News
In Brief... Legendary producer Quincy Jones is named chairman of the Asia Academy of Music Arts and Sciences with a remit that involves fostering collaborations between all sectors of the music industry across Asia and the world. Anna Calvi emerges as the European Talent Exchange Programme’s most popular act of 2011 with 12 festival shows booked through the scheme during the year. AEG Ogden appoints James Irvine to head up its new global partnerships division in the Asia Pacific. Irvine previously worked at Wembley Stadium and The O2 arena in the UK. Live Nation emerges victorious in the saga for the rights to run a new arena in Copenhagen, Denmark. The 15,000-capacity arena will cost in the region of DKK1billion (€134million) and will open in 2015. Student Francesco Pinna (20) is killed and seven fellow workers are injured when a stage they are helping to build for rock act Jovanotti in Trieste, Italy, collapses. Seatwave chief, Joe Cohen denies speculation that the ticket resale company is in financial trouble, despite reports that it has amassed losses of €40m since 2007. UK entertainment retailer HMV puts its 13 live music venues and various festivals up for sale in an attempt to slash its £164m (€196m) debt. O2 World Berlin operator AEG parts company with venue MD Mike Keller, citing “conceptual differences with regards to the venue’s business operation.”
JANUARY Kanye West uses his Twitter account to announce he has fired William Morris Endeavor after his long-time agent Cara Lewis quit the company. Former Fleetwood Mac session guitarist Bob Weston dies at home in London. He was 64. FKP Scorpio hires David Maloney to run its Swedish office as the German promot-
er looks to expand its touring business in the Nordic countries. AEG China signs a 15-year contract to operate the new 18,000-seat Dalian Sports Center, which is being built for the 2013 China National Games. The arena will open this June and will host music, cultural and family shows, as well as sports. German promoters’ association BDV launches web portal touring-in-germany. com with law firm Michow & Partner in a bid to make it easier for acts to connect with promoters, agents and artist managers. Robbie Francis, best known as the drummer for British metal outfit Diamond Head, dies of a ruptured aorta, aged 53. Touring festival Big Day Out calls time on its New Zealand leg after promoter Ken West admits that falling audience numbers have made the Auckland show unviable.
Madonna
DECEMBER
FKP Scorpio buys a stake in Utrechtbased booking agency and artist management company Friendly Fire as part of a partnership deal that will initially see them working together on FKP’s recently acquired Netherlands event, Indian Summer Festival. AEG Live reveals plans to open a 2,100-capacity club called The Brick in Minneapolis. The venue will open in March and will complement the Target Center that AEG manages on behalf of the city. Live Nation buys a 25% stake in Croatia’s Adria Entertainment. The Zagreb-based company, run by Vladimir Ivanković,
has represented Live Nation in the Balkans for a number of years. R&B legend Etta James dies at home in Riverside, California, following a long battle with illness. She was 73. Festival Republic MD Melvin Benn cancels 2012’s edition of The Big Chill festival, citing its date clash with the Olympics and artist availability for the decision.
FEBRUARY Irish promoters Michael Durkan and Kieran Cavanagh agree a pact to develop a new range of family shows. The duo have two shows on the road: International Magic Tenors is on an 80-date tour of Germany, while Celtic Nights is on a 42-date US tour. Australia’s inaugural touring Heatwave Festival collapses, having failed to pay some suppliers, and goes into voluntary insolvency amid stories that company COO Olivier Lokolomba, aka MC Mastacraft, has disappeared. Madonna sparks controversy ahead of her forthcoming MDNA world tour when she tells Newsweek magazine that fans should “work all year, scrape the money together” to pay for a $300 (€230) ticket to see her.
Isle of Wight Festival promoter John Giddings’ “never say never” retort hints he could agree to sell the event following a reported £12m (€14.5m) bid from AEG. AEG ticketing chief Bryan Perez reveals the new AXS platform will include a ticket lottery system to cope with fan demand, as well as an option allowing friends to book seats together even when paying separately. Former journalist Jo Dipple is confirmed as chief executive of UK Music, replacing Feargal Sharkey who unexpectedly departed the music industry’s umbrella body last November. Robin and Joe Bennett, organisers of the Truck Festival, announce that the UK event will relaunch in July under new management after last year’s edition went into administration.
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20 | IQ Magazine March 2012