Goldsmith launches Nvisible: “an agency for agencies”
Veteran concert promoter Harvey Goldsmith has announced the launch of a new specialist events agency, Nvisible, in a bid to create an expert service to help agencies seeking live events success.
Goldsmith heads a team of specialists in his role as chairman at Nvisible, offering creative, design, production and project management services to agencies within the live events and experiential marketing industries.
Nvisible aims to be the “unseen partner” behind popular live experiences, lending an expert hand to event agencies in need of extra help. The agency specialises in live music, sport and entertainment events.
“I am confident Nvisible will be the unseen partner behind some of the most successful events in 2019 and beyond”
Mark Bustard helps lead the team as managing director, building on experience accrued as creative producer for U2. The team’s creative director is Grant Campbell, who has extensive experience in advertising and in the creation of live sport and entertainment experiences. Production director Jim Baggott, project director Luke Carr and technical director Tim Spears complete the executive team.
“Collectively and individually, this team has worked on myriad world-class and iconic live experiences,” says Goldsmith. “I’ve brought them together to create a ‘best in class’ service for agencies wanting to achieve success through live events.”
Goldsmith launches Nvisible with over 50 years of industry experience under his belt: “It feels like the perfect time for Nvisible; I am confident we’ll be the unseen partner behind some of the most successful events in 2019 and beyond.”
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Venue Coalition reaches 70+ member arenas
North American booking consultancy Venue Coalition has increased its portfolio to more than 70 arenas, after adding ten new member venues in 2017.
Venue Coalition, led by Jeff Apregan, acts as a booking ‘advocate’ for independent arenas and theatre venues, engaging with industry decision-makers to identify new business opportunities and influence tour planning decisions to the benefit of its members.
Steve Kirsner, vice-president of booking and events SAP Center (17,496-cap.) in San Jose, California – one of 2017’s new intake – says: “SAP Center management is excited to be a part of Venue Coalitionr. “In the very competitive Bay Area market, Venue Coalition will provide another outlet of intelligence, which will help keep SAP Center in the forefront as the premier sports and entertainment venue in northern California.”
“2017 was another year of significant growth for Venue Coalition”
Another new member venue is First National Bank Arena (11,704-cap.) in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Its director, Jim Brown, adds: “Venue Coalition plays an integral part of our marketing and programming strategy here at First National Bank Arena. The services and knowledge that Jeff Apregan, Andrew Prince and their whole Venue Coalition team provides is invaluable.”
Andrew Prince, executive vice-president and partner at Venue Coalition, says: “2017 was another year of significant growth for Venue Coalition. Our members are actively engaged, and together we are booking more shows than ever before.”
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Barclaycard Arena Hamburg’s Müller steps down
Kai Müller, the long-serving senior event manager/programme coordinator at AEG’s Barclaycard Arena in Hamburg, has exited the venue to launch a new consultancy business.
Hamburg-based Elbe Entertainment will provide consulting services to the live entertainment industry when it launches on 21 September.
Müller had been at the 16,000-cap. arena (one of three German arenas managed by AEG Facilities, along with the Volskbank Arena in Hamburg and Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin) for 15 years.
“I’m very proud of the numerous moments in which we gave athletes, artists and performers the best possible venue and our visitors unforgettable events”
Müller’s former colleague, Ann-Kristin Schmanns, takes over booking for the venue.
“I’m very proud of the numerous moments – both behind and in front of the stage – in which we gave athletes, artists and performers the best possible venue and our visitors unforgettable events,” he wrote in an email to industry colleagues. “This wouldn’t have been possible without your trust and our cooperative collaboration. Thank you very much.”
He can be contacted at [email protected].
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VMS bolsters promotions division with new hires
VMS Live, the venue management and booking consultancy run by ex-Academy Music Group/MAMA director Steve Forster, has made two appointments as it bulks up its promotions division.
Veteran promoter Isla Miskelly, who joins from Live Nation, will work alongside commercial director Carl Bathgate and promoter/booker Joff Hall, ensuring VMS “can gain access to the widest range of live music and club talent, as well as ‘experiential’ activity”, explains Forster. Prior to joining Live Nation, Miskelly – one of Music Week’s ‘30 Under 30’ 2016 – she worked at DHP Family, and before that was a booker for Truck Festival in Oxfordshire.
Also joining VMS Live is Sarah Louise Jones, who moves from the 1,200-cap. William Aston Hall in Wrexham to become promotions assistant.
Forster explains that VMS – which offers a range of services, including venue management, development and refurbishment; event booking and production; sponsorship and brand partnerships; health and safety management; ticketing solutions; and advice on licensing – is in future increasing the number of shows it books in both indoor and outdoor venues.
“Bringing Isla on board gives us access to a new range of artists and contacts. We have some exciting plans to develop going into 2018 and we can’t wait to get stuck into it”
“For example, this year we have developed the Inner City Live concept in Birmingham and Hull, with a number of other locations asking to work with us for 2018,” he says.
Commenting on the new appointments, he tells IQ: “In the last 12 months our business as a whole has continued to develop, with the promotions side – both the shows we are promoting ourselves and those on behalf of our clients – having more than doubled in size over that period. While we are certainly a very small player in the greater scheme of things, what we are focusing on is different sorts of events and expanding into different territories.
“Bringing Isla on board gives us access to a new range of artists and contacts. We have some exciting plans to develop going into 2018, and, to be honest, we can’t wait to get stuck into it. [This year] has been a great year for us, but we are very much looking to the future with these new appointments.”
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Palais’s Neil Croker launches concert consultancy
Neil Croker, the outgoing CEO of the Palais Theatre in Melbourne, has launched a new concert consultancy, The Prestige Presents.
Croker, whose Palais Theatre Management Company was ousted as operator of the 2,896-cap. venue – now run by Live Nation Australia – spent nine and a half years at the Palais, and has also directed and promoted Australasian shows by Michael Jackson, AC/DC, Dire Straits and Bette Midler.
With The Prestige Presents, Croker says he’s “bringing his extensive experience, knowledge and contacts within live music, theatrical events, production, management, operations, strategy, planning, marketing and commercial services to the marketplace” with the new advisory and concert consultancy business, providing a “professional, reliable, communicative, supportive relationship to take events to the next level”.
Croker can be contacted at [email protected].
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