Inside Silverstone’s new era of live music
Silverstone director of music Jamie Scott has spoken to IQ about launching a new era of live music at the famous racetrack for next month’s Formula 1 Aramco British Grand Prix.
Scott, who was appointed to the role last year, has curated four nights of live music and entertainment for the iconic motor racing circuit, starting with a Best of British launch party headed by Calvin Harris, Jess Glynne and Cat Burns on 6 July.
The weekend slots will then be headlined by Jax Jones (7 July) and Black Eyed Peas (8 July), with Tom Grennan closing proceedings following the Grand Prix on 9 July.
Grammy-nominated and Ivor Novello Award-winning songwriter and producer Scott recruited Library Productions, which manages Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage, to create bespoke staging for the expanded music arena, which now accommodates up to 45,000 people.
“The whole music area has been redeveloped and the capacity doubled to 45,000, which shows huge intent,” Scott tells IQ. “The idea is to put the music on an equal par with the racing and get great British talent on there. So, you won’t just be coming to watch the race, you’re going to be coming for days of entertainment. Hopefully we get a great race and people feel on the Sunday that they’ve been to an all-encompassing four days.
“The British Grand Prix is steeped in heritage – we’ve got three British racing drivers in the top 10 in the world – so it’s a huge time in British motorsport and we wanted to equal that with the music. Like every world sport now, Formula 1 is all about entertainment and the experience; it is on the tip of everyone’s tongue because of what it means to people, and it is now connecting with a younger demographic [via Netflix series] Drive to Survive, and this feels like a great way to start.”
“Silverstone has massive intentions of being a 365 day-a-year leisure venue for great entertainment”
The live music offering will be provided at no extra cost to existing ticket holders.
“There is a lot of synergy between the British music industry and British motorsport, it just needed to be brought together,” suggests Scott. “We want to make Silverstone a place that global artists want to come and play. It has its own unique aura; it’s a beautiful place and it’s just about trying to elevate that and and lift the offerings for years to come.”
Live music has become a key part of the festivities at F1’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend, which celebrates its 15th edition in November with Yasalam After-Race Concerts headlined by Foo Fighters, Tiësto and Ava Max at Yas Island.
Elsewhere, last year’s inaugural Miami Grand Prix brought acts such as Post Malone, Maluma and The Chainsmokers to Miami Gardens, while the 2023 Las Vegas edition in November has concerts by the likes of J Balvin, Major Lazer and Mark Ronson at the T-Mobile Zone at Sphere. Formula 1 was acquired by Live Nation shareholder Liberty Media in 2017.
“I think the inspiration and the intent has come from Formula 1 being under new ownership,” says Scott. “Clearly, the entertainment value is is an important aspect now with other races like Miami and Las Vegas. Silverstone obviously hosts the Formula 1, but it’s also got MotoGP and the Silverstone Classic and we want to enhance it again next year. It has massive intentions of being a 365 day-a-year leisure venue for great entertainment.”
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Turkish GP shifts 40,000 tickets in six hours
In news likely to make many a concert promoter weep, the Turkish Formula 1 grand prix sold more than 40,000 tickets within six hours of Wednesday morning’s onsale, promoter Intercity has announced.
The first tickets for the race, priced at ₺30 (€3.50) per day or ₺90 (€10) for a three-day pass, were released on 16 September. Organisers are targeting an audience of 100,000 for the grand prix, which will take place on 15 November at the 220,000-capacity Istanbul Park circuit.
According to Intercity chairman Vural Ak, a socially distanced six-figure crowd can easily be accommodated with the track at less than half its capacity. “We know the capacity of this track,” he told reporters at a press conference earlier this month. “Around 220,000 spectators can watch the race in the grandstands and in the open areas.
“At the moment, for safety reasons, if we close some sections, about 100,000 spectators will be able to watch the race by following social distancing rules.”
“About 100,000 spectators will be able to watch the race by following social distancing rules”
Formula 1 is returning to Turkey for the first time since 2011 this year, with Istanbul added to the revised 2020 F1 calendar late last month.
According to PlanetF1.com, Intercity is not expecting to turn a profit for the event.
“Formula 1 normally has certain standards, and ticket prices are at a certain level,” says Ak. “However, we do not seek to gain financial advantage from this, and the government has encouraged us [to go ahead with a low ticket price].”
The first eight races of the F1 season were held without fans, with the ninth, 13 September’s Tuscan Grand Prix at Mugello, Italy, the first to have an audience, selling 2,880 tickets per day.
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T4F sells stock-car biz to focus on music
Time for Fun (T4F Entertainment) has sold its shareholdings in Vicar Sports Promotions, the promoter of Brazil’s popular Stock Car and Stock Car Light racing series, to focus on its core live music business.
Sao Paulo-based T4F is South America’s leading live entertainment company, promoting shows and festivals and running venues in Brazil and Argentina. It has been in control of the Nascar-inspired Stock Car series since 2006.
The sale of Vicar, to Veloci Investments, is “aligned to the company’s strategic planning in order to increase its efforts to the promotion of major music festivals and live concerts, as well as family events and theatre”, according to T4F’s CFO, André Pinheiro Veloso. T4F’s festivals include Lollapalooza Brazil and Popload Festival.
The proceeds will reinforce Time for Fun’s cash position, he adds.
Similarly to other public live entertainment businesses, T4F saw its turnover decline 98% in the second quarter of 2020 as touring ground to a halt.
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