Live Nation has expanded into Malta with the acquisition of a stake in leading concert and festival promoter 356 Entertainment Group.

The deal enhances the long-standing partnership between the companies, which has brought high-profile events to Malta including Take That’s The Greatest Weekend Malta and Liam Gallagher and Friends’ Malta Weekender in 2024.

356 also operates Uno, the country’s largest club, which hosts more than 100 events a year.

“Malta is perfectly positioned to become a must-visit destination for live entertainment”

“Malta’s live music scene is experiencing a real boom, and this deal marks an exciting new chapter for Live Nation,” says John Reid, president, concerts EMEA at Live Nation. “By combining 356 Group’s local expertise with our global network and experience, the potential for the island is clear. With amazing scenery, climate and a burgeoning festival scene, Malta is perfectly positioned to become a must-visit destination for live entertainment.”

In 2023, 356 Group’s festival season brought 56,000 visitors to the island, generating an economic impact of €51.8 million. Live Nation says it will look to build on that growth by broadening the diversity of acts and bringing more international artists to the market.

“This acquisition is a major step forward for 356 Entertainment and UNO Malta,” says a statement from 356 Group. “Partnering with Live Nation is a huge milestone which brings new opportunities for the island, that will energise the local and international music scene.”

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Renowned as a popular holiday destination, Malta, with its beautiful beaches and world-class diving facilities, has been attracting overseas visitors for decades. But the republic is becoming a hotspot for summer festivals and concerts, luring a different demographic to the islands. And 2024 is arguably Malta’s biggest year yet, thanks to some A-list performances.

Promoted as Europe’s largest free festival, Isle of MTV has been a mainstay since it ceased roaming mainland Europe in 2007, and this year’s line-up of DJ Snake, RAYE, and Nelly Furtado marked its 16th edition at The Granaries in Floriana.

But the broadcaster isn’t the only organisation benefitting from Malta’s 300 days of annual sunshine, and this year has seen a packed calendar for local and international promoters. Indeed, with its 500,000 population relying heavily on tourism, the work of local event organisers such as 356 Entertainment and NNG Promotions has a significant impact on the country’s trade.

The brainchild of Trevor Camilleri, Gerry Debono, and Nicholas Spiteri, 356 Entertainment flew 56,000 fans into Malta in 2023, generating €51.8m for the local economy. And with plans to expand to 20 events next year, the company’s impact should become even more significant.

Noting 356’s ability to attract fans, Spiteri says, “This makes artists feel comfortable and confident joining our lineup of events and gives us the opportunity to book bigger and bigger names to bring to our audiences.”

“We promoted the largest concert ever held in Malta – Ed Sheeran with 35,000 people at Ta’ Qali Fields”

356 activities this year included May’s RONG, Sunny Side, and XXL festivals; June’s TRIIP, DLT, and ABODE on the Rock; and the BBC Concert Orchestra’s The Queens of Soul in July. Later in the year, 356 will host Elrow Island Festival, Liam Gallagher & Friends, Defected, Anjunadeep, and Take That’s The Greatest Weekender festival – a co-pro with Live Nation and SJM Concerts.

It’s also a stellar year for Nigel Camilleri at NNG Promotions. “We promoted the largest concert ever held in Malta – Ed Sheeran with 35,000 people at Ta’ Qali Fields,” he reports. “We also staged Tom Jones for 5,000 fans at Malta Fairs & Conventions Centre (MFCC); The Vaccines and The Darkness at Aria Complex (1,000); and Anastacia for the Summer Lust Festival at Għaxaq Grounds.”

Also Located in Ta’ Qali, MFCC hosts around 50 events a year including trade fairs, exhibitions, conferences, dinners, lunches, and expos, but also offers the country’s biggest capacity for concerts – 11,000 seated or up to 20,000 standing.

“The MFCC is one big venue which spans 170m by 50m, with no static fixtures, meaning we can set it up according to any request that comes in, which is why we host indoor concerts,” says general manager Alan Azzopardi.

In addition to renting the venue to promoters, the MFCC team also self-promote events, and recently installed climate control equipment to make the venue more comfortable, year-round.

“One should not dismiss the fact that Malta is considered a ‘new’ territory for the live music industry and would be appealing to most artists”

“We’re becoming more popular with overseas promoters, too, because the venue offers flexibility for productions to set up and to dismantle – when delivering your trussing, or lighting, or sound, you can literally drive the trailer into the venue, offload, and then drive out, saving on a lot of time, and labour,” adds Azzopardi.

Thanks to the work of its homegrown promoters, Malta’s reputation as a less expensive alternative to Ibiza, and the Med’s other party islands, is introducing younger tourists to the country, while the fact it is a tax haven doubtless helps persuade international talent to perform, with artist fees subject to just a 10% withholding tax

But NNG’s Camilleri believes it’s more than just favourable taxation that is helping Malta become a more regular destination on tour routings. “One should not dismiss the fact that Malta is considered a ‘new’ territory for the live music industry and would be appealing to most artists willing to play somewhere new.”

And while large-scale shows would once have had to rely on heavy freight logistics to visit the islands, the growth of the local industry has made much of that redundant. “Over the years, the infrastructure needed to stage major concerts has improved, and we can provide most, if not all, production locally,” Camilleri adds. “Wherever there is a particular item that cannot be sourced locally, then we tend to bring it from abroad, most often from Italy.”

Spiteri concludes that the work of the country’s promoters has never been more relevant. “We are elevating Malta’s cultural and entertainment landscape with innovative and diverse musical experiences, enriching the island’s global reputation,” he says. “Our commitment to excellence ensures that Malta remains at the forefront of the festival scene, attracting visitors from all corners of the world.”

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IQ 129, the latest issue of the international live music industry’s favourite magazine, is available to read online now.

In our August edition, we unveil our hotly-anticipated New Bosses 2024 list as we profile 20 of the most promising 30-and-unders in the international business.

We also go behind the scenes on Latina sensation Karol G’s record-breaking, year-long Mañana Será Bonito Tour as she takes the world by storm, while AEG’s VP Venue Programming for The O2 and Europe Emma Bownes is profiled to celebrate her 25 years in the business.

Elsewhere, IQ investigates how Las Vegas has become the hottest entertainment market in the world and take a fresh look at the contemporary Swedish live market.

Meanwhile, What’s Going On… in Malta? investigates why so many major names are suddenly heading to the small Mediterranean archipelago.

In addition, we look at the programme of panels and events at IFF 2024 in a comprehensive preview of the tenth edition of the gathering, which takes place from 24-26 September, with 1,000 booking agents and festival professionals expected to participate.

For this edition’s columns, there is commentary from Fil Palermo from Australia’s Untitled Group on the need for inclusivity in event planning, as well as Nick Bonard of Montreux Jazz Festival Media Ventures, who advises on alternative ways to market your festival brand.

As always, the majority of the magazine’s content will appear online in some form in the next four weeks.

However, if you can’t wait for your fix of essential live music industry features, opinion and analysis, click here to subscribe to IQ – or check out what you’re missing out on with the limited preview below:

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Ed Sheeran has set a new record in Malta for the largest-ever paid-for concert, with 35,000 fans flocking to Ta’ Qali National Park in Attard.

The 26 June gig, part of the European leg of the + – = ÷ x (Mathematics) Tour, marked the British star’s first-ever performance in the island country.

Last year, Nigel Camilleri of NNG Promotions who promoted the concert alongside AEG Presents and Greatt, told IQ that the show had broken several other records including “the number of tickets in an hour, total number of ticket sales in one day, as well as total gross amount of ticket sales in an hour and in a day.”

“The adrenaline rush when the ticket sales opened was indescribable,” he continued. “It’s not often, at least in Malta, that one gets to promote a concert of an artist who appeals to such a wide-ranging audience.”

“As a company, it is a major feather in our cap and hopefully, this will open more doors which were previously closed or only ajar”

Camilleri said hosting a star of Sheeran’s size will help to put Malta – which is isolated from mainland Europe – on the map for other blockbuster tours.

“It is a great triumph for us because we have proven that the Maltese market can sustain an A-level artist such as Ed Sheeran,” he added. “We have been working towards and building up to this moment for many years and admittedly there was an element of luck with the stars aligning for it to happen.

“As a company, it is a major feather in our cap and hopefully, this will open more doors which were previously closed or only ajar.”

Local independent promoters in Bulgaria and Latvia also spoke to IQ about how Sheeran’s 2024 European tour is breaking ground in their markets.

The outing, which kicked off on 8 June 2024, comprises 20 stops at a mix of stadiums and festivals across the continent. The next stop on the jaunt is Norway’s Stavernfestivalen, which Sheeran will headline on 4 July.

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Take That are set to curate and headline a new four-day festival in Malta called The Greatest Weekend.

The 17–20 October event has been touted as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to see the band perform in an intimate live setting, with an array of special guests.

The 90s boy band, comprising Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald, will deliver two different headline sets during the Greatest Weekend.

On Saturday night, the trio will perform their iconic album ‘Everything Changes’ live in its entirety for the first time since its release in 1993, while Sunday will see the band hit the stage for a set of smash-hits from across their chart-topping career, as well as songs from their latest Number 1 album, ‘This Life’.

The weekend will also feature performances from acts including Sugababes, Sam Ryder, Daniel Bedingfield, Ella Henderson, Gok Wan and Heather Small.

Sugababes, Sam Ryder, Daniel Bedingfield Ella Henderson, Gok Wan and Heather Small will also perform

The four-day weekend, which takes place across multiple venues, will kick off on Thursday with an opening party hosted by Guilty Pleasures.

General admission tickets start at £249 (€290), with VIP tickets priced from £429 (€500).

Take That are represented by James Wright and Olly Ward at UTA, who recently told IQ about their ambitions and touring strategy for the British icons.

This Life on Tour kicks off in the UK in Sheffield on 13 April, promoted by SJM Concerts, and includes six nights at The O2 in London, six at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena and seven shows at Manchester’s new Co-op Live, as well as multiple dates in Leeds and Dublin, with support from Olly Murs.

It will also take in stadiums in Middlesbrough, Nottingham, West Bridgford, Norwich, Bletchley, Southampton, Plymouth, Swansea and Bristol, followed by outdoor concerts in Cork, Dublin and Belfast.

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Liam Gallagher is to headline a new four-day, multi-venue festival in Malta.

Promoted by Live Nation, SJM Concerts and Malta-based event management company 356 Entertainment, Liam Gallagher & Friends: Malta Weekender is set for 19-22 September.

The event will take over a new purpose-built concert area in Ta’Qali for “two days and nights of incredible live music”, including a headline performance by Gallagher on the final night and a lineup curated by Gallagher across each day.

The former Oasis frontman will be joined by acts including Liam Fray, Blossoms, The Lathums, Jamie Webster, Jake Bugg, The K’s, The Mary Wallopers, The Royston Club, The View and Picture Parlour, who will all perform full sets.

Malta’s largest open air venue, Uno, will host the The Haçienda Takeover on the opening evening, spread across three rooms, in addition to after parties on Saturday and Sunday after the live concerts.

The Haçienda Takeover lineup will include David Morales, Inner City, Graeme Park, Kevin Saunderson, Greg Wilson, DJ Paulette, K-Klass, A Guy Called Gerald, Jon DaSilva, Luke Una and Tom Wainwright, while the second day will feature a day to night party at beach club Cafe Del Mar and Terrace. Boat parties will also be on offer.

General admission tickets start at £249 (€291), with VIP tickets priced from £399 (€466).

“The island has become a beacon for travellers seeking more than just a traditional holiday experience”

356 Entertainment recently claimed to have generated €51.8 million of economic impact for the island in 2023 after attracting 56,000 visitors across key events including BBC Concert Orchestra, Defected, Elrow and SummerDaze.  The €51.8m figure was calculated “based on the average spend per person, including expenditures on accommodation, food and drinks, and miscellaneous essentials”.

In 2024, the firm is planning to launch a raft of other new festivals on the island including RONG Open Air Festival, Sunny Side Festival and XXL.

“We are thrilled to have played a pivotal role in Malta’s rise as a destination and the subsequent surge in festival tourism,” say 356 directors Trevor Camilleri, Nicholas Spiteri and Gerry Debono. “The success of our festivals not only emphasises our commitment to providing unparalleled entertainment experiences but also highlights the tremendous economic opportunities our events bring to Malta.

“The island has become a beacon for travellers seeking more than just a traditional holiday experience, and we are proud to continue to realise these expectations and provide memorable festival experiences for our visitors.”

Gallagher, who is represented by Wasserman Music’s Marty Diamond and Ash Mowry for the US and Canada, and Adele Slater and Alex Hardee for the rest of the world, tours with Stone Roses guitarist John Squire in March/April, before hitting UK arenas in June for a special run commemorating the 30th anniversary of Oasis’ debut album Definitely Maybe.

The 51-year-old also has a string of festival headline slots lined up for the summer at TRNSMT Festival in Glasgow, as well as Reading & Leeds, plus open air shows at Thomond Park in Limerick, Ireland and Boucher Playing Fields in Belfast.

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Local, independent promoters have spoken to IQ about how they’re breaking ground in their markets with record ticket sales for Ed Sheeran’s 2024 European tour.

The European leg of Sheeran’s + – = ÷ x (Mathematics) Tour is due to kick off on 8 June 2024 in Italy, making 20 stops at a mix of stadiums and festivals across the continent.

The first stadium stop on the AEG Presents promoted-outing will be at Ta’ Qali National Park (cap. 30,000), marking the 32-year-old’s first-ever concert in Malta.

According to one of the show’s local promoters, Nigel Camilleri at NNG Promotions, the 26 June 2024 concert has broken “all records” in the island country.

“The number of tickets in an hour, total number of ticket sales in one day, as well as total gross amount of ticket sales in an hour and in a day,” lists Camilleri, who is promoting the gig alongside AEG and Greatt.

“Hopefully, this will open more doors which were previously closed or only ajar”

“The adrenaline rush when the ticket sales opened was indescribable,” he continues. “It’s not often, at least in Malta, that one gets to promote a concert of an artist who appeals to such a wide-ranging audience.”

Camilleri says hosting a star of Sheeran’s size helps to put Malta – which is isolated from mainland Europe – on the map for other blockbuster tours.

“It is a great triumph for us because we have proven that the Maltese market can sustain an A-level artist such as Ed Sheeran,” he adds. “We have been working towards and building up to this moment for many years and admittedly there was an element of luck with the stars aligning for it to happen.

“As a company, it is a major feather in our cap and hopefully, this will open more doors which were previously closed or only ajar.”

Bulgarian promoter FEST Team is also hoping the success of Sheeran’s show at Vasil Levski Stadium in Sofia (31 August) will be a calling card for other A-list artists.

“[We hope] more prominent artists will acknowledge Bulgaria as a substantial market with tour potential”

“Our aspiration is that the success of this event will encourage more prominent artists to acknowledge Bulgaria and the Balkan region as a substantial market with tour potential,” FEST Team’s Stefan Elenkov tells IQ.

The Sofia-based full-service promoter sold all 60,000 tickets to the Bulgaria date in the first 24 hours of the on-sale. It beat the previous record set in 2009 by Madonna who sold 19,000 tickets in the first 24 hours for a 55,000-capacity show.

“This indeed is a truly remarkable achievement,” says Elenkov. “It is important to mention that a show of this magnitude hasn’t taken place in Bulgaria since 2009.”

Staging the biggest-ever concert in Bulgaria, which is yet to be included in the Schengen Area, hasn’t been without its challenges but Elenkov says his team has been “excited to embrace them”.

“After dedicating eight months to negotiations and detailed planning, we managed to successfully overcome various infrastructural and logistic challenges associated with the venue,” says Elenkov.

“Ticket Station Bulgaria is handling a show of such magnitude for the first time and has met the tour’s criteria”

“Anticipating Bulgaria and Romania’s inclusion in the Schengen area, we expect even fewer logistical challenges, making future tour planning considerably more structured. The routing Budapest – Bucharest – Sofia – Athens—would essentially become practically borderless.”

Another source of pride for FEST Team is the reported absence of tickets for Sheeran’s Bulgaria date on Viagogo.

“This demonstrates our success in implementing stringent security measures, ensuring that only real people have bought tickets for the show,” adds Elenkov. “This marks an important milestone – Ticket Station Bulgaria is handling a show of such magnitude for the first time and has precisely met the tour’s criteria.”

Sheeran’s team has long taken an aggressive stance against the secondary ticketing market, opting to use 100% mobile digital ticketing technology to keep tickets in the hands of fans.

The tour’s local promoters in Lithuania also have a lot to celebrate after sales for Sheeran’s two 2024 dates in the country broke “all previous entertainment sales records” across the Baltic states.

“By selling the most tickets of any artist in the Baltics, Sheeran has set yet another record”

According to L Tips Agency – which is organising Sheeran’s concerts in the Baltics for the third time – the first concert sold out in just over 24 hours the second is already more than 50% sold out, nine months in advance.

Provided both dates in Lithuania sell out, Sheeran will perform to 90,000 fans across the 3 and 4 August at Darius and Girėnas Stadium in Kaunas.

“In 2019, he set the record for the most visited international artist show of all time in Latvia with an attendance of approximately 50,000 people,” says Gints Putnins, owner of L Tips Agency. “Now a new record has been set for the whole of the Baltics!”

The Agency, which is one of the largest independent promoters in the Baltic States, is promoting the concert alongside FKP Scorpio.

Folkert Koopmans, founder & CEO of FKP Scorpio, adds: “By selling the most tickets of any artist in the Baltics, Ed Sheeran has set yet another record. We’re proud and happy to be promoting the shows and couldn’t have done so without the support of all local stakeholders and our partner agencies. L Tips Agency’s work has been invaluable in making the second-ever music concert in Kaunas stadium possible. We’re already looking forward to seeing everything coming together in August 2024!”

The 32-year-old’s forthcoming Dubai concerts could become the best-selling shows in UAE history

Sheeran’s record-breaking streak doesn’t stop at independent promoters, nor does it stop in Europe. As previously reported in IQ, the 32-year-old’s forthcoming Dubai concerts could become the best-selling shows in UAE history, according to All Thing Live Middle East CEO Thomas Ovesen.

The British singer-songwriter is due to play the Sevens Stadium from 19-20 January 2024 in what are being called the largest open-air concerts ever to take place in Dubai.

The dates, which will see Sheeran perform “in the round”, will be his first in the Middle East since playing at the city’s Autism Rocks Arena in November 2017, which attracted a sell-out 23,272 crowd.

Last month, Sheeran concluded the North American leg of his Mathematics tour, with the final date on 28 October at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Sheeran is represented by Marty Diamond and Ash Lewis at Wasserman for US and Canada, and Jon Ollier at One Finiix Live for the rest of the world.

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MTV has announced that OneRepublic will headline Europe’s biggest free summer festival, Isle of MTV Malta 2023.

The Ryan Tedder-fronted band will top the bill at the event, now in its 15th year, at the 50,000-cap Il-Fosos Square on 18 July, with additional performers to be confirmed.

The festival, which is staged in partnership with the Malta Tourism Authority, will be followed by Isle of MTV Malta Music Week, a series of club nights and parties across venues on the island from 18-23 July.

“Isle of MTV Malta’s 15th year is going to be bigger than ever as we once again light up il-Fosos Square with epic performances from today’s top artists,” says Bruce Gillmer, president of music, music talent, programming & events, Paramount and chief content officer, music, Paramount+. “OneRepublic are long-time friends of MTV and, after their epic performance at the 2022 MTV EMAs, we can’t wait to see them wow fans in Malta.”

“It offers a fantastic opportunity for Maltese artists to exhibit their talents on the international stage”

Over its 14 editions, Isle of MTV Malta has welcomed acts such as Lady Gaga, Snoop Dogg, David Guetta and Martin Garrix.

“Isle of MTV has always been of great importance for Malta as it not only brings together thousands of music fans from all over Europe but is a sterling platform to showcase the island’s unique and vibrant entertainment scene,” adds Malta’s minister for tourism Clayton Bartolo. “In conjunction with renowned names in the music world, it offers a fantastic opportunity for Maltese artists to exhibit their talents on the international stage which in turn promotes Maltese culture and helps to enhance the island’s rich artistic heritage.”

The event will broadcast on MTV on 15 September in more than 150 countries across TV, digital and social channels.

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Twenty festivals and concerts in Malta are set to benefit from a €300,000 fund devised to support their events.

The Rock’N Malta fund was set up by government body Festivals Malta in a bid to raise the profile of Maltese culture in the community and to promote Malta internationally as a festival destination. It opened applications for 2023 to event organisers last July.

“Since the launch of this [scheme] in 2017, we have managed to offer support to several local artists and organisers to produce rock concerts and all subgenres of this genre,” says Dr Owen Bonnici, minister for national heritage, arts and local government.

“After a call for applications was issued in July 2022, the agency received a very positive response, out of which 20 applicants were successful and will benefit from this fund.”

The programme for 2023 will include Rock the South, Rock Wired, Venti Music Fest, Plaguefest, Dark Malta and Music Playground,along with standalone concerts by international acts Mike and the Mechanics and former Eurovision winners Lordi.

“This fund also helps the agency to reach new audiences through international artists”

“Through the Rock’N Malta fund, Festivals Malta is fully investing in rock music with the aim of helping artists who are still at the beginning of their career,” says Festivals Malta chair Aaron Zahra. “This fund also helps the agency to reach new audiences through international artists who already have several followers in our country.”

Nick Morales, organiser of three-day rock festival Rock the South, which celebrates its 10th year in May, tells the Times of Malta the event will receive €10,000 from the scheme, which will fund roughly a third of its costs.

“Funds are very important to improve the event’s logistics and bring bigger acts,” says Morales.

Separate to the initiative, Malta has hosted Europe’s biggest free music festival, Isle of MTV, annually since 2007. Attracting crowds in excess of 50,000, it has welcomed acts such as Lady Gaga, Rita Ora, Enrique Iglesias, Marshmello and Bebe Rexha.

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Music, travel and tech company Pollen has shared further details of its 50 Cent festival collaboration Green Light Gang, which heads to Malta from 22-26 September.

The rapper is headlining the four-day “island holiday experience” offering live music, parties, beach walks and other activities, and has curated a supporting line-up of hip-hop and R&B talent.

Confirmed acts include Akon, Fat Joe, Heartless Crew, DJ Premier, Remi Ma, So Solid Crew, Trina and Jeremih, while venues will include nightclubs Uno, Cafe Del Mar and The Castle.

Hotel options start at £499, with add-ons such as champagne brunch and cruises, jet ski safari and other VIP packages also available.

Pollen previously teamed with Bring Me The Horizon on a four-day festival in Malta

“Influencer marketplace” Pollen previously teamed with rock band Bring Me The Horizon on a four-day festival in Malta in May.

Other artist-curated weekenders organised by Pollen Presents include the Unruly Culture Splash Weekender in Croatia with Popcaan, Diplo’s Higher Ground festival in Cabo, Mexico, the Kurupt FM Weekender in Amsterdam, the Netherlands and J Balvin’s Neon Weekender and Justin Bieber & Friends – both in Las Vegas, US.

Founded in 2014 by brothers Callum and Liam Negus-Fancey, London-headquartered Pollen runs two offerings: Pollen Presents, which curates experiences for customers across travel, music, and more; and Pollen+ which partners with promoters and music festivals to offer customers who book through its platforms perks at events.

The company raised US$150 million in a Series C round earlier this year.

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