Malaysia decides against blanket ban on concerts
The Malaysian government is strengthening guidelines for promoters but has decided against issuing a blanket ban on concerts following The 1975 controversy earlier this year.
Overseas acts must apply for a permit through the Central Agency for Application for Filming and Performance by Foreign Artistes (Puspal) before they are granted permission to perform in the Southeast Asian country.
The New Straits Times reports that Puspal approved 296 international acts this year with just one incident reported – July’s Good Vibes Festival fiasco in Sepang.
The 1975’s headline set was infamously cut short at the event after singer Matty Healy criticised Malaysia’s strict anti-LGBT laws and kissed a male bandmate on stage, leading to the cancellation of the festival’s remaining two days. Promoters in Malaysia were subsequently ordered to install a “kill switch” to end performances by international artists that breach government regulations.
“The 1975 flouted several guidelines and we are in the midst of strengthening the guidelines to avoid reoccurrence”
“The 1975 flouted several guidelines and we are in the midst of strengthening the guidelines to avoid reoccurrence,” said deputy communications and digital minister Teo Nie Ching. “Just because of one incident, how can we cancel the others? Out of 296 artistes only one happened. How is this fair?”
However, speaking at the debate, opposition leader Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man called on the government to take preemptive measures by blocking artists who uphold values against the country’s policies.
“The government must make sure [concerts] have high moral values,” he added. “Do not simply leave it to the people to make choices, the government must have policies and regulations.”
Coldplay performed their first ever concert in Malaysia last month, attracting more than 75,000 fans to the National Stadium Bukit Jalil.
“It is disheartening to witness concerts being politicised… concerts have the power to unite diverse communities”
Meanwhile, Malaysian live music trade body ALIFE has urged MPs to stop “politicising” concerts.
“I would like to stress the transformative impact of live music events on our society,” says the organisation’s president Rizal Kamal. “However, it is equally crucial that organisers ensure proper permits.
“Beyond this, it is disheartening to witness concerts being politicised. The government and opposition must refrain from using these events as political tactics and redirect focus to pressing national issues.
“Concerts have the power to unite diverse communities, let us prioritise issues that enhance the well-being of all Malaysians, fostering a harmonious and prosperous nation.”
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Deaf community compensated after Coldplay concert
A group of Deaf and hard-of-hearing Coldplay fans have been offered compensation after certain services were either delayed or not provided at the band’s recent Australian concert.
Coldplay performed two sold-out nights at Perth Optus Stadium as part of their Music of the Spheres World Tour‘s November 2023 Asian leg – their first gigs in Western Australia since 2009.
ABC reports that some fans paid A$220 each for Auslan-accessible tickets for night one, with the understanding they would include Auslan interpreters visible for the entire concert, including support acts, as well as a seat in a special section.
In addition, the tickets were meant to include use of haptic vests, known as SUBPACs, which translate sound onto skin via vibrations and are mentioned on Coldplay’s inclusivity webpage. However, SUBPACs were reportedly not provided, the interpreters did not start until midway through the final opening act, and there was insufficient light to see them when they did.
“Regrettably, it sounds like there were some Deaf fans who had an imperfect experience in Perth”
Promoter Live Nation immediately apologised to those affected and offered tickets to the next night’s show, with those unable to attend offered a refund or a ticket to one of Coldplay’s 2024 shows in Melbourne or Sydney, plus the cost of travel and accommodation.
“Coldplay are trying their best to lead the live music industry on accessibility support, with the artist team, venues, and promoters all contributing,” says a Live Nation spokesperson. “Regrettably, it sounds like there were some Deaf fans who had an imperfect experience in Perth. Specifically, the four Auslan interpreters were not in position for the support acts, nor were there sufficient numbers of SUBPACs to enhance the experience of all Deaf fans in attendance.
“We are in communication with fans who missed out on this support in Perth and have offered them tickets, travel, and accommodation to another Coldplay show in 2024.”
Coldplay recently confirmed a run of Australia and New Zealand dates for next October-November, which will see the group perform in Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland for the first time since 2016.
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Coldplay world tour powers to ticket sales record
Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres World Tour is set to become the most well-attended concert tour of all time.
The band have now sold more than nine million tickets for the ongoing run, which began in Costa Rica in March 2022, according to Live Nation.
The current verified attendance record-holder is Ed Sheeran, whose 2017-19 ÷ (Divide) Tour attracted 8,908,150 fans. Elton John’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour, which pulled in 6.1m attendees, surpassed ÷ as the highest-grossing tour earlier this year.
Coldplay’s latest milestone coincides with them confirming an additional run of Australia and New Zealand dates for October-November 2024, which will see the quartet perform in Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland for the first time since 2016. Stopping at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium (30-31 October 2024), Sydney’s Accor Stadium (6-7 November) and Eden Park in Auckland (13 November), support will come from PinkPantheress and Emmanuel Kelly.
“This is a huge coup for Auckland and New Zealand,” says Eden Park CEO Nick Sautner. “Coldplay’s global status, the band’s commitment to sustainability, and their ability to deliver unforgettable performances make them the perfect fit to perform at New Zealand’s national stadium.”
The announcement comes on the heels of Coldplay performing two sold-out nights at Perth Optus Stadium as part of their November 2023 Asian tour leg – their first gigs in Western Australia since 2009. A limited number of Infinity Tickets, released for every Coldplay show to make the tour accessible to fans for an affordable price, will be made available at a later date, priced A$32/NZ$32 per ticket, restricted to two tickets per purchaser.
The band’s debut concert in Jakarta, Indonesia on 15 November was reportedly rocked by a ticket scam
“Coldplay’s two shows in Perth attracted over 40,000 interstate visitors and close to 10,000 international fans,” notes Sautner. “This underpins the immense appeal of Coldplay’s live performances and demonstrates the impact major events have on our hospitality and tourism sectors, employing thousands of casual and full-time staff.”
Earlier this year, the group issued an update on the tour’s sustainability initiatives, revealing that, on a show-by-show comparison, Music of the Spheres has so far produced 47% less CO2e emissions than their previous A Head Full of Dreams stadium tour in 2016/17. More than seven million trees have already been planted around the world, with one being planted for each concert-goer.
“Coldplay’s commitment to reducing the impact global music tours have on our environment aligns with Eden Park’s focus on sustainability,” adds Sautner. “The collaboration will showcase how two globally renowned brands can come together to create an unforgettable, environmentally-conscious event.”
Meanwhile, The Jakarta Post reports Coldplay’s debut concert in the Indonesian capital on 15 November was rocked by a ticket scam.
Central Jakarta Police are investigating hundreds of reports from people who claimed they bought tickets from third parties online for last week’s performance at Bung Karno Sports Stadium, but were denied entry after the tickets either turned out to be fake, or never arrived. Police say 400 people lodged complaints, claiming a total of Rp1.3 billion (€76,373) in losses.
The concert was also reportedly hit by protests and clashes with police outside the stadium ahead of the show over the group’s support for the LGBTQ community. Several Islamic groups had called for the gig to be cancelled.
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Coldplay’s Portugal run generates €36m for economy
Coldplay’s four nights at the 50,000-capacity Estádio Cidade de Coimbra in Portugal in May generated €36 million for the local economy, according to the city council.
The Music of the Spheres shows were attended by 211,000 fans overall, with each visitor spending an average of €180, concludes the study by the Instituto Superior de Contabilidade e Administração de Coimbra (ISCAC).
Sapo Mag reports that Portuguese promoter Everything is Now invested €545,000 in renovating the stadium to enable it to host the shows.
The concerts had attracted some controversy beforehand when it was revealed the promoter would receive €440,000 from the municipality and was exempted from “municipal fees and prices” for the concerts. The authority also spent €28,000 on restoring the stadium’s pitch.
In return, Everything is New agreed to ensure the council was included as a partner on press materials and meet assembly and disassembly deadlines. It also guaranteed there would be no damage on the athletics track and pay electricity, water and gas consumption while the stadium was being used, among other obligations.
Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres World Tour began in March 2022 and will extend to a third summer
Francisco Veiga, VP of the Chamber of Coimbra, told a committee meeting the gigs offered an “intangible return” for the city, with the transport operation set up for the events also recording a €9,000 profit.
“It is worth investing in this type of concert,” he said, noting that it was only now possible to release the findings as he did not previously have “all the necessary elements” in his possession, including the amount invested in the stadium by Everything is Now.
On the possibility of the venue hosting further live music events in 2024, Veiga added: “There are many promised, but none signed.”
Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres World Tour, which began in March 2022, will extend to a third summer, with the dates for 2024 including the band’s first ever shows in Greece, Romania and Finland, as well as their first show in Rome since 2003 and first visit to Budapest since 2008.
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Beyoncé scores top-grossing European gigs of ’23
Beyoncé’s multi-night stand at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has been crowned as the highest-grossing European concert run of 2023.
According to Pollstar, the singer’s five-show residency from 29 May to 4 June grossed $38,986,169 from 240,330 ticket sales to head this year’s pack. General ticket prices ranged from £50-200.
The UK concerts edged out Harry Styles, who finishes a close second on the list after his four Wembley Stadium dates, held from 13-17 June, generated $37,341,665. More tickets (335,394) were sold for Styles’ gigs, but at lower prices (£46.25-140.25).
Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres Tour occupies the No.3 to No.6 slots with the band’s four concerts at each of Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam, Netherlands ($30,322,573); Milan’s San Siro Stadium in Italy ($29,439,180); Barcelona’s Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys ($27,262,896) and Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden ($26,242,821) from May to July. The top 6 engagements were all promoted by Live Nation.
Beyoncé’s record-breaking Renaissance World Tour officially wrapped at the start of this month
Elton John’s nine-date Farewell Yellow Brick Road residency at The O2 in London, promoted by AEG Presents/Marshall Arts between 2-17 April checks in at No.7, having earned $25,263,019.
Coldplay feature again at No.8 and No.9 with their four-show stops at Manchester UK’s Etihad Stadium ($24,164,085) – staged by SJM/Live Nation/Metropolis – and Coimbra Stadium in Portugal ($21,473,885) – presented by Live Nation – respectively, with the top 10 rounded off by FKP Scorpio’s Hurricane Festival in Germany ($20,065,948). The top 25 can be viewed in full here.
Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour officially wrapped at the start of this month after earning more than $579 million worldwide at the box office. The 56-date 2023 tour saw the star perform for over 2.7 million fans around the globe and set numerous records, including overtaking Madonna’s 2008/09 Sticky & Sweet trek to become the highest-grossing tour by a female artist ever.
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Coldplay countersue former manager for £14 million
Coldplay are counter-suing their former manager Dave Holmes for £14 million (€16.2m), according to a report.
It was revealed last month that Holmes is seeking more than £10 million (€11.7m) in allegedly unpaid commission in his lawsuit against the band.
Representatives for Holmes, who worked with the group for more than 20 years prior to being dismissed last year, say the band are “refusing to honour [his] management contract and pay him what he is owed”. The group “vigorously disputed” the allegations and have now launched a counter-claim.
Court documents seen by The Times show that Holmes is accused of failing to “adequately to supervise and control” the budget for the band’s ongoing Music of The Spheres World Tour.
Among the claims are that Holmes ordered a $9.7m video screen – that was only used for 10 gigs and was too big to take on tour – and 16 bespoke stage pylons at a cost of €10.6m that turned out to be unusable.
“Had Mr Holmes exercised reasonable care and skill in the performance of his obligations, the band would not have incurred costs of at least £17.5 million,” it is alleged in the documents.
In addition, Coldplay allege that Holmes leveraged his position as manager to secure $30 million in loans from Live Nation, which they claim could have created a conflict of interest in tour negotiations.
Holmes is suing Coldplay in the UK High Court for breach of contract
“To the best of [our] knowledge… Mr Holmes used monies obtained by the loan agreements to fund a property development venture in or around Vancouver, Canada,” adds the band’s filing. “It is to be inferred that Mr Holmes was only able to acquire loans totalling $30 million at a fixed annual interest rate of 2.72% from Live Nation by virtue of his position as Coldplay’s manager.”
In a statement to The Times, Live Nation says that it “has a strong and longstanding relationship with Coldplay, adding that: “Any past dealings with their management team were considered an extension of this relationship.”
Holmes, who is suing Coldplay in the UK High Court for breach of contract, and the band began working together on two-album cycles from 2014, with his most recent deal, covering 2019’s Everyday Life and 2021’s Music of the Spheres.
He alleges that he began planning for the group’s next two albums – plus preparations for their 2024/25 tours – after his contract was extended to 2025. However, shortly afterwards, Coldplay claimed the deal had not yet been agreed to and that his previous agreement had ended.
The manager says he was then informed by the band’s solicitor that they wanted to change his role to ‘head of touring’ and limit his commission to just concerts. He alleges he was given two drafts of the new contract in August 2022, only for the band to later withdraw the offer and inform him through their solicitors that he was being dismissed.
A spokesperson for Holmes tells The Times: “Coldplay know they are in trouble with their defence. Accusing Dave Holmes of non-existent ethical lapses and other made-up misconduct will not deflect from the real issue at hand – Coldplay had a contract with Dave, they are refusing to honour it and they need to pay Dave what they owe him.”
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Lawsuit by former Coldplay manager seeks £10m+
Former Coldplay manager Dave Holmes is seeking more than £10 million (€11.7m) in allegedly unpaid commission in his lawsuit against the band, according to a new report.
It was reported last month that the four members of the group – Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman and Will Champion – are being sued by Holmes in the UK High Court for breach of contract.
Representatives for Holmes say the band are “refusing to honour [his] management contract and pay him what he is owed” – a claim that is “vigorously disputed” by Coldplay.
Holmes had worked with the British group since before their 2000 debut album Parachutes, but the parties quietly went their separate ways last year, with the quartet continuing to be managed by the team of Phil Harvey, Mandi Frost and Arlene Moon.
The Daily Mail reports that Holmes and the band began working together on two-album cycles from 2014, with his most recent deal, covering 2019’s Everyday Life and 2021’s Music of the Spheres, their eighth and ninth LPs, respectively. The lawsuit claims that Coldplay later extended the deal to the end of 2025, covering a future 10th and 11th album.
Holmes claims that, following discussions with the band, he had started planning for the albums, as well as preparations for 2024/25 tours.
However, it is alleged that, shortly afterwards, Coldplay claimed the contract had not yet been agreed to and that his previous agreement had ended.
“Dave Holmes successfully managed Coldplay for more than 22 years, steering them to be one of the most successful bands in music history”
According to the lawsuit, the band were paid a £35m advance for their 10th LP and £30m for their 11th and 12th albums.
Holmes, who received a 10% commission on the net profits of the group’s records, tours and related activities for the past four LPs, says he was then informed by the band’s solicitor that they wanted to change his role to ‘head of touring’ and limit his commission to just concerts.
He alleges he was given two drafts of the new contract in August 2022, only for the band to later withdraw the offer and inform him through their solicitors that he was being dismissed.
Holmes alleges that the group are refusing to pay him for his contributions to the future album and tour preparations, and is demanding they pay the commissions as outlined in the contract. He is also calling on them to cover the “loss and damage equal to the profits”, plus everything he is entitled to from prior deals.
“Dave Holmes successfully managed Coldplay for more than 22 years, steering them to be one of the most successful bands in music history,” says Holmes’ lawyer Phil Sherrell. “Now, as the legal case shows, Coldplay is refusing to honour Dave’s management contract and pay him what he is owed.”
A spokesperson for Coldplay says that Holmes’ management contract expired at the end of 2022, “at which point they decided not to start a new one”. “The matter is now in the hands of Coldplay’s lawyers and the claims are being vigorously disputed,” adds the statement.
Coldplay, who have sold over 100 million albums worldwide, recently confirmed their Music of the Spheres World Tour will extend to 2024.
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Coldplay launch contest to find Aussie support act
Coldplay have launched a competition to find a homegrown support act for their sold-out shows in Perth, Australia later this year.
The band will play two nights at Perth’s Optus Stadium – their first gigs in Western Australia since 2009 – on 18-19 November.
Western Australia residents are invited to apply for the “once in a lifetime opportunity” to open for the group at the concerts by completing a form and include YouTube links to one original studio recording and one original live performance by 4 September.
According to Live Nation Australia, all entries will be assessed by Coldplay’s team and a panel of music industry professionals before the winner is announced on 2 October.
In addition, the Western Australian (WA) Government will provide grant funding of up to A$15,000 (€8,900) through the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries’ Contemporary Music Fund to support the victor.
The Australian-exclusive concerts are being promoted alongside hotel packages designed to encourage visitors to stay longer and explore further
Further support for the Perth dates will come from special guests Amy Shark and Thelma Plum.
Presented by the WA Government, through Tourism WA, and Live Nation, the Australian-exclusive concerts are being promoted alongside hotel packages designed to encourage visitors to extend their stays.
“This partnership with the Western Australian Government is set to make history, by bringing one of the world’s most iconic and successful bands, exclusively to Perth in 2023,” said Luke Hede, Live Nation’s VP of touring earlier this year. “It’s hard to think of a better city for Australians to see Coldplay’s spectacular Music of the Spheres show, while making a weekend of it in our country’s sunniest capital city.”
More than 7.5 million tickets have been sold for the Music of the Spheres World Tour, with Coldplay recently confirming the run will extend to a third summer.
Earlier this month it was announced that UK-based agent Josh Javor, who spent 18 years at X-ray Touring, working closely with the late co-founder Steve Strange on acts including Coldplay, is joining WME as partner and co-head of the London music department.
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A-list stars drive Singapore’s tourism reboot
Live music has been credited with helping to rejuvenate tourism in Singapore ahead of record-setting 2024 tours by Coldplay and Taylor Swift.
The superstar acts will both play six nights at the 55,000-cap Singapore National Stadium next year, with Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres tour landing from 23-24, 26-27 & 30-31 January, and Swift’s Eras Tour to visit from 2-4 and 7-9 March.
The country has welcomed around 6.3 million international visitors in 2023 so far, putting it on track towards meeting its goal of 12-14m.
“Driving Singapore’s tourism recovery is its smart use of sporting and music events,” says Hannah Pearson, director at travel market research organisation Pear Anderson. “Google searches for accommodation hit peaks every time new concerts were announced and tickets were released.”
With sales exceeding 200,000 Coldplay also broke Singapore’s record for the most tickets sold by an artist in a single day, while Swift’s six shows are her only Eras tour dates in Southeast Asia. A report by SCMP credits the collaboration between the government and the Singapore Sports Hub for succeeding in bringing both blockbuster tours to the stadium.
“This spike in accommodation bookings is a testament to the undeniable lure of live musical experiences”
“This proactive and dynamic approach has enabled us to optimise our venues to deliver top-tier events and maximise our event programming … and to support tourism for Singapore,” says a spokesperson for the Kallang Alive Sport Management, which manages the venue.
Digital travel platform Agoda says the number of hotel searches in Singapore over the dates of Coldplay’s concerts increased by 8.7 times.
“Music inspires a great deal of passion, and dedicated fans are truly remarkable as they will travel far and wide to see their favourite acts live,” says Enric Casals, Agoda’s regional associate vice-president for Southeast Asia. “This spike in accommodation bookings is a testament to the undeniable lure of live musical experiences, showcasing the profound impact they have on travel decisions.”
Meanwhile, it was reported last week that Singapore has seen a massive uptick in concert ticket scams, with reports that consumers have lost at least S$518,000 (€352,000) in the first half of 2023.
This amount is more than 50% higher than in the past five years combined, with S$84,000 lost in 2018; S$66,000 in 2019; S$9,000 in 2020; S$3,000 in 2021; S$175,000 in 2022.
These figures were reported by the minister for home affairs and law (MHA), K. Shanmugam, in response to a question by a member of parliament about the financial toll of such scams over the past five years.
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Coldplay sued by former manager Dave Holmes
The four members of Coldplay are being sued by their former manager Dave Holmes over a contractual dispute, according to court documents filed in the UK.
Holmes had worked with the British group since before their 2000 debut album Parachutes, but the parties quietly went their separate ways last year, with the quartet continuing to be managed by the team of Phil Harvey, Mandi Frost and Arlene Moon.
A band representative declined to report further to Variety, which first reported the story, but a source tells the publication that the lawsuit refers to a contractual issue. The legal documents have not yet been made public.
Coldplay, who have sold over 100 million albums worldwide, recently confirmed their Music of the Spheres World Tour will extend to a third summer, with more than 7.5m tickets already sold. The dates for 2024 include the band’s first ever shows in Greece, Romania and Finland, as well as their first show in Rome since 2003 and first visit to Budapest since 2008.
“We started to plan this tour when we were on the last tour, in 2017”
The trek, which began in Costa Rica in March 2022, was a new entry at No.6 in Billboard‘s updated list of the all-time top 10 highest-grossing concert tours, having garnered $561.2m at last count. It has already comfortably outsold Coldplay’s previous A Head Full of Dreams tour of 2016/17, which was attended by 5.38m people.
“We started to plan this tour when we were on the last tour, in 2017,” Holmes said last year as part of IQ‘s Music of the Spheres tour report. “It seemed crazy at the time, but we were holding venues for 2022 and 2023, as some stadiums actually need to be booked that far in advance.”
Meanwhile, it was confirmed yesterday (16 August) that UK-based agent Josh Javor, who spent 18 years at X-ray Touring, working closely with the late co-founder Steve Strange on acts including Coldplay, is joining WME as partner and co-head of the London music department.
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