SaveLive announces new venue partnerships
SaveLive, the “war chest” launched by former WME executives Marc Geiger and John Fogelman in 2020 to “bail out” struggling US music venues, has announced two new exclusive venue partnerships.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin’s Eagles Entertainment Inc has joined the network with its collection of venues, alongside the Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo, California.
The Eagles Entertainment building houses six individual spaces including the 4,000-capacity Eagles Ballroom and the 1,800-cap. Rave. The complex has hosted acts such as Bad Bunny, Coldplay, Luke Combs, Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars and Slayer, as well as formative performances from the likes of Tyler the Creator, Travis Scott, Soundgarden, Mac Miller, Olivia Rodrigo, Jane’s Addiction, Nirvana, Dave Matthews Band and Pearl Jam.
“I have known Marc Geiger for 30 years. Partnering with SaveLive is an easy decision given his history and knowledge,” says Eagles Entertainment Inc co-owner Leslie West. “Marc was always my ‘go-to guy’ when I was at my wits end, when I did not know how to deal with a business issue. He always has an answer. When he started developing SaveLive, I told him I wanted to be a part of the team. My wish came true, and I have nothing but respect and admiration for what he and John Fogelman have put together. It’s a great partnership with great people.”
“We are beyond thrilled to be partnering with SaveLive to bring even more live music to the San Luis Obispo community”
The 900-cap Fremont Theater, meanwhile, has hosted artists such as Yes, Lyle Lovett and Brandi Carlile.
“We are beyond thrilled to be partnering with SaveLive to bring even more live music to the San Luis Obispo community,” says owner and operator Dan Sheehan. “The Fremont has been a fixture of the community for decades and we feel we are just getting started on the live music history of the Fremont Theater.”
At the time of SaveLive’s launch in October of 2020, Geiger said the plan was to invest in small venues and build an indie touring network to revive the live scene, using funds secured during an initial investment round.
It completed its first round of financing last spring, raising US$135 million from investors including Breyer Capital, Deep Field Asset Management, Raptor Group, and Shamrock Capital.
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Marc Geiger’s SaveLive hires talent buyer Gary Spivack
Veteran talent buyer Gary Spivack has joined SaveLive, the “war chest” launched in 2020 by former WME music execs Marc Geiger and John Fogelman to “bailout” struggling US music venues.
Under his role as senior executive of music, Spivack will work with the SaveLive network to enhance day to day operations and long-range business, according to an announcement.
“Over my career, I’ve had the privilege to work with some of the biggest acts on the planet from Radiohead to Metallica and many in between,” says Spivack. “But to those who know me, it’s been and always will be about music discovery and breaking artists. It’s about finding the next Turnstile, Halestorm, Greta Van Fleet.”
Spivack was most recently EVP of talent and curation at festival producer Danny Wimmer Presents (DWP) and says he will remain as a contractor and consultant to help book DWP’s rock-centric festivals.
“To join the all-star team at SaveLive is an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up,”
“To join the all-star team at SaveLive is an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up,” Spivack adds. “It’s about championing the indies. I’m a big fan of the independent venue community and support independent-minded artists. Thanks to DWP I’ve been able to spread my creative wings and curate some of the world’s top rock festivals under its umbrella. On a personal note, Marc has been a mentor, a peer and a close friend for years so coming in as a senior executive at SaveLive is beyond exciting and I’m ready for this journey. Let’s go!”
SaveLive’s website went online in early April, along with news of the first round of venue partners and a US$135 million round of financing.
Geiger adds: “We are building a network of indie venues and promoters and we need the best possible team made up of great humans with a passionate love of music. Gary fits that bill. For years I have watched him grow into the rock and alternative guru he is now, and we are excited for him to bring that expertise to the SaveLive community.”
Spivak joins a team including notable industry execs such as Jorge Avila (talent buyer, Latinx and world), Evelyn Chia (talent buyer, electronic and alt/indie), Cristian Morales (talent buyer, Latinx and world), Ashlin Palmer (talent buyer, country and Americana and folk), Anthony Paolercio (talent buyer, all genres), Nadia Prescher (head of music), and more are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
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Marc Geiger’s SaveLive reveals first venue partners
SaveLive, the “war chest” launched in 2020 by former WME music execs Marc Geiger and John Fogelman to “bail out” struggling US music venues, has announced its first round of venue partners.
The company yesterday (5 April) unveiled partnerships with some 20 mid-size venues including The Alibi in Palm Springs (California), The Golden State Theater in Monterey (California) and Hammerjacks in Baltimore (Maryland), with “many more to come.”
SaveLive has also completed its first round of financing, raising US$135 million from investors including Breyer Capital, Deep Field Asset Management, Raptor Group, and Shamrock Capital.
At the time of the company’s launch in October of 2020, Geiger said the plan was to invest in small venues and build an indie touring network to revive the live scene, using funds secured during an initial investment round.
Initially, SaveLive intended to buy at least 51% of the equity in those clubs though a rep for the company says that is not the case for all of the partnerships and each one is bespoke.
“Getting involved with Marc, John, and SaveLive to re-launch the Golden State Theatre in Monterey, CA was a no brainer”
Geiger said: “When John and I started this mission in late 2020, the live business was feeling pretty hopeless as the pandemic was hitting the sector head on. All I did during this time was listen to music and obsess on ideas on how to help the independent live industry.
“It was clear streaming services plus the pandemic changed the concert industry for good and web 3.0 is going to change it even more. We used that downtime to raise capital of like-minded and long-term investors, build a music focused team of professionals, and ultimately build out version 1.0 of our partner network. 18 months later, the live business is rushing back to record levels…and it’s time to launch.”
The Alibi’s Liz Garo adds: “As an independent booker for Spaceland, The Echo, and 100 other places since the beginning of time, being able to partner with SaveLive is a dream come true. [Alibi co-owner] Melanie Tusquellas and I can stay true to our roots knowing we have their full support, whether it’s finance, booking, marketing, sponsorship, questions about the bar or just bouncing ideas off the team. It doesn’t hurt that we’ve known some of the people at SaveLive for years – we all came up through the business together.”
Golden State Theatre owner and Ineffable Music president Thomas Cussins comments: “As Ineffable Music continues to focus on bringing top notch national acts to secondary and tertiary markets, getting involved with Marc, John, and SaveLive to re-launch the Golden State Theatre in Monterey, CA was a no brainer.
“At Ineffable, we open new outlets for touring acts, creating a more vibrant live music scene–both for the artists and for the fans who deserve to have great music in their backyard. Having SaveLive in our corner gives us even more confidence to keep growing our business.”
See SaveLive’s first round of partner venues below:
The Alibi, Palm Springs, CA
The Golden State Theater, Monterey, CA
Hammerjacks, Baltimore, MD
The Marquis (formerly Harry O’s and Park City Live), Park City, UT
The Criterion Ballroom, Oklahoma City, OK
Tower Theatre, Oklahoma City, OK
Beer City Music Hall, Oklahoma City, OK
Ponyboy, Oklahoma City, OK
Tech Port Arena, San Antonio, TX
Tobin Center, San Antonio, TX
Elektricity, Pontiac, MI
Deuterman Productions, Various, FL
Patchwork Presents, National
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