IQTV: Kelly Chappel, Live Nation
Welcome to the fourth episode of IQTV, IQ’s new YouTube video series featuring revealing interviews and insights from some of the biggest players in the international live music business.
Following interviews with Thomas Johansson, Andy Copping and Mark Yovich, this week we catch up with Live Nation’s VP of European Touring, Kelly Chappel. The video forms part of a series commemorating Live Nation’s 10th year in the business.
In an interview filmed at ILMC 28 in March, Chappe ltalks getting into the live music business, advice for people starting out, and booking her dream line up…
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IQTV: Mark Yovich, Ticketmaster Int’l
IQTV returns for its third outing this week with an in-depth interview with Mark Yovich, president of Ticketmaster International.
Continuing our series of interviews commemorating Live Nation’s 10th year in the business, digital native Yovich – who joined the company in 2000, before it even had a web presence – speaks on the shift towards digital marketing and the future evolution of ticketing in the live music business.
Watch the previous episode of IQTV, with Download’s Andy Copping, here.
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IQTV: Andy Copping, Live Nation
Welcome to the second episode of IQTV, IQ’s new YouTube video series featuring revealing interviews and insights from some of the biggest players in the international live music business.
Following last week’s inaugural episode with Live Nation’s chairman of international music, Thomas Johansson, we continue our series of interviews commemorating the company’s 10th year in the business with Download festival booker and president of UK touring Andy Copping.
In an interview filmed at ILMC 28 in March, Copping talks advancing from regional to national promotion, the genesis of Download, the rise of social media marketing and and the “roll of the dice” that led to AC/DC’s return to the festival circuit…
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Live Nation acquires Sweden Rock stake
Live Nation has acquired a majority stake in one of Sweden’s most successful music festivals, Sweden Rock.
The deal, announced today, sees the group’s local subsidiary, Live Nation Sweden, acquire a majority of Sweden Rock’s shares, although both parties insist there will be no changes to the running of the festival or its programming.
Head promoter Martin Forssman comments: “The live entertainment industry is moving more and more towards a few large companies booking artists for shows in many countries and during long periods of time. In that environment, a cooperation with Live Nation is the ultimate way forward for us.”
Live Nation Sweden also runs Way Out West and, through its majority stake in SPG Live – acquired last March – the Summerburst and Lights Festivals, as well as promoting more than 2,000 concerts a year.
Thomas Johansson, Live Nation’s chairman of international music, tells IQ the acquisition of Sweden Rock is part of a concerted effort by Live Nation Sweden to broaden its festival portfolio to include three distinct genres and geographical areas.
“The live entertainment industry is moving towards a few large companies booking artists for shows in many countries and during long periods of time. … A cooperation with Live Nation is the ultimate way forward for us”
“We already had [indie/electronic festival] Way Out West,” he explains, “then we acquired Summerburst, which is an EDM event, and now a rock festival.” He also points out that Live Nation now has festivals across the breadth of Sweden: Way Out West in Gothenburg, on the west coast; Summerburst in capital Stockholm, in the south-east; and Sweden Rock in Sölvesborg, in the far south.
In a statement, the festival, which has been held since 1992, says the “change in ownership will not affect the way the festival is being operated. The company and the festival will be run by the same staff and management, and in the same manner.”
“Both the festival and its headquarters will remain in Sölvesborg,” it continues. “The musical orientation will stay the same, and the current promoter team will continue booking the artists, now with assistance from the team at Live Nation.”
Johansson – who recently spoke exclusively to IQTV about his career so far – confirms that “absolutely everyone” currently involved with the festival will stay on. “They have done a wonderful job,” he says. “They’re absolutely amazing people.”
Aerosmith is the first act announced for Sweden Rock 2017, which will take place in Norje, near Sölvesborg, from 7 to 10 June.
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IQTV: Thomas Johansson, Live Nation
IQ today launches IQTV, a YouTube video series featuring revealing interviews and insights from some of the biggest players in the international live music business.
In the first episode, as part of a series of interviews commemorating Live Nation’s 10th year in the business, the company’s chairman of international music and the Nordics, Thomas Johansson, opens up about his career to date, his fantasy headliners, the biggest changes in the industry and the “mind-boggling” experience of booking Abba into 70,000-capacity venues at the tender age of 24…
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