KISS to livestream final concert on PPV
KISS have announced their final ever concert will be livestreamed worldwide on pay-per-view.
The legendary American rock band will bring the curtain down on their 50-year career with the show at New York’s Madison Square Garden on 2 December.
The show, which will be broadcast on PPV.com, will begin at 8pm EST and will cost $39.99 in the US and Canada and $19.99 outside North America.
The group, who initially announced their retirement in 2000, began their End of the Road tour almost five years ago in Vancouver, Canada. The run has encompassed 13 tour legs and 253 shows.
KISS previously livestreamed their 2020 Goodbye concert on New Year’s Eve 2020, filmed at Dubai’s Atlantis hotel.
Meanwhile, the band’s longtime manager Doc McGhee has joined the advisory board of eResonate Media Corporation, which is billed as “the first live entertainment social network”.
“With the technology we have, I think you’re going to see something truly amazing for the music industry”
eResonate aims to “significantly boost revenue and engagement” by ensuring that venues and performers receive all generated revenue from their eResonate live broadcast performances. The company is seeking to bridge what it calls the “current annual live music industry revenue gap of less than $25 billion” by providing access to over $300bn in digital and television advertising revenue.
“With the technology we have, I think you’re going to see something truly amazing for the music industry,” says McGhee.
“Having known Doc since my MTV days, working with him to deliver compelling live entertainment excites me,” adds eResonate CEO Jeffrey Yapp. “We couldn’t hope for a better partner and confirmation of our business model from a more substantial industry figure than Doc McGhee.”
Subscribers can click here to revisit IQ‘s career-spanning 2023 feature on McGhee.
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LN’s Veeps unveils All Access subscription service
Livestreaming platform Veeps has unveiled new subscription service All Access, which offers fans unlimited access to all its live shows, on-demand content and special artist exclusives.
The service is available for $11.99 (€11.42) per month or a $120 (€114) for an annual pass, as the Live Nation-affiliated company bids to fuel both access and discovery by connecting fans with a wider range of acts.
Veeps was established by Good Charlotte’s Joel and Benji Madden in 2017 and has showcased more than 2,000 paid livestreams to fans in over 180 countries. October and November will feature performances such as the premiere of The Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie’s sold-out show from AZ Financial Theater and Run The Jewels’ four-night series live from the Hollywood Palladium.
Other acts will include Macklemore, Jessie Ware, Boys Like Girls, Misterwives, Metric, Senses Fail, Frank Turner, OhGeesy, Flatbush Zombies, Darius Rucker and Jason Aldean. New shows will be added weekly.
“An all-in music service like All Access is breaking new ground”
“We started Veeps for artists and their fans. For the people that love music and the ones that create it,” says Joel Madden, Veeps co-founder and CEO. “As music fans have become used to having concerts and live performances available in the same way they consume sports and movies, it was obvious that we needed to create a model that wasn’t limited to pay-per-view.
“An all-in music service like All Access is breaking new ground and we’re committed to setting a standard that is accessible for fans, compensates artists fairly, and continues to deliver the high-quality shows that we’ve become known for. All Access is the next iteration of Veeps as we head towards a future where every concert will be streamed.”
On-demand content, meanwhile, gives fans access to prior Veeps shows from superstars including Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, The Cure, Def Leppard, Evanescence, Imagine Dragons, J Balvin, JVKE, Katy Perry, The Killers, Metallica, Muse, Rage Against the Machine, the Rolling Stones and Shania Twain.
“Live performances have a unique magic, and Veeps has done an incredible job bringing fans that experience in their homes”
Veeps has also announced the debut of its first two original content series: Sidehustles and music interview podcast-turned-filmed talk show Artist Friendly. It also curates and presents music documentaries, comedy specials, exclusive interviews, original content, talk shows and select historical content. Platform partners include Amazon, Ticketmaster and Verizon.
“Live performances have a unique magic, and Veeps has done an incredible job bringing fans that experience in their homes,” adds Live Nation president and CEO Michael Rapino. “All Access is giving fans a new way to discover music and artists another marketing platform that will only continue to fuel the demand for live with an even bigger world of concerts at our fingertips.”
Subscription plans will initially be available in the US, with international expansion to follow at a later date.
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Foo Fighters announce free global Veeps livestream
Foo Fighters have announced a free global livestream event this weekend, which will include debut performances of songs from the band’s new album But Here We Are.
Beamed from the group’s own 606 studios, Foo Fighters: Preparing Music For Concerts will also feature exclusive behind the scenes footage and other surprises.
The event is being broadcast via Veeps, the Live Nation-owned streaming platform developed by Good Charlotte’s Joel and Benji Madden. It will premiere on Sunday 21 May at 8pm BST exclusively at foofighters.veeps.com, with on-demand repeat viewing enabled through 24 May. Fans can access their free ticket here.
“Having a place to make these moments accessible is why we built Veeps”
“Shows like this don’t happen every day,” says Veeps CEO and founder Joel Madden. “To take this moment to gather fans worldwide, to give people an opportunity to share in the experience no matter where they are, is a gift. Having a place to make these moments accessible is why we built Veeps and we’re honoured to be trusted with delivering this incredible show for Foo Fighters and all of their fans.”
Since launching in 2018, Veeps has livestreamed performances from more than 2,000 artists including Bob Dylan, Brandi Carlile, Louis Tomlinson, Patti Smith, Metallica and an Emmy-nominated Kings of Leon show from London’s The O2.
Notable recent Veeps livestreams have included Louis Tomlinson’s All of Those Voices global film premiere in LA last week and January’s iHeart ALTerEGo, with shows by Trixie & Katya and Def Leppard still to come.
Out 2 June, But Here We Are is the Foo Fighters’ 11th studio album and first since the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins. Hawkins died aged 50 in March 2022 in Bogota, Colombia. The Foos’ upcoming tour kicks off on 24 May at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in Gilford, NH.
“Ethara is committed to delivering thrilling experiences for our fans and creating memorable moments that matter”
The group have also confirmed their first concert in the UAE, with a headline performance at the Yasalam After-Race Concerts lined up for F1’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend at Etihad Park on 26 November. The event, which will also feature Tiësto and Ava Max, will be presented by new Middle East-based live entertainment powerhouse Ethara.
Ethara was officially launched this week following the merger of Abu Dhabi promoter Flash Entertainment and Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management (ADMM).
“It is a privilege to announce our first artists for this year’s Yasalam After-Race Concerts and we look forward to welcoming rock and roll legends Foo Fighters, international icon Tiësto and pop powerhouse Ava Max at Yas Island in November to celebrate the 15th edition of the Abu Dhabi GP weekend,” says Ethara CEO Saif Rashid Al Noaimi.
“As our new name suggests, Ethara is committed to delivering thrilling experiences for our fans and creating memorable moments that matter.”
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Livestreaming company Mandolin closes down
Livestreaming platform Mandolin has closed down after three years in business.
The Indianapolis, US-based company was founded amid the live music shutdown of spring 2020 and has worked on livestream concerts by acts including John Legend, Lil Wayne and Macy Gray.
It raised US$5 million in seed funding in October 2020 and closed a $12 million Series A funding round in June 2021, acquiring rival NoonChorus later that year. But in a statement, Mandolin has confirmed it has now shut down its operations.
“We are sad to announce that after three incredible years of connecting artists and fans more authentically through digital experiences, we are officially closing down our product and business operations,” says the firm.
“Though we can no longer lead the charge, we firmly believe market power will continue to shift toward better supporting artists in this endeavour”
“We’d like to sincerely thank our clients and partners for their belief in our mission and the time spent helping us develop a platform that truly empowered artists to own their fan relationships.
“Though we can no longer lead the charge, we firmly believe market power will continue to shift toward better supporting artists in this endeavour and we are all so appreciative of the feedback, faith and validation you’ve provided over the years to get us this far.”
Mandolin, which was led by CEO and co-founder Mary Kay Huse, reported that more than 100,000 fans had tuned in to its livestream of AEG Presents’ four-day Firefly Festival from Delaware in 2021, which featured performances from the likes of Billie Eilish, Tame Impala, The Killers, Lizzo and Phoebe Bridgers.
In addition to streaming, Mandolin also offered virtual VIP meet-and-greets with select artists on the line-up via its VIP Suite as part of its Mandolin Live+ platform. Launched in the summer of 2021, Live+ was developed to provide new products and enhancements built specifically for the “hybrid event future” of concerts and festivals.
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PRS sues LiveNow in livestreaming dispute
UK collection society PRS for Music has launched legal action against LiveNow over allegations the livestream company ran online concerts without a licence.
LiveNow has worked with artists such as Ellie Goulding, Lizzo and Gorillaz on live events, while its Studio 254 presentation with Dua Lipa in November 2020, which attracted what was billed as the biggest-ever audience for a paid livestream, with over five million people tuning in live.
However, PRS alleges that “no PRS member has been paid for the use of their songs in this event, or the other concerts held by LiveNow”.
“PRS for Music’s role is to ensure songwriters and composers, here in the UK and around the world, are paid when their music is used. We take this responsibility very seriously,” says Gavin Larkins, PRS for Music’s director of commercial development and sales.
“We provide a licence for businesses who offer ticketed online concerts and have licensed many users under this scheme. LiveNow chose not to obtain this licence prior to launching its programme of online concerts, including the globally-streamed Dua Lipa Studio 2054 online event in November 2020 – the highest viewed online concert worldwide. No PRS member has been paid for the use of their songs in this event, or the other concerts held by LiveNow.”
“We have taken action to defend the rights of our members and songwriters of other societies”
PRS says it has engaged in licensing negotiations with LiveNow for more than 18 months.
“These discussions remain unresolved and as such we have taken action to defend the rights of our members and songwriters of other societies,” adds Larkins. “Litigation has been put in motion to ensure we can collect the royalties due from LiveNow and its parent company Aser Ventures. We hope to resolve this issue, so that music creators can finally be paid for the use of their works.”
IQ has approached LiveNow for comment.
PRS has itself faced controversy over its livestream tariff in the past. A discounted 10% tariff on ‘online live concerts’ was introduced in 2021 for as long as artists and venues faced restrictions on in-person shows. The move followed earlier proposals by PRS for a new licence for both large and small-scale virtual shows – the former of which would have been charged at up to 17% of gross ticket sales – which were met with a fierce backlash from the UK live music industry.
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Is live the new battleground for streaming giants?
Streaming giants such as Apple, Spotify and Amazon are ramping up their live music offerings with exclusive live stream series featuring some of the world’s biggest acts.
Apple Music Live yesterday (27 October) announced that Grammy Award-winning artist Megan Thee Stallion will be the latest act to feature in the inaugural, exclusive live performance series.
Her upcoming concert at The Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles will be available to Apple Music subscribers in over 165 countries on 21 December at 19:00 PST, and local fans can register for the chance to be in the room for the rapper’s set.
Megan Thee Stallion follows in the footsteps of artists including Harry Styles, Billie Eilish, Mary J. Blige, Lil Durk and Luke Coombs, all of whom have performed for Apple Music Live.
“No matter how much time and effort an artist may spend crafting music in the studio, it’s on the stage where they really get to show their work,” the company notes. “Apple Music Live is a new recurring series designed to do just that: give the biggest stars in music the biggest possible platform to flaunt how they connect with audiences and how their songs translate to live performance.”
Harry Styles, Billie Eilish, Mary J. Blige, Lil Durk and Luke Coombs have all performed for Apple Music Live
Prior to Apple Music Live, the streaming behemoth previously dabbled in live music with events including the discontinued iTunes Festival and Apple Music Festival.
Amazon Music has also announced details of a new livestream concert series, which will also feature Megan Thee Stallion.
Hosted by American rapper 2 Chainz, Amazon Music Live will be streamed live from LA, featuring “the biggest artists performing their latest hits live”.
It will air on Prime Video following Thursday Night Football in the US and premieres 27 October with Lil Baby, followed by Megan Thee Stallion (3 November) and Kane Brown (10 November), with further performers to be revealed in the coming weeks.
“With Amazon Music Live, we’ve created a new, can’t-miss series for fans to experience the most exciting new music together,” says Kirdis Postelle, global head of artist marketing of Amazon Music. “For artists, this show represents a massive new stage to share their music with fans after Thursday Night Football – the biggest game of the week, airing live on Prime Video.”
Amazon Music Live will be streamed live from LA, featuring “the biggest artists performing their latest hits live”
As well as hosting Amazon Music Live, 2 Chainz will interview each night’s performing artist during Thursday Night Football shoulder programming. Each concert will be available for fans to stream live around the world on Prime Video and will also be available to stream on-demand for a limited time.
Each week’s performance will be filmed in front of a live audience. Attendance to the show is by invitation only and will be facilitated through ticketing and event discovery platform Dice.
Amazon Music also recently livestreamed Kendrick Lamar’s sold-out 22 October show at the Accor Arena in Paris.
Fans were able to watch the livestream for free exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide, the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, and on the Amazon Music app.
Spotify previously stepped into the live music sphere when it launched a new livestreaming virtual concert series during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Spotify launched a new livestreaming virtual concert series during the Covid-19 pandemic
The Black Keys, Rag’n’Bone Man, Bleachers’ Jack Antonoff, Leon Bridges, and girl in red were among the artists that delivered what Spotify called “pre-recorded live shows” – which each ran for 40-75 minutes and cost US$15 to attend.
More recently, Spotify soft-launched a new website to sell tickets directly to its users, instead of redirecting customers to partner ticketing platforms.
The streaming provider premiered its tickets.spotify.com on 10 August, enabling those with a Spotify account to purchase event tickets via debit or credit card.
Apple, Amazon and Spotify join several other digital giants that have hosted live concert performances, such as YouTube which has been livestreaming Coachella performances for years and Hulu which has been enlisted to stream Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo music festivals in 2022 and 2023.
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Amazon Music to livestream Kendrick Lamar show
Amazon Music and Prime Video is to livestream Kendrick Lamar’s sold-out 22 October show at the Accor Arena in Paris.
Fans will be able to watch the livestream for free exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide, the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, and on the Amazon Music app. The concert marks the 10-year anniversary of the release of Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d city LP.
Lamar’s performance, which will provide a special look at Lamar’s 65-date The Big Steppers world tour, will be available to view on-demand on Prime Video following the event, which will also feature sets from PGLang’s Tanna Leone and Baby Keem.
Produced by Live Nation and presented by Rotation, Amazon Music’s hip-hop and R&B brand, Lamar’s tour is currently making stops in Europe, UK and Australia before wrapping up at New Zealand at Auckland’s Spark Arena on 16-17 December.
“We are thrilled to be working with Kendrick Lamar, one of the most influential and groundbreaking artists of my generation, and PGLang to collaborate across Amazon for this epic entertainment event,” says Alaina Bartels, Amazon Studios’ head of talent synergy & specials. “We continue to be the home for talent and creating special opportunities for our global customers to experience their awe-inspiring creativity.”
“For artists, this show represents a massive new stage to share their music with fans”
Amazon Music has also announced details of new livestream concert series Amazon Music Live.
Hosted by American rapper 2 Chainz, the series will be streamed live from Los Angeles, featuring “the biggest artists performing their latest hits live”.
It will air on Prime Video following Thursday Night Football in the US and premieres 27 October with Lil Baby, followed by Megan Thee Stallion (3 November) and Kane Brown (10 November), with further performers to be revealed in the coming weeks.
“With Amazon Music Live, we’ve created a new, can’t-miss series for fans to experience the most exciting new music together,” says Kirdis Postelle, global head of artist marketing of Amazon Music. “For artists, this show represents a massive new stage to share their music with fans after Thursday Night Football – the biggest game of the week, airing live on Prime Video.”
As well as hosting Amazon Music Live, 2 Chainz will interview each night’s performing artist during Thursday Night Football shoulder programming. Each concert will be available for fans to stream live around the world on Prime Video and will also be available to stream on-demand for a limited time.
“Every Thursday night, I’m bringing the biggest and the brightest stars in music to the Amazon Music Live stage in Los Angeles,” said 2 Chainz. “We have the people that are influencing the culture and have carved their own unique path in music, like Lil Baby, Megan Thee Stallion and Kane Brown. Amazon Music Live is the only place to be for the official Thursday turn up!”
Each week’s performance will be filmed in front of a live audience. Attendance to the show is by invitation only and will be facilitated through ticketing and event discovery platform Dice.
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Driift acquires Dreamstage amid Deezer investment
Livestreaming business Driift is acquiring technology and sales platform Dreamstage amid a fresh £4 million investment from French streaming service Deezer.
Dreamstage provided the platform for Driift’s global livestream for Little Mix from The O2 in London in May, facilitating sales of over 85,000 tickets worldwide.
The companies say the union will bring together their respective production and tech capabilities to create a new leader in the livestream market, with the combined business continuing under the Driift name as an independent entity, run by CEO Ric Salmon and COO Claire Mas.
“This is an exciting new chapter for Driift,” says Salmon. “Over the past two years we have become genuine pioneers in the livestreaming space. We’ve collaborated with certain of the world’s most talented artists, filmmakers and creators to deliver online events that have been part of the latest redefinition of the livestreaming format. Our team has shown a proven ability to innovate, selling hundreds of thousands of tickets and generating millions of dollars in revenues already.”
Co-founded by Salmon and Brian Message at ATC Management, Driift has produced dozens of online shows for artists including The Smile, Westlife, Laura Marling, Nick Cave, Niall Horan, Andrea Bocelli, Kylie Minogue, Fontaines DC and Dita Von Teese, and produced the BAFTA Award-winning Glastonbury Festival: Live at Worthy Farm in cooperation with BBC Studios.
Investing in both businesses in 2021 and 2022, Deezer remained a minority shareholder in Driift and became a majority shareholder in Dreamstage, prior to the latest transaction. The latest development sees Deezer become the largest shareholder of Driift, bringing its total investment this year to around $7m.
“Through Deezer’s investment, we are confident that our upward trajectory will accelerate”
“As the home of music, this is a milestone moment for Deezer,” says Deezer CEO Jeronimo Folgueira. “Connecting artists and fans through engaging experiences is an essential part of our growth strategy, and adding livestreaming capabilities to our portfolio is a key component to deliver on this ambition.
“Driift has already built an unparalleled reputation for bringing groundbreaking livestreams to music fans all over the world, and we consider that the addition of Dreamstage’s tech and sales platform will take the business to the next level. We have full confidence in the Driift team to deliver fantastic results.”
Salmon says Driift has now secured sufficient funds to execute on its business plan and accelerate growth.
“Through Deezer’s investment, we are confident that our upward trajectory will accelerate,” he adds. “We are delighted to welcome Dreamstage’s hugely talented team of developers, engineers and customer service personnel into the company. We can now offer a fully integrated livestreaming solution to our partners, with production, promotion and what we see as a market-leading technology and revenue generating platform under one roof. It is a major cultural shift, and we look forward to bringing an even greater range of live experiences to truly global audiences.”
Current Driift co-owners ATC Management and Beggars Group will remain significant shareholders in the newly merged entity, with ATC holding two of the five board seats.
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Years & Years show to be livestreamed on demand
Years & Years homecoming show from London’s OVO Arena Wembley will be available to watch On Demand via new live event streaming platform On Air.
Recorded on 26 May as part of the Night Call Tour, the show will be available to watch in 4K UHD Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision from 7pm on 11 August.
“I’m so happy and excited to share this performance from the Night Call Tour,” says Years & Years’ Olly Alexander. “I grew up loving concert videos of Britney, the Spice Girls and Madonna so this is literally a dream come true.
“This show, created with Theo Addams, is a delirious night out that begins in a phone box and ends with a cosmic impalement. There are toilet cubicles, motorbikes, a magic chair and a giant bed along the way. I had the best time. It’s not possible for me to physically take this show around the world so it’s a great feeling to have it captured like this and to be able to share it with everybody.”
On Air has previously worked with artists including Arlo Parks and Skepta
Originally formed as a band, Years & Years is now an Alexander solo project. Represented by One Fiinix Live agent Jess Kinn outside of North America, he performed on the Other Stage at last weekend’s Glastonbury festival, with upcoming tour dates including Poland’s Open’er Festival (29 July), Montreux Jazz Festival (1 July), the UK’s Wilderness Festival (4 August) and Spain’s DCode Festival (17 September)
Launched in 2020, On Air has previously worked with artists including Arlo Parks and Skepta, as well as announcing an upcoming show with Tinie Tempah. On Air events promise to create an innovative and immersive experience optimised for streaming – including high-quality production, lighting and set design.
As part of its ongoing partnership with not-for-profit charity One Tree Planted, On Air will be planting one tree for every ticket purchased from their website for the Years & Years show.
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Livestreaming: What happens next?
A panel of industry experts debated what the future holds for livestreaming following the return of touring.
The ILMC session: Livestreaming: On trial was presented by Eleven Management’s Estelle Wilkinson, with speakers Ric Salmon of Driift, Grazia Tribulato of LiveNow, Max Wentzler of Zart Agency and agent Steve Zapp of ITB on hand to pass judgement.
While the format flourished during the pandemic, concerns have been raised that it has fallen down the list of priorities amid the return of IRL concerts.
But Driift CEO and co-founder Salmon, whose company has sold hundreds of thousands of tickets for livestreamed gigs with acts including Nick Cave, Niall Horan, Kylie Minogue, Biffy Clyro, Andrea Bocelli and Laura Marling, said he is convinced it is here to stay.
“I’d be shocked if it doesn’t become just part of the standard lexicon of what we do”
“I think we need a couple of years for us all to work out where this is going and hopefully, businesses won’t lose too much money through that process,” he said. “Unfortunately, development in [the digital] sector tends to be slowed down and stymied by arguments and disagreement, and it would be nice if we can find a way of that not happening this time.
“But in long term… I’d be shocked if it doesn’t become just part of the standard lexicon of what we do.”
Germany-based Zart Agency launched Zart.tv in 2020, with the first hybrid livestreaming concert with AR content in the country. Wentzler said he had been left scratching his head at the reluctance of certain parties to embrace the fresh opportunities created.
“There’s a potential revenue stream… And people are shutting their doors to it”
“What I think is a bit mind boggling about this whole conversation is there’s a potential new revenue stream… And people are shutting their doors to it,” he said.
“In five years, I would love to see labels really understanding the potential, especially with younger artists and up and coming hot artists.
“What I’m seeing right now in Germany – because of state funding – is that a lot of venues now have five, six cameras, all remote controlled. The house technicians are actually learning to do sound and do video at the same time. We’ve seen this a lot in jazz clubs in Germany, and they’re doing a lot of revenue – some that I’ve talked to have been doing six figures. I would love to see that business model being extrapolated on to bigger areas.”
Zapp’s artist roster includes Biffy Clyro, who played a behind-closed-doors global livestream show from Glasgow Barrowlands in 2020 to launch their A Celebration of Endings album. He spoke of the advantages offered by the format, particularly geographically.
“[There are] certain countries that you can’t tour because it’s too expensive to get to,” he said. “The streaming scenario is an opportunity to get the artist to be seen in those countries. You could put a bit of a spend behind it and maybe try and build it to then be able to afford to tour in the future.”
“If it’s a standalone livestream, completely outside of any campaign that’s going on, it’s really difficult to market”
LiveNow’s most successful livestream to date was Dua Lipa’s Studio 2054 livestream, which saw more than five million people tuning in live, according to organisers. However, more generally, Tribulato advised a certain amount of education on livestream events was still required for consumers.
“I think everybody is still quite confused on what are they going to get when they buy a ticket for a livestream,” she said. “When they get a ticket, what do they get? Are they watching the show live? Are they watching a pre-recorded show? Can they watch it after 24 hours? Can they watch it forever? There’s still a lot of confusion. and a lot of marketing is spent on actually explaining what it is.”
Tribulato suggested it makes more sense to position livestreams as part of an artist’s wider promotional campaign, rather than a one-off concert.
“If it’s a standalone, completely outside of any campaign that’s going on, it’s really difficult to market,” she said. “So what we tend to do is ‘tentpole events’, as we call them: big events… in the campaign of the artist. So I think the main task is to find a way to incorporate the livestream in the cycle.”
Salmon countered that Driift had seen considerable success with The Smile’s groundbreaking trio of gigs in London in January, where each performance by the Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood side project was held in front of a seated audience of 1,200 and livestreamed in real time for a different timezone.
“I don’t think you can make a blanket rule that they don’t work in isolation,” he said. “Admittedly, it was with a couple of famous people from a very famous band, but it was the definition of ‘in isolation’, because it was a launch event, and the first time they’d ever done anything, and the first time anyone had ever heard any of the music.
“Now it’s slightly different, of course, because it’s an offshoot from Radiohead so you’ve got a ready made fan base. But it was phenomenally successful and vastly outperformed our expectations.”
“The pandemic accelerated the understanding of the sector so rapidly”
Driift sold more than 85,000 tickets for Little Mix’s livestream from The O2 in London last month, which marked the final date on the group’s Confetti Tour.
“There’s loads of evidence that consumers want this stuff,” said Salmon. “There’s a convenience to it and there’s a geographical reach that you can achieve with with livestreams that you can never reach with physical shows, so there’s a demand for it.
“We were very fortunate that we were working in this vacuum of the pandemic, so we had this captive audience. But it accelerated the understanding of the sector so rapidly. It’s now a case of us as an industry catching up with that and working out how best to use it. Because, frankly, we’d be fucking mad not to find a solution for it going forward.”
Salmon also addressed discussions with performance rights organisations (PROs) over the livestream tariff, including the well-documented dispute with PRS for Music.
“One of the biggest realisations we had at the beginning of all of this was there was there was no precedent,” he said. “There was no licensing structure for this stuff, which was kind of remarkable in the fairly advanced industry we think we are, and so it’s been a challenge.
“The labels have a very vocal view. The publishers have a very vocal view. Artists, managers, songwriters and everybody in between have a very vocal view. Some PROs have been very robust in their negotiations, others have been a lot more understanding and open-minded. But generally speaking, we’ve got it to a fairly good place and I think we’re getting to a point now where [Driift] will be signing some licensing agreements with the PROs that don’t set a terrible precedent.”
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