BST Hyde Park 2020 cancelled
AEG Presents’ British Summer Time (BST) Hyde Park will not take place this year, as the ongoing coronavirus pandemic claims another UK summer staple.
The festival, which was to take place over two weeks from 2 to 12 July, was set to feature headline acts including Post Malone, Little Mix, Kendrick Lamar, Pearl Jam, Taylor Swift and Duran Duran.
The cancellation follows that of All Points East festival, which was called off at the end of March.
“It is with great sadness that we have made the difficult decision to cancel BST Hyde Park 2020,” reads a statement from organisers.
“After closely following government actions and statements during the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as consulting with our partners The Royal Parks and wider agencies, we have concluded that this is the only possible outcome.”
“It is with great sadness that we have made the difficult decision to cancel BST Hyde Park 2020”
Ticketholders will contacted by ticketing agencies by 6 May with information on the refund process.
“We look forward to welcoming you back in 2021 and will be in touch about plans soon. In the meantime, please follow the advice and stay safe,” state organisers.
This year was to be the eighth outing for BST Hyde Park, combining two weekend of music with free-to-access midweek events. Over the years, BST has seen performances from acts including the Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, Celine Dion, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, the Cure, Black Sabbath and Barbra Streisand.
Other UK events to be called off this summer due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic include Glastonbury Festival, Isle of Wight Festival, Download, Lovebox, Parklife, Womad, Cambridge Folk Festival, Country to Country Festival, Radio One’s Big Weekend and Edinburgh Fringe Festival, as well as industry conferences including The Great Escape and the Ticketing Professionals Conference.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
All Points East 2020 cancelled
AEG has announced the cancellation of its London festival All Points East, which was due to take place across two weekends in May.
The 40,000-capacity festival, which has taken place for the past two year’s in London’s Victoria Park, was this year set to be headlined by Tame Impala, Kraftwerk, Massive Attack, Bombay Bicycle Club and the Kooks, with a final headliner yet to be announced.
Other acts scheduled to appear at the 2020 event included Loyle Carner, Caribou, Thom Yorke, Iggy Pop and the Wombats.
“Following the daily escalating developments in the Covid-19 pandemic, we have made the difficult decision that All Points East 2020 will be cancelled. The decision was made following a constant review of recent government actions and statements, and after further consultation with key partners and agencies it is clear that we are unable to guarantee the safety and wellbeing of those working at and attending the event,” reads a statement from organisers.
“Safety always comes first and what is happening across the world clearly takes precedent and there was simply no alternative”
As well as the ongoing “enforced period of social isolation” in the UK, the government has announced that emergency services will not be available to support major events. Organisers say they are conscious not to cause “any distraction” for the country’s national health service.
“We have a responsibility to our staff, fans, event workers, suppliers and sponsors and for this reason, we felt compelled to seek answers to all our questions before making this final decision. However, safety always comes first and what is happening across the world clearly takes precedent and there was simply no alternative.”
Fans will be contacted by the ticketing company they bought from about the refund process. Organisers urge fans to get in touch with ticketers directly if they have not heard anything by 9 April.
All Points East, which won the New Gig on the Block Award (best new event) at this year’s Arthur Awards, debuted in 2018 to a “phenomenal” response, after AEG was awarded a five-year exclusive on the use of east London’s Victoria Park. It follows a similar format to AEG’s successful BST event in Hyde Park, combining two weekends of music with a BST-style free-to-access midweek offering.
The All Points East team “will be back with plans for 2021 shortly”.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
AEG partners with Festicket for UK festivals
Festicket has signed a deal to become an official ticketing and travel package partner for the 2020 editions of AEG Presents’ All Points East and British Summer Time (BST) Hyde Park.
The festival travel marketplace will provide exclusive transport packages and official tickets to All Points East, which will be headlined by Tame Impala and Kraftwerk, among others, across two weekends in May.
The ticketing company, which has raised almost US$30 million in funding since launching in 2012, is also among official ticket sellers and travel package providers for BST Hyde Park, which takes place from 3 to 12 July with performances from Little Mix, Pearl Jam and Taylor Swift.
Jim King, CEO European Festivals, AEG Presents comments: “We’re excited to be announcing Festicket as a partner. They’ve built a strong audience base and a dynamic marketing offering which complements our wider ticketing strategy.”
“Festicket has built a strong audience base and a dynamic marketing offering which complements our wider ticketing strategy”
“We’re delighted to be working with such a prestigious promoter in AEG Presents, and with American Express presents BST Hyde Park and All Points East in particular,” adds Greg Holmes, commercial director at Festicket.
“We’re really excited to show what the Festicket platform can do for fans, streamlining their usual booking process, reducing stress and ultimately allowing them to enjoy the event to its fullest.”
The AEG events join Festicket festival partners including Coachella, Tomorrowland and Reading and Leeds. Last year, Festicket acquired ticketing and cashless payments platform Event Genius, which works with events such as BPM Festival, Ibiza Rocks and Summer Daze.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
APE announces Tame Impala in UK exclusive
All Points East today (19 November) made its first line-up reveal for 2020, announcing Tame Impala as a UK-exclusive headliner on Saturday 23 May.
It will be the Australian psych-pop titans’ only British show of the year, and follow the February release of their fourth studio album, and first in five years, The Slow Rush. The Kevin Parker-led outfit headlined Coachella this April, and followed it up with a headline performance at the O2 in London in June and two sold-out shows at New York’s Madison Square Garden in August.
Tame Impala (pictured) released their latest single, the Supertramp-influenced ‘It Might Be Time’, in October.
Also playing All Points East on 23 May is Canadian composer-producer Caribou, who breaks his silence to perform his first new music in five years, and electro-indie heroes Glass Animals, who similarly returned recently with a new single, ‘Tokyo Drifting’.
Other performers include Whitney, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, Kelly Lee Owens and Holy F, with more to be announced.
All Points East is Tame Impala’s only UK show in 2020
The line-up reveal comes as charity Attitude is Everything recognises All Points East for its commitment to accessibility, awarding the festival its ‘silver status’. Fellow AEG Presents-promoted festival, British Summer Time (BST) Hyde Park, received the charity’s top gold status accolade earlier this year.
In addition to existing pre-bookable viewing platforms, hearing induction loops, designated entrance lanes and dedicated access customer service teams, All Points East is this year implementing Recite Me software to improve accessibility on its website.
The 40,000-capacity All Points East debuted to a “phenomenal” response in 2018, after AEG was awarded a five-year exclusive on the use of east London’s Victoria Park. It follows a similar format to AEG/Goldenvoice’s successful BST event in Hyde Park, combining two weekends of music with a BST-style free-to-access midweek offering, All Points East In the Neighbourhood.
The 2019 line-up included the Chemical Brothers, Hot Chip and Primal Scream (24 May), the Strokes, the Raconteurs and Interpol (25 May), Christine and the Queens, James Blake and Metronomy (26 May), Bring Me the Horizon and Run the Jewels (31 May), Bon Iver (2 June) and many more.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.