GEI 15 reveals full agenda
A Greener Festival (AGF) has announced the full agenda for the 15th edition of the Green Events & Innovations conference, taking place next Tuesday (28 February) at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London.
The day kicks off with a discussion on the impact of climate change on live events in Adapting to a New Climate, hosted by Jonathan Overend (BBC/NinetyFour19), and with a panel that includes Artur Mendes (Boom Festival/Being Gathering), Ric Robins (The Met Office), and Jane Healy (Glastonbury/Boomtown).
Following that, The Platinum Jubilee Pageant provides the basis for two fantastic case study presentations. Firstly, Rosanna Machado (Zebra) reviews the sustainability actions that were delivered for this iconic event, and then Mark Stevenson (CUR8) discusses the minefield of carbon offsets and the approach taken by the Pageant for its carbon removals in Carbon Offsets: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly.
Next up, Holger Jan Schmidt (YOUROPE) and AGF’s Nikita Coulter provide an early look at the new European Green Festival Roadmap 2030; whilst Switching on Your Audience – Creative Climate Communication, hosted by journalist and broadcaster Lucy Siegle, sees Zed Anwar (Visual Artist), Hannah Cox (betternotstop), and Dave Ojay (NAAM Festival) discuss the challenges of communicating the need for climate action.
Continuing that theme, Moving on From Fossil Fuels, led by Ecotricity founder Dale Vince OBE, explores alternative power options needed to address rising temperatures and energy bills.
GEI will toast the events and venues that became AGF certified in 2022 and reveal the winners of its International AGF Awards
The final two sessions of the morning include Circularity: Turning Off the Tap on New, with Lucy Siegle and Julia Davies from We Have The Power; and Food: Back to the Future sees Dale Vince and Andy Cato (WIldfarmed/Groove Armada) discuss the future of sustainable food and Andy’s journey from global touring artist to regenerative farmer.
The afternoon sessions kick off with exclusive insight into the Act 1.5 research project with writer and producer Mark Donne, Carly McLachlan of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, and host John Robb (Louder Than War / The Membranes); and the Quick-fire Innovation Round, hosted by Abena Fairweather of Legacy Marketplace and featuring five delegates’ unique and innovative sustainability ideas, covering everything from carnivals to reforestation.
Next up, the Association of Event Management Educators (AEME) bring together a panel of the brightest research minds from across the UK to discuss the current and future direction of event and sustainability research. And in A Greener Tour Round IV, we’ll examine the progress the touring sector has made in becoming greener, with host John Robb and industry experts Carol Scott (TAIT) and Jamal Chalabi (Backlash Productions/AGF).
The final session of the day, the keynote, will see the return of Brian Eno, who will be joined by Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Jacob Collier. They will discuss Music as a Social Synchroniser with host Emma-Louise Amanshia.
To round off the day, GEI will toast the events and venues that became AGF certified in 2022 and reveal the winners of its coveted International AGF Awards 2023. For more information, or to buy tickets to GEI, click here.
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AEG calls on MP to intervene on MSG Sphere London
AEG Europe has stepped up its opposition to Madison Square Garden’s proposed MSG Sphere London venue by calling on levelling up secretary Michael Gove to block the scheme.
If given final approval, the 21,500-cap Sphere will be located in Stratford, east London, four miles from AEG’s The O2 (20,000-cap) in North Greenwich. AEG is a longtime critic of the scheme, having voiced concerns over its proximity to The O2 and – according to a 2019 investigation by The Times – creating a residents’ group in opposition.
The MSG scheme was approved in principal in March last year and handed a further boost last month when its digital advertising display plans for the exterior of the venue were backed by London Legacy Development Corporation’s (LLDC), which was set up to secure the legacy of the Olympic Park following the London 2012 Olympics.
However, at the end of last week, Gove asked local officials “not to grant permission on the applications without specific authorisation” by issuing a holding direction to the LLDC. AEG says the MP’s intervention at this stage is significant because he has the jurisdiction to block the development entirely.
AEG claims the LLDC’s decision-making process has been “seriously flawed”, adding that that the proposed LED-covered Sphere will add congestion to the local public transport infrastructure and blot London’s skyline.
“More than a decade after the Olympic Games, the LLDC’s planning decision process is now at odds with the views of the communities that it was set up to support and develop”
“More than a decade after the Olympic Games, the LLDC’s planning decision process is now at odds with the views of the communities that it was set up to support and develop,” says Alistair Wood, EVP real estate and development at AEG Europe. “With the LLDC due to be disbanded at the end of next year, it would be democratic for the government to intervene and back the wishes of elected councils in east London who want this inappropriate development blocked to protect the wellbeing of local people and existing businesses.
“Since these proposals first emerged back in 2017, AEG has consistently raised its objections to the unacceptable impact that this proposal will have on the operation of The O2 and the hundreds of residents who will be even more directly affected.
Last week, local MP Lyn Brown wrote on Twitter: “Last year I wrote to the government and Mayor of London about stopping the monstrous MSG Sphere. Michael Gove has now issued a legal notice and I’m hoping he’ll act. The undemocratic LLDC steamrolled all local elected opposition, so it’s only right to take the final decision out of their hands.”
MSG Sphere London would become MSG’s first property outside of the US. MSG has suggested that London has an “undersupply” of dedicated large entertainment venues compared with cities such as Berlin, Paris, Madrid and New York. The capital’s next biggest indoor spaces are the 12,500-cap OVO Arena Wembley and the 10,400-cap Alexandra Palace.
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ILMC 35 hails record sell out
The 35th edition of the International Live Music Conference (ILMC) has sold out, shifting a record number of tickets.
More than 1,300 professionals from over 60 countries will attend next week’s (28 February – 3 March) conference at London’s Royal Lancaster Hotel, ILMC’s new five-star location.
This year’s conference includes a Hot Seat keynote with futurist Gerd Leonhard and a (Late) Breakfast Meeting conversation between Ed Bicknell and legendary KISS manager Doc McGhee.
Plus, a recently announced all-female Dragons’ Den will see Lucy Noble from (AEG Presents), Jacqueline Zich (DEAG) and Jolanda Jansen (The Ahoy) sit down for an up-close conversation with host Marie Lindqvist (ASM Global).
Other top guest speakers for ILMC 35 include Jessica Koravos (Oak View Group), Marcia Titley (Eventim), Melvin Benn (Festival Republic), Phil Bowdery (Live Nation), Alex Hardee (Wasserman Music), Mark Davyd (MVT), Tommy Jinho Yoon (ICA-Live-Asia), Amy Bowerman and Patrik Meyer (Deutsche Bank Park), Steve Reynolds (LS Events), John Langford (AEG Europe), Kim Bloem (Mojo Concerts) and Lisa Ryan (EFM).
“More of the world’s top promoters, agents, venues and festivals have signed up to ILMC than ever”
This year will also see ILMC’s first-ever central London showcase, London Calling, take place across four intimate Soho venues, featuring some of Europe’s most talked about emerging artists.
Plus, the Arthur Awards will return on Thursday 2 March as The ILMC Gala Fiesta & Arturo Awards, reflecting this year’s focus on the Latin live music market. More than 400 guests will attend the live music business’ best-loved awards, hosted by CAA’s Emma Banks.
“After a challenging but record-setting previous 12 months, the international live industry is clearly fully geared up for the year ahead, and business is back,” says ILMC managing director Greg Parmley. “That more of the world’s top promoters, agents, venues and festivals have signed up to ILMC than ever reflects this fact… and we’re looking forward to welcoming everyone to London next week.”
While the main ILMC conference is now sold out, a number of passes remain for Futures Forum, the one-day event for young live music professionals which takes place as part of the main conference on Friday 3 March.
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London’s Roundhouse announces new trustees
Camden’s Roundhouse has announced a number of new trustees who will join its board from across the creative industries in 2023.
Sherry Dzinoreva, who is Meta’s director of policy programmes, Africa, Middle East and Turkey (AMET), Rosie Luff, who advises on public affairs for Google in the UK, and creative art and socio-economic growth strategist Kojo Marfo will all join the Roundhouse board, alongside Skilled Education CEO Rajay Naik and Leo Wyndham of Apple-owned distribution and creative services firm Platoon.
The Roundhouse works with 7,500 young people each year through a youth programme where 11-30 year-olds can take part in creative opportunities or use affordable studio space that can ignite a passion, develop skills or help them turn their creativity into a career.
“I have no doubt that they will bring the skills, experience and creativity that will help drive forward the Roundhouse’s mission to raise the UK’s creative potential”
“I’m delighted to welcome a raft of talented new trustees to the Roundhouse Board,” says Roundhouse chair Simon Turner. “I have no doubt that they will bring the skills, experience and creativity that will help drive forward the Roundhouse’s mission to raise the UK’s creative potential.”
Upcoming concerts at the 3,300-cap Roundhouse over the next few weeks include Dry Cleaning, Raye, Young Fathers, Bullet For My Valentine and Pixies.
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The O2 names YoungMinds official charity partner
London’s The O2 has announced its new official charity as YoungMinds, the UK’s leading charity fighting for children and young people’s mental health.
As part of a two-year long partnership, the 21,000-capacity venue will work closely with YoungMinds to raise funds and awareness of their work with young people, parents, and caregivers across the UK.
Through a series of initiatives including ticket donations, onsite activations, staff fundraising and volunteering opportunities, the partnership with YoungMinds will form a core part of the venue’s purpose-led strategy for 2023.
The strategy is underpinned by the Good Vibes All Round programme – The O2’s initiative to promote its work in relation to sustainability, accessibility, charity, and community.
“It’s really important to us that we engage with a charity that not only resonates with those who visit The O2, but also those that work here, and that’s exactly why we put the decision of the venue’s official charity in the hands of our Employee Network Groups and wider workforce,” says Steve Sayer, VP & GM of The O2.
“We put the decision of the venue’s official charity in the hands of our Employee Network Groups and wider workforce”
“YoungMinds was their choice, and I couldn’t be prouder that as a venue, we’ll be supporting the fantastic work that they do with young people all over the UK, to ensure that they have access to mental health support. Music is an outlet and passion for many young people and with over 10 million visitors a year coming to The O2, we have a unique platform to promote the brilliant work YoungMinds do to a highly relevant audience for them. We’ve got some exciting plans in the pipeline already and look forward to working closely with their team to truly make a difference.”
Michelle Kerrigan, head of relationship development at YoungMinds adds: “We are thrilled that The O2 has chosen YoungMinds to be their official charity for the next two years. Record numbers of children and young people are in need of mental health support, but far too many are not getting the help they need when they first reach out. The money raised from The O2 will help us to continue to deliver digital information and guidance to young people, and to equip the adults around a young person to support them with their mental health. We are excited to work with The O2 and spread the message that no young person is alone with their mental health.”
The O2 launched Good Vibes All Around in 2019 and has supported a range of UK and international charities during that time, including Nordoff Robins, Music Venue Trust, the BRIT School and MQ Mental Health Research.
Also under this initiative, The O2 was the first arena to be awarded the Attitude is Everything’s Accessibility Gold Standard, a Charter of Best Practice across the UK for deaf and disabled people’s access to live music.
In 2022, the venue was also the first arena in England to be awarded the Greener Arena certification by AGF, in recognition of the venue’s sustainability practices and commitments.
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Outlook organisers unveil new south London festival
The team behind Outlook, Dimensions, Cross the Tracks and We Out Here is launching a new festival for fans of drum & bass, techno, hip hop and grime.
Project 6 will comprise a festival in Brockwell Park, south London, on 26 May and 10 nights across venues including Fabric, Phonox and Village Underground.
Ghetts, Goldie, Channel Tres, Hudson Mohawke, Shy FX, Flohio, Fabio and Grooverider, Ojerime, Pip Millett, Calibre and DJ Storm are among the acts on the bill.
Notably, the festival’s line-up lists appearances from Rustie, teasing a live return for the Scottish electronic artist. Back in 2015, the producer cancelled live appearances and announced he was taking a break from touring, citing “addiction & mental health problems” on Twitter at the time. He has not performed live since.
“Project 6 is about community, supporting venues, artists, labels, collectives and bringing people together”
“We’re proud to announce Project 6, a brand new event with a carefully curated line-up that covers a daytime festival and 10 nighttime sessions across some of London’s best dancefloors,” said Project 6 organisers.
“Clubs are a vital part of this city’s vibrant music scene and we wanted to create a festival where music lovers can enjoy music outdoors in the summer sun, while placing equal focus on the city’s treasured club spaces.
“Project 6 is about community, supporting venues, artists, labels, collectives and bringing people together celebrating the music we love.”
The festival, which will feature 60 artist, DJs and collectives across seven stages, will also offer talks, panels and workshops from “those in the scenes you love”.
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Machine Gun Kelly to play one-off show at RAH
Genre-bending rapper Machine Gun Kelly has announced a special one-off show at London’s historic Royal Albert Hall on 31 May 2023.
MGK will follow in the footsteps of counterculture icons such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd supporting Jimi Hendrix, Black Sabbath, and Led Zeppelin in performing at the 152-year-old venue.
“The Hall has been a home for trailblazers, innovators and cultural icons since we opened in 1871,” says Matthew Todd, director of programming at the Royal Albert Hall. “We couldn’t be more excited to welcome MGK later this year, one of the leading artists of his generation and someone that has evolved constantly as the best artists do.”
“The Hall has been a home for trailblazers, innovators and cultural icons since we opened in 1871”
MGK performs at the Hall off the back of a major arena tour across North America and Europe and a number 1 album – Mainstream Sellout.
The Cleveland native sold more than 425,000 tickets to the North American leg of his Mainstream Sellout Tour.
His career kicked off with debut studio album, Lace Up, in 2012, followed by further hip-hop releases with General Admissions (2015) and Bloom (2017). His next album, Tickets to My Downfall, marked a revolutionary left turn to rock/pop punk, going on to become his first album to top the Billboard 200 chart. He then followed up with 2022’s Mainstream Sellout, a collaboration with Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker.
For his contributions to music, MGK was named as one of 2022’s Time 100 Next, a list honouring the emerging leaders from around the world who are shaping the future and defining the next generation of innovators. He has amassed over 15.5 billion streams online and sold over 10 million albums.
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Officials back MSG Sphere London digital ad plan
Madison Square Garden’s controversial MSG Sphere London scheme has overcome another hurdle after officials backed its digital advertising display plans.
The proposed venue, which was approved in principal in March last year, will be covered in LED panels designed to display “moving images, artistic content and branded advertising across the entire façade of the building”.
Despite a number of objections from various parties, the scheme won the support of the London Legacy Development Corporation’s (LLDC) at a meeting yesterday (24 January), subject to a five-year review. It will now be referred to the mayor of London.
If given final approval, the 21,500-cap Sphere will be located in Stratford, east London, four miles from AEG’s The O2 (20,000-cap) in North Greenwich, and become MSG’s first property outside of the US. MSG has suggested that London has an “undersupply” of dedicated large entertainment venues compared with cities such as Berlin, Paris, Madrid and New York (the capital’s next biggest indoor spaces are the 12,500-cap OVO Arena Wembley and the 10,400-cap Alexandra Palace.
However, the scheme is fiercely opposed by AEG, which has voiced concerns over MSG Sphere London’s proximity to The O2 and – according to a 2019 investigation by The Times – created a residents’ group in opposition. AEG says it is “dismayed” by the outcome of last night’s meeting.
“The design was conceived for the heart of Las Vegas and has been transposed onto this east London site: it’s the wrong design, in the wrong location”
“We are dismayed by the LLDC PDC’s decision to sign off the MSG Sphere’s advertising strategy for its digital display in the face of strong objections from Newham Council, neighbouring east London boroughs, the Royal Borough of Greenwich, the local MP, rail operators, Transport for London, Historic England, and hundreds of local residents, some of whom are represented by local campaign group, Stop MSG,” says a statement by the company.
“We call on the mayor of London to uphold his election promise to do what’s best for Londoners, including the residents of Newham who are having this huge development forced on them, by directing refusal of the planning application.”
AEG claims the advertising façade is at a “wholly unprecedented scale for London” and “totally out of keeping with the surrounding area”.
“The design was conceived for the heart of Las Vegas and has been transposed onto this east London site: it’s the wrong design, in the wrong location,” it adds. “We have concluded that there are at least 10 problems with the MSG Sphere’s proposed controls for the advertising display. Fundamentally, regardless of the findings of a review after five years, no matter how damaging and intrusive the light pollution is to the health of residents or dangerous to rail or road users, the advertisement consent will not be revoked.”
The first MSG Sphere venue, MSG Sphere at The Venetian, is currently under construction in Las Vegas and is scheduled to open in the second half of 2023.
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Troxy completes dance trio’s London gig trilogy
Troxy’s head of live Simon Eaton has spoken to IQ about hosting the climactic gig in a trilogy of special London performances by Four Tet, Fred Again + Skrillex.
The electronic dance superstars joined forces for a run of three surprise shows in three nights at Camden’s Electric Ballroom (cap. 1,500), Electric Brixton (1,700) and the art deco Troxy (3,100) from 5-7 January.
All shows, which followed the release of Wasserman Music clients Fred Again and Skrillex’s Rumble collaboration with Flowdan, had tickets released on the day and sold out within minutes.
“We got a call from Eat Your Own Ears, the promoter, a couple of days before Christmas,” Eaton tells IQ. “We do a lot of work with them and are good friends of ours. They often come to us with similar ideas, although normally with a slightly longer lead time!
“They wanted to go with three independent venues – bigger venues each day – finishing with that final explosive show. They were looking for something of around 2,000 cap, which is our capacity for club nights, so we fitted what they were looking for. It was finalised around 27-28 December and it was all systems go from that point. I had to cancel my annual leave and work over the Christmas period, but it was well worth it.”
“To sell 2,000 tickets in 16 seconds and there not be a single issue was outrageous”
All three events were not announced until the days they took place, with tickets released in staggered announcements on the artists’ Instagram stories.
“They wanted to split the tickets into three sections, so each artist had their own little pot of tickets rather than everything pulling from one central pot,” explains Eaton. “They wanted the artists to make the announcements themselves, rather than the venue, promoter of anyone else.
“We’d already built all the ticketing behind the scenes and supplied them with the links the day before, so it was ready to go and we were just waiting for them to do it. Four Tet went just after midday and the other two not until a little bit later in the afternoon.”
More than 20,000 fans tried to buy tickets on the first two announcements alone, with over 9,000 users on a waiting list as soon as the final announcement went live.
“I think 16 seconds was how long it took for all tickets to be in baskets, which is insane,” says Eaton. “It’s broken all records here. To sell 2,000 tickets in 16 seconds and there not be a single issue was outrageous, so kudos to Dice, our ticketing provider, for that.”
“We had the most sold-out shows we’ve ever had at one period of time at the back end of last year – and that’s now rolling into this year”
An extended stage platform was built from the venue’s main stage which enabled the DJs to perform from a central location in the midst of the crowd.
“It was an absolute whirlwind, it feels like a dream,” adds Eaton. “It’s such a short period to put on a show of that scale and I can’t believe we pulled it off. It’s great to have it out the way in one sense, but you like to look forward to these big events and I feel as though our biggest event of the year has already come and gone – and it’s only January!”
East London’s Troxy continues its busy start to 2023 with a sold-out concert by Editors (1 February) as part of Independent Venue Week. Other shows include Black Veil Brides (25 February) and The Flaming Lips (25 April), who will be performing their Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots album in full.
“There’s a different challenge every day,” says Eaton. “[The cost of] everything has gone up and it’s difficult at the minute, but everyone’s in the same boat and we’re doing the best we possibly can with it. Fortunately, we’ve got an incredible year of events coming up, which I’m quietly confident is going to offset all those costs.
“We had the most sold-out shows we’ve ever had at one period of time at the back end of last year, and that’s now rolling into this year.”
The building, which opened in 1933, is also undergoing a refurbishment, which coincides with its 90th anniversary and will result in a capacity increase.
“We’re looking at Q4 for that coming into play, but it’s TBC on what the exact number will be in terms of the capacity increase,” he adds. “That needs to be signed off by licensing and police and whatnot, but it’s substantial.”
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Futures Forum 2023: Topics, speakers revealed
The full provisional schedule and the first round of speakers have been unveiled for ILMC’s Futures Forum, the one-day discussion and networking event for the next generation of live music industry leaders.
Taking place on the last day of the International Live Music Conference in London, the event brings together the people that currently define the business with the emerging execs who are driving its evolution.
Discussions during the conference will include developing TikTok stars for the stage, closing the generation gap, alternative business models and new ways of working, emerging genres and holistic sustainability.
Discussions will include developing TikTok stars for the stage, closing the generation gap and alternative business models
The first round of speakers for the event includes Raye Cosbert and Alexandra Ampofo (Metropolis Music), Sally Dunstone (Primary Talent International), Caroline Reason (MATA Agency) and Nastassja Roberts (DreamHaus).
Will Holdoway (Method Events), Paul Bonham (Music Managers Forum), Ross Patel (Whole Entertainment), Stella Scocco (Södra Teatern), Sönke Schal (Karsten Jahnke Konzertdirektion) and Debbie McWilliams (Scottish Event Campus) are also lined up for Futures Forum.
Futures Forum will take place on Friday 3 March at ILMC’s new location, the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London.
Passes for the one-day event cost £149, which includes all sessions, a five-star lunch, refreshments and a closing party.
View the full provisional schedule here, read more about all speakers confirmed for Futures Forum 2023 by clicking here or buy tickets here.
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