GM appointed for AEG’s The Halls Wolverhampton
AEG Presents has appointed Crissie Rushton as general manager of The Halls Wolverhampton.
Formerly the Wolverhampton Civic Halls, the West Midlands venue – which comprises the 3,404-cap The Civic at The Halls Wolverhampton and 1,289-cap The Wulfrun at The Halls Wolverhampton, will reopen its doors in June following a multi-million-pound regeneration project in partnership with the City of Wolverhampton Council.
Rushton has worked with the venue for more than two decades in various capacities during her tenure with the council, spanning senior roles including head of visitor experience, visitor economy manager and duty events manager.
“We are delighted to welcome Crissie to the AEG Presents team,” says Stuart Dorn, group venue operations director, AEG Presents. “Crissie knows this iconic venue inside and out and, as we gear up to open the doors to the public in June, I am thrilled that The Halls Wolverhampton will continue to benefit from her strong leadership and long-standing passion for this very special venue.”
“I am excited to play a role in this next chapter as we re-establish The Halls as the home of live entertainment in the West Midlands”
In her new role, Rushton will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the venue’s operations and identifying potential new partners and content.
“I have loved being a part of this extraordinary venue for more than 23 years and am delighted to be continuing my journey with The Halls Wolverhampton as part of the team at AEG Presents,” she says. “As the venue prepares to reopen its doors in June, I am excited to play a role in this next chapter as we re-establish The Halls as the home of live entertainment in the West Midlands for generations to come.”
McFly, Penn and Teller, Leftfield, Siouxsie and Sparks will all perform in the venue’s opening month.
Last week, it was revealed that AEG is to manage the 2,000-cap Watford Colosseum when it reopens in 2024. AEG’s UK venue network also includes the Eventim Apollo London, Indigo at The O2 in London and the new live music venue at Olympia London, set to open in 2024.
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Road to the Main Stage talent showcase to return
Deezer and Firestone have announced the return of their Road to the Main Stage multi-country music talent showcase.
For the 2023 edition, tyre brand Firestone, its agency WAVE and streaming platform Deezer are searching for emerging acts in France, Germany and the UK.
The winning artists will receive opportunities including a gig on the Firestone stage at France’s Rock en Seine and Southside Festival in Germany in 2023. They will also get to record a studio recording session of their next EP at Deezer’s Paris HQ.
“We’re excited to continue our successful collaboration with Firestone and once again provide a stage for emerging artists through Road to the Main Stage,” says Mazen Abdallah, VP brand partnerships and ad sales at Deezer. “Deezer has a long tradition of supporting the growth of new artists and connecting them with a bigger fanbase. Firestone shares this ambition, and after the success of last year’s collaboration, it was clear we had to do it again.”
Road to the Main Stage’s 2022 victors were Renard Tortue (France), Jante (Germany) and Dweamz (UK)
Young artists are called upon to apply directly on the platform up to 22 March by submitting their best project (track or EP) as well as a description of their “musical universe” and a few photos. To participate, artists must not have signed a contract with a record company nor have released a full album.
Several artists will be pre-selected by Firestone and the Deezer teams to continue the competition, with the shortlisted projects then voted on by Deezer users. The winner will be announced on 15 June.
Launched last year, Road to the Main Stage’s 2022 victors were Renard Tortue (France), Jante (Germany) and Dweamz (UK).
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Ticketek hires Danny Hannaford as UK GM
TEG-owned ticketing firm Ticketek has announced the appointment of Danny Hannaford as its UK general manager.
Hannaford, who brings more than 13 years’ experience in ticketing operations, and was most recently in charge of ticketing strategy & digital delivery for London’s The O2.
He previously led ticketing for Hammersmith’s Eventim Apollo and multiple special event projects at AEG Presents, as well as heading up Global Live.
Hannaford also launched and headed up Twickets Australia and was the lead on global ticketing operations at Dice.
“In addition to Danny’s extensive ticketing knowledge he has a demonstrated track record of digital transformation and innovation”
“Danny is an experienced and accomplished ticketing executive who will lead our UK team with commitment, integrity and passion,” says Ticketek MD Cameron Hoy. “In addition to Danny’s extensive ticketing knowledge he has a demonstrated track record of digital transformation and innovation and I look forward to his contribution to our global ticketing leadership team.”
Ticketek became one of the five divisions that comprise TEG Europe, alongside TEG Live Europe, TEG Venues, Propaganda and Ovation, after Australasian live entertainment powerhouse TEG consolidated the company’s UK-based operations into a single entity.
“I am delighted to be joining Ticketek UK and have the opportunity to work with a business that thinks differently about ticketing,” adds Hannaford. “I am really looking forward to and joining a great team that is already delivering impressive growth in this market.”
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Ex-WWE marketing boss named UK culture secretary
Michelle Donelan has been named as the UK’s eighth culture secretary in five years as part of a cabinet reshuffle by new prime minister Liz Truss.
Donelan, who succeeds Nadine Dorries in the post, worked in the media and entertainment business prior to becoming an MP in 2015, serving stints with Pacific Magazines, The History Channel and WWE (World Wresting Entertainment), where was employed as an international marketing communications manager.
She was appointed education minister in 2021 and was briefly education secretary this past July, stepping down after 48 hours amid mass resignations by more than 50 government members in protest at then PM Boris Johnson’s leadership.
Live music trade bodies have welcomed Donelan to her new role while stressing the urgent challenges facing the sector.
“Congratulations to Michelle Donelan MP on her appointment as secretary of state at DCMS,” says outgoing Association of Independent Festivals CEO Paul Reed. “It remains a uniquely challenging time for festivals as we look to the 2023 season. Although now fully operational, we are still in a recovery phase, facing an ongoing perfect storm of rising costs, supply chain issues, record low consumer confidence and audiences making extremely difficult choices due to the cost of the living crisis.
“We look forward to working closely with the minister and ensuring appropriate interventions and support for our culture defining festival sector, which generates £1.76bn GVA for the UK economy annually and supports 85,000 jobs.”
“We need urgent government action on the energy crisis which threatens to permanently close hundreds of grassroots music venues”
The UK’s Music Venue Trust (MVT), meanwhile, has used the opportunity to reiterate the need for intervention to combat the surge in energy bills that threatens the future of around 30% of the entire network of venues.
“We need urgent government action on the energy crisis which threatens to permanently close hundreds of grassroots music venues,” says venue support manager Clare Cullen in a social media post. “In the short term this will require financial interventions to tackle extraordinary price rises. In the longer term, we need [Donelan’s] department to investigate the energy market for music venues (and the rest of the hospitality sector) and to work with us to find a way to to make energy supply reliable, sustainable, and affordable.”
With MVT chief Mark Davyd previously revealing that Dorries was the first culture secretary to decline a meeting with the organisation since it was founded in 2014, the organisation is keen to establish a relationship with her successor.
“The UK’s grassroots music venues face multiple challenges to their resilience, sustainability and economic viability,” says Cullen in an open letter to Donelan. “These challenges are solvable. Music Venue Trust would like to invite you to attend a Parliamentary event on 14 September in which we will be describing just one of these solutions – our plan to change the ownership model so that the music community itself has a say in the future if grassroots music venue. We need to #ownourvenues
“We want a working relationship with you and your department that delivers positive change for UK artists and venues. To that end we have today formally requested a meeting with you at your earliest opportunity. Music Venue Trust has met with eight of the nine previous secretaries of state for DCMS that have held this post since our creation in 2014. We look forward to meeting with you so we can begin the work of creating a truly world beating grassroots live music sector.”
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Concerts cancelled after UK promoter goes bust
A host of UK open-air concerts by artists such as McFly and UB40 featuring Ali Campbell have been cancelled after the promoter behind them went bust.
In a statement, Coventry-based M&B Promotions and its ticketing platform Simply Ticketing announced it was “with a heavy heart and deep regret” that it was pulling all of its scheduled shows and had ceased trading.
Blaming the impact of the pandemic for its collapse, the company said it had “successfully delivered hundreds of events all over the country” since launching in 2019. Its last programme was held in December 2021.
“The pandemic mean it’s no longer viable for us to continue trading”
“We were amongst many high-profile event organisers forced to reschedule many events due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” it says. “With vast amounts of finance already tied up with artist deposits, suppliers, venues and marketing this has put a huge financial strain on the company.
“Despite the best efforts of everyone involved, this combined with the extreme logistical and financial setbacks caused by the pandemic mean it’s no longer viable for us to continue trading. We have contacted all customers, artists, venues and suppliers to notify them of this terrible situation we have found ourselves in.”
Originally planned for last year, M&B-promoted shows set for 2022 included McFly at Lincolnshire Showground in Lincoln and Craig David at Wicksteed Park, Kettering.
According to Companies House, M&B Promotions and Simple Ticketing Ltd were both incorporated in March 2019, with Melissa Austin their sole director. Austin resigned from both as director on 14 May 2021, when she was replaced by Coventry-based administrator Pamela Murray.
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Adele claims BRIT Awards hat-trick
It was a good night for WME clients at the BRIT Awards, with triumphs for Dua Lipa, Olivia Rodrigo, Bruno Mars and Dave, and a hat-trick of honours for Adele.
Adele, who is repped by Lucy Dickins and Kirk Sommer on the touring circuit, took Song of the Year and Album of the Year for Easy On Me and 30, respectively, and was also crowned the inaugural Artist of the Year at last night’s (8 February) ceremony at The O2 in London. The gender-neutral award was introduced following the decision to scrap the male and female categories.
“I understand why the name of this award has changed but I really love being a woman and being a female artist,” said the singer. “I’m really proud of us.”
Elsewhere, Dua Lipa picked up the prize for Best Pop/R&B – one of four new genre awards – Dave took the Hip-Hop/Grime/Rap gong and Olivia Rodrigo’s Good 4 U was named International Song of the Year, while Mars claimed Best International Group with Anderson .Paak for their superduo, Silk Sonic.
US star Doja Cat withdrew from the event due to Covid cases within her crew
Paak is represented by ICM Partners/Primary Talent International outside North America. ICM/Primary acts also won out in the Best New Artist (Little Simz) and Group (Wolf Alice) categories.
Other victors included Ed Sheeran (Songwriter of the Year), who is represented by One Fiinix Live, Paradigm’s Billie Eilish (International Artist) and CAA’s Sam Fender (Alternative/Rock) and Becky Hill (Dance).
With US star Doja Cat withdrawing from the event a week before it took place due to Covid cases within her crew, the line-up for the UK music industry’s biggest night was comprised entirely of domestic acts. Kicking off with a surprise collaboration between Ed Sheeran and Bring Me The Horizon, performers also included Adele, Anne-Marie/KSI/Digital Farm Animals, Dave, Rising Star winner Holly Humberstone, Liam Gallagher, Little Simz and Sam Fender.
The full list of winners was as follows:
Song of the Year – Adele, Easy On Me
International Song of the Year – Olivia Rodrigo, Good 4 U
Pop/R&B Act – Dua Lipa
Alternative/Rock Act – Sam Fender
Dance Act – Becky Hill
Group – Wolf Alice
International Artist of the Year – Billie Eilish
Best New Artist – Little Simz
Hip Hop/Grime/Rap Act – Dave
International Group – Silk Sonic
Artist of the Year – Adele
Songwriter of the Year – Ed Sheeran
Mastercard Album of the Year – Adele, 30
Rising Star – Holly Humberstone
Producer of the Year – Inflo
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