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VIP NEWS >
APRIL 2012
McGowan’s
Musings
It’s been pouring with rain here for the last
belownormal levels. As the festival season
weather! Still the events themselves do get
couple of days, but it seems that it’s not the
looms and the situation continues, we may
covered in the News you’ll be glad to know.
right type of rain, or there’s not enough of
see our increasingly ‘green’ events having
it because we are still officially in drought.
to consider contingency plans to deal with
I was very taken by the Neil McCormick
River levels across England and Wales are the
watershortages and yet more problems
reportin UK newspaper The Telegraph from
lowest they’ve been for 36 years, since our
caused by increasingly erratic weather. I’m
the Coachella festival in California, as he
last severe drought in 1976, with, according
sure that many in other countries who still
wrote, “The hairs went up on the back of my
to the Environmental Agency, two-thirds
picture England as a rain swept country
neck…” as he watched the live performance
‘exceptionally ’ low, and most reservoirs
where everybody carries umbrellas will find
of
it strange to see us indulging in rain dances
understandable, as unfortunately, and not to
over the next couple of months!
put too fine a point on it, Tupac is actually
Tupac
Shakur…”
This
is
perfectly
dead. His apparently very realisticappearance Since the last issue of VIP News I have
was made possible by the applicationof new
journeyedto Canada, Estonia and Paris, and
holographic projection technology. This all
talking of strange weather, things on that
puts a new slant on the phrase, You can’t
front were not as usual. Having prepared recreate the Live experience ’ and opens
COLOPHON > VIP-News is published by: VIP-Booking 145-157 St John Street London Ec1V 4PW Managing Director: Ronni Didriksen rd@vip-booking.com
myselfto pack thermal underwear and ski
up all sorts of quite bizarre and disturbing
wear for Toronto, having been told by old
possibilities, as apparently you can do more
hands at Canadian Music Week to expect than just holographically present a pre-filmed temperatures of – 10º and below, I discovered
performance, it is now possible to work the
on checking that shorts and swimwear were
images to present something entirely new.
nearer the mark (especially as my hotel room
We hear all the time that there is a lack of
flooded on the first night – but that’s another
new headliners, and about bands reforming
story!) and in fact the first day there turned
all the time to sell out tours, but bringing
out to be the hottest March day ever recorded
acts back from the dead now seems at
General Manager: Peter Briggs pb@vip-booking.com
at 21º. Estonia a few days later was cold, but
least visually– and of course acoustically –
just above freezing, unlikelast year when The
possible? The Sonisphere show with Adam
Writer and editorial: Allan McGowan am@vip-booking.com
Great Escape’s Martin Elbournemanaged to
Lambert fronting Queen at Knebworth in the
bring attention to himself, becomingTallin
UK was recently cancelled, seemingly due
Music Week’s first casualtyby skidding on
to poor ticket sales – now if Freddy made
the ice covered pavement and breaking three
a virtualcomeback it may well have been a
ribs. This year was happily as far as I know
different story…
Writer: Manfred Tari mt@vip-booking.com For advertising enquiries please contact: Peter Briggs pb@vip-booking.com +44 870 755 0092
injury free. Then a trip to Paris in connection with this year’s MaMA event was positively
So, with Frankenstein images and thoughts
spring like! – Oh no! - I’ve just realised that
of the Grateful Undead going through my
I’ve done that most English of things and
head – Ladies and Gentlemen – The News…
spent the whole time talking about the
2
VIP NEWS >
APRIL 2012
The UK Live Music Act Becomes Official Allan McGowan am@vip-booking.com It has been confirmed that The Live Music
Jo Dipple, chief executive of UK Music
Act will come into effect on October 1.
said: “This act will reverse the damaging
The implementation of the Act means that
effect the Licensing Act had on live musical
performances of live amplified music with
performancesin the UK. Our most successful
audiencesof less than 200 people between
musicians, such as Joy Division, The Sex Pis-
the hours of 8am-11pm will no longer
tols and the Rolling Stones all learnt their
requirelocal authority permission in England
trade and earned their livings in small clubs
and Wales. Also there will be no audience
and bars. Reversing overzealous licensing
limit for performances of unamplified live
regulations will create new opportunities for
music.
British artists. The Rose & Crown in Totteridge Park and The Constitution in Camden Town
The Private Members Bill which became the
will be - thanks to this Act - full of music and
Live Music Act was introduced by Liberal
seedbeds for talent. Tomorrow’s headline
Democrat Peer, Lord Tim Clement-Jones and
acts will grow from these seedbeds which is
was championed in the Commons by the
great for music lovers and for the wider UK
Member of Parliament for Bath Don Foster.
economy.”
Jo Dipple
The intention and the hope is that the Act will encourage more pubs and small venues
John Smith, MU General Secretary, said:
will be a real boost for live music, and we
to host live music events in 2012 and beyond.
“The MU is delighted to be hosting this
thought it was right to celebrate it with a live
event alongside UK Music. Personally, I
music party in Parliament.”
VIP News attended the party held hosted
have been campaigning on this issue ever
by UK Music and the Musicians Union at
since the LicensingBill first started going
Lord Tim Clement Jones told VIP News,
Westminsterto celebrate, as did musicians
through Parliamen t in 2002-03, and once
“Aftera campaign lasting several years it was
such as Roxy Music’s Phil Manzanera,
the LicensingAct came into place in 2003
hugely satisfying to see the Bill go through
folk artistsShow of Hands and producer
our members immediately started telling us
on the 20th January, especially when no-one
TrevorHorn along with various MP’s and
that the number of gigs being held in small
except Don Foster seemed to understand
representativesof the music industry. There
venues was going down.
the procedure! I am sure the Act will make a
weren’t that many small venue operators
real difference especially to young musicians
that I was aware of, but presumably they
“The exemption that the Live Music Act will
and local small venues. It’s high time we
were at their desks preparing for more gigs!
bring in is fantastic news for musicians and
celebratednot regulated our musical talent.”
The VIP-Booking European Live Entertainment Book Advertising in the VIP Book will make you visible to 10.000 business professionalsall over Europe. You will find no betterplace to expose your company to the whole European Live EntertainmentIndustry. » Reserve your ad now on www.vip-booking.com
3
VIP NEWS >
APRIL 2012
> CONFERENCE ROUND UP
Canadian Music Week Allan McGowan am@vip-booking.com
Harvey Goldsmith at CMW 2012
This was the 30th edition of CMW and
CMW is truly international and as far as
sense, these insights may be life-or-death
it’s taken me this long to actually gets
Europewas concerned this year Portugal
– especiallyin the face of the exponential
there. For the last few years the event has
and Spain were featured territories. The
growth of social networking, mobile web,
unfortunatelyclashed with ILMC, but a
InternationalMarket Place was the main
viral marketing and online TV. Competitive
strategicreschedulingto allow international
meeting point for the out of Canada guests,
executives need an “edge,” and CMW is
professionals to fit in both SXSW and CMW
and the room in the Tardis like Fairmont Hotel
the place to acquire it. Of course have not
made it possible for me to make it to Toronto
was one of the main networking places.
forgotten our roots and CMW continues to
– and I’m glad I did!
be Canada’s biggest, internationally-focused Speakers included Harvey Goldsmith, Slash
The event is big… nearly 3000 delegates and Paul Rodgers of Free and Bad Company
new music fest showcasing over 1,000 bands from 40 countries”
attended. CMW incorporates the Conference,
fame. The panels were full and active, with
Awards Shows a Trade Show, and Comedy,
the Festivals session attracting 400 plus - one
Next year’s CMW European focus will be
Film, and of course Music Festivals;featuring
of the best-attended panels I’ve ever seen!
on Northern Europe’s Nordic Countries –
CMW President Neill Dixon told VIP News,
Sweden– and the associated regions of
good bands coming out of Canada and I was
“For Canadian Music Week’s 30th anniversary
the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Aaland.
particularly impressed by Half Moon Set from
and beyond our goal is to be on the forefront
Japanthe second largest music market in the
Montreal (playing at Brighton’s Great Escape
of issues and trends shaping both the digital
world, just after the US will also be featured.
next month) and Sheepdogs from Saskatoon.
environment and opportunities for both the
The venues are pretty spread out across the
live and recorded music business in the years
City and a lot of time is spent in cabs –
ahead.
international and home grown acts in 35 venues over three nights.. There are a lot of
Norway , Iceland, Finland, Denmark and
althougha certain Scottish delegatewalked
4
Neill Dixon
everywhere resultingin severe chafingof
We spent a lot of effort to create a first-wave
his inner thighs as the heavy fabric of his
think-tank, one that maps out our industry’s
kilt swung backwards and forwards as he
future for our participants benefit. I think
marched from venue to venue!
we succeeded this year. In a business
VIP NEWS >
APRIL 2012
> CONFERENCE ROUND UP
Tallinn Music Week Allan McGowan am@vip-booking.com
This was my second visit to Tallinn and it is more than clear that something is going on in Estonia! This small republic with a population of only 1,318,005 people, historically and culturally connected to the nearby Scandinavian countries, and neighbour to Russia, Latvia and Lithuania. Estonia is the home of Skype and has recently fared better than many countries beset by the ongoing financial difficulties. The annual showcase festival and music industry conference took place for the fourth time and as you can see this year’s figures show a significant advance on 2011. The conference was again opened
market for the whole Europe and the world. Just five years
with a welcome speech from
ago it was quite rare to see an Estonian band play in
the President of Estonia
Finland or Latvia and as rare to see any Latvian
2011
Toomas Hendrik Ilves . I
was
extremely
impressedby knowledge
his of
music in general year
featured
an
interview
is a bigger and more open market place for new talent.”
147 artists from 10 countries
and
we
significantly and suddenly the whole region
16 stages
and his attitude last
bands play in Estonia. Things have changed
123 artists from Estonia 7.600 festival visitors
with him in VIP
423 delegates – 229 from Estonia
News. This year’s
194 international delegates
address
was,
if
52.483 unique hits on the website
anything, even more
from 88 countries
striking, referring to the
27 stages
perhapsrecently overlooked connectionof
rock’n’roll
2012 183 artists from 13 countries
to
150 artists from Estonia
democracyand freedom of speech. It is
11.200 festival visitors
worth taking the time to watch and listen to Pres. Ilves speech which can be accessed in full here: http://www.
589 delegates – 283 from Estonia
youtube.com/watch?v=SyMN3hmcoHE
306 international delegates 61.549 unique hits on the website
The close connection to the Nordic countries in terms of geography,
from 110 countries
Helsinki is only two hours away by ferry, and increasingly, business, was emphasised, by NOMEX, the recently formed umbrella for the music export organisations of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and
The
Sweden, choosing the event to outline its strategy for the first time in
rence also
a speech by MD Anna Hildur Hildibrandsdottir.
copyr ight, music
confe addressed entrepreneurship,
and the essential role of a manager. This section included Organiser Helen Sildna commented, “We are happy to see that TMW
entertaining and informative interviews with Ed Bicknell, long
has now a solid place at the annual calendars for our region’s music
time manager of Dire Straits, Brian Ferry and others, and
industry key players and organizations. If we manage to boost up the
Russian cultural figure Artemyi ‘Artjom’ Troitsky.
artist and knowledge exchange between the neighbouring countries by making it possible for the right people to meet each other, we
It’s only 20 years since Estonia gained independence and delegates
have already succeeded, simultaneously providing a gateway into the
were reminded of this by a trip to the KGB Museum (Which I
5
VIP NEWS >
APRIL 2012
> CONFERENCE ROUND UP
unfortunatelymissed) in a Hotel opposite the Conference hotel,
Ed Bicknell and Helen Sildna at Tallinn Music Week
apparentlythe door to the office displayed a sign saying, “There’s nothing behind this door.” Undeterred by his injuries from a fall on the ice last year, Martin Elbourneof The Great Escape and Glastonbury told VIP News, “I have seen this event develop over the last three years. It was always well organisedin a fantastic city, and is now bigger, with more delegatesand better bands. As a regional event it can only become more important. Aside from the Great Escape it’s the one conference showcaseevent that I will definitely attend next year.” Ed Bicknell commented, “I thoroughly enjoyed it. Extremely well organised, great people, interested and enthusiastic audiences. Oh... and the interviewer wasn’t bad either (I wonder who that could have been? Thanks Ed – ED.). Thanks to Helen and all her colleagues for
the field in this year’s ETEP festival bookings following Eurosonic
their professionalism, hospitality and sheer doggedness in getting the
2012, having been confirmed to play at festivals in Finland, Sweden,
Conference/Festival established in such a short time, really impressive.
Belgium, France and Lithuania. The band were the winners of the
I would definitely go again”.
Skype Award at TMW 2011 and since then they have played festivals across Europe and played their first tour in North America. Manager
Mark Meharry, CEO of UK based Music Glue said, “The setting was
Toomas Olljum told VIP News, “Helen Sildna and Tallinn Music Week
great and the town is picture postcard. The bands that I saw were
have played an important role in my development into an artist
not that great, but then I am not the target demographic. I didn’t
manager. I started working with acts a few years before TMW, but
see many panels except the ones I was on. It was a great networking
the event gave me a networking possibility with key international
event and the people Helen brought in were of a good level. Maybe
industryplayers in my hometown. 4 years after its start, my artists are
less vodka would be a good thing!”
doing well - Ewert and The Two Dragons just finished a series of gigs in North America where they played at Canadian Music Week and
Dan Panaitescu of he Sziget Office in Budapest was short and to the
in NYC, and Iiris, Tallinn Music Week skype ‘Go Change The World’
point, “The best ever. Very well organized, interesting panels, good
award winner 2010 just released a debut album on EMI.”
artists... no complaint...” The Skype Award winner 2012 will soon be announced and the prize Following on from TMW the European Talent Exchange Programme
of 3500 EUR will go to an artist with the most international potential
announced that a Estonia’s Ewert and the Two Dragons are leading
as selected amongst TMW
Ewert and the two dragons - photo by rasmus jurkatam
6
VIP NEWS >
APRIL 2012
> CONFERENCE ROUND UP
UK Conference Events Allan McGowan am@vip-booking.com
May is a busy month in the UK Conference Calendar with both Brighton’s Great Escape and Liverpool’s Sound City. VIP News will cover the Southern and the Northern events and report back in the nest issue.
YMCAS Return to The Great Escape This May 10-12 will see the return of The
appear in the Alternative Escape fringe
Great Escape to Brighton, and I am glad
programmethis year.
to see that the now semi-legendary Yearly Music Conference Awards (or YMCAs to its
Amongst the sessions will be ‘DIY In The
friends), will again be part of the programme
Spotlight ’, specifically aimed at providing
(particularly as I proudly won one last year –
practicaladvice, tricks of the trade, and
still it is my hometown)! These Awards aim
hopefullyinspiring
to recognise all that is good, and sometimes
managersand music entrepreneurs early on
stories
for
artists,
quite strange, about the world’s music
in their careers, and those musicians looking
businessconventions and showcase festivals.
to self-release their own work for the first time. Holy Roar’s Alex Fitzpatrick, Chris TT,
Presented
at
an
exclusive
ticket-only
Good Lizard’s David Riley, Create Spark’s
event as part of the final day of The Great
Debbie Ball, ACUMEN’s Josh Little, Sony By
Escapeconvention , the awards also bring
Toad’s Matthew Young, Memphis Industries’
togetherthe travelling community of agents,
Ollie Jacob, Tru Thoughts’ Robert Luis and
managers , bookers, and business owners
Sentric Music’s Simon Pursehouse will help
and export offices that visit many of these
to provide a focus on what artists and their
events, along with the people who organise
managers need to do logistically and legally
them. Many of you VIP News readers attend
when setting up their own music enterprise.
these events so here’s a chance to add your voices to the selection of the winners.
The DIY In The Spotlight strand is being
This year’s prestigious categories:
enabled by Arts Council England, who have
Best Delegate’s Bag
Nominations are already being accepted in all
confirmed they are supporting a number of
eleven categories. These can be emailed to
activities at The Great Escape this year. Sally
Best Delegate Bar
ymcas@escapegreat.com. Nominees for each
Abbott, Regional Director of Arts Council
category will then be announced and people
England, South East, told CMU: “Arts Council
will be invited to vote in each section.
England are delighted to support The Great Escape festival in Brighton with £38,000 of
Best Hotel/Convention Centre Best App Or Digital Tool Best Export Office Best Networking Event Or Feature
Ticket information for the YMCAs will go
Grants For The Arts funding”. She added:
online at www.escapegreat.com next week.
“The Great Escape festival attracts music
Full listings for bands, 42 new names have
fans, young people and industry specialists
Best Award Show
recently been added to the line up, etc can
from all over the world to Brighton and we
Best Small/Regional Event
also be accessed at this site.
are delighted to support it in delivering local collaborations, education and development
8
Sally Abbott
Red Stripe will be sponsoring this year’s
and
to
promote
international
diver-
programme of street gigs; and Ford will be
sity and collaboration between artists’’.
recordingBands In Transit sessions at the
PRS For Music will once again present a
event. Tthe open air stage on Jubilee Square,
whole strand of panels, keynotes and con-
The Hub, will be back; and 20 venues will
versations on day one of the convention.
Best Panel Near Punch-Up Accident (or Incident) Of The Year Conference Junkie Of The Year.
VIP NEWS >
APRIL 2012
> CONFERENCE ROUND UP
Mobile Roadie to Keynote Liverpool Sound City Sound City will take place in Liverpool the
Creative Content Agency), Generator, Digital
week after Great Escape on May 17-19.
Derry, PPL, Musicians Union and c/o Pop as
Andrew Mains, COO of the massively
well as bands from as far afield as Australia,
successfulapp developer Mobile Roadie
Austria, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France,
used by amongst others Madonna, Adele,
Germany, Korea, Italy, Japan, Netherlands,
Noel Gallagher , Take That, Miami Dolphins ,
Norway, South Africa, Spain, Sweden Taiwan
CristianoRonaldo, LA Kings and, yes,
and USA
LiverpoolSound City, will deliver the first keynote speech. Chief Operating Officer at
Alan Welby, Director of Knowledge Economy
Mobile Roadie since September, 2011 Mains
at Sound City 2012 partner Liverpool City
oversees business development, grows the
Region’sLocal Enterprise Partnership (LEP)
MR global sales team, and manages day-
said:
Andrew Mains
to-dayoperations. He is a digital music and entertainmentindustry veteran with extensive
“This region is home to over 3,000 creative
experience helping artists, managersand
and digital businesses at the forefront of one
hosting Sound City. The 2012 event offers
labelsdeepen engagement with fans, and will
of the most vibrant and competitive sectors in
us a unique opportunity to showcase the
be discussing the future of music apps.
our economy. Creativity is in our DNA. There
region for more leading creativeand digital
is a very strong core of locally established
industriesto do business here, and attracting
and locally grown businesses and we set up
keynote speakers like Andrew reflects the
and events with Sounds Australia, Brazil the UK’s first creative industriesdevelopment
importanceof the event and its appeal to
Music
delegates from all over the world”.
This year, Sound City will be hosting parties Music
agency in 1997. All of this positions Liverpool
Commission, Taiwan GIO, KOCCA (Korea
perfectly to build on its success to date in
Exchange,
New
Zealand
9
VIP NEWS >
APRIL 2012
> indepth story > SEcONDARY TICKETING DEBATE
INDEPTH – Continuing the Secondary Ticketing Debate In the last issue we presented varying views on the ongoing discussion about the whys and wherefores and the rights and wrongs of Secondary Ticketing, following the active and sometimesheated debate that followed the screening in the UK of ‘The Great Ticket Swindle’, the ‘Dispatches’ investigative documentary on the practice in the UK. In this issue we present further opinion and comment on the topic…
Legal Action Against Secondary Ticketing Manfred Tari mt@vip-booking.com
Within the past decade companies such as Seatwave or Viagogo
fore in the concert industry. Two journalists that worked undercover
have ‘conquered’ Europe and converted a business model previously
at Seatwave and Viagogo revealed the use of business practises
widely considered a black market into a viable business model
that many in the concert industry already suspected. One of the
dealingprofitably in the secondary sale of tickets.
findingsof the “Great Ticket Swindle” revealed that the majorityof tickets offered on those ticket exchanges are traded by employees
The demand for live events has continued to rise, and understandably
of these companies or so called power sellers. Not long ago these
the ticketing business has benefited from this development. Leading
‘power sellers’ would actually have been considered ‘touts’ by more
ticketing companies such as Ticketmaster and CTS Eventim became
concernedconcert promoters or artists.
leading players operating and making both high profits from and returns to the value chain of the concert industry within the primary sales market.
But the Great Ticket Swindle also revealed that prominent companies such as Live Nation UK or SJM Concerts provided ticket contingents for concerts and tours of artists such Coldplay, Rihanna or Westlife.
But companies active within the so called secondary market for ticketsonly contribute to a certain and limited extent to this value
However, there are promoters that strictly refuse to work with
chain, as in most cases neither concert promoters nor artists receive
secondaryticketing websites. In France the concert promoter
a share on tickets passed on to buyers at above face value. However
associationProdiss successfully lobbied for a legal solution against
observation of the websites of Companies such as Viagogo or
unauthorized secondary ticketing.
Seatwaveproves that the profit margins for selling tickets at inflated prices can run up to and sometimes even exceed 500 percent.
Prodiss reported that this new French law implemented on March 12th 2012, aims to “facilitate the organisation of cultural and sports
For many years several concert promoters tried to fight the secondary
events” creating a new criminal offense (article 313-6-2, French
ticketing companies, but in most cases failed. Since the TV-magazine
penalcode) for the unauthorized ticket resale to sporting, cultural,
Dispatches on Channel4 aired a report entitled “The Great Ticket
trade events, and live performances”.
Swindle”, the issue of secondary ticketing once again came to the
10
VIP NEWS >
APRIL 2012
> indepth story > SEcONDARY TICKETING DEBATE
The statute states: “To sell, offer for sale or expose for sale or transferof ownership, or to provide the means for sale or transfer
Aline Renet
of ownershipof access rights to a sporting, cultural or trade event or to a live show, habitually and without authorization from the promoter, the organizer or the owner of the rights of exploitation of this manifestation or event, is punishable by a 15 000 euros fine. The penalty is up to 30 000 euros in the event of a repeat offence. For the purposes of the application of the first subparagraph, any ticket, document, message or code, in all forms or mediums, evidencing the right to attend the manifestation or event having been obtained from the producer, organizer or owner of the rights of exploitation, will be considered as access card.” VIP News spoke to Aline Renet of Prodiss about this legal initiative: VIP News: What does this mean for French concert promoters? – “The French law now recognizes full control of the tickets for the live performance producers. Event promoters contracts with the artist’s representative for their appearance, hire venues, determine the face value of tickets and their allocation between the venue box office and ticket agents, and undertake the advertisingand marketingof the event. The promoter has the sole right to grant ticketdistributionto any third party he may choose. French law prohibitsthe resale of tickets to an event by third parties, not duly authorised by the organiserof the event. The phenomenonof “unauthorizedticket resale” is largely but not exclusively attributable to Internet websites, set up for this purpose. Among targets are resalesites, based in France or abroad, operating withoutthe agreementof promoters , as well as individuals who habitually engagein the practiceof resellingtickets to an event.” VIP News: How did you lobby for this law? – As there were several prior attempts –five rejected bills in total in the last two years- we focused firstly on the timing: we are close to the election in France and secondly we got 100 artists to co-sign a public statement in Le Monde etc. against the resale of tickets at inflated prices just three days before the vote of the original amendmentin order to raise more pressure, helping to secure the adoption of the bill. Thirdly we mobilized MPs from Parti Socialiste and UMP and additionally worked out a media campaign for the last 6 month with two different but combined approaches: One was to raise public concern/awareness, the other one was Economic & Financial press, giving them an outlook on who was pulling the strings. This means that France now joins Denmark in implementing a legal backing for concert promoters, helping promoters and artists to ban secondary ticketing.
11
VIP NEWS >
APRIL 2012
> indepth story > SEcONDARY TICKETING DEBATE
Ben Challis on Secondary Ticketing at Glastonbury and the UK Manfred Tari mt@vip-booking.com It is well known there are promoters that
kind of ‘official’ link with the Festival. Where
enjoyworking with secondary ticketing
necessary , in situations where fraud or
websites. But for those who do not get
criminalactivity is suspected, we will involve
involvedin this kind of ticketing business,
the Police’s e-crimesbranch or Trading
the following interview with Ben Challis,
Standards. Howeverit is difficult to protect
general counsel of Glastonbury and music
people against their own stupidity.
lawyer might pick up a hint or two, on how to prevent secondary ticketing or simply gain
The
a better understanding of the generalitiesof
Prodiss
French
promoter
the practice.
law against unauthorized secondary
successfully
organisation
lobbied
for
a
ticketing. Would you say that a similar
Ben Challis
What did you think when you saw the
lobby campaign is possible in the UK?
TV-report “The Great Ticket Swindle”?
– My personal view is that no UK Government
– I thought it was interesting and a brilliant
has wanted to do this. The re-saleof
There is one more point - who would
expose of some of the less savoury aspects of
Football tickets in England was prohibited
actuallyenforce this sort of law? It is difficult
ticketing. I think it lifted a veil on what some
to curb crowd violence. The prohibition enough when criminal activity is detected -
in the secondary market had been up to for
on the re-sale of 2012 Olympictickets is a
I can’t see why this would be high on any
some time, so perhaps now we can have a
specific piece of legislation. If you read back
politician’sagenda unless the groundswell
bit more transparency so fans know who is
through the various debatesthat have taken
of public opinion pushed it there. And the
making what out of inflated ticket prices. If it
place in our Houses of Parliament, the same
music industry now knows from lessons
is the band or the promoter makingthe mark
arguments come up again and again - free
learnt from peer-to-peer file sharing - that
up - so be it - I just think fans have a right to
market policies / consumerfreedomto re-
suing / prosecuting your customers is a VERY
know whom they are paying.
sell vs. consumer protection and the right
bad idea. And an unenforced / ignored law
of artistes / promotersto control admission.
is a bad law.
What is the policy of Glastonbury Festival
Is it obnoxiousto re-sella ticket for a big
when it comes to secondary ticketing?
profit, or a useful market function? It is never
– The Festival has a registration process ,
ending ! With the Dispatchesprogramme the market of secondary ticketing?
limitson ticket sales and personalised tickets
identifying a numberof major promoters
– I think it should seek to protect consumers,
(with a photograph). It is a substantial who are engaged in re-selling tickets and
but if it went any wider it would enter the
investmentof time, effort and money but
the somewhat vague comment from the
realms of competition regulation, which
seems effective so far. We are also vigilant
UK’s Concert PromotersAssociation- clearly
might be very difficult.
to ensure websites such as eBay don’t re-
even the live events sector doesn’t have a
sellour tickets, and as we have a number
shared view. If WE cant agree as the live
For more background information
of UK and European Community Trade
events industry - why should politicians
please check an earlier article by Challis
Marks we can take legal action when
bother?
in 2009 at http://www.
unauthorisedvendors purport to have some
Do you think the OFT should look into
musiclawupdatescom/?p=162
Need to know who is touring Europe
®
Go online - www.vip-booking.com vip-booking.com
12
VIP NEWS >
APRIL 2012
> indepth story > SEcONDARY TICKETING DEBATE
Steve Roest from Viagogo About The Great Ticket Swindle Manfred Tari mt@vip-booking.com These core business principles of delivering
on Viagogo websites, this would mean
every ticket on time for the event were not
that the Viagogo business model is
questioned or challenged by the programme,
actuallybusiness-to-consumer. If this is
which gives us confidence in the service we
the case the Viagogo claims to be a resale
offer consumers.
platform for “fans to fans” is actually in contempt of the “Unfair Competition
Steve Roest
The report stated that employees of
Act” as part of UCP-directive (2005/29/
Viagogo offer the vast majority of ticket
EC) by the European Union. So as such
offers on the websites of Viagogo.
Viagogo is misleading consumers. Do
The report even presented evidence of
you maintain the claim that Viagogo is a
Viagogoemployees using various credit
fan to fan ticket exchange following the Channel 4 airing of the Dispatches TV-
One might have expected that the following
cards with different names to purchase
report“The Great Ticket Swindle”?
interview would have proved difficult to
multiple tickets offered by primary
– Viagogo is an open marketplace and we
obtainbut this was not the case. Actually an
ticket vendors. As such Viagogo staff
allowed anyone to use our platform provided
external PR-Agent of Viagogo even offered
present false identities in order to work
that they deliver the tickets that they sell.
the opportunity for an interview shortly
around per person capped ticket sales.
This is clear on our website and we have
afterthe first stories about The Great Ticket
Will Viagogocontinue these kinds of
never claimed to be exclusively a fan-to-fan
Swindlew ent to print.
businessmethods in the future?
exchange. While, the overwhelming majority
– The section where Viagogo was accused of
of sellers are ordinary sports and music fans
The questions and answers were sent and
buying up tickets was misrepresented in the
who sell one or two tickets, there are larger
receivedby email, supported by a conference
programme. It is certainly not the case that
sellers on the platform, including promoters
call with Steve Roest, who works as European
the tickets on Viagogo are offered by Viagogo
and event organisers.
Sales Director for Viagogo and his PR-agent.
employees. We have in the past purchased a very small number of tickets ourselves. The
The report furthermore revealed that
The
primary objective in purchasingtickets is to
Viagogoreceived
Great
Ticket
Swindle
actually
contingents
revealedan inside view on the business
ensure we have a small number of tickets
from promoters. Which promoters does
practices of Viagogo. What are your
in reserve for fulfilling our guarantee that
Viagogo officially work with, and what
comments on the programme?
purchaserswill receive their tickets in time for
are the benefits for these promoters
– Viagogo was created to provide people
the event. In the secondary market there are
sellingtickets on the secondary instead
with a secure place to buy and sell tickets
a number of reasons as to why a seller may
of the primary market?
to live events. Before Viagogo, consumers
not fulfil their obligation to the buyer. We
– Viagogo has publicised many partnerships
lookingfor the most popular tickets often
firmly believe that every customer should get
where we work with event organisers to sell
had little choice but to take their chances
the ticket they paid for or their money back.
certain premium tickets on our marketplace
with a shady character outside the venue or
Therefore, a small number of ticketsare
at market prices for example; Madonna
an auction website, with no guarantee they
purchasedas “replacements” in the instance
and Roger Waters. However, as a ticket
get what they paid for.
a seller fails to deliver. If the tickets are not
marketplace, our sellers are our customers,
With Viagogo every ticket on Viagogo is
used they get sold on – sometimes at a profit,
and it is not our place to discuss the details
guaranteed – the buyers are guaranteed to
sometimes at a discount.
of our contracts publicly. These are legitimate
get the tickets they paid for in time for the
14
ticket
business
arrangements,
but
like
many
event. In the rare instance that a problem
If as maintained by the Dispatches
commercialcontracts, the specific details are
arises, Viagogo will provide similar or better
programmethe majority of Viagogo staff
confidential.
tickets, or in the worst case a full refund.
members apparently sell tickets offered
VIP NEWS >
APRIL 2012
> indepth story > SEcONDARY TICKETING DEBATE
In an advertisement for the Madonna
their existing business practises, which
customerswith a secure environment, and
concert in Germany in the weekend
not so long ago were considered a “black
the guaranteeof getting what they pay
editionof tabloid paper “Kölner Express”
market” business model. Don’t you fear
for. We’re proud that the problem that
on March 3 it says, “To secure best tickets
that politicians or consumer protection
existedbefore we launched six years ago, of
and selling at Viagogo.de”. How is
organisations will undertake efforts to
thousandsof fans every weekend being left
Viagogoinvolved in the ticketing for this
forbid the resale of tickets as for instance
disappointed after buying dodgy tickets from
Madonna show or even the entire tour?
in the case of tickets for sport events
sites like eBay, is now almost a thing of the
– Viagogo is the official premium and
such as the Olympic Games in London?
past.
–
secondaryticketing partner for Madonna’s 2012
European
tour,
which
includes
would
Did Viagogo close its German office last
drive the secondary ticket market back
summer as a result of the several court
organisersof the tour as the place where
undergroundwith all the consequent safety
cases filed against ticket sellers who
fans should go to sell on their spare tickets
and transparencyissues that arise from
offeredtickets via Viagogo for the Take
and to buy tickets once they have sold out at
that. Powerful legislation already exists to
That concerts in July 2011?
the box office.
outlawscam websites and fraudulent street
– No, Viagogo has managed its operations
Germany. We are officially endorsed by the
We
believe
that
legislation
touting , which already face problems of
from its main office in London since the
The French promoter association Prodiss
effectiveenforcement . These policing and
beginningof 2011.
currently lobbies against the resale
enforcementproblems would mean that the
of tickets. Similar political efforts are
bill would have little effect on the ‘wild west’
Where
goingon in the UK, as well in Sweden.
of scam websites and street touts, but would
subsidiariesin Europe and how many
In particularthe TV-report “The Great
unfairly restrict the activity of legitimate
people does Viagogo currently employ?
TicketSwindle” can been seen and used
websiteslike ours.
– Viagogo manages its operations from
as piece of evidence against Viagogo Anzeige_VIPMag_ProSky_X4.pdf
1
and other ticket re-sale platforms and
09.12.10
What’s
10:43
most
else
does
Viagogo
have
its main office in London where it employs important
is
providing
around 100 people
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
15
VIP NEWS >
APRIL 2012
YOUROPE Creates Standard Terms for European Festival Contracts Allan McGowan am@vip-booking.com The
European
Festivals
Organisation,
VIP News spoke to Ben Challis:
YOUROPE, having introduced health & safety programs with the YES Group (Yourope
VIP News: What exactly was your role in
Event Safety Group) and addressed the
this initiative?
matterof sustainable festivals with a series
– I was approached by YOUROPE in 2011 to
of workshopswith the GO Group (Green
advise on a set of standard terms that could
Operations Europe), have now turned their
be eventually used by all of their member
attention to the problems of artiste contracts
festivals. Christof Huber had already had
and riders.
one meeting in Hamburg in 2011, and we then sent out a questionnaire to members
For those who don’t know YOUROPE was
before EuroSonic in Groningen to see what
founded in November 1998, and now
members ’ views were. After a very well
representsclose to 80 festival members
attendedmeeting in Groningen and input
includingthe most well established festivals
from a number of events, I drafted a set of
in Europe. The intentions of the Association
terms that covered areas of concern that all
Christof Huber
and its members are to collaborate and
of the festivals felt needed to be rectified
share best practice to improve the European
- in particular force majeure provisions ,
Marc Lambelet chaired an interesting session
festivalscene in terms of working conditions,
cancellation, insurance, paymentterms, tax,
at the ILMC 2012 on this issue with a good
audience welfare, health and safety and
noise limits, visas, curfews and safety. We
and well-informed panel - and some of the
music talent.
then re-consulted members and received
pitfalls of ‘bad’ contracts became clear - not
another good response and additional least when nothing is signed at all. I can say Over the past year the members have
commentsled to the final draft being
conductedworkshops at their meetings in
finalisedover the ILMC weekend in March
which are festival specific, saves time and
after another meeting with members.
adds clarity and I think many Europeanfesti-
Groningen and Hamburg, and most recently in London, to produce a final version of
that in 90% of the cases the use of our terms,
vals had the same feeling. To be fair - its not
standard contract terms applicable to the
Obviously you think this is a good idea,
usually the agency contract that is the prob-
engagementof artistes and performersfor
do you think it will have positive results,
lem - it is more and more the artistcontact
all participating YOUROPE member festivals,
and how do you see agents taking to it?
riders which have expanded to cover issues
as well as a simple and fair standardbooking
such as cancellation, control of the venue,
agreement
During – We introduced similar terms at Glastonbury
force majeure and insurance for example .
for
smaller
bands.
the projectmusic lawyer Ben Challis and
in 2010 across four of our main stages (the
I have spoken to a number of agents and
insurancebroker James Dodds (Doodson
Pyramid Stage, The Other Stage, The John
obviously their first loyalty is to their artiste
Entertainment) advised YOUROPE.
Peel Tent and West Holts) and extended this
- and their own contracts - but most can
to the Dance Village in 2011. Like the new
see some benefits. However I have to say
In the Press Release Christof Huber, General
YOUROPE terms, we designed these terms
some don’t like the idea. That said, I think
Secretary of Yourope said “It was the wish
to be fair, reasonable and appropriate. We
that the weather related tragedies at Pukkle-
from so many members to create such
were receiving many, many riders at a very
pop and the Indiana State Fair are focussing
StandardTerms for the European festivals. It
late stage, often with wholly inappropriate
everyone’s minds - not least when in appears
should make life easier for festivals as they
and often irrelevant provisions: Often theatre
from some press reports that Sugarlandare
have standard terms for important topics,
tour or standard arena or stadium tour riders
potentially exposed to litigation because of
rather than a number of contract terms that
were sent containing provisions that could
their own contract terms. I hope what these
they can’t fulfil.”
never be met by a festival.
terms provide is a ‘win win’ situation in the long term:
16
VIP NEWS >
APRIL 2012
Christof Huber was on holiday when we called, and then went on to Budapest for the
• OYA FESTIVALEN NORWAY
next GO Group Seminar, but he mailed us to
(NORWAY)
say, “We have informed the main agencies
• MELT! (GERMANY)
about the standard terms. We have received some questions and some comments, but only a few. We will have to work on these
• OPENAIR ST.GALLEN (SWITZERLAND)
feedbacks within our group and check if we
• SUMMERDAYS FESTIVAL
have to react.”
(SWITZERLAND) • WINTERTHUR MUSIKFEST-
VIP News contacted a few agents to get their views on whether or not a ‘standard’ contract is viable. Some had not yet seen it; John Giddings of Solo, who operates both as an Agent and promoter of the Isle of Wight
WOCHEN (SWITZERLAND) • ITALIA LOVE WAVE FESTIVAL (ITALY) • SZIGET (HUNGARY)
Festival said, “…Never read it, in my experi-
• EXIT FEST (SERBIA)
ence it’s all about trust, all the contracts in
• INMUSIC (CROATIA)
the world don’t mean that you get paid...”
• BERGENFEST (NORWAY)
Rob Challice of Coda Agency has read it and replied, “I have taken a look at the ‘standard
• SELECTOR (POLAND) • LIVE MUSIC FESTIVAL (POLAND)
contract’ and have to ask whether any agents
• OPENER (POLAND)
were consulted in putting this together? He
• ROCKWAVE FESTIVAL (GREECE)
continued, “It just seems that this introduces
• HEITERE FESTIVAL
an extra level of work that is not needed.
(SWITZERLAND)
We think we do a good job on marrying artistsrequirements with those of festivals.” Rob also thinks that the contract has been circulatedtoo late “ With more consultation perhaps it should be for 2013, not 2012.”
(SWITZERLAND)
MyMusicMailer.com enables artists to MAIL their music to more than 6.000 venues and
• WOODSTOCK FESTIVAL
agencies worldwide…
• MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL
(POLAND)
Rob Challice also runs the Summer Sundae
• GURTENFESTIVAL
Festival in Leicester but as he says, “I’m not
(SWITZERLAND)
sure I have formed an opinion as a festival
• SLOTTSFJELLFESTIVAL
organiser yet.”
(NORWAY) • DOGNVILLFESTIVALEN
Eric van Eerdenburg organiser of the LowlandsFestival in the Netherlands told us, “We did not use it.I have been looking into it
(NORWAY) • ONE LOVE FESTIVAL (TURKEY)
and think it’s pretty good but there are details
• DIA DE LA MUSIC (SPAIN)
that need adjustment. Yourope -at this stage-
• POHODA FESTIVAL (SLOVAKIA)
askednot to make any adjustments.”
• 10 GIORNI SUONATI (ITALY)
It seems to be a fair point that it artist booking arrangements for the 2012 season must
No doubt there will be a lot more discussion
in most cases be fairly well advanced, but
on the use – or not – of this ‘standard’
accordingto the Yourope press release the
contractand we will of course report on
followingfestivalshave already confirmed their
developments . VIP News has seen the
participation in the new scheme, and will use
contractand those that haven’t yet and have
the new standard terms for the 2012 festival
need to see it will we presume be able to get
season:
a copy from Yourope. www.yourope.org
17
VIP NEWS >
APRIL 2012
New Gema-Rates for Music Clubs and Discotheques Manfred Tari mt@vip-booking.com Following the German copyright collection society GEMA introducing significant rises in the rates for performing rights on concerts last year, the society has now announced, among others, a new scheme for rates for playing recorded music in bars, music clubs and discotheques. Besides the usage of recorded music, the new scheme also foresees revamped rates for live performances with musicians in restaurants, piano bars and other locations. The new rates system is intended to become effective in January 2013 and has caused an outcry from those who will be affected. The “Bundesvereinigung der Musikveranstalter”, (BMV - Association for Music Promoters) commented on the new rates schemes insisting that, “GEMA has lost its sense of proportion.” The Association of Culture Promoters in Munich (VDMK) even published on its website
Meanwhile the promoter Matthias Rauh of Giga Event launched an
a calculator that evaluates what promoters are supposed to pay for
online appeal petition at openpetition.de, presumed to be the petition
their events in the future. According to this calculator the future looks
commission of the German Government. The petition has already
great for composers and rights holders, but definitely not good for
gained more than 43.000 signatures but unfortunately never will be
promoters.
accepted by the petition commission as the website openpetition.de isn’t the official website.
Various calculations reveal that even for smaller clubs the new rates easily rise by about 500 percent. For instance a music club of 80
In May 2009 the promoter Monika Bestle of the Kulturwerkstatt
square meters, open three days a week charging 5 Euro entrance fees
in Sonthofen successfully filed an official petition against GEMA
currently pays a yearly flat fee of 3417,71 Euro. According to the new
regardingthe unfair distribution of royalties, a lack of democracy and
scheme the annual fee charged by GEMA would increase to 11.700
transparency. This petition gained more than 107.000 signatures and
Euros. For bigger locations the new rates go up even more drastically.
as such qualified to be taken on by the petition commission. But until
A big discotheque with 1.200 square meters, open 2 days a week
now, the Parliamentary Members of the petition commission have not
charging an entrance fee of 7 Euro so far pays 22.389,67 Euro per
made a decision.
year. From 2013 onwards such a venue will supposedly pay 131.000 Euros annually.
Also it is interesting to be note that promoter associations such as the BDV or the VDKD did not ally with the BMV in taking joint measures
These examples were given at a press conference by VDMK, an
against the latest attempt by GEMA do increase royalty payments
associationthat also represents most relevant concert promoters and
from the live music business.
clubs in Munich such as Target Concerts and United Promoters AG. However the BMV might benefit from the political rise of the Pirate While previous negotiations with BMV have failed, GEMA has
Party in Germany. Since the party recently obtained 7.3 percent of
announcedan appeal to the arbitration court at the German Office
the votes in the March province election in the Saarland, established
for Patents and Brands (DPMA) for clearance of the new rates. The ar
partiesin Germany are rethinking their copyright policies. As
bitration court is known for being very GEMA-friendly and so it is no
elsewhere, the Pirate Party expressly calls for a reform of copyright
big surprise that Georg Oeller, a GEMA board member who is also
laws. Nevertheless , this development probably won’t harm the
know for being a hardliner is quoted in a press release as saying:
traditionallygood relationship between GEMA and the arbitration
“We are convinced that going ahead with the new rate scheme is the
court at the DPMA for some time…
right direction and looking forward positively to the outcome of the arbitration case.”
18
VIP NEWS >
APRIL 2012
Bruno Kramm
Commissioner for Copyright at the Pirate Party Germany Manfred Tari mt@vip-booking.com
Actually Bruno Kramm is a long time musician and owner of the
What is your point of view on GEMA’s new proposed tariff
dark wave label Danse Macabre. But aside from his music business
scheme for music promoters?
activities Kramm has been active in politics for a long time. Before he joined the Pirate Party, he was on the copyright steering committee
– Wrong Tariff - Wrong Timing. I wonder how a corporation like
of the Green Party but left this party as didn’t agree with the agenda
GEMA, equipped with a large strategy department causes so big harm
of his party colleagues.
for its own public image by releasing this tariff file while the public debate is fired up concerning copyrights. There are many reasonable
VIP News asked Kramm about his point of view and his experience
proposals for changes in tariff structures - starting from small events
with the copyright collection society Gema and the copyright agenda
to welfare and public performances of small artists with their own
of the Pirate Party in Germany.
repertoire, but GEMA takes the big cut. Making the difference for recorded music in MP3s and higher tariffs for regular CDs shows how
19
VIP NEWS >
APRIL 2012
little GEMA respects transformational music styles which tend to use
– When it comes to Urheberrecht (A copyright term, but very distinct
computer driven systems like Ableton Live and others for creative and
from US copyright) we want to accompany the paradigm shift into
spontaneous performances.
informational society by putting the creator and the user on a priority
Do you think the new rates are appropriate?
We need to rethink the protection periods of TRIPS into a reasonable
– From all points of view GEMA is blowing up tariffs massively while
level of max 20 years after death. Those 70 years just help law trolls
not giving any rebate for smaller performances. Even performances
and publishers. Modern society runs today so fast in rearranging
free of admission are inflated. Club culture in metropolitan areas are
and recreating styles and art. Those long limits would obstruct the
deprived as they start to perform much later than in smaller cities.
developmentof societal participation. Bill Gates reference, “We are
They also pay exorbitantly higher fees up 300% on the old tariff.
sitting on shoulders of giants” is not only a term for technology; it is
As club culture is hard enough to schedule for success these tariffs
about all human creation. The far more intensively discussed demand
will put the small businesses at much higher risk. This is the way to
of our copyright reformation is the uncommercial legal exchange and
suppressculture in times of a global culture industries downturn.
copy of immaterial goods and files for the private field. We do not
level and cutting out some more of the privileges of industry and lobby.
Gema puts chains on to the organizers and imposes sanctions for the
acceptthat evaluation rights disproportionately harm privacy in the
smallest mistakes.
net; this means classical systems like P2P sharing and copying. We need to find as we did already for the CDR and the music tape a kind
GEMA already appealed the arbitration court at the German
of compensation for the culture balance - but this is something that
office for patents and brands (DPMA). This court is known for
does not need the lobby. It needs to be a direct agreement inside the
being very GEMA friendly. How would you comment if the
human society between creator and user. We are still discussion about
court once again comes to a decision on the new rates that are
various ideas from cultural flat rates to micro payments and crowd
only in favour of GEMA?
funding systems. In contrast to many other parties, we also discuss in
– It would be further proof that the patent court is not the right
depth the necessary reforms of copyright corporations and contract
placefor conciliating perceptual copyright agreements. It will create
law for artists and also the need of more support for artistry and
another 1 complicated climate for urgent structural reformations,
culture. Culture is the essence of our society - simple economisation is
which are so much, needed for artists and the modern informational
not the ongoing solution; culture better follows utilitarianism.
society. In a current position paper you request a significant reform of You are yourself a musician and a label owner. What is your
GEMA. In May 2009 a petition filed by the promoter Monika
experience with GEMA?
Bestle at the petition commission of the German government
– Still the old routine for mechanical payments: When it comes to
also appealed for significant amendments at GEMA. So far the
licencing repertoire from GEMA they are so quick in sending their
petition commission has not come to a conclusion. However,
invoices. The GEMA legislative conjecture stresses us a lot when it
could it be the case that in the case of GEMA, politicians
comes to GEMA free repertoire, as they always find some artist with
may have no legal opportunities to intervene on the internal
the same name and quickly send an invoice. On the other hand as
settingsof the copyright collection society?
an artist, I wait forever for my GEMA royalties. It took so long for the
– This is one of the problems. Through the Urheberrecht GEMA holds
VUT to get independent labels a tariff, which can compete with big
an institutional level as an economic association with many direct
industries. When it comes to our own shows and tour booking it is
links into the political system. This makes it too hard to change it as it
horrifically complicated to arrange all the paperwork to get at least a
is still an association, which is driven by members. Unfortunatelythe
small share of what we pay for our own live repertoires. GEMA still
weight, division and vote is not balanced, therefore, drastic changes
believes that most listed music is so called standard repertoire, which
are almost impossible. Therefore we want to change the Urheberrecht.
commands a higher multiplicator in the royalties. Therefore our own
We want to check GEMAs actions for their compatibilitywith Basic
alternative songs will never have a chance to get the fair and real
Law, Associational Law, and start this reformation with simplification,
royalties since the PRO system tariff is dismissed.
transparency and the change of collection procedures and tariffs, to finally make the GEMA what it should be: An association for all artists.
Since the Pirate Party won 7.3 percent of the votes in March for the province election in the Saarland, established parties in
For further information please check
Germany rethink their copyright policies. The Party expressly
Twitter: @brunogertkramm
calls for a reform of copyright laws, could you please explain what kind of copyright policy it is aiming for?
20
VIP NEWS > BUSINESS > april 2012
MUSIC IN SHARES
Music in Shares Manfred Tari mt@vip-booking.com
CTS Eventim – Waiting for the Arbitration Court:
Music Festivals PLC – A Lack of Optimism:
It is about time for the Arbitration Court at the International
The share price reflects, so to say, a lack of optimism regarding
Chamber of Commerce to reveal its decision on their findings
prosperity and profitability. Since the end of February the share
as to whether or not CTS Eventim will receive compensation
price of the company went down from 58 to 48.5 Pence.
concerning its former fulfilment agreement with Live Nation. There are rumours in the market that the decision has already been made, but one of the two involved parties has asked for the judgement to be held back for a certain time. Anyhow, since Mid April the share went up from 25.77 to 27.85 Euros.
DEAG – First Dividend Ever: For the very first time ever the DEAG board will propose to its shareholders to decide on the payment of a dividend of 4 Cents per share at its upcoming general assembly on June 22. Since the Beginning of April the share price ranged between 2.75 and 2.84 Euros.
Live Nation – Business Results for Q1 to be reported on May 9: Live Nation has announced that it will reveal its business results for the first quarter in the second week of May. Looking at the share price performance indicates that there may be a certain reluctance, as the share price went down from $9.80 to $8.45 since the end of March.
21
VIP NEWS >
NOTICE BOARD
APRIL 2012
PrimaveraPro - First Details DayPro Programme
PrimaveraPro 2012 will programme over thirty conferences, workshops, presentations, receptions and exclusive showcases within
One of the main novelties of the DayPro will be a series of interviews
the framework of DayPro, its programme of activities has been
with important national and international artists who will tell us, what
extendedto three days from Wednesday 30th until Friday 1st June
their participation in the development of their professional careers has
from 11am till 6pm.
been, all based on first-hand experience. The artists, key players in the music industry, will also participate in round table discussionsthat will
Hotel Zero will be the headquarters of daytime operations with a
analyse the current Spanish scene and the role of musicians in these
programmethat has been tailor made for professionals from the
times of profound social change. The conference about musicevents
musicsector. It is just opposite the Parc del Fòrum de Barcelona site,
will deal with questions such as the economic impact of festivals,
where the San Miguel Primavera Sound and the showcases associated
their future, the opinions of fans… and will discuss the creative
to PrimaveraPro will take place. The increase in the number of
strategiesthat they must adopt in order to survive. The Association
accreditationsfor this, its third edition is highly significant with more
of IndependentFestivals UK will be present at this debate. Other
than 65% of international professionals.
activitieswill tackle the crowd funding system as a way to finance projects and its application in the different areas of the sector, as well
The DayPro programme will focus on three main subjects: The role of
as new tools for the promotion of music.
the artist in society and in their music career; Festivals and big music events; and The new ways to promote and finance music.
For more info: http://pro.primaverasound.com/
VIP-Magazine: The most In-Depth B2B Magazine for the people of the LIVE Music Industry. All readers of VIP-Magazine are key decision makers in the live entertainment industry: - Agents - Promoters - Booking Agents - Venue managers - Festivals & outdoor show organisers - Industry organisations
To read the VIP-Magazine or book your advert – go to www.vip-booking.com ®
The No 1 Information Resource For The Live Entertainment Industry Having the right tools for the job is often the key to success. Through our ongoing communication with key Live Entertainment Industry Professionals, we have developed a range of services to meet the demands of agents, promoters, talent buyers, venue bookers etc. It’s no coincidence that we are now considered to be the No. 1 information provider for this thriving industry.
22
vip-booking.com
APRIL 201>2 APRIL 20 12 NEWS > MISC > september 2011 VIP VIP NEWS > MISC
MEMBER PRESENTATION
Christopher Entertainment Christopher Entertainment is a Danish owned management, promotor
The Skanderborg Festival, The Jelling Musicfestival etc. Christopher Entertainmentis management for mostly Danish artists: Stig Rossen,
and booking agency, established in 1986.
Gudrun, Jacob Andersen etc and we represent Andrew Strong and Christopher Entertainment has over the years presented some of
Barrage in Scandinavia. For more info please see www.christopher.dk
the world’s finest artists such as: Whitney Houston, Tina Turner, Santana, Boyzone, The Corrs etc. As a booking agency Christopher Entertainmenthas delivered artists to major festivals such as: The Roskilde Festival, The Midtfyns Festival, The Langeland Festival,
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MONTHLY FEATURED ARTIST POWERED BY
Mercury Tide feat. Dirk Thurisch
ARTIST AVAILS ORBITAL Territory: WORLD Period: APRIL 2012 ONWARDS Agency: VALUE ADDED TALENT Agent: DAN SILVER Phone: +44 207 704 9720 E-mail: dan@vathq.co.uk Homepage: www.vathq.co.uk
Dub Syndicate feat. Style Scott Territory: Europe Period: July-September 2012 Agency: Paperclip Agency Agent: Rob Berends Phone: +31 (24) 323 9322 E-mail: rob@paperclip-agency.com Homepage: www.paperclip-agency.com
THE DOORS ALIVE - BEST DOORS TRIBUTE ACT IN WORLD Territory: WORLD Period: JANUARY 2012 ONWARDS Agency: VALUE ADDED TALENT Agent: DAN SILVER Phone: +44 207 704 9720 E-mail: dan@vathq.co.uk Homepage: www.vathq.co.uk
Magnum Band Territory: Europe Period: July / August Agency: Paperclip Agency Agent: Hilde Spille Phone: +31 24 323 9322 E-mail: hilde@paperclip-agency.com Homepage: www.paperclip-agency.com
Terah Taali Territory: Europe Period: 16th June - 7th July 2012 Agency: De Kulture Music Agent: Berenika Rozanska Phone: 0048 667130595, 00919587659609 E-mail: events@dekulture.com Homepage: soundcloud.com/de-kulture-music/sets/terah-taali/
Dirk Thurisch – The voice of Angel Dust is back!After a break of ten years, former Angel Dust vocalist Dirk Thurisch finally returns with his band MERCURY TIDE, which once started as a project and now grew to a full-fledged band. The new album “Killing Saw” is a natural progression from Dirk‘s last album “Why”. Eventually the time has come that one of the most important German
X.O.V.A Territory: THE WORLD Period: APRIL - NOV Agency: STRATOSPHERE MUSIC LTD Agent: STEVE HUGHES & ANDY CLIFF Phone: +44 [0] 7779 257 295 E-mail: xovamgmt@gmail.com Homepage: www.xovalive.com
Melodic Metal singers returns like a Phoenix, rising from the ashes!Dirk Thurisch has closed the chapter “Angel Dust” once and for all. Several failed attempts to revive Angel Dust only strengthened Dirk‘s wish to get started with MERCURY TIDE on a grand scale. Contrary to the debut from 2003, Dirk and his band, including drummer and producer Carsten Rehmann, bassist Chris “Dagger”
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Pohlmann and keyboarder Sim Reaper, place value on a more traditional sound that suites the band‘s stage persona. Great emphasis lies on the creation of a diversified, consistent atmosphere.Magnificent melodies meet playful guitar
ORBITAL
riffs and catchy choruses, to which you want to sing along immediately. The opener and title track “Killing Saw” is a suiting introduction to MERCURY TIDE‘s musical landscapes. With “Home”, Dirk gives a clear-cut statement. He is happy to be back in the Metal scene and doesn‘t only look forward to meet up with his old fans, but also to make new ones. The song “Searching” is one of the album‘s highlights: drifty riffs, fine hook lines and Dirk Thurisch at his best! Read more about Mercury Tide feat. Dirk Thurisch: http://www.mymusicmailer.com/epk/209/bio
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