BBC invests in immersive live events firm
The BBC’s investment arm BBC Ventures has invested £500,000 (€590,263) in Bristol-based immersive live events specialist Condense.
Over the past year, BBC Radio 1’s New Music Show with Jack Saunders has worked in partnership with Condense to host a series of immersive live gigs with artists such as Gardna, Charlotte Plank and Sam Tompkins.
The concerts have taken place in a virtual venue called The New Music Portal, where artists’ performances are captured and live-streamed as “true-to-life” video, and fans can join as an avatar on their mobile or laptop and move around the venue like a video game.
“The New Music Portal enables the BBC to bring the best of our performances to younger audiences who are increasingly spending time in these sorts of game-like online environments,” says Jeremy Walker, head of BBC Ventures.
“In fact, they’ve already seen massively popular music events in spaces like Fortnite – young people in their millions have gone to online concerts from megastars like Travis Scott, Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande.”
“The New Music Portal enables the BBC to bring the best of our performances to younger audiences”
The BBC says that, by using Condense’s technology, it can give artists access to this technology at a much earlier stage of their career.
Sam Tompkins, whose performance in The New Music Portal was his first in a virtual environment, said: “The more that this technology moves on, the more we’re going to get closer to that live experience and I think that’s so special. This is a much more accessible way for people to hear live music and I’m all for that.”
BBC Ventures is planning to explore other ways to use Condense technology to bring live and immersive experiences to audiences in areas such as sport, education and news.
Nick Fellingham, Condense CEO, adds: “This partnership positions BBC audiences at the very forefront of the evolution of what it means to be a music fan in an age where people all over the world can now come together in-game to experience live music. You can attend a gig with your cousin who lives hundreds of miles away and share a real moment with your favourite artist through the New Music Portal.”
Founded in 2019, Condense technology is powered by volumetric video, allowing clients to create 3D content instantly and live-stream to mobile, PC, web, consoles, VR and AR.
The firm has previously partnered with telecommunications company BT, Crack Magazine and brand builder Diageo.
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.
BBC plans longest Glastonbury celebration yet
The BBC is to provide six weeks of build-up and coverage of Glastonbury 2024 in its longest celebration of the festival yet.
The festival’s exclusive broadcast partner has announced it will run content from 3 June to 14 July across TV, BBC iPlayer, radio and BBC Sounds.
New additions for this year include Glastonbury Channel II, BBC iPlayer’s new companion stream to The Glastonbury Channel Live, which will round-up highlights from each day of the festival. Plus, BBC Sounds’ Sidetracked will present a series of weekly Glastonbury specials ahead of the festival, as well as a bonus episode after the event, while Dua Lipa, Coldplay and others will share their Glastonbury stories with viewers in new 30-minute specials for BBC Two.
Coldplay, Dua Lipa and SZA will headline Glastonbury’s 2024 edition, which will take place at Worthy Farm, Somerset, from 26-30 June.
“The BBC’s coverage of Glastonbury is one of the biggest jewels in the BBC’s pop crown and we’re evolving our programming to bring audiences many ways to enjoy the festival across our platforms – it’s their Glastonbury on the BBC.” says BBC director of music Lorna Clarke.
“We’re incredibly proud of our ongoing partnership with the BBC and always look forward to hearing about the exciting developments in their coverage each year”
“This year will see the debut of Glastonbury Channel II, a welcome addition to our multiple BBC iPlayer streams, giving viewers a rolling round-up of the key moments from each day. We’re also proud that for the second year, Pyramid Stage – Signed returns, with performances from Glastonbury’s most iconic stage in British Sign Language, bringing the Glastonbury experience closer to all viewers.
“This is in addition to over 90 hours of live performances from the five main stages on BBC iPlayer, extensive coverage on TV, 90 hours of radio broadcasts live from the festival, plus much more to discover on BBC Sounds – including Sidetracked by Glastonbury, presented by Annie Macmanus and Nick Grimshaw, which will also be available on BBC iPlayer from the first week of June.”
Shania Twain will occupy the coveted Sunday teatime “legend slot” at this year’s festival, which will also include the likes of LCD Soundsystem, PJ Harvey, Little Simz, Burna Boy, Janelle Monáe, Cyndi Lauper, Michael Kiwanuka and Seventeen, who will become the first K-pop act to perform on the Pyramid Stage.
“We’re incredibly proud of our ongoing partnership with the BBC and always look forward to hearing about the exciting developments in their coverage each year,” adds Glastonbury co-organiser Emily Eavis. “I’d like to thank Lorna Clarke, Alison Howe and their team for celebrating our festival so brilliantly and for sharing the special spirit of Glastonbury with an audience far beyond these fields. We’re so looking forward to welcoming them back to Worthy Farm in June.”
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.
BBC exposé uncovers gig security concerns
Concerns have been raised over the safety of UK concert-goers after a BBC investigation found that some security guards have been fraudulently obtaining work licences after attending sham training courses.
An undercover reporter for the broadcaster’s File on 4 podcast discovered that some training companies are offering ‘fast-track’ courses which don’t comply with regulations. The reporter paid extra to finish a mandatory six-day course in a day and a half, thus missing crucial first-aid training.
The report also reveals how candidates are told to falsify time sheets and are given the answers to multiple-choice questions to ensure they pass and enable them to work in arenas, nightclubs and other venues across the UK.
The investigation was prompted by the inquiry into the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, which identified a number of security failures.
“I strongly encourage the SIA to reconsider their current process for accrediting training providers”
Regulator the Security Industry Authority (SIA) told the broadcaster that the findings suggested criminality. It added that it was now working with the organisations which oversee these training companies to further investigate the BBC’s evidence, and would be referring the matter to the police.
Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) CEO Michael Kill expresses his “deep disappointment and concern” over the accounts shared by the BBC, and is urging the SIA to amend its current process.
“The door security sector has, for a considerable period, raised questions concerning security training, from the point of facilitation, accessibility and content. The necessary qualifications for obtaining an SIA License to work within the sector have been overshadowed by a small number of unscrupulous training operators.
“In light of the compelling evidence presented by the BBC today, I strongly encourage the SIA to reconsider their current process for accrediting training providers. This is a pivotal moment to revamp the system and restore public trust in the sector.”
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.
BBC reveals record Glastonbury viewing figures
The BBC has revealed its TV coverage of this year’s Glastonbury festival reached a record-breaking 23.1 million people.
The figures, which include the 30-day catch up period, were up 8% on 2022’s figure of 21.4m, with 8.6m people tuning in to Elton John’s Sunday night headline performance on BBC One over the same period.
Other high-performing sets at the 21-25 June event included Arctic Monkeys, Guns N’ Roses and Yusuf/Cat Stevens, as well as Blondie, Rick Astley, Fred Again.., Foo Fighters, Becky Hill and Lewis Capaldi. Glastonbury 2023 content on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds has also now been streamed 65 million times, up 54% on last year’s figure.
“This was an incredible year at Worthy Farm and I’m proud that we successfully matched the ambition and spirit of this iconic festival with our extensive coverage of it,” says BBC director of music Lorna Clarke.
The BBC, which recently inked a multi-year extension to continue to as Glastonbury’s exclusive multimedia broadcast partner, delivered over 40 hours of coverage across its TV channels in 2023, as well as 85 hours of live radio broadcasts, content on BBC Sounds, and an increase in scale and accessibility on BBC iPlayer.
“It’s wonderful that record audiences discovered and enjoyed our Glastonbury output on TV, radio and online”
For the first time, the corporation also streamed Pyramid Stage performances live in British Sign Language.
“It’s wonderful that record audiences discovered and enjoyed our Glastonbury output on TV, radio and online, as I know the teams across the BBC and BBC Studios worked around the clock to bring more performances and content than ever before to people at home,” adds Clarke. “A special thanks to Emily and Michael Eavis for allowing us to share the joy of Glastonbury with so many people across the UK.”
Glastonbury’s long-term future at Worthy Farm was secured earlier this year after it was granted permanent planning permission by the local council.
The festival will return to Worthy Farm, Somerset, from 26-30 June 2024.
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.
Coronation Concert advert ‘misleading’, says ASA
The UK’s advertising watchdog has ruled that communication on a ballot for tickets to May’s Coronation Concert was “misleading” following complaints from the public.
The 20,000-cap concert was held outside Windsor Castle on 7 May this year in celebration of the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, and featured artists such as Lionel Richie, Take That, Katy Perry, Andrea Bocelli, Nicole Scherzinger and Olly Murs.
BBC Studios was responsible for organising the event and had contracted Ticketmaster UK to administer the public ballot for one of 5,000 pairs of tickets between 10-28 February 2023. Successful entries were drawn at random, with the winning entrants contacted and asked to accept the pair of tickets within 14 days.
Posts on the BBC and Ticketmaster websites stated that tickets were “not being allocated on a first-come first-served basis”.
However, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) launched an investigation after receiving 98 complaints from people who were unable to claim tickets, despite receiving an email saying: “Congratulations, you have been successful in the ballot for a pair of standing tickets to The Coronation Concert.”
It transpired that entrants who received the email had not in fact been successful in securing tickets, but had instead been selected to enter a supplementary round with an additional chance to get tickets.
Additionally, 56 complainants challenged whether claims the tickets would not be allocated on a “first-come first-served basis” were misleading.
“Although there was never any intention to mislead, we accept the ASA’s ruling”
The BBC said that since some tickets remained unallocated following two ballots, it decided to offer the remaining tickets to a third group on a first-come first-served basis due to “time constraints”.
Ticketmaster emailed further entrants on 25 April to claim the remaining tickets, with wording provided by BBC Studios. BBC Studios accepted the email was “not well-worded”, but said that the first two stages of the balloting process were followed, since it congratulated the recipient twice, before explaining that tickets in this supplementary round were being offered on a first-come first-served basis.
The ASA upheld both complaints and told BBC Studios and Ticketmaster UK to ensure future marketing communications “did not misleadingly imply that consumers had been allocated tickets if that was not the case”.
“We also told them to ensure that future marketing communications did not omit relevant material information that tickets would be allocated on a first-come first-served basis,” it added.
A BBC Studios spokesperson says: “Although there was never any intention to mislead, we accept the ASA’s ruling. Following two fully compliant ballots, a small number of unclaimed tickets were offered on a first come first served basis to unsuccessful ballot entrants.
“We also reiterate our apology for a poorly worded email, which implied applicants had already won tickets for The Coronation Concert. We have taken steps to ensure neither situation is repeated and can confirm that no successful ballot entrant from the first two rounds was denied the opportunity to attend the event.”
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.
BBC documentary sheds new light on Pollen collapse
A new documentary has attempted to shed new light on the spectacular collapse of UK-based music, travel and experiences start-up Pollen.
Founded in 2014 by brothers Callum and Liam Negus-Fancey, Pollen organised artist-curated weekenders such as a Bring Me The Horizon festival in Malta, the Unruly Culture Splash Weekender in Croatia with Popcaan, Diplo’s Higher Ground festival in Mexico and Justin Bieber & Friends in Las Vegas. But the firm went bust last summer – just three months after being valued at US$800 million and raising $150m in new funding.
According to a Companies House filing, Pollen’s parent company Streetteam Software Limited owed £75 million (£59.4m unsecured) to creditors when it fell into administration. The group recorded pre-tax losses of £52.4m, £42.7m and £57.4m in 2019, 2020 and 2021, respectively.
“The legacy of the Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the growth model of the group,” said Matt Ingram of London-based administrator Kroll after the firm was appointed to oversee the sale of the London-based firm’s remaining assets.
Now, a new BBC Three documentary, Crashed: $800m Festival Fail, details luxury retreats and parties for staff – one of which reportedly cost $500,000 – which Pollen says were about building a “strong culture and collaboration”.
The documentary says the company began to show signs of trouble in late 2021 when “vendors and hotels were not getting their payments on time”.
It goes on to allege that an estimated 15,000 customers who signed up to a monthly payment plan were double and in some cases triple-charged for their instalment in unauthorised transactions worth $3.2m. Internal documents, seen by BBC Three, suggested the computer code responsible was written by a senior employee at Pollen, tested the day beforehand and then executed manually.
“Tens of millions of dollars has been recovered for creditors and impacted customers through the administration process”
In a statement to the BBC, Pollen confirmed an overcharge happened, but said it was unintentional and due to human error, adding that all affected customers were refunded within two weeks, or accepted a voucher. “No person or company benefited from the mistake,” said the firm.
Nevertheless, of the 259 claimants who responded to the documentary team, all but 10 said they were still waiting for refunds.
A spokesperson for Pollen has since hit back, telling CMU the BBC is “mistaken” in some of its claims.
“The company accepts there was an overcharge, which was an error, admitted to at the time by the employee responsible,” they say. “All customers were refunded or got a voucher; at their discretion. The refunds being referred to in the BBC Three documentary were not related to the overcharge, but due to the company entering administration.
“When a company is unable to pay its debts, it enters administration. However, tens of millions of dollars has been recovered for creditors and impacted customers through the administration process, and more money is still coming in through the sale of company assets.
“95% of customers whose events were due to go ahead post administration have either been refunded or the event has taken place.”
Pollen, which had 316 employees prior to its collapse, raised US$150m in a Series C round in April 2022, only to let over 150 members of staff go in the UK and US a month later. Earlier, it raised over $100m in venture capital funding, while the UK government’s Future Fund also previously invested in the firm.
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.
BBC unveils expanded Glastonbury coverage
The BBC has unveiled full details of its Glastonbury 2023 coverage, revealing it will present more of the festival than ever before – both live and on-demand.
This year’s Glastonbury runs from 21-25 June, headlined by Elton John, Guns N’ Roses and Arctic Monkeys. Other acts on the line-up include Lana Del Rey, Lizzo, The War On Drugs, Chvrches, Lil Nas X, Christine And The Queens, Manic Street Preachers. and Yusuf/Cat Stevens, who has been booked for the coveted Legends Slot.
Queens of the Stone Age, Rick Astley, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Tom Grennan were among the latest additions to the bill announced this week.
The BBC, which will continue to be Glastonbury’s exclusive, multimedia broadcast partner, following a recent multi-year extension, will present more than 40 hours of programming across its television channels as well as over 85 hours of live broadcasts on the BBC’s pop radio networks. It will launch its 2023 coverage with Lauren Laverne’s 6 Music breakfast show live from the Glastonbury gates from 7.30am to 10.30am on Wednesday 21 June.
“Glastonbury 2023 will have even more live coverage from site, including a record number of hours on BBC One,” says BBC director of music Lorna Clarke. “There will be more programming in the lead up, including an updated version of Glastonbury: 50 Years and Counting and more content to discover on BBC Sounds and BBC iPlayer. As always, scale and discovery is at the heart of our BBC Glastonbury coverage.
“We’ve worked in partnership with the BBC since 1997, and they’ve become an incredibly valuable part of what we do at Glastonbury”
“This year we’re proud to deliver over 40 hours of coverage across our TV channels to our audiences, as well as over 85 hours of live radio broadcasts, in addition to content on BBC Sounds. We’ll also be increasing the scale and accessibility of our BBC iPlayer offer, with even more themed and live streams.
“For the first time, we will be streaming Pyramid Stage performances live in British Sign Language, making our coverage more accessible than ever before. Our thanks once again go to Emily and Michael Eavis, for allowing us to bring their treasured festival to so many music fans throughout the weekend and beyond.”
New podcasts, collections and playlists will be available on BBC Sounds and BBC iPlayer will present an expanded, 12-day celebration of the festival, featuring over 40 hours of coverage on BBC iPlayer’s Glastonbury Channel, in addition to streams and classic Glastonbury performances.
“We’ve worked in partnership with the BBC since 1997, and they’ve become an incredibly valuable part of what we do at Glastonbury,” adds festival co-organiser Emily Eavis. “I think we’ve created something really special together and we’re delighted that they’re continuing to evolve their coverage with additions such as streaming Pyramid Stage performances live in British Sign Language. We’re looking forward to welcoming them to the farm in June and here’s to many more Glastonburys together.”
Glastonbury’s long-term future at Worthy Farm was secured earlier this year after it was granted permanent planning permission by the local council.
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.
BBC reveals most-viewed Glastonbury sets
Sets by Paul McCartney and Diana Ross drew the biggest UK TV audiences at this year’s Glastonbury festival, the BBC has revealed.
McCartney’s Saturday night Pyramid Stage headline performance saw him joined by surprise guests Bruce Springsteen and Dave Grohl, in addition to performing a virtual duet with John Lennon.
The former Beatle’s near three-hour set averaged 2.7 million viewers on BBC One and peaked at 3.9m, while Ross’ 75-minute Sunday legend slot had an average audience of 3.1m, peaking at 3.8m.
According to Broadcast, the broadcaster’s coverage of the festival’s Friday night, which saw 20-year-old Billie Eilish becoming Glastonbury’s youngest ever headliner, attracted 1.2m. Its Sunday evening coverage averaged 1.4m prior to Kendrick Lamar’s headline appearance, which garnered 570,000 viewers.
“The BBC provided the ultimate armchair experience of the world’s best-loved festival”
The BBC has also confirmed record breaking figures across its digital platforms for its coverage of the 2022 festival.
Content was streamed 34.1m times on BBC iPlayer, including 23m streams live – the highest on record for a BBC programme brand – and was played 2.3m times on BBC Sounds.
Streams rocketed 116% on BBC iPlayer and 205% on BBC Sounds from the most recent festival in 2019, up from 15.8m and 765,000 respectively.
“The BBC provided the ultimate armchair experience of the world’s best-loved festival this weekend with a dedicated Glastonbury channel on BBC iPlayer, 6 Music’s All Day Glastonbury coverage, performances from the biggest artists on demand on BBC Sounds and over 35 hours of coverage across our TV channels,” says BBC director of music Lorna Clarke.
There were secret sets by the likes of Jack White and George Ezra
Other acts at the 210,000-cap 22-26 June extravaganza included Crowded House, Lorde, Pet Shop Boys, Sam Fender, Megan thee Stallion, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Olivia Rodrigo, Little Simz, Wolf Alice, Glass Animals, Burna Boy, Arlo Parks, Haim, Blossoms, Sigrid, Girl in Red, Charli XCX, Celeste, Wolf Alice, Fontaines DC, Foals, Idles and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. There were also secret sets by the likes of Jack White and George Ezra.
Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis paid tribute to the festival’s long-serving commercial director Robert Richards, who died aged 65 following a short illness, in this year’s official programme.
“I’ll miss him so much,” wrote Eavis. “He should have worked for years and years but he was sadly taken before his time. I am very sad and upset to lose this remarkable man.”
Glastonbury’s scheduled 50th anniversary 2020 edition and 2021 event were both cancelled due to the pandemic. The BAFTA Award-winning Live at Worthy Farm ticketed livestream was staged last year in its place.
The past weekend is believed to have been the UK’s biggest ever for live music, with more than one million people attending concerts.
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.
BBC details ‘most extensive’ Glasto coverage yet
The BBC will present its most extensive coverage of Glastonbury to date when the festival returns after a three-year absence from 22-26 June.
Billie Eilish, Paul McCartney and Kendrick Lamar will headline the Pyramid Stage at this year’s event at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset. Eilish and Lamar are both represented by Wasserman Music, while McCartney works with Marshall Arts.
Other acts will include Diana Ross, Crowded House, Lorde, Pet Shop Boys, Sam Fender, Megan thee Stallion, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Olivia Rodrigo, Little Simz, Wolf Alice, Glass Animals, Burna Boy, Arlo Parks, Haim, Blossoms, Sigrid, Girl in Red, Charli XCX, Celeste, Wolf Alice, Fontaines DC, Foals, Idles and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. Set times were released this week and can be viewed here.
BBC Music will present the festival across TV, radio, BBC Sounds, BBC iPlayer and online, with Glastonbury 2022 marking the first time the BBC has broadcast any music event in Ultra High Definition. Sets from the Pyramid Stage will be shown live in UHD on BBC iPlayer on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with key performances and a special programme featuring highlights from the Pyramid Stage available on demand in UHD after the event.
“I’m looking forward to Worthy Farm being filled with thousands of people once again”
“It’s a joy to have the BBC and its brilliant team back and broadcasting live from Glastonbury for the first time since 2019 – continuing a special partnership that’s been evolving since 1997,” says festival co-organiser Emily Eavis. “I’m looking forward to Worthy Farm being filled with thousands of people once again and for millions more around the country being able to enjoy performances from our stellar line-up, courtesy of the BBC, wherever they are.”
Glastonbury’s scheduled 50th anniversary 2020 edition and 2021 event were both cancelled due to the pandemic. The BAFTA Award-winning Live at Worthy Farm ticketed livestream was staged last year in its place.
The BBC’s celebration of Glastonbury 2022 will begin earlier than in previous years, including the broadcast of new documentary Glastonbury: 50 Years & Counting in the days leading up to the festival. BBC iPlayer’s dedicated Glastonbury channel launches on Thursday 23 June.
“Our coverage this year will be our most extensive to date”
“I’m very proud of the BBC’s long history of broadcasting from Glastonbury, the highlight of our summer of live music,” says BBC director of music Lorna Clarke. “Our coverage this year will be our most extensive to date, with over 35 hours of programming across BBC One, Two, Three and Four, and over 40 hours on BBC iPlayer – in addition to digital live streams from the five biggest festival stages.
“We’ll also have wall-to-wall coverage on the BBC’s pop radio networks and BBC Sounds – with over 60 hours of broadcasts from the festival itself.”
In January, Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis led tributes to the festival’s long-serving commercial director Robert Richards, who died aged 65 following a short illness.
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.
Roundhouse announces BBC’s Lorna Clarke as trustee
London’s Roundhouse has announced BBC pop controller Lorna Clarke as a new trustee.
The 3,000-cap Camden venue and charity works with thousands of young creatives each year through music, performance, broadcast and digital projects in its in-house Roundhouse Studios.
Clarke is the BBC’s controller of pop music, with responsibility for national music networks BBC Radio 1, Radio 2, 6 Music, Radio 1Xtra, Asian Network) as well as live events, music television commissioning and the visualisation team.
“I’m thrilled that I am now a trustee of the Roundhouse, one of London’s leading creative hubs and iconic performance venues,” she says. “I look forward to playing my role in the future of the charity.”
“I have no doubt that Lorna’s wealth of experience will help us thrive in the coming months and years”
Bringing more than 30 years of broadcasting experience, Clarke previously worked with the venue when she was director of Electric Proms, which were hosted at the Roundhouse between 2006-2010, with performances from artists including Dame Shirley Bassey, James Brown, Oasis, Robbie Williams, Dizzee Rascal and Paul McCartney.
“I’m delighted to welcome Lorna to the board of trustees at the Roundhouse,” adds Roundhouse chair Simon Turner. ” We’re entering an incredibly exciting period as we emerge from the pandemic and expand our creative offer for young people. I have no doubt that Lorna’s wealth of experience will help us thrive in the coming months and years.”
Upcoming concerts at the venue include Sons of Kemet, Pale Waves, The Cribs, Sparks, Celeste, Ride and Girl in Red.
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.