Live Nation Urban and H.E.R.’s festival called off
Lights On Festival, an event curated by American R&B singer H.E.R. and promoted by Live Nation Urban, has been called off less than a month before it was supposed to take place.
The festival, scheduled for 16–17 September at the Shoreline Amphitheater in California, was to feature performances from H.E.R. and Friends, Jazmine Sullivan, PartyNextDoor, Don Toliver, Alina Baraz, Tooshi, Smino and more.
Lights On is the latest 2023 festival to be cancelled after 88rising’s 88 Degrees & Rising, Made in America (US), Fest Festival (Poland), Falls Festival (Australia), Rolling Loud (US), Summerburst (Sweden), Hills of Rock (Bulgaria), InMusic (Croatia), Wireless Germany, Hear Hear (Belgium) and Tempelhof Sounds and Tempelhof Sounds Presents (Germany).
“We look forward to returning with an incredible experience in 2024”
“Due to unforeseen circumstances, Lights On Festival will not take place this year,” festival representatives said in a statement released to the San Francisco Chronicle on 22 August. “We sincerely appreciate and value the Lights On Festival community and look forward to returning with an incredible experience in 2024.”
Lights On Festival made its debut in 2019, with the second, and most recent, edition held in 2021. The initial idea for the festival came from Live Nation Urban president Shawn Gee and Jeff Robinson, CEO and founder of MBK Entertainment, the company that manages H.E.R.
Lights On Festival is among a slate of artist-curated festivals including J.Cole’s Dreamville, Tyler the Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival, Smashing Pumpkins’ The World Is A Vampire, Travis Scott’s Astroworld, Pharrell Williams’ Something In The Water, Jawbreaker’s 1234Fest and Meltdown festival.
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Live Nation Urban revives Exodus festival
Live Nation Urban and gospel artist Kirk Franklin are reviving Exodus Music & Arts Festival, following two sold-out editions in 2018 and 2019.
The festival resumes at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Dallas (Texas) on 20-21 May, marking the first time the festival has spanned two days.
Once again, Franklin will personally host and headline the show. Yolanda Adams, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Tamela Mann, Natalie Grant, Naomi Raine, Taya, and more will also perform.
“This was the first festival partnership Live Nation Urban entered into when the company was formed a few years back”
“Kirk Franklin and his team have been amazing partners for Live Nation Urban, this was the first festival partnership we entered into when the company was formed a few years back,” says president of Live Nation Urban, Shawn Gee. “It’s great to see the event grow and scale and we will continue to invest in the Gospel music community as it’s an area of priority for LNU.”
Kirk Franklin adds: “I am absolutely thrilled that our music festival is back and bigger than ever, now extending to two full days of unique voices and talented artists that will inspire and uplift all those in attendance.
“Exodus has always been about bringing together fans and artists in celebration of the power of Gospel music, and it’s a true honour to be a part of this incredible event once again. I’m also incredibly thankful for our partnership with Live Nation Urban, which has allowed us to create an unforgettable experience for everyone involved.”
The Exodus Music & Arts Festival welcomed such gospel stars as Mann, Marvin Sapp and Tye Tribbett during its aforementioned inaugural year.
For its second year in 2019, the festival boasted a lineup that featured Cobbs Leonard, Fred Hammond, The Clark Sisters and Travis Greene, among other acts.
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Live Nation Urban launches Black History Month event series
Live Nation Urban has launched a multi-event series across six US cities to mark Black History Month this February.
The series, Afro-Renaissance, will showcase and amplify Black artists working within the comedy, poetry and live music spheres.
The month-long event kicked off on 2 February with The Garden: A Soul Jam, a jam session amplifying emerging Black talent in soul, R&B, and hip-hop, with a focus on cultivating creative communities across industries.
Throughout the month, Afro-Renaissance will amplify Black voices, create spaces for Black creativity, and spotlight resources and industry executives for those looking to grow and learn more about the entertainment business.
Events will also act as a recruiting platform for HBCU (historically Black colleges and universities) students from Clark Atlanta University and Howard University and will partner with local Black-owned businesses and organisations such as Uncle Nearest, Broccoli City, and Wtmove.app.
See the full list of Afro-Renaissance events below.
The Garden: A Soul Jam
February 2nd – Los Angeles, CA @ The Peppermint Club
Meet The Execs
February 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th – Instagram Live @livenationurban
A series of conversations with Black executives across various industries such as Victoria Eady Butler, 4-time Master Blender of the Year and Nearest Green’s great-great-granddaughter, along with Stacy Muhammad, Director (The Wonder Years, The Best Man: Final Chapters, Power Book II: Raising Kanan, Queen Sugar), hosted by Brandon Pankey, VP of Business Development at Live Nation Urban.
Black Tour Directory Mixer
February 10th – Washington, D.C at Soundcheck
Presented by the Black Tour Directory, a listing of Black professionals and companies for those actively seeking to hire Black crew members on their tours and events, this mixer will feature Black creatives that specialise in live event production to create an authentic space for Black professionals interested in live music and an opportunity to network, apply for roles, and showcase their talent. This mixer will also feature a live performance by Zoney Sound, a Black-owned music collective based in the DMV/Baltimore area.
Black Love Mixtape
February 17th – Chicago, IL @ House of Blues Chicago – Foundation Room
Extending Black Love Day and Valentine’s Day, this poetry mixer will highlight self-love, romantic love, and love for community featuring poetry from Justus Pugh, Soulah, and Matt Muse with a special DJ set from Sky Jetta.
Cocktails and Convos – Studio to Stage
February 23rd – Los Angeles, CA @ Live Nation LA
Black songwriters discuss their journey from songwriting for some of the hottest artists to setting the stage as performers themselves with a special performance from Farrah Fawx to end the night.
Black Joy Comedy Show
February 23rd – Atlanta, GA @ Live Nation Atlanta
Time to revel in some Black Joy! Join us for a night of comedy and drinks featuring comedians DJ Swole, Daniel Dellanno, Plug Chapman and Frankie Benz.
Diaspora: A Celebration of Black Dance Music
February 24th – New York, NY @ Live Nation NY
Black dance culture has always played an integral part in the way Black people express themselves. This happy hour mixer will highlight Black dance music with DJ No Brakes spinning Jersey Club, New Orleans Bounce, Afrobeats, and other dance genres all night, featuring a special guest performance from viral sensation and Jersey Club artist Cookiee Kawaii.
The Houston Mixtape
February 24th – Houston, TX @ HOB Houston
Happy birthday, Hip-Hop! We’re celebrating Hip-Hop’s 50th birthday and Houston’s unique impact on Hip-Hop music and culture with LNE employees, emerging Houston artists, and Houston Hip-Hop legends for drinks, jams, and community.
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Live Nation Urban acquires Broccoli City festival
Live Nation Urban has taken a “significant equity stake” in Broccoli City, a Washington DC-based festival touted as “the largest event in the US for Black people under 30-years-old”.
The festival’s co-founders Marcus Allen and Brandon McEachern will now take on executive roles at Live Nation Urban, where they will work with president Shawn Gee to “scale the Broccoli City brand and catalyse the creation of new content and culture-centric live experiences and festivals”.
Launched in 2010, Broccoli City describes itself as a “Black-owned social enterprise” and has featured artists such as Lil Wayne, Cardi B, Childish Gambino, and the late Nipsey Hussle, as well as rising superstars Lil Baby, Lil Durk, Summer Walker, Wizkid, and City Girls.
The festival supports environmental consciousness in the African-American community and promotes creativity through innovative initiatives in the areas of technology, music, art, and social impact.
“For us as a company, this investment was an important one,” says Gee. “When we formed in 2018, one of the first deals we did was the original co-promotion deal with the Broccoli City team. I promised the guys that the success of our partnership would lead to greater things, and it was important to me to keep my word.
“For us as a company, this investment was an important one”
“We are not simply investing in a festival; we are investing in these amazing founders. We believe this will be the first of many brands that we will build together with Marcus and Brandon as they have an insatiable entrepreneurial spirit. One of the core tenants of Live Nation Urban is identifying young black entrepreneurs in the live space and investing in their vision. I’m looking forward to continuing to build with Brandon and Marcus.”
McEachern adds: “We are super excited about this partnership with LNU/LN, and working closer with Shawn Gee. I really appreciate him encouraging us to be big thinking entrepreneurs and brand builders… not limiting us to event producers.”
Allen comments: “We are going to focus on curating untapped niche markets, bigger partnerships, and international expansion. Reimage the future of live cultural experiences. Our big picture goal is to create a 100-million-dollar community at the apex of live entertainment, social impact, and digital media.”
Broccoli City returned this May after a two-year pandemic-induced break, with a lineup topped by 21 Savage, Ari Lennox, Summer Walker and Wizkid.
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LN Urban and Mass Appeal team for Hip-Hop 50 Live
Live Nation Urban is joining forces with Nas’ entertainment company Mass Appeal to celebrate 50 years of hip-hop.
Mass Appeal is led by the American rapper along with creative director Sacha Jenkins and CEO Peter Bittenbender. Its “multi-year” partnership with Live Nation will see the companies collaborate on a series of hip-hop-centric live programming.
Events will range from park jams to festivals, reports Billboard.
“We are thrilled to partner with the world’s leading live entertainment company to bring fans one-of-a-kind experiences in celebration of hip-hop’s 50th birthday,” says Bittenbender. “We are planning to celebrate all facets of the culture and globe via this dynamic partnership.”
“Live Nation Urban was founded to redefine culture”
Kicking off this summer at US parks nationwide, other activities will include live DJ sessions, interactive experiences, pop-up merchandise and educational activations. Park Jams in November will be followed by programmes honouring Hip-Hop History Month.
“Live Nation Urban was founded to redefine culture,” adds Brandon Pankey, VP of business development and operations at Live Nation Urban. “To celebrate 50 years of hip-hop with Nas, Peter and the Mass Appeal team is absolutely the type of partnership that our company is excited to form to continue to tell the stories about our culture globally.”
Mass Appeal and Live Nation Urban will also bring fans original content, product collaborations and Web3 launches to mark hip-hop’s semi-centennial. A portion of all proceeds will be donated to various charities including the Universal Hip Hop Museum, which is set to open in 2024.
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Mary J Blige unveils Strength of a Woman Festival
Mary J Blige and Pepsi have partnered with Live Nation Urban to launch the Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit in the US.
The inaugural edition will take place in Atlanta, Georgia from 6-8 May, with three days dedicated to music, comedy, and community building. The all-female bill includes performances from the likes of Blige, Chaka Khan, City Girls, Ella Mai, Queen Naija and Kiana Ledé.
Intentionally staged over Mother’s Day weekend, the “multi-touchpoint” event is curated for and by women, with a focus on music, wellness, tech, beauty, and financial literacy.
“The idea for the festival came to us after early listening sessions of my latest album with my family and friends and women in the industry,” says Blige. “Each time, the people in the room would share a story, oftentimes of heartbreak or pain, but they always ended with joy and love and how their girlfriends or mom or sister helped them find their voice and strength. We felt like after two years of being inside and having to endure so much, that this was the type of experience that people, especially women, deserved.
“I’m so grateful to all of the performers, vendors, and participants for committing themselves to our inaugural event and I am so excited to do this in a city that has been rocking with me since the very beginning of my career. I am proud to create this with my sisters and I look forward to an undeniably beautiful and special experience.”
The event is the brainchild of Blige and her partners Nicole Jackson, VP of MJB Inc, and Ashaunna Ayars of The Ayars Agency, who have assembled a team of women to lead every arm of the festival, from production to communications.
Kicking off the weekend on 6 May is a concert at Tabernacle Atlanta, curated to highlight youth culture and emerging hip-hop and R&B acts such as Kiana Ledé, Emotional Oranges, Inayah, MK XYZ and Omerettá the Great.
“Being able to bring an experience like this to fruition, especially with a dynamic team of Black women at the helm, is a dream come true”
The Strength of a Woman Summit, which will feature workshops and panel discussions, will be held on 7 May at The Gathering Spot ATL, followed by the second concert night at State Farm Arena, hosted by Kenny Burns, with performances by Mary J. Blige and special guests Chaka Khan, City Girls, Ella Mai, and Queen Naija, among others.
The event will culminate with the ticketed Mother’s Day Gospel Brunch at the City Winery on 8 May, which will feature Gospel music artists including Kierra Sheard and Le’Andria Johnson.
“This festival and summit were created for our friends, mothers, sisters, and the countless women who walk unapologetically in their truth and strength,” says Ayars. “Being able to bring an experience like this to fruition, especially with a dynamic team of Black women at the helm, is a dream come true.
“I’ve lived in Atlanta for several years and am thrilled that we’ll be able to give back to a city that has nurtured, supported, and amplified to the global stage so many Black artists and entrepreneurs. We are so grateful for Pepsi’s support in celebrating and honouring women, but also with their commitment via grants for the larger Atlanta creative & entrepreneurial community.”
The festival is the billed as the first of its kind to have women not only as the performing acts, but also as the decision-makers behind the scenes.
“I’m thrilled to present a powerful line-up of all-female talent headlined by, and in partnership with, Mary J Blige for the Inaugural Strength of a Woman Weekend in Atlanta,” says Mari Davies, VP of booking and talent at Live Nation Urban. “Mary’s story and career are so inspirational, relatable, and triumphant. The weekend will showcase and celebrate strong talented women across generations and I’m proud to be a part of such a special weekend! This is for us and by us.”
The festival is also partnering with dozens of local, minority, and female-owned businesses and vendors.
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Raft of appointments across US live industry
Live Nation Urban (LNU) has made Mari Arionne Davies its new VP of booking and talent.
In the new role, Davies will oversee artist bookings for LNU festivals and touring brands and will actively seek out partners to “introduce a new generation of tours, festivals, and activations”.
A founding member of Diversify ICM and a supporter of The Show Must Be Paused campaign, LA-based Davies has a background in social justice. Her remit at LNU will also include identifying avenues to support underserved voices in the business.
“It’s truly a thrill to be joining the dynamic team at Live Nation Urban,” said Davies. “LNU has shown tremendous growth and proven to be the premier source for live urban music. I look forward to working along with the team to further impact the company and the culture and to continue working with the brightest stars of hip hop, R&B and gospel as live events return to stages around the world.”
Most recently an agent at ICM Partners, Davies has worked with artists including Kelly Rowland and contributed to the rise of acts such as A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Cordae, Kiana Ledé and Jacquees.
“We are beyond excited to bring Mari over to head up our festival booking and touring activities,” added LNU president Shawn Gee. “She is a rising star in the business, and we are fortunate to have her on the Live Nation Urban team”
“Whether it’s artists or our own internal team, Live Nation is always investing in people we believe in”
Live Nation has also promoted Jenifer Smith to head of urban tour marketing & strategy. She will lead the company’s urban tour marketing team, supporting its roster of R&B and hip-hop tours within the concerts division. Smith was a tour marketer at AEG Presents and Goldenvoice for close to a decade, prior to joining Live Nation two years ago.
“Whether it’s artists or our own internal team, Live Nation is always investing in people we believe in,” said Omar Al-joulani, head of talent & touring for Live Nation Concerts.
“Jenifer has been an incredible leader at Live Nation, and we are confident her strategic focus and experience will do big things for every artist working with our Urban marketing team.”
Elsewhere, venue management giant ASM Global has tapped industry veteran John Boyle as global chief content officer. Boyle was previously chief growth officer and interim CFO of Insomniac Events and will lead ASM Global’s presentation and production content pipeline for its venue portfolio.
“With John’s far-reaching experience and the content team we are building, we will provide a greater number and wider array of profitable events to our venues, which comprise the most iconic family of venues in the world,” said ASM Global president and CEO Ron Bension.
In addition, livestreaming firm Dreamstage has hired veteran entertainment marketing executive Jesse Kirshbaum as CMO. Kirshbaum brings previously led Nue Agency and has worked with clients such as Pusha T, J. Cole, Big Sean, Mike Posner, Action Bronson, Wale and Solange.
“I couldn’t be more excited about joining the ‘Dream Team’,” said Kirshbaum. “The company is well-positioned to lead the charge into the future of the music business. The pandemic has changed the live business and consumer and artist habits around it, forever,” said Kirshbaum. “The data shows that when done right, livestreaming has a positive effect on artists relationships with their fans and creates even more demand for live shows.”
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Black Tour Directory founder aims to go global
Jenifer Smith, co-founder of Live Nation Urban’s new Black Tour Directory (TBTD), has revealed initial plans to expand the US database internationally.
In a Q&A published yesterday on IQ, Smith confirmed that the resource, which compiles Black professionals and Black-owned companies in the live music industry, will be gradually be opened up to pros outside of the US.
“As TBTD grows and expands its international footprint, the ideal goal is to include other professionals and businesses from around the world, as live events aren’t just US-based, it’s a global initiative as well. As professionals continue to discover, enquire and sign up, we will vet them and add them based on country, state, city and so on,” she said.
“As professionals continue to discover, enquire and sign up, we will vet them and add them based on [location]”
Smith also said it would be “great” to include other underrepresented groups in the database too.
“It’s all about diversity and inclusion. There was an initial overwhelming response to TBTD, however, we think it would be great to open it up and include other underrepresented groups and continue to build the candidate pool for live events, concerts, touring and festivals to increase representation within live events as whole,” she added.
Read the full Q&A here, in which Smith tells IQ about the inception of the resource, the feedback her and co-founder NyAsia Burris have received, and what the live industry needs to do post-pandemic to further diversity and inclusion.
The Black Tour Directory was launched last month in collaboration with Live Nation Urban president Shawn Gee.
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The Black Tour Directory: “You can’t just talk the talk”
The Black Tour Directory arrives at a time when actionable work to promote inclusion and oust racial inequalities is more crucial than ever.
The database, launched last month by Live Nation Urban, lists hundreds of qualified Black touring professionals in the US – from tour managers to caterers – with the intention to bolster inclusivity and expand opportunities for Black professionals and Black-owned companies in the live music industry.
The new initiative is the result of a collaboration between NyAsia Burris, head of marketing for Live Nation Urban and Jenifer Smith, director of US concerts tour marketing at Live Nation, who tells IQ why her employer was the right company with which to launch the directory, how the it has been received, and what the global expansion of the resource will look like.
IQ: How did this year’s events – the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others, the Black Lives Matter protests, as well as the pandemic – inform and facilitate The Black Tour Directory (TBTD)?
JS: These issues are complex and cannot be solved in one day. There’s a lot of work that still needs to be done by educating, decompressing, healing, and still having those necessary conversations even if they’re uncomfortable or hard to relate to. It’s been going on for so long, you become numb to it – but when George Floyd and Breonna Taylor died, it was like ripping a band-aid off an old wound that has never healed.
NyAsia and I created TBTD to help change that narrative and to inspire inclusion within our industry as there’s underrepresentation in the live industry for people of colour (PoC). I believe the question for us both was: what can we do to create change? NyAsia and I worked on TBTD together as a collaborative team effort that resulted in brainstorming an idea, fleshing out the concept and presenting it to Shawn Gee (president of Live Nation Urban), who loved it and was supportive throughout the process.
I believe this is our way of showing up, aligning our values through a resource of this stature, reflecting the change we want to see, and striving to create better opportunities for PoC. It’s important to diversify resources that create pipelines of opportunity.
You previously held positions at ICM Partners and AEG Presents. Why was Live Nation the right company with which to launch the directory?
Right now, we’re in a different climate based on the events that have transpired this year. I believe leadership starts at the top. When upper management at Live Nation shared their short- and long-term goals with the company, it showed the importance of leading by example, a key component in a leadership position. You can’t just talk the talk; you have to walk the walk and actually do the work to advocate real change and inclusion. We still have a lot of work to do, but we’re moving in the right direction.
“This is us showing up, aligning our values, reflecting the change we want to see, and striving to create better opportunities”
Are you collaborating with existing directories like Roadies of Colour, Diversify The Stage, Black Promoters Collective at all?
Each one of those organisations is great and amazing! We truly value, respect and appreciate the work that they’re doing. We support them in their efforts, as they support us in ours. We collectively want change, and the opportunity of inclusion. We all share a unified goal of providing an ecosystem that highlights talented and qualified individuals in our field and creating the resource for the industry to hire great candidates from who have the experience and skillset that’s needed.
Was there a conversation about whether to include other underrepresented groups in the directory too?
It’s all about diversity and inclusion. There was an initial overwhelming response to TBTD, however, we think it would be great to open it up and include other underrepresented groups and continue to build the candidate pool for live events, concerts, touring and festivals to increase representation within live events as whole.
Currently, TBTD only compiles US-based Black professionals and businesses, are there plans to roll out similar initiatives worldwide?
As TBTD grows and expands its international footprint, the ideal goal is to include other professionals and businesses from around the world, as live events aren’t just US-based, it’s a global initiative as well. As professionals continue to discover, enquire and sign up, we will vet them and add them based on country, state, city and so on.
“We must make sure that the gatekeepers doing the hiring [after the pandemic] are aware of the directory”
How will you develop the directory over time and ensure the initiative continues to grow?
TBTD offers companies who are seeking to diversify their staff an additional resource to pool new, diversified and qualified candidates. One of our main goals is to communicate that music is universal. If a candidate has a professional skill set in one particular genre of music, that doesn’t negate the functionality of the job and their experience can be applied across all platforms, no matter the genre.
It’s also about doing actionable work, where we’re partnering with schools, organisations and foundations to educate the next generation under us about the opportunities behind the scenes in live events.
What kind of feedback in the resource have you received from the live industry, and Black professionals, so far?
We received positive feedback and support from the live community. Industry colleagues have been encouraging and helpful in more ways than one, from offering mentorship to the upcoming generations, creating pipelines for paid apprenticeship to people providing additional resources, individuals and companies that should be included, and more.
The live sector is fairly dormant due to the pandemic, how can the industry take advantage of this downtime to take action and further diversity and inclusion? What would you like to see happen next?
Once the pandemic is over and live events are back to scale, these jobs will reopen quickly and there will be a need to fill these positions. So first we must make sure that the gatekeepers and the people doing the hiring are aware of TBTD and are able to explore this list of qualified candidates.
Directories of this nature are a great tool to ensure and offer possibilities to talented and experienced groups of people that are sometimes overlooked or not even on companies or crews’ radars.
Visit The Black Tour Directory here.
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Live Nation announces Black Tour Directory
Live Nation Urban has launched The Black Tour Directory, a one-stop portal listing hundreds of qualified Black touring professionals.
The industry resource was developed to bolster inclusivity and expand opportunities for Black professionals and Black-owned companies in live music, alongside existing resources Roadies of Colour, Diversify The Stage, Black Promoters Collective.
The database lists contact details for tour managers, production managers, sound engineers, lighting experts, stage and set designers, stage managers, techs, travel agents, caterers, tour accountants, bus companies, security staff, and more.
“When Jenifer Smith from Live Nation Concerts and NyAsia Burris from my team came to me with this idea, I thought it was genius and absolutely necessary,” says Live Nation Urban president Shawn Gee.
“There are several amazing resource groups that exist like Roadies of Color, Diversify The Stage, Black Promoters Collective and many others, and we all have one common goal, to make sure once live entertainment returns at scale, there are more opportunities that exist for Black people, and all underrepresented groups of people, throughout the touring industry, particularly in technical and production positions.”
“Our common goal is to make sure once live entertainment returns at scale, there are more opportunities for Black people”
Jenifer Smith, Live Nation director of tour marketing, says: “I felt it was important to create accessibility to people of colour that specialise in these fields in order to help diversify live events beyond the stage.
“As a Black woman working in the music and live events space for over 12 years, I understand the importance of representation within the industry. Using our platform as the leading promoter in the world, Live Nation has the ability to help change the narrative and to provide a powerful resource for the industry.”
The Black Tour Directory enables festivals, producers, promoters, vendors, and venues to live up to an industrywide promise of inclusivity with a straightforward solution to diversifying the road once and for all.
The directory was discussed during a roundtable interview with a number of respected voices from the industry. Backstage with Crew Nation comprised Curtis Battles [Founder, CEO of Curtis Battles Production], Tina Farris [Founder, CEO of Tina Farris Tours], Victor Reed Sr. [Founder, CEO of Global Event Production Network], and Michael “Huggy” Carter [Founder, CEO of MCG Productions]. The video can be watched here.
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