DF Concerts celebrates record-breaking summer
Scotland’s DF Concerts has heralded a record-breaking summer, having sold one million tickets between June and August.
The promoter says that, as a result, it has made an economic impact of around £72.4 million on tourism and hospitality businesses in its domestic market.
The Glasgow-headquartered company expects that, by the end of 2022, it will have welcomed over 50% of the population of Scotland to one of its concerts or events.
DF promotes some 1,000 concerts per year, as well as its festivals TRNSMT (Glasgow), Connect (Edinburgh) and Summer Sessions (Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee). In addition, the promoter owns and operates grassroots music venue, King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut (Glasgow).
This year’s sold-out edition of TRNSMT topped DF’s best-selling events of the summer, attracting 50,000 attendees on each of its three days.
Other highlights include two nights from The Killers at Falkirk Stadium (cap. 25,000), and Harry Styles performing to 50,000 people at Glasgow’s Ibrox football stadium.
“It’s looking like it will be more of the same next year”
This summer also saw DF revive Connect, a music festival that originally took place in Argyll, Scotland, in the mid-noughties.
The reboot took place at The Royal Highland Centre (RHC), an exhibition centre and showgrounds located near Edinburgh airport, between 26–28 August.
The Chemical Brothers, The National, Little Simz, Mogwai and Bombay Bicycle Club were among the artists that performed at the camping festival.
In total, DF Concerts had 33 days of outdoor shows from June to August, at venues including Slessor Gardens in Dundee, Edinburgh’s Royal Highland Centre Showgrounds and Princes Street Gardens, SWG3 Galvanizers Yard, Glasgow Green, and Bellahouston Park in Glasgow, plus Hampden Park, Ibrox and Falkirk Stadiums.
“This has been a really special summer season for all involved,” Geoff Ellis, CEO of DF Concerts, tells IQ. “It has seen a seven-figure investment in new events for music lovers across the country, diversifying the experiences available in Scotland.
“With two stadium shows, one greenfield and two festivals already announced for summer 2023 and more to come very soon, it’s looking like it will be more of the same next year.”
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The Killers’ investigation: Sexual misconduct unfounded
Former members of the touring crew for rock band the Killers have emerged largely unscathed from a sexual misconduct claim after an internal review was “unable to find any corroboration” of the allegations.
The investigation into sexual misconduct was launched after sound engineer Chez Cherrie shared allegations that during a concert at the Rave in Milwaukee in 2009, a front-of-house engineer told the crew that there was “a girl set up in dressing room A” and that crew members could put their name on a list to be called “when it’s [their]” turn”.
She also claimed that crew members made crude remarks about their experiences with the girl, and said that venue security expressed concern about the girl being left naked and unconscious in the dressing room.
On 29 July, the Killers announced that they were opening an internal investigation into Cherrie’s sexual misconduct claims.
Today, the band’s lawyers Reynolds & Associates released a summary from the investigation, which ultimately concluded that they were “unable to find any corroboration whatsoever of a sexual assault at the Milwaukee venue”.
Cherrie said she stood by her experiences and said that the “hazing” described in the band’s report reflected a “larger issue” in the music industry
Cherrie responded to the statement with her own, saying she has “conflicting feelings” about the findings. “First, I am grateful that they, as an organization, have taken my experience seriously and were moved to internally investigate and potentially lead the industry in a restorative manner so this never happens again,” she wrote.
Cherrie disagreed with some “generalised statements” in the report but she was “beyond relieved” that the report had traced the girl at the centre of the allegation.
She also said she stood by her experiences and said that the “hazing” described in the band’s report reflected a “larger issue” in the music industry, wherein such behaviour was “normal, expected, accepted”. She said she hoped that the industry could “develop a framework of reporting mistreatment and harassment that protects workers and fans and demands accountability of the people in power”.
The statement from Reynolds & Associates detailed the Killers’ “expressed regret that the temporary crew member was made to feel unsafe and bullied during her brief time with the band”.
It also claims the band has now directed their team to establish a new system “wherein the entire touring party are furnished with an off-site independent HR contact to call to report concerns of any nature, anonymously if they wish”.
The Killers’ Day & Age world tour was the 50th highest-grossing of 2009, earning $18.3 million, according to Pollstar.
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Mariah Carey performs free in Dubai Expo 2020 launch
A year to the day before Dubai hosts a six-month long World Expo event, Mariah Carey is due to perform in a free concert at Burj Park.
The concert, dubbed One Year to Go, will take place on 20 October, with local singer Hussain Al Jassmi, as well as acts DJ Bliss, Abri and the Funk Radius and Khalifa also billed to perform.
The Expo, which was awarded to Dubai in 2013 by the International Exposition Bureau in Paris, will take place on a main 438-hectare site enclosed by three thematic districts – opportunity, mobility and sustainability.
A variety of live performances, cultural activities, business presentations and global celebrations will occur during the Expo.
The United Arab Emirates is also hosting live performances at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Formula One race from 28 November to December 1. Lana Del Rey will perform in the Middle East for the first time at the event, alongside EDM star Marshmello, the Killers and rapper Travis Scott.
In December, British singer Dido will perform and Dubai’s Media City Amphitheatre (15,000-cap.) and Bruno Mars will close out the year with a headline New Year’s show at the du Arena (25,000-cap.) in Abu Dhabi.
Last month, AEG Ogden, the operator of Dubai’s 17,000-capacity Coca-Cola Arena, celebrated the role the arena was playing in placing the UAE – and the wider region – on the international touring map.
Read more about the Middle East’s growing live events market below.
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Report: Nina Kraviz, Killers are “festival heroes”
Festival discovery and booking platform Festicket has compiled a list of its 2018 “festival heroes”, naming the DJs and bands that performed at the highest number of festivals last year.
Russian techno DJ Nina Kraviz took the 2018 festival circuit crown, playing 35 festival sets over the year. Kraviz has 20 festivals confirmed for the upcoming season, including sets at Belgium’s Tomorrowland, Italy’s Kappa FuturFestival, Primavera Sound in Spain and Dimensions Festival in Croatia.
Belgian artist Amelie Lens also had a successful year, playing at 27 festivals, a massive step up for the DJ who played only four festival sets the previous year. 2019 is set to be even busier for Lens, who is playing at over 20 festivals, among them Coachella (USA), Creamfields (UK), Exit Festival (Serbia), Awakenings (the Netherlands) and Electric Daisy Carnival – Las Vegas.
Leading the charge for non-electronic acts are the Killers and Arctic Monkeys, who amassed 18 and 16 festival gigs respectively.
Russian techno DJ Nina Kraviz took the 2018 festival circuit crown, playing 35 festival sets over the year
The Killers played headline sets at Lollapalooza Brazil, Trnsmt in Scotland and Spain’s Benicassim. The band continues its string of headline performances this year with top slots already confirmed at Glastonbury Festival, Woodstock 50 and Kaaboo Texas.
Arctic Monkeys appeared at festivals across the globe in 2018 including Primavera Sound, Lollapalooza and Sziget. The band are yet to announce any festival slots for this year.
Festicket used information from its database of over 500 acts and 1,200 festivals to compile the festival heroes report.
Festicket co-founder Zack Sabban spoke on the industry investment panel at this year’s ILMC. Launched in 2012, the company is backed by a range of investors including Beringea, Edge, Lepe Partners, ProFounders and Kreos Capital. Alongside its London headquarters, Festicket has offices in San Francisco, Amsterdam, Berlin, Porto and Nantes.
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Woodstock 50 anniversary event announces line-up
Woodstock 50 Music and Arts Fair has announced the official line-up for it three-day 50th anniversary today, with headline performance from the Killers, Miley Cyrus, Santana, Dead and Company and Jay-Z.
More than 80 acts have been confirmed for the event, taking place from 16 to 18 August in Watkins Glen, New York.
Legacy acts, in addition to the original Woodstock 1969 icons Santana and Dead and Company, include Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters, David Crosby and Friends, John Fogerty, Canned Heat, Country Joe McDonald, John Sebastian and Melanie.
The Killers, Miley Cyrus and Santana head up the opening night, with Chance the Rapper and the Black Keys headlining on Saturday and Jay-Z, Imagine Dragons and Halsey closing the event on the Sunday night.
Other performances across the three-day event come from the Lumineers, Bishop Briggs, Greta van Fleet, Leon Bridges and Janelle Monáe.
“We’ve lined up artists who won’t just entertain but will remind the world that music has the power to bring people together, to heal, to move us to action and to tell the stories of a generation,” says Michael Lang, co-founder and producer of the 1969 and 2019 Woodstock festivals.
“Our hope is that today, just as in 1969, music will be the constant that can inspire positive change”
“Our hope is that today, just as in 1969, music will be the constant that can inspire positive change,” adds Lang.
Woodstock 50 has also confirmed some of its nonprofit cause partners, including environmental charity Conservation International, student-led anti-gun group March for our Lives and Chicago-based SocialWorks, which empowers youth through the arts, education and civic engagement.
In addition, Lang has announced that the festival will include curated neighbourhoods that celebrate unique experiences across all arts forms – including emerging talent, specialty food offerings, workshops and craft – as well as a dedicated “Kidstock” area.
A rival, Live Nation-backed festival, set to take place on the original Woodstock site in Bethel Woods over the same weekend is no longer going ahead in the same capacity. The Bethel Woods Centre for the Arts Woodstock anniversary event will take place as a scaled-back “Anniversary Week”, forming part of a six-month long Season of Song and Celebration.
Tickets for Woodstock 50 go on sale on Earth Day, April 22. Fans can subscribe to receive more information here.
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The Killers, the Cure final Glastonbury headliners
Glastonbury Festival today released the first line-up poster for its 2019 edition, announcing the Killers and the Cure as the final two Pyramid Stage headliners to join previously released headliner Stormzy.
The line-up release includes more than 60 acts, including Janet Jackson, Liam Gallagher, Miley Cyrus, Tame Impala, Vampire Weekend, Two Door Cinema Club, Wu-Tang Clan, Jon Hopkins and the Streets.
The Cure join Coldplay as the only groups to have headlined the festival four times, following slots in 1986, 1990 and 1995.
Here is the first Glastonbury Festival 2019 line-up poster, which includes our final two Pyramid Stage headliners: @TheKillers (Saturday) and @TheCure (Sunday). Many more acts and attractions still to be announced. pic.twitter.com/jYOoTQQurf
— Glastonbury Festival (@glastonbury) March 15, 2019
London grime artist Stormzy had already been revealed as the Friday night headliner, while Kylie Minogue will play the “legend slot” on Sunday afternoon.
In a bid to makes its 2019 festival more environmentally-friendly, Glastonbury Festival 2019 will free of single-use plastic, with attendees encouraged to bring reusable water bottles and traders instructed only to sell canned drinks.
Glastonbury Festival will take place from 26 to 30 June on Worthy Farm.
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The Killers open AEG’s new Vegas arena
A headline show by The Killers will mark the official opening of the new T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas this Wednesday (6 April).
The band will be joined by fellow Las Vegan Shamir and ‘Mr Las Vegas’, Wayne Newton.
Nicki Minaj and special guest Ariana Grande will follow on Thursday, with a reunited Guns N’ Roses, supported by Alice in Chains, playing Friday and Saturday.
The US$375 million arena, a joint venture between AEG and MGM Resorts International, hopes to host 100 ticketed events a year: about 50 concerts and 25 sporting events, plus boxing and UFC matches, award shows and “other events”, AEG’s Mark Faber tells Vegas Inc. “We seat 17,500 for hockey, 18,500 for basketball, 20,000 for boxing and UFC and for in-stage concerts we could do 10,000 to 12,000 plus.”
It is hoped the new arena will lure a NHL ice-hockey team to Las Vegas.
AEG (Anschutz Entertainment Group) originally announced its intention to build an arena in Vegas in 2007 in partnership with Caesars Entertainment (then Harrah’s Entertainment), adjacent to Harrah’s’ Paris Las Vegas and Bally’s casinos, before plans were stalled by the financial crisis.