IQ 133, the 156-page, biggest-ever issue of the international live music industry’s leading magazine, is available to read online now.

With the International Live Music Conference (ILMC) fast approaching, the February 2025 issue reveals the full agenda for the sold-out 37th edition.

ITB co-founder Barry Dickins is honoured as part of The Architects – a new series celebrating the pioneers who built the foundations for the modern global business – and DF Concerts chief Geoff Ellis celebrates 40 years in the business.

The bumper edition also looks at the growing influence of African artists, legislative moves internationally to tackle resale, and the growing trend of artists broadcasting concert films.

Readers can enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at James Blunt’s anniversary tour 20 Years of Bedlam and a report on the trucking and freight forwarding industry. Elsewhere, the shrinking nature of tour routings is investigated and there is an in-depth report into the Italian live music industry.

For comments & columns, Ross Patel makes a case for everyone to battle the climate crisis while Jess Partridge argues against withholding tax rules.

A selection of magazine content will appear online in the next four weeks but to ensure your fix of essential live music industry features, opinion and analysis, click here to subscribe to IQ – or check out what you’re missing out on with the limited preview below:

The debut of the world’s biggest Afrobeats festival, Afro Nation, in Nigeria has been cancelled.

The event was scheduled to take place in Lagos at the 55,000-cap Tafawa Balewa Square from 19-20 December 2023, but has now been called off.

Organisers say it is “currently not possible to deliver a show that is of the quality that Nigeria deserves”, but insist they remain “100% committed” to delivering a show in the country in the future. All tickets will be refunded, including booking fees.

“Unfortunately the Afro Nation Nigeria festival in Lagos will now not be taking place,” says a statement. “As event organisers, we hold ourselves to extremely high standards and it has become clear to us that it is currently not possible to deliver a show that is of the quality that Nigeria deserves in December 2023.”

Launched in 2019, Afro Nation festivals have been staged in Africa, Europe, the US and the Caribbean. The festival returned to Ghana last year for the first time since 2019.

“We are 100% committed to creating an Afro Nation show in Lagos that we can all be proud of”

Afro Nation held its biggest-ever festival in Portugal over the summer, attracting 40,000 people to Portimão in the Algarve for performances from 50 artists including Burna Boy, Little Simz, Wizkid, 50 Cent, Booba and Davido.

“We are honoured to play our part in the Afrobeats community, providing a platform for artists to connect with fans and to create events that have such a positive impact on the culture, globally, as well as launching the Afrobeats chart in the US and the UK,” adds the statement.

“We have put on incredible shows in Portugal, Ghana, Puerto Rico, Miami and Detroit but Nigeria holds a special place in our hearts, so we are heartbroken not to be able to celebrate with you this year. Please know, we are 100% committed to creating an Afro Nation show in Lagos that we can all be proud of.”

The festival brand expanded in the US in May with an event in Miami, Florida, presented by Event Horizon, SMADE and Live Nation, followed by an edition in Detroit, Michigan from 19-20 August.

Afro Nation Portugal will return from 26-28 June 2024.

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Afro Nation held its biggest-ever festival in Portugal last week, attended by tens of thousands.

Since launching on Portimão’s Praia da Rocha beach in 2019, the afrobeats festival has more than doubled in size.

The inaugural year drew 20,000, the second edition (held after the pandemic in 2022) hosted 35,000 and this year’s third edition recorded 40,000 people from 140 different countries, with 90% of festivalgoers coming from abroad.

The 2023 instalment featured performances from 50 artists including Burna Boy, Little Simz, Wizkid, 50 Cent, Booba and Davido.

Obi Asika, co-founder of the brand, previously told IQ that 50% of tickets for Afro Nation Portugal 2023 were sold before the bill was announced.

He also said that this year’s edition would build on the festival’s VIP experience, “elevating the beach club events and really optimising the stunning site that we build this festival on.

The 2023 instalment featured performances from 50 artists including Burna Boy, Little Simz, Wizkid, 50 Cent, Booba and Davido

“Evolving our infrastructure in an aesthetically pleasing way that is harmonious to our beach setting is incredibly important to us. In the same way, we always look to support the local industry and economies by working collaboratively and constructively with everyone around us,” he added.

Launched in 2019, Afro Nation festivals have taken place in Africa, Europe and the Caribbean. The brand, which also showcases hip-hop, R&B, amapiano, dancehall and reggae, debuted in North America last year with Afro Nation Puerto Rico.

The festival brand expanded in the US in May with an event at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, presented by Event Horizon, SMADE and Live Nation. Debut editions for Detroit, US, and Lagos, Nigeria, are planned for later this year.

“A lot goes into selecting locations for an Afro Nation festival, the beauty of the site, event infrastructure, travel logistics and accommodation for guests,” co-founder Obi Asika told IQ. “But most importantly, everywhere you’ll find an Afro Nation event will be bringing joy to sites of cultural significance around the world.”

Given the “resounding success” of Afro Nation Portugal 2023, next year’s event in Portimão is already on sale, with tickets ranging between €199 and €599.

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Afrobeats festival Afro Nation has announced it is debuting in Lagos, Nigeria, later this year.

The festival returned to Ghana last year for the first time since 2019 and has confirmed an additional African edition will take place in Nigeria in 2023, with the date and venue still to be revealed.

The news was announced today via the festival’s official social media channels, with the message, “We’re coming to Nigeria.”

“Nigeria is the home to so many international superstars who have made Afrobeats a globally loved genre,” says co-founder SMADE. “As someone who grew up in Lagos, and then spent years promoting African music in London and beyond, this will truly be a full circle moment, bringing the Afro Nation show back home to Lagos. We can’t wait for the biggest celebration of African music the world has ever seen!”

“Everywhere you’ll find an Afro Nation event will be bringing joy to sites of cultural significance around the world”

Launched in 2019, Afro Nation festivals have taken place in Africa, Europe and the Caribbean. The brand, which also showcases hip-hop, R&B, amapiano, dancehall and reggae, debuted in North America last year with Afro Nation Puerto Rico. A Mexican edition had also been planned for September 2020, before the pandemic intervened.

Afro Nation expanded to the US last month with an event at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, presented by Event Horizon, SMADE and Live Nation. Its 2023 Portugal event is scheduled for Portimão from 28-30 June, headlined by Burna Boy, 50 Cent and Booba, before launching in Detroit from 19-20 August.

“A lot goes into selecting locations for an Afro Nation festival, the beauty of the site, event infrastructure, travel logistics and accommodation for guests,” co-founder Obi Asika told IQ earlier this year. “But most importantly, everywhere you’ll find an Afro Nation event will be bringing joy to sites of cultural significance around the world.”

The brand also launched a training programme for local crew ahead of its return to Ghana last year.

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The world’s biggest Afrobeats festival Afro Nation has announced details of its inaugural Detroit, Michigan edition.

The brand, which celebrates Afrobeats, Black music and culture, makes its US debut later this month at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida from 27-28 May, headlined by Burna Boy and Wizkid and presented by Event Horizon, SMADE and Live Nation.

A Detroit spin-off has now been confirmed for 19-20 August in partnership with Bedrock at the local real estate company’s Douglass site.

“When considering which US cities would be right for our Afro Nation festival, Detroit was a clear choice,” says Event Horizon CEO Natasha Manley. ” The musical legacy, culture, people and community of Detroit connects to why we started Afro Nation: to celebrate Black music and culture. Our diverse global audience will undoubtedly enjoy the unique Detroit show and appreciate the immense influence of Detroit on the evolution of music.”

Launched in 2019, Afro Nation festivals have taken place in Africa, Europe and the Caribbean

The event is being positioned to become Afro Nation’s flagship festival in the US. It will feature additional activations and events to honour “Detroit’s musical contributions to the world and highlight its connection to present day American, African and global Black culture and music”.

Launched in 2019, Afro Nation festivals have taken place in Africa, Europe and the Caribbean, with the 2023 Portugal event scheduled for Portimão from 28-30 June, headlined by Burna Boy, 50 Cent and Booba.

The brand, which also showcases hip-hop, R&B, amapiano, dancehall and reggae, debuted in North America last year with Afro Nation Puerto Rico, as well as its return to Portugal for the second time and Ghana, for the first time since 2019. A Mexican edition had also been planned for September 2020, before the pandemic intervened.

“We launched Afro Nation Miami recently and would love to do more shows in the US,” co-founder Obi Asika told IQ earlier this year. “A lot goes into selecting locations for an Afro Nation festival, the beauty of the site, event infrastructure, travel logistics and accommodation for guests, but most importantly, everywhere you’ll find an Afro Nation event will be bringing joy to sites of cultural significance around the world.”

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Afro Nation co-founder Obi Asika has told IQ that further international growth could be on the cards for the world’s biggest Afrobeats festival.

Burna Boy and Wizkid will headline the brand’s debut Miami, Florida edition, presented by Event Horizon, SMADE and Live Nation at LoanDepot Park from 27-28 May, while previous Afro Nation festivals have taken place in Africa, Europe, and the Caribbean since the brand launched in 2019.

“We launched Afro Nation Miami recently and would love to do more shows in the US,” Asika tells IQ. “Brazil would be an incredible place to host an Afro Nation show and it is very much on our roadmap for the future, and of course more shows on the African continent.

“A lot goes into selecting locations for an Afro Nation festival, the beauty of the site, event infrastructure, travel logistics and accommodation for guests, but most importantly, everywhere you’ll find an Afro Nation event will be bringing joy to sites of cultural significance around the world.”

“Afrobeats is still a relatively new genre in terms of worldwide popularity and we are on a mission to help elevate the next generation of global superstars”

Event Horizon co-founder Asika has been co-head of UTA’s UK office since the company acquired his Echo Location Talent Agency in 2021, and will appear on The Open Forum: The industry health check panel at this year’s ILMC.

The leading agent stresses the importance of Afro Nation providing a platform for the next generation of talent, as well as showcasing globally renowned acts.

“Afrobeats is still a relatively new genre in terms of worldwide popularity and we are on a mission to help elevate the next generation of global superstars, so it was incredible to see such an enormous outpouring of love for artists such as Rema, CKay, Major League DJz and Uncle Waffles, as much as it was humbling to see how far artists like Wizkid, Davido and Burna Boy have come,” says Asika.

“We’re sure to witness some big moments with artists on an impressive trajectory like Fireboy DML and Asake this summer, and also like bringing massive non-English language acts like Dadju to even wider audiences.”

Last year, the festival marked its North American debut with Afro Nation Puerto Rico, as well as its return to Portugal for the second time and Ghana, for the first time since 2019. A Mexican edition had also been planned for September 2020, before the pandemic intervened.

“In 2023, we will be building on our VIP experience, elevating the beach club events and really optimising the stunning site that we build this festival on”

The 2023 Portugal event is scheduled for Portimão from 28-30 June, headlined by Burna Boy, 50 Cent and Booba.

“We’ve just announced the first phase line-up for Afro Nation Portugal 2023 and are really excited about the opportunity with the show this year,” says Asika. “We always strive to represent as many genres and artists from as many countries as possible, led by Africa, and we have a great platform to build on after an incredibly successful event in Portugal last year.

“2022 saw a great deal of change, with a huge, brand new main stage, raised production levels and a completely unique backstage artist village concept that we commissioned. In 2023, we will be building on our VIP experience, elevating the beach club events and really optimising the stunning site that we build this festival on.

“Evolving our infrastructure in an aesthetically pleasing way that is harmonious to our beach setting is incredibly important to us, in the same way we always look to support the local industry and economies by working collaboratively and constructively with everyone around us.”

Asika says ticket sales for Afro Nation Portugal’s 2022 edition “surpassed all our objectives” despite logistical issues related to the pandemic.

“The Portugal show doubled in size and we sold 50% of our tickets for 2023 before we even announced our line up, so we have built an incredibly loyal fanbase for the brand,” he says. “There were difficulties in getting access to certain equipment as our industry still felt the after effects of the pandemic and one thing we have done as a business to combat that is to invest more in owning our own inventory. For example we have invested into owning our own main stage, security barriers and steel shields to use at our festivals in Portugal and West Africa, and also to allow touring artists and other promotions – such as Global Citizens and Black Star Line Festival in 2022 – to access it.”

“We are generally hearing good things about ticket sales and if you have a strong brand with a clear identity then people will keep buying tickets”

He continues: “One issue we have faced with building events in multiple territories such as Ghana, Puerto Rico, Miami and Portugal is around artist travel and visa difficulties, but this is part of our commitment to having as much global representation on stage as we possibly can.

“Ticketing can also be an issue, a process we want to make as easy and accessible as possible, so we have partnered with Easol to sell our tickets and introduced them to African payment gateways so they can take payment from customers using African cards. We pride ourselves on partnering with innovative technologies and removing obstacles in the industry.”

While Asika acknowledges there is some concern in the live events industry over the potential effect on ticket sales from the cost of living crisis, he is feeling positive about the season ahead.

“We are generally hearing good things about ticket sales and if you have a strong brand with a clear identity then people will keep buying tickets,” he adds. “Due to the backlog from Covid there were too many shows last year. Now things are back to normal and we broadly have a positive outlook on the events industry. The travel industry also seems to be recovering well and, as a promoter who offers international event experiencers, that’s very promising to see.”

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Afro Nation, the world’s biggest Afrobeats festival, is expanding to the US this year with a Miami edition.

Burna Boy and Wizkid will headline the two-day event, set for 27 and 28 May at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida.

Nigerian superstars Rema and Asake, dancehall legend Beenie Man, rising African stars CKay, BNXN, and Black Sherif and French rapper Franglish also appear on the bill.

The Miami edition will highlight the best in Afrobeats, dancehall, hip-hop, amapiano, and other Black-led musical genres

The organisers say that the Miami edition, like previous Afro Nation events, will highlight the best in Afrobeats, dancehall, hip-hop, amapiano, and other Black-led musical genres.

Previous editions have taken place in Africa, Europe, and the Caribbean since the brand launched in 2019.

Last year, the festival marked its North American debut with Afro Nation Puerto Rico, as well as its return to Portugal for the second time and Ghana, for the first time since 2019.

Afro Nation Miami 2023 is presented by Event Horizon, SMADE, and Live Nation.

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Leading Afrobeats festival Afro Nation is launching a training programme for local crew ahead of its return to Ghana later this year.

The follow-up to its 2019 debut, Afro Nation Ghana is set for 29-30 December at Marine Drive, Black Star Square, with line-up details to be confirmed soon. The festival site is located next to the spot where Ghana’s independence was declared by the first president Kwame Nkrumah, next to the Osu Castle.

The brand’s Portuguese edition took place on the Algarve coast from 6-8 July, drawing more than 35,000 fans from 134 countries over three days for headliners Wizkid, Burna Boy and Davido. In what promises to be a significant breakthrough for the Ghanaian scene, its main stage has now been acquired by Afro Nation Ghana and is being transported to Africa for the December spin-off.

“We started Afro Nation to give a global platform to the artists that we love,” say organisers. “To round off what has been an incredible year, in collaboration with the Ghanaian government and our festival partners in Ghana, Benjamin Ntim and Kojo Annan of Event Blackstar Limited, we have purchased the main stage used at Afro Nation Portugal 2022 and it is currently being shipped to Accra for Afro Nation Ghana 2022.

“A stage of this quality doesn’t exist anywhere else in West Africa, and serves as a vital building block for the live industry on the continent. Afro Nation’s aim has always been to elevate the scene and artists from or inspired by the modern sounds of Africa, and by establishing this stage in Ghana and bringing the exact same high production value from Portugal to West Africa, is just one step towards a bright new future of live events in the region.”

“By 2025, this world-class festival stage will be fully operated by the West African team, without any assistance from the UK”

As with Afro Nation Portugal, which launched in 2019, and Afro Nation Puerto Rico, which was held in April this year, Afro Nation Ghana will work alongside and train local teams to produce the show and bring business to as many local vendors as possible.

“We have initiated a training programme, where a full stage crew will travel from Europe to Ghana with us and train a local crew on how to build and run the stage. By 2025, this world-class festival stage will be fully operated by the West African team, without any assistance from the UK.

“We will continue to support our culture and look forward to seeing many global artists perform on this stage in the near future across the continent.”

The inaugural Afro Nation Ghana was held in Accra over four days in December 2019, featuring acts including Burna Boy, Wizkid, Yxng Bane and Naira Marley.

A Mexican edition of Afro Nation had also been planned for Baja California in September 2020, before the pandemic intervened.

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Live Nation has launched a joint venture with Duke Concept to co-promote African artists in the US.

Duke Concept CEO Osita “Duke” Ugeh has worked with Live Nation since 2018 and previously collaborated with the company on two Burna Boy tours, reports Billboard.

Burna Boy, who has played a number of arenas in Europe, will become the first Nigerian artist to headline New York’s Madison Square Garden on 28 April.

“Over the past few years working with Duke, our relationship has grown immensely,” says Andy Messersmith, director of touring at Live Nation. “With our combined passion for the music and utilising the assets that both Live Nation and Duke Concept bring to the table, we have been very successful.”

Andy has been a great ambassador of the culture

“It only takes one person to believe, and [Messersmith did],” says Ugeh. “Since then Andy has been a great ambassador of the culture and we have gone on to co-produce very successful tours together.”

Ugeh, who also works with the likes of Nigerian artist Davido, will retain the right to stage events independently as part of the deal, and is planning five Afrobeat tours in the US next year.

“We are getting the right venues and opportunities and that’s thrilling because we’ve spent so much time in the shadows,” he adds.

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