Live Nation ME imports Asian music festival to UAE
Live Nation Middle East will import US-based Asian cultural event MetaMoon Music Festival to Dubai for its first international edition.
Since launching in 2022, the New York City-based festival has centred on Asian talent and entertainment through showcases and industry panels.
The UAE edition is set for 15 February 2025 at Expo City Dubai’s Al Wasl Plaza (cap. 60,000), with South Korea-based singer-songwriter Henry Lau and singer-rapper Lee Young Ji to headline the event.
“Live Nation Middle East is proud to partner with MetaMoon to bring this unique celebration of Asian pop culture to Dubai,” says James Craven, president of Live Nation Middle East.
“The UAE is a vibrant and diverse region and this event is a perfect reflection of the incredible cultural exchange we aim to foster through music and entertainment. We are thrilled to debut such an exceptional lineup of talent, and we look forward to creating unforgettable memories for fans in the Middle East.”
Other featured artists include singer-songwriter mikah, dancer MT Pop, and American DJ and radio veteran Poon; rapper and comedian MC Jin will host.
“We are excited to be debuting an incredible lineup of Asian talent for their first appearances ever in the region”
MetaMoon founder Grace Chen says the expansion is helping deliver Asian talent to new fanbases worldwide.
“Our partnership with Live Nation Middle East to bring MetaMoon to Dubai signifies our commitment to introducing Asian artists and pop culture to new fans while giving existing fans a chance to see their favorite artists live,” Chen said in a statement.
“We are excited to be debuting an incredible lineup of Asian talent for their first appearances ever in the region and for what will be an entertaining evening for fans.”
Asian-focused events are increasingly going global. KCON, the world’s biggest K-pop fest, expanded to Hong Kong alongside Japan, the US, Europe and Saudi Arabia last year, while touring festival series Waterbomb launched in seven new markets in 2024.
Plans were recently revealed to bring a multi-day, 15,000-capacity Made in Korea festival to London this year.
A September study by Live Nation revealed the Asia Pop genre was skyrocketing across Oceania: “Asia Pop has transcended its niche status and exploded into mainstream fandom, fostering deep connections between fans and artists through social content, dance and fashion to name a few,” said Wenona Lok, Asia Pop promoter and talent buyer at Live Nation Australasia.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
J.Cole sells $1 tickets to Madison Square Garden show
American rapper J. Cole held a $1 ticket sale for his Monday night concert at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Hours before the show, the rapper announced that 2,014 of these tickets were available on a first-come-first-serve basis at nearby music venue Irving Plaza.
The number of tickets was a nod to his third – and most successful – studio album 2014 Forest Hills Drive, which he marked 10 years of at the one-off concert.
The flash sale attracted a line stretching a third of a mile long on Monday afternoon, according to local media. People in the line were given wristbands that enabled them to buy e-tickets at the US$1 price. Some lucky fans reportedly ended up with tickets close to the stage, which were thought to be worth around $950.
Some lucky fans reportedly ended up with tickets close to the stage, which were thought to be worth around $950
The rapper has held $1 shows in the past, including during his Dollar & A Dream Tour back in 2015.
In other news, J. Cole announced last week that his Dreamville Festival will end in 2025. The fifth and final edition will take place on 5 and 6 April at Dorothea Dix Park in his home state of North Carolina.
“From the very beginning, the idea behind the fest was creating a place where our fans, the Dreamville community, could spend time together, a place where they could see themselves reflected, a place to share in experiences. Let’s run it back one more time in April!” read a statement from the festival.
The lineup for the swansong edition is due to be announced early next year. Dreamville 2024 was led by J. Cole, SZA, Chris Brown, and Nicki Minaj.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
Justice to headline new Hong Kong festival
Cultural festival Hypefest will make its Hong Kong debut in November with a headline performance by Grammy Award-winning electronic duo Justice.
The festival was launched in Brooklyn, New York, in 2018 by the global culture and lifestyle platform Hypebeast, and has since expanded to mainland China.
Now, organisers are shipping the brand to Hong Kong for a two-day outdoor festival at the Central Harbourfront on 9 and 10 November.
The 30,000-capacity event will mark Justice’s first performance in the city since 2015. The duo will be supported by American singer-songwriter d4vd, local band N.Y.P.D, South Korean singer-songwriter Dean and Thai rapper Milli among others.
“We’re excited to bring Hypefest to Hong Kong, the city where our headquarters are based”
Hypefest Hong Kong is funded by local authorities as part of wider efforts to bolster the economy, boost tourism and promote the city as a regional arts hub.
The government has set aside HK$15 million (€1.7m) for the event as part of its Mega Arts and Cultural Events Fund.
Kevin Ma, founder and CEO of festival organiser Hypebeast, says: “We’re excited to bring Hypefest to Hong Kong, the city where our headquarters are based. As a significant international hub for arts and culture, we want to create an unforgettable experience for our local community.”
Hypebeast says the festival aims to boost tourism, cement Hong Kong’s status as a premier travel destination and serve as a platform for cultural exchange and community engagement, which could bring “long-term benefits for Hong Kong’s economy and global appeal”.
Standard one-day tickets will cost HK$680 (€78) and HK$988 (€114) for the weekend, while two-day early-bird tickets are available for HK$788 (€91).
The inaugural Hypefest in Brooklyn was free of charge and featured rapper Trippie Redd and rock band No Vacancy.
The second and third editions were held in mainland China, with last year’s event taking place in Qinhuangdao and drawing 15,000 visitors. Another iteration was held in Hangzhou earlier this year and attracted 30,000 revellers.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
Billy Joel concludes historic MSG residency
Billy Joel has wrapped up his decade-long concert residency at New York’s Madison Square Garden (cap. 20,000) with his 150th career show at the venue.
Joel was named MSG’s first-ever music franchise in December 2013, beginning his stint in January 2014 and playing one gig every month at The World’s Most Famous Arena for “as long as the demand continues”, as the Piano Man said at the time.
More than 1.9 million tickets have been sold to fans from more than 120 countries over the course of the 104-night run, which has reportedly grossed over $260 million (€239m).
The 75-year-old, whose first show at the venue took place on 14 December 1978, was joined on stage by Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose at last night’s (25 July) finale for covers of Wings’ Live and Let Die and AC/DC’s Highway to Hell, before finishing with Joel’s You May Be Right.
Joel has set multiple records and performed with a multitude of special guests during his 10-year residency
The American singer-songwriter has set multiple records and performed with a multitude of special guests during his 10-year residency, including Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, Sting, Tony Bennett, Miley Cyrus, Brian Johnson, Paul Simon, John Mayer and Olivia Rodrigo.
In January 2015, he broke his own record of the “most consecutive performances by any artist” with the 13th show of the residency, which led to a new banner being raised to The Garden’s rafters.
In July of the same year, Joel set another new bar for the “most lifetime performances by any artist,” for which another banner was raised. Both of Joel’s banners were raised once again yesterday to celebrate his record for “most consecutive performances by any artist” (104), and “most lifetime performances by any artist” (150).
In celebration of the residency and to cement Joel’s legacy at The Garden, a new Defining Moments exhibit was displayed on the sixth floor concourse, featuring memorabilia from the run. Fans also had access to custom offerings including themed concession and a photo activation where fans were able to write Joel a message. A Billy Joel 150 merch pop-up in Chase Square at Madison Square Garden was also opened to mark the occasion.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
MSG Entertainment renews James Dolan’s contract
James Dolan has inked a new three-year contract to continue as the CEO and chairman of MSG Entertainment.
He will lead the New York-based live events company until June 2027, the company revealed last week in a regulatory filing.
Dolan, who is also the CEO of both MSG Sports and Sphere Entertainment Co., will be paid a base salary of $1.5 million per year for leading MSG Entertainment and will have an opportunity to make an annual bonus up to 200% of his salary, according to the filing.
He will also participate in the company’s long-term incentive plan, it adds. Beginning with the fiscal year starting July 1, 2024, he is expected to receive one or more incentive awards with a target value of at least $8.6m.
Point72 Asset Management has acquired a 5.5% stake in Sphere Entertainment Co
In the fiscal year ended 30 June 2023, Dolan earned a total compensation of $9.3m from MSG Entertainment. His compensation from Sphere Entertainment, which spun off from MSG Entertainment in 2023 ahead of the launch of the Sphere venue in Las Vegas in September, amounted to $16.3m. In addition, Dolan earned a total of $11m from MSG Sports.
In other news, billionaire hedge fund titan and owner of the New York Mets Steve Cohen’s Point72 Asset Management has acquired a 5.5% stake in Sphere Entertainment Co, which owns the state-of-the-art Las Vegas Sphere venue.
Point72 disclosed in a regulatory filing on Monday (24 June) that it acquired 1.56 million shares of Sphere Entertainment Co in the second quarter, including 582,400 Class A Common Stock shares, which are issuable upon exercise of options.
This is the second time Point72 has acquired a chunk of Sphere stock, having previously owned 262,102 shares at the end of 2023, which it sold in the first quarter, the New York Post reported.
In the wake of the news, Sphere stock jumped 7.2% to $34.84 on Tuesday.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
Madonna fans drop lawsuit over late concert start
Two US concertgoers who sued Madonna for starting a New York gig two hours late have dropped their lawsuit.
Plaintiffs Michael Fellows and Jonathan Hadden launched legal action against the singer, the concert venue and promoter Live Nation. They alleged the Queen of Pop’s 13 December 2024 tour date at New York’s Barclays Center was advertised as starting at 8.30pm, but did not begin until 10.30pm and finished well past midnight.
In the lawsuit filed in Brooklyn federal court, the pair claimed they “would not have paid for tickets” had they known the show would not finish until 1am, and claimed “false advertising, negligent misrepresentation, and unfair and deceptive trade practices”.
“Many ticketholders who attended concerts on a weeknight had to get up early to go to work and/or take care of their family responsibilities the next day,” said the filing. “Defendants failed to provide any notice to the ticketholders that the concerts would start much later than the start time printed on the ticket and as advertised, which resulted in the ticketholders waiting for hours.”
In response, lawyers for Madonna argued: “If a fan is familiar enough with Madonna’s concert history to know her performances run for two hours and 15 minutes, that fan would surely know that Madonna typically takes the stage well after the ticketed event time… and plays late into the night.”
People reports the case has now been dismissed after Fellows and Hadden sent a notice of a “voluntary dismissal with prejudice”, meaning they cannot re-file the claim.
“Defendants believe that this action was a frivolous strike suit designed to force them to incur legal expenses”
In a letter dated 19 June, Jeff Warshafsky, lawyer for Madonna and Live Nation, clarified that the dismissal “was not the result of any settlement” between the parties, adding that the defendants “do not agree with plaintiffs’ position that each party should bear its own fees and costs”.
“Defendants believe that this action was a frivolous strike suit designed to force them to incur legal expenses,” reads Warshafsky’s letter. “Plaintiffs have now abandoned this lawsuit when it became clear that this approach would not result in a settlement payment and that they would need to oppose defendants’ motion to dismiss the amended complaint.”
Disgruntled fans in Washington DC filed a similar lawsuit against Madonna in April for her late appearances at December concerts in the city’s Capital One Arena, claiming that by starting her shows over two hours behind schedule, she showed “total disrespect for her fans.”
They also say they were forced to wait for hours in a “hot, uncomfortable arena,” claiming that Madonna herself had insisted on the temperature. Their allegations include accusations of lip-syncing – another instance of false advertising, according to their attorneys.
And the star was sued yet again earlier this month, with a class action suit alleging false advertising and unwanted exposure to sexual content in relation to her 7 March concert at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum.
Madonna’s 80-date Celebration Tour ran from October 2023 to May this year, generating $227.2 million from 1.1 million ticket sales, according to Pollstar data. The outing concluded with the biggest concert of the American pop icon’s career – a free show attended by an estimated 1.6m people on Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on 4 May.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
Global Citizen Festival 2024 headliners announced
Post Malone, Doja Cat, Jelly Roll and Rauw Alejandro will headline this year’s Global Citizen Festival.
The 2024 edition is set to take place in New York on Central Park’s Great Lawn on 28 September. Additional performers will be announced in the coming weeks.
Global Citizen ambassador Hugh Jackman will host the event, which will also feature an appearance by Global Citizen Festival curator, Chris Martin of Coldplay.
The international advocacy organisation is calling for urgent action to defeat poverty, defend the planet and demand equitable access to nutritious food, stronger health systems and quality education.
“There’s undoubtedly a divide between what the world needs to end extreme poverty and what currently feels possible. Our mission has never been more critical,” says Hugh Evans, Global Citizen co-founder & CEO. “Together, we must hold our governments to account, and demand that businesses and foundations use their power for good. We must call for ambitious action to defeat poverty and defend the planet — there are 700 million people depending on it.”
Last year’s festival, which featured acts including Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ms. Lauryn Hill and Jung Kook of BTS, was a livestream hit, generating 875,000 hours watched, with 388,000 peak viewers and 143,000 average viewers over an airtime of six hours, five minutes, according to Stream Charts.
“We all have a part we can play to help end extreme poverty and stand up for equity”
Global Citizen Festival is presented by Citi and Cisco, with major partners including Bridgewater Associates, Delta Air Lines, Motsepe Foundation, P&G, Verizon and World Wide Technology. Live Nation will serve as production partner, while iHeartMedia is exclusive US Audio Partner. The festival is produced by Diversified Production Services.
First held in 2012, the festival is the world’s longest-running global campaign calling for an end to extreme poverty. Tickets are free and can be earned by taking action on the Global Citizen app or at globalcitizenfestival.com to demand change from governments and private sector leaders.
“It’s been a few years since I was last on the Global Citizen Festival stage in Paris, and I’m excited to join forces with Global Citizen once again in Central Park this September to drive as much action as we can to make the world a better place,” says Doja Cat. “We all have a part we can play to help end extreme poverty and stand up for equity. I’m looking forward to being part of this major evening of positive change.”
In Australia in March, Melbourne’s Palais Theatre hosted Global Citizen Nights, an evening of advocacy, art and music headlined by Crowded House, which served as the finale to the Global Citizen NOW: Melbourne summit.
Last year, Global Citizen teamed with rapper Kendrick Lamar on “pioneering” new concert series Move Afrika in a bid to establish a “first-of-its-kind” touring circuit throughout Africa.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
TCE & Broadwick Live team to launch Brooklyn venue
Independent live music firms TCE Presents and Broadwick Live have unveiled collaborative venue Brooklyn Storehouse in the US as the first major project of their newly formed transatlantic partnership.
The 5,000-cap space will open this month at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and will be continuously reconfigured and transformed to create a “wide array of spatial environments” and welcome “innovative and dynamic shows at the intersection of arts, music and culture”.
Confirmed upcoming gigs at the New York venue include Justice, Charlotte de Witte and Eric Prdyz, with more shows slated to be announced in the coming weeks.
“As a native New Yorker, born in the boroughs, creating something at this scale in this location, that will bring jobs and world class culture into the heart of Brooklyn, is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” says TCE Presents founder Rob Toma. “As independents, Broadwick and TCE have shared a similar approach in looking to create incredible experiences in iconic locations, and I believe our partnership will develop spaces that set a new standard across Pan America.”
Broadwick and TCE Presents say they share “a commitment to delivering unforgettable moments and experiences in spaces that merge industrial heritage with creative innovation”.
“We are committed to repurposing industrial spaces in an unexpected way that honours their past and creates lasting value for local areas and communities”
“We are committed to repurposing industrial spaces in an unexpected way that honours their past and creates lasting value for local areas and communities,” adds Luke Huxham, director – development & place at Broadwick Group. “The Brooklyn Navy Yard has a history that dates back to 1801, and we couldn’t be prouder to contribute to its legacy, working in partnership with The Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation to generate jobs and economic impact for the city.
“Brooklyn Storehouse is an impressive hybrid home for culture. The top goal of our development is that it becomes a global institution and urban landmark. We strive to provide visitors with a broad range of experiences and content that will stick with them on an emotional level.”
Since being established in the UK in 2010, Broadwick has acquired 30-plus venues and entertainment spaces, selling in excess of one million tickets per year. It has developed cultural brands including Printworks London, Drumsheds, Depot Mayfield, Magazine and Field Day, while also venturing outside music into immersion art exhibitions, fashion shows, corporate events, filming and celebrations.
TCE Presents has been a major player in New York nightlife over the past decade, pioneering large-scale events under a portfolio of event brands led by the house and techno-focused Teksupport. It produces more than 150 shows per year.
Broadwick and TCE Presents are also supported by Rockstar Games, which is a strategic investment partner in Broadwick, and collaborates with TCE Presents on an array of events, as well as the Circoloco Records music label.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
Famed New York venues heading for record 12 months
Madison Square Garden Entertainment’s famed MSG and Radio City Music Hall venues are on track to set new records for the number of concerts held in a year.
The New York-based business made the disclosure during its financial report for the fiscal Q3 2024, in which it reported revenues of $228.3 million – up 13% on the prior year quarter. In addition, it posted operating income of $16.8m and adjusted operating income of $38.5m, down $7.9m and $11.6m, respectively, as compared with the same period 12 months ago.
MSG Entertainment’s portfolio includes New York City’s 20,000-cap MSG, The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the Beacon Theatre and The Chicago Theatre, along with the firm’s entertainment and sports bookings business and long-term arena licence agreements with the New York Knicks and New York Rangers.
“Our business continues to outperform our original expectations for fiscal 2024, and we are on track to generate robust growth in our first full year as a standalone public company,” says executive chair and CEO James Dolan. “Looking ahead, we remain confident in the strength of our assets and our ability to generate long-term value for our shareholders.”
Speaking to investors on the firm’s earnings call, Dolan added: “Our booking business, has continued to grow and remains set to achieve a low double-digit percentage increase in events for fiscal 2024. This includes contract growth across all of our venues, with the Garden and Radio City both headed towards setting new records for a number of concerts in the year.”
“For the third quarter, the majority of concerts at our venues were once again sold out”
He continued: “During the quarter, our portfolio of venues hosted more than 1.5 million guests at over 200 live events. A majority of these events were driven by our bookings business, which delivered a double-digit percent increase in total concerts versus the prior year quarter.
“As the volume of events at our venues continues to increase, we are pleased to see it matched by strong demand. For the third quarter, the majority of concerts at our venues were once again sold out.”
The company’s share price has dipped around 8% over the past week to stand at $36.44 at press time.
MSG spun-off its live entertainment and MSG Networks divisions last year to create two distinct companies – Sphere Entertainment and MSG Entertainment Corp. Sphere Entertainment reported an operating loss of $40.4m on revenues of $321.3m for fiscal Q3.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
Fan suffers ‘catastrophic’ injuries at concert
A concertgoer suffered a “catastrophic” spinal cord injury after a frontman stage dived into the crowd at a show in the US.
Bird Piché, 24, was attending a gig by Australian punk rock band Trophy Eyes at the Mohawk Place club in Buffalo, New York, on 30 April when the incident took place.
Discussing the “tragic accident” in a post on X, the group said: “We elected to immediately shut down the show as John [Floreani, singer] accompanied them to the hospital with their family.
“Out of respect for the family, we have refrained from speaking about this publicly so far, but with the blessing of their family we are now able to say how truly heartbroken we are to be here now.
“Our friend, Bird, is now in recovery, but still has a long road ahead for them. This situation has shaken us all to our care and we ask for patience while we look to help Bird navigate this difficult time.”
Piché has undergone extensive surgery for her injuries, and Trophy Eyes have donated $5,000 to a GoFundMe page set up to help with her medical bills. More than US$65,000 has already been raised towards its $100,000 target.
“Our policy and practiced procedure is a full show stop for any stage diving which was put into place for this incident”
“She has a long recovery ahead and will need all the help she can get,” reads the page, which was set up by friends Stephanie Brown and Leo Wolters Tejera. “It is still too early to know what her prognosis is but after leaving the hospital she will need to go to a rehab facility. She will obviously not be able to work during this time.
“The funds will be used for medical bills and anything she may need to function in life because of the accident.”
Tejera tells WGRZ that footage was captured on camera.
“The video is wild because unless you knew that someone was hurt in the video, you’d never expect that,” he says. “Like it’s just an average stage dive. The video that I saw on Facebook and then another angle surfaced on a Reddit thread, both of them just seem fairly innocuous.”
Mohawk Place manager Mike Thor says the venue has rules in place around moshing and stage diving.
“There are signs posted everywhere in the venue and notice was included in the emails for this show with the show’s promoter and the band themselves,” says Thor, as per Heavy Consequence. “Our policy and practiced procedure is a full show stop for any stage diving which was put into place for this incident. Currently we are working to put together a charity show to help the injured party with their GoFundMe.”
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.