Live music industry news

StubHub to more clearly state prices and terms for touted tickets, and offer Taylor Swift fans refunds, but only in British Columbia

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StubHub • 3 min read

StubHub to more clearly state prices and terms for touted tickets, and offer Taylor Swift fans refunds, but only in British Columbia

StubHub has committed to make changes to its website in Canada after an investigation by a consumer rights regulator. It comes as ticket resale companies tell lawmakers they should focus scrutiny on Ticketmaster, following the embarrassing revelations coming out of the Live Nation antitrust trial…

Chris Cooke • 16 Mar 2026

“Robbing them blind, baby - that’s how we do it”, boast Live Nation execs about “so stupid” ticket-buyers

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Live Nation • 3 min read

“Robbing them blind, baby - that’s how we do it”, boast Live Nation execs about “so stupid” ticket-buyers

The Live Nation antitrust trial may be on hold after it reached a settlement with the US Department Of Justice, but that didn’t stop the release of court papers that include messages between Live Nation execs bragging and joking about randomly hiking up ancillary fees at amphitheater venues…

Chris Cooke • 13 Mar 2026

Sombr dubs Brixton Academy “the most poorly managed venue I’ve ever performed at in my life”

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Brixton Academy • 2 min read

Sombr dubs Brixton Academy “the most poorly managed venue I’ve ever performed at in my life”

Sombr criticised staff at the Brixton Academy over their crowd safety procedures after pausing a show at the venue on Monday when an audience member passed out. It’s an isolated incident, but safety at the venue has been in the spotlight ever since the fatal crowd crush during an Asake show in 2022…

Chris Cooke • 12 Mar 2026

Live Nation antitrust trial judge says individual US states should seek direct settlement with live music giant

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Live Nation • 3 min read

Live Nation antitrust trial judge says individual US states should seek direct settlement with live music giant

The US government settled its antitrust lawsuit with Live Nation yesterday, but 27 US states, which also accuse the live giant of anticompetitive behaviour, are not part of that deal. The judge has told the states to see if they can agree their own settlement. If not, the antitrust trial will resume…

Chris Cooke • 10 Mar 2026

Live Nation settles DoJ antitrust lawsuit - but state lawsuits may continue

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Live Nation • 3 min read

Live Nation settles DoJ antitrust lawsuit - but state lawsuits may continue

One week after the antitrust trial against Live Nation got underway, the live giant has secured an out-of-court settlement, agreeing to new restrictions on Ticketmaster and $280 million in damages. That will settle federal law claims, though some US states may continue the legal battle…

Chris Cooke • 09 Mar 2026

Taylor Swift and Barclays Center ticketing controversies prove monopolist Live Nation is damaging live music, DoJ tells jury

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Live Nation • 4 min read

Taylor Swift and Barclays Center ticketing controversies prove monopolist Live Nation is damaging live music, DoJ tells jury

The Live Nation antitrust trial got properly underway yesterday, with lawyers for the US Department Of Justice and the live giant - both called Dave - delivering their opening statements. Ticketing dramas involving Taylor Swift and New York’s Barclays Center were a key part of the proceedings…

Chris Cooke • 04 Mar 2026

Live Nation is an illegal monopoly and needs to be held to account, says California Attorney General as DoJ lawsuit kicks off

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Live Nation • 3 min read

Live Nation is an illegal monopoly and needs to be held to account, says California Attorney General as DoJ lawsuit kicks off

The US government’s antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation has reached the courtroom, with the live giant’s attempts to pause the trial having failed. One of the state attorney generals involved says Live Nation has illegally manipulated the market and “we look forward to holding them accountable”…

Chris Cooke • 03 Mar 2026

Australia’s Rolling Loud gets cancelled as festival and promoter pin blame on each other

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Rolling Loud • 2 min read

Australia’s Rolling Loud gets cancelled as festival and promoter pin blame on each other

The Rolling Loud hip hop festival was due to return to Australia this weekend, but was cancelled on Friday. US-based Rolling Loud said in a statement that its partner on the Australian editions, Primuse Entertainment, “failed to meet critical payment deadlines”. But Primuse has disputed those claims…

Chris Cooke • 02 Mar 2026

Judge looks set to tell Live Nation to quit dilly dallying as DoJ gears up for its day in court

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Live Nation • 3 min read

Judge looks set to tell Live Nation to quit dilly dallying as DoJ gears up for its day in court

The big US antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation is due to get to trial next week. However, Live Nation wants to delay the proceedings by appealing a recent ruling made in the case. But the judge overseeing the legal battle, Arun Subramanian, says he’s inclined to deny Live Nation’s request…

Chris Cooke • 26 Feb 2026

Lambeth Council gives go ahead for Brockwell Live, but councillor says “the local community don’t feel like they’ve been heard”

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Brockwell Live • 3 min read

Lambeth Council gives go ahead for Brockwell Live, but councillor says “the local community don’t feel like they’ve been heard”

Members of Lambeth Council’s planning committee have unanimously approved plans for Brockwell Live to be staged in the London borough’s Brockwell Park again this summer. That’s despite high profile opposition from local residents who, according to one councillor, “don’t feel like they’ve been heard”…

Chris Cooke • 25 Feb 2026

Lambeth Council set to rubberstamp Brockwell Live for 2026, despite best efforts of local NIMBYs

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Brockwell Live • 3 min read

Lambeth Council set to rubberstamp Brockwell Live for 2026, despite best efforts of local NIMBYs

Lambeth Council will tomorrow decide whether to allow the Brockwell Live festivals to take place in Brockwell Park this summer. This year the events are going through a full planning permission process after local residents successfully challenged the way the council previously fast-tracked approval…

Chris Cooke • 23 Feb 2026

Behemoth and Michale Graves respond to shows being cancelled for (very different) political reasons

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

Behemoth and Michale Graves respond to shows being cancelled for (very different) political reasons

Death metal band Behemoth have said it is “deeply concerning” that they were forced to cancel a show in India because of threats made by religious groups in the country. Meanwhile Michale Graves has responded to having his UK shows cancelled, albeit because of his politics rather than his music…

Chris Cooke • 19 Feb 2026