Senbla CEO Ollie Rosenblatt has spoken to IQ about his goals for the promoter and his expanded role at parent firm Sony Music Masterworks (SMM).

A division of Sony Music Entertainment, SMM acquired a controlling stake in UK concert promotion and production business Senbla five years ago. Its portfolio also includes producer and promoter RG (Raymond Gubbay) Live; Barcelona-based Proactiv; Roast Productions Backyard Cinema; Holland-based GEA Live and Dubai-based promoter MAC Global.

Just this week, meanwhile, it announced a majority investment in Los Angeles-based experiential production and design company Black Sky Creative, whose recent projects include Stranger Things: The Official Store; AC/DC Official Dive Bar Takeover at the Power Trip Festival; the Olivia Rodrigo Tour Fan Experience; and Britney Spears – The Zone immersive fan experience.

“We’re very powerful in non traditional global business now, not just in terms of artist touring, but right across the board: family entertainment, theatre and experiential, and production,” says Rosenblatt. “We’ve got a really interesting, diverse, mixed portfolio of business now, We’ve done a lot in a few years as we continue to grow and broaden our remit. We also have a large focus on IP within the business, and on trying to create assets using IP.”

Rosenblatt took on the position of SVP Masterworks Live at Sony Music earlier this year, advising SMM president Mark Cavell and the broader Masterworks Live team by helping to identify future acquisitions and partnerships.

“I still run Senbla day-to-day, but my wider role at Sony is really exciting,” he explains. “It’s a more formalised role around what I was dipping my toe in beforehand. It’s really about growing this business globally, structurally, in the right way – driving efficiencies across all our businesses – and making acquisitions that are going to help feed the global landscape. I wanted to grow not only Senbla, but also the global business, and these opportunities came about from the network that I operate in.”

He continues: “We look at [potential acquisitions] in terms of, what can this add to the group? Can it add real value? Is it in a territory we’re not currently in? Or can it boost another area of the business? So it has to fit in, but we’re not only looking at promoters, we are looking right across the board.”

“Sony is unbelievably supportive and entrepreneurial from the top down”

Rosenblatt goes on to hail Sony’s backing as “fantastic”.

“They are unbelievably supportive and entrepreneurial from the top down,” he says. “It’s amazing to see and it’s an incredible place to work; they’ve got this brilliant ethos and this shift in their direction to focusing broader than just recorded music is really exciting. And we’re not slowing down, they want to keep growing and keep building.”

A key area of development for Senbla has been within the films in concert format – most recently with Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which has its Japanese premiere this month. The production will run at venues across the UK in September and December, with Avatar the Last Airbender also set to tour in early 2025.

“The film in concert business continues to grow massively,” notes Rosenblatt. “We moved into not just promoting them, but owning global licences on certain films, which has enabled us to supercharge those products internationally – utilising all the businesses within Sony to produce more film in concert shows than probably any other company in the whole world.”

London-based Senbla hired John Empson, best known for promoting Eden Sessions and Wilderness, in 2020 to lead the company’s experiential events business. Last year, the firm launched boutique 7,000-cap UK concert series On The Mount at Wasing, which returned to Berkshire in June with headline performances by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Paolo Nutini, Crowded House, Jungle and Underworld.

“John’s predominantly focused on our outdoor business, and he’s fantastic,” says Rosenblatt. “Wasing is a special site, and we’re excited to continue to build and develop that. Launching something fresh is always hard in the first year, but we made huge strides and this year felt like an even bigger breakthrough.”

“We’re focusing on beautiful, iconic sites with iconic artists”

The unique eco woodland venue – a natural amphitheatre surrounded by trees in the grounds of Wasing, Berkshire – had previously hosted the Glade dance music festival in the mid-late 2000s.

“Artists absolutely love playing there and it’s just not another concert in a greenfield site,” adds Rosenblatt. “We work with the whole estate to try to drive their ethos into what we’re presenting for the audience. And again, we’re going to be back next year for another run of events in this most spectacular outdoor site.”

Senbla has upcoming concerts with the likes of Rickie Lee Jones, The Shires, Tubular Bells Live in Concert, Ron Sexsmith, Boyzlife, Ward Thomas and Wet Wet Wet. Rosenblatt has also worked on special shows by Quincy Jones, Ennio Morricone and Burt Bacharach.

“We’re focusing on beautiful, iconic sites with iconic artists,” he says. “Our touring business, a mix of artists, film in concert, family entertainment and theatrical – all the stuff we’ve always been doing, but more of it. It’s a busy old time at Senbla.”

Rosenblatt also pays tribute to Bacharach following the songwriting legend’s death last year aged 94.

“He was an amazing age, but it didn’t diminish the huge loss I and people around the world felt,” reflects Rosenblatt. “I started promoting him when I was so young and it was never lost on me how incredible it was to work so closely as I did with him, and get to present his music, and it’s still not lost on me to this day. Those opportunities and experiences are so rare because there was no one like him, and I don’t think there ever will be.”

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.

London-based concert promoter Senbla celebrates the success of the inaugural Apollo Nights Summer Series, which took place from 16 to 20 July in partnership with the 5,000-capacity Eventim Apollo.

The promoter has confirmed that the concert series will return for a second year in July 2020.

The five-night long debut series saw performances from Marc Almond and George Benson, as well as two joint shows from Burt Bacharach and Joss Stone.

Non-dining tickets for the Apollo Nights Summer Series were priced from £39.50 for Marc Almond and £45 for other shows.

Guests could also opt for a dining experience, curated by chef Bryn Williams.

“When I first came to visit the newly restored Apollo, I was struck by what a beautiful venue this really is,” comments Senbla managing director Ollie Rosenblatt. Since opening in 1932, the grade II-listed venue has hosted acts such as the Beatles, David Bowie, Queen, Robbie Williams and Kylie Minogue.

“When I first came to visit the newly restored Apollo, I was struck by what a beautiful venue this really is”

Rosenblatt explains that the idea to “combine the best of food with music” came from viewing award shows at the venue.

“The response and feedback from both consumers and artists have been overwhelmingly positive,” adds Rosenblatt. “For 2020 the aim is to build on this.”

Darren Murphy, general manager of the Eventim Apollo, says he was “delighted” to collaborate with Senbla to put on the concert series.

“It was a rare opportunity to work with a promoter who brings music experiences to life and it was a delight to host the shows with these talented artists in our iconic venue,” says Murphy.

Senbla puts on more than 200 concerts and shows a year throughout the UK. Sony Music Masterworks recently took a majority stake in the promoter, as both look to expand offerings in the live industry.

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.< /em>

It has been announced today that award-winning audio content company Wisebuddah has signed a deal with London-based concert promoter Senbla. The deal will see the two companies team up to create exclusive audio content for upcoming concerts from Quincy Jones and Burt Bacharach.

On 27 June, Quincy Jones: A Life in Song will come to the O2 Arena. The concert will pay tribute to Jones’ extensive career in the year of his 85th birthday. Fans will also be treated to a series of guest appearances, including Jess Glynne, Mick Hucknall, Beverley Knight and Mark Ronson.

A week later, Burt Bacharach will take to the stage of the London Royal Festival Hall on 6 and 7 July for the first time in two years to honour his own 60 year-strong career. With eight Grammys, three Academy Awards and 48 top-ten songs, his promises to be another memorable concert.

On the opportunity to work with these artists, Adam Uytman, head of content at Wisebuddah, comments: “Quincy Jones and Burt Bacharach are, without doubt, two of the world’s greatest music icons.

“Capturing the live experience can be very challenging. Wisebuddah have outstanding credentials in this area, so are the perfect partner for us.”

“Understanding audio – whether it’s live or pre-recorded, for scheduled broadcast or on-demand consumption – means we have the expertise to create the best possible content from these live experiences.”

Beyond capturing the two concerts, Wisebuddah will create two programmes which will premiere on BBC Radio 2. Already very well acquainted with BBC Radio, Wisebuddah have worked with some of the broadcaster’s most highlyrated shows, including The Michael Ball Show, Claudia on Sunday and The Radio 2 Rock Show with Johnnie Walker. It has also built a successful portfolio of podcast work with BBC Radio, the Sun and the NHS.

Wisebuddah’s extensive portfolio of work was attractive to Senbla. Ollie Rosenblatt, managing director of Senbla explains: ““Capturing the live experience can be very challenging.

“Wisebuddah have outstanding credentials in this area, so are the perfect partner for us. We are looking forward to extending the reach of these seminal concerts, not only through the high-profile broadcasts on BBC Radio 2, but through other plans we have for the distribution of this unique and very special audio.”

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.