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Red Light, Q Prime back NITO resale complaint

The National Independent Talent Organization (NITO) has filed a complaint with the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), alleging widespread violations of the BOTS Act by ticket resellers.

The advocacy group, whose complaint is backed by dozens of signatories including Red Light Management, Q Prime, Arrival Artists, Ground Control Touring, Mint Talent Group and Paladin Artists, represents the interests of independent music booking agencies and managers in the United States.

Its filing sets out how multiple technology companies provide tools that enable touts to circumvent ticket purchasing limits, including sophisticated browser extensions, proxy services, and virtual credit card platforms designed to bypass security measures implemented by primary ticket sellers.

“NITO requests that the FTC investigate the widespread sale of technology used to violate the Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act,” says a letter from NITO addressed to FTC chair Lina Khan. “Our organisation recently attended the World Ticket Conference organised by the National Association of Ticket Brokers (NATB). At this event, we observed a sold-out exhibition hall filled with vendors selling and marketing products designed to bypass security measures for ticket purchases, in direct violation of the BOTS Act.

“Artists, promoters, venues, and primary ticketing systems set ticket purchase limits to increase accessibility and protect fans from large-scale resale for profit, especially for high-demand concerts. The BOTS Act aims to prevent the use of technology that circumvents these ticket purchase restrictions and to protect consumers from price gouging on the secondary market.

“However, despite these efforts, purchase limits are routinely bypassed. Our research shows that for a single concert, thousands of tickets often end up on secondary sites at an average markup of twice the original face value.”

“By implementing these recommendations, rights holders and the FTC can take significant steps towards curbing BOTS Act violations”

It adds that the prevalence of such technologies at major industry events indicates that many ticket brokers may be violating federal law by using these technologies.

“Multiple solutions exist for those seeking to bypass purchase limits, and most were being marketed and sold at the NATB Conference,” NITO continues. “We urge the FTC to investigate the practices and companies detailed.”

The letter was also shared with members of Congress, other Federal and State entities and the trade group’s partners in the Fix The Tix Coalition.

The complaint from NITO president Jack Randall and MD Nathaniel Marro concludes with actionable recommendations for rights holders and the Federal Trade Commission to combat these practices, including increased enforcement, legislative updates, and enhanced cooperation between stakeholders in the ticketing industry.

“By implementing these recommendations, rights holders and the FTC can take significant steps towards curbing BOTS Act violations and ensuring fairer access to event tickets for consumers,” it adds.

Other member companies to back the filing include Magnus Artists, Crossover Touring, Artisan Agency, New Frontier Touring, Ted Kurland Agency and Northstar Artists.

The BOTS Act was signed into law by then US president Barack Obama in 2016.

 


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Coran Capshaw plans 7,500-cap amphitheatre

Work is underway on a $30 million (€28m), 7,500-cap amphitheatre project in the US, being led by Coran Capshaw’s Red Light Ventures.

The venue in Richmond, Virginia is earmarked to open in spring 2025 on Gambles Hill, and will welcome 25-35 concerts a year, as well as hosting community-based activities. It could also serve as the primary stage for the annual Richmond Folk Festival.

The city council approved a 20-year performance grant agreement for the development over the summer, with fencing going up on the site in mid October, reports Richmond Bizsense.

“Richmond is known for its vibrant arts and music scene, but for too many years, big-name artists have bypassed the city because it didn’t have a suitable venue,” Capshaw told the Richmond Times-Dispatch. “This spectacular location offers the ideal place to showcase and build upon the growing energy surrounding Richmond’s riverfront.”

“Richmond can often be overlooked by big-name artists who are looking for a venue that’s large enough to meet the demand of their fanbase”

Red Light Management founder Capshaw, who manages acts such as Dave Matthews Band, previously partnered with the City of Charlottesville to develop the 3,500-cap Ting Pavilion in 2005. Red Light is working on the Virginia Amphitheater scheme with Virginia-based IMGoing Events, with concerts to be arranged via Red Light’s promotions arm, Starr Hill Presents.

Grant Lyman, Live Nation’s southeast region president, said the new venue would fill a void for touring artists between Washington DC and the Carolinas.

“The fan and artist’s experience here in Richmond will be world-class, bringing fans downtown to the riverfront with a background that showcases the city’s urban growth,” Lyman told the council committee, as per Virginia Business. “Richmond can often be overlooked by big-name artists who are looking for a venue that’s large enough to meet the demand of their fanbase, as well as capable of supporting their production needs.”

 


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Music managers step up for next IQ Focus

The next in the weekly series of IQ Focus virtual panel discussions features an international line-up of music managers, who will discuss the unique challenges the Covid-19 crisis has posed for their side of the business.

The session, IQ Focus & The MMF: Managing the Crisis, will be streamed live on Facebook and YouTube on Thursday 18 June at 4 p.m. BST/5 p.m. CET.

With the bulk of artists dependent on live music revenue and audience connection, the Covid-19 crisis has decimated livelihoods.

But what does it mean for their managers? The individuals thrown into salvaging campaigns, rescheduling tours, interpreting contractual changes and navigating the most uncertain of futures. How are their own businesses faring? And what do they see as the challenges – and hopefully opportunities – ahead for the live sector, in what we are all optimistically calling the “new normal”.

Drawing on expert global perspectives, and from managers working across multiple genres, Thursday’s session will be moderated by MMF Chair Paul Craig (Nostromo Management) and feature Kaiya Milan (Off Balance Group/The Sorority House & Co.), Marc Thomas (Red Light Management/Go Artist Management), Meg Symsyk (eOne Management/MMF Canada) and Per Kviman (Versity Music/MMF Sweden/EMMA).

All previous IQ Focus sessions, which have looked at topics including the agency business, the festival summer, grassroots music venues and innovation in live music, can be watched back here.

To set a reminder about IQ Focus & The MMF: Managing the Crisis session on Thursday head to the IQ Magazine page on Facebook or YouTube.


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C3, Red Light, Another Planet invest in Mixhalo

Mixhalo, an audio tech start-up founded by Incubus guitarist Mike Einziger and his wife, Ann Marie Simpson-Einziger, has raised US$10.7 million to fund its mission to “democratise” concert sound.

Investors in the series-A investment round, led by Foundry Group, include US promoters C3 Presents (Charlie Walker), Superfly (Rick Farman and Rich Goodstone) and Another Planet Entertainment, UK artist management firm Red Light Management, and venture-capital outfits Cowboy Ventures, Sapphire Sport and Defy Partners, reports TechCrunch.

Pharrell Williams was also an early investor in the company, as were WME’s Marc Geiger and mega-producer Rick Rubin, which has raised a total of $15m to date.

Similar to European start-up Peex (which additionally enables listeners to create their own mixes), the Mixhalo app allows fans to listen through headphones to audio direct from the soundboard – ie the mix artists hear in their in-ear monitors – rather than through speakers, for improved sound quality.

“Mixhalo envisions a world where everyone experiences great live audio, regardless of their seat or ticket cost”

The platform also allows artists and concert organisers to offer multiple mixes for a single concert, or feeds from multiple festival stages, allowing users to tailor their concert experience to them.

Mixhalo CEO Marc Ruxin says the company is “definitely solving a problem in music that people don’t realise they have”, comparing it to watching television in the pre-HD age. “Now, sports that’s not in HD looks crappy,” Ruxin explains.

Mixhalo has been deployed at shows by Charlie Puth, Incubus and Metallica, as well as Aerosmith’s current Las Vegas residency, Deuces are Wild.

Ruxin tells TechCrunch he is currently focused on music and sports, but is also open to other working with other sectors, as the technology can also installed in, for example, a theatrical musical with “no technical tweaks.”

“Mixhalo envisions a world where everyone experiences great live audio, regardless of their seat or ticket cost,” comments Ruxin. “We are democratising sound at live events.”

 


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