IQ 120: The Pride takeover edition has arrived

IQ 120 – the latest issue of the international live music industry’s favourite magazine – is available to read online now.

The July 2023 issue heralds the return of IQ Magazine’s annual Pride takeover edition, made possible thanks to support from Ticketmaster.

Once again, the Pride issue’s marquee feature is the LGBTIQ+ List which profiles 20 queer professionals making an impact in the international live music business and beyond. This year’s top 20, which were announced today, share their challenges, triumphs, advice and email addresses with us in the bumper feature.

Issue 120 also sees the return of the Loud & Proud playlist and feature, in which our agency partners spotlight fast-emerging and noteworthy acts to play close attention to. Contributing agencies include ATC Live, CAA, ITB, One Fiinix Live, Playbook Artists, Primary Talent, Solo and UTA.

Elsewhere, Pride editor Lisa Henderson speaks to the pioneers behind Werq the World, the official RuPaul’s Drag Race tour, as well as some of the other promoters working with touring drag acts. Continuing the RuPaul theme, Your Shout asks previous LGBTIQ+ List finalists what their lip-sync-for-your-life song is.

Following the closure of Elton John’s final tour, IQ Magazine’s Gordon Masson talks to the power players who helped make it a record-breaking smash.

For this edition’s columns and comments, Saskhia Menendez (Keychange, The F-List for Music, LIVE) outlines the need for a trans and non-binary charter and Jess Kinn (One Fiinix Live) details some of the foundations that she and others are laying to help queer acts and their fans to thrive.

Beyond the Pride-specific content, DJ Mag editor Carl Loben healthchecks the electronic music biz and Lars Brandle delivers market reports for Australia and New Zealand.

As always, the majority of the magazine’s content will appear online in some form in the next four weeks.

However, if you can’t wait for your fix of essential live music industry features, opinion and analysis, click here to subscribe to IQ from just £8 a month – or check out what you’re missing out on with the limited preview below: