VIPNEWSPREMIUM > VOLUME 196 > DECEMBER 2016

VIPNEWS PREMIUM > VOLUME 196 > DECEMBER 2016

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VIPNEWS > DECEMBER 2016

McGowan’s Musings

Can this really be the last Musings, and of

course News, of the year! And what a year –

Trump, Brexit, Boris, you couldn’t write this

stuff, it’s all been ‘fract and friction’! Also

we’ve had too many great artists, Bowie,

Prince, Cohen, Lemmy, George Michael

etc. shuffling off this mortal coil this year,

the latest being Greg Lake of King Crimson

and Emerson Lake and Palmer. Hopefully

there will be no more before the end of

December, but I suppose that we just have

to accept that this once young business of

popular music, is like everything else, aging,

and is as susceptible to illness, particularly

cancer, as anybody else. Sorry to kick off

this edition in such a sombre tone, we will

refer to things good and optimistic later I

promise, particularly with comments from

some VIP-News ‘regulars’ who tell us about

some high points of this closing year.

Getting back to everyone’s favourite blonde

– Donald, Boris Johnson or Madonna? - I

hear you cry….it seems that Trump, yes, it

is he, is having problems finding an act to

jolly up his presidential inauguration. Who’d

have thought it, surely the cream of the rock

business would be falling over each other

for the gig? But no, someone said Elton was

up for it, but he really isn’t, though Garth

Brooks may be up for it, and Kanye West did

go for a chat with Donald, but hasn’t said

he’ll play. Still I’m sure everything will be

‘hunky- dory’, because his Communications

Director Boris Epshteyn told ABC News: “No

struggle whatsoever. We have world-class

talent, world-class entertainers reaching

out to us offering their help, offering their

services so no struggle, whatsoever”. So

that’s alright then…

As for one of the other blondes – not Boris –

Madonna won the Billboard Woman of the

Year Award, she concluded her acceptance

speech (unlike Mr. Zimmerman she turned up

to pick it up…) with the following, “Women

have been so oppressed for so long they

believe what men have to say about them.

They believe they have to back a man to get

the job done. And there are some very good

men worth backing, but not because they’re

men - because they’re worthy. As women,

we have to start appreciating our own worth

and each other’s worth. Seek out strong

women to befriend, to align yourself with, to

learn from, to collaborate with, to support to

be inspired and enlightened by”. Well said I

thought.

Another good and quite reassuring comment

for those despairing about the number of

venue closures in the capital (if she can follow

through on it) was made by London’s new

Night Czar, Amy Lamé, after being shown

round a new building in London’s Denmark

Street, indicated that she aims to ensure

that nightclubs and music venues remain in

place across London, stating, “I don’t want

clubbing pushed out to the edges. I want

clubs, pubs, and live music venues right in the

heart of everything. Right across London.”

I was supposed to be heading to London on

the day that I write this, for a much looked

forward to Christmas dinner with the fine

people at IQ Magazine and the ILMC, but

the train drivers who operate the Southern

train routes between London and the South

of England, including Brighton of course,

decided to go on strike, much as the system

very rarely runs efficiently anyway, thus

making it pretty much impossible to get to the

big city, denying me dinner, good company,

and bowling - I’m not best pleased! Still I

shall be in Helsinki over Christmas and then

the delights of Groningen in Holland beckon

for mid January, as they will for many for the

2017 edition of Eurosonic Noorderslag. So all

of us at VIP hope that all of you that celebrate

it enjoy Christmas, and those that don’t have

a great holiday anyway, and that hopefully

we all have a happy and safe New Year!

In the meantime Ladies and Gentlemen – The

News!

COLOPHON >

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Singer George Michael has died at his home at the age

of 53.

The star, who launched his career with Wham! in the

1980s and had huge success as a solo performer, “passed

away peacefully” on Christmas Day in Goring, Oxfordshire,

his publicist said.

Thames Valley Police say they are treating the death as

unexplained but there were no suspicious circumstances.

Former Wham! bandmate Andrew Ridgeley said he was

“heartbroken at the loss of my beloved friend”.

Writing on Twitter and referring to Michael as “Yog”, a

nickname for “Yours Only George”, he added: “Me, his

loved ones, his friends, the world of music, the world at

large. 4ever loved. A xx”

On Instagram, Sir Elton John posted a photograph of

himself with Michael, writing: “I am in deep shock. I have

lost a beloved friend - the kindest, most generous soul and

a brilliant artist. My heart goes out to his family and all of

his fans.”

George Michael dies at home at age 53From VIP-Daily News

George Michael dies at 53

ESNS: EU

ESNS: EU creative europe

https://www.eurosonic-noorderslag.nl/en/

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Live Nation, today announced the launch

of #NP, a new artist management company

in France, in partnership with Pascal Nègre

who will act as the new company`s CEO.

#NP is an artist management company with

the primary purpose of servicing the artist

on all levels from recorded music to live,

with a focus on digital marketing.

Based in Paris, Pascal Nègre (pictured), one

of the most prominent figures in the French

music business, will lead the company along

with an experienced team of specialists

across marketing, design, digital and

branding.

Pascal Nègre, CEO of #NP said: “#NP`s

mission is to ensure the artist is at the very

core of the game in this new digital age.

Our specialist team will be with the artist

every step of the way with the advice and

services they need to allow them to do what

they do best. I`m delighted to join forces

with Live Nation France, a family of great

professionals with worldwide expertise.”

Angelo Gopée, Live Nation France Chief

Executive, said: “It is a pleasure to welcome

Pascal in a joint venture that is both exciting

and ambitious. His vision is in perfect

harmony with what we`ve been doing at

Live Nation for the past seven years.”

John Reid, President, Live Nation Europe -

Concerts, said: “The artist is at the core of

what we do, and together with Pascal we

will be able to expand this focus in ways

we`ve always wanted to. The experience

Pascal brings to the table is unsurpassed,

and we welcome him with open arms.”

Music Finland granted this year’s Finnish

Music Export Award for Till Dawn They

Count Management Ltd, which has helped

Nightwish to become one of the greatest

success stories of all time in Finnish heavy

metal.

The Finnish Music Export Award was

awarded to Till Dawn They Count

Management Ltd, whose best known

client is Nightwish. The award was handed

by Chancelor Jari Gustafsson (Ministry of

Employment and the Economy) in Helsinki

today.

The Finnish Music Export Award, established

by Music Finland last year, is a recognition

given to a Finnish music company that has

successfully developed and expanded its

international operations and has shown

pioneering spirit in exporting Finnish music.

The intent behind this award is to create

attention to the important work done by

music export companies, and also promote

these active and growing enterprises. The

award was initiated by Music Finland, who

also gathered the jury together. The award

winner receives their own signboard on the

outer wall of the famed rock club Tavastia

in Helsinki.

The award-winning company, Till Dawn

They Count Management was founded by

longtime Nightwish partners Ewo Pohjola

and Toni Peiju, when its predecessor King

Foo Entertainment ceased operations in

2014. Till Dawn They Count Management

has helped build Nightwish to be one of the

biggest global metal music success stories

from Finland. The company`s artist list also

includes another major Finnish metal band,

Sonata Arctica.

Till Dawn They Count Management’s duties

include overall managing operations, which

traditionally includes contract negotiations,

designing and implementing revenue

streams, as well as international tour and

album strategies. The company is rewarded

above all, for the success of the most recent

Nightwish album Endless Forms Most

Beautiful and subsequent world tour.

Finnish Award to Nightwish’s managementFrom VIP-Daily News

Live Nation in joint venture with Pascal NégreAllan McGowan [email protected]

Pascal Négre

Till Dawn They Count ManagementPhoto by Katri Naukkarinen

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The organizers and Venue operators have agreed on a return of the

festival to its original location.

It is about making the biggest German festival sustainable in the long

term and therefore the decision is inevitable, says Marek Lieberberg

concert agency and Live Nation in a joint statement.

The airfield Mendig, where the event took place in the last two years,

was no longer durable. Despite record visitor numbers, economic

efficiency is being questioned in the long term by immense specific

requirements. Constantly extended environmental protection

requirements for nature conservation, species and water protection

now required further investments in millions, without guaranteeing

a long-term licensing, stated the organizers.

According to their assessment, similar conditions would be the

knockout criterion for most European festivals. At the same

time, it was pointed out that in the previous years in Mendig, all

environmental requirements were met one hundred percent.

That is why the event returned to the Nürburgring, which was

approved as a venue with clear, manageable conditions. According

to the organizers, the venue operators have made a convincing

attempt to return to acceptable conditions.

40,000 three-day tickets have been sold so far for Rock Am Ring

2017, which are now valid for the Nürburgring. The various special

offers like Rock`n`Roll-Camping, Experience and Caravan Camping

are maintained and implemented on preferred areas.

Unauthorised agents have been offering Dire Straits and Mark

Knopfler shows to unsuspecting promoters across worldwide.

A spokesman for Knopfler has issued a warning to promoters

following a flurry of cases in South America recently - and stressed

there are no plans for any Dire Straits` shows.

“There are no plans whatsoever for Dire Straits shows, and any

Mark Knopfler shows should be booked only through Brent Smith

at William Morris for North America, and Andrew Zweck at Sensible

Events for the rest of the world,” said a statement issued on behalf

of the singer.

Last year, con artists attempted to dupe promoters by posing as

representatives of Aerosmith and Pearl Jam in a fake email scam.

Unauthorised Agents offeringDire StraitsFrom VIP-Daily News

Rock am Ring returns toNürburgring in 2017From VIP-Daily News

Mark Knopfler

Rock am Ring

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The Norwegian music industry grows to an

all time high since 2012 when the annual

reviews began.

The Norwegian music industry was worth

NOK 3.727.000.000 ($440.262.716) in

2015. Up 5 percent from 2014.

Music in Numbers was released December

12th. The report aims to show data which

says something about the industry’s size and

how it develops over time. To calculate the

size and worth of the industry, the report

has collected revenue statistics from three

main categories; copyright revenue, revenue

from recorded music (physical and digital),

and concerts and performance revenue.

The live sector makes up the biggest portion

of total revenue, accounting for 52 percent

($227.622.000), while recorded music

and copyrights each make up 24 percent

($107.852.000 for copyright revenue and

$104.312.000 for recorded music).

Streaming has yet to reach its peak, growing

10 percent from 2014 to 2015. Streaming’s

continued impact on the industry economy

alone accounts for a year on year growth of

recorded music sales of 5%.

2015’s numbers marks an all time high

since the yearly tracking began in 2012.

The numbers reverse the negative growth

between 2013 and 2014, where revenues

were down about 1 percent.

2015: NOK 3.727.000.000

2014: NOK 3.564.000.000

2013: NOK 3.598.000.000

2012: NOK 3.072.000.000

Export income

The report shows that 6 percent of total

revenue comes from export revenue, the

same share as previous three years. Export

income has increased in sync with the

general revenue.

Export revenues was worth NOK

375.000.000 ($44.297.965) in 2015.

Note: Export revenue is only generated

from what directly can be traced to a

Norwegian company. Deals Norwegian

artists and industry professionals have

with foreign companies are not included.

Concert statistics is made up of artist fees,

and not ticket sales. Sale of merchandise is

also not included.

Income from the live sector

Total income from concerts in 2015 was

NOK 1.929.000.000 ($227.868.736). This

marks a year on year increase of 4 percent.

The amount is generated from tickets sales

in Norway and artist fees from concerts

outside of Norway.

Export income from concerts equaled

MNOK 114 ($M13.7), a drop of 6 percent

year on year. The report suggests fall in

artist fees as the reason for the decrease

from 2014.

Income from recorded music

Total revenue for recorded music stood

at 884MNOK in 2015 ($M104.4), an

impressive 9 percent increase from 2014.

Digital, and mostly streaming was the

driving factor to the increase. Streaming

revenue was up 10% year on year. The

growth makes up for the 44 percent

decrease in downloads.

It’s worth noting that revenue from ad-

supported streams are not included in this

report.

Vinyl had yet a massive year, with sales

making physical increase 48 percent

compared with 2014. Vinyl sales itself grew

69 percent from 2014, due to more titles

available and a general higher demand.

Norwegian music (music published on

Norwegian labels) had a market share of 26

percent, up from 22 percent in 2014.

Export stood for 5 percent of revenue in

recorded music, the same share as the year

before. That equals to 46MNOK ($M5,4) in

2015.

Export is defined as “income generated

in markets outside Norway by companies

registered in Norway”.

Export generated income from recorded

music is up 22 percent year on year. Since

2012, when the yearly tracking begun, export

income from recorded music has doubled.

Income from copyrights

The report finds that copyrights income

contributed MNOK 914 in 2015 ($M107.97),

up 2 percent year on year. Export income

stands for 9 percent of the total, equal to

MNOK 80 ($M9.45).

Export income is defined as revenue

transferred to Norwegian rights holders by

foreign collective societies. A year on year

comparison shows an increase of 17 percent

from 2014.

Income from sync deals which are not done

directly between copyright holders and/or

publishers based in Norway are not included

in these numbers.

Norwegian Live sector up 4 percentFrom VIP-Daily News

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The 31st edition of Eurosonic Noorderslag, widely recognized as the Platform for European music will, as

usual, take place in the Dutch University city of Groningen from January 11 – 15. The event sells out each

year, attracting over 4,000 professional delegates, including representatives of over 400 international

festivals. More than 350 acts showcase, and the conference program covers developments in the

international music, media, production and interactive industries

The event also hosts the European Festival Awards, The European Border Breakers Awards and The

European Talent Exchange Programme – ETEP.

ETEP

This thirty first edition of Eurosonic

Noorderslag again plays host to the European

Talent Exchange Programme, ETEP, for the

fifteenth year! For the first few editions this

unique initiative instituted to showcase and

exchange talent between the neighbouring

European states required repeated

explanation. Now, agents, managers, festival

promoters, music export offices etc, are well

aware of what can be achieved by accessing

the festival and media opportunities made

available to acts showcasing at Eurosonic,

and efforts to take part in ETEP are very

much part of the early year planning and

scheduling for artist careers throughout the

European music industry.

The programme has been responsible for

kick-starting the careers of many well known

European acts, and the following figures give

some idea of how things have grown: In

2003 ETEP resulted in 53 shows being played

by 23 acts from 8 countries at 23 festivals in

13 countries. Total figures for 2016 are 404

shows by 148 acts from 27 countries at 99

festivals in 31 countries.

Recent Comments on ETEP:

Yourope (the European festivals

organisation) was a part of ETEP since the

beginning and nowadays, we are very

active as a co-organizer of the program.

The idea is simple, but very effective and its

development with the steady rising number

of participating festivals and booked shows

of European talent is proof that ETEP is

one of the best and valuable initiatives to

promote European live music. We are proud

to be a part of it.

Christof Huber

General Secretary - Yourope

I think ETEP has become an important

exchange platform that cannot be ignored

by artists or promoters in Europe. The unique

quality of acts and events participating is

what makes the programme’s success.

Dany Hassenstein

Paleo Festival Nyon - Switzerland

ETEP raised awareness that there is good

quality music from other countries than just

music of Anglo American origin. In Europe,

in UK and USA it raised pride within the

European music scene that different cultural

influences, different cross-overs are a good

thing and that we have to tour/promote

these acts as festival and tour promoters.

Eurosonic – Noorderslag31st EditionAllan McGowan [email protected]

Christof Huber

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We shouldn’t just look for talent from the

UK, America and some exceptional world

music from Africa and far away exotic

countries: It also happens here, right under

our noses!

It also played a role in raising the level of

professionalism of European managers and

agents, tour managers, tour productions &

creative music production. aI think it also

put the UK agency world on their toes. They

come and watch the talent that is being

presented with different eyes than 10 years

ago. 10 to 15 years ago they did not watch

at all, now they are afraid they might miss

something important. They actually take

acts on their roster if they can get it that is.

Eric Van Eerdenburg

Lowlands Festival - Mojo Concerts

Netherlands

ETEP is a wonderful platform for artists

– Otherkin & Soak are recent examples of

artists we have had in the programme who

have benefitted greatly, both achieving

extensive European festival touring as a

result.

Alex Bruford

Partner ATC Live Agency - UK

Eurosonic was a great experience and

adventure for us. It was our first proper

live experience out of our comfort zone

of playing packed venues in the UK and,

after playing in front of the biggest and

best promoters and agents from across the

globe, we’re still reaping the benefits in live

venues across the world.

Conrad Murray

Manager of Blossoms - SJM (UK)

We are very happy with the support of ETEP.

We feel they have contributed to our success

by giving their trust in us, they can convince

the festival partners we were talking to, to

book us. They are giving this extra push in a

natural way, so we will keep our credibility

and at the same time raise our chances of

playing.

Steijn Koeijvoets

Manager, My Baby - Netherlands

Eric Van Eerdenburg

Steijn Koeijvoets

Eurosonic somehow does it betterSo that’s it really – oh, what’s that? Some of

you were actually quite young when ETEP

started and you’re not sure exactly how it

works?

Ok then, just for you: Each year Eurosonic

Noorderslag, which is broadcasted by

several EBU radio stations, selects the most

current and promising European artists to

play the festival.

ETEP brings together over a hundred of

the leading European festivals, along with

radio and other media encouraging them

to ‘exchange’ these artists. ETEP festival

bookers select foreign artists from the

line-up of Eurosonic Noorderslag, and

guarantee confirmed slots at their festival.

Radio stations support the selected acts

with airplay. Written media support the

acts in national press. Both radio and print

media offer national exposure to these

selected groups. In this way these selected

talented European artists are guaranteed

to play at one or more major summer

festivals attracting thousands of music

lovers and with the support of radio and

other media, managers, promoters and

agents resulting in an audience numbering

in the millions. This guarantees maximum

exposure and offers a perfect opportunity

for management and the recording

industry to establish and promote their

artists throughout Europe.

So that’s it, not that it’s always been

easy; as with many aspects of the music

industry, maintaining adequate funding

from various areas including the European

Commission along with awareness of the

aims of ETEP and associated initiatives is Folkert Koopmans

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still a fulltime job for founder Peter Smidt

and Ruud Berends (you might notice that

the years have been kind to them, and they

look pretty much as they did fifteen years

ago!). Though they are both more than

happy that this idealistic and ambitious

initiative has progressed and developed

over fifteen years there are no intentions

to become complacent. The introduction

of supporting projects like the EBBA’s

and CEETEP have helped to expand the

aspirations and intentions of the thinking

behind ETEP. New projects may already be

in the planning for the future…

Folkert Koopmans

Director FKP Scorpio

Each year a different country is highlighted

in order to showcase the diversity of musical

talent across Europe.

Countries that have been showcased at

previous editions include France, Germany,

Italy, Sweden, Belgium, Norway, The

Netherlands, Ireland, Finland, Austria and

Iceland.

Portugal is this year’s featured country, so

let’s finish with a comment on what they

hope to achieve from Eurosonic and ETEP…

“Being focus country at Eurosonic

Noorderslag 2017 is the best opportunity

to bridge the gap between the new music

made in Portugal and other new music

markets, introducing the wealth of musical

genres currently made in Portugal to a much

wider audience.”

Sais Nuno Saraiva

WHY Portugal

The European Border Breakers Awards

On 11 January 2017, the 14th Awards go to Alan Walker (no), Jaakko

Eino Kalevi (fi), Namika (de), Hinds (es), Filous (at), Jain (fr), Dua Lipa

(gb), Era Istrefi (al), Natalie La Rose (nl) and Walking on Cars (ie).

Every year, 10 European artists receive an EBBA to recognise their

success in countries other than their own. This success is measured

by: Airplay, sales, live performances in Europe and position in the

European Border Breakers Charts.

EBBA celebrate new and border-breaking artists who create today

and tomorrow’s music from Adele (United Kingdom) to Christine

& the Queens (France), the EBBA winners represent some of the

standout European sounds of recent years. Other previous winners

include Stromae, Gabriel Rios, Hozier, Of Monsters and Men,

Mumford & Sons, Aurora, Disclosure, John Newman, C2C, Tokio

Hotel, The Script, Years and Years, Robin Schulz, Carnival Youth, MØ

and Selah Sue.

Jaakko Eino Kalevi is the Finnish EBBA winner

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Greg Parmley

MD International Live Music Conference

(ILMC) and International Festival Forum

(IFF) London

2017 will be the year of the ticket. With

Amazon Tickets making a big play in live,

and streaming services increasingly starting

to sell tickets on their platforms, tickets will

go where the fans are. And the landscape

will begin a seismic shift. Secondary will

continue to be a talking point in many

markets, and the brighter spotlight on the

relationships between the industry and

this controversial cousin will drive greater

transparency. The boundaries between

‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ will continue to

blur, as more income is driven back to the

industry, out of the hands of those who

contribute nothing to it.

Volker May

Managing Partner FZW Event GmbH

Dortmund, Germany

One of our highlights was SCOTT BRADLEY

AND THE POSTMODERN JUKEBOX. A sold

out show which nobody expected, amazing

entertainment and a very gentle tour

production and crew.

As far as it concerns 2017 I am very optimistic.

We already announced the first sold out

shows in spring and have once again only a

few days left without a booking.

Ivana Dragila

Online Marketing eps holding Gmbh

Krailling, Germany.

2016 was an ambivalent year: On one side

great tours with Beyoncé, Coldplay, Rihanna

and many others, and on the other side a lot

of weather issues for many festivals. Overall it

was a satisfying year. 2017 looks like a much

busier year with again a lot of great tours like

Guns N’ Roses, Depeche Mode, Coldplay,

Phil Collins, AIDA with Placido Domingo and

Robbie Williams. And in addition a lot of new

festivals like Lollapalooza Paris, Download at

a new site in Paris, Wireless in Germany and

many others...

The biggest challenge for 2017 currently is

the compressed period in which most tours

and festivals will take place. The weather

problems at festivals are influencing the

promoters in terms of having material on

standby but only paying for it if it’s needed.

We will test in 2017 a new floor cover, which

we developed this year in some countries.

This product currently is the most effective

product for pitch cover. In addition we

developed a lot of special barricade pieces

for many tours like Robbie Williams, Adele

or Take That.

Manfred Tari and Allan McGowan invited several VIP ‘Regulars’ to respond to the following questions:

What were the highlights of your year, and what are your conclusions regarding the state of the business

in general? Please let us know your outlook and expectations for 2017....

Highlights of 2016 and the State of the Business for 2017Allan McGowan [email protected] & Manfred Tari [email protected]

Greg Parmley

Volker may Ivana Dragila

VIPNEWS > INDEPTH STORY > DECEMBER 2016

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Karsten Jahnke

MD Karsten Jahnke Konzertdirektion GmbH

Hamburg, Germany.

We had a lot of highlights this year: 1. The

best season in our lovely open air venue in

the Stadtpark. 2. A sold out tour with our

old friends THE CURE. 3. The incredible

success of Johannes Oerding. 4. A sold out

European tour with AL JARREAU & The

NDR Big Band presents The Duke Ellington

Songbook. 5. More than 100 concerts

within Germany with HERMAN VAN VEEN.

6. the success of our new singer/songwriter

Max Giesinger. 7. The success of the tour

with Lukas Rieger.

In 2017 we will present, together with

Scorpio, The ELBJAZZ FESTIVAL on 2nd

and 3rd of June in the Hamburg harbour –

Blohm & Voss – and in the Elbphilharmonie.

To present within my Jazz Nights series the

following top jazz stars like Michael Wollny

and Vincent Peirani (January/February )–

Branford Marsalis fest. Kurt Elling (March/

April) – Pat Metheny Quartet (October). And

to continue the successful tours of Johannes

Oerding, Max Giesinger and Lukas Rieger.

Georg Leitner

MD Georg Leitner Productions GmbH

Vienna - Austria

KOOL & THE GANG in Africa proved to be

the biggest personal highlight for 2016!

Early in 2016 I managed to put together a

run of three dates for KOOL & THE GANG

in Africa (in Mozambique, Uganda & Kenya)

Some of the members of KOOL & THE GANG

had grave concerns about going to Africa

(security as well as organizational issues).

Having lived in Zambia & South Africa as

a teenager, I was always passionate about

Africa. So I used all the persuasion and

arguments to convince the guys to accept

the dates – and eventually (after going back

and forth quite a few times) they agreed to

go for it.

From day one till the finish of the tour – it

turned out that everything worked out

incredibly smoothly. Not only had the

shows been sold out - the organization

(production, transport, hotels etc. ) was

absolutely impeccable. They guys loved

the tour! In times when we hear so much

negative news from this burdened continent

(corruption, famine, migration etc.) – this

tour shed a ray of hope – and showed what

people in Africa are capable of. Yes – that

was a most wonderful highlight for our

2016 season !

Some of the other highlights where the

European tour of SEAN PAUL (where we got

lucky again when SEAN PAUL s song with

SIA hit the charts just prior to our extensive

European tour) .

Also our GEORGE CLINTON PARLIAMENT /

FUNKADELIC tours in Asia & Europe proved

that the act is vibrant as ever !

The Outlook for 2017 looks great. One

of the big Highlights will be our 40th

anniversary tour of FOREIGNER.1977 was

also the year when I put on my very first

shows in Austria – i.e. 2017 also marks GLP´s

40th anniversary !

Also the GLP headquarter in Vienna will be

extended – so we are creating a complete

new office in our building with 200 ms2 – to

include a Chill out zone – and creative area

for our team.:-)

So yes – I thank the universe for a great 2016

and look forward to an ever so vibrant 2017.

Beverley Whitrick

Strategic Director - Music Venue Trust

London

Music Venue Trust had an early highlight

when we, in partnership with UK Music

and Musicians’ Union, achieved a change

in English law to help protect grassroots

music venues from redevelopment: from 6

April 2016, local planning authorities have

to consider noise impacts on new residents

from existing businesses under an amended

permitted development right (i.e. you

cannot build near a music venue without

mitigating the potential noise within your

own plans).

Other highlights included:

• The contribution of small venues to the

economy being measured for the first time

Karsten Jahnke Georg Leitner

Beverley Whitrick


13

in UK Music’s research, published in Wish

You Were Here 2016.

• Venues Day 2016 with 500 delegates

in only its 3rd year, followed by mini

festival Fightback, both on 18 October , at

Roundhouse, London.

• Receiving both an endorsement and a

donation from Sir Paul McCartney for our

work.

We still have a lot of work to do to protect

and improve the UK’s grassroots music

venues but support and awareness are

building and we are optimistic that we will

achieve more in 2017.

Prof. Peter Schwenkow

CEO DEAG Deutsche Entertainment AG

We are looking back on a great year

with a broad variety in the field of live

entertainment. In particular, we have

successfully established a series of new

rock festivals, notably ROCKAVARIA in

Munich, Sonisphere in Switzerland and

Rock in Vienna in Austria. In the past year

we focused especially on the segment of

family live entertainment, too, which may

be considered the most increasing area in

the live business these days. Our beacon

projects here are Disney On Ice in Germany

and Austria, Marvel Universe Live, Christmas

wonderlands like Christmas at Kew and

Christmas at Blenheim in the United

Kingdom and Christmas Garden Berlin in

Germany and TINI’s live tour, the upcoming

Disney world star.

Besides the festivals and family live projects

in 2017, we will promote tours and concerts

of international stars like Aerosmith, Bryan

Ferry, Chris de Burgh, Deep Purple, Iron

Maiden, Kiss, Man Doki Soulmates, Tokio

Hotel and many more. In addition, we are

happy to present Volbeat in Switzerland,

Rainbow, Craig David, The 1975 and many

others in the United Kingdom as well as

Amon Amarth or Royal Republic in Austria.

These concerts as well as unique events like

the first classical open air concert of Anna

Netrebko and Yusif Eyvazov in Berlin mean

we are looking forward to a great next

season!

Andras Berta

Sziget Festival, Hungary

2016 was a great year for Sziget festival.

With almost half a million visitors we broke

all previous records regarding sold tickets.

We also managed to further improve

the international status of the festival,

welcoming fans from over 100 countries.

Some of our major markets, like UK or

France saw big improvements, while others

maintained last year’s performance. Being

a mid-August festival in the Eastern part of

the continent means it’s still a big challenge

to get the headliners we need, while we also

realize that artist fees are getting higher and

higher each year. We still don’t think it’s a

healthy structure, having too many festivals

biding for not enough potential headliners

and thus creating rocketing prices, so

we have our concerns for the long-term

prosperity of our industry. In any case,

Sziget seems to be in a strong position due

to the fact that our program structure is a

lot more diversified compared to many of

our competitors.

We believe we have to keep the values of

the festival, so no big changes planned, only

fine-tuning our existing structures. We are

celebrating the 25th edition of the event, so

we hope for a strong year sales-wise, just

like 2016. Sziget, as a company is looking

into new opportunities, also negotiating

with potential partners abroad to co-

organize festivals.

Detlef Schwarte

Inferno Events/ Reeperbahn Festival

Hamburg, Germany

New year, same questions… ;o)

The positive response from the industry and

media to the first Anchor Award ceremony

at Reeperbahn Festival was a highlight of

the year 2016 for sure – as was the entire

show and its winner Albin Lee Meldau.

Another was the cross-party decision of the

German committee on budgets to provide

noticeably increased financial support

for the popular music sector in Germany.

This kind of structural support becomes

even more important as the business in

general is still shaped by monopolization

and the growing power of investor driven

entities, which pursue targets that differ

fundamentally from the interests of e.g. Peter Schwenkow

Andras Berta Detlef Schwarte


14

independent music companies, traditional

music venues or the artist as such.

Artists and their representatives still fight

for appropriate revenue models. Publishers

(in Germany) struggle for their subject

matter. The shut downs of live music venues

remains a painful trend all over Europe.

With regards to weather and terror threads

organizers of festivals find themselves in a

situation of survival of the fittest. All that

happens in a socio-political environment

that urgently needs more cultural diversity,

more space for the young to develop talent

and more interference of the mostly open

minded people that work with and for

music. The elections in Netherlands, France

or Germany might make it even harder for

us all to continue as before.

Nick Hobbs

Charmenko, Turkey

Highlights: Summer Well festival in

Bucharest, Rammstein in Moscow and

Wroclaw; Muse in Athens and Bucharest.

Our Damien Rice and Agnes Obel dates - 2

artists that bucked the trend for us, and my

own UK gigs for Serious and at the Afekt

Festival in Tallinn. Respect to Damien Rice

and Joss Stone for playing Istanbul just after

the failed coup.

The state of the business in the countries we

work in is damn hard. Our clients are not

making money, we are not making money,

and the political situation is somewhere

between awful and bad in many of these

countries. Most of us are in survival mode

that is not a lot of fun as it means we have

no choice but to be cautious about any risky

business (and it’s all risky of course…). Fairy

godmothers are welcome to get in touch.

As things stand, we expect to still be here at

the end of next year and we have enough

work scheduled for me to feel cautiously

optimistic that at least it won’t be a bad

year. We’ve developed our connections

with German promoters and I hope that

continues, though I don’t expect to move to

Berlin just yet. More than that is hard to say

as I broke my crystal ball years ago.

Ville Leppanen

The Animal Farm

London, UK

The highlight of my year, of artists other

than ours, was discovering that the chord

progression in Drake’s Hotline Bling is really

good, almost old fashioned. Of our artists,

I would highlight the international major

label interest in Ben Thorpe, whose chord

progressions I hope you will hear anon. My

personal highlight was making the British

Open Squash Masters final.

I predict a welcome return to chord based

song writing in 2017.

Arndt Scheffler

Managing Director I CEO

White Label eCommerce GmbH

Hamburg, Germany

One of our favorite highlights of the year

is definitely to accompany some of our

clients through the digital transformation

process. It takes a lot of courage to leave

some of the old, well known paths behind

to break new ground. And whereas the idea

of selling tickets directly is not exactly new,

opening up a presale by selling your own

tickets only in your own shop and online

doesn’t necessarily come naturally. Although

the world is changing rapidly and the

concentration process of the industry cannot

be stopped, there are plenty of opportunities

for ambitious entrepreneurs.

In terms of ticketing I would like to emphasize

that the trend of data driven ecommerce and

therefore online ticket sales will continue.

It is only consequent to focus on providing

the tools and support needed to control and

push your own sales through your own ticket

shop. This starts by being able to control

allocations, content, reports and processes at

any time and ends by having full insight ito

the direct effects of marketing campaigns.

In 2017 we will enter the next phase of the

disruption of the ticketing business, whether

we like it or not.Nick Hobbs

Arndt Scheffler

Ville Leppanen


15


A Story regarding Social Ticketing versus Secondary Ticketing.

December is usually the time for Christmas fairy tales, but perhaps in

December 2016 not all of the stories have that fairy element. There

are simply too many questionable things going on these days and the

following is an example...

On November 18 US-band Radical Faces played in the Konzerthaus

Dortmund. Actually quite a good concert, well attended and a band

having fun on stage while playing songs about “Rivers in the Dust”,

depressions and other personal experiences. The singer Ben Cooper

even opened up the concert apologizing for the US electing Donald

Trump 10 days before. In fact, the social competence of Donald Trump

has somehow become a role model for today’s western society or

what is left of it. In reference to this an incident witnessed prior to the

concert seems to reflect these tendencies.

Shortly before the concert started a homeless person tried to sell

a ticket for the concert. There were only a very few people left in

front of the venue and the ticket seller tried to monetize the ticket

with a dynamic pricing sales strategy. From the beginning onwards

the chances of re-selling the ticket was ridiculously low and the sales

potential became even less when one of the venue security guards

advised the homeless ticket seller to move two meters away from the

location.

We all know it is not easy to impress homeless people. With this in

mind, the security guard warned that he would call up the regulatory

authorities asking for official support for dismissing the homeless

ticket seller, who was also apparently begging for money, with a

misdemeanour conviction. The homeless person and the security

guard obviously knew how this game is played, with the would

be ticket seller quickly leaving the spot when the security guard

undertook an attempt to call the auxiliary police.

While watching the whole scenario, the author of this article

remembered a social initiative observed when working way back in

the nineties for the music convention Popkomm in Cologne. Whilst in

charge of the extensive concert programme of this event, a few tickets

were collected for each show and provided to homeless organisations.

Popkomm in those days was also a hot spot for media people. Each

year we arranged a barbecue for all the security guards working in

clubs and concert locations during the festival at which we reminded

them to be nice and friendly to journalists, we also informed them that

Popkomm would provide free tickets for homeless people.

We kindly asked them to allow for one of these ticketholders to try

and sell their tickets or to grant them access to a show if they wanted.

In order to ensure the success of this special briefing, all security staff

involved were provided with free drinks and sausages at the barbecue.

When telling the security guard of the Konzerthaus Dortmund that I

disagreed with how he handled the situation it quickly became clear

that times have changed since the nineties. Apart from the fact that

the security guy remained formally friendly and polite when arguing

with the homeless ticket seller, it once more proved that security

guards are not social workers.

In fact concerning the security briefing by the management of the

Konzerthaus Dortmund, when talking to the security guard it also

became evident that this incident with a homeless person was not

the first of its kind. It is also well known that current politicians have

a great passion for classical music. They provide the public funding

keeping such venues and orchestras alive; in this case it is 5.2 million

Euros per year.

Beside that it is Christmas, the questions remain, why does the

management of the Konzerthaus Dortmund besides placing

advertisements in Bodo, the local homeless magazine, not allow the

security guards to provide homeless people with a free cup of coffee

at the backstage entrance of the venue around the corner? It is just a

nice gesture and it would help their security guards to improve their

professional relations with homeless persons. Well finally, it seems

that with a subsidy of 5.2 million Euro per year, a small budget for a

cup of coffee here and there might be affordable, doesn’t it?

5.2 Million Euro Versus One Homeless Ticket SellerManfred Tari [email protected]

KonzerthausDortmund

John Mulder is back at the helmet of Dutch promoter Mojo.

Together with Ruben Brouwer he will take over the running of

Mojo from January 1st. 2017, following the surprise resignation in

September of former CEO Wilbert Mutsaers.

Brouwer has been at Mojo since 2008, initially as a lawyer, then as

part of its management team.

John Mulder (pictured) left Mojo in 2011 to start his own

promotion business, but had remained involved with the company

on a freelance basis.

Leon Ramakers, founder of Mojo will now serve as a consultant

and a booker of major international acts. He says: “With this duo,

Mojo’s management has the right mix of business, strategic and

operational knowledge and skills. I am very confident that Mojo is

in good hands.”

UK booking agency ATC Live has made three new hires.

Isla Angus and Sarah Besnard join from Earth Agency, bringing with

them a roster that includes Sleaford Mods, Austra, Dan Deacon,

Cass McCombs and Girl Band, while Sinan Ors, formerly at UTA,

brings electronic artists Romare, Daedelus and Clap Clap!.

“All three,” says managing director Alex Bruford, “share the same

artist-focused and creative approach as ATC Live, and we are

delighted to welcome their artists alongside our growing roster,

[which] includes Mac DeMarco, Julia Jacklin, Whitney, Shura,

Shame, The Lumineers, Passenger and Benjamin Clementine.”

The London-based agency hired Clemence Renaut, Roxane

Dumoulin and Chris Meredith in January.

New management team for MojoFrom VIP-Daily News

Three new Agents for ATC LiveFrom VIP-Daily News

Ruben Brouwer Isla Angus

John Mulder

17

NAMES & JOBSVIPNEWS > DECEMBER 2016

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MUSIC IN SHARES

MusicIn SharesManfred Tari [email protected]

The year’s end review of the Music In Shares section at VIP-News

is dedicated purely to the performance figures of the remaining

corporate concert companies at stock markets.

This year’s summary turns out to be different to previous years. Both

CTS Eventim and DEAG delivered a loss in the annual comparison.

CTS Eventim for many years in a row only delivered a share price

growth. But 2016 is different, minus 15,09 per cent compared to

last year.

On November 17, 2015 the share price of CTS Eventim had been

34.43 Euro, on November 16 when this issue of VIP-News went

to press it is 29.31 Euro. Nevertheless, CTS Eventim with a market

capitalisation of 2.787 billion Euros remains a true blue chip among

our corporate concert companies.

DEAG even lost 30 per cent of its share price value, from a previous

4.32 down to 2.88 Euros. The market cap therewith melted down

to 47.74 million Euros and it looks like it will take a bit of time before

DEAG will recover.

Live Nation instead gained, from $24.97 one year ago to $27.13

this time. The market cap is up $5.43 billion; this year’s share price

peak was $29.04 while the lowest one recorded was $18.77.

UNIQUE AND DOUBLY GOOD

THE HALL DUO IN NECKARPARK

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Tel. +49 (0) 711/9554-40Fax +49 (0) 711/9554-500

[email protected]

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VIPNEWS > BUSINESS > DECEMBER 2016

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About Our CompanyVIP-Booking’s core product is the Internet’s oldest and largest database for the European Live Entertainment Industry www.vip-booking.com developed as a tool for industry professionals . Since it’s launch in the year 2000, we have consist-ently offered our subscribers the very best in database services and now boast subscribers in over 30 countries.

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MUSICAL YOUTHTerritory: UK / EuropePeriod: March - September 2017Agency: SASAgent: Steve HughesPhone: +44 77 7925 7295E-mail: [email protected]: sas-ents.com

PATRICIA KAASTerritory: WorldwidePeriod: On demandAgency: Richard Walter ProductionsAgent: Jean-Hugues FeugeasPhone: +33 432 600 599E-mail: [email protected]:www.rwprod.org/en/artistes/patricia-kaas.html

PHIL RUDD BAND (EX AC/DC) Territory: EuropePeriod: April to June 2017 inclusiveAgency: Fizzion and FrusionAgent: Ian SmithPhone: +44 77 9169 9889E-mail: [email protected]: www.fizzion.eu/artist.php?id=139

MAXIMO PARK Territory: EuropePeriod: 2017Agency: Primary Talent InternationalAgent: Matt BatesPhone: +44 20 7400 4500E-mail: [email protected]: www.thewombats.co.uk

ANDREW STRONG Territory: EuropePeriod: October 2016 - December 2017Agency: AMA Music Agency Ltd.Agent: Mark DowningPhone: +353 862 504 795E-mail: [email protected]: www.amamusicagency.ie/andrew-strong/

UNCLE LUCIUS Territory: Europe - UK festivalsPeriod: June - August 2017Agency: SASAgent: Steve HughesPhone:+44 77 7925 7295E-mail: [email protected]: uncleluciusmusic.com

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