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Russia charges four over concert hall massacre

Russia has charged four people with committing an act of terrorism over Friday’s massacre at Crocus City Hall.

At least 137 people were killed and more than 150 wounded in the assault on the concert hall in the town of Krasnogorsk, on the outskirts of Moscow.

Gunmen stormed the venue, prior to a gig by veteran Russian rock band Picnic, who had been due to perform two shows over the weekend with a symphony orchestra. Around 6,200 people are thought to have been in the hall at the time, and the venue’s roof also collapsed after the attackers set fires which engulfed the venue.

All entertainment and mass events were cancelled across Russia in the wake of the incident, and a day of mourning was observed for the victims. The BBC reports that rescuers are continuing to search the site for further victims, in an operation that will continue through to Tuesday afternoon.

The Islamic State (IS) group has claimed responsibility for the 22 March atrocity – the deadliest terror attack on Russia in two decades – and posted video evidence showing attackers firing on the crowd.

“Isis bears sole responsibility for this attack. There was no Ukrainian involvement whatsoever”

Russia’s state news agency TASS says the four suspects have been officially identified as citizens of Tajikistan and have been remanded in custody until at least 22 May. The men were arrested in the Bryansk region, 400km south-west of the Russian capital, around 14 hours after the attack. All appeared to have been beaten before yesterday’s (24 March) hearing at Basmanny District Court in Moscow.

On 7 March, the US Embassy in Russia issued a security alert saying it was monitoring reports that “extremists” had “imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts”.

Russian officials have alleged, without evidence, that Ukraine had “prepared a window” for the terrorists to cross the border from Russia into Ukraine. – a claim Kyiv has dismissed as “absurd”. The US also says that IS “bears sole responsibility”.

“There was no Ukrainian involvement whatsoever,” says US national security council spokesperson Adrienne Watson.

Meanwhile, France has raised its terror level to the highest level, with president Emmanuel Macron stating the group allegedly behind the Russia attack had also recently attempted multiple attacks in France.

 


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At least 137 dead in Russian concert hall attack

At least 137 people have been killed and more than 100 wounded in an attack on a concert hall on the outskirts of Moscow.

Up to five gunmen stormed Crocus City Hall in the town of Krasnogorsk on Friday night (22 March) prior to a gig by veteran Russian rock band Picnic, who had been due to perform with a symphony orchestra.

The BBC reports that a large fire engulfed the roof of the building and Russian special forces were deployed to the scene. Four suspects have been arrested.

“Unidentified people in camouflage broke into Crocus City Hall and started shooting before the start of the concert,” says Russian state media TASS.

Media reports indicate that around 6,200 tickets had been sold for the event, although it is not clear how many people were in the venue at the time of the attack.

All entertainment and mass events have been cancelled across Russia in the wake of the incident, which is being investigated as terrorism.

“The special services are carrying out active search measures following the emergency in the Crocus complex”

“All possible measures are being taken to provide assistance to those affected as a result of the terrorist attack in the Crocus City Hall,” says a statement from Russia’s Federal Security Service, the FSB. “The special services are carrying out active search measures following the emergency in the Crocus complex.”

Two weeks ago, the US Embassy in Russia issued a security alert saying it was monitoring reports that “extremists” had “imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts”. It advised US citizens “to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours” in the 7 March post.

In a statement, Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin says: “Today, a terrible tragedy occurred in the Crocus City centre. My condolences to the loved ones of the victims. I gave orders to provide all necessary assistance to everyone who suffered during the incident.”

Kyiv says Ukraine had nothing to do with the attack.

“Let’s be straight about this, Ukraine had absolutely nothing to do with these events,” says Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak. “We have a full-scale, all-out war with the Russian regular army and with the Russian Federation as a country. Regardless of everything, everything will be decided on the battlefield.”

 


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Dua Lipa announces European amphitheatre dates

Dua Lipa has announced a string of European amphitheatre dates in the run-up to her summer festival headline appearances.

The WME-repped singer will play open-air shows in Germany at Waldbühne, Berlin (5 June) and Arena Pula in Croatia (9 June), followed by two nights at Arena of Nîmes in France (12-13 June). Tickets go on general sale this Friday (22 March).

Lipa’s upcoming third album Radical Optimism will be released on 3 May.

Dua Lipa was confirmed last week as one of the headliners of the 2024 Glastonbury Festival

The 28-year-old, who performed at the recent Grammy and BRIT Awards, is touring for the first time since her 2022 Future Nostalgia run, which was ranked the year’s 18th highest-grossing tour, according to Billboard Boxscore. The 71-date run generated $89,302,575 at the box office.

Lipa was confirmed last week as one of the headliners of the 2024 Glastonbury Festival (26-30 June) alongside Coldplay and SZA. She will also headline Poland’s Open’er Festival (3-6 July), Belgium’s Rock Werchter (4-7 July), Mad Cool in Spain (10-13 July) and Portugal’s NOS Alive (11-13 July).

 


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Alleged rap concert murder plot foiled

The arrests of two men has uncovered an alleged plot to murder a rapper at a gig in Austin, Texas, during South By Southwest (SXSW).

Don Lee Bennett, 39, and Pierre Laday Jones, 38, were both arrested for possession of a firearm by a felon, with Jones also facing an additional charge of harassment. A third man was also named in court documents obtained by Fox 7, but is yet to be arrested.

CBS Austin reports Jones was found with a handgun during a traffic stop on 9 March. Following his arrest, Jones  claimed to police that two of his associates – including Bennett – were planning to kill a performer that night at a show in East Sixth Street to prevent him from testifying in a court case.

“This was not a SXSW concert and there is no such thing as a VIP festival pass”

Jones alleged he was going to provide Bennett and the other man with his SXSW VIP pass to help sneak weapons into the venue, claiming he could obtain credentials due to his podcasting work. However, SXSW, which ran from 8-16 March, says there is no such thing as SXSW VIP credentials and stressed the concert was unaffiliated with the US festival.

“This was not a SXSW concert and there is no such thing as a VIP festival pass,” says an email sent to CBS.

According to the affidavit, police set up surveillance, leading Bennett to be intercepted by a SWAT team near the club on 10 March, when he was found to be in possession of a handgun and taken into custody.

 


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Notes Live to run new 20,000-seat amphitheatre

US entertainment company Notes Live has struck a preliminary agreement for the development of a 20,000-seat open-air venue in McKinney, Texas.

The Sunset Amphitheater will serve as the flagship music venue for Colorado-based Notes Live and represents the largest venue among its locations.

It will be designed to host major touring artists, and will boast facilities including more than 250 luxury fire pit suites, a reserved seating area, and a landscaped grass berm, all under a roof structure. Construction is scheduled to begin in late 2024, with the development expected to be completed for the 2026 touring season.

“I couldn’t be more excited to be bringing our biggest venue to date to McKinney, Texas,” says JW Roth, founder and CEO of Notes Live. “They say everything’s bigger in Texas, and for the Sunset Amphitheater in McKinney, that was our guiding principle – bigger, and better. McKinney is an incredible community, and we can’t wait to build the most over-the-top venue on earth.”

“With a state-of-the-art venue of this size, we can draw some of the largest musical acts to the city”

The project, which is estimated to bring an economic impact of US$3 billion to the area over its first decade, is a joint effort by the city, the McKinney Economic Development Corporation and the McKinney Community Development Corporation.

“This world-class music venue is a game-changer for our entertainment offerings in McKinney and will be a boon for our economic growth and tourism sector,” says McKinney mayor George Fuller. “With a state-of-the-art venue of this size, we can draw some of the largest musical acts to the city and attract fans from across Texas and the surrounding states.

“This new addition to our community will bring even more life and energy to our already thriving arts scene and undoubtedly continue to set McKinney apart as an entertainment and cultural hub in the region.”

Over the last 12 months, Notes Live opened a new venue in Gainesville, Georgia, and is developing new music and entertainment complexes in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Broken Arrow and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with capacities of between 12,500 and 25,000. Its 8,000-cap Colorado Springs amphitheatre, The Sunset, is set to open later this summer.

 


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Live Nation extends On the Road Again initiative

Live Nation’s On the Road Again initiative will continue throughout 2024, it has been confirmed.

Created with music legend Willie Nelson, the scheme was launched last year and has delivered tens of millions of dollars in extra earnings to club artists and crew in the US and Canada.

For every show played in an On The Road Again venue, each headliner and support act receives $1,500 in petrol and travel cash on top of nightly performance compensation. Additionally, artists keep 100% of merchandise profits as On the Road Again clubs do not charge merch selling fees.

“Our goal was to make touring a little easier and we’ve accomplished that night after night for over 4,000 artists, with more on the way,” says Willie Nelson.

“Supporting club artists strengthens the future of music”

On The Road Again has already assisted more than 4,000 artists, with the programme also having rolled out new minimum wages for club staff.

“We’re proud to keep On The Road Again rolling strong,” adds Live Nation president and CEO Michael Rapino. “Supporting club artists strengthens the future of music.”

All benefits from On the Road Again are being provided directly from the venue’s existing earnings, with no increases to customers.

 


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Academy Music Group appoints Liam Boylan as CEO

Venue operator Academy Music Group (AMG) has announced the appointment of Liam Boylan as CEO.

Boylan joins AMG from London’s Wembley Stadium, where he was stadium director.

Prior to joining the 90,000-cap national stadium in 2015, he worked with SJM Concerts for 13 years, and previously served a five-year tenure at Manchester Arena (now AO Arena).

“I am thrilled to step into the CEO role with AMG and its nationwide network of venues” says Boylan. “Opportunities like this one with AMG are exceptional, and I look forward to enhancing a fantastic operation, and to future growth with this outstanding company.”

“We’re delighted to welcome Liam to the AMG team and look forward to working with him

AMG venues include: O2 Academy Brixton, London (cap. 4,921), O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London (2,000), O2 Forum Kentish Town, London (2,300), O2 Academy Islington, London (800), O2 Academy Birmingham (3,009), O2 Institute Birmingham (1,500), O2 Academy Bristol (1,600 – 1,800 clubs), O2 Academy Bournemouth (1,875), O2 Academy Glasgow (2,550), O2 Academy Leeds (2,300) and O2 Academy Leicester (1,600).

“We’re delighted to welcome Liam to the AMG team and look forward to working with him,” adds AMG chair Denis Desmond. “He has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the live industry and running major events. He will be a great asset.”

The company, whose shareholders include LN-Gaiety Holdings Ltd, SJM Concerts and Metropolis Music, also runs O2 Academy Liverpool (1,200), O2 Academy Oxford (1,000), O2 Academy Sheffield (2,150), (O2 Ritz Manchester (1,500), O2 Victoria Warehouse Manchester (3,500), O2 City Hall Newcastle (2,600) and O2 Academy Edinburgh (3,000).

 


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ILMC 36: The Venue’s Venue: New Frontiers

Experts in venue operations, events strategy and promoting convened at ILMC 36 to analyse the potential of new arenas in emerging and established markets.

Moderated by IQ Magazine’s special projects editor James Drury, The Venue’s Venue: New Frontiers panel featured Live Nation’s Phil Bowdery, Co-op Live’s Gary Roden, D.Live’s Daniela Stork and ASM Global’s Marie Lindqvist and Tim Worton, who discussed what the developments mean for customers, existing venues and touring routes.

Drury kicked off proceedings at London’s Royal Lancaster Hotel by citing several findings from studies conducted by the European Arenas Association (EAA) and the National Arenas Association (NAA). Both indicated that overall attendances grew by 16% in 2023 (27,991,247 people) when compared to 2022 (24,224,783). Due to increased post-pandemic production and touring costs, average ticket prices also rose by 7% in 2023 (€62.04) when compared to 2022 (€58).

According to Worton, those figures were also reflected in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.

“We came out of Covid a lot later than other territories, so our 2022 numbers were lighter compared to the rest of the world,” he explained. “However, our 2023 numbers were in line with or slightly higher than in 2019, which I credit towards a pent-up post-Covid demand to finally go out and watch live entertainment.”

“I’ve already sold out five new shows in January this year. I can’t remember the last time that happened”

Worton also confirmed a new multi-purpose facility opening up in Bangkok, as well as the 50,000-capacity Kai Tak Sports Arena in Hong Kong.

“2023 was a very strong year for us in general,” noted Lindqvist, referencing the fact that several European markets didn’t register full years in 2022. “‘23 has been a great year for stadium shows in particular.”

“I’ve already sold out five new shows in January this year,” added Bowdery. “I can’t remember the last time that happened.”

Roden has been overseeing the development of Manchester’s Co-op Live, which is scheduled to open in April, and is looking forward to what the venue can offer from a business and entertainment standpoint.

“At 23,500 capacity, it’s going to be the biggest indoor arena in the UK, and given Manchester being a huge regional market, the city can definitely take a second arena,” he said, adding that this year’s MTV Europe Music Awards will be held there in a collaborative effort with Manchester City Council — further emphasising how governmental organisations are waking up to the value of using music as a city attraction.

“Our energy costs went up by 50% last year. Staffing costs have also gone through the roof”

Another point of discussion was the new types of “concert content” being advertised and played in arena shows. Worton praised the rise of Asian and Indian pop shows, while Stork elaborated on the importance of working with less established acts and promoters.

“We always attempt to build and foster relationships with promoters who haven’t had a long history in the business, and we try to go the extra mile to help them set up shows in our venues,” said Stork, who added that D.Live has a great track record with specialty bands who aren’t associated with their regular shows.

“It’s challenging sometimes, but it’s also good fun because it’s something really different,” she said.

The panel also reached a unanimous agreement when it came to discussing the most significant cost challenges. “Our energy costs went up by 50% last year,” said Worton. “Staffing costs have also gone through the roof.”

However, Lindqvist stated the rise in energy bills enabled her team to “make all the necessary investments for reducing energy consumption that ensure environmentally-friendly standards”.

“It’s a very clear trend in all the markets… People want to upgrade their experience, and it’s something that we’re accommodating towards”

When quizzed about the increasing size of production sets and whether a reduction in the number of trucks artists require for their shows, Bowdery stated that such acts are mainly “thinking about their fans” while admitting that their concerts will only get bigger.

“They’re artists, so they want to make sure that everyone enjoys their shows,” he said. “It’s a sign for our times.”

The panel further commented on the shifts in consumer trends when it comes to a preference in premium VIP experiences over general admission tickets, despite a marked increase in the global cost of living.

“It’s a very clear trend in all the markets, which is why we’ve also shifted towards a more B2C model,” Lindqvist said. “People want to upgrade their experience, and it’s something that we’re accommodating towards. This trend is shaping up how we’re going into the market and how we engage with our customers around those different opportunities.”

In closing, the panel explored the role sustainability plays into their operations, which has become a top priority for them. Examples included the banning of single-use plastics, constructing washing stations, selling reusable cups, and more.

“Our buildings have been running on renewable energy for a few years now,” said Stork. “I think everyone from fans to artists have the right to expect that we try our best to be as sustainable as possible.”

 


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Paradiso cancels 2,400 tickets on secondary market

Amsterdam’s Paradiso cancelled more than 2,400 tickets being sold on resale platforms at inflated prices for a large number of upcoming shows.

The Dutch club has resold the tickets at their original prices via a waiting list system introduced in 2022.

Paradiso’s head of ticketing Erik Luyten says the venue was compelled to act after seeing tickets for gigs by acts such as Air and PinkPantheress being advertised online at several times’ face value.

“At some popular concerts, 10 to 15% of the tickets are bought up and resold at a higher price,” Luyten tells Parool. “Black marketers operate in a very sophisticated manner. As a result, they often remain under the radar for a long time. Through extensive research, we were able to understand various practices of these individuals or groups, identify the suspicious orders and void their purchases.

“They use many different names and email addresses, but we were able to match them to specific people or parties by searching our data by bank account number or IP address. We hope to hit a number of major players on the secondary market with this action.”

“It is very bad that people who would like to go to a concert cannot now come for a normal price”

People whose tickets have been invalidated will not be refunded by Paradiso and have been advised to contact the relevant resale site.

No anti-touting legislation currently exists in the Netherlands, although a motion for legal measures was adopted by the House of Representatives in 2022.

Luyten adds that Paradiso is keen to keep concerts accessible to a large audience by keeping ticket prices as low as possible.

“These people and groups take advantage of this,” he says. “It is very bad that people who would like to go to a concert cannot now come for a normal price.”

The 1,500-cap venue has upcoming concerts with the likes of Lucinda Williams, Tricky, Róisín Murphy, Griff, Pixies, Echo & the Bunnymen, Thundercat and Declan McKenna.

 


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Licence granted for Manchester’s Co-op Live

Oak View Group’s Co-op Live venue is set to open next month as planned after being granted a licence by Manchester City Council, despite various objections.

The 23,500-cap development, which is a joint venture with City Football Group, will become the UK’s largest arena when it launches at Etihad Campus, the site of Manchester City FC’s Etihad Stadium, in April.

The council approved the licensing application today following a two-day hearing at Manchester Town Hall last week.

“We are delighted that Manchester City Council’s licensing sub-committee has today voted to approve our application for a premises licence,” says Co-op Live executive director and general manager Gary Roden. “We are grateful to local councillors and residents for their engagement during the process and will remain committed to being the best possible neighbour to the local community up to opening and beyond.

“Manchester deserves the best, and with the opening of Co-op Live just weeks away we’re excited to begin this new chapter in the city’s enviable cultural story.

“This £365 million investment will transform the fan experience of live entertainment, bring international superstars to Manchester”

“This £365 million investment will transform the fan experience of live entertainment, bring international superstars to Manchester, set a new benchmark for large arenas around the world and deliver a significant economic boost to the entire North West region.”

The bid had been subject to multiple objections, including from ASM Global, operator of Manchester’s longstanding 23,000-cap AO Arena, as well as 32 residents, two councillors, the council’s public health team and the Music Venue Trust, which argued the venue’s “ancillary spaces” could take trade off smaller businesses if they were allowed to stay open later.

ASM had argued that Co-op Live should close by midnight at the latest, and not be given the ability to open 24/7, 25 times a year, as requested. But OVG alleged the objections were “competition based”.

It was announced yesterday (29 February) that the 2024 MTV EMAs will be held at the new purpose-built live entertainment arena on 10 November.

Stand-up comedian Peter Kay will open the venue with his current record-breaking tour on 23 April, with other acts set to perform over the coming months including Pearl Jam, Take That, Liam Gallagher, Olivia Rodrigo, The Killers, Eagles, Kings of Leon, Nicki Minaj and Justin Timberlake.

 


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