Live Nation launches in Philippines with MMI deal
Live Nation has launched in the Philippines following its acquisition of promoter Music Management International (MMI).
MMI has brought the likes of Coldplay, U2, Shawn Mendes, Blackpink, The Chainsmokers, Maroon 5, One Direction, The Weeknd, Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars and Backstreet Boys to the country’s capital Manila in recent years.
In the wake of the deal, which signals Live Nation’s further expansion across Asia, MMI boss Rhiza Pascua has been appointed to the role of MD of Live Nation Philippines.
“Rhiza has put the Philippines firmly on the global touring map,” says Roger Field, president of Live Nation Asia Pacific. “We have a long-standing and successful relationship with MMI and the launch of Live National Philippines is a the natural next step in our committed growth in the Asia Pacific region.”
“MMI has delivered industry leading world-class service to attract the biggest and best talent to the Philippines”
The companies are long-term collaborators, having entered into a partnership to promote concerts in the Philippines back in 2014.
“MMI has delivered industry-leading world-class service to attract the biggest and best talent to the Philippines,” adds Pascua.
“Through the launch of Live Nation Philippines, the sky’s the limit. We look forward to bringing even more of the globe’s biggest stars and connecting fans with the artists they love and the magic of live.”
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Magnetic Asia team launches Total Ticketing
The team behind Hong Kong promoter Magnetic Asia (Clockenflap, Sónar HK, Feast) and ticketing platform Ticketflap are rebranding their ticketing division from Asia Ticketing to Total Ticketing in a push to take the brand global.
“From our beginnings as technology experts and event promoters, we are very proud to have been able bring all of our skills and experience together to provide a fantastic ticketing experience for staff, customers and stakeholders alike,” comments Magnetic Asia CEO Mike Hill. “While we remain proud of our Asian roots and will continue to focus on serving the varied markets in the region, we are extremely excited about this new chapter in our evolution to a truly global offering.”
Central to Total Ticketing’s offering is its new Enterprise Ticketing Solution (ETS), designed to meet the needs of promoters, ticket agencies, integrated resorts, attractions and theme parks, and multi-venue businesses such as convention centres, theatres and stadium complexes. The company is active in Hong Kong, Singapore, the Philippines, Japan and the UK.
“We are currently leveraging our feature-rich systems to further diversify”
Peter Gordon, MD of Total Ticketing, explains: “Our ETS has the power to help so many different types of businesses turn their ticketing operations from a cost centre into a profit centre and to open up manifold business development opportunities with valuable new stakeholders.
“As well as helping our clients to transform their ticketing operations and profitability, we are currently leveraging our feature-rich systems to further diversify into cutting edge skill-sharing and booking platforms, live video streaming and immersive audience experiences – with some exciting new product news coming very soon.”
Ticketflap is one of the five major primary ticketing companies in Hong Kong, according to the International Ticketing Yearbook 2019.
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Management change-up at TEG’s Ticketworld
TEG-owned Ticketworld, one of the largest ticketing companies in the Philippines, has appointed a new general manager, as chief executive Bob Sewell retires.
Sewell, who founded the Manila-based ticketing service in 1995, will stay on at TicketWorld in a consulting capacity.
TEG has now appointed John Maclang as general manager at TicketWorld.
A lawyer by profession, Maclang has led technology and e-commerce platforms as a county manager in the Philippines, most recently for Hotel Link.
Australasian live entertainment powerhouse TEG acquired TicketWorld in November 2018. The ticketing company joined TEG’s Singapore-based Asian division, which is headed up by former Ticketek managing director Brendon Bainbridge.
TEG chief executive Geoff Jones praised Sewell for his work building the company, saying: “I want to congratulate Bob on the great work he’s done to make the business what it is today and thank him for his generous contribution in integrating the company into TEG.”
“I want to congratulate Bob on the great work he’s done to make the business what it is today and thank him for his generous contribution in integrating the company into TEG”
Commenting on the new hire, Jones comments: “John brings a strong commercial and management background in technology, leisure and the law. We welcome and look forward to working with him to deliver on our commitment to grow rapidly in Asia.”
Maclang, who has been effective in his new role since 24 July, states he is looking forward to “further develop[ing] Manila as a world class entertainment market.”
Sewell wishes Maclang and TicketWorld “all the best” for the company’s “next phase of development and growth.” The TicketWorld founder notes the maturity of the Philippine entertainment sector, which “is displaying all the signs that will ensure its position of strength in the Asian market.”
In recent years, TicketWorld has provided ticketing for tours by Guns N’ Roses and Katy Perry, as well as theatre productions the Lion King and Mamma Mia.
TicketWorld provides ticketing services to Philippine venues including Solaire Resort and Casino, Resorts World Manila, BGC Arts Centre (500-cap.) and the Cultural Centre of the Philippines (8,458-seated cap.).
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Philippines’ TicketWorld joins TEG Asia
Diversified Australasian live entertainment powerhouse TEG has acquired TicketWorld, one of the largest ticketing companies in the Philippines.
Founded in 1995, Manila-based TicketWorld has in recent years ticketed a number of major international tours, including Guns N’ Roses’ Not in This Lifetime tour and Katy Perry’s Prismatic world tour.
It also has a strong presence in the local theatre ticket market, having worked with productions such as the Lion King, Mamma Mia!, Les Misérables and Wicked, and provides ticketing services to many of the Philippines’ premier venues, including Solaire Resort and Casino, Resorts World Manila, BGC Arts Center (500-cap.) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (8,458-cap.).
According to TEG, the parent company of leading Australian/New Zealand ticketing platform Ticketek, as well as a host of other promotion and data analytics businesses, the acquisition “complements existing TEG businesses in Asia”.
TicketWorld becomes part of TEG Asia, the division based in Singapore under managing director Brendon Bainbridge, and which also includes affiliated ticketing operations in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Macau.
“The opportunity to grow the market in the Philippines by delivering more entertainment choices will be well received”
“TEG is the largest integrated entertainment company in Asia Pacific, and we have a track record and accumulated expertise in the live entertainment industry,” says TEG CEO Geoff Jones. “We see great opportunities in many Asian markets and our strategy puts us on course to becoming a truly pan-Asian promoter.
“TicketWorld has built a great reputation and lasting relationships in the Philippine live entertainment industry. I am delighted that CEO and founder Bob Sewell and his management team will remain with the business under TEG ownership.”
Sewell adds: “I look forward to working with TEG and its team of entertainment professionals. The opportunity to grow the market in the Philippines by delivering more entertainment choices will be well received in the Philippines.”
“TicketWorld is a strong ticketing business that will be enhanced by having access to TEG’s ticketing technology, data-driven marketing expertise and e-commerce experience,” comments Bainbridge. “We are delighted to see TicketWorld join the TEG Asia division and help expand our reach in the region.”
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13 facing criminal charges over Closeup deaths
Thirteen people are facing criminal complaints over the deaths of five people at last May’s Closeup Forever Summer festival in Manila.
Following an eight-month investigation, the Philippines’ National Bureau of Investigation (NIB) has asked for negligent homicide charges to be brought against 13 executives of promoter Closeup, its parent company, Unilever Philippines, and several security companies, which it alleges “had the ability to prevent the unwanted incidents but failed to do so”.
The victims, all of whom collapsed at the festival and died later in hospital, had ingested a cocktail of alcohol and drugs, reports the Philippine Daily Inquirer. It was previously reported the five had taken ‘green amore’, a potentially lethal mix of MDMA and shabu, or methamphetamine.
“We acted in good faith in the staging of the event and will continue to cooperate in all the upcoming proceedings”
The NBI complaint, filed yesterday, with the Department of Justice, says the companies – Unilever, Closeup, Activations Advertising, Hypehouse Production Corp. and Delirium Manpower Services – should have put in place more effective measures to prevent drugs entering the festival site.
“Yet given all their occupational and professional standing, expertise, skill and experience […] they apathetically forgot the inclusion of illegal drugs or its possible inroads during the event,” it reads.
Closeup spokesman Ed Sunico said in a statement: “Our management team is deeply saddened by the events that took place at the Forever Summer music festival last year. We acted in good faith in the staging of the event and will continue to cooperate in all the upcoming proceedings.”
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Forever Summer victim had taken legal highs
One of the five people who died at the Forever Summer festival in Manila on 21 May had taken MDMA-like designer drugs, a postmortem examination has revealed.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) confirmed traces of two synthetic stimulants – MDMA methylene homolog and methylenedioxycathinone, the latter of which is found in the khat plant – both are which are ‘legal highs’ yet to be banned in the Philippines.
It has not been disclosed which victim is confirmed to have taken the stimulants.
The National Bureau of Investigation confirmed traces of two synthetic stimulants yet to be banned in the Philippines
The NIB is still investigating reports that the five had taken ‘green amore’ – a mix of MDMA and shabu, or methamphetamine (‘crystal meth’) – while at the festival. NIB doctor Wilfredo Tierra, who carried out the postmortems on Bianca Fontejon, 18, and Lance Garcia, 36, says both victims’ hearts were black and that they had watery fluid in their internal organs, likely as a result of an adverse reaction to drugs.
It has since arrested five people in connection with supply of drugs at the event.
IQ earlier this week reported on the proliferation of unregulated legal highs in Europe: In 2015, 98 new substances were detected in the EU for the first time, bringing the number of new psychoactive substances (NPS) monitored to more than 560, of which 70% were detected in the last five years.
‘The Punisher’ to crack down on EDM events
The Philippines’ president-elect, Rodrigo Duterte, has backed calls for stronger regulation of the country’s live music sector as an investigation continues into the deaths of five people at dance music festival Forever Summer on Saturday.
In an interview in Makati today, Duterte (pictured) commented that illegal drugs are passed around “like any other commodity” at large Philippine music events, and said that, “after I assume the presidency, I would [not] be keen on activities such as these [dance music concerts]. They would not be banned, but regulated for sure.”
Duterte, who won a landslide election on 9 May on a ‘war of crime’ platform, has previously vowed to bring back the death penalty for murderers, rapists and drug dealers. “I will hit hard on drugs and I promise [criminals] hell,” the outgoing mayor of Davao City, nicknamed ‘the Punisher’, said in his first press conference. “If you resist, show violent resistance, my order to police will be to shoot to kill. Shoot to kill for organised crime. You heard that? Shoot to kill for every organised crime.”
While police and coroners have yet to disclose details about what caused the deaths, some festivalgoers have on social media said the victims took ‘green amore’ – a mix of MDMA and shabu, or methamphetamine (‘crystal meth’).