Industry veteran Vince Power takes control of Dingwalls
Mean Fiddler founder Vince Power has taken over the running of Dingwalls, a 500-capacity venue in Camden, London.
The promoter, who sold his Mean Fiddler venue and festival empire to Clear Channel – now Live Nation – in 2005, has taken over operations of the iconic venue from Enhanced Hospitality, the Camden New Journal has confirmed.
First opened in 1973, Dingwalls has hosted acts including the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Strokes, Ellie Goulding, Stereophonics, R.E.M. and the Foo Fighters over the years. The Darkness performed at the venue last year as part of the International Festival Forum (IFF).
“There are still some things we have to work out – how we manage the lockdown situation and what it means for live music,” comments Power.
“We may not be able to open until New Year. We are working through plans of what we can do there.
“Our music venues face massive uncertainties – I hope Vince’s expertise will help Dingwalls thrive”
“[Dingwalls] has such a rich history, though in recent years it has been up and down. It needs a lot of attention but I am excited about it.”
With Mean Fiddler, Power managed London venues including the Jazz Cafe, the Garage, the Clapham Grand and the Kentish Town Forum.
“Vince Power has a great history in running successful live venues and festivals in London,” says Camden culture and communications officer Jonathan Simpson.
“Our music venues face massive uncertainties due to the public health pandemic and when they reopen they will need our support more than ever. I hope Vince’s expertise will help Dingwalls thrive.”
Power has set up a number of ventures since Mean Fiddler, including the Vince Power Music Group, which went into liquidation in 2012, and Music Festivals plc, which he floated on London’s Alternative Investment Market in 2011, raising £6.5 million.
Photo: Ewan Munro/Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0) (cropped)
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VMS Live expands team in new London office
UK-based promoter and venue operator VMS Live has hired three new team members in its London office, which opened late last year.
Former Mean Fiddler general manager James Gall is joining VMS Live as southern manager and acting head of venues, taking responsibility for all VMS Live venue operations and venue management teams.
Gall states his aim is “to improve efficiency of management systems”, “ensure health and safety compliance”, and create “bespoke marketing to help drive shows”.
Also joining the London office is graphic designer Filippos Saltsidis, who brings experience from working for agencies, media companies and as a freelance designer in countries including Greece and Germany. Saltsidis will act as the main graphic designer in the VMS Live marketing department.
The final addition to the team is Yara Magarino, who joins as a marketing executive, having previously worked for festival discovery and travel platform Festicket.
“Establishing a central team in London is a key part for VMS Live in supporting our nationwide network of venues”
Magarino has also worked as an assistant brand and product manager at PlayStation, Pernod Ricard and Grupo Planeta.
“Establishing a central team in London is a key part for VMS Live in supporting our nationwide network of venues,” comments CEO Bert Van Horck.
“These three people combine experience and youthful talent and I’m confident we are well positioned to provide our clients with enhanced promotional, operational and marketing support.”
Founded in 2007 by the late Steve Forster, VMS Live operates and/or books mid-size UK venues including Eventim Olympia Liverpool (1,960-cap.), Asylum in Hull (1,100-cap.) and the William Aston Hall in Wrexham (1,200-cap.), and counts Eventim UK, the local arm of Germany’s CTS Eventim, among its clients.
The company is promoting upcoming tours by 808 State and Grand Magnus, as well as promoting dates by Jools Holland and Milton Jones.
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