x

The latest industry news to your inbox.


I'd like to hear about marketing opportunities

    

I accept IQ Magazine's Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

IFF 2024 announces first agency showcases

The International Festival Forum (IFF) has revealed the first round of agency partner showcases for its 10th edition, presented in association with TicketSwap.

The invitation-only event, organised by the International Live Music Conference (ILMC), will return to Omeara in London Bridge between 24-26 September, with 1,000 delegates expected to attend.

Today, IFF has revealed the first four agency showcases with Solo Agency, ITB, Primary Talent International and X-ray Touring.

Solo Agency will kick off IFF’s 2024 live programme on Wednesday afternoon (25 September) with two upcoming artists from its roster, The Clause and Mitch Saunders.

Following that, ITB will spotlight three burgeoning acts on its books, Naima Bock, Sister, Wings of Desire.

Primary Talent International will kick off Thursday’s (26 September) showcases with Matt-Felix, Sunday (1994), Tia Gordon and Tommy WÁ and X-ray Touring-repped acts Låpsley and Pauli The PSM will continue the festivities.

Agency showcases from ATC Live, Pure Represents and One Fiinix Live will be announced in the coming weeks.

IFF has revealed the first four agency showcases with Solo Agency, ITB, Primary Talent International and X-ray Touring

As previously confirmed, Dutch Music Export and The Spanish Wave will present emerging acts from the Netherlands and Spain, respectively, for this year’s International Showcase.

In addition, the final night of IFF sees a Rising Metal night presented by Doomstar Bookings, Catch 22, Napalm Events and The Link Productions.

The conference programme is doubling in number this year, with two new sessions already announced. On Wednesday 25 September, the programme will kick off with The Festival Season 2024, chaired by European Festival Report editor James Drury, with Jana Posth, head of festival operations at Berlin-based DreamHaus, chairing The Responsibility Session: Festival power later that morning.

Elsewhere, the team behind Primavera Sound will star in IFF’s keynote interview on Thursday 26 September. The Barcelona-hailing festival’s co-director Alfonso Lanza, head of press and institutional relations Marta Pallarès and head of booking Fra Soler will sit down to discuss the history, identity and development of one of the leading lights of the European scene.

Booking agency partners on this year’s IFF are CAA, WME, Solo Agency, Primary Talent, ATC Live, Wasserman Music, ITB, One Fiinix Live, and Pure, with many agencies showcasing new artists at the event. Previous editions of IFF have included early performances from Lewis Capaldi, Tom Grennan, Yonaka, Bob Vylan, Sam Ryder, Slaves, Raye, Black Midi, Loyle Carner, Dermott Kennedy, Shame and others.

Partners for this year’s event include CTS Eventim, See Tickets, Tysers Live, FKP Scorpio, All Things Live, iTicket Global, TVG Hospitality, LMP Group and production partners John Henrys.

Since launching in 2015, IFF (International Festival Forum) has brought the industry’s principal buyers and sellers together each autumn, when conversations about the following year’s festival lineups are well underway. More than 850 delegates have signed up for this year’s gathering so far.

 

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.

The New Bosses 2024: Dotun Bolaji, Primary Talent

The 17th edition of IQ Magazine’s New Bosses, in association with Futures Forum, was revealed in IQ 129, recognising 20 of the most promising 30-and-unders in the international live music business. 

To get to know this year’s class a little better, IQ conducted interviews with each one of 2024’s New Bosses, discovering their greatest inspirations and pinpointing the reasons for their success.

Dotun Bolaji’s journey began during his university years whilst studying pharmacy, when he ventured into promoting club nights with artists such as Giggs, DJ EZ, Section Boyz, and AJ Tracey. He returned to his hometown and cultivated a vibrant network of creatives while promoting the live music showcase SuperLative. He worked at Runway agency before joining Primary Talent, where he has signed acts such as Ruff Sqwad, Blanco, Jgrrey, KOJ, Tia Gordon, and LZee.

 

You’re a big champion of Black British music and talent. How would you persuade others to pursue a career in the live music industry?
I would say education is key, both traditional and nontraditional. From diplomas, internships, attending industry seminars/conferences and personal research. There are various routes to building your knowledge of the various roles and connecting with people who are already working in the industry. With this, individuals can figure out what role might suit them best. In my opinion, music lovers who want to get into the industry tend to pursue the more traditional roles like management and A&Ring, without full knowledge of the various roles across less traditional segments (such as the live industry) or aren’t aware of different paths into these roles. To an extent, people can’t become what they can’t see. But from production to promotion, tour management to venue programming – there are a huge number of roles that suit people’s skill sets and interests.

Knowing I wanted to become a live agent (but not knowing quite know how), I spent time studying music business entrepreneurship at Notting Hill Art Academy. This gave me the opportunity to connect established agents – whose advice was more or less, “Just do it”, learn as you go and sooner or later, someone will notice your work and support your growth.

You studied pharmacy at university. Is there anything you’ve retained from your university studies that helps you in your day-to-day job now?
Certainly, for starters, I would say it’s helpful to actually like people! They’re both very people-oriented roles, so it goes a long way to enjoy connecting with people on a genuine level. I would also say, my ability to identify a problem, whether that be a patient’s ailment or a hole in an artist’s live strategy, and then provide an actionable solution translates across both roles. Practicing as a pharmacist can be a high-pressure, fast-moving role, with the need for attention to detail and well thought–through decision making. I’d say this ability to execute in such environments has followed me into my role as an agent.

“I definitely understand the struggles that come with being an independent promoter”

Your SuperLative showcase in Watford developed an impressive reputation. How did you go about finding the talent for those shows, as well as attracting an audience to see those unproven acts?
That was a lot of fun to work on! Founded by Radhika Wilson (now Lateral mgmt) and a group of music-loving friends, we were booking artists we loved and presenting them to our local circles. Superlative built trusted taste amongst our wider circles, which spread further mainly via word of mouth. Many much-loved genres/sounds were built within communities of people sharing what they loved – I think it was a similar thing here. It just grew organically. We were also filling a void of independent live music promoters, that wasn’t really around in Watford at the time. I now have the pleasure of working with Radhika on Jay Prince (who she manages and I represent), one of our favourite artists coming through at the time! I’m super excited for what he’s got coming, watch this space!

Having organised and promoted your own events, do you think this has made you a better agent partner for the promoters you now work with?
I definitely understand the struggles that come with being an independent promoter, struggles that are only exacerbated in the current economic climate. I also understand the key role these promoters play in maintaining talent pipelines and cultivating culture. I would like to think this has made me conscientious of negotiating fair deals for both my clients and promoters. It’s an ecosystem after all, it has to make sense for all parties.

Who on your roster should we all be looking out for in the year ahead?
Genuinely super excited across the board! With artists at different points in their careers, I expect you’ll be seeing a lot more of the likes of Blanco, Monster Florence, Jay Prince, Ruff Sqwad, Planet Giza, Jgrrey & Jords conquering larger and larger stages over the coming year. Newer artists such as Tia Gordon, LZee, KOJ, Izzy Withers, Motive 105, Xadi & Keys the Prince are creating a real tangible buzz across the industry; I’m excited to see them build on their debut headlines over the next year…the list goes on!

“One of my earliest memories of a live show was my parents taking me to a gospel concert at Royal Albert Hall and even at age 5”

As an agent, are there any particular events, forums or platforms that you visit to try to discover the next big act?
I’m one that always tries to catch the support act at shows – the number of times I’ve been blown away by an unassuming support act, I’d be silly not to! I also like spaces such as The Ultimate Seminar Live who do a fantastic job at cherry-picking exceptional talent and giving them the space to perform in front of both supporters and the wider industry. Of course, the likes of Dot to Dot and The Great Escape are good places to catch stage-ready acts.

What has been the highlight of your career, so far?
I’d struggle to boil down my highlights down into one moment! But sell-out shows from the likes of Jords, Planet Giza and Monster Florence have certainly been highlights. Considering his extreme talent and how deserved the slots were, seeing Blanco playing his sets at Glastonbury sticks out in my mind. Also, being voted Best Agent at the YMB Music Awards this year was an appreciated moment, especially when nominated amongst a lineup of talented agents.

Where is your favourite venue?
The Royal Albert Hall. One of my earliest memories of a live show was my parents taking me to a gospel concert at Royal Albert Hall and even at age 5, I remember being taken aback and the sound of artists like Nicole C. Mullen in the venue. I still have that feeling when I’m in the venue now, especially with the team at the venue pushing for innovative curation within the historic space. I often shed a tear that I missed Kano’s headline show there! I’m also a big fan of The Roundhouse… so maybe I’ve just got a weird thing for circles!

What events, tours or festivals are you most looking forward to in the year ahead?
If I were to choose one from each category; in terms of tours, after selling out their debut UK tour last year, I can’t wait for Monster Florence’s second UK tour this autumn, as well as seeing them expand out with their debut EU tour. Festival wise, I’m really looking forward to seeing Blanco play All Points East this summer. Blanco performing in front of his London crowd, amongst a 10/10 line-up of artists, is sure to be an unforgettable set! Lastly events; going up with Kiss Fm’s Ellie Prohan’s new quarterly club night platforming the next generation UK Rap is going to be great for the culture!

“[I want to see] increased government and private investment in culture, namely into independent promoters and events”

Do you have a mentor, or anyone you rely on to bounce ideas off?
Yes certainly. Having direct access to the experience of Steve Backman and Matt Hanner during my time in Runway was invaluable, especially with their drive and commitment to cultivate the next generation of industry talent. Now at Primary Talent International, working with the likes of Sally Dunstone and Ed Sellars has been amazing, with their willingness to answer questions and guide me through some of the finer intricacies of the live industry. Nothing grows in a vacuum, so having the right people around me has been hugely beneficial.

As a new boss, what one thing would you change to make the live entertainment industry a better place?
If I had the opportunity to change one thing, it would be to advocate for increased government and private investment in culture, namely into independent promoters and events, which is critical for nurturing emerging artists. If applied strategically, it’ll create more opportunities for artists to perform from the early stages of their careers. This not only helps them gain invaluable experience but also allows them to fine-tune their craft in front of live audiences. With more platforms, artists can develop their skills, experiment with their performances, and organically build dedicated fan base over time. I believe this would help ensure diverse and vibrant cultural scenes, and support the overall economic and social wellbeing of communities. This holistic approach would not only maintain the UK’s gigging culture but provide us with the globally exported headliners of tomorrow.

What would you like to see yourself doing in five years time?
At Primary Talent continuing to support the next generation of talent, whilst looking after a roster of global headliners. And hopefully sharing what I’ve learnt with the next generation of live industry talent.

 

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.

Primary Talent’s Peter Elliott to retire

Legendary live agent Peter Elliott has announced his retirement and will depart Primary Talent at the end of the month after 28 years at the agency.

Elliott joined Primary in 1995 from the Manchester-based Blast Hard agency. In the following 28 years, he has worked with some of the most successful music artists in the world.

During his illustrious career, his roster has included Daft Punk, Basement Jaxx, The Streets, Plan B, Royksopp, Dizzee Rascal, Lana Del Rey, Phoenix, Loyle Carner, Morcheeba, Lemon Jelly and Zero 7.

In 2007 he became the managing director of Primary Talent, running the company for 14 years before stepping down from that role in March 2021.

“All in all, it’s been a damn fine journey”

“I have had great fun working alongside good and dynamic people,” says Peter Elliott. “We grew Primary with a ‘family’ ethos, driven by a desire to work with the most creative people and talent, and in my role as an agent I have been privileged to work with and help develop many wonderful musicians, creatives and great genre-defining artists. All in all, it’s been a damn fine journey.”

Primary Talent International CEO Matt Bates says: “I have spent the majority of my career working alongside Peter here at Primary. His drive and passion are deeply ingrained into everything we do and what the company stands for. He has helped mentor a new generation of great agents here and leaves a great legacy and amazing foundations to continue building from.”

Earlier this year, Primary returned to being an independent music talent agency following a management buyout. The UK-based booking agency was sold to ICM Partners in 2020, which was subsequently acquired by CAA.

Primary’s roster includes almost 460 clients including The 1975, The Cure, Lana Del Rey, Noel Gallagher, Jack Harlow, alt-J, Dropkick Murphys, and Patti Smith.

 

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.

Primary Talent welcomes agent Dotun Bolaji

Primary Talent International has hired agent Dotun Bolaji, who will be based out of the company’s London offices.

Bolaji joins the agency from Runway Artists and brings a roster that includes Agajon (DJ), B-ahwe, Jay Prince, Jords, Karl Benjamin, and Planet Giza.

He has been part of the Watford-based live music showcase Superlative and has a background in club promoting, staging nights with the likes of Giggs, DJ EZ, Section Boyz and AJ Tracey.

The young agent was on ILMC’s Futures Forum 2022 committee, which champions the next generation of live music industry leaders.

“I’m pleased and excited to have Dotun join our team here at Primary as we continue to expand our roster of agents and clients,” says Matt Bates, managing Partner and CEO of Primary Talent International.

“As fans embrace diverse sounds, I’m dedicated to amplifying [music of Black origin]”

“He has extensive knowledge of what’s going on in the UK market and shares our enthusiasm for the future of the live experience.”

Bolaji adds: “I’m thrilled to join the team at Primary Talent, with note to their stellar reputation. In this digital age, music of Black origin and Black artists who make music beyond conventional expectations are reaching unprecedented heights.

“As fans embrace diverse sounds, I’m dedicated to amplifying these voices, bringing new and creative experiences to broader audiences. The future of live music is bright.”

Primary Talent International is a leading independent international live music booking agency, boasting a roaster of nearly 460 clients.

Clients include The 1975, The Cure, Noel Gallagher, Jack Harlow, alt-J, Dropkick Murphys, Patti Smith, Imanbek, Mitski, Rina Sawayama, The Streets, Two Door Cinema Club, Wolf Alice, and Ziggy Marley.

 

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.

The 1975 reveal most extensive N.America tour to date

The 1975 will play more than 30 arenas across the United States and Canada this autumn as part of the band’s most extensive North American tour to date.

The ‘Still … At their Very Best’ outing will kick off on 26 September at Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center (cap. 17,608) after a handful of festival appearances including Lollapalooza, Outside Lands, Music Midtown and Life Is Beautiful.

Stops on the tour include Madison Square Garden, The Hollywood Bowl and Scotiabank Arena

Stops on the Messina Touring-promoted jaunt include Madison Square Garden (20,000) in New York, The Hollywood Bowl (17,500) in California and Scotiabank Arena (19,800) in Toronto.

Highlights of The 1975’s winter arena tour of the UK and Ireland include a $839,264 gross at Manchester’s AO Arena on 20 January, which sold 14,709 tickets, according to Pollstar.

The 1975 are represented by Primary Talent CEO Matt Bates, worldwide.

The ‘Still … At Their Very Best’ North America 2023 tour dates are:

SEPTEMBER
26 – Sacramento, CA, Golden 1 Center
28 – San Jose, CA, SAP Center
30 – San Diego, CA, Pechanga Arena San Diego

OCTOBER
2 – Los Angeles, CA, Hollywood Bowl
5 – Glendale, AZ, Desert Diamond Arena
7- Greenwood Village, CO, Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
12 – New Orleans, LA, Smoothie King Center
17 – Miami, FL, Kaseya Center
18 – Tampa, FL, Amalie Arena
20 – Charlotte, NC, Spectrum Center
22 – Nashville, TN, Bridgestone Arena
23- St. Louis, MO, Enterprise Arena
25 – Kansas City, MO, T-Mobile Center
26 – Minneapolis, MN, Target Center
28- Milwaukee, WI, Fiserv Forum
31 – Detroit, MI, Little Caesars Arena

NOVEMBER
2 – Indianapolis, IN, Gainbridge Fieldhouse
3 – Columbus, OH, Nationwide Arena
5 – Pittsburgh, PA, PPG Paints Arena
8 – Baltimore, MD, CFG Bank Arena
10 – Philadelphia, PA, Well Fargo Arena
12 – Boston, MA, TD Garden
14 – New York, NY, Madison Square Garden
17 – Montreal, QC, Bell Centre
18 – Toronto, ON, Scotiabank Arena
20 – London, ON, Budweiser Gardens
22 – Grand Rapids, MI, Van Andel Arena
26 – Salt Lake City, UT, Delta Center
27 – Boise, ID, ExtraMile Arena
29 – Vancouver, BC, Rogers Arena

DECEMBER
1 – Portland, OR, Moda Center
2 – Seattle, WA, Climate Pledge Arena

 

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.

Just Like Heaven: Inside The Cure’s European tour

Having entertained millions of people on their 2019 festivals tour, a headline outing the following year was very much on the cards for The Cure, before the pandemic halted every act with such ambitions. But determined to reconnect with fans following the enforced lay-off, the band are currently in the midst of their biggest-ever European tour.

With most dates already sold out weeks in advance, bar some last-minute production holds and restricted-view tickets, the tour is an unmitigated success. But the planning involved to get the band back out on the road has been gruelling, with agent Martin Hopewell confessing it has been the hardest tour he has worked on in his 50-year career.

“Robert Smith and I started talking about this tour not long after the 2019 festival run. Originally, we were looking at stuff for 2020, so effectively, this tour has been two years in the planning,” says Hopewell.

“When the pandemic hit in 2020, things that were due to happen that summer got moved to the autumn. In the autumn, those postponed shows and the scheduled autumn shows got moved into the spring of 2021. And then, when it became clear that that wasn’t going to happen, stuff from the spring of 2021 got moved to the autumn of 2021 on top of the stuff that was already planned for the ultimate 2021. It was like blowing leaves: you just end up with a bloody great pile of them somewhere! And in this case, it was five touring periods that got moved and ended up on top of each other in autumn 2022.”

“Trying to get availabilities was just a screaming nightmare…this is probably the most difficult tour I’ve ever booked”

However, as it became clear that Smith and the band were adamant about pressing ahead with a tour, Hopewell and his Primary Talent International colleague, Charlie Renton, rolled up their sleeves for what proved to be a mammoth exercise.

“Trying to get availabilities was just a screaming nightmare,” says Hopewell. “This is probably the most difficult tour I’ve ever booked. Putting something together during the pandemic was unbelievably challenging, and it took a big piece out of everybody involved in trying to put it together.”

He continues, “The biggest problem that we had was deciding when might be a safe time to do it. That, and the fact that every act in the world seemed to be planning tours in 2022 and had pencilled in holds at venues to the point where you might be 6th or 8th in line for any one particular date!”

Primary
Unperturbed, Hopewell and Renton hatched a plan. “Charlie and I collected the availabilities and made these monstrous spreadsheets, so that in the end we had six tours on hold: two for the autumn of this year – one starting in September, one starting in October; my favourite one was starting in the spring of next year – we had three different schedules lined up for next year; and we also put together an outdoor proposal for a summer 2022 tour with a whole load of beautiful parks and lakes and stadiums and castles in case there were still indoor restrictions.”

Charlie Renton tells IQ, “Not knowing what the Covid restrictions would be in certain countries was difficult, hence the reason we planned six different options, which is the most I’ve ever done – plus this is the biggest tour I’ve ever been involved in, so it was a huge challenge.”

“We’re playing 46 shows, which is the longest European tour that The Cure have ever done”

That drawn-out process allowed the agents and Robert Smith – who is the band’s de facto manager – to have a conversation about a number of different touring possibilities. “And, of course, he chose the trickiest one,” laughs Hopewell.

The routing sees the band travel roughly 12,000 miles across 19 European countries before finishing with the UK’s four home nations – Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England. That schedule should see them entertaining more than 500,000 fans, thanks to a hardworking clique of European promoters who Hopewell affectionately refers to as ‘The Cure team.’

“We’re playing 46 shows, which is the longest European tour that The Cure have ever done,” states Hopewell. “Even then we weren’t able to include everything in the routing, but it was good to be able to put shows into some places the band haven’t played for a while – along with some new ones. We’d never been to the Baltic States before, so it was great to kick off the tour in Latvia. Our promoters did a great job at a very difficult time.”

Into the Dark
Production manager Phil Broad first worked with The Cure in the 1980s when he was a rigger, but he’s been the chief for the three most recent tours – the 2016 arena tour, the 2019 outdoor outing, and the current extravaganza.

Observing that many road warriors were a bit rusty when live music resumed, he says the early experience of tours being short-staffed seems to be resolving itself. “We’re not experiencing local crew shortages, really, but there are a lot of new people, so the crew situation definitely is not back to where it was,” he reports. “The Cure have a fairly sensible core crew of 32 people, so even where we’re turning up and there are inexperienced people on the local crew who are just there to make up the numbers, we can handle it pretty well.”

“The Cure don’t do production rehearsals, so there’s no room for error”

One complication is the band’s approach to touring, although given the history that most individuals on the crew have with the act, Broad takes it in his stride. “The Cure don’t do production rehearsals, so there’s no room for error,” he tells IQ. “Starting off a tour with them can be a bit nail-biting, as you need to have enough trucks, and there’s no point having one truck too many because it’s still going to cost you if you have to send it back. Basically, we arrived at the Arena Riga, loaded in, the band rehearsed that night, and then the next day we had the first show.”

…Happily Ever After
It’s not just the fans who had been clamouring for the band to restart their live activities. Promoters throughout Europe are reporting impressive ticket sales across the 22 territories the band are visiting.

“To be honest, I’d forgotten how extremely good The Cure are and how much I like them until they played the show in Stockholm,” says Thomas Johansson, Live Nation Nordics chairman. “They have some of the best pop songs ever written, and I noticed that they are attracting a younger element to their audience than ever before.

“The band are a true rock & roll outfit, and they do extremely well in our part of the world – they sold out in Norway and Copenhagen, and they were very close to selling out both the Avicii Arena and the Gothenburg shows in Sweden.”

In France, Alias Production founder Jules Frutos has eight sold-out dates. “I’ve been working with the band since before they even released their debut album Three Imaginary Boys [in 1979], so I’ve seen them play very small clubs in the likes of Orleans and Tours, right the way up to the venues they are doing now,” he says.

“To be honest, I’d forgotten how extremely good The Cure are…they have some of the best pop songs ever written”

Paying tribute to The Cure’s approach to the French market, Frutos notes that they have previously played all the venues they are visiting in 2022 – in Lyon, Montpellier, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Nantes, Strasbourg, Liévin, and Paris – but not all on the same tour. He adds, “They understood early on that the provinces are sometimes easier to play than Paris, where there are a limited number of venues, so the way they built their career in France has been very classical and special.”

Frutos also testifies to the band’s multigenerational appeal. “When they headlined Rock en Seine in 2019, that day of the festival sold out quicker than the others. The festival attracts a young audience, and when I went to see The Cure, it was very special – the people at the front, closest to the stage, were two or three generations of fans.”

Across the border in Spain, Live Nation’s Gay Mercader is also a long-time partner. “I’ve worked with the band for close to 40 years, and it has been a privilege – Martin Hopewell and the band have been incredibly loyal to all of their promoters over the years. It’s a big responsibility because when someone relies on you, you can never fuck up.”

Highlighting the band’s enduring – and growing – appeal, Mercader says, “I found out during the pandemic that many people in my life are massive fans of The Cure: my lawyer, some of the people who work on my estate. And they are not all ‘goth’ people. Cure fans are everywhere.

“I always sell out with The Cure. They last visited Spain in 2019 when they played Mad Cool Festival in Madrid, where their performance was televised on national TV, and they attracted the biggest audience of the whole festival.”

“The set is always crazily long – up to three hours – so they play literally every hit that’s out there: it’s an amazing show”

In Germany, Karsten Jahnke Konzertdirektion has been working with The Cure since 1980. But it’s Ben Mitha, who has taken over as managing director of his grandfather’s business, who promotes the band. “I actually got involved on their 2016 tour,” says Mitha. “I did all the settlements regarding those shows, and I’m really looking forward to getting back out on the road with them for our seven shows in Germany.

“It’s gonna be fun. The set is always crazily long – up to three hours – so they play literally every hit that’s out there: it’s an amazing show.”

In Italy, Barley Arts founder Claudio Trotta has four dates lined up – Bologna, Florence, Padova, and Milan. He’s been the band’s promoter since the 1980s and is in awe of their work ethic. “Many years ago, I had a sold-out show at the Forum in Milano, and all the audience were already in the venue, but [bass player] Simon Gallup was feeling so sick that he couldn’t even stand up,” recalls Trotta.

“We were at the point when Barry Hunter was ready to play instead of him on bass, but Simon said clearly, ‘I will play even if I’m gonna die on stage.’ So he did the show seated because he was in such pain. And after the show, he was three or four months in hospital because of an infection. From that day [on he’s been] my hero. I mean, we’re talking about a great human being with a lot of passion and who has a lot of respect for the audience.”

And remembering another instance, where the band played an outdoor show near Venice, during a rain storm, Trotta adds, “Robert and the band didn’t give a damn – they were soaked, but they played the show to the end. In my heart and in my mind, The Cure are in a different league.”

“In my heart and in my mind, The Cure are in a different league”

While Trotta also reports healthy ticket sales, it’s not all plain sailing for every promoter. In Austria, Alex Nussbaumer, of al-x concert promoter GmbH, believes the cost-of-living crisis is preventing many fans from buying tickets. But still, The Cure’s date at the Marx Halle in Vienna pulled in a packed crowd of over 8,000 fans.

“I’m super impressed with how solid they are in the live discipline – it’s a two-and-a-half-hour show, so the fans definitely get value for money,” says Nussbaumer. ‘That’s maybe why when I walked through the audience, I saw lots of families with children aged eight, nine, ten. It was a great atmosphere for a legendary band.”

He adds, “The Cure are fantastic. They have remained very loyal to me on the touring side, for which I am very grateful because they bring with them a very smooth production, thanks to the same kind of set-up and the same people remaining in the tour party.”

Thankfully, the feedback from the road is overwhelmingly positive. “The fans are loving it and are having a great time, and so are Robert and the band, so we are very happy,” comments agent, Renton.

She notes that with Covid cases on the rise again as the seasons change, the touring party are taking their own precautions against the virus. “The band and the core crew are in a bubble, and there are no aftershows on this tour, to try to mitigate against the virus. It’s worked well so far, so the plan is just to be sensible to hopefully avoid any issues.”

“Robert is the only artist I know in the world who discusses ticket prices, sightlines, scalings with every promoter”

The Perfect Boy
Revealing the depth of Robert Smith’s involvement in the band’s career, Mitha tells IQ, “Robert is the only artist I know in the world who discusses ticket prices, sightlines, scalings with every promoter – it was the same with the 2016 tour. So, when you send over scaling plans with those colour seating maps and everything, he literally goes into every detail and changes the colours. It must be crazy time-consuming for him, but he’s very involved.”

Spanish promoter Mercader comments, “They care deeply about the ticket prices – the only other act I can think of who care to the same extent is AC/DC. Robert wants sensible prices to make it as affordable as possible for all fans.”

It’s something that Hopewell knows well. “Promoters will put forward a ticket price they think is achievable and a lot of the time Robert will come back and say thank you very much, but I think the prices should be lower,” he says. “He’s also very keen to see ticket scales that are neatly structured rather than appearing to be haphazard from the fans’ point of view.”

Production manager Broad notes the positives, “Robert is like management. He wants to know the sales numbers, how everything looks, where everything is – he is very hands on. It actually has its advantages: if anyone asks ‘Why do you do X?’ we can answer, ‘Because Robert wants to!’ And that’s the end of the conversation.”

Another anomaly is that Smith is also very particular when it comes to the direction of travel. “Robert is a perfectionist when it comes to routing,” discloses Hopewell. “If you join up the dots on a map and there are any loops in there, he hates it. That makes it fun finding routings that will work, but it makes sense. After all it’s not us office-types who actually have to go out and do it.”

“Robert is a perfectionist when it comes to routing”

Out of This World
Transport suppliers Transam are certainly impressed with the ‘no loops’ policy. “The routing and schedule is very good considering the length of the tour – the agents did a really good job,” says Transam Trucking director Natasha Highcroft.

With ten trucks involved on the tour (nine for production and one for merchandise), Highcroft reports that Transam has had longer to plan for the tour than normal, such has been the extended Covid situation.

“The first quote we did was in April 2021, and we booked it last November, so we were well-prepared,” she says. “In fact, we’ve only had to use relief drivers in one spot on the entire tour, and that was so our drivers could take a mandatory 24-hour break. Otherwise, we’ve been organising our own shunt drivers, where necessary, because we’re trying to avoid the need for hiring local drivers, as productions are telling us that is proving problematic at the moment.”

Bryan Grant, at audio specialists Britannia Row, tells IQ that he has been working with The Cure since 1979, and they are one of his favourite clients. “They did some long stints in the 80s and 90s, but 46 arena shows in Europe is a significant tour by anyone’s standards,” he observes of the current tour.

Grant continues, “The tour is all going smoothly, but that doesn’t surprise me because they have a longstanding and loyal crew of key people who they can rely on. The crew are treated very well, and a plus point is the band and their music, which helps make it an enjoyable experience for all.”

“I’ve been working with [The Cure] for the last 44 years, and it’s genuinely been one of the great privileges of my life”

And he agrees with the ‘perfectionist’ description given to Smith. “Robert looks at every detail and communicates very well with the people who work with the band,” says Grant. “He constantly listens to the previous night’s performance to hone things. He’s the consummate professional and a meticulous planner. He would make a top-notch production manager.”

On stage, The Cure rely on PRG for lighting and video screens. While elsewhere on the road, Phoenix Bussing are providing the means for personnel travel, with Eat Your Heart Out keeping everyone fed and watered and Freight Minds ensuring the band’s equipment gets safely from A to B to Z.

Never Enough
At IQ’s press time, The Cure are roughly halfway through their 46-date run, but such is the following that they are continuing to build that enquiries are already circulating about future live plans.
Despite the financial restraints, Nussbaumer sums up promoters’ hopes by voicing his desire for the band to be back in Austria before too long. “All the talk is that they will be doing something next year, as we’re expecting there might be a new album,” he says.

“They played four new songs during the gig here in Vienna, so we’ll have to wait to see what their plans are.” Noting that he’s looking forward to seeing the tour finale at Wembley, Bryan Grant states, “The Cure have quietly become one of the best performing bands on the planet. They don’t make a lot of media noise, but the production is very creative and quirky but not over-elaborate –
they don’t have to rely on style over substance.”

He adds, “[lighting director] Angus McPhail has been there from the beginning and always has an interesting look for the production. At the same time, the audio has to be excellent, but it’s not there to mask anything – it’s simply to amplify whatever the band do on stage.”

Hopewell admits that the fact the band is on the road at all in 2022 is something of a miracle. “We have half a million fans going to see The Cure – about 11,000 people on average per night – which considering it’s just after a pandemic, people have less money than before, and have less confidence that shows are actually going to happen… it’s really humbling,” he says.

“I’m finding it hard to believe that we did it, because when you’re setting it up, there’s just a handful of us involved – in this case all working from home on laptops and cell phones during the lockdowns. And then bizarrely, this monster tour comes out of it and actually happens. After the last couple of years, I think I can be forgiven for feeling it’s all a little surreal at the moment.”

He concludes, “Personally, I’m always very aware of the debt that I owe to Robert Smith, especially for his loyalty over all these years. I stumbled across The Cure when we were all painfully young and started trying to help out with some club gigs in London. And now I’ve been working with them for the last 44 years, and it’s genuinely been one of the great privileges of my life.”

 

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.

ILMC 34: Top agents discuss post-pandemic landscape

Session chair Tom Schroeder (Wasserman) recounted his first ILMC experiences when he was accosted by private jet brokers who were not exactly relevant for his jungle acts. As a result, he said he wanted to make this year’s agency session a little more accessible for all.

Jon Ollier (One Fiinix Live) spoke of his recent experience with the start of the Ed Sheeran tour and the excitement around it, noting that outdoor shows appear to be more exciting than those indoors.

Looking for the positives in the current state of live music, Schroeder reported that young acts who have come through the pandemic appear to want to have a lot more ownership of their careers, with Lucy Dickins (WME) agreeing that there is a culture shift happening among the younger generation.

Ollier opined that it’s not just a generational thing, but also financial, as lots of people are buying tickets late, meaning that promoters have to take a leap of faith in investing in their events in the hope that people do turn up at the last minute.

The agents said [ticket] prices are not likely to come down as the artist’s costs have also increased

Sally Dunstone (Primary Talent) told ILMC that avails appear to have reached a saturation point, making it tricky to get to that next step with new artists. But she said this forced agents to be more creative and look to work with different venues, for example.

“We have to advise the artist on how they get to that next step in the career and if that means telling them to wait, rather than go out now and do a tour that could harm their long term prospects,” said Dunstone.

She said that her decision to switch agencies was down to the pandemic, thinking in a more entrepreneurial manner and searching for new opportunities – a sentiment echoed by Ollier who launched his own agency, saying that it was the CAA ethos of exploring new avenues and trying to always find a brighter path, that had prompted him to decide to establish his own venture.

Looking at the year ahead, Ari Bernstein (ICM Partners) observed the effect that festivals might have on other touring, highlighting radius causes and the like as issues that need to be discussed. He said Covid had made him look around for all the other revenue sources that his clients as artists could benefit from, which was something that would strengthen the sector going forward.

Schroeder said the new breed of young manager wants their agents to be a bigger part of the artist’s journey

Bernstein agreed with Schroeder that the price of living is going to squeeze the fans and there will be an impact that we are yet to experience. He also cited the war in Ukraine, rising costs and higher ticket prices, but accepted that it is now part of an agent’s role to negotiate those challenges.

On the thorny question of ticket prices, the agents said those prices are not likely to come down as the artist’s costs have also increased. But they said acts are already looking to tour with smaller productions in a bid to save money, as well as considering sustainability matters.

Schroeder said the new breed of young manager wants their agents to be a bigger part of the artist’s journey, rather than just a cog in the wheel.

Dickins also applauded the entrepreneurial spirit among young acts and younger agents. “The artists that tell me what they want to do, not the other way around,” she revealed. “There are things they are telling me that I think ‘shit, I’ve got to read up on that,’” she added.

Turning to the future, Dunstone predicted that in three to five years’ time the business would be fully recovered and progressed from where it was pre-pandemic. “People are looking at content differently now,” she said citing acts that have done well through the likes of TikTok. “I think we’ll see a fresh batch of new headliners in five years’ time, that have come through the pandemic,” said Dunstone.

“The artists that tell me what they want to do, not the other way around”

Ollier joked that Dickins would be working at his agency in three years, but on a serious note, he said there would be a period of natural selection with artists, events and probably even agents.

“Change is good,” said Dickins. “It’s been boring to see the same headliners at festivals for 15 years. I’m excited about the change and I’m embracing it – it’s already happening.”

Schroeder noted that while festival programming had improved, diversity in the actual industry itself was poor, with Dickins agreeing that the business needs to be a lot better.

Schroeder concluded that this summer will be bumpy but that agents need to navigate it. Ollier said, “The art is going to get better and better, no matter what us industry idiots have got to do.” That struck a chord with his fellow agents, with Bernstein believing that there will be more doors opening for revenue streams than ever before, as people embrace entrepreneurial ideas and think outside the box.

 

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.

The New Bosses: Remembering the class of 2021

The 14th edition of IQ Magazine‘s New Bosses celebrated the brightest talent aged 30 and under in the international live music business.

The New Bosses 2021 honoured no fewer than a dozen young executives, as voted by their colleagues around the world.

The 14th edition of the annual list inspired the most engaged voting process to date, with hundreds of people taking the time to submit nominations.

The year’s distinguished dozen comprises promoters, bookers, agents, entrepreneurs and more, all involved in the international business and each of whom is making a real difference in their respective sector.

In alphabetical order, the New Bosses 2021 are:

Subscribers can read full interviews with each of the 2021 New Bosses in issue 103 of IQ Magazine.

Click here to subscribe to IQ for just £5.99 a month – or check out what you’re missing out on with the limited preview below:

 

 

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.

CAA to acquire ICM Partners in historic deal

Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and ICM Partners are joining forces in a landmark agency merger that will “drive broader and more inclusive representation” for their clients.

The deal, if approved, will bring together two of the leading global agencies in entertainment and sports. The agency landscape would then consist of what US outlets are calling ‘the big three’ – CAA, WME, UTA – alongside Wasserman, which is also a major player in the US. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The agreement, announced today (27 September), is said to be the largest talent agency transaction since WME acquired IMG in 2014 and since Endeavor joined forces with William Morris Agency in 2009, which forged the contemporary WME.

“Today’s storytellers, athletes, thought-leaders, and trend-setters who can move, inspire, and attract large, global audiences have an unprecedented opportunity and ability to achieve their goals and aspirations,” says CAA’s Bryan Lourd, Kevin Huvane, and Richard Lovett.

“The strategic combination bolsters our collective resources, expertise, and relationships to deliver more opportunities”

“The strategic combination of CAA and ICM bolsters our collective resources, expertise, and relationships to deliver even more opportunities for our world-class clients to build their careers and their brands across multiple disciplines and platforms in an evolving marketplace.

“Our strong financial position enables us to continue to expand and diversify our businesses, with service and representation remaining central to what we do and who we are. We’re fortunate to have a partner in ICM who shares our commitment to the widest and most inclusive vision possible for what our clients and company can accomplish together.”

ICM’s Chris Silbermann, who will join CAA’s shareholder board, added: “We’re thrilled to partner and combine forces with the talented CAA team. Together, we will build upon our accomplishments and entrepreneurial spirit, and continue to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to the best interests of our clients, as well as empowering new, diverse voices within the industry.”

ICM brings to CAA a global roster of artists in film, television, music, comedy, theatre, games, politics, and podcasting.

“[CAA’s] strong financial position enables us to continue to expand and diversify our businesses”

ICM’s music clients include Chaka Khan, Buddy Guy, Chris Rock, Corinne Bailey Rae, D’Angelo, Dan Auerbach, Good Charlotte, J. Cole, Jerry Seinfeld, Jill Scott, Kamasi Washington, Khalid, Lisa Loeb, Los Lonely Boys, Mavis Staples, Migos, Puddles Pity Party, Roger Daltrey, Rosanne Cash, Scott Stapp, Sheila E, The Black Keys, Tower of Power, Trey Songz and more.

Last year, ICM joined forces with Primary Talent International, one of London’s last major independent booking agencies.

Primary Talent is home to more than 900 music clients, including the likes of Stormzy, the 1975, alt-J, Noel Gallagher, Patti Smith, the Cure, Pussycat Dolls, Two Door Cinema Club, Dave, Lana Del Rey and Catfish and the Bottlemen.

CAA is a leading entertainment, media, and sports enterprise, with expertise in motion pictures, television, music, sports, theater, digital media, publishing, endorsements, media finance, consumer investing, fashion, podcasting, speaking, games, and philanthropy.

CAA was the first entertainment talent agency to build a sports business, create an investment bank, launch a venture fund, found technology start-up companies, and establish a business in China (CAA China), among other industry innovations.

“Together, we will build upon our accomplishments and entrepreneurial spirit”

A subsidiary of CAA, Entertainment Benefits Group (EBG) is a leader in corporate entertainment and travel, with more than 40,000 clients and 60 million users.

Founded in 1975, CAA is headquartered in Los Angeles, and has a significant presence in New York, Nashville, London, Beijing, and Shanghai, as well as offices in Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Geneva, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, Memphis, Miami, Munich, Orlando, Stockholm, and Toronto, among other locations globally.

Originally founded in 1975 as International Creative Management, then rebranded as ICM Partners in 2012, ICM has the expertise and influence of a legacy agency, and an entrepreneurial innovative spirit dedicated to serving its clients across the globe with passion and distinction.

ICM has offices in Los Angeles, New York, Washington DC, and London, and strategic partnerships in Europe, Asia, and beyond.

 

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.

The New Bosses 2021: Will Marshall, Primary/ICM

The New Bosses 2021 – the latest edition of IQ’s annual celebration of the brightest young talent in the live business today, as voted for by their peers – was published in IQ 103 this month, revealing the 12 promising promoters, bookers, agents, entrepreneurs that make up this year’s list.

To get to know this year’s cohort a little better, IQ conducted interviews with each one of 2021’s New Bosses, discovering their greatest inspirations and pinpointing the reasons for their success.

Catch up on the previous 2021 New Bosses interview with Talissa Buhl, festival booker at FKP Scorpio in Germany here.

Born and raised in London, Will Marshall started out running monthly showcase events in the city’s East End, combined with spells working for Live Nation’s festival production team, while studying.

Earning a degree in architecture, in 2014 he dropped the books to join Metropolis Music before heading to Primary Talent in 2016 as an agent, working with Matt Bates. Marshall’s roster is as eclectic and wide-ranging as the London music scene he grew up admiring: alt-pop, electronic, rap, rock, folk and indie acts all garner attention.

A degree in architecture isn’t the traditional route into music – are there any parallels at all with being an agent?
Both have set me up for a life of late nights and impending deadlines, but in all seriousness, there is a problem-solving nature that connects the two, usually within a collaborative framework, and almost always with a slightly competitive drive.

You ran regular showcases when you were a student. How did you find the talent and has that experience helped you understand the job of promoters better?
In terms of the latter, definitely. When it comes to decision making and giving clear advice, the understanding and knowledge of those companies, their different departments and how they operate is key.

Regarding sourcing talent, it sounds simple but I would just put on events and book acts whose music I liked. The way in which music is consumed now means that everyone is their own curator; the tastes you are catering for have exploded exponentially. That is exciting, especially as we push for a more inclusive music scene.

“The advent of widespread livestreaming highlighted just how pivotal crowds are in creating the moments that we do this for”

Do you have a mentor or anyone you turn to for advice?
Probably too many to single out but I feel very lucky because my job requires me to connect with people in all different parts of the industry from all around the world, so they keep my view well rounded. My family and friends keep me grounded and remind me what is really important.

What are you most looking forward to as pandemic restrictions are lifted?
Crowds, and the energy, together with the artist, that they can create. Whilst the advent of widespread livestreaming presented artists and their teams and crew with much needed earning opportunities, it also highlighted just how pivotal crowds are in creating the special moments that we all do this for.

The pandemic has been hard on us all – are there any positive aspects that you are taking out of it?
We’ve seen a lot of people struggling in the slow down and the uncertainty. The pause has given us a moment to make decisions more consciously and in disrupting the pace there has been more time for conversations around sustainability, and gender and race equality. I hope these conversations continue and that they can further shape behaviour and action.

 

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.