Live music industry news

As Sammy Virji set cancelled after crowd surge, some festival-goers criticise Boardmasters capacity increase

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Boardmasters • 3 min read

As Sammy Virji set cancelled after crowd surge, some festival-goers criticise Boardmasters capacity increase

Organisers of the Boardmasters festival revealed this weekend that seven attendees were hospitalised with minor injuries after a crowd surge incident. Although the injuries were minor, several attendees have spoken about the distress they experienced, with some also criticising festival security…

Chris Cooke • 12 Aug 2024

Taylor Swift’s three Vienna shows cancelled after terror attack arrests

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Taylor Swift • 1 min read

Taylor Swift’s three Vienna shows cancelled after terror attack arrests

Taylor Swift was due to play three shows in Vienna this week, starting this evening, but they have all been cancelled after the authorities confirmed they were investigating a planned terrorist attack at the venue where she was due to play. Two suspects have been arrested…

Chris Cooke • 08 Aug 2024

PR push shows Viagogo is “rattled” by UK government’s price-cap pledge, say campaigners

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Viagogo • 3 min read

PR push shows Viagogo is “rattled” by UK government’s price-cap pledge, say campaigners

The new UK government has pledged to introduce a price cap on ticket resale. This is bad news for Viagogo, which has ramped up its PR efforts, including publishing stats on fananomics and having MD Cris Miller provide Olympic-themed criticism of any new regulations…

Chris Cooke • 05 Aug 2024

StubHub sued over “bait and switch” drip pricing system

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StubHub • 3 min read

StubHub sued over “bait and switch” drip pricing system

Secondary ticketing platform StubHub has been sued in the US over its drip pricing and the way it explains its fees. The Attorney General for the District Of Columbia has filed a lawsuit which he says aims to end StubHub’s exploitative pricing scheme…

Chris Cooke • 01 Aug 2024

The 1975 sued over Matty Healy’s controversial comments at Malaysian festival

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The 1975 • 3 min read

The 1975 sued over Matty Healy’s controversial comments at Malaysian festival

The promoter of the Malaysian festival where The 1975 caused controversy last year has sued the band. Matty Healy broke strict rules when he criticised Malaysia’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws mid-set, causing the rest of the festival to be canceled. The promoter says the band had promised to obey the rules…

Chris Cooke • 31 Jul 2024

Man jailed for nearly five years after defrauding $3 million from concert organisers eager to book Justin Bieber

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Music industry legal news coverage • 2 min read

Man jailed for nearly five years after defrauding $3 million from concert organisers eager to book Justin Bieber

Two men pleaded guilty earlier this year to scamming nearly $3 million out of a number of concert promoters by falsely claiming to have booked pop stars like Justin Bieber and Billie Eilish to perform at shows. One of those men has now been sentenced to nearly five years in jail…

Chris Cooke • 25 Jul 2024

NTIA calls for local authorities and law-makers to help as increase in noise complaints reaches "crisis level"

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NTIA • 2 min read

NTIA calls for local authorities and law-makers to help as increase in noise complaints reaches "crisis level"

NTIA has published a study into noise complaints against night-time businesses in London, which are up 53% since the pandemic. Disputes between clubs and venues and local residents are putting pressure on those businesses, and could be avoided with better licensing and planning regimes…

Chris Cooke • 22 Jul 2024

AEG sued over car park assault that followed an Elton John show in LA

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AEG • 2 min read

AEG sued over car park assault that followed an Elton John show in LA

AEG and LA’s Dodger Stadium are both accused of negligence in a new lawsuit filed by a couple who were assaulted after attending an Elton John concert. The concert-goers claim there was insufficient security personnel at the venue which emboldened two men who assaulted them in the stadium’s car park…

Chris Cooke • 22 Jul 2024

Live Nation fights back in antitrust battle with US government

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Live Nation • 3 min read

Live Nation fights back in antitrust battle with US government

Live Nation has launched its first salvo to counter the US government’s antitrust lawsuit presenting technical defences, disputing DoJ claims over a ‘tying arrangement’ and arguing that claims made under state law are “threadbare and conclusory”…

Chris Cooke • 19 Jul 2024

Margate’s Live Nation-owned Dreamland ordered to cancel drum & bass events after drug-related death

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Dreamland • 2 min read

Margate’s Live Nation-owned Dreamland ordered to cancel drum & bass events after drug-related death

Dreamland has had its licence altered by Kent’s Thanet Council at the request of local police following an incident last month in which a teenager died of a suspected drugs overdose. All drum & bass events have to be cancelled and ticket-buyers under eighteen will have to be accompanied by an adult…

Chris Cooke • 17 Jul 2024

StubHub postpones IPO as secondary ticketing regulation back in the spotlight

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StubHub • 2 min read

StubHub postpones IPO as secondary ticketing regulation back in the spotlight

StubHub’s planned IPO has been postponed to the autumn because of “stagnant market conditions”. The delay comes as the campaign to more tightly regulate secondary ticketing in the US gains momentum, with artists and fans last week sending 65,000 messages to lawmakers calling for more regulation…

Chris Cooke • 16 Jul 2024

With private equity interest in live music growing, could a deal to buy Dice be on the cards?

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Live industry news including ticketing, venues, festivals and more • 2 min read

With private equity interest in live music growing, could a deal to buy Dice be on the cards?

Dice is reportedly in talks with three private equity firms about them taking a stake in the ticketing business. Investment funds seem to be increasingly interested in buying into live music. Could one or more private equity firm be making plans to take on Live Nation?…

Chris Cooke • 15 Jul 2024