Live music industry news

MPs set September deadline for ticket levy to support grassroots venues and shows

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Culture, Media & Sport Select Committee • 7 min read

MPs set September deadline for ticket levy to support grassroots venues and shows

The culture select committee in the UK Parliament has published its report on grassroots music venues. It says a system for charging a levy on arena shows to support the grassroots community should be in place by September, and that the government should instigate a temporary VAT cut on tickets…

Chris Cooke • 13 May 2024

Music Venue Properties announces purchase of The Ferret in Preston

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Music Venue Properties • 2 min read

Music Venue Properties announces purchase of The Ferret in Preston

A second venue has been acquired by Music Venue Properties, the charitable community benefit society set up as part of Music Venue Trust’s Own Our Venues initiative. It means The Ferret in Preston will now have a landlord that exists to support local grassroots music communities…

Chris Cooke • 10 May 2024

SXSW London could disrupt delicately balanced music ecosystem and should reconsider its date

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SXSW • 9 min read

SXSW London could disrupt delicately balanced music ecosystem and should reconsider its date

SXSW is coming to London backed by a shadowy web of offshore companies, endorsed by the Mayor of London - and with a PR boss who conveniently worked as a senior press advisor in the London mayor’s office for sixteen years…

Sam Taylor • 09 May 2024

Minnesota passes new laws regulating secondary ticketing

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Secondary Ticketing • 2 min read

Minnesota passes new laws regulating secondary ticketing

While there has been lots of talk about new ticketing regulations in US Congress, more progress is being made at a state level. Minnesota has passed new laws regulating secondary ticketing this week, with Maryland also set to introduce new resale rules…

Chris Cooke • 09 May 2024

OfCom should use Online Safety Act powers to force Facebook to act on ticket scams, says Which?

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Facebook • 2 min read

OfCom should use Online Safety Act powers to force Facebook to act on ticket scams, says Which?

Which? says that OfCom should take action against social media platforms that fail to deal with ticketing scam posts as it implements the new UK Online Safety Act. The consumer rights group was responding to a BBC report about the sale of fake Taylor Swift tickets via hacked Facebook accounts…

Chris Cooke • 08 May 2024

Viagogo ruling in New Zealand demonstrates the need for tighter touting regulation, say campaigners

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Viagogo • 3 min read

Viagogo ruling in New Zealand demonstrates the need for tighter touting regulation, say campaigners

Last week it was confirmed that the high court in New Zealand has ruled against Viagogo following an eight year investigation by the country’s Commerce Commission. Anti-touting campaigners in Europe have welcomed the ruling, but say it demonstrates why better regulation of ticket resale is required…

Chris Cooke • 08 May 2024

Goldman Sachs analysts upbeat about music industry after a “turning point” year

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Goldman Sachs • 4 min read

Goldman Sachs analysts upbeat about music industry after a “turning point” year

Goldman Sachs has published its annual ‘Music In The Air’ report, reviewing the wider music sector and making predictions through to 2030. Streaming price rises, AI and superfan opportunities, and a resurgent live sector mean analysts have increased their predicted annual growth rate to 7.6%…

Chris Cooke • 07 May 2024

Astroworld victims want first trial to be livestreamed

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Astroworld • 3 min read

Astroworld victims want first trial to be livestreamed

The first Astroworld trial will begin next month. As that court hearing gets closer, lawyers working for the victims have asked for the proceedings to be livestreamed. They are also seeking more of the evidence gathered as part of the criminal investigation into the Astroworld crowd surge tragedy…

Chris Cooke • 29 Apr 2024

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Co-op Live • 3 min read

Co-op Live’s opening week woes continue

Manchester’s new Co-op Live venue won’t open this weekend after all. A Black Keys show set to take place on Saturday has now been pushed back, as have two Peter Kay performances, which had already been rescheduled. Amid all the chaos, it was also announced that GM Gary Roden has resigned…

Chris Cooke • 26 Apr 2024

Download Festival announces plans to avoid last year’s “unprecedented” traffic congestion

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Download Festival • 2 min read

Download Festival announces plans to avoid last year’s “unprecedented” traffic congestion

More than 600 people missed flights to their summer holiday destinations after getting caught up in congestion around the Download Festival at Donington Park in 2023. This year organisers are working hard to ensure that doesn’t happen again…

Andy Malt • 24 Apr 2024

Astroworld lawyers want access to more of Travis Scott's text messages

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Astroworld • 2 min read

Astroworld lawyers want access to more of Travis Scott's text messages

With the first lawsuits due to get to trial next month, lawyers working for victims of the Astroworld tragedy are trying to get access to more texts and messages sent by the festival’s founder Travis Scott, arguing that the amount of communications shared so far is “inadequate”…

Chris Cooke • 23 Apr 2024

Manchester’s new Co-op Live arena cancels launch shows as power issues delay opening

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Co-op Live • 2 min read

Manchester’s new Co-op Live arena cancels launch shows as power issues delay opening

The opening shows at Manchester’s new Co-op Live venue have been postponed after technical problems resulted in thousands of tickets for a test event this weekend being cancelled at the last minute…

Chris Cooke • 22 Apr 2024

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