Dubai events to proceed after floods
Live events are going ahead as scheduled in Dubai this weekend despite the United Arab Emirates experiencing its worst rainfall in 75 years.
This week saw approximately double the UAE’s yearly average of rainfall in a single day, bringing much of the region to a standstill. The National reports that some areas recorded more than 250mm of rain in less than 24 hour.
Nevertheless, Mark Jan Kar, general manager of ASM Global’s Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, says there has been no disruption to events at the venue or at the company’s C3 conference centre at Expo City.
“Tonight’s Kid Laroi show is proceeding as planned albeit, of course, with refunds available for patrons whom cannot make it,” he tells IQ.
International acts such as Boyz II Men, Jason Derulo, Shaggy & Blackstreet, Nicole Scherzinger & T.I., James Blunt and Hans Zimmer Live are all due to perform at the arena over the coming months.
“The city has taken a big hit – Dubai more than Abu Dhabi,” All Things Live Middle East CEO Thomas Ovesen tells IQ. “I think some shows have been cancelled or postponed as folks just couldn’t get about or would want to attend events, but I think from this weekend the events business is back to normal unless venues need repair – as might be the case for a few outdoor venues.”
“Due to the ongoing disruption, and to speed up recovery, we are temporarily limiting the number of arriving flights”
Dubai International Airport says it is limiting the number of flight arrivals for two days as it battles a backlog.
“We’re endeavouring to do our best to support guests impacted by delays due to recent unprecedented weather conditions,” it posts on social media. “However, due to the ongoing disruption, and to speed up recovery, we are temporarily limiting the number of arriving flights from 1pm on 19 April for 48 hours.”
Emirates is also suspending check-in for all customers in its network with onward connections through Dubai until 11.59pm GMT tonight (19 April).
“Customers travelling to Dubai as their final destination may check-in and travel as usual,” it adds. “Our teams are working hard to restore our scheduled operations as soon as possible.”
Etihad, state carrier for Abu Dhabi, said flight operations are back to normal in the UAE capital, which was also hit by a downpour on Tuesday (16 April).
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AEG Presents’ Simon Jones: ‘Business is good’
AEG Presents’ SVP of international touring Simon Jones says 2024 is on track to be the “biggest ever” for the global live business.
The Arthur Award-winning promoter is currently on the road across Asia for Ed Sheeran’s +–=÷× (Mathematics) Tour, with dozens of Taylor Swift Eras dates still to come later this year.
And Jones, who is also overseeing this month’s BRITs Week, tells IQ he is especially encouraged by the growth of the industry outside the traditional heartlands of the US and UK.
“Business is good,” he says. “2024 is shaping up to be the biggest ever. For me, Asia continues to be the most exciting region. The globalisation of music genres is something that is outpacing everyone and is ever changing. Blackpink headlining Coachella and BST Hyde Park is a great example of that.
“Also, separately to Blackpink, what is amazing to see is how an act based out of Korea for example can be so huge in Europe and the United States, yet less so in their home region, and the same goes for a select few artists in the UK, where they have a decent solid business in Europe, but explosive in Asia.”
AEG recently co-promoted Sheeran’s record-breaking stadium concerts in Dubai on 19-20 January alongside All Things Live (ATL) Middle East. The current run also encompasses stops in Bahrain, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and India, where AEG Asia Pacific CEO Adam Wilkes is a longtime collaborator on Sheeran with Jones.
“The Dubai shows were collectively the biggest shows in UAE’s history, and a huge flag in the ground”
“The first couple of weeks of the tour has been fantastic,” says Jones. “We did a warm up show at the fantastic Al Dana Amphitheatre in Bahrain, followed by two sold-out shows at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai – 69,500 tickets in total.
“The Dubai shows were collectively the biggest shows in UAE’s history, and a huge flag in the ground proving that putting on major outdoor events in that market can be done, even though the viable venues are so few and far between. Together with our partner in Dubai, [ATL Middle East CEO] Thomas Ovesen, it was a hugely successful return to the region for Ed.
“After the Middle East shows, Ed crushed three sold out shows in Japan too last week, which has shown to be a huge market for him. Now on to sold out shows in Taiwan, Singapore, Mumbai and more over the next two months.”
In total, AEG will stage 26 dates with Sheeran from January to September, as well as 50 sold-out Taylor Swift concerts from May to August, including eight nights at London’s Wembley Stadium in the UK.
“It’s already a busy year but we’re about to launch some major tours for Q3 and Q4 2024, and into 2025,” says Jones, who notes he is closely monitoring developments in the ticketing world.
“Ticketing is an ever dynamic landscape, and the trends in America are slowly but surely going to evolve into most markets around the world over the next few years,” he adds. “We have seen it in South Africa recently, and we will also see even more forward thinking strategies being delivered into more markets that are going to catch up, despite local hesitance. We are going to be right at the forefront of implementing those.”
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Ed Sheeran’s UAE shows tipped to make history
Ed Sheeran’s forthcoming Dubai concerts could become the best-selling shows in UAE history, according to All Things Live Middle East CEO Thomas Ovesen.
The British singer-songwriter brings his + – = ÷ x (Mathematics) Tour to The Sevens Stadium from 19-20 January 2024 in what are being called the largest open-air concerts ever to take place in Dubai.
The dates, which will see the 32-year-old perform “in the round”, will be Sheeran’s first in the Middle East since playing the city’s Autism Rocks Arena in November 2017, which attracted a sell-out 23,272 crowd.
“Not since 2017 has the Dubai market hosted such large scale outdoor concerts promoted on merits of ticket sales,” Ovesen tells IQ. “So it’s with great satisfaction we don’t just put on two Ed Sheeran concerts here in January, but again together with AEG Presents get to work with Ed and his management – this time showcasing his incredible 360° production for the first time in the Middle East.”
The events, which will feature support from Calum Scott, are backed by Dubai Calendar and Coca-Cola Arena, with tickets going on sale on Friday (9 November).
“It’s not only a massive event and achievement for Dubai, but one that hopefully reflects also a return to more large-scale outdoor shows”
“With a combined capacity of more than 60.000 tickets these shows could well break the record of the best-selling UAE concert ever. It’s not only a massive event and achievement for Dubai, but one that hopefully reflects also a return to more large-scale outdoor shows and an increased live entertainment offering in our market.”
European live entertainment group All Things Live launched in the Middle East earlier this year following successful collaborations with Ovesen’s TOP Entertainment. Ovesen had previously brought acts including Justin Bieber, The Eagles, Guns ‘N Roses, Jennifer Lopez, Elton John and Ed Sheeran to the region, and launched festivals such as RedFestDXB and Fiesta De Los Muertos.
The promoter’s recent highlights included a rare sell-out for last weekend’s Bryan Adams’ concert at Dubai’s 17,000-cap Coca-Cola Arena.
“I think the arena has had a few other sell-out shows this year including Hanz Zimmer and some Arabic and Indian artists,” Ovesen told IQ last month. “But the UAE is a relatively small market with less than 10 million residents and more than 200 nationalities, so it is hard to pick an event or artist that will pull from all the various communities and sell beyond 10,000 tickets.
“It’s rare that shows in the UAE sell out and, indeed, for large-scale shows in the few arenas here. So for an established touring artist who has visited the market many times in the past and played in smaller capacities, to completely sell out Coca-Cola Arena two months prior to the show date is unheard of. Our last sold-out show at the venue was with 50 Cent back in September 2022 and it only sold out the day before the show.”
The Mathematics Tour was the fifth highest-grossing worldwide in H1 2023
The Mathematics Tour was the fifth highest-grossing worldwide in Pollstar‘s H1 2023 rankings, selling just over one million tickets to earn $105.3 million. Back in June, Sheeran broke the attendance record at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium in the USA, pulling in 89,106 people to surpass the 88,491 fans drawn by U2 for their 360° Tour in 2011.
He also broke his own attendance record at Melbourne Cricket Ground in March by playing to more than 100,000 fans on consecutive nights, and New Zealand’s Sky Stadium, where he drew 48,000 fans. He also set a new ticket sales record in Denmark, shifting 160,000 tickets to four shows in the capital city of Copenhagen last year.
Sheeran, who will tour Asia and Europe in 2024, will also headline Rock in Rio Lisbon’s 20th anniversary edition, and is also slated to appear at other festivals including Lucca Summer Festival (Italy), Hurricane & Southside (Germany) and Stavernfestivalen (Norway).
His previous 255 show ÷ (Divide) run from 2017-19 was the highest-grossing tour ever before, generating $776.2 million, before being surpassed by Elton John’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour earlier this year. Sheeran is represented by Marty Diamond of Wasserman Music in North America and Jon Ollier of One Fiinix Live for the rest of the world.
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All Things Live Middle East CEO on market’s evolution
All Things Live Middle East CEO Thomas Ovesen has spoken to IQ about the evolution of the region’s live music market.
The Nordic live entertainment firm launched its new Middle East operation earlier this year, following prior successful collaborations between ATL and Ovesen’s TOP entertainment.
Recent highlights have included an “unheard of” sell-out for Bryan Adams’s forthcoming concert at the 17,000-capacity Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, with ticket prices ranging between AED 199-549 (€51-141). And according to veteran promoter Ovesen, it “has been and will continue to be very exciting times” at ATL’s southernmost outpost.
“I think the arena has had a few other sell-out shows this year including Hanz Zimmer and some Arabic and Indian artists but the UAE is a relatively small market with less than 10 million residents and more than 200 nationalities, so it is hard to pick an event or artist that will pull from all the various communities and sell beyond 10,000 tickets,” explains Ovesen.
“It’s rare that shows in the UAE sell out and, indeed, for large-scale shows in the few arenas here”
“It’s rare that shows in the UAE sell out and, indeed, for large-scale shows in the few arenas here. So for an established touring artist who has visited the market many times in the past and played in smaller capacities, to completely sell out Coca-Cola Arena two months prior to the show date is unheard of.
“Our last sold-out show at the venue was with 50 Cent back in September 2022 and it only sold out the day before the show. In a market with many events being subject to last-minute sales having sold out the full arena almost two months prior to the event is proof of the artist’s significance and his great pull here.”
Bryan Adams’ last Dubai show, which was promoted by Ovesen at TOP, took place in an open-air venue with around 8,000 guests and was his biggest-ever show in the emirate.
“His fan base is of an age where disposal funds are available and with little entertainment programming targeting them specifically, so when the opportunity is there and it is an artist known for great material and an evening of reminiscence then it clearly works,” he says. “Word of mouth was the strongest marketing tool for us.”
Ovesen says ATL Middle East also has several major shows lined up for the remainder of the year, as well as some yet-to-be-announced “blockbuster outdoor mega shows” in Q1 2024.
“I am particularly excited about these shows as it has been approximately five years since we last had such events here in Dubai… it’ll mark the return of stadium/greenfield shows in the emirate and will serve to show the world we are finally back again and stronger than ever before,” he tells IQ.
“To run a feasible business [here], even if as part of a global operation, you have to think regionally”
But it’s not just the Dubai market that’s going from strength to strength. The potential of the wider Middle East region has been recognised by an increasing number of live entertainment behemoths who are making moves within the market.
Oak View Group recently expanded into the region through a joint venture with local event management and venue operator, Ethara, and Festival Republic’s Wireless debuted in Abu Dhabi earlier this year. ASM Global and Live Nation have long had a presence in the market.
“The success of the Middle East as a business hub and tourism destination is partly based on how at home the country and its business environment makes everyone feel and indeed the ease with which you can set up your business here,” adds Ovesen. “But to run a feasible business, even if as part of a global operation, you have to think regionally and having a regular if not permanent presence across the many very different Middle East markets, cities and business environments is costly.
“Plus, here as in most other places professionalism and quality will dictate your success hence many new players will no doubt find that also here you have to earn your wings and a long-term play requires a proper commitment and investment in the region.”
He continues: “I think the market, in dollars and cents, for live events and entertainment is still expanding faster than the influx of new events and entertainment organisers so to some degree there is still room for exciting opportunities and I haven’t yet seen such new players as being my main competition in any of the Middle East markets.
Concluding, the veteran promoter tells IQ he remains “committed”, and will partner with the “best-suited operators and industry peers”.
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All Things Live Middle East launches with Thomas Ovesen
European live entertainment group All Things Live is launching a new operation in the Middle East, headed by veteran promoter Thomas Ovesen.
Ovesen has brought acts including Justin Bieber, The Eagles, Guns ‘N Roses, Jennifer Lopez, Elton John and Ed Sheeran to the region, and launched festivals such as RedFestDXB and Fiesta De Los Muertos.
The market-leading executive has gained more than 20 years of experience in the region, working at Dubai-based venues and promoters such as Coca-Cola Arena, 117 Live and Done Events before launching his own company TOP Entertainment.
The new partnership is the result of prior successful collaborations between TOP and ATL, as well as “a desire to fast-track long-term plans, increase synergies, and seize opportunities across the region”. All Things Live Middle East, based in Dubai, is already operating.
“When we decided to expand into the region, we were intent on partnering with Thomas”
“We have watched attentively as a vibrant music and entertainment scene has grown in the Middle East with great contributions from hard-working and entrepreneurial industry leaders such as Thomas Ovesen,” says Kim Worsoe, member of the executive board of All Things Live Group. “When we decided to expand into the region, we were intent on partnering with Thomas, and I am excited for the future with him leading what promises to be a regional powerhouse. Anyone who loves live entertainment – whether they are music fans or our industry colleagues – should be similarly excited.”
Ovesen adds: “All Things Live Middle East will help take regional live entertainment event promotions to the next level. ATL is an ambitious company with aggressive expansion plans, and together we will work to enhance not only the entertainment experiences available to fans across the Middle East but further evolve industry partnerships and relations when it comes to looking after performers and successfully promoting their shows.”
Since All Things Live was founded by Waterland Private Equity in 2018, it has expanded to seven European countries and 19 companies, with offices in Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki, Copenhagen, Brussels, Milan and Amsterdam.
The company’s portfolio ranges from musical productions to music festivals and standup events to stadium concerts, with The Rolling Stones, Eminem, Katy Perry and Rammstein among its clients.
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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.
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Thomas Ovesen reveals TOP Entertainment vision
Leading Middle East promoter Thomas Ovesen has spoken to IQ about his ambitions for his new Dubai-headquartered venture, TOP Entertainment.
TOP launched last week with a show by 50 Cent – the first post-pandemic sellout concert at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena – and was due to stage two sold-out nights with Justin Bieber in partnership with AEG and All Things Live at the venue this weekend, prior to the shows being cancelled due to the singer’s ongoing health issues.
Ovesen served as COO and VP of programming of the 17,000-cap Dubai arena project before returning to promoting independently in 2019, going on to join Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) as director of entertainment later that year.
“It was always a matter of when and not if I was going to continue my 20-plus years of regional show and entertainment promotions and production,” Ovesen tells IQ. “It wasn’t necessarily a given that I would be promoting under my own brand this time, but that’s how it ended up being. With several global industry operators supporting or wanting to partner on events the regional structure for my business is still developing, but will be one focused on maximising the regional opportunities for domestic and touring artists.”
“I will promote and produce shows regionally and look to be the go-to promoter for agents and artist managers”
Ovesen, who was previously CEO of Dubai-based promoter 117 Live after defecting from rival outfit Done Events in late 2015, describes his ethos at TOP as “go big or go home”.
“The region is big geographically and indeed very diverse when you consider the particular market conditions in each of the territories, but that is both a challenge and opportunity,” he says. “Considering I have promoted and produced shows across the Middle East since 1999, I should know a thing or two about how to work the region – and indeed who to work with when not doing the events as my own promotions.
“So with a base in Dubai and already established partnerships in Saudi, Kuwait, Egypt and the GCC countries, I will promote and produce shows regionally and look to be the go-to promoter for agents and artist managers wanting to look at playing one or more shows regionally.”
Upcoming TOP promotions include an already sold-out Disney Princess Concert season and two Jose Carreras shows in this autumn, and UAE stops in 2023 with Jackson Wang and Snoop Dogg, plus “many more pending events across the region Q1 and Q2, including co-promotions, programming and producer formatted partnerships”.
Ovesen stresses that each market in the Middle East is unique, but predicts the swell of live events in Saudi Arabia will have positive knock-on effects for the region as a whole.
“The market is likely to expand faster than the current market players can grow their business”
“With Saudi Arabia representing a massive event budget and show programming capability, the spillover will help all the other markets,” he says. “To best navigate the region from an artist point of view agents and managers need ground level intelligence and so experienced industry operators like myself that will also take on risk on own promotions should be well positioned for real growth.
“Eventually domestic artists and talents will pick up real market shares and many new event IPs will be launched, creating even more demand for and appreciation of programming and touring artist pipeline supply. The market is likely to expand faster than the current market players can grow their business, so international partnerships and new market entries by global operators should also be expected to continue.”
However, Ovesen raises concerns about market saturation coming out of Covid-19, accelerated by new promoters entering the game and the increased number of purpose-built venues.
“Many events will be put on that will cannibalise each other’s ticket sales and drive up artist fees,” he warns. “Not unlike any other established market, I am sure, but new challenges here, in addition to the new ability to leverage premium fees being offered out of Saudi. But it’s all a refection of a post pandemic opening of the markets and the inclusion of what must be one of the strongest global buyer’s market in form of Saudi Arabia.”
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ILMC speaker spotlight: John Langford, EAA/AEG
The International Live Music Conference (ILMC) is now just over a week away and, as more and more chairs and panellists are announced, IQ catches up with some key speakers to hear what they hope to get out of this year’s conference.
Following on from the previous Speaker Spotlight, IQ talks to John Langford, president of the European Arenas Association (EAA) and AEG Europe COO.
Langford is chairing the Venue’s Venue: New builds, new brands panel to discuss what further competition and consolidation we can expect to see in the fast-evolving venue market.
He will be joined by panellists Jolanda Jansen (Rotterdam Ahoy), Brian Kabatznick (Oak View Group), Tom Lynch (ASM Global), Thomas Ovesen (Diriyah Gate Development Authority) and Harry Samuel (LiveStyled).
IQ: What do you expect to be the main talking points at your panel?
JL: I expect there will be lots of talk of new buildings and new markets. New arenas are not cheap, and returns can be limited in competitive markets or marginal locations, so what’s driving expansion and development plans? And what’s the reality of a ‘new arena model’?
Outside of Europe there are some exciting developments and new opportunities. We will look at what’s hot in Asia, the Middle East and Africa and ask whether building venues in those markets will create more demand for touring.
New arenas are not cheap, and returns can be limited, so what’s driving expansion and development plans?
With competition and consolidation in the venue market at an all-time high, has that had an affect on your day-to-day jobs?
Yes, absolutely. I am sure that each of the panel members can talk more to their experiences over the last eighteen months. From mergers to new players in the market, there’s a lot to talk about.
Would it be fair to say the large venue sector is among the most interesting parts of the music business right now?
Personally I believe that the entire live industry is in huge transformation. Specifically on the venue side, what we’re seeing in the large venue sector is mild compared to the storms facing grassroots venues. Business rates, gentrification, Brexit, skills shortages – it’s a minefield out there!
Is there anything else you’re particularly looking forward to at ILMC?
A cold Fightback lager at the end of a long day. All proceeds go to the Music Venues Trust! Beer with a conscience.
The Venue’s Venue panel is taking place at 10 a.m. on Thursday 5 March at ILMC.
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The decade in live: 2015
The start of a new year and, perhaps more significantly, a new decade is fast approaching – and while many may be thinking ahead to New Year’s Eve plans and well-meaning 2020 resolutions, IQ is casting its mind back to the most pivotal industry moments of the last ten years.
Following on from a strong year in 2014, the live music industry in 2015 continued to go from strength to strength, with fans once again showing willingness to spend money on concert tickets.
After the success of their first all-stadia tour, British boyband One Direction embarked on another mammoth concert tour, which came in at number two on the year-end charts, despite the departure of band member Zayn Malik two months in. The tour was the beginning of the end for the band, which went on indefinite hiatus the following year.
2015 was a busy year in the live business, notably seeing the birth of Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff’s Oak View Group. It was also the year that the Robert Sillerman’s rebirthed SFX Entertainment began to run into some serious trouble…
2015 in numbers
The top 100 worldwide tours grossed more than US$4.7 billion in 2015, up 14% from the year before but falling short of 2013’s $5bn. Ticket sales were also up, increasing by 16% to 59.7m, again lower than the 2013 total of 63.3m. The average ticket price in 2015 was down $3.30 to $78.80.
Taylor Swift was the top touring artist of the year, grossing $250.4m with her The 1989 world tour. The singer generated nearly $200m in North America alone, smashing the previous record of $162m set by the Rolling Stones in 2005.
One Direction also had a successful year with the On the Road Again tour, coming in behind Swift with year-end gross at $210.2m and selling 2.4m tickets, the most of any artist that year. AC/DC made $180m in ticket sales on their biggest tour to date, with U2’s Innocence + Experience grossing $152.2m and Foo Fighters’ Sonic Highway tour totalling $127m.
2015 in brief
January
Live Nation takes control of Austin City Limits and Lollapalooza promoter C3 Presents, paying a reported $125m for a 51% stake.
Austrian concert organiser Arcadia agrees a new partnership with four German companies – Four Artists, Chimperator Live, KKT and FKP Scorpio – to found Arcadia Live, a new
concert agency.
Live Nation agrees a joint venture with Thailand-based entertainment firm BEC-Tero. The new company, Live Nation BEC-Tero, will promote concerts by Western, J-Pop and K-Pop artists in the region, a pursuit in which BEC-Tero’s concerts division is already a market leader locally.
February
The Agency Group acquires UK-based electronic music agency Futureboogie, whose roster includes the likes of Bonobo, Crazy P and Nightmares on Wax.
The state of Washington passes a bill to outlaw ticket bots in an attempt to clamp down on the computer software that often prevents humans from buying seats online for concerts and sporting events. The move brings the number of states that have banned bots to 13.
March
A group of artists including Chris Martin, Calvin Harris, Madonna, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Jay Z, Kanye West, Daft Punk, Alicia Keys, Jack White and Nicki Minaj launch a new streaming service called Tidal, which is described as the first artist-owned platform for music and video.
The O2 arena in London announces that it has sold its 15 millionth ticket. The building, which opened in June 2007, has consistently been the most popular live music venue in the world, with research conducted by Media Insight Consulting claiming that 30% of the UK population has attended The O2 complex at least once.
One Direction perform on the On the Road Again tour without Malik (© vagueonthehow/Flickr (CC BY 2.0))
April
ILMC launches the International Festival Forum, which aims to help strengthen the relationship between event organisers and agents. The London-based event is set to feature partner agencies such as Coda, The Agency Group, Primary Talent and X-ray Touring who will showcase festival-ready acts to promoters from around the world.
Australian media company Nine Entertainment sells its live events companies Nine Live and Ticketek to Asian private equity firm Affinity Equity Partners for AUD$640m ($480m).
May
Sydney-based Soapbox Artists, which grew out of the Australian wing of Ministry of Sound, announces its merger with the Melbourne-based 360 Agency. The combined EDM agencies will be a significant player in the dance market, representing a large roster of DJ and producer talent.
Live Nation acquires a controlling stake in American festival Bonnaroo. Under the terms of the deal, current promoters Superfly and AC Entertainment will continue to programme and run the event.
June
AEG agrees an extended deal with America’s International Speedway Corporation (ISC), allowing the company’s AEG Live division to look at organising concerts at racetracks around the country. ISC owns 13 raceways, including such iconic arenas as Daytona and Watkins Glen.
The Foo Fighters cancel a number of shows after frontman Dave Grohl breaks his leg during a concert in Sweden. Despite a nasty fracture, however, Grohl makes headlines around the world by returning to complete the Gothenburg show, receiving medical attention on stage.
The main stage at Bonnaroo (© Shawn Mariani/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.5))
July
German promoter Deutsche Entertainment AG and its UK offshoots Kilimanjaro Live and Raymond Gubbay Ltd, have set-up a company to sell tickets for their British shows. MyTicket.co.uk will expand the MyTicket concept that has already been running in Germany for six months.
The Windish Agency and Paradigm Talent Agency agree a partnership deal to form one of the world’s biggest independent agency operations, bringing The Windish Agency together with Paradigm partner agencies AM Only and Coda Music Agency, as well as Paradigm itself.
August
Live Nation Entertainment forms Live Nation Concerts Germany with German concert promoter Marek Lieberberg to promote concerts and festivals in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
William Morris agent Sol Parker jumps ship to Coda Agency, taking Take That, The Prodigy and Rita Ora with him.
United Talent Agency completes its acquisition of The Agency Group.
Live Nation acquires venue and festival operator MAMA & Company, returning a number of former Live Nation assets to its portfolio.
Marek Lieberberg (© Sven Mandel/Wikimedia Deutschland (CC BY-SA 4.0))
September
Australian promoter Andrew McManus is arrested at Melbourne Airport on charges of money laundering and the importation of 300 kilograms of cocaine. McManus is one of five people arrested in Australia and the United States as part of an FBI investigation.
Disgruntled investors hit SFX with a lawsuit claiming they were deceived with false and misleading statements over the company’s privatisation plans.
Ebay-owned secondary ticketing platform StubHub launches in Germany.
October
Pandora completes a $450m takeover of specialist ticketing agency Ticketfly.
Several preliminary bids are reportedly submitted for EDM promoter SFX in addition to that from CEO Robert Sillerman, who bid to buy back the company for $3.25 per share.
November
SFX promotes former IQ new boss Sebastian Solano to CEO of ID&T North America.
Ex-AEG chief Tim Leiweke forms live entertainment investment firm Oak View Group with Irving Azoff.
December
Ex-Done Events chief Thomas Ovesen is named CEO of new Dubai-based live music company 117 Live.
Live Nation UK vice-president Steve Homer and senior vice-president Toby Leighton-Pope leave the company.
B.B. King, 1925-2015 (cropped) (© Tom.Beetz/Flickr (CC BY 2.0))
Who we lost
Mike Porcaro, bassist for Toto; blues legend B.B. King; John Gammon, Pollstar’s UK/Europe correspondent; veteran promoter and ILMC member, Paul King; Stage Entertainment’s project manager Sjoerd Unger; Live Nation venue chief David Vickers; U2 tour manager Dennis Sheehan.
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Thomas Ovesen joins Saudi Arabia’s DGDA
Experienced promoter Thomas Ovesen, most recently of AEG Ogden/Dubai Arena, has joined Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) as director of entertainment.
Ovesen (pictured) exited Dubai Arena (now Coca-Cola Arena) in January to return to promoting independently. Prior to joining the Dubai Arena project, he was CEO of Dubai-based promoter 117 Live, after jumping ship from rival outfit Done Events in late 2015.
DGDA, an initiative of the increasingly culturally minded Saudi government, aims to redevelop the ruins at Diriyah – the original home of the house of Saud and starting point of the Saudi state, on the outskirts of the current capital, Riyadh – into an “internationally renowned gathering place with world-class experiences and family friendly entertainment”.
It launched in 2017 and hired its first CEO, hospitality industry veteran Jerry Inzerillo, last July.
Ovesen’s responsibilities at DGDA will involve “conceptualising, organising and executing entertainment activities in line with DGDA’s strategic vision”, according to the authority, “leveraging his international expertise to promote local and international talent.”
“I truly believe he is the best person to lead DGDA’s entertainment programming”
Alongside Inzerillo and the rest of the DGDA team, it is hoped Ovesen’s efforts will transform Diriyah into “the Middle East’s newest and most exciting entertainment destination”.
“Thomas brings a wealth of experience to Saudi Arabia from his decades in the entertainment sector working with some of the biggest names in global entertainment,” comments Inzerillo.
“We worked together on the launch of the Atlantis Hotel Palm Dubai, and I truly believe he is the best person to lead DGDA’s entertainment programming, as he brings to life incredible events that will show visitors from all over the world what Diriyah has to offer.”
After decades of concerts being banned as haram, or sinful, in the conservative Islamic kingdom, Saudi Arabia in 2017 launched Vision 2030, an ambitious initiative, spearheaded by Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, to develop a domestic media and entertainment industry.
In September 2017, the General Authority for Entertainment (GEA) – the body tasked with driving growth in the entertainment sector – announced a US$2.7 billion fund with which it hopes to attract international partners, and said in February 2018 that Saudi Arabia would host 5,000 shows in 2017, including “some of the biggest names in global music”.
“This is a great time to come to the kingdom as it drives new entertainment programming into the capital”
The GEA’s plans were thrown into disarray in October, with World Wrestling Entertainment and several other Western entertainment companies moving to sever their ties with Saudi Arabia following the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
However, relations between the kingdom and the West appear to have since largely stabilised, with incoming US ambassador praising the initiative as “breathtaking” and suggesting Iran “needs a Vision 2030”.
Commenting on his move to Saudi Arabia, Ovesen comments: “This is a great time to come to the kingdom as it drives new entertainment programming into the capital. Entertainment is a key component of the experiences that keep a destination exciting, and in Diriyah we will be developing an offering of activities suitable for the whole family, from ticketed live shows to public outdoor experiences.
“I look forward to being part of Diriyah’s emergence as a global gathering place recognised for pioneering lifestyle, culture and live entertainment.”
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