Global Promoters Report 2023 out now
The Global Promoters Report (GPR) 2023, the latest indispensable guide to the industry’s leading promoters and touring territories, is out now.
The second edition of the report, available to subscribers of IQ, is significantly expanded and features analysis of 55 markets across six continents.
The GPR 2023 includes key summaries of the major players working with international artists, unique interviews and insight into each of the world’s top live music markets and dedicated editorial on key trends and developments across the global live music business.
“If 2022 was the year the show got back on the road, 2023 saw it break into a record-breaking speed,” says GPR editor James Drury.
“Promoters worldwide are reporting more shows than ever, and while some of the challenges of last year are being overcome, it’s not all smooth sailing, as we discover.”
This year’s GPR also features a special report on how the uptick in stadium shows is affecting the rest of the business.
“While stadium shows have been a feature of live touring since the Beatles played Shea Stadium in 1965, it feels like there’s never been so many of these enormous productions on the road as there is this year,” continues Drury.
“Reports of eye-watering grosses and astonishing attendances are great news for the artists and their teams, but what do they mean for the rest of the business (which makes up the vast majority of all shows)?”
This year’s GPR is available in print, digitally, and on this dedicated year-round mini site. To purchase a print copy of the report, get in touch with [email protected].
A preview version of the Global Promoters Report 2023 is below.
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Crosstown Concerts hires promoter Connor Cupples
UK promoter Crosstown Concerts has expanded its team by welcoming Connor Cupples as a new national promoter.
Cupples has 18 years of live music industry experience, starting out as a local promoter and going on to serve stints as manager of Cardiff’s Gwdihw venue, and as operations manager and promoter at Wales’ Orchard Live.
He has worked with artists such as Thunder, You Me At Six, IDLES, Viagra Boys, TV Girl, Feeder and Rufus Wainwright, in addition to helping deliver Paul McCartney’s Glastonbury warm-up show, plus major outdoor gigs with the likes of Diana Ross, Bryan Adams, Tears for Fears, Paul Weller and Gerry Cinnamon.
“Connor has been on my radar for a few years now and we are delighted to have him joining our team,” says Crosstown Concerts director Conal Dodds. “He’s very well regarded across the industry and we look forward to him developing new opportunities for us across the UK.”
“I’ve worked with some amazing acts in my time at Orchard Live and can’t wait to get stuck in at Crosstown to achieve even more”
Crosstown’s forthcoming shows include Ash, Pixies, Vaccines, The Menzingers, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Barenaked Ladies, Max Cooper, Slowdive and Royksopp. The company is also broadening its output by staging 18 sold-out dates with comic Brian Butterfield, a sold-out UK tour with broadcaster James O’Brien and launching a Polar Express Christmas experience on the Swanage heritage railway.
”I’m thrilled to be joining the amazing team at Crosstown Concerts, they have a brilliant and passionate team and I’m very much looking forward to learn from them,” adds Cupples. “I’ve worked with some amazing acts in my time at Orchard Live and can’t wait to get stuck in at Crosstown to achieve even more.”
Formed by Dodds and Paul Hutton in 2016, Crosstown added four young industry professionals to its team earlier this year in Danny Morris, Richard Walsh, Simon Bailey and Hayley Thompson.
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Promoters address Rammstein cancellation calls
Promoters have responded to calls to cancel Rammstein’s European tour, amid the flurry of sexual misconduct accusations made against the group’s frontman Till Lindemann.
The German metal band’s stadium tour has been marred by claims that multiple women were recruited to have sex with Lindemann, 60, at Rammstein shows. The selected women are said to have been given access to a so-called “Row Zero” – a restricted area directly in front of the stage.
Berlin police confirmed earlier this month that they were investigating Lindemann “relating to sexual offences and the distribution of narcotics” – allegations the singer’s legal team have dismissed as “without exception untrue”.
The wave of complaints came after a woman from Northern Ireland went public with her belief that she had been drugged by Lindemann at an afterparty in Vilnius, Lithuania on 22 May. However, the case is not being pursued after a subsequent investigation found “no objective factual evidence” that would prove she had been subjected to physical or mental coercion.
Nevertheless, DW reports that close to 100,000 people have signed a petition demanding the cancellation of Rammstein’s three sold-out concerts at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium on 15-16 and 18 July. Around 150 protesters gathered outside the band’s gig in Bern, Switzerland, in mid June and a further protest has been organised ahead of their July shows at the Stadspark in Groningen, the Netherlands.
“There is no legal basis for a concert cancellation”
Gadget ABC, which promoted the group’s 17-18 June concerts in Bern, responded to an open letter from Swiss citizens’ movement JUSO Switzerland and Campax calling for the events to be called off.
“Such allegations of sexualised violence must be taken seriously,” said JUSO president Nicola Siegrist. “The organisers have to do the only right thing and cancel the concerts.”
In its response, published ahead of the dates and signed by Gadget’s Christof Huber, Eric Kramer, Oliver Rosa, Cyrill Stadler and Stefan Wyss, the company said it “disassociates itself from any form of violence and abuse and takes the current allegations very seriously”. It added that the current public discussion “raises very important questions” that promoters must engage with.
“The allegations levelled against the band are serious,” it continued. “Gadget does not want to participate in prejudice. We have no knowledge of that band or a band member has been proven to have committed a criminal offence. Against this background there is no legal basis for a concert cancellation vis-à-vis our contractual partner. A breach of contract would have consequences that would not be compatible with our sense of responsibility towards our employees, suppliers and partners.”
Regarding the “so-called ‘Row Zero'”, Gadget stressed that no guests beyond “security services, photographers, etc,” would be permitted to enter the zone.
“We have a structural problem in the concert scene that is now finally being talked about”
Groningen City Council also announced that promoter Greenhouse Talent had confirmed there will be no “Row Zero” for fans to stand, nor an afterparty, for the group’s upcoming shows in the Dutch city.
German trade association BDKV recently added its support to the Alliance against Sexism in the wake of the allegations. The Alliance against Sexism coalition is led by family minister Lisa Paus, who has proposed changes for the music business including protective areas for women at concerts and the use of “awareness teams” to regularly check what is happening backstage.
“Without prejudging the specific case, the way I perceive the discussion, we have a structural problem in the concert scene that is now finally being talked about,” Paus told Bild am Sonntag.
The Rammstein Stadium Tour, which is due to wrap up in Belgium later this summer, resumes in Padova, Italy this Saturday (1 July). It will then stop in Groningen, Budapest, Berlin, Paris, Vienna and Chorzow, before concluding with three nights at Brussels’ King Baudouin Stadium from 3-5 August.
In an Instagram post to fans earlier this month, the band asked not to be prejudged.
“The accusations have hit us all very hard and we take them extremely seriously,” read the statement. “To our fans we say: It is important to us that you feel comfortable and safe at our shows – in front of and behind the stage. We condemn any kind of assault and ask you: Do not participate in prejudgments of any kind toward those who have made accusations. They have a right to their point of view. But we, the band, also have a right — not to be prejudged either.”
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Untitled Group celebrates best festival season yet
Australian independent promoter Untitled Group has told IQ how it capitalised on a late surge in ticket sales to deliver its biggest summer season yet.
The Melbourne-headquartered company, which hosted 112 events around the country, sold more than 250,000 tickets during the 2022/23 summer period – a 25% increase on the previous 12 months.
Highlights included the first post-Covid camping edition of its Beyond the Valley festival, Dom Dolla’s New Year’s set and Nelly Furtado’s first Australian show in over 20 years.
“We’ve noticed a trend where people are more cautious with their spending and are only attending events that they deem as a non-negotiable,” Untitled managing partner and co-founder Nicholas Greco tells IQ.
“The challenge is to create a concept that offers a unique experience. In the current climate, trusted event brands have shone through, particularly those who are actively engaged with their audience.
“We’ve also seen that camping festivals which offer an immersive experience have a significant advantage over other festivals. The unique nature of the camping format sets it apart, and being able to see so many artists across multiple days makes it a more cost effective option.”
Greco says there has been a noticeable shift towards fans waiting longer to buy tickets for events.
“The current economic climate is impacting attendance numbers”
“We are seeing a strong uplift of ticket sales in the final four weeks leading up to the event date, even more so in the final week, which hasn’t really been the case for us in the past,” he observes. “So a key focus of ours is developing strategies to sustain the momentum all the way throughout our campaigns.”
He continues: “The current economic climate is impacting attendance numbers. With the cost of living increasing, our audience have a lot less disposable income to spend on entertainment. This also comes with the costs for artists to tour increasing, making it more challenging for music festivals to attract top tier talent. Festivals need to remain agile and adapt to survive.”
Untitled’s touring team has worked on tours for the likes of Glass Animals, The Kooks, Hayden James and Wu-Tang Clan, as well as its established festivals such as Beyond The Valley, Wildlands and Grapevine Gathering.
“Curating our festival lineup is definitely a team effort,” adds Greco. “We attend shows to get a firsthand experience of a wide range of artists, catch up with labels and other touring companies to get the pitches on upcoming acts, and have regular discussions with agents from around the world to keep up to date with who’s on cycle and wants to come to the region.
“This part is a lot less glamorous but the team analyses statistics on a daily basis to determine the popularity of artists and gauge our audience’s interest. It’s all just information gathering and it allows us to make the most informed decisions on which artists to include in the festival lineup, ensuring a diverse lineup that feels fresh every time.
Untitled Group recently hired former Live Nation and Three Six Zero veteran Andrew White as its new general manager. The firm restructured its booking team following its expansion to Asia Pacific and Europe in 2022, upping senior touring agent Monty McGaw to head of electronic, and went on to announce a further spate of new hires and promotions earlier this year.
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TicketSwap shares resale profits with promoters
TicketSwap has introduced a new feature that divides profits from secondary ticket sales equally between the seller and the organiser of the event.
The FairShare feature also helps to discourage ticket dealers (who resell tickets for profit) as the profit margin for them is decreased, according to the ‘ethical resale platform’.
“The event industry, as well as fans, face challenges,” said Hans Ober, CEO at TicketSwap. “For example organisers’ profit margins are also coming under increasing pressure, and for fans, usurious rates are a major frustration. With the introduction of FairShare, we are making the ticket market a lot fairer again. This is how we invest together in the event industry.”
If an event organiser chooses to use FairShare, the profit on a resold ticket – which at TicketSwap is a maximum of 20% – is split between them and the seller.
“With the introduction of FairShare, we are making the ticket market a lot fairer again”
Event organisers using TicketSwap’s Sealed Tickets service can choose to activate FairShare on their own. The advanced feature allows barcodes on tickets to be released only several hours before an event begins. Until then, the buyer can also choose to resell their ticket within this system.
TicketSwap says this gives the organiser more control and fans maximum assurance that their ticket is valid.
Among others, event organisers Rotterdam Rave, Chasing the Hihat, Elevation Events and This is Live Group are already using FairShare.
Since launching in 2012, Amsterdam-headquartered TicketSwap has attracted 9 million users active in 36 countries worldwide, plus 1.5 million registered users in the UK.
Last year alone, the company opened offices in Sao Paulo (BR), Stockholm (SE), Berlin (DE), Paris (FR), Madrid (ES), Milan (IT) and Krakow (PO).
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‘The Middle East is an exciting place to be’
The live market in the Gulf, historically centred on Dubai and Abu Dhabi, toiled for years to achieve wider recognition and a spot on the schedules of passing artists. But there is a real momentum to the region now, with experienced promoters, world-class indoor arenas and, in Saudi Arabia, a neighbour with serious money to spend.
“Historically, the reliance on greenfield sites and their associated costs were a big limitation for commercially sustainable shows,” says James Craven, Live Nation president Middle East. “But as more purpose-built venues open-up across the region, the hard ticket business really becomes more viable.”
The opening up of Saudi, combined with the normalisation of relations between the UAE and Israel, are also big news for the UAE’s live business, given their implications for regional touring. But credit must go to promoters such as Abu Dhabi’s state-owned Flash Entertainment, Dubai’s T.O.P. Entertainment (stands for Thomas Ovesen Presents) and the local Live Nation branch for pulling the market through the lean years.
Ovesen recently returned to promoting across the region after a spell with Saudi’s Diriyah Gate Development Authority, and in addition to a sell-out with 50 Cent at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai in September, T.O.P. staged José Carreras in November, with Chinese star Jackson Wang coming up in February 2023.
“We had the biggest crowd at the Formula 1 we have ever had, and we are seeing a surge of interest in live events”
It is a fact of life in the Middle East that state buying power, rather than ticket-buying clout, is often a key factor in drawing talent to the region. “If you look at it from afar, it looks extremely busy with all the top artists, but a lot of it is driven by governments, whether that’s in Qatar, Saudi, or our friends down in Abu Dhabi,” says Ovesen.
Flash, which operates Etihad Park and the Etihad Arena on Yas Island, brought Usher, Dave, Swedish House Mafia, Kendrick Lamar, and Def Leppard out in November for its Yasalam After-Race Concert Series, tied to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with Andrea Bocelli, Post Malone and the Mubadala World Tennis Championship hot on their heels.
“2022 was a strong year for us,” says Flash CEO John Lickrish. “We had the biggest crowd at the Formula 1 we have ever had, and we are seeing a surge of interest in live events. Probably not quite ’19 levels, but ’19 was obviously insane.”
Established since 2008, Flash has now added Dubai and Saudi offices to its Abu Dhabi base. “We are really focusing on that now,” says Lickrish. “We have always operated there, out of Abu Dhabi, but we just decided it was a good opportunity to get our branch offices staffed up.”
“The last few years we have diversified our live business into the Arabic music scene, which now accounts for a large percentage of our regional business”
Live Nation, meanwhile, has staged Maroon 5, OneRepublic, and Westlife in Abu Dhabi this year, with Imagine Dragons, Blackpink, and Sting incoming, as well as a growing line in non-western events.
“The Middle East is an exciting place to be right now,” says Craven. “The last few years we have diversified our live business into the Arabic music scene, which now accounts for a large percentage of our regional business. Comedy is also a key focus as we move into 2023,” he adds, noting the arrival of Pete Green, formerly of local promoters Done Events and GME Events, as head of comedy for the region.
Other promoters operating in the UAE include Blu Blood, which has brought Atif Islam and Il Divo in recent years, and South Asian specialist PME Entertainment, which has showcased Indian singers Arijit Singh and Jubin Nautiyal in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The Global Promoters Report is published in print, digitally, and all content is also available as a year-round resource on the IQ site. The Global Promoters Report includes key summaries of the major promoters working across 40+ markets, unique interviews and editorial on key trends and developments across the global live music business.
To access all content from the current Global Promoters Report, please click here.
Global Promoters Report: The change-makers
As the breadth of countries on international tour routing has continued to grow, with so many markets available for concerts, the world can be an artist’s oyster. But what it’s taken to reach this point is in no small part down to the promoters in those territories making it happen. These imaginative, creative, practical people have refused to allow obstacles, governments, or a lack of infrastructure prevent them enabling artists from around the world to connect with fans – live.
As Luiz Oscar Niemeyer, one of Brazil’s pioneering promoters, says: “I’ve been in this business for a long time. We started bringing international acts to play here in the mid-80s. When I first started promoting here, we had no sound system in Brazil, no lighting, no generators. We had to bring everything in from abroad. But now Brazil is part of the international routing for acts. Brazil has developed a lot of professionals and equipment companies, meaning we have a proper live music industry here, which has grown in the last 30 years.”
And change is still being driven by promoters in many territories – a look at how promoters around the world lobbied governments over reopening measures during the pandemic is emblematic of this.
“It would be fair to say the obstacles [to organising shows in India] have been significantly broken down”
Entertainment and ticketing platform BookMyShow in India has been working tirelessly to improve the concerts industry in the subcontinent, as Kunal Khambhati, head – live events & IP, explains: “It would be fair to say the obstacles [to organising shows here] have been significantly broken down, with a state of flow achieved over the past five or six years when it comes to live entertainment acts across music, performance, comedy, and theatricals marking their presence in the country.
“India follows the umbrella taxation system of Goods & Services Tax (GST), and at the highest slab of 28% GST rate for live entertainment, taxation was a bottleneck for the live entertainment industry both in the pre- and post-Covid world.
In the aftermath of the pandemic, as the industry attempted to recover gradually, India’s live entertainment ecosystem required that the government wholeheartedly support the industry, and it has significantly played its role by bringing down taxation rates to 18% for live entertainment.
“This has been a significant boost to making more commercially viable acts and formats feasible in the country. Additionally, favourable regulatory policies such as easing infrastructure roadblocks to create and enable parallel venues for various formats and scales, streamlining timelines and permissions required to host events at various venues to make out-of-home entertainment accessible to millions of Indians, have aided and will continue to further help script a strong growth story for this industry and millions of jobs associated with it.
“BookMyShow has been working with both regulatory authorities and stakeholders across the value chain to resolve some of the challenges at state and central government levels, and while we have a long way to go to make the ecosystem ideal, it would be more than fair to say the work has already begun and is well underway, paving the way for some of these experiences to make their way to India over the past five or more years.”
“There was a long period where live performance was by far the biggest income stream for an artist. This created a shift”
Promoter power
Over the past two decades, promoters have become more important – one could argue more powerful – in an artist’s career, as live revenue now often makes up the bulk of a performer’s income.
As agent Obi Asika at United Talent Agency in the UK says: “There was a long period where live performance was by far the biggest income stream for an artist. This created a shift; promoters have used that influence to create huge businesses that meaningfully effect all aspects of the entertainment industry.
“Promoters are much more connected to all aspects of a project. For many artists, the most important barometer of success is how many hard tickets they can sell. In many cases, that is more important than how many albums they sell.”
Longstanding promoter Rob Hallett has decades of experience in the industry, working first as an agent and promoter with Barrie Marshall’s Marshall Arts before joining Mean Fiddler (later MAMA, now owned by Live Nation), and then establishing AEG Live in the UK in 2005. After ten years with the company, he launched Robomagic in 2015, later acquired by Live Nation but recently going independent again after three years with the multinational. His roster includes TLC, Sleaford Mods, Goldie, and Boy Better Know, as well as Duran Duran, who Hallett represented as an agent in the 80s.
“I think we’re finally being taken more seriously, as a major part of an artist’s life”
“I think we’re finally being taken more seriously, as a major part of an artist’s life,” he says. “It was always frustrating when we were making more money for the artists, but the labels had more power and influence. Labels seems to have disappeared from the mix pretty much these days. In the old days, a label would call you before you went to sell the tour, your marketing teams would talk about how you’d mesh your campaigns, but that doesn’t seem to happen anymore.”
But in the ever-changing space of the broader music business, recent years have seen a more joined-up approach across the whole artist team, says Rauha Kyyrö, head promoter at Finland’s powerhouse, the FKP Scorpio-owned Fullsteam. “Ten years ago, promoters had more of a free hand to do what they thought would work for artists, due to our market knowledge. Now, there’s much more involvement from the artist’s organisation, who are controlling the fine details, which means more reporting between the promoter, agent, and management. This is a good thing when it works smoothly – we should all be working together to do the best possible job for the artist – although it requires more staff in my office, making costs increase. And when it works well, it’s better for everyone, and it produces better results. However, with more people involved, it can sometimes slow down decision-making. For example, if there’s a delay in one part of the chain, you can miss marketing opportunities.”
Damon Forbes of Breakout in South Africa has worked with artists such as Modest Mouse, Frank Turner, Bonobo, and Texas. “We’re fulfilling a career development with an artist as a partner, and I think that role is something that became second nature to me because I’ve been in roles including label, manager, and promoter in my career,” he says. “It’s great to be part of that journey; one can hope that you deliver for an artist, and then you build with them on the follow-up tours.”
“It would be nice to have a more symbiotic relationship with labels on data. Targeted marketing is important nowadays and is something that’s relatively new”
A people business
Relationships, of course, have always played an important role in live music, as Niemeyer reflects: “In our business, what you build through the years is very important because at the end of the day, people look at your track record, your history, and with whom you have been working. Even though we are more professional business-wise and money-wise, your history remains important. When you’re bidding for a tour, if you’re the guy who’s done it in the past, you’re in a good position to get it again.”
This is even more important now, with the consolidation in the industry and the ever-increasing artist fees, he says. “For the first half of my career, we were a batch of independent promoters and independent companies. That’s not the case anymore, which makes competition much more difficult because now we have Live Nation and AEG here, so we have two major global players. As an independent, you have to find a way to fit in. Fortunately, I have been doing a lot with AEG, and I’ve done Live Nation things as well as the McCartney shows, the Rolling Stones on Copacabana Beach in 2006.
“Now it’s really become a cooperation business because no one can sign a cheque of $20m, $30m to make a show work.”
Fundamental to success is a close relationship with audiences. And data plays a fundamental part in understanding this.
As Hallett says: “What really sells the tickets is talking to people who want to know. It would be nice to have a more symbiotic relationship with labels on data. There are so many wasted eyeballs on you just throwing marketing out there. Targeted marketing is important nowadays and is something that’s relatively new.”
“People might have become used to getting what they want by bullying in the past, but there’s another way to do things”
A welcome change for promoters is the shift in how people treat each other. Most people who have been in the business for a long time will have tales of being shouted at by someone. But that’s changing now. Kyyrö says after more than 22 years in the industry, she’s “very happy with how the atmosphere and communication has developed. People are more friendly, but you still come across some very disrespectful behaviour and that needs to change. There’s no room for the abuse of power in this business. I think it can sometimes be difficult to stand up and call that out, especially when it comes to people who have been in the industry for a long time.
“Things have certainly improved, but there’s still work to be done. People might have become used to getting what they want by bullying in the past, but there’s another way to do things. And it’s up to everyone in the industry to call out that behaviour when they see it.”
Probably the biggest difference in how promoters work in recent years was driven by the pandemic. As we see throughout the Global Promoters Report, 2022 may have been the busiest year on record in terms of sheer number of shows. The idea of ‘three years packed into one’ certainly seems to have been borne out worldwide. Yet it’s been achieved by fewer people than ever before, resulting in exhausting levels of work all round.
“Before the pandemic, everyone had a routine, it was a well-oiled machine, but now, everyone is adjusting to being back again”
Stefan Wyss, director of concerts and touring at major Swiss promoter Gadget abc, says: “Everything needs more work than it did before the pandemic. You have to go into more detail on everything and examine every specific aspect of a show. You have to go into more detail on staff because sometimes there aren’t enough, sometimes you need to find riggers, you need to do rollcalls with stagehands.
“Before the pandemic, everyone had a routine, it was a well-oiled machine, but now, everyone is adjusting to being back again.
“Everything has gone from zero to 150%, but luckily, it’s worked without massive problems. I think everyone is really tired, but they should be proud of what’s been achieved.”
At its heart though, the job remains the same. Hallett says: “There’s no such thing as a bad tour, only a bad deal. So, as long as you get your deals right and you’re working with good people, it’s pretty much the same. It’s just how you go about it that’s different.”
What drives most promoters is connecting fans and helping to grow the artists they love. Forbes says: “There’s nothing more exhilarating than seeing a crowd being totally into the music, whether it’s a smaller-capacity club-type venue or a big space. It’s a rewarding feeling, which you can’t actually bottle – it’s like lightning, I wish I could capture it, because at the end of the show, it’s gone. That’s the big driver: believing that you are making that difference because you’re seeing that connection, live as it happens.”
The Global Promoters Report is published in print, digitally, and all content is also available as a year-round resource on the IQ site. The Global Promoters Report includes key summaries of the major promoters working across 40+ markets, unique interviews and editorial on key trends and developments across the global live music business.
To access all content from the current Global Promoters Report, please click here.
Germany announces €1bn culture energy fund
The German federal government has earmarked one billion euros to help cultural institutions and organisers with increased energy bills caused by the war in Ukraine.
The Culture Energy Fund (Kulturfonds Energie) will proportionately subsidise “additional energy costs” for eligible recipients between January 1 2023 (retrospectively) to April 30 2024.
Private and public cultural institutions will be invited to apply for aid, as well as cultural event organisers “if they hold ticket-financed cultural events in closed rooms that are not themselves eligible as cultural institutions”.
The fund is a “ray of hope for the cultural sector in the crisis”
The registration platform required for applications is projected to be available from mid-February, with the first tranche of aid totalling €375m.
“The energy crisis is threatening the existence of many cultural institutions and cultural event organisers,” says minister of state for culture Claudia Roth. “With the Kulturfonds Energie they can now get the support they urgently need to continue to provide such diverse and rich cultural offerings in our country.”
Olaf Zimmermann, managing director of the German cultural council, called the fund a “ray of hope for the cultural sector in the crisis”, which also shows “how important it is for the various actors, federal, state and civil society, to work together in the cultural sector”.
The fund has been under negotiation since the autumn and was finally approved on Wednesday (25 January).
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Global Promoters Report 2022 out now
The Global Promoters Report (GPR), a first-of-its-kind resource that highlights the world’s leading promoters and the 40 top markets they operate in, is out now.
The new report, available to subscribers of IQ, is an indispensable guide to the industry’s leading promoters and touring territories.
The inaugural edition includes key summaries of the major players working with international artists, unique interviews and insight into each of the world’s top live music markets and dedicated editorial on key trends and developments across the global live music business.
“The promise of the ‘roaring twenties’ certainly came true this year, with record numbers of shows and sales worldwide,” says GPR editor James Drury. “More shows by more artists, grossing more than ever before – the top 100 tours worldwide brought in $6.2bn this year, eclipsing even the previous record in 2019, according to Pollstar’s 2022 box office data.”
“Each of the market profiles includes overviews of touring conditions for artists at all levels, from stadium-fillers to those looking to break into new territories. With invaluable insights, it presents local conditions, challenges and opportunities, and interviews with the very people who know their home turf best.”
This year’s GPR is available in print, digitally, and on this dedicated year-round mini site. To purchase a print copy of the report, get in touch with [email protected].
A preview version of the Global Promoters Report 2022 is below.
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AEG taps Chris Wareing and Paris Harding from SJM
AEG Presents UK has hired powerhouse promoters Chris Wareing and Paris Harding from SJM Concerts.
Wareing, who joins as SVP for global touring after 10 years with SJM, is a leading hip-hop, rap and R&B promoter who has worked with the likes of Stormzy, Dave, Travis Scott and Little Simz and founded the Gods of Rap tour.
In his new role, he will be responsible for expanding AEG’s hip-hop and rap presence globally. Wareing will work closely with Harding, who also joins the firm from SJM as a promoter. The duo are tasked with expanding upon the company’s existing offering as it continues its rapid growth trajectory and plans for development.
“Having worked alongside Chris for a number of years and admired his presence from afar, I couldn’t be more thrilled to have him join our team,” says AEG UK CEO Steve Homer. “He’ll be working closely with myself and my colleague Gary Gersh , [president of global touring and talent, AEG Presents] at an international level, to drive our footprint in these important genres forward. It’s rare to come across talent at the level he and Paris exhibit and I couldn’t think of a better way to close out a stellar year.”
“I admire the vision and work of the company and I’m looking forward to further driving their presence in the hip-hop and rap space”
Homer has overseen a revamp of AEG’s UK operations since taking sole charge of the company’s UK office at the start of the year following the departure of former co-CEO Toby Leighton-Pope, who has since resurfaced as MD of the newly formed TEG Europe.
“I’m excited to kick off the New Year with a new challenge booking globally with AEG,” adds Wareing. “I admire the vision and work of the company and I’m looking forward to further driving their presence in the hip-hop and rap space.”
Wareing and Harding’s appointments mark the latest step in AEG’s aggressive expansion plans. Just last week, it announced a handful of leadership appointments and recently named Lucy Noble, previously of the Royal Albert Hall, as its inaugural artistic director.
Last month, meanwhile, it hired Georgie Donnelly as its first head of comedy and previously confirmed the long-awaited reopening date of The Halls Wolverhampton.
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