Live music industry news

Former Irish premier thought Keir Starmer’s Kneecap Glastonbury intervention must be a joke

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Kneecap • 2 min read

Former Irish premier thought Keir Starmer’s Kneecap Glastonbury intervention must be a joke

Kneecap are due to play Glastonbury this weekend and that fact is causing some controversy. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has told The Sun the group shouldn’t be playing. The former Irish Taoiseach has responded, bemused as to why Starmer would express an opinion on Glastonbury’s booking policies…

Chris Cooke • 23 Jun 2025

Notting Hill Carnival organisers ask culture ministry to step in with cash to implement new safety measures

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Notting Hill Music • 3 min read

Notting Hill Carnival organisers ask culture ministry to step in with cash to implement new safety measures

The Notting Hill Carnival has asked the UK government to provide funding for new crowd management operations at the annual event after a police chief said he feared the popularity of the carnival might result in a “mass casualty” incident. But government funding may prove controversial…

Chris Cooke • 20 Jun 2025

Talent agency CAA accuses founders of rival company Range of “spy novel” plot to launch competing business

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CAA • 2 min read

Talent agency CAA accuses founders of rival company Range of “spy novel” plot to launch competing business

The already dramatic legal battle between agency CAA and rival company Range - set up in 2020 by a team of former CAA agents - ramped up this week. CAA says it has new evidence that shows Range’s founders employed spy-novel type tactics to steal confidential information from their former employer…

Chris Cooke • 13 Jun 2025

EXIT Festival to quit Serbia after “immense financial and political pressure”

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Exit Festival • 2 min read

EXIT Festival to quit Serbia after “immense financial and political pressure”

EXIT Festival boss Dušan Kovačević says that this year’s event will be the last to take place in Serbia, after the government exerted pressure that saw its funding cut and sponsors pull away. That was a result of the festival giving support to anti-corruption protests in the country…

Sam Taylor • 12 Jun 2025

Ticketmaster offered touts meetings with Live Nation’s top lawyer

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Live Nation • 5 min read

Ticketmaster offered touts meetings with Live Nation’s top lawyer

Ticket touts who were convicted of fraud were offered meetings with Selina Emeny, Live Nation’s International Group Counsel, says a BBC investigation, with the live giant raking in huge commissions from fraudulent sales. Maybe Live Nation could cough up a similar donation to the LIVE Trust……

Sam Taylor • 12 Jun 2025

As another festival falls, AIF proposes new tax relief scheme

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Association Of Independent Festivals • 2 min read

As another festival falls, AIF proposes new tax relief scheme

As Homestead, a new festival in Somerset, announces it can’t go ahead due to tough economic factors, AIF has again called for more government support for festivals, switching its main demand from a VAT cut on tickets to a new tax relief scheme for smaller events…

Chris Cooke • 10 Jun 2025

Campaigners say second round of legal action should stop “misuse of planning powers” that allowed Brockwell Park festivals to go ahead

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Brockwell Live • 3 min read

Campaigners say second round of legal action should stop “misuse of planning powers” that allowed Brockwell Park festivals to go ahead

While the 2025 edition of Brockwell Live is over, the legal battle over the use of London’s Brockwell Park as a festival venue continues. Local campaigners have launched a second judicial review which they say should stop the “misuse of planning powers” that allowed the 2025 festivals to proceed…

Chris Cooke • 09 Jun 2025

BBC says it won’t ban Kneecap from its Glastonbury coverage

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Kneecap • 2 min read

BBC says it won’t ban Kneecap from its Glastonbury coverage

Glastonbury has confirmed that Kneecap will play this year’s festival on the West Holts stage, which is livestreamed by the BBC. Despite all the controversies surrounding the group, the BBC says it doesn’t ban artists who are playing the festival, but will apply “editorial guidelines” to their set…

Chris Cooke • 05 Jun 2025

TRNSMT pulls Kneecap performance over “safety concerns”

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Kneecap • 2 min read

TRNSMT pulls Kneecap performance over “safety concerns”

Glasgow’s TRNSMT festival has pulled Kneecap from its line-up. While promoter DF Concerts has been under political pressure to cancel the group’s set ever since their Coachella performance, a statement says they were removed because local police expressed concern about safety if the group performed…

Chris Cooke • 29 May 2025

Ten UK music festivals cancelled following collapse of Wannasee Ltd

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Wannasee Ltd • 2 min read

Ten UK music festivals cancelled following collapse of Wannasee Ltd

Festivals company Wannasee Ltd has collapsed citing a “difficult trading environment” and a sudden decline in “customer confidence”. It means ten UK festivals due to take place this summer are now cancelled, while the future of two other events depends on ongoing negotiations behind-the-scenes…

Chris Cooke • 28 May 2025

Lambeth Council magics up new paperwork in Brockwell Live spat, but NIMBYs are still not satisfied

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Brockwell Live • 5 min read

Lambeth Council magics up new paperwork in Brockwell Live spat, but NIMBYs are still not satisfied

Festivals were able to go ahead in London’s Brockwell Park this weekend after Lambeth Council issued a new certificate saying the events could legally proceed, even though a judge cancelled a previous certificate. Local residents say they will continue to fight the council over the festivals…

Chris Cooke • 27 May 2025

“Israeli lobbyists” want Kneecap shut out of Glasto, says band

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Kneecap • 4 min read

“Israeli lobbyists” want Kneecap shut out of Glasto, says band

Kneecap headlined Wide Awake on Friday, two days after one band member was charged with a terror offence for implying support for Hezbollah at a 2024 gig. The group was as outspoken as ever, insisting that “Israeli lobbyists” are trying to stop them from speaking out about the conflict in Gaza…

Chris Cooke • 27 May 2025

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