Q&A with Michael Rapino to kick off ILMC 28

A unique Q&A with the most influential figure in the live music business, Live Nation president and CEO Michael Rapino, will kick off this year’s International Live Music Conference (ILMC).

Rapino, who has been at the helm of Live Nation since its formation in 2015, will be interviewed as part of the first half of ‘The Open Forum: The bosses level’ session, with the second half featuring an all-star cast of industry executives discussing the last 12 months in the international business, key issues and topics and the year ahead.

The full agenda for the 28th ILMC was launched online today at 28.ilmc.com/agenda.

“We’re building on the ILMC schedule that was revamped last year to include 50 per cent more sessions and a new workshop programme,” says ILMC head Greg Parmley. “ILMC begins this year with a unique Q&A with Live Nation president and CEO Michael Rapino, and then topics run the breadth of the contemporary live music business before Sunday’s Breakfast Meeting with WME’s Marc Geiger. From tech, festivals, branding and safety, to EDM, venues, agencies and even loyalty, it looks like our 28th edition will be one to remember.”

An invitation-only event, ILMC typically sells out in advance, welcoming over 1,000 of the world’s leading live music professionals from over 60 countries. Other highlights of the agenda this year include:

• Marc Geiger, head of the music division at William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, will be joining raconteur Ed Bicknell for the keynote interview, Sunday morning’s Breakfast Meeting.

• Main room topics include The Digital Audience: Crossing streams =, which looks at changing audience behaviour and the intersection of live and digital, and Ticketing: The disruptors which focuses on ticket allocation and new players in this crowded market.

• Google & YouTube (Stephanie Kovach and Matias Llort Lorenz) and Twitter (Georgina Parnell) are both running dedicated sessions on how live music professionals can get the most from each service. Other workshop sessions include A Greener Live, The Grassroots Venue and Better Brand Partnerships.

• Dragon’s Den mentoring sessions include Australian music industry pioneer Michael Gudinksi (Mushroom Group/Frontier Touring) and legendary German hard rock promoter Ossy Hoppe (Wizard Promotions). 

• New Technology: Bits and bots presents the latest innovation and tech in the business, while Alternative Entertainment: New games to play hosts a quickfire format of the best alternative content on the market.

• Tying in with other events around the conference, the Market Focus: Australia session includes experts from the region: Michael Chugg (Chugg Ent.), Michael Harrison (Frontier Touring), Glen Rainsbury (Etihad Stadium) and Maria O-Connor (Ticketmaster).

• Saturday’s schedule winds up with Industry Out-takes: It’ll be alright on the night pt II which sees longstanding ILMC champion Carl Leighton-Pope take the floor for an hour of tall touring tales and mishaps..

Other conference topics include show safety (this session will be announced shortly); EDM; performance royalties; the scourge of escalating artist fees and competing festivals; emerging markets and new business; industry relationships and the role of loyalty.

ILMC takes place at the Royal Garden Hotel in London from 3 to 6 March.