ESNS 2024: Touring heads unpick ‘new normal’
Leading European live executives have advised that ticket pricing is “more important than ever” as the business navigates its current challenges.
The subject was pored over during today’s Touring In ’24: Are There Bumps In The Road? session at the Eurosonic Noorderslag (ESNS) conference in Groningen, the Netherlands.
Moderated by IQ MD Greg Parmley, the panel featured agents Beckie Sugden of CAA and UTA’s Carlos Abreu, as well as Mojo Concerts head promoter Kim Bloem and FKP Scorpio CEO Stephan Thanscheidt.
Netherlands-based Bloem reported the market appeared in rude health at all levels from her viewpoint.
“Tickets are flying out,” said Bloem. “It’s not just the blockbuster shows, it’s the club shows too. We’re not struggling.”
Thanscheidt, who is based out of Germany and is also FKP’s head of festival booking, painted an overall positive if more mixed picture.
“We have so many artists touring. But there are also shows that are not doing so well. It depends on demographics, genre and level of act”
“As a company, we don’t have a problem,” he said. “We have so many artists touring. But there are also shows that are not doing so well. It depends on demographics, genre and level of act.”
Sugden, whose roster includes artists such as Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, GloRilla, Noname, Chronixx, implied it was a constant work in progress.
“It’s a supply and demand market,” she said. “As agents, we have to make sure artists aren’t touring too much. And they’re going to other regions. It’s a constantly changing and dynamic market.”
Thanscheidt argued that show calculations were “more challenging and complicated than before”, triggering a debate around the impact of rising costs on ticket prices.
“Getting ticket prices right is more important than ever,” stressed Abreu, who works with the likes of Rosalía, Bad Bunny, Anitta, Morad, Tokischa and Ayra Starr. “There are also creative ways to structure deals with artists who are looking to do meet and greets or VIP packages, etc. You have to understand the demographic you’re selling to.”
Sugden said it was necessary to analyse the market “with forensic detail and check that your ticket prices are competitive”.
“It’s the perfect storm. Everyone’s prices are increasing”
“VIP doesn’t work in every market, so you have to know what works for each market,” she added. “It’s the perfect storm. Everyone’s prices are increasing. But actually with K-pop fans, they’re willing to stick their hands in their pockets. In times of crisis, people want to be entertained.”
Bloem felt the business has been “timid” regarding raising ticket prices in the past and felt the present level of demand indicated there was room for an increase.
“Given how fast tickets are selling, I think we can increase,” she said. “We added €30 to festival tickets this year, but festival tickets can’t be pushed too quickly.”
“This is a real problem,” advised Thanscheidt. “We had sold out festivals but the margins were complete shit. It’s getting better now but you still see festivals struggling.
“Ticket prices are at the limit. Some festivals overpriced and had only 70/80% of their usual audience, which German promoters know is terrible.”
The conversation then turned to dynamic pricing, with Abreu noting it had become “the norm” in the US. “It’s the way the world is going.” he added.
“We have to think differently about how we approach first steps for artists”
Thanscheidt appeared open-minded about the prospect, but pointed out that the European industry was still some way behind its US counterpart in terms of adoption. “I think it will take time but all sauces that can add to the pot,” he said.
In closing, the panellists shared their thoughts on keeping tickets affordable for fans. Thanscheidt brought up the concept of ‘social tickets’, where a small portion of tickets are available to unwaged citizens for a lower price.
“I had a show recently where the artist did a collection after the concert and the artist ended up tripling the guarantee,” responded Sugden. “We’re getting more creative. We’ve got to keep creative with the club scene. We have to think differently about how we approach first steps for artists.”
Abreu added that some artists could afford to do underplays to “give back” to their fans, but accepted it wasn’t always possible.
“We need to think in career terms for artists,” he concluded. “Not just ‘what do we want to make on this next tour’. It’s about where are we going to be in five years.”
ESNS, which recently appointed Anna van Nunen as its new general manager, wraps up its 2024 edition tomorrow. The event also featured the 2023 European Festival Awards. Check out the winners here.
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Music agent Beckie Sugden joins CAA
Beckie Sugden has joined Creative Artists Agency (CAA) as an agent in the company’s music touring department.
Sugden, who will be based in CAA’s London office, joins from Primary Talent International.
Her client roster includes artists such as Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, Noname, Mick Jenkins, T-Pain, Ghostemane, Mac Ayres, Soulection, and Joe Kay.
“We are thrilled to have Beckie join our team and contribute her talents to the work we do for our artists”
“We are thrilled to have Beckie join our team and contribute her talents to the work we do for our artists,” says Emma Banks, co-head of international touring/co-head of CAA London. “She has a proven track record for success in the representation business and, in just a couple of days, has become an integral part of the CAA team here in London.”
Sugden began her live music career as the founder of her own agency Mixedtape, and went on to serve stints at X-ray Touring and also spent five years at The Agency Group (later UTA) and WME.
When sidelined from her daily work by the pandemic, Sugden decided to do whatever she could to help get the industry back on track and at the end of 2020, she trained with St. John Ambulance as a volunteer vaccinator. This included studying subjects such as immunology, as well as practical training in injections and first aid. She has since volunteered across multiple sites in the UK and has administered hundreds of vaccines.
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Beckie Sugden moves to ICM Partners/Primary Talent
Beckie Sugden has joined ICM Partners/Primary Talent International as a concerts agent in the company’s London offices.
Sugden moves to ICM/Primary from X-ray Touring, which she joined in 2014.
Over the last seven years, she has built a roster including Anderson Paak & The Free Nationals, Russ, Noname, Mick Jenkins, T-Pain, Ghostemane, Mac Ayres, Soulection, Joe Kay and more, which will move with her to ICM/Primary.
“Beckie is an agent whose reputation in the industry precedes her,” says Matt Bates, managing director, Primary Talent International and ICM Partners head of International/Europe, who announced the news today. “She has an exciting and diverse roster and we are excited to welcome her into the ICM/Primary family.”
“Beckie is an agent whose reputation in the industry precedes her”
Sugden added: “I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the team at ICM/Primary, bringing my 15 years of experience to an already stellar international team. As we all begin to rebuild from the ashes of the pandemic there feels like no better time to join such a progressive, representative and forward-thinking company.
“I’m extremely proud to represent some of the most exceptional and groundbreaking artists around and I look forward to continuing our work together utilising the incredible breadth of resources ICM has to offer as artists’ careers become more multi-dimensional than ever.”
Prior to X-ray Touring, Sugden spent five years at The Agency Group (UTA), and she worked at WME before that. She began her career in live music from her bedroom as founder of her own agency, Mixedtape.
The recruitment of Sugden follows the appointment of Sally Dunstone earlier this year.
Primary Talent International joined forces with ICM Partners in March of 2020 and Matt Bates was named head of international/Europe of the combined entities in February 2021.
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The power of music
Working in the music industry is a demanding job, and only the luckiest of us can say they don’t occasionally have a day when they wonder why on earth they do it to themselves! But we should never make light of what we do, as every one of us is adding to the human experience on an unmeasurable scale. While we obviously couldn’t do what we do without the music, facilitating people’s interaction with music is helping in more ways than we realise.
The building of my music memory began in the womb, when my dad used to play me a variety of music, from Prince to Frank Zappa and Metallica. Music connected us throughout our lives together and even up to his last weeks on Earth we catalogued and listened to new music from an unknown band he’d discovered in America. He is sadly no longer with us, but not only have I been left with an extensive collection of CDs and vinyl to treasure, I have the emotions, memories and experiences we shared, all of which come flooding back to me when I listen to the music that we shared together.
We’ve all experienced that: hearing a favourite old song that brings up good and sometimes bad memories of people, times, places and even sensations. You can probably remember vividly your first concert or buying your first record or CD and how that made you feel. It’s been shown repeatedly that there is an inseparable connection between music, emotion and memory.
Remember that while we may only be small cogs in the bigger wheel … we truly are making a difference to humankind
Not only can music help preserve memories, it can play a part in the construction of us as people, determining what we wear, who our friends are and where we spend our time. And it can also aid in our physical wellbeing.
Look at the incredible work that charities such as Nordoff Robbins do in rehabilitating people through music therapy, as a shining example of the power of music. Even towards the end of life the positive effects can be seen in Alzheimer’s and dementia sufferers. This was demonstrated most recently by 80-year-old Teddy Mac, ‘The Songaminute Man’, whose car-pool videos posted by his son went viral. As an Alzheimer’s sufferer, Teddy was unable to remember almost anything except the lyrics to the songs that he so beautifully delivers.
So when we have those days of doubt, remember that while we may only be small cogs in the bigger wheel, and we may sometimes doubt the significance of what we do, we truly are making a difference to humankind.
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