One Fiinix Live hires booking agent Rob McGee
Jon Ollier’s One Fiinix Live has appointed booking agent Rob McGee.
McGee brings with him acts including Food House, freekind., Honeyblood, ĠENN, Ladyhawke, Shelf Lives, Sløtface, THUMPER and more.
He joins One Fiinix from FMLY Agency – a global talent agency, festival programme consultancy and artist management company based in Brighton – where he spent almost three years as an agent.
Prior to that, he spent just over two years as a booking agent at Bristol-based global talent agency, The Empire Agency.
“Rob joining One Fiinix Live is a coup, he oozes passion and drive”
“Rob joining One Fiinix Live is a coup, he oozes passion and drive and added to his commitment and energy, he deserves to go all the way,” Ollier tells IQ. “Exactly the kind of person we are keen to come on this journey with us. It goes without saying we are very excited to welcome him to the company.”
The One Fiinix team is completed by agents Sean Goulding, Jess Kinn and Emma Davis, as well as Sean Denny, Phil Wimble, Gaby Domanski and Joe Shacklady.
“Joining Jon, Emma, Jess, Sean and the team at One Fiinix is a dream come true,” says McGee. “I’m honoured to be joining a family of passionate and dedicated people who are committed to helping artists achieve their dreams. I have never been more excited to be working in the live industry and look forward to starting on my new path here, with the legends of One Fiinix Live.”
One Fiinix Live was launched by Ollier in November 2020, following his departure from CAA.
The UK-based global booking agency represents acts including Ed Sheeran, Years & Years, 2Cellos, Calum Scott and Tessa Violet.
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Primary Talent welcomes agent Dotun Bolaji
Primary Talent International has hired agent Dotun Bolaji, who will be based out of the company’s London offices.
Bolaji joins the agency from Runway Artists and brings a roster that includes Agajon (DJ), B-ahwe, Jay Prince, Jords, Karl Benjamin, and Planet Giza.
He has been part of the Watford-based live music showcase Superlative and has a background in club promoting, staging nights with the likes of Giggs, DJ EZ, Section Boyz and AJ Tracey.
The young agent was on ILMC’s Futures Forum 2022 committee, which champions the next generation of live music industry leaders.
“I’m pleased and excited to have Dotun join our team here at Primary as we continue to expand our roster of agents and clients,” says Matt Bates, managing Partner and CEO of Primary Talent International.
“As fans embrace diverse sounds, I’m dedicated to amplifying [music of Black origin]”
“He has extensive knowledge of what’s going on in the UK market and shares our enthusiasm for the future of the live experience.”
Bolaji adds: “I’m thrilled to join the team at Primary Talent, with note to their stellar reputation. In this digital age, music of Black origin and Black artists who make music beyond conventional expectations are reaching unprecedented heights.
“As fans embrace diverse sounds, I’m dedicated to amplifying these voices, bringing new and creative experiences to broader audiences. The future of live music is bright.”
Primary Talent International is a leading independent international live music booking agency, boasting a roaster of nearly 460 clients.
Clients include The 1975, The Cure, Noel Gallagher, Jack Harlow, alt-J, Dropkick Murphys, Patti Smith, Imanbek, Mitski, Rina Sawayama, The Streets, Two Door Cinema Club, Wolf Alice, and Ziggy Marley.
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Sheffield Leadmill landlord granted shadow licence
The landlords of The Leadmill have been granted a shadow premises licence, amid a furore about the future of the Sheffield (UK) music venue.
The venue was bought in 2017 by Electric Group – the owner of London’s Electric Brixton, Bristol’s SWX and Newcastle’s NX – which in 2022 served an eviction notice on the current management, The Leadmill Ltd.
The Leadmill Ltd has claimed the venue would “no longer exist” if it is forced out and is behind the long-running public Save the Leadmill campaign.
Electric Group’s Dominic Madden, however, previously told IQ that the company “intends to continue operating the space as a music venue”.
The dispute culminated in a licensing sub-committee hearing this week, with Sheffield City Council today approving the Group’s application for a shadow premises licence, saying they had demonstrated they could “uphold all four of the licensing objectives”.
“We hope we can put the hostilities of the Save the Leadmill campaign behind us”
“The granting of this licence does not affect the current premises licence held by the venue,” A council spokesperson said. “It allows the second party to run the venue under this ‘shadow licence’ if the current premises licence were to be revoked or surrendered.”
Speaking to IQ today, Madden said: “This is a significant milestone – and we would like to extend our gratitude to Sheffield City Council and the Licencing Committee for focusing on facts, not smears and our outstanding track record of compliance.
“We hope that this decision can mark the beginning of a new chapter, where we can put the hostilities of the Save the Leadmill campaign behind us. Our repeated intention has always been clear – to secure The Leadmill as a thriving music venue for music artists and community projects.”
Around 100 protesters gathered outside the council officers as the hearing began this week, though it subsequently transpired that some of them were paid £40 by the venue to attend.
The Leadmill Ltd, meanwhile, said “the future of The Leadmill and its staff is far from over,” adding it was “considering our next steps over the coming few days”.
An appeal against the decision can be made to a magistrates’ court within 21 days, the local authority said.
Since opening its doors in 1980, the Sheffield venue and club has hosted the likes of Pulp, Coldplay, The Stone Roses and Oasis, as well as early shows from Arctic Monkeys, Kings Of Leon and The Killers.
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Ticketmaster UK hails ‘record-breaking summer’
Ticketmaster has hailed a record-breaking summer season, having scanned four million fans into events across the UK and Ireland.
According to the Live Nation-owned ticketing platform, 80% of tickets were scanned using its SafeTix technology, which was rolled out to festivals this year.
The technology links a fan’s digital ticket to their Ticketmaster account through an encrypted barcode that automatically refreshes every few seconds, preventing resellers from exploiting screenshots or photocopies of tickets to sell them multiple times.
The anti-counterfeit ticketing technology was launched at festivals including Isle of Wight, Parklife, BBC Radio 1’s Biggest Weekend and TRNSMT.
“Just when we think it can’t get bigger, another record-breaking summer rolls in”
This summer also saw the launch of last-minute resale – giving fans the option to resell their tickets at the price they paid right up until the gates open.
“By giving fans the ability to sell their tickets right up until gates open, we’ve ensured that fields have been full this summer,” says Andrew Parsons, Ticketmaster UK MD. “Not only is this such a vital component for outdoor shows, but the uptake in these last-minute sales is testament to just how important flexibility and secure resale is to fans.”
Ticketmaster also revealed that their teams worked more than 25,000 hours in box offices this summer at over 600 events.
“Just when we think it can’t get bigger, another record-breaking summer rolls in,” adds Parsons. “The amount of hard work from our teams in box offices up and down the country has been remarkable. But the highlight for me is always the fans – seeing the joy on their faces as we scan them through the gates never gets old.”
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LIVE appoints radio DJ Steve Lamacq as chair
UK trade body LIVE has appointed radio DJ and live music advocate Steve Lamacq as its new chair.
Lamacq has been a mainstay of BBC Radio programming for over 25 years as co-presenter of The Evening Session on Radio 1 before moving to host 6 Music.
Having stepped back from presenting his drive-time show full-time after 18 years, Lamacq has “decided to steer his career in a new direction in an effort to promote, support and define the live music industry for generations to come”.
Also joining LIVE, as co-opted directors, are Charisse Beaumont of Black Lives in Music, Christine Osazuwa of Shoobs and Lucy Noble of AEG Presents.
The appointments come as LIVE welcomes its 16th member, the Musicians’ Union (The MU). Kelly Wood, National Organiser for Live Performance, will also join LIVE’s board on behalf of the MU’s community of over 33,000 musicians.
“The UK’s live music industry is world-class but faces obstacles in realising its true potential,” says Jon Collins, CEO of LIVE. “With a sector value of over £5.2 billion, the industry is one of our greatest, and most prized cultural exports.
“It is a terrific opportunity to be a part of the future of live music in this country”
“We are proud to support the entirety of the live music ecosystem and represent their interests and the appointment of music legend Steve Lamacq, The MU’s Kelly Wood, Charisse Beaumont, Christine Osazuwa and Lucy Noble to LIVE’s board will enable us to further extend the work we’re doing. Steve will bring to LIVE unrivalled recognition of the power of the UK’s live music industry along with the challenges it faces. We are honoured to have such notable industry figures sitting on our board who will be key to enabling our enviable live music industry to thrive.”
Lamacq, adds: “I am absolutely thrilled to have been offered the chance to work with an organisation which is right at the centre of live music in the UK. As someone whose life has been indelibly shaped by the gigs that I’ve seen, it is a terrific opportunity to be a part of the future of live music in this country, and to be given the responsibility for helping promote, support and define it for generations to come.
“It has been a very difficult time for everyone involved in live music in recent years, with Brexit, the pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis, rising energy bills for venues and many other challenges, which have affected everyone at all levels of the live music ecosystem. With that in mind there are many things we need to address whilst also looking forward to forging a more sustainable and inclusive industry.
“LIVE has already achieved a great deal through a number of important campaigns and I am excited about what we can achieve in the future. It will be a privilege to represent those across the entire spectrum of our sector.”
Kelly Wood, National Organiser for Live Performance at The MU, said, “This is a positive move for the sector and we are excited to join the LIVE board. Joining such a forward-thinking and dynamic organisation, whose priorities are closely aligned with our own will be critical to the industry. I hope that The MU’s presence on the LIVE board brings a new perspective and together with LIVE’s other member organisations, we will reinforce lobbying efforts and hold the Government to account to ensure the dynamism and potential of the sector is unleashed. This will better equip us to support our members working at all levels of the live sector, in terms of their local, national and international tours.”
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Paul Dainty receives AO honour from Australian gov
Live music veteran Paul Dainty has been appointed Officer of the Order of Australia (AO), one of the country’s highest honours which recognises an individual for making a significant impact in society.
The TEG Dainty boss was saluted during a ceremony last Wednesday (13 September) at Melbourne’s Government House for his “distinguished service to the community” — specifically, his efforts in organising the 2020 Fire Fight all-star concert in Sydney, which raised more than A$10 million for bushfire relief efforts.
The UK-born exec established the Dainty Group/Dainty Corporation in Melbourne in the early 1970s and has since sold 50 million tickets. Bee Gees, Diana Ross, Cat Stevens, the Jackson Five and the Rolling Stones were among the company’s first clients.
The UK-born exec established the Dainty Group in Melbourne in the early 1970s and has since sold 50 million tickets
It was Dainty who produced ABBA’s legendary 1977 tour of Australia. Subsequently, ABBA’s Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus entrusted Dainty to tour Mamma Mia! 25 years later. Dainty also has the option to produce the hugely popular ABBA: Voyage in Australia.
“We’re looking at it closely,” he told Billboard. “It’s probably one of the most exciting entertainment events I’ve ever seen.”
Dainty has also produced tours for the likes of Paul McCartney, U2, Guns N’ Roses, Eminem, David Bowie, George Michael, Prince and Britney Spears, and in recent years has expanded the business into international markets, including tours for Eminem and Lionel Richie in South Africa and South East Asia, and pan-Asian dates for Michael Buble. Forthcoming tours include Ms. Lauryn Hill, Il Divo, and Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets.
Since 2016, TEG Dainty has been a part of the TEG Group of Companies. The following year, Dainty was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM).
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AIF launches APPG for independent festivals
The UK’s Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) has set up an All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for independent festivals.
The APPG says it will look at the unique value independent festivals bring, as well as the pressures that they face. It will include conversations with the suppliers who work with the festival sector, plus the landowners who support festivals across the UK.
During its first year, the APPG will reflect on the challenges faced by the sector in 2023, and look into prevalent topics including environmental impacts and solutions, women’s safety, crime and drug use, and touring visas for musicians.
“It’s been a very busy summer this year and I’ve met with a number of MPs as I’ve visited festivals across the UK,” says John Rostron, CEO, AIF.
“Whether they are attending and supporting festivals in their constituency, speaking at events, or enjoying festivals for fun, we’ve had some great conversations about the importance and vibrancy of the independent festival sector, as well as the challenges that festivals are currently facing. The Festivals APPG will enable us to carry these conversations into Westminster and enable dialogue between MPs and festivals all year round.”
“The APPG will enable us to carry conversations into Westminster and enable dialogue between MPs and festivals”
The initial APPG members include chair Giles Watling MP (Conservative) and vice chairs Kevin Brennan MP (Labour), Alex Davies Jones MP (Labour), Pete Wishart MP (SNP), Rt Hon Damian Green MP (Conservative), Rt Hon Karen Bradley MP (Conservative), and Mark Fletcher MP (Conservative).
Watling adds: “I am delighted and honoured to be elected as chairman of the APPG for Festivals. Globally, Britain leads the way in celebrating humanity through festivals, as people come together to enjoy their passions. This APPG will be open to any and all forms of festival, from rock and pop to classical to literary. There are wellness festivals, food festivals, and so many more – it will be a privilege to represent all of them and highlight their importance to Britain’s cultural offer.”
Secretariat services will be provided by political consultancy Pepper Shackleton Wellard (PSW), which will organise the APPG events, and co-ordinate with supporters and officers.
AIF is also in conversation with the British Arts Festivals Association (BAFA), the leading network and development agency for UK arts festivals and AFO (Association of Festival Organisers) to support the APPG.
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Middle East ticketer Platinumlist eyes expansion
Platinumlist, a leading ticketing and event solutions company in the Middle East, is planning to open offices in the UK and Europe at the beginning of 2024.
The Dubai-headquartered firm currently deals in concerts and attractions in 18 cities across Egypt, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE.
“By the end of the year will be fully operating in all the GCC regions,” Platinumlist MD Vassiliy Anatoli told IQ. “With regards to worldwide expansion, we have also opened in Turkey and plan to open offices in the UK and Europe in Q1 of 2024.”
The company launched in Turkey in June this year, with two concerts at the Haliç Congress Center in Istanbul by Iraqi singer Majid Al Mohandis and Syrian singer Assala Nasri.
“We have been particularly successful in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain which provided the majority of the growth”
“We discovered there are plenty of synergies in this region to our audience and our network of event organisers” continued Anatoli. “We aim to add to this thriving market by enabling more organisers to hold events in Turkey from our existing territories and visa versa. Moreover, we want to enable our audiences to discover Turkey as a holiday destination. We can confidently say that we are able to offer competitive event and attraction technology in B2B and B2C sectors in Turkey.”
Speaking about the company’s success in the Middle East, Anatoli said: “We have been particularly successful in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain which provided the majority of the growth. In Saudi Arabia, we are working on major projects with the Saudi Gaming Federation as well as the Ministry of Culture mega project and MDL Beast. In Bahrain, we are working with Formula1 Bahrain Grand Prix and Sun Waves Festival as well as concerts by major international acts such as Maroon 5, 50Cent, Westlife, and more in Al Dana Amphitheatre.”
Platinumlist launched its own iOS and Android app after the pandemic, which has now been downloaded a million times, and brings the company’s monthly online visitors to more than two million. “It has become the platform of choice,” adds Anatoli.
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Brixton Academy: Met wants new operator to run venue
In a stance at odds with both the local council and senior industry figures, London’s Metropolitan Police says it does not want O2 Academy Brixton to continue operating the O2 Academy Brixton, despite a consensus that the venue should reopen.
The 5,000-capacity Academy Music Group (AMG) venue had its premises licence suspended after the events of 15 December 2022, when two people died in a crush at a show by singer/songwriter Asake.
During a two-day licensing hearing this week, AMG told the committee it had developed new safety measures in an effort to have the venue’s licence restored, including stronger doors, a better queuing system and more secure ticketing.
However, the Met said it has lost confidence in the Live Nation-owned operator, which has run the Academy for 20 years and also operates 18 music venues across the UK.
“The police have brought a review of the licence because they think that the Academy Music Group shouldn’t be the licensee”
Gerald Gouriet KC, representing the Met, said: “The police do not wish to close the Academy. The police have brought a review of the licence because they think that the Academy Music Group shouldn’t be the licensee. I am not permitted to go further into the reasons of why the police say so, but I do wish that no one carries the idea from this room that the police are trying to shut down the Academy. They simply aren’t.”
Lambeth council, on the other hand, said that is was open “in principle” to the company resuming operations at the venue. The council’s barrister, Horatio Waller QC, said the new measures have been “independently audited” by consultants and commended as “comprehensive and robust… the tragedy likely would not have occurred if that system was in place.”
Industry figures appearing in support of the venue and its operators went further. Mark Davyd, CEO of the Music Venue Trust, said that having reviewed the Academy’s proposals, it would be unlikely that any potential future operator would put forward a safer plan for re-opening.
“It is our view that the operation plan before you today for consideration, is an exemplar of best practice,” he said. “It has been specifically developed and tailored to take account of the layout of the building, the nature of the surrounding area, and significantly enhanced measures for event management, which address possible future usage.
“AMG is a professional, competent and compliant operator delivering several hundred shows safely every year”
Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association, called the Academy Music Group as “a professional, competent and compliant operator delivering several hundred shows safely every year.
“They are a trusted and safe partner for some of the biggest agents, promoters and show organisers across the world, and have an excellent reputation within the industry,” he said. “As an operator within Brixton, they have played a huge part in shaping communities, providing an outlet for youth and grassroots culture, as well as an accessible, inclusive and safe space for people who live, work and seek entertainment and leisure within the area.”
NTIA had previously launched a campaign alongside Save Our Scene and Brixton BID to keep the O2 Academy in Brixton open.
Lambeth council’s representative, Waller, said that it is “simply not adequate to assume that crowds of a significant size could never develop again outside this venue [if] it’s to re-open. To deny that possibility, however remote, is to fail to plan properly. Things can always go wrong, as the night of 15 December reminds us.”
“It is our view that the operation plan before you today for consideration, is an exemplar of best practice”
Gabrielle Hutchinson, aged 23, and 33-year-old Rebecca Ikumelo lost their lives as a result of the 15 December incident. A third person, a 21-year-old woman, remains in hospital in a critical condition.
Representatives of the council’s licensing authority said on Tuesday they believed the venue would be able to reopen, subject to conditions.
The committee will begin its deliberations on whether to grant a new licence for the venue today (13 September) and a decision on the future of the venue will be made “within five working days”.
A statement from Academy Music Group is expected once the licensing decision has been announced.
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The New Bosses 2023: Daniel Turner, Earth Agency
The 16th edition of IQ Magazine’s New Bosses was published in IQ 121 this month, revealing 20 of the most promising 30-and-unders in the international live music business.
To get to know this year’s cohort a little better, IQ conducted interviews with each one of 2023’s New Bosses, discovering their greatest inspirations and pinpointing the reasons for their success.
Catch up on the previous interview with Chloé Abrahams-Duperry, artist & promoter relations manager at Ticketmaster, UK, here. The series continues with Daniel Turner, an agent at Earth Agency (UK).
After completing his mathematics undergrad, Daniel Turner jumped head-first into the music industry. After some experience on the ground at the newly opened Phonox in Brixton, London, he landed a role at Earth Agency as an accounts assistant. It swiftly became clear that his meticulous attention to detail and fluency with numbers could be combined with his desire to work more closely with artists in an agent’s assistant role.
Working with experienced agents Claire Courtney, Mike Deane, Naomi Palmer and Lucy Atkinson over a three-year period brought with it swathes of eclecticism, experience and an understanding of the many aspects of agenting. Now representing a wide-ranging roster of artists himself, including Amaliah, Coco Em, JADALAREIGN and Jordss, Turner champions the more underrepresented intersections of the industry, placing them in positions to thrive and disrupt.
You studied maths at university. Does that background help you at all in your day-to-day work as an agent?
Most definitely. Statistics and interpreting data are things I do every day as an agent so there’s definitely crossover.
Before you started in music, did you know about the roles of agents? If so, how did you find out? And if not, likewise, how did you discover that such jobs existed?
I didn’t know specifically what being a booking agent would entail before getting into the industry but I could hazard a guess. Once I left university, I sent out hundreds of CVs and cover letters to anyone in the industry who would accept them just to get a foot in the door – not thinking specifically about the job that I wanted. The concept of agenting wasn’t something I thought about until I joined Earth initially.
You’re obviously enjoying learning about the business a your career progresses. How would you encourage the next generation to choose the live music sector for their chosen career path?
If you’re passionate about music then there are so many roles within the industry where you can feel like you’re playing a part in something that you love. When I left education, I wasn’t 100% sure about the career that I wanted so I chose something that I had a real passion for in music and went all in on trying to make something work. It ended up being a great decision.
“I sent out hundreds of CVs and cover letters to anyone in the industry who would accept them just to get a foot in the door”
As a New Boss, what one thing would you change to make the live entertainment industry a better place?
We need to continue the progression of, and the conversations around, representation in the industry. Change is happening slowly but there are still not enough faces that look like mine or womxn of colour, represented generally or in positions of power. It’s deflating going to industry events and only seeing a handful of people that look like me. Every facet of life is enriched by diversity. The music industry is no different.
Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?
I just want to see the amazing artists that I work with progress and stay happy in their careers. As well as bringing in new and exciting artists who buy into what I want to do as an agent and the strategies I have for them. As long as my roster and I are progressing, year on year, I’ll be happy.
What ambitions do you have for your artists over the next 12 months – and who should we all be looking out for?
My ambition for my artists is to put them in the best possible positions to thrive and shine. Not wanting to single out names as everyone has exciting things coming…but Amaliah, Coco Em & Tom VR all have new music coming out in the next six months or so!
“I only work with artists that I would like to see live as a punter”
You represent artists that other agents might turn down. How do you go about creating strategies for them to expand their fanbases?
Well firstly, I only work with artists that I would like to see live as a punter. It definitely makes it an easier job working with people you actually enjoy their music! When I speak with prospective artists, strategy is key. I speak with them about the best places for them to be positioned to prosper, the network that I’ve created to get them there and link it with their own aspirations as an artist.
Do you have a mentor, or anyone you rely on to bounce ideas off?
I don’t have a specific mentor to shout out but there have been lots of colleagues at Earth throughout the years, some that have moved on and some that are still here now, that have helped me tremendously. There are people that I work closely with that I know would give up their time to help me with any issue and that’s a really valuable thing to have and one that I’m really grateful for.
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