Live music industry news

Viagogo is unfair, opaque and violates EU law, consumer group tells regulator

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Viagogo • 2 min read

Viagogo is unfair, opaque and violates EU law, consumer group tells regulator

Viagogo is violating the EU’s Digital Services Act, according to Euroconsumers, which has filed a complaint with the regulator in Ireland. A Viagogo spokesperson insists the company is DSA compliant, but Euroconsumers says it violates various rules, including know your business customer requirements…

Chris Cooke • 22 Oct 2025

Bobby Vylan says he has no regrets about “death to the IDF” chant at Glastonbury

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Bob Vylan • 4 min read

Bobby Vylan says he has no regrets about “death to the IDF” chant at Glastonbury

Bobby Vylan has spoken to Louis Theroux about his controversial BBC broadcast Glastonbury performance, insisting he doesn’t regret leading the crowd in a chant of “death, death to the IDF”. The BBC Editorial Complaints Unit recently concluded that the set breached rules relating to harm and offence…

Chris Cooke • 21 Oct 2025

Ticketmaster says FTC allegations it colluded with touts “nonsensical”, but it is changing some of its rules and shutting down TradeDesk

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Ticketmaster • 4 min read

Ticketmaster says FTC allegations it colluded with touts “nonsensical”, but it is changing some of its rules and shutting down TradeDesk

Last month the US Federal Trade Commission sued Ticketmaster, accusing the Live Nation company of colluding with dodgy ticket touts. That prompted a letter from concerned senators. In response, Ticketmaster denies collusion and rejects the FTC’s claims, but says it is changing some of its own rules…

Chris Cooke • 20 Oct 2025

Culture minister tells industrial-level ticket touts: “your time is up”

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Secondary Ticketing • 2 min read

Culture minister tells industrial-level ticket touts: “your time is up”

The UK government has confirmed it still plans to introduce a price cap on ticket touting, while also stating that ticket resale platforms like Viagogo will be obliged to ensure resellers are following the rules. All of this is revealed in a new Daily Record article by culture minister Ian Murray…

Chris Cooke • 08 Oct 2025

Aussie festival strip search lawsuit could cost NSW government $150 million

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Splendour In The Grass • 2 min read

Aussie festival strip search lawsuit could cost NSW government $150 million

An Australian court yesterday awarded a woman $93,000 in damages after she was illegally strip searched by police at a music festival in 2018. 3000 people are involved in a class action over allegedly unlawful strip searches, which could result in liabilities of $150 million for the NSW government…

Chris Cooke • 01 Oct 2025

Ticketmaster heads off UK regulatory action with ‘voluntary’ transparency commitments after Oasis debacle

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Ticketmaster • 3 min read

Ticketmaster heads off UK regulatory action with ‘voluntary’ transparency commitments after Oasis debacle

Ticketmaster has made a number of commitments to the Competition & Markets Authority following the regulator’s investigation into the sale of tickets for the Oasis reunion shows. It has pledged to better communicate when it uses ‘tier pricing’ and to explain how different ticket types compare…

Chris Cooke • 26 Sep 2025

Tabloid claims that Dua Lipa sacked agent over Glasto Kneecap letter are “categorically false” and “deliberately inflammatory”

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Dua Lipa • 3 min read

Tabloid claims that Dua Lipa sacked agent over Glasto Kneecap letter are “categorically false” and “deliberately inflammatory”

Reports have been circulating this week that Dua Lipa sacked either her manager or her agent after they signed a letter objecting to Kneecap playing Glasto. It was WME agent David Levy that signed the letter but he isn’t Lipa’s day-to-day agent at the agency and, in fact, nobody has been sacked…

Chris Cooke • 24 Sep 2025

After Kneecap banned from Canada, rap trio say they will take legal action

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Kneecap • 3 min read

After Kneecap banned from Canada, rap trio say they will take legal action

Kneecap have been banned from performing in Canada, where they were due to play four gigs next month. The Canadian government says the rap trio have “displayed support for terrorist organisations”, something Kneecap’s members strongly deny. They have vowed legal action against the ban…

Chris Cooke • 22 Sep 2025

Op-ed: DHP Family’s George Akins on what independence really means in live music

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Op-Eds • 5 min read

Op-ed: DHP Family’s George Akins on what independence really means in live music

As Kneecap play their biggest show to date at Wembley Arena, the band’s promoter George Akins of DHP Family looks at what independence really means in the live industry, and why corporate interests and artists’ rights to express themselves are often in opposition to each other…

CMU Contributors • 17 Sep 2025

Speculative listings for Radiohead tickets show dodgy touting still rampant across Europe “despite EU’s good intentions”

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Secondary Ticketing • 2 min read

Speculative listings for Radiohead tickets show dodgy touting still rampant across Europe “despite EU’s good intentions”

The EU needs to do more to combat dodgy ticket touting practices across Europe, according to campaign group FEAT. It identified 1751 touted tickets for Radiohead concerts on just one resale site, Ticombo, before tickets had even gone on general sale and despite the band’s anti-touting measures…

Chris Cooke • 16 Sep 2025

Is Ticketmaster doing enough to stop touts? A new FTC investigation looks at ticketing giant’s BOTS Act compliance

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Ticketmaster • 2 min read

Is Ticketmaster doing enough to stop touts? A new FTC investigation looks at ticketing giant’s BOTS Act compliance

Earlier this year Donald Trump told the FTC to crackdown on bad conduct in the ticket resale market, including by better enforcing the BOTS Act. It’s now emerged that, among other things, it is investigating if Ticketmaster is doing enough to stop touts from sourcing tickets via dodgy tactics…

Chris Cooke • 16 Sep 2025

Bob Vylan says they did not “celebrate” Charlie Kirk’s death, as Coldplay’s Chris Martin says fans should “send love” to activist’s family

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Bob Vylan • 4 min read

Bob Vylan says they did not “celebrate” Charlie Kirk’s death, as Coldplay’s Chris Martin says fans should “send love” to activist’s family

Bob Vylan have caused more controversy with on-stage comments calling Charlie Kirk “a piece of shit” just days after the activist was shot dead at an event in Utah. Meanwhile some Coldplay fans were left bewildered after Chris Martin encouraged his audience to “send love” to Kirk’s family…

Chris Cooke • 15 Sep 2025

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