] Holly Herndon and Nina Kraviz into space. things are going with you and your future +46 70 77 60 480 If all goes to plan, it is possible that extra- plans, and in the meantime, Ladies and terrestrials could RSVP in time for the Gentlemen – The News! 2 VIPNEWS > NOVEMBER 2017 VIP-Booking.com takes over Musicverb From VIP-Daily News and more sophisticated so taking over in 2016. In 2017, we wanted to boost that Musicverb.com makes sense as we can growth and attack the market leadership. now offer Musicverb.com clients even more VIP-Booking has worked in this industry for powerful services to help them make their many years, they have great products and everyday work better, faster and more they know what they are doing. Musicverb was founded in 2014 in accurate.” Portugal. It has now been taken over by The clients at Musicverb.com will now have the Danish company VIP-Booking.com, the Rui Santos Couto, Founder & CEO of access to an even better service and I’m sure European market leader for B2B Live Music Musicverb.com says: “We grew significantly they will benefit from this deal.” Entertainment information. November 24, 2017 – Musicverb.com offers a marketing platform used by Live Music Industry professionals in 20 countries, from Brazil to Sweden. It brings email and business intelligence to the Livemusic booking business. Musicverb.com is a resident of the Portuguese community “Founders Founders” and it was incubated at UPTEC, the incubator of the University of Porto. VIP-Booking.com has clients in more than 50 countries and has been delivering online tools and data to Live Music Industry professionals for more than 18 years. Clients have access to the largest and most indepth B2B database available with contact details to the agents and managers of more than 19.000 Artists and more than 3.500 European venues. Over the last year VIP-Booking.com has introduced Social Media Statistics on thousands of artists - a powerful tool ® making it easier for Promoters and Agents to measure the interest for an Artist in any given territory. vip-booking.com Ronni Didriksen, Founder & CEO of VIP- - The No 1 Information Resource Booking.com says: “We know that the For The Live Entertainment Industry Live Music B2B business is becoming more 3 CO-FUNDED BY VIPNEWS > NOVEMBER 2017 Cartel Office turn down Four Artists acquisition From VIP-Daily News Ticket marketer CTS Eventim has to shelve its planned acquisition of the concert and event agency Four Artists. The Federal Cartel Office has prohibited the merger of the two companies and justified this with the already dominant position of has already grown in the past through the CTS Eventim. acquisition of various tour operators. and markets concerts and counts about 300 national and international artists, among As the provider of the largest ticketing By acquiring Four Artists, the company others The Fantastic Four, Clueso, Marteria, system in Germany, CTS Eventim ranks would gain control over other relevant ticket David Guetta, Rea Garvey and Andreas dominant in the market in Germany. contingents and further expand its market Bourani. “Organizers of concerts or tours depend on position, “Mundt continued, adding that the CTS as well as ticket outlets selling tickets.” antitrust authorities believe that this would CTS Eventim, which is listed in the MDAX, Ticket sales also take place through the be a significant impediment to effective announced in March its intention to acquire company`s own online shop Eventim. CTS competition among the artists represented Four Artists based in Berlin. A price was not Eventim has a strong market position and by Four Artists, for The company organizes mentioned. FKP Scorpio Expands Into Norway From VIP-Daily News Band of Horses, Sigur Ros, Arctic Monkeys, seventh office in Europe, following Austria, and many more, in Norway. Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark and Finland and the main office in Hamburg, Goldstar AS will end its 12 year run and all Germany. employees will become the new Norwegian team for FKP Scorpio. – Norway is a fantastic country with a very vivid live music scene. Since Torgeir and his – For many years Goldstar has been putting team have been reliable partners for us over FKP Scorpio will, as of the 1st of January on quality shows around Norway, but of many years, it feels like the natural next step 2018, have a Norwegian office based in course we’ve noticed that it’s harder and to establish FKP Scorpio Norge together. We Oslo. harder to be small and independent. In FKP share the belief that professionalism and Scorpio we have found a partner who is a trustworthiness build strong relationships The new company, FKP Scorpio Norge big player but has kept it`s indie mentality - with artists, fans, managers, venues and AS, will be run by Torgeir Gullaksen, over all those years. So we’re very happy to everyone we work with - , says Folkert who started Goldstar AS 12 years ago, as be able to continue doing what we love and Koopmans, CEO of FKP Scorpio. executive director. do best, but now as part of a large European company with similar values to our own, says FKP Scorpio has grown to be one of Europe’s The national promoter Goldstar AS has been Torgeir Gullaksen, founder of Goldstar AS. biggest live promoters while staying true organizing concerts with renowned artists FKP Scorpio was founded in 1990 and is one to the indie roots that inspired managing like Queens Of The Stone Age, Bon Iver, the of the largest players in the live music partner Folkert Koopmans to found the The XX, Radiohead, Biffy Clyro, Arcade Fire, business in Europe. Norway will be the company 27 years ago. 5 VIPNEWS > NOVEMBER 2017 UK Music Chief Welcomes Budget Measures but Warns of Effects on Music Venues Allan McGowan [email protected] UK Music chief executive Michael Dugher He added, “Many venues will feel short- has reacted to the UK Chancellor’s Budget, changed by the Chancellor today.