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ILMC 36: Exploring AI’s potential for live music

The transformative potential of artificial intelligence’s (AI) on the live music and entertainment sector was analysed in detail at the International Live Music Conference (ILMC).

Hosted by Cliff Fluet, founder and MD of Eleven, yesterday’s Artificial Intelligence: Moving at Light Speed session featured guests Sammy Andrews of Deviate Digital, Pulsar’s Fran D’Orazio, Observatory’s Ben Sheppee, AXS’ chief strategy officer Marc Ruxin, and aurismatic’s Richard Kurka, who joined the panel via satellite.

Fluet reckoned that AI’s impact makes it “comparable to steam or electricity” in a bygone era.

“Pretty much every innovation from a technological or business perspective is, in some way shape or form, going to be AI-powered going forward,” said Fluet. “Unlike a lot of innovations, 85% of the planet has a device that’s powered and enabled by AI. It’s probably likely to be one of the last ever human inventions.”

In terms of how AI can be incorporated into live performance, the opportunities are bountiful despite the industry’s heavy reliance on the human aspect. However, despite its continued improvement at a rapid rate, Andrews believes such advanced technology still needs a “human eye”.

“Though every platform that we use to advertise live music already has AI embedded into it, there’s sometimes a ‘hit or miss’ element to it”

“Though every platform that we use to advertise live music already has AI embedded into it, there’s sometimes a ‘hit or miss’ element to it,” she explained. “We’ve seen a couple of platforms that will remain nameless, checking random music, altering the copy your artist took weeks to approve, and so forth. But we’re halfway there when it comes to correctly identifying audiences and being able to show them the right sort of content. It’s only going to get better.”

The panel soon segued from marketing to ticketing, and AI’s potential to optimise pricing strategies for live events to guarantee maximum profitability and accessibility.

“Dynamic pricing has been around for some time,” said Ruxin. “The reason it hasn’t been broadly adopted in the live performance sector in the way that it has been accepted by consumers is because of two factors: you have artists who want actual fans to be paying appropriate prices for tickets to their shows, and then you have a business mechanism that involves the need to optimise prices and seats.”

Ruxin further discussed the potential of AI to detect counterfeit tickets. “It’s only a matter of when and not if,” he said, with emphasis on how facial recognition technology is a template for AI to discern which tickets are real or otherwise.

Having talked about using aurismatic as “essentially a Shazam alternative for live music using AI”, Kurka added that one of his company’s main goals is to establish something that he firmly believes is “missing in the live music sector”.

“It could work well in smaller gigs that operate on smaller budgets”

On the topic of “predictive analytics”, D’Orazio believed that AI provides those without technological and data expertise the chance to “emulate someone like [Mad Men character] Don Draper in the 1950s”.

“Trend forecasting can now go back in the hands of the people that don’t have technical or scientific backgrounds,” D’Orazio said, noticing an irony in advanced AI technology encouraging a throwback to an “older method of creative thinking and advertising”.

When asked on whether there is a general misconception that AI is a cheaper method of creating something, Sheppee answered in the affirmative.

“There are costs when creating visual elements with AI,” he said. However, he admitted that AI can also be used to circumvent the possibility of copyright infringement. “Last year, we had consulted a band who wanted to use an image they either didn’t have rights to, or the rights were really expensive. We managed to generate a piece of content that was broadly similar, which rendered it a cost-saving exercise.”

He added that while AI isn’t feasible to use in large-scale arenas like Las Vegas Sphere, “It could work well in smaller gigs that operate on smaller budgets.”

 

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Futures Forum: Emma Banks, Sammy Andrews & more

Emma Banks (CAA), Sammy Andrews (Deviate Digital) and Kirstie Loveridge (AEG) are among the latest slate of execs to join ILMC’s Futures Forum, taking place on Friday 3 March at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London.

Banks, CAA’s co-head, and agent Bilge Morden are set to trade perspectives on the industry during OK, Boomer: Closing the Generation Gap, Part II.

Andrews will moderate the discussion on developing online talent during Live After TikTok and Loveridge will chair True Sustainability, looking at a holistic approach to the topic.

Also joining the one-day discussion and networking event for the next generation of live music industry leaders are Lizzie Ford (CAA) on Now That’s What I Call 2023, Mira Silvers (FORT Agency) on The Young Entrepreneur and Seny Kassaye (FORT Agency) on Meet the New Bosses: Class of 2023.

Alongside new speakers, Futures Forum has unveiled its ever-popular mentoring scheme.

The industry heavyweights that are joining the scheme as mentors are:

Alan Day (promoter, Kilimanjaro Live)
Beckie Sugden (booking agent, Primary Talent International)
Guy Dunstan (managing director, ticketing & arenas, NEC Group)
John Talbot (business development director, AXS)
Lucy Fenner (commercial director, Alexandra Palace)
Lucy Wood (head of music, Roundhouse)
Marc Saunders (programming manager, AEG Presents/The O2)
Marcia Titley (managing director, Eventim Norway & Sweden)
Ollie Rosenblatt (director, Senbla)
Raye Cosbert (managing director, Metropolis Music)
Rebecca Prochnik (creative strategy and growth, UTA)
Ruth Barlow (director of live licensing, Beggars Group)
Summer Marshall (agent, CAA)

View the full provisional schedule here, read more about all speakers confirmed for Futures Forum 2023 by clicking here or buy tickets here.

 

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Five managers added to MMF UK board

The UK’s 700-strong Music Managers Forum (MMF) has added five new managers to its board.

Jill Hollywood (Echo Beach Management), Merck Mercuriadis (Hipgnosis), Rebekah Tayler (ie: music), Sammy Andrews (Deviate Digital) and Liza Buddie (Chaos and Bedlam Management) were elected board members at the MMF’s AGM in London yesterday (10 July), following the association’s first-ever Management Summit.

All new board members will serve a fixed three-year term.

Paul Craig (Nostromo Management) and Kwame Kwaten (Ferocious Management) will continue, respectively, as the MMF’s chair and vice-chair, while Charlie Carne remains CFO.

“I am absolutely delighted to welcome Jill, Merck, Rebekah, Sammy and Liza to the board,” says MMF CEO Annabella Coldrick. “All are strong-minded individuals with awesome credentials and I’m sure they’ll make a deep and valuable contribution to the MMF, ensuring the organisation continues to lead industry debate and support the careers of our members.”

“All are strong-minded individuals with awesome credentials and I’m sure they’ll make a deep and valuable contribution to the MMF”

Departing as board members in 2019 are Andy Edwards, Claire Southwick (Primitive Management), Diane Wagg (Deluxxe Management), Stephen Budd (Stephen Budd Management) and Tom Burris (ie:music).

“Our five new board members are all experts in their field, and will make the MMF an even stronger and well-rounded voice as we continue to deliver truly groundbreaking projects such as our Dissecting the Digital Dollar publications or the Accelerator Programme for Music Managers,” adds Craig.

“I would like to thank all of them for coming on board, as well as our departing board members, Andy, Claire, Diane, Stephen and Tom, for their engagement, energy and contributions.”

In order to promote greater diversity and ensure a wider representation of managers’ perspectives, the MMF introduced new voting processes two years ago, with elected board members required to serve a fixed three-year term, and at least five members required to stand down or stand for re-election each year.

The full MMF board is now:

 

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