LGBTIQ+ List 2023: Kane Kete, Ticketmaster
The LGBTIQ+ List 2023 – IQ Magazine’s third annual celebration of queer professionals who make an immense impact in the international live music business – has been revealed.
The ever-popular list is the centrepiece of IQ’s third Pride edition, sponsored by Ticketmaster, which is now available to read online and in print for subscribers.
To get to know this year’s queer pioneers a little better, we interviewed each of them on the development of the industry, the challenges that are keeping them up at night and more.
Throughout the next month, IQ will publish a new interview each day. Check out yesterday’s profile with Adem Holness, head of contemporary music at Southbank Centre in London, UK.
The series continues with Kane Kete (he/him/his), client development manager for major events, promoters & music venues at Ticketmaster in Melbourne, Australia.
Aside from being a proud gay man, Kane Kete is a proud New Zealand Māori who has descended from the iwi (tribe) of Ngāti Maniapoto. When he’s not working, he tries to get to as many gigs as he possibly can while also enjoying many a pint of beer with friends and family.
At work, Kane is a client development manager for Ticketmaster, responsible for the development and growth of their major event, promoter, and music venue clients. His focus is on the continuous improvement of relationships, product adoption, and revenue growth across an extensive portfolio of clients.
Across more than 14 years at Ticketmaster, Kane has worked his way through a range of positions starting in the box office, through to event programming, client management, and artist services. This experience allows Kane to provide business-wide solutions that drive ticket sales, generate growth, provide an exceptional fan experience, and deliver true value to his clients.
Tell us about the professional feat you’re most PROUD of in 2023 so far.
2023 has been a monster year already here in Australia. Working on the delivery of massive stadium tours such as Harry Styles, Ed Sheeran, and Red Hot Chili Peppers over the summer, as well as getting stadium tours including Pink, Coldplay, Foo Fighters, and Def Leppard & Mötley Crüe up and on sale recently. It’s been a lot of work and some long hours, but I do like to remind myself it’s all been done perfectly by our teams.
Name one queer act you’re itching to see live this year.
I don’t know if I could choose just one – I would love to tick off Christine and the Queens. Orville Peck, Girl in Red, and Arlo Parks – I would jump at the chance of seeing them again and would love to see a Kim Petras headline tour in Australia. Closer to home for those who aren’t easily shocked, Big Wett always puts on an eye-opening show!
“Be confident in yourself and what you bring to the table and don’t compare yourself to everyone else around you”
What advice could you give to young queer professionals?
It sounds cliché, but – just be yourself, don’t go back in the closet or hide who you are. Be confident in yourself and what you bring to the table and don’t compare yourself to everyone else around you. I’m a big fan of letting your work do the talking for you.
What’s the best mistake you’ve ever made?
The people who work with me know there’s one mistake I made years ago that still haunts me. That stomach-churning feeling stays with me to this day, and I will never make that mistake again! All mistakes come with learnings, so if you can apply what you’ve learnt moving forward, a work mistake isn’t the worst thing that can happen to you.
In terms of challenges in the industry, what’s currently keeping you up at night?
Ensuring real fans are the ones getting tickets to their favourite artists’ gigs. It’s not keeping me up at night as I think our teams are doing fantastic work in ensuring we’re beating the bots and scalpers, but I would love to see more time and innovation going into this across the industry.
“I would like to see ticketing agents and venues become a more valued partner in the tour planning process”
How do you see the live music business developing in the next few years?
I think it’s just going to get bigger and bigger. Demand is unprecedented, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. We have a generation of new fans obsessed with seeing live music and more and more artists playing to bigger audiences than ever before. I think we’re going to see these artists and their vocal fans telling us exactly what they want from a live music experience, and it will be exciting to see how the industry listens and reacts.
Name one thing you’d like to see the live music business change.
I would like to see ticketing agents and venues become a more valued partner in the tour planning process – it’s so important for us to have a seat at the table in the early phase of discussions. A more collaborative, two-way partnership only maximises results for fans and artists.
Name one thing the industry could do to be a more equitable place.
Keep pushing on implementing the things we as an industry say we support. Be equitable from the top down. I’d like to see more women in leadership roles, more queer and gender-diverse people in leadership roles, more wage equity, and more equitable access.
“I’d like to see more women in leadership roles, more queer and gender-diverse people in leadership roles”
Shout out to your biggest ally in the live music industry.
I don’t think I have one specific ally in the industry, rather a whole range of people from all different types of backgrounds who support not only me but our community in their own unique ways. Ticketmaster/Live Nation have so many initiatives to help support our community, and I think working in such an environment makes you feel like you are constantly surrounded by allies that see you.
Do you support any LGBTIQ+ causes?
Black Rainbow. A First Nations organisation that’s working to enact positive change to the health and well-being of the queer Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
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LGBTIQ+ List 2023: Meet this year’s queer pioneers
IQ Magazine has revealed the LGBTIQ+ List 2023 – the third annual celebration of queer professionals who make an immense impact in the international live music business.
The ever-popular list is the centrepiece of IQ’s third Pride edition, sponsored by Ticketmaster, which is now available to read online and in print for subscribers.
The 20 individuals comprising the LGBTIQ+ List 2023 – as nominated by our readers and verified by our esteemed steering committee – are individuals that have gone above and beyond to wave the flag for an industry that we can all be proud of.
The third instalment comprises agents, promoters, tour managers, marketing executives, consultants, founders and more – all of whom identify as LGBTIQ+ and, in the face of adversity, have made enormous contributions to their respective sectors.
In alphabetical order, the LGBTIQ+ List 2023 is:
Christina Austin, music agent, United Talent Agency (UK)
Hila Aviran, director of entertainment & tours, PixMob (US)
Johanna Beckman, senior creative curator and promoter, FKP Scorpio Sweden (SE)
Amy Greig, booking agent, Runway Artists (UK)
Adem Holness, head of contemporary music, Southbank Centre (UK)
Kane Kete, client development manager, Ticketmaster (AU)
Ippei Kimura, booking/marketing/tour manager, Creativeman Productions (JP)
Katherine Koranteng, marketing & campaigns manager, Festival Republic (UK)
Stefan Lehmkuhl, freelance curator & live entertainment consultant, BMG/Ruined My Rainbow (DE)
Lucy Mackenzie McNae, tour manager (Josef, Twin Atlantic), Two and a Half TMs (UK)
Saskhia Menendez, innovator at Keychange, board of directors at F-List Music (UK)
Dev Mistry, global internal comms manager, DICE (UK)
Frederik Diness Ove, founder, Queer Music Agency (DK)
Boyan Pinter (Boiadjiev), founder/director, SPIKE Bulgarian Music Showcase (BG)
Scott Robson, event manager, ASM Global (UK)
Roman Samotný, director, Queer Slovakia (SK)
Marie-Christine Scheffold, senior booking agent manager, Selective Artists (DE)
Karim Siddiqui, senior booking manager, Live Nation (US)
Areti Tziorta, marketing manager, TEG Europe (UK)
João Pedro Viana, music agent, WME (UK)
Throughout the next month, IQ will be publishing full-length interviews with each person on the LGBTIQ+ List 2023.
Subscribers can read the full Pride edition now. Click here to subscribe to IQ from less than £8 a month – or see what you’re missing out on with the limited preview below.
Check out 2022’s cohort of queer pioneers here, and 2021’s cohort here.