News in brief (Thursday 7 April 2016)

Goldenvoice plot festival in Pasadena
Pasadena City Council has approved a new festival in southern California by Coachella and New Orleans Jazz Festival promoter GoldenVoice. The multi-day Arroyo Seco Music and Arts Festival, which will take place at the Rose Bowl stadium, is expected to begin in 2017. (Pasadena Now)

TicketWeb inks another exclusive
After a “highly competitive tender process”, Ticketweb – the indie-focused subsidiary of Ticketmaster UK which earlier this week announced an exclusive deal with east London music venue St John-at-Hackney – has become the exclusive ticketing partner for the soon-to-open 800-capacity Wylam Brewery Palace of Arts venue in Exhibition Park, Newcastle.

International stars play VR concert in Jerusalem
Forbes yesterday hosted “large-scale live musical performance synced to virtual reality”. (Years & Years clearly aren’t large-scale.) The concert in Jerusalem, “designed to promote co-existence”, featured Okieriete Onaodowan from Hamilton, Palestinian Arab rapper SAZ with Israeli funk band Lucille Crew, London rapper Little Simz and US rock group Mae. (Forbes)

Glastonbury ‘still pale, male and stale’
As long as female performers are outnumbered by male ones, Glastonbury Festival “cannot claim equality”, opines Jess Denham. (The Independent)

News in brief (Wednesday 6 April 2016)

No lock-out laws in Canberra
The government of the Australian Capital Territory has confirmed it will not follow the states of New South Wales and Queensland in introducing controversial ‘lock-out laws’ for music venues and other late-night entertainment. However, venues which stay open past 3am may face steep hikes in their alcohol licences. (The Music Network)

Tramlines 2016 seeks emerging talent
Independent Sheffield, UK, festival Tramlines has opened the artist application process for its eighth outing on 22–24 July. Winning entries will be chosen by a panel of festival organisers, BBC Music Introducing presenters and other music industry figures. (The Star)

Beatport plans for life outside SFX
Dance music streaming service and download store Beatport has begun to retool the site in anticipation of its separation from soon-to-be ex-owner SFX Entertainment. It also discusses its own losses during SFX’s bankruptcy. (CDM)

Ride for Ronnie returns
The Ride for Ronnie motor motorcycle ride and concert, in aid of the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund, will return to Los Angeles for a second year on 22 May. The music line-up includes Great White, Lita Ford, Dio Disciples, Gabbie Rae, Budderside and Doctors of the Earth. (Loudwire)

News in brief (Tuesday 5 April 2016)

Sigma pull out of ‘Eurosceptic’ music festival
Drum and bass act Sigma have cancelled their appearance at the bpopLive music festival on 8 May after learning it is backed by pro-‘Brexit’ campaign group Leave.EU. A spokesman for bpopLive, taking place at the 15,000-capacity Genting Arena in Birmingham, says the event is about getting young people to vote rather than pushing for a UK exit from the European Union. (BuzzFeed News)

Rolling Stones bare all in new exhibition
The Rolling Stones’ first major exhibition opens at the Saatchi Gallery in London tomorrow. Exhibitionism, described as “the most comprehensive and immersive insight” into the Stones and their music, takes place over nine themed galleries, including recreations of the band’s flat in Edith Grove in London in early ’60s, Paris’s Pathé Marconi Studios and a “glimpse backstage into one of the greatest rock and roll shows on Earth”. (Music Week)

Elvis Costello, Eddie Vedder join LN’s Hawaiian family
Eddie Vedder, Elvis Costello, Band of Horses, Lana del Rey, City and Colour and Mudhoney are among the acts already confirmed for Live Nation’s new Hawaiian festival, Ohana (Hawaiian for “Family”), in Dana Point, California. Taking place from 27 to 28 August on Doheny State Beach, the event will bring together “a very unique collection of music and culture in a setting that could not be any more beautiful”, says Live Nation’s Rich Best. (Pollstar)

The Guardian’s top 10 European festivals for 2016
Croatia’s Love International, Iceland’s Secret Solstice, Colours of Ostrava in the Czech Republic, Serbia’s Exit Festival and Primavera Sound in Barcelona are among the British newspaper’s pick of this year’s best. (The Guardian)