Ed Sheeran’s groundbreaking tour stops in South Asia have helped pave the way for other artists to visit the region, promoter Simon Jones tells IQ.

Sheeran, who is represented by agent Jon Ollier of One Fiinix Live, brought his globe-trotting – +–=÷× (Mathematics) Tour to six cities in India between 30 January and 15 February for his biggest-ever run in the country, organised by AEG Presents Asia and BookMyShow Live.

The dates were preceded by the 34-year-old Brit’s bow in Bhutan, where he made history as the first-ever international artist to perform in the Buddhist kingdom on the Himalayas’ eastern edge.

Jones, AEG’s SVP of international touring, details how the latter gig – which took place at the 23,000-cap Changlimithang Stadium in the country’s capital, Thimphu, on 24 January – became a reality.

“We were in a bar in Mumbai with Ed and [manager] Stuart Camp the night before his sold out Mumbai show at Mahalaxmi Race Course last year. And he said that he was having such a great time in India that he wanted to come back properly, and do a full tour; in as many places as possible,” recalls Jones. “Our eyes widened when we realised he was being deadly serious, so we took his word for it, went away and delivered one.”

He adds: “My partner on Ed’s tours in Asia, [newly promoted AEG Presents, Europe and Asia-Pacific president/CEO] Adam Wilkes, had built a new relationship with the Bhutan government and Royal Family, and since Covid they have wanted to open up their country more and become a tourism destination, and they had a strong will to attract some major artists to come and play their country.

“They have significant global ambitions, all whilst maintaining their integrity and remarkable status of the worlds first carbon-negative country. After numerous discussions, we explored the options with them and presented it to Jon Ollier and Stuart Camp.”

“The King of Bhutan said that he wanted Ed to be the first international artist to perform in Bhutan”

Tickets started from US$10, although tourists attending the concert had to pay Bhutan’s Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) – a $100 daily levy designed to help preserve the country’s unique environment and culture.

“There were lots of logistical hurdles the team had to work through to take on something this ambitious,” notes Jones. “The country is the most mountainous country in the world set amongst the Himalayan mountains, but there’s a lot of trust within the team that we knew that we could all collectively pull it off.

“After many months of planning, and once everyone was in market, and the shows were happening, the whole team truly appreciated how much of an important event it was for Bhutan. Everyone was a part of history. The King of Bhutan said that he wanted Ed to be the first international artist to perform in Bhutan, as he shares the same values as Ed, which is a beautiful thing.”

Sheeran continued to break boundaries as the outing switched to India for stops in Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, Shillong and Delhi, playing to more than 120,000 fans. While the singer-songwriter had previously played Mumbai in 2015 and 2017, Jones was convinced a multi-market tour was a viable proposition.

“Wherever Ed wants to go, however unique and ambitious it may sound, we’ll go and deliver it for him, as his partner,” he explains. “This feat had never been done before by an international artist, of this scale with an artist of this magnitude. We were all charting new ground; that’s AEG, Ed and our partners Ashish Hemrajani and Naman Pugalia at BookMyShow [BMS].

“Ed wanted to return as soon as possible after his Mumbai show and to cover as much ground as was feasible. He wanted to take his music to interior India, and we’re glad he did, as the positive impact that the tour has had is going to be felt for a long time. That’s why Stuart Camp and Jon Ollier have been such great partners over the years for us. And also what makes Stuart such a great manager; his unwavering support of Ed’s vision is why he has steered such a successful ship for all of his career, developing so many markets that many other artists do not even think of.”

“We have been hit up by managers and agents asking us how we achieved it, and how they want to replicate it”

Despite hosting the largest stadium shows of the 21st century last month with Coldplay’s two 111,000-cap Music of the Spheres World Tour gigs at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India’s prime minister recently spoke of the country’s need to improve its infrastructure to maximise its concert economy, while BMS’ Hemrajani likened the current state of India’s entertainment framework to building an airline without an airport.

Nevertheless, Hemrajani says Sheeran’s visit shows the India market at-large has “come of age”.

“The success and expanse of the tour puts the spotlight on India as a country where major artists can successfully tour multiple cities, much like in other critical must-play global markets anywhere in the world,” he says.

Jones shares his personal experiences of the challenges involved.

“Bengaluru is a fast developing market, and so is New Delhi, but some way behind Mumbai,” he says. “There is infrastructure in the major cities, but building and trucking an outdoor stadium show in Shillong and outdoor sites in remote cities like Chennai, is unfathomably challenging. You can’t easily get replacement parts for when things go wrong, and you can’t very easily come across additional expertise. So when you’re faced with issues, you need a very flexible and understanding artist team, which thankfully Ed’s team are, and also a very equipped promoter and partner team, which our AEG and BMS teams are.

“With all of that said, there were many recces undertaken to ensure we were as prepared as possible with the best possible team working on it.”

He continues: “I see many artists wanting to take the leap into playing multi-city interior India tours, now that Ed has paved the way showing that it can work. We have been hit up by managers and agents asking us how we achieved it, and how they want to replicate it. It’s all positive.”

“In Shillong, India, there were so many challenges thrown at us, some that threatened to derail the entire show”

The Arthur Award-winning promoter, who namechecks colleagues Shine Zhou (VP, AEG Presents Asia), Bryan Mosko (tour director) and Dan Mosley (head of production) for their “tireless” efforts on the shows, ranks the Bhutan and Shillong dates – the latter of which saw Sheeran draw close to 30,000 fans to Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium – among his career highlights.

“The stadium shows in Bhutan and in Shillong will both be a core memory for me for decades to come,” he says. “I sent many messages to people dropping a pin of my location to show exactly how remote these shows were.

“The Bhutan stadium show was emotional for many reasons not just because of the crescendo of how much work had gone in by everyone on our collective teams to make happen, but primarily because of how plainly obvious how important the show was for the country and its future.

“And in Shillong, India, there were so many challenges thrown at us, some that threatened to derail the entire show, and the collective will to ensure the show happened, made for an ever more special show. I think I have aged ten years in the past three weeks!”

The – +–=÷× Tour also encompassed six sell-out shows in Hangzhou from 24 February-2 March – marking Sheeran’s first visit to mainland China in a decade, which wrapped up last night. Next, he heads to the Middle East for dates at the inaugural Off-Limits Festival in Abu Dhabi (26 April), Lusail Multipurpose Hall in Doha, Qatar (30 April) and Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre in Sakhir, Bahrain (2 May), prior to a catalogue of European gigs from May to August.

Last year saw the hitmaker set multiple ticket sales records the world over, with destinations including Bahrain, the UAE, India, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Baltic States, Malta, Romania and Cyprus.

“It’s something that he’s always wanted to do,” Ollier told IQ in late 2024. “It’s a gift we’ve been given to be able to do it, because not a lot of people can go and play all of those places. We have to plan these things years in advance and potentially doing it right in the midst of the cost of living crisis and war in Europe and all the rest of it, was incredibly challenging.

“If we’d have had more foresight, you’d perhaps sidestep these things, but we went and did it and it was a great success. It is key to his vision, because he wants to get as far and wide and visit as many fans as he possibly can.”

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Semmel Concerts and RCI Global have expanded the Hans Zimmer Live tour with additional shows in Australia and Asia.

Tickets for the Australian leg went on presale on 11 February and all 50,000 tickets were sold out within 24 hours. The five-date arena tour will kick off on 24 April at Brisbane Entertainment Centre, visiting Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney for two nights, and Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne for two.

Hans Zimmer Live will then travel to Asia for five dates in May: Asia World-Expo in (Hong Kong), Inspire Arena (Seoul, South Korea), Pia Arena MM (Yokohama-Shi, Japan), IG Arena (Nagoya, Japan) and Etihad Arena (Abu Dhabi).

The multiple Academy Award and Grammy-winning Zimmer, his 19-piece band and the orchestra will perform a selection of the composer’s scores from some of cinema’s biggest films.

Zimmer says these performances are the last opportunity for fans to see this particular tour

The newly arranged concert suites include music from Gladiator, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Dark Knight, Interstellar, The Lion King, The Last Samurai and Dune, for which Zimmer received his second Academy Award.

Zimmer says these performances are the last opportunity for fans to see this particular tour before he begins working on his brand-new live production Hans Zimmer Live – The Next Level, which will comprise 50 shows between October 2025 and April 2026.

“It’s a new tour, a new show, a new concept,” Semmel Concerts’ Oliver Rosenwald told IQ last year. “It will not be even similar to that what you have seen or experienced before, and I’m 100% sure that everybody will love it. I really hope we will surprise and delight our customers with this one.”

Earlier this year, Zimmer extended his record-breaking North American tour with five additional dates in Austin, Nashville, Columbus (OH), Brooklyn and Baltimore.

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Electric Daisy Carnival’s (EDC) debut in Thailand over the weekend was marred by the suspected drug-related deaths of two foreign visitors.

The two male victims – a 32-year-old American and 28-year-old Canadian – were taken to hospital after reportedly collapsing in separate incidents at the Insomniac-helmed dance music festival in Phuket’s Thalang District on Saturday (18 January), but were later pronounced dead.

According to the Bangkok Post, initial tests to establish the causes of the fatalities were inconclusive, with further examinations due to be carried out.

Held from 17-19 January at Boat Avenue Lakefront, EDC Phuket included acts such as The Chainsmokers, Skrillex, Gorgon City, Fisher, Afrojack, Nicky Romero, Meduza and Tiësto.

Three people were also reportedly arrested for possessing and/or using narcotics at the event after police stepped up security measures in the wake of the deaths. EDC organisers are yet to comment.

“We received a report from the department, where all who died had drugs in their blood”

EDC Mexico is set to take place from 21-23 February in Mexico City, while the brand’s flagship EDC Las Vegas will return to the US from 16-18 May.

Elsewhere, four people died last month after attending New Year’s Eve music festival Pinkfish Countdown 2024 in Selangor, Malaysia. They are believed to have taken ecstasy.

“We received a report from the department, where all who died had drugs in their blood and it has been referred to the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre [UMMC] to get the full report,” Subang Jaya assistant commissioner Wan Azlan Wan Mamat told The Star.

Three other people were also taken hospital, including a 30-year-old man who is still being treated at the UMMC.

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Live Nation Middle East will import US-based Asian cultural event MetaMoon Music Festival to Dubai for its first international edition.

Since launching in 2022, the New York City-based festival has centred on Asian talent and entertainment through showcases and industry panels.

The UAE edition is set for 15 February 2025 at Expo City Dubai’s Al Wasl Plaza (cap. 60,000), with South Korea-based singer-songwriter Henry Lau and singer-rapper Lee Young Ji to headline the event.

“Live Nation Middle East is proud to partner with MetaMoon to bring this unique celebration of Asian pop culture to Dubai,” says James Craven, president of Live Nation Middle East.

“The UAE is a vibrant and diverse region and this event is a perfect reflection of the incredible cultural exchange we aim to foster through music and entertainment. We are thrilled to debut such an exceptional lineup of talent, and we look forward to creating unforgettable memories for fans in the Middle East.”

Other featured artists include singer-songwriter mikah, dancer MT Pop, and American DJ and radio veteran Poon; rapper and comedian MC Jin will host.

“We are excited to be debuting an incredible lineup of Asian talent for their first appearances ever in the region”

MetaMoon founder Grace Chen says the expansion is helping deliver Asian talent to new fanbases worldwide.

“Our partnership with Live Nation Middle East to bring MetaMoon to Dubai signifies our commitment to introducing Asian artists and pop culture to new fans while giving existing fans a chance to see their favorite artists live,” Chen said in a statement.

“We are excited to be debuting an incredible lineup of Asian talent for their first appearances ever in the region and for what will be an entertaining evening for fans.”

Asian-focused events are increasingly going global. KCON, the world’s biggest K-pop fest, expanded to Hong Kong alongside Japan, the US, Europe and Saudi Arabia last year, while touring festival series Waterbomb launched in seven new markets in 2024.

Plans were recently revealed to bring a multi-day, 15,000-capacity Made in Korea festival to London this year.

A September study by Live Nation revealed the Asia Pop genre was skyrocketing across Oceania: “Asia Pop has transcended its niche status and exploded into mainstream fandom, fostering deep connections between fans and artists through social content, dance and fashion to name a few,” said Wenona Lok, Asia Pop promoter and talent buyer at Live Nation Australasia.

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Live Nation is set to launch its first live music venue in Southeast Asia, with a new multi-purpose facility planned for Singapore.

The 3,000-cap Grange Road music hall will feature multiple rooms and stages – and will host both developing and established global talent, as well as local artists.

The project is a partnership between Live Nation and Lendlease Global Commercial REIT (LREIT), supported by Singapore Tourism Board.

“Live Nation is pleased to expand the live music market in Singapore with the new venue.” says Greg Gillin, SVP of venue development, Live Nation Asia.

As noted in IQ Magazine‘s recent Spotlight.. on Singapore feature, buildings in the 1,000-to-5,000-capacity range are currently rare in the territory, meaning that most international acts below arena level do not visit.

“We’ve got a lot of small venues and one or two larger venues. And in between, there’s really nothing between 5,000 and 6,000 capacity,” said Steven Woodward of Midas Promotions. “It’s recognised as a problem, but it’s very hard to deal with, especially in a land-scarce area like Singapore.”

“It is exciting to see Live Nation and LREIT’s commitment”

An opening date is yet to be confirmed for the venue, which will also serve as a community asset with a café and bar that can be utilised as a smaller event space, capable of hosting meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions, and community events.

“It is exciting to see Live Nation and LREIT’s commitment to developing the Grange Road event space as Asia’s first flagship entertainment venue along the iconic Orchard Road,” says Jean Ng, assistant chief executive, experience development group for Singapore Tourism Board.

“This initiative will contribute significantly to the ongoing rejuvenation of Orchard Road, expand the lifestyle offerings in the precinct and boost its attractiveness to locals and visitors. By working closely with our industry partners, we are cementing Orchard Road’s position as a must-visit lifestyle destination, while affirming Singapore’s reputation as the region’s live entertainment capital.”

Kelvin Chow, CEO of LREIT, adds: “This is also a great opportunity for us to play a part in Orchard Road’s rejuvenation by injecting a live entertainment venue in a world class shopping street. We are excited to see our partnership with Live Nation and STB come to fruition when the multi-functional event space is completed.”

Last week, Live Nation announced the launch of South Africa’s largest dedicated live entertainment space, The Dome, which is set to open in Johannesburg in January 2025. Its acquisition of Lisbon’s MEO Arena in Portugal was also confirmed last month.

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Spilt Works managing director Archie Hamilton has spoken to IQ about the future of international acts performing in China.

Founded in 2006, Split Works has enjoyed a long-standing reputation as a pioneer in importing international performers to China, organising tours for Sonic Youth, Death Cab for Cutie, Grimes and Ghostface Killah.

Nowadays, Hamilton’s focus is on artist development in order to “build bridges between Asia and the West” via his booking agency Scorched – no easy task given China’s strict policies for international artists.

Chinese authorities will often require foreign artists to submit set lists and song lyrics before getting approval to tour – and even then acts are often unsuccessful.

However, this looked set to change last month when infamous rapper Kanye West was granted rare approval for two “listening parties” at the Wuyuanhe Stadium in Haikou.

The sold-out stadium gigs, which drew 70,000 people, marked Ye’s first performances in the East Asian country in 16 years – in which time the government’s tolerance for Western artists less divisive than him rapidly diminished.

“China likes stable, bankable stuff that’s not going to upset the apple cart and Kanye is about as firebrand as you could be”

In 2017, Justin Bieber was barred from China because of his reputation as a “badly behaved entertainer” while, in 2016, Lady Gaga’s entire repertoire was reportedly forbidden after she met the Dalai Lama.

More recently, Chinese authorities clamped down on hip-hop, blacklisting songs and dropping rappers from shows. Its media regulator banned Chinese television from featuring “actors with tattoos or depictions of hip-hop culture, subculture and immoral culture”.

“China likes stable, bankable stuff that’s not going to upset the apple cart and Kanye is about as firebrand as you could be,” Hamilton tells IQ.

“There was some excitement about the concert happening because it’s the first time in a while there’s been a big international stadium show – one of the last [successful] ones I can remember is Linkin Park in 2016. Plus there wasn’t a lot of preamble [ahead of the concert]. It just sort of happened. And no one knows who promoted the show. It was just really obscure.”

The show reportedly took in 51 million yuan ($7.3 million) in ticket sales and generated close to 373 million yuan (€47.2m) in total tourism revenue for the city. But its success doesn’t necessarily mean all Chinese cities will follow in the footsteps of Haikou.

As Hamilton points out, Haikou, the capital of the island province of Hainan, is somewhat of an outlier in China.

The island is one of seven Special Economic Zones (SEZ) in the country, which benefits from a separate administration, liberal economic laws and enhanced infrastructure support among other things.

“Kanye’s show was a bit of a shot in the arm after a pretty bleak year for the Chinese live market”

“The local government seems to be willing to support [concerts] from a financial standpoint and also from a permitting standpoint,” he explains. “Permits are obviously difficult to obtain in China and always have been. Given Hainan’s status as a SEZ, I think it wants to try and flex a bit of muscle and show that it can be different to the rest of the mainland.”

With its tropical climate, beach resorts and five-star hotels, Hainan also benefits from a reputation as the ‘Hawaii of China’ and a healthy influx of tourists.

“Given the challenges of travel for a lot of Chinese people who don’t necessarily have passports and money, it’s a huge destination,” Hamilton adds.

The downside of Hainan is the absence of a local audience, continues Hamilton, which perhaps explains why 95% of attendees at Ye’s show travelled from outside the island.

“It’ll be interesting to see if there’s any kind of follow-through,” he muses. “Often in China, when there’s a big moment, everyone jumps in and gets excited. But after that, people will get hopelessly over-invested and then kind of implode or explode, or just wither on the vine.”

Though Hamilton is doubtful that Ye’s concert in Hainan will kickstart a trend with international artists flocking to China, there’s no denying it’s piqued interest.

“I’ve already had three or four requests from Hainan since the concert – there is definitely more attention,” he reveals. “Kanye’s show was a bit of a shot in the arm after a pretty bleak year for the Chinese live market.

“As with any market, if artists are willing and available to put the time in, they’ll reap what they sow”

“There was a push for international artists in early ’24 but it was all really disappointing because the internet just isn’t set up for those artists,” he explains.

Indeed, the Communist Party is known to control the flow of art and content from foreign producers, and strictly censor domestic publications, performances and social media postings.

“There’s been a requirement for TV and platforms and stuff to focus on promoting and investing in domestic talent predominantly so the international stuff just gets marginalised,” Hamilton adds.

“An artist that can sell 500 tickets in China can probably sell 1,500 tickets in the West or anywhere else,” the Split Works co-founder adds. “Artists that can sell 5,000 tickets in China could probably sell 20,000 tickets anywhere else.”

However, international artists who have consistently invested in the market have reaped the rewards.

“We’ve got three arena shows with Cigarettes After Sex in March of next year that are just about to go on sale,” he continues. “That’s a band that we built from 500 capacity to arena level right in seven years – though it would have been shorter without Covid. They worked hard on coming early and coming regularly.

“We also brought Honne through twice in the last two years. They played nine cities, three festivals, six hard ticket shows and the money is pretty good, I would argue. But again, Honne started working in the market in 2017. So it’s been an eight-year cycle of investment in platforms and channels, and speaking to fans and doing collaborations and coming to the market regularly.”

Other Western stars that have recently visited the market – or are planning to visit soon – include Mariah Carey, John Legend and Charlie Puth.

Hamilton concludes: “As with any market, if artists are willing and available to put the time in, they’ll reap what they sow.”

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Clockenflap co-founder and head of music Justin Sweeting says the Hong Kong promoter has had its strongest year yet in terms of headline shows as it prepares for the return of its flagship festival next month.

The Magnetic Asia MD, who organises regular touring concerts in the region under the Clockenflap Presents banner, credits regional Asian talent with leading the charge, but notes to IQ there has been a cooling of the market from its post-Covid boom period.

“That peak has dipped now and we do see a general correction happening in recent times. So we’re very conscious, and as ever, highly selective about what we take on,” he says. “Hong Kong has always been a city in transition, and recent demographic shifts along with the general economic outlook and rising cost of living does for sure have knock on effects on our business.”

Sweeting lists shows by the likes of Slowdive, Ado, Girl In Red, Zutomayo, Parcels, Travis Japan, Explosions In The Sky, Yussef Dayes, Domi and JD Beck as 2024 highlights. However, the sector suffered a blow with the closure of the KITEC (Kowloon Bay International Trade & Exhibition Centre) earlier this year. The complex housed the 3,600-cap Music Zone, which hosted acts such as Tom Odell and Laufey.

“The major challenge of late has been venue availability, with a key venue hub – KITEC – closing down and leaving a void of spaces across various scales, which has yet to be filled. But there are new venues coming next year, along with the Kai Tak Sports Park, which will include stadium and arena options, all of which will provide much needed options and should put HK back on the map again for artists of various profiles.”

Kai Tak Sports Park, which will be operated by ASM Global, will be a new landmark for large-scale sports and entertainment in Hong Kong, featuring the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium with a retractable roof, the 10,000-cap Kai Tak Arena and the  5,000-cap Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground.

Coldplay will play three sold-out nights at the stadium – their first shows in Hong Kong since 2009 – next April as part of the Asia leg of their 2025 Music of the Spheres World Tour.

“We have a slew of fantastic headline shows coming in the next few months”

Live Nation acquired a majority stake in Clockenflap and its flagship music and arts festival last year.

Founded in 2008, the three-day, 30,000-cap event is one of Asia’s best-known festival brands. Its 2024 edition is set for Hong Kong’s Central Harbourfront from 29 November to 1 December, headlined by Jack White – who will be making his debut performance in Hong Kong – Air and Central Cee.

Also on the bill are the likes of St Vincent, Jamie xx, Suede, Glass Animals, Banks, Wisp, Serrini, Carl Wong And The Hats On Band ft Jer Lau, The Black Skirts, Misi Ke, Hiperson, Ena Mori and Turtle Island, Mother Mother, Porter Robinson, Fat Dog, A-Trak, Sim0ne, Partiboi69 and Dave Clarke.

“We’ve just announced our full lineup so it’s full steam ahead,” says Sweeting. “We’re looking forward to welcoming everyone through our gates come 29 November for another three days of solid gold goodness under the city’s neon skyline.”

Outside of the festival, Sweeting says the firm has “much more in the pipeline”.

“We have a slew of fantastic headline shows coming in the next few months: Yoasobi, Hyukoh & Sunset Rollercoaster, Cigarettes After Sex, Milet, Aurora, Mogwai and a collaboration between Ichiko Aoba and the HK Philharmonic, to name but a few.”

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Olivia Rodrigo delivered the largest concert of her career on Saturday night during the Philippines stop of her arena outing, the Guts World Tour.

The Filipina-American singer delivered a sold-out show to the 55,000-capacity Philippine Arena, the world’s largest indoor arena located 30 km (18.6 mi) outside of the capital city of Manila.

The 21-year-old plans to donate all profits from the concert – her first in the Philippines – to Jhpiego, an international nonprofit organisation providing healthcare for women and families.

The Johns Hopkins University-affiliated initiative provides access to reproductive healthcare, infectious disease prevention, and immunizations, operating across more than 40 countries including the Philippines.

“I’m SO stoked that all the net ticket sales from last night could be donated to @jhpiego through my fund 4 good,” Rodrigo wrote on Instagram. “I got to visit the organization while I was in Manila and was so impressed by the work they are doing providing healthcare to women and girls in the Philippines.”

“It was the most special show and the most meaningful trip. To say I’m grateful doesn’t even cut it! Mahal kita [I love you].”

Tickets for the show were sold for PHP 1,500 (£20/$25), with all net proceeds allocated to Rodrigo’s Fund 4 Good, a global initiative to boost women and girls through “direct support of community-based non-profits that champion girls’ education, support reproductive rights and prevent gender-based violence”. The reduced ticket price supported her Silver Star programme to increase affordability and access to the tour while sustaining the Fund 4 Good.

“It was the most special show and the most meaningful trip. To say I’m grateful doesn’t even cut it”

Launching the initiative alongside last year’s tour announcement, Rodrigo has aided local organisations throughout the 99-date venture, which is due to end with eight shows across Melbourne and Syndey later this month. The former Disney actress has partnered with the National Network of Abortion Funds in North America, 600 Canadian women’s shelters, and Women Against Violence Europe across her regional tour legs.

While the arena tour will end this year, Rodrigo is lined up to headline four Latin American festivals in March 2025: Lollapalooza Argentina, Brazil, and Chile and Colombia’s Festival Estéreo Picnic.

The Guts World Tour will soon be visiting homes worldwide as Olivia Rodrigo: Guts World Tour is set to debut on Netflix on 29 October. The concert film was recorded across two performances at Los Angeles’ newest arena, the 18,000-capacity Intuit Dome, in August. The LA-based songwriter performed six nights in LA, with four shows at the Kia Forum (18,000).

“I am so excited to share the Guts World Tour with my fans,” Rodrigo said. “For those of you who didn’t get a chance to rock out in-person, now you can have the best seats in the house! And to the fans who cheered, screamed, and danced with me, I am so glad we get to do it all over again!”

The Live Nation-promoted trek has traversed North America, Europe, and Asia, and will hit Australia on Wednesday (9 October). The singer-songwriter released her critically acclaimed second album GUTS last September, with its support tour beginning in February at Palm Spring’s Acrisure Arena (11,680).

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ICA-Live-Asia president Tommy Jinho Yoon tells IQ he is planning to launch a new festival after working on the debut edition of Summer Sonic Bangkok.

Yoon partnered with promoter Creativeman on the two-day event, which was held from 24-25 August at the 12,000-cap Impact Challenger Hall in Muang Thong Thani, Thailand.

Headlined by OneRepublic and Lauv, the lineup included further overseas stars such as Laufey, Aurora, Suede and Nothing But Thieves. Ticket prices ranged from 3,500 (€89) to 11,000 (€278) for a one-day pass, and 6,500 (€164) to 20,000 (€506) for two-day entry.

“Summer Sonic Bangkok 2024 went extremely well, especially with it being its first year in Bangkok,” says Yoon. “This was the very first time Summer Sonic was officially licensed anywhere outside of Japan.”

Aside from numerous upcoming headline shows throughout the continent, Yoon reveals his company has a brand-new event in Seoul, South Korea, in the offing – the name of which will be confirmed shortly.

Yoon is also international artist programmer for Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival – the first major festival of its type to be established in Korea back in 1999 – plus Yoursummer and Legend of the Guardian Festival.

He launched US-based ICA to cater to the growing demand for live events in Korea, China, Asia and the Philippines, and created a mini-Asian tour for Britpop icons Suede, taking in KBS Arena in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, and Zepp Kuala Lumpur, alongside their slot at Summer Sonic Bangkok.

“Most territories in Asia have limitations on how high ticket prices can go”

“They did extremely well in Seoul, selling out, and also had a great performance at our festival in Bangkok, but faced some difficulties in Kuala Lumpur,” explains Yoon. “Like Europe, territories in Asia differ, and international artists have specific markets that work for them and others that don’t.

“To put it simply, the overall market for international artists in Asia is generally positive at the moment. We anticipate even more positive outcomes as the market continues to expand.”

According to Yoon, current challenges include increased competition among promoters in the region, “leading to bidding wars and higher artist fees”.

“Most territories in Asia have limitations on how high ticket prices can go,” he continues. “For example, in Korea, there is no concept of overpriced or high-priced VIP tickets. On the opportunity side, the international music scene is becoming more mainstream, with audiences expecting more shows and tours to enter the market. Ticket sales are generally reflecting these positive trends.”

And Yoon, who hosted a panel on K-pop at last year’s International Live Music Conference (ILMC) in London, says there are few signs of the phenomenon dying down any time soon.

“K-pop is still going strong globally and has expanded even further on a global scale,” he adds. “On the domestic scene, it has diminished slightly. But with foreigners entering Korea and becoming the primary ticket buyers, the market remains strong.”

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Singapore’s live music sector has been boosted by the arrival of a new mid-size, multi-purpose arena.

Arena @ EXPO (Hall 7) opened earlier this year and offers a capacity of 6,700 (4,200 standing/2,500 seated), with plans for future expansion.

Located within the Singapore Expo convention hall, the “plug in and play” venue has already hosted shows by acts including Melanie Martinez, Riize, Wilber Pan and Radwimps.

Operator Constellar says the concert hall is designed to meet the growing demand for mid-sized gigs ranging from 3,000 to 6,000 fans.

“Arena @ EXPO steps in to fill this crucial gap, providing a concert space that is tailored to meet the needs of artists, both local and international,” the company’s VP, sales (venues), Ng Sim Lim tells M&C Asia.

“We know versatility and scalability are now key considerations”

“We know versatility and scalability are now key considerations. The seating arrangements at Arena @ EXPO are adaptable to accommodate a range of audience sizes starting from a few hundred up to 6,700, with options for full seating or partial free-standing configurations.

“Our modular infrastructure and furnishings are also designed for concerts of any scale and are highly customisable, allowing the same space to be tailored to the unique needs of each event. This means that concert organisers can consider booking the venue for diverse music genres or specific event requirements like fan meet-and-greets.”

Upcoming concerts at the venue include Laufey, Regine Velasquez and The Kid Laroi.

At arena level, the go-to venue for overseas artists has traditionally been the 15,000-cap Singapore Indoor Stadium, which has hosted NCT Dream and Conan Gray, among others, in 2024. Olivia Rodrigo, Tomorrow x Together, Lany, Stray Kids, Fujii Kaze and Dua Lipa are lined up to perform before the end of the year.

As per IQ‘s Global Arena Guide, earlier this year, the government announced plans to replace the venue as part of the its plan to transform the Kallang Alive Precinct around the Sports Hub.

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