9 8 VIPNEWS PREMIUM > VOLUME 187 > FEBRUARY 2016 7 13 16 4 11 2 VIPNEWS > FEBRUARY 2016 McGowan’s Musings Sad to say the News again leads off with off the road at a canal bridge causing the this is a good one, apparently Tom Jones more bad news. We have had to report a lot deaths of all five people. This was obviously fans are furious about not being allowed of deaths of late, and this edition continues a huge shock to everyone. All at VIP send to take picnics to sustain them during the this highly unwelcome trend. As you will our heartfelt commiserations to the family great man’s performance at Tatton Park in see from the report below we attended and friends of all of these young men. Cheshire! Shock horror! You can’t say we the second edition of Where’s the Music in don’t cover the gamut of human emotion Norrköping in Sweden, on the Saturday we There was a positive follow up to another in the Musings… heard the terrible news about the accident recent tragedy when the US band Eagles in which the car carrying all four members of Death Metal played a concert in Paris But you can always count on a metal band and the manager of the UK band Viola at The Olympia on February 16th - three to put things into proportion by taking us Beach who had played at the Festival went months after Islamic extremists massacred back to the grand excess that was once 89 of their fans at the Bataclan theatre. part of what made rock and roll….. well, Band leader Jesse Hughes, told the rock and roll! Iron Maiden, for it is they, cheering crowd he wanted to finish the have got themselves a new plane, and not gig they’d started in November after just some inconsequential private jet – it’s receiving “overwhelming” support. The a bloody great Boeing 747 jumbo jet! The show included 89 seconds of silence in fully branded and brand new ‘Ed Force One’ COLOPHON > memory of the victims. Bataclan survivor will be flown by the rather remarkable (and Mathias Von Euw, from Paris, told the BBC: I mean that quite seriously) Iron Maiden VIP-News is published by: “Now it’s like we finish the story. It’s like front man, Bruce Dickinson. He said, “The VIP-Booking.com we just close the file and say ‘live’ - we can greatest benefit of travelling in a 747 is 20-22 Wenlock Road London N1 7GU continue again. We are free now after the that because of its colossal size and freight United Kingdom +44 870 755 0092 concert.” Lets hope that he’s right; it’s time capacity we can carry our stage production Managing Director: for some optimism! and all our stage equipment and desks in Ronni Didriksen the cargo hold without having to make any [email protected] So, moving on, let’s try and dig out of the immense structural modifications General Manager: Peter Briggs something to make us a smile from the needed to do this on the previous 757”. So [email protected] goings on in our world of live entertainment. – that’s all right then, and you’ll all be glad Writer and editorial: I did have to grin when I heard that after to know it’s on a lease deal. Allan McGowan [email protected] the announcement that Coldplay would Writer: headline this year’s Glastonbury, a petition Right, in a couple of weeks we’ll all be at Manfred Tari had been raised to try and stop such a the 28th edition of the ILMC, where we’ll [email protected] thing happening! Strange that such a get a perspective on where the business is For advertising enquiries please contact: successful band arouses such negative headed, and also have a bloody good time! Peter Briggs [email protected] responses from so many people – maybe We all deserve it – we’ll keep you informed. +44 870 755 0092 they object to the colour yellow! Ah yes, In the meantime Ladies and Gentlemen – while we’re on the subject of festivals, The News! 2 VIPNEWS > FEBRUARY 2016 Live Nation acquires Big Concerts From VIP-Daily News Live Nation has acquired a controlling increase in the number of artists visiting the is the most advanced economy in Africa interest in Big Concerts, the leading concert country with many acts now playing three and offers significant growth opportunities promoter in South Africa. or four cities. We look forward to working for the global live entertainment industry. with Attie and Justin to further develop We look forward to expanding the African Big Concerts will continue to be led by Attie the South African market, as well as the live touring circuit and its attractiveness for van Wyk as Chairman and Justin van Wyk as broader African market as demand for live global tours”. Chief Executive Officer. entertainment grows across the continent.” Upcoming tours for 2016 include Roxette, Michael Rapino, Live Nation Entertainment Attie van Wyk, Chairman of Big Concerts, Rodriguez, Lionel Richie, Chris de Burgh, president and CEO, said: “Our mission at said: “We are extremely proud and excited Josh Groban, Mariah Carey, Iron Maiden and Live Nation is to connect fans with the artists to be joining the Live Nation team. Over George Benson. More information on these they love in every corner of the globe. Our the past 5 years the growth in the South tours can be found at: entry into the South African market through African live entertainment industry has www.bigconcerts.co.za the acquisition of Big Concerts expands Live been exceptional, driven by investment in Nation`s global footprint to 38 countries and local infrastructure and strong consumer brings live entertainment at scale to a new demand, all of which will continue to enable continent” us to bring global superstars to the African continent in the future.” Alan Ridgeway, Live Nation president of international & emerging markets, said: Justin van Wyk, Chief Executive of Big “Since South Africa hosted the FIFA World Concerts added: “With world class stadiums Cup in 2010, there has been a noticeable and new arenas in the pipeline, South Africa Pudel Club Burned Down Manfred Tari [email protected] The Pudel Club in Hamburg burned down on the evening of February Even though the 200 persons capacity was very limited, it was a 14th when there were people still in the venue. nationally well known concert location. In recent years there had been a dispute among the owners of the venue, leading to the building being put up for auction, with a date set for April 20. The latest news however indicated that the venue was to be re- opened in one or two months. The Pudel was opened in 1988 and since then became the un-official headquarter for the alternative movement in Hamburg. On Friday, February 19 a solidarity march with 2.500 supporters took place, underlining the popularity of the cl Hamburg club. Official investigations soon after revealed that the fire was deliberate, but until today no news was given by the police authorities about Pudel Club Fire who was suspected of starting the blaze. 3 VIPNEWS > FEBRUARY 2016 Bio-Pic Of Bill Graham Manfred Tari [email protected] The film rights of the autobiography of days after was born. Later on his mother He then arrived in New York where he Bill Graham “ My Life Inside Rock and took him to an orphans home after the finished High School and College education. Out” has been purchased by 20th Century atrocities of the coordinated attacks on Later on in 1965 he put on a charity event Fox. Graham, a son of Jewish Russians, Jews known as ‘Kristallnacht’, or the “The for a San Francisco based mime troupe, for is alongside the German Fritz Rau one of Night of Broken Glass” on November which he worked as business manager. This the most prominent concert promoters, 9, 1938. In an exchange for Christian event apparently was the initial show that having paved the way for the live music orphans arranged with a French orphans led to Graham becoming one of the biggest business in the Sixties. After he was born home, he was able to flee Europe when concert promoters in the US. Over the years in Berlin in 1931, his father died two the German army occupied Paris in 1941. He worked with all the prominent artists of the times and unfortunately died in 1991 in a helicopter crash, when flying back from a concert he promoted. Graham was also known for his extensive charity efforts and events, among others for AIDS research, the Haight Ashbury Free Medical Clinic or Amnesty International or LiveAid. His autobiography is a very worthwhile read for almost everybody working within the live music community. The film will be directed by Shawn Levy and David Graham, with Alex Graham and Bill Graham died in 1991 Robert Greenfield as executive producers. Lollapalooza Berlin Moves On To A New Site And Faces Protests Manfred Tari [email protected] Now that the Tempelhof Airport in Berlin is used as a location to accommodate refugees, the organizers of Lolapalozza have been forced to find a new site in the German capital. After last year’s premier edition at the former airport with 40.000 visitors, the promoter has now found a new site for the event in the Treptower Park. But since the move became public Berlin citizens have launched an online petition against the festival being held in the park.