#Pollstar

[musicandotherstuff]

Arctic Monkeys have an air of calmness around them.

If you look into the eyes of frontman Alex Turner, it's like looking into an ocean of tranquility.

It seems to define how the band has been conducting its career for almost 20 years now, releasing seven studio albums, averaging at about one every three years, in times when some managers, labels and marketers, driven by streaming economics, encourage clients to release constantly.

None of their work sounds even remotely alike, which only a few bands can pull off without losing old fans.

And they don't overplay markets when touring the world, fully aware that more a lot more tickets could be sold.

You can do all of the above when you know you're just that good.

From their songwriting to their live performance, it is all delivered with a complete sense of a steadfast identity.'

Pollstar August 28, 2023

📸: Lawrence Watson

[thestylesindependent]

Harry's residency at Madison Square Garden won the 2023 Pollstar award for Best Residency!

[itsallmadonnasfault]

✨

[berlinini]

Pollstar's 300 highest grossing concerts of 2022

[seasurfacefullofclouds1]

https://www.tmz.com/2023/02/13/garth-brooks-irving-azoff-james-dolan-ticketing-prices-conference/

Azoff moderating a discussion on high ticket prices?!?🙄🙄

The country music legend is scheduled to speak on a panel in Los Angeles next week joined by Madison Square Garden Entertainment's James Dolan, former Assistant Attorney General for the DOJ, Makan Delrahim and moderated by music biz mogul, Irving Azoff.

The event will be the 34th annual Pollstar Live! conference discussion panel, which will go down February 22 at 9:45 AM PT at the Beverly Hilton in L.A.

As for what will be discussed, we're told Azoff, Brooks and team will talk ticket scalpers, how to score tickets to events without getting ripped off, the resale market and how outside hands have really soured the market for fans.

This is a conference held by Pollstar, which is owned by Oak View Group (Irving Azoff’s company). Their focus will be propaganda on how dynamic pricing keeps money for artists (and Ticketmaster) rather than scalpers, which has always been Azoff’s point of view— that dynamic pricing is protection for artists AND consumers, because it sets the correct “market price” for tickets.

This is what Azoff said in 2009:

At a recent D: All Things Digital Conference, Ticketmaster CEO Irving Azoff proclaimed, “We haven’t done enough dynamic pricing for tickets, and we should, and that will help make people happy.” Mr. Azoff is right, dynamic pricing is the key to pricing for profits and growth in the rock concert industry.

As for “former Assistant Attorney General for the DOJ, Makan Delrahim,” who is arguing “on the regulatory side” on this panel, due to his time serving in the DOJ (for Donald Trump)— a little Google search shows that he is now a private lobbyist helping mega corporate mergers.

In October 2016, Delrahim commented on AT&T's proposed $85.4 billion acquisition of Time Warner while appearing on Canada's Business News Network, saying "I don't see this as a major antitrust problem."[9][10]

This screenshot from a 2009 article is incredibly revealing of how money can change someone… even Bruce Springsteen.

You can do a Google search of Azoff’s congressional testimony in favor of the Live Nation- Ticketmaster merger in 2009:

A Senate investigation in 2019 showed this:

The Justice Department, in what it described as its strongest enforcement of an antitrust agreement in 20 years, said Thursday that it and Live Nation Entertainment have agreed to amend and extend the regulatory decree that allowed the giant concert company to merge with Ticketmaster nearly a decade ago.

Justice officials said the settlement came after the department found that Live Nation had repeatedly violated the existing agreement. Its investigation focused on complaints from competitors that Live Nation had used its control over the concert touring business to pressure music venues into signing contracts with its Ticketmaster subsidiary.

The government did nothing but slap Live Nation on the wrist. They basically said, “We know you behaved in a monopolistic manner, and we’re gonna keep watching! No fines!”

Azoff then responded to the extension of the consent decree by 1. owning the biggest venues in the biggest cities, and 2. monopolizing existing venues.

[dreamings-free]

Pollstar Staff | 11/1/24

Following a massively successful year with record-setting box office tallies and Taylor Swift’s highest-grossing tour of all time  — what’s next for the live biz in 2024? Pollstar’s editorial staff offers predictions.

Live Growth Spurt May Slow The live industry saw unprecedented growth in 2023 with a massive 46% growth YoY for the Top 100 Tours, according to Pollstar Boxoffice reports. 2024 should be another strong year — but perhaps not a great one. Though the U.S. economy showed promising signs with GDP increasing 4.9% in Q3, the total household debt spiked to $17.29 trillion, according to the Federal Reserve, though inflation continues to outpace salaries. Consumers may think twice before clicking the checkout box and adding another credit card charge, which may decrease ticket sales following live’s record-setting year.  – Oscar Aréliz

Reunions, Farewells & Mega-Fests It’s hard to put the genie back in the bottle, so the industry as a whole will get creative to continue the upward momentum of recent years. Expect more seemingly unlikely reunions, farewells that may not actually be final (cough, cough), and additional legs of tours that seemed like one-time affairs. Also, don’t be surprised if the mega-festival trend (When We Were Young, Power Trip, etc), continues to gather steam to the point of becoming a whole new category of yearly event.  – Ryan Borba

Ticketing: Same As It Ever Was With mounting public pressure, grandstanding politicians and supreme supernova demigoddess Taylor Swift aligning for the cause of ticketing reform, in the coming year one can expect little to change. That’s because tickets are money, whether artists, their teams, promoters, venues or ticketers keep prices low, outsmart bots, include all-in pricing, shut out the secondary or sell on the side, capitalists always gonna capitalize. – Andy Gensler

Sphere’s Innovations Break Out Many of the innovations that make Sphere so groundbreaking are likely to start trickling out to the world. Don’t expect to see 16K LED screens that stretch around concertgoers at your local arena any time soon, but it’s not a stretch that the beamforming sound system Holoplot created for Sphere becomes scalable enough for broader expansions and artists who already embrace innovation are likely to make bids at recreating Sphere’s already legendary immersive experience at other venues (as best they can). – J.R. Lind

More Protest Songs More artists will pen anti-war songs, including showing support for innocent civilians in various conflicts. We’ll also hear other politically-minded songs, such as tunes concerning women’s rights — along with more live events booked to benefit those in need and support causes near and dear to artists’ hearts, like 2022’s Love Rising Nashville organized in support of the LGBTQ+ community. Plus, it’s an election year. – Sarah Pittman

Indies Go Back To The Future Independent operators may remain fiercely competitive but, with the establishment of trade groups NIVA and NITO, a greater spirit of collaboration has emerged in the wake of COVID. In some cases, onetime rivals – including clubs and promoters – are teaming to share resources to lift all boats, while Brian Becker’s LiveCo brought together five indie promoters to expand existing partnerships with entertainment platforms to create new, innovative projects. Expect this trend to continue.  – Deborah Speer

Cloning Technology Arrives Insomniac Events founder/CEO Pasquale Rotella manages to find a scientific breakthrough getting one step closer to cloning himself by 2030. This opens doors for agents and promoters to attend all their events at once, and for artists to play multiple shows at the same time. – Ariel King

[toddbarrowcountry]

Rockin the stage at Troy’s Bar with Texas Live!!!🤠🎙🎸🎶

[nonesuchrecords]

Rhiannon Giddens covers the latest issue of Pollstar. The article explores the many and varied projects she's undertaken, for which being a self-described "nerd" comes in handy and for which others have added "genius" to the description.

[wausaupilot]

Grand Theater nabs spot in Top Theatre Venues Worldwide

The Grand Theater has appeared in Pollstar’s Top 150 rankings since 2017.

The Grand Theater caps off the year with a spot in the 2023 Top 200 Theatre Venues Worldwide as compiled by Pollstar, The Grand announced this week. The publication’s Year End Edition ranked The Grand 125th in the world based on 62,007 tickets sold. The Grand grossed a record $2,624,629 in ticket revenues this year and has appeared in Pollstar’s Top 150 rankings since 2017. In addition to…

[don-lichterman]

The Week That Was: Big Brother Finale, Maryland Basketball Upset, and the State of the Music IndustryThis week has been eventful in the world of entertainment, with the finale of the popular reality show Big Brother, a surprising upset in Maryland Basketball, and ongoing discussions about the state of the music industry. Let's take a closer look at these topics:Big Brother FinaleAfter months of drama, alliances, and unexpected twists, Big Brother is finally coming to an end this week. Fans have been eagerly anticipating the finale, which will determine the winner of the $500,000 prize. The show has been a rollercoaster of emotions, with contestants forming alliances, backstabbing each other, and strategizing to stay in the game. It will be interesting to see who comes out on top and how the season will be remembered.Maryland Basketball UpsetIn a shocking turn of events, the Maryland Basketball team suffered a defeat at the hands of Davidson in a close game this week. The loss came as a surprise to many fans and experts, as Maryland was considered a strong contender. Despite the setback, the team has shown resilience throughout the season and will undoubtedly bounce back from this defeat. It serves as a reminder that in sports, anything can happen, and no team is invincible.The State of the Music IndustryThe music industry has been a topic of discussion for years, with many artists and industry insiders expressing concerns about the impact of pay to play practices. Pay to play refers to the practice of artists or their representatives paying a fee to secure a spot on a concert lineup or to receive airplay on radio stations. This has led to concerns about the quality and diversity of music being promoted, as well as the financial burden placed on artists.While pay to play has been a longstanding issue, recent events have brought it back into the spotlight. The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the music industry, with live shows and tours being canceled or postponed. This has put even more pressure on artists to find alternative ways to generate income and reach their audience.Being a Dead HeadOne of the most enduring fan communities in the music world is that of the Grateful Dead, known as Dead Heads. The Grateful Dead, with their unique blend of rock, folk, and improvisational music, have captured the hearts of millions of fans around the world. Being a Dead Head is more than just being a fan; it's a way of life. Dead Heads are known for their dedication, their love of live music, and their sense of community.Finally, let's not forget the upcoming Pollstar Awards nominations, which honor the best in the live entertainment industry. The nominations are eagerly awaited by artists, promoters, and fans alike, as they recognize excellence in concert tours, festivals, and venues. It's an exciting time for the industry, and we can't wait to see who will be recognized for their outstanding contributions.

[thestylesindependent]

Harry and Everytown For Gun Safety won the 2023 Pollstar Award for Brand Partnership/Live Campaign of the Year.

[telerealrd]

Luis Miguel Tour 2023 rompe récords históricos en su primer día de venta de boletos

El Sol de México ha anunciado su nueva gira “Luis Miguel Tour 2023”, la cual ha logrado un éxito impresionante en su primer día de venta, convirtiéndose en uno de los mayores éxitos de la historia de la música. El artista ha roto récords históricos al vender más de 400,000 boletos en menos de 24 horas. La mayoría de los conciertos en Estados Unidos, así como las nueve funciones en Argentina y las…

[mr-styles]

Harry won Best Residency (MSG) & Tour of the Year at the 2023 Pollstar Awards - 23.02.2022

[seasurfacefullofclouds1]

Because the Live Nation-Ticketmaster merger worked out so well for consumers 😐

[sinnamonscouture]

Missy Elliott Covers Pollstar Magazine

[fy-wonwoo]

230601 seventeen on the cover of pollstar magazine