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VIPNEWS > NOVEMBER 2011
VIPNEWS PREMIUM > VOLUME 141 > NOVEMBER 2011
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VIPNEWS > NOVEMBER 2011
McGowan’s Musings
On the way to the AIF reception at London’s
Royal Festival Hall last week I was distracted
and then somewhat traumatised by the
World Press Photo Awards display in the
foyer. After an excess of images of severed
heads, bloated corpses, shootings and more
death, disaster and mayhem, I was very
much in need of a couple of beers, some
pleasant conversation, and the reassurance
that some people do actually devote their
time and efforts to putting together events
designed to provide other human beings
with enjoyable and uplifting experiences - so
thanks AIF!
In fact I’ve spent the last week or so in the
company of a lot of festival folk as the UK
Festival Awards took place in London on
the day after the AIF bash. The Conference
took place at The Forum in Kentish Town,
a venue I used to frequent when it was
known as The Town & Country Club. This
was followed by the Awards and Dinner at
the Roundhouse , another venue which took
me back to my youth and seeing The Doors
and other legendary bands, plus getting
involved in certain things best glossed over,
when the amazing UFO club was resident in
this former locomotive turning shed. A good
time was had by all, apart perhaps from two
comedians who probably wished they’d
stayed at home watching TV, as opposed to
going down like the proverbial lead balloons!
A lot of discussion time at these festival
events and elsewhere is devoted to new and
up and coming talent – or more precisely, the
lack of. It seems ‘new’ headliners are actually
old bands and that that reformations are still
providing aging artists with pension funds.
The Stone Roses are to grace the festival
circuit next year, earning themselves a few
million, and apparently most of the original
Van Halen line up with the addition of Eddie’s
son, are about to return to the fray. I keep
thinking, are there any bands left to reform,
and sure enough – there’s another one!
A large part of the industry news in 2010,
was taken up with speculation as to whether
the powers that be would allow the creation
of a live music behemoth as a result of the
union of Live Nation and Ticketmaster , and
the effects this would have on the business.
It now looks as though we may see similar
disquiet in the recording sector in 2012
following on from Universal’s purchase of
EMI. Many think that the newly engorged
Company will be in a position to manipulate
the business in ways that will shoulder smaller
players aside. US regulators don’t appear
to have a problem with the situation, and
Universal has started to make arrangements
for regulatory approval, but trade bodies
such as Impala are obviously hoping that
their misgivings will be recognised and acted
upon by the European authorities. It should
be noted that Live Nation Entertainment
and Universal recently entered into an artist
management joint venture, so let’s not
assume that the live industry can watch from
the sidelines as this all plays out.
Still, let’s face it even giants can be
vulnerable , at a time when whole countries
are desperately trying to sort themselves
out, perhaps the best thing is to stay alert
and just get on with things, which is exactly
what we’ll do… Ladies and Gentlemen – the
News!
COLOPHON >
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VIPNEWS > INDEPTH STORY > NOVEMBER 2011
London Venue News Allan McGowan [email protected]
London’s small and mid sized venues have experienced varying
fortunes in the last couple of years with economic and licensing
problems making life very difficult for many.
The future of yet another long time fixture of the capital’s music pub
circuit is now in question with North London gig venue the Bull &
Gate coming up for sale, if you’d like to ensure that it continues as
an important gig you’ll have to find £2.7 million or so. The sale gives
another signal that things are difficult at the grass roots end of the
live industry. North London has seen several previously long running
venues disappear, Kentish Town lost the Tally Ho a few years ago and
The Flowerpot more recently, and Kilburn’s Luminaire has now closed
down.
However there are some grounds for optimism; The Flowerpot started
up again at The Wheelbarrow on Camden High Street and two new
live music venues open this month: Clashbar a 100-capacity venue
situated in the basement of one of London’s biggest backpacker
hostels , Clink78 in King’s Cross, launches on November 24. Islington
Assembly Hall, was an important venue in London’s post-war years,
it has recently been refurbished and the main hall will seat up to 170
people cabaret-style or 230 people theatre-style, with additional
seating is available for another 200 people in the upper circle. It is
now being run by AGMP, whose founder Adrian Gibson has promoted
concerts in London since 1989.
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The Flowerpot
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VIPNEWS > INDEPTH STORY > NOVEMBER 2011
Festival FeatureUK Festival Awards2011 Winners
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James Drury, Managing Director
of Festival Awards, Ltd, said,
“The Festival Awards is all about
recognizing the hard work everyone
in the industry puts in, and sharing
the thanks and love from the public
for those efforts. Everyone involved -
not just the winners - should be rightly
proud of what they’ve achieved in a
year that has been more challenging
than others.”
The Awards were decided through a combination of online fan votes and music industry experts:
Best new festival: Wilderness
Best metropolitan festival: Tramlines
Best dance event: Creamfields
Best overseas festival: Outlook (Croatia)
Best family festival: Beautiful Days
Best breakthrough artist: Ed Sheeran
Line-up of the year: Sonisphere
Headline performance
of the year: Paolo Nutini - Latitude
Anthem of the summer: Chase and Status - Blind Faith
Agent of the year: Steve Strange
Promoter of the year: Secret Productions
Best small festival: End of the Road
Best medium-sized festival: Secret Garden Party
Best major festival: Glastonbury
Fans’ favourite festival: Bestival
The lifetime
achievement award: Steve Heap
Mrs Casey Music/
Towersey Village Festival
The grass roots festival award: Y-Not Festival
Concession of the year: The Beat Hotel
The greener festival award: Shambala
Best toilets: Y-Not Festival
Best sponsor activation: Capitalize - Bacardi
The extra-festival
activity award: Bearded Kitten
Outstanding contribution
to festival production: The Event Safety Shop
VIPNEWS > INDEPTH STORY > NOVEMBER 2011
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Conference: It’s an Ill Wind…
This year’s edition of the Conference
included panels on Social Commerce, on the
increasing number of hats festival promoters
have to wear, the competition for sponsorship
between sports and festivals in the year of the
Olympics. The outstanding news headlines
of the 2011 Festival season were of course
the reports of the fatal disasters caused
by extreme weather conditions, and not
surprisingly one of the main panels at the
Conference preceding the 2011 UK Festival
Awards addressed the unpredictable and
horrific effects that the elements can have on
the best planned events, called ‘Weather –
Or Not’,
The panel agreed with Rudi Enos (see
below) that, “We can make all sorts of
allowances for the stresses and strains
of structures, but what we can’t always
make allowances for is the weather.” It
was also agreed that it was not only more
weather that needed consideration , but
the increasing number of events obvi-
ously upped the risks. The Ops Director of
Julie’s Bicycle pointed out from the floor
that, “It’s what global warming causes that
matters , it is getting windier and the violent
and extreme weather events that affected
the global festival industry this year, drought,
floods, storms, will occur more often.” In a
kenote interview Melvin Benn, MD of Festival
Republic, said, “Perhaps we should now
make allowances for and instigate procedures
for much worse weather than previously
anticipated ,” he told delegates. “Tents and
stages can be better stabilized and supported .
The crucial fact that more equipment and
time will be needed means the cost will rise
but that’s a fraction of the festival takings.”
The ‘Weather’ session was preceded by a very
pertinent speech from Rudi Enos, of Sheffield
based Rudi Enos Design, one of the senior
designers of portable structures in the event
industry. VIP News spoke to him at the event
and he has since kindly sent us a transcript of
his speech and given us permission to include
it in this edition of The News.
Rudi Enos
A Changed WorldSince the summer of 2011, with the disasters
of the Indiana State Fair, Pukkelpop, 18th
August 2011, Ottawa Blues Fest, July 18th
2011, Flaming Lips at Tulsa Oklahoma,
August 8th, 2011, and a concert by Ivete
Sangalo at Sao Paolo in Brazil on 21st August
2011, the event industry has had its own
Annus Horribilis.
To view this in a rational way, we must accept
that historically, event industry temporary
structures have generally had a very good
safety record. But, based upon the summer’s
tragic events, we have to accept that perhaps
it is time to move on and introduce higher
standards of design, manufacture , installation
and inspection. We need to establish a new
paradigm in temporary structure design and
installation inspection with an emphasis
on the consequence of failure rather than
portability or cost. Perhaps we should now
make allowances for and instigate procedures
for much worse weather than forecasted. For
the purposes of this speech I assume that
large stages are frame tents.
Tents and stages can be better anchored,
stabilised and supported without a vast
increase in effort. The simple fact that more
equipment and time will be needed means
that costs will rise, but that rise is a fraction
of a percentage of festival takings. The
industry is moving into a new era with the
introduction of CDM regulations, it is surely
time to move on in other areas too.
Organisers need to provide the correct budget
and timetables to allow safe structures to be
operated. Not all the fault should be laid at
the feet of the designer, manufacturer or the
installer. They have all worked in an industry
where, for example, temporary structures
designed (and perfectly adequate for)
more benign weather patterns in Southern
Europe are imported into northern countries
and allowed to be used, partly due to pan
European desire for conformity. If only the
weather could read the regulations.
Improved testing regimes must be
implemented . Design strategies that are
both tested and efficient must allow for
this and recognise that more severe testing
is required when the structure is capable
of accommodating ever larger audiences.
Anyon e who saw 20,000 people in the Radio
1, NME tent at Reading this year will see a >
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> future where festivals can be held which
embody the outdoor nature of the event but
give enhanced cover against bad weather.
This carries the attendant problem of higher
risk.
I have a personal investment in this process ; I
do not want to be a designer whose structur e
has caused a death. I do not want to hear a
litany of second-guessing and 20:20 vision
after a disaster. The festival organiser and their
team do not want to be put in the positio n
of this summer’s unfortunate organisers . We
should always remember the people who
paid to enjoy a musical experience and did
not go home.
There has been a call for better, more local
weather forecasting. While this is possible
or desirable, it will not solve the issue. Once
a severe weather issue arises, the problem
is still there and there may not be time to
take appropriate action. We must make our
response before the event not afterwards.
There is always the solution of removing the
public from danger by evacuation but that is
not a good solution if the structure is lying
on the floor. Severe weather instances can
often be over quickly and the event restarted
in safety, but not if the structure is unusable.
Only advanced design can give the client
the comfort of ever larger, more attractive
structures, which are not only able to handle
capacities undreamt of 15 years ago, but
structures which meet or exceed current
standards and guidelines. We need to set our
own ever higher safety standards, we need to
approach new structure design with humility
and a willingness to deliver a structure that if
installed correctly, simply cannot fail.
This speech should be taken as a clarion
call for the whole industry. In the past we
have allowed commerciality to drive our
industry . We can do much better, we have
the knowledge . We really do know how to
do this; to ignore the imperatives and the
challenge will be our industry’s disgrace.
MyMusicMailer.com enables artists to MAIL their music to more than 6.000 venues and agencies worldwide…
Pukkelpop stage colapse
VIPNEWS > INDEPTH STORY > NOVEMBER 2011
Festival Stage Collapse Disasters Prompt 2012 Seminar
Festival InsuranceBeing responsible for open-air events that in
some cases bring together more people than
make up the population of small towns is a
serious business and as recent incidents have
shown, all sorts of unexpected things can
happen. How do festival promoters go about
covering themselves and their charges, the
festival goers, artists, crew, equipment etc.,
in increasingly unpredictable conditions?
VIP News spoke to Christian Raith, Managing
Director and owner of insurance brokers ,
Eberhard, Raith & Partner GmbH www.
erpam.com who has been working in the
insurance industry for more than 20 years.
Since 2000 he and Bernhard Eberhard
have run ERPAM, specializing in the
entertainment sector. Since 1989 the
company with its 25 employees has advised
promoters in Germany and in other European
countries. As a broker ERPAM has the facility
to select from more than 50 insurance
companies in order to optimally insure the
worldwide risks of its clients by also utilizing
global partners located in London and New
York.
What changes, if any, do you expect in
insurance fees for promoters in 2012?
– We assume no major changes in the
insurance premiums for the next year.
Keeping in mind that some festivals and
events for 2012 have already been covered,
up to now there are no observable trends in
the market that require reconsideration of
our assumption.
Have you had to deal with an increase in
insurance claims from your clients over
the past year, and if so, what kind of
incidents have resulted in these claims?
– In terms of claims the year 2011 was a
somewhat special year. On the one hand,
there was an increase in notification of claims
due to a higher number of event cancellations
or abandonment compared to previous
years; on the other hand, a comparatively
Examining Large Temporary StructuresAs a project of the Special Structures Lab,
Rudi Enos (see above) in collaboration
with Professor Aleksandar Pavic, the Head
of the Vibration Engineering Section of
the University Of Sheffield and Managing
Director of the Full Scale Dynamics Ltd and
Alan White, a leading structural engineer,
have set up a seminar prompted by the
disastrous stage collapses in 2011.
The two-day event will take place at the
Royal Victoria Hotel in Sheffield on the
28th and 29th March 2012. The semi-
nar will concentrate on the essential ele-
ments of design , construction, and installa-
tion of temporary structures. In particular,
the seminar will focus on manufacturing
techniques , ground anchors, rigging, lift
motors and gearing, and the importance
of erectio n in varying wind and ground
conditions .
The seminar will highlight the failures that can
occur when proper design is not complete d,
or when field modifications to designs are
introduced without a full understanding of
their implications. This includes unlawful and
reckless removal of side guys and structural
bracing on tents and stages.
Rudi Enos comments, “The industry is already
highly regulated in the UK, and does not
requi re more. The necessary experience and
expertise is already in place. What we need
to do is let the knowledge ‘trickle down’ into
general use at the level of examining officer s
and event safety teams. The seminar will
provide a good start to that process”.
Interested parties can register for the seminar
at www.specialstructures.com If you would
like more information about this topic, or to
speak with Rudi, Alan or Alex, call Rudi on
0114 257 7755 or email to
For further information please check
www.buma-rotterdam-beats.nl
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VIPNEWS > INDEPTH STORY > NOVEMBER 2011
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VIPNEWS > INDEPTH STORY > NOVEMBER 2011
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Christian Raith
higher individual extent of damage. The
main reasons behind that might be the bad
weather during the summer months, as well
as the increased number of outdoor events.
Actually, we notice a year-to-year increase in
the number of festivals or open air events.
What are the differences between
insurances offered in the UK for the live
entertainment industry and those in
Europe ?
– The main differences between insurance
offers in the UK and Europe become
obvious when looking at the small print,
i.e. the conditions . Unfortunately, these
particular points make it very difficult for
the promoters to compare the different
offers, and usually, the differential effect
becomes clear only in the case of a concert
cancellation or another claim. Let’s give an
example: the premium of an English cover
for a festival contract seemed to be a good
deal, at least at first glance. However, taking
a closer look at the policy we discovered a
clause that commits the festival organizer to
provide a replacement event. How should
that be technically possible ? Therefore, we
recommend paying close attention to the
fine print and also thorough discussion of
the different conditions together with your
insurance partner. This might help you to
avoid unpleasant surprises.
Many promoters noticed that
Pukkelpop’s insurance didn’t cover the
damages caused by the bad weather
incident . In these days what kind of
insurance is needed to protect promoters
more efficiently ?
– Cases involving other festivals prove
that adequate insurance coverage can be
obtained without any difficulties and also
holds true in the case of a cancellation
or another claim. You might be aware of
some of these positive examples. However,
some promoters often display a kind of
gameplaying behaviour, similar to russian
roulette, when considering their insurance
requirements. This is especially the case if
they have not experienced any problems for
years, thus asking themselves if the outlay
for contingency event cancellation insurance
is worth the money. However, immediately
following the case of an uninsured loss
you get the answer; if the worst comes to
the worst a cancelled event can mean the
financial end for the event organizer. Even
worse is the fact that not only the promoter
will suffer from an uninsured loss, but also
other suppliers involved in the event because
they will never see any compensation.
So, what is an efficient insurance for an
open-air event in order to protect promoters ?
Nothing is easier; you might need a
contingency event cancellation insurance
including appropriate weather insurance
coverage, which should be individualized to
the promoter in order to ensure coverage
of special risks such as flooding or obscured
visibility . Also make sure that the build days
before the first act steps onto the stage
are included. Moreover, a comprehensive
coverage for other involved trades, such
as stage building, electronics, tents, etc., is
necessary , and finally never forget to obtain
liability insurance coverage.
What are the latest trends in terms of the
coverage of damages due to bad weather
incidents and what kinds of damages are
no longer covered?
– Until now, the coverage is still unchanged .
Of course, there is a natural link between
catastrophes like storms and a subsequent
increase in interest for insurance products
following such catastrophes. However , this is
only of short-term character. In a lot of cases
it’s often too late to purchase insurance ,
especially covering contingency event
cancellation resulting from damages due to
weather issues as many insurers require a
lead time of between 2 to 4 weeks.
Did the tragedy at the Love Parade in
Duisburg in 2010 impact on the kind
of insurance coverage you have since
recommended to your clients ?
– Generally speaking there are always
9>
customers who only have obtained insurance
coverage because of this tragedy. We
noticed that there is a lot of uncertainty,
especially from administrative authorities
and promoters with regards to the necessary
amount insured. For us, we can tell that there
was no need for change of our products
as we have always had a comprehensive
insurance coverage as well as sufficient
amounts insured.
As far as we know the broker of the Love
Parade cannot be held responsible as in the
end it’s the promoter who decides on the
sum insured although he may have been
given different advice, taking into account
only the costs based on the promise of an
insurance company. So unfortunately, it is still
the price that plays the most important role,
not the coverage, a bad thing because the
liability is unlimited by law.
The insurance coverage of the Love
Parade in particular has been intensively
discussed in the German media. It has
been reported many times that an
insurance coverage of 7.5 million Euro
wasn’t sufficient , what is your point of
view on this?
– As stated, the promoter decided the
amount insured, and this raises the
important question, what is the right
amount, where does it start and where does
it end? Neither are there any laws or useful
recommendations on this issue. In the case of
the Love Parade, the negotiations are still in
process. Therefore, no judgement has been
given so far that determines the commit-
ment of the promoters. From our point of
view, the expected number of visitors as well
as the type of the event, indoor or outdoor
venue, heavy metal festival or classic event,
should definitely influence the sum insured.
However, it lies in the hands of the promoters
not only to consider the perfect coverage but
also to be prepared to buy it.
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VIPNEWS > INDEPTH STORY > NOVEMBER 2011
Association of Independent Festivals 2011 ReportIndie Festivals Contribute £222m to UK Economy• Audience Research Shows Festival Goers
Undeterred by Recession
• AIF Festivals generate £222m for UK
economy
• The Ticket Trust enjoyed successful first
season exchanging £55,770 of tickets
• Social Media drastically increased as a
festival information source.
The huge value and contribution of UK
festivals to the British economy has been
quantified in an overreaching survey of over
2,400 festivalgoers.
The 31 AIF member festivals alone,
which include Bestival, Womad and End
of the Road Festival, attracted around
480,000 people this summer. Spending
an average £461 per person on festival
costs (travel, accommodation , food and
drink and entertainment), they contributed
a staggering £222 million to the
UK economy and £17m to local businesses.
With over 400 festivals having taken place
in the UK this summer, the total amount of
revenue generated across the whole festival
landscape is projected to hugely exceed that
In fact the £461 average spend per capita is
part of an overall trend of increased spending
as festivals weather the recessional storm with
a durability that other entertainment forms
can only envy. Compared with the overall au-
dience spend of £408 in 2008 or £438.24 last
year, the festival market looks to grow whilst
other sectors such as nightclubs contract. In
a direct comparison of festival vs other enter-
tainment spending, festivals have only been
moderately hit by the downturn as 54.9%
claimed to have their festival spend hit by the
recession as opposed to 71.9% who reduced
spending on other forms of entertainment.
Interest in ethical ticket exchange has
increased since last year up to 68% from
65% in 2010. In response to the issue
of rising ticket prices through secondary
ticketing sites and touts AIF launched The
Ticket Trust, an ethical ticket exchange site,
on the 11th July this year. The Ticket Trust has
enjoyed a successful first season trading 365
tickets to Bestival, End of the Road Festival,
Creamfield, Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival
and Secret Garden Party amounting to £55,
770 worth of tickets being resold with no
mark up fees.
Social media has officially overtaken word
of mouth as a major source of festival
information and climbed dramatically since
2008. 57.7% claim social media to be a
major source from 34% in 2008 although
still not beating out the festival’s official
website whom the majority of 68.7% claim is
a source of information. 52.9% currently use
word of mouth and 43.7% of those surveyed
use communal festival websites.
Claire O’Neill, co-founder of A Greener
Festival and AIF general manager said “In
the face of what has been a challenging
>
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VIPNEWS > NOVEMBER 2011
11
few years for many, we are very happy to
see these positive trends for the continued
steady growth of the Independent Festival
market. Year on year from our audience
surveys the impact to the UK economy
and cultural significance of these events is
confirmed . Delivering a successful festival is
by no means an easy task, and the amazing
accomplishments of our members and their
teams is outstanding.”
About AIFThe Association of Independent Festivals is a
not for profit body set up in 2008 to represent
independent music festivals in the UK and
Ireland.Conceived by Bestival promoter Rob
da Bank and Graphite’s Ben Turner, the
association’s founder members included
Bestival , Cornbury Festival, Creamfields ,
Evolution Festival, Field Day/Underage, Secret
Garden Party, Summer Sundae Weekender
and WOMAD.
With 31 members ranging from Bromley’s
Leefest to the 55,000 capacity Bestival in the
Isle of Wight, AIF enables the promot-
ers of some of the UK & Ireland’s most
innovative and successful festivals to speak
with one voice when addressing the wider
music business and government. AIF aims
to establish best practice for festivals in a
variety of areas such as security, the environ-
ment and beyond, providing a knowledge
base for festival promoters, as well as cre-
ating collective purchasing and marketing
opportunities for its members.AIF operates
as an autonomous division of the Association
of Independent Music.
C
M
Y
CM
MY
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CMY
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Anzeige_VIPMag_ProSky_X4.pdf 1 09.12.10 10:43
Bestival member of the AIF
VIPNEWS > NOVEMBER 2011
Intellitix Opens UK Office and Announces Key Appointments Allan McGowan [email protected]
The implementation of Radio Frequency
ID (RFID) technology by festivals has seen
substantial growth over the 2011 season ,
and looks set to increase dramatically over
the 2012 European festival season. In
response to this growing demand Intellitix ,
the global market leader in RFID access
control and cashless payment systems, has
announced two key appointments and a new
UK office to focus on the European festival
market in 2012.
Steve Jenner, founder of Virtual Festivals
who most recently worked as Digital
Director at UK promoter Kilimanjaro Live, is
confirmed as Also joining Intellitix is Greg
Parmley, until recently editor of live music
industry title IQ Magazine, who will oversee
global communications in his role as Chief
Information Officer.
The appointments come after Intellitix
activated over 1 million Radio Frequency ID
(RFID) wristbands at festivals in North America
this summer. Sites included Coachella ,
Bonnaroo , Lollapalooza, Outside Lands,
Austin City Limits, Electric Zoo, Moogfest and
Le Festival d’été de Québec. Reports indicate
that the company’s RFID access control
systems securely sealed the festival sites,
radically reduced queues, eradicated fraud,
and withstood all types of weather.
Intellitix boss Serge Grimaux says: “We gained
an impressive list of festival clients in North
America this year, and we are now adding
an equally impressive list of respected figures
in the entertainment world to our team. My
partner Martin Enault and I will continue to
grow the Intellitix platform globally to answer
the needs of the festival communities ,
enchance the patrons’ experience and be a
generator of new sources of income.”
Prior to joining Intellitix, Jenner helped grow
the digital footprint of the Sonisphere festival
brand, amassing more than half a million
Facebook fans worldwide and over 6 million
visitors to its website. A self-confessed
festival nut, Jenner also established both UK
and European Festival Awards and founded
Virtual Festivals.
Jenner says: “RFID technology will
revolutionise the way music festivals are
experienced , produced and shared online
over the next few years. What Serge, Martin
and their team have accomplished in the US
in such a short time frame is phenomenal
and underlines the power of their product
and their strength of vision. To have the
opportunity to build on this success and
allow music festival organisers and fans in
the UK and Europe to share in the benefits of
this incredible technological shift is thrilling.
We want everyone to be part of it.”
Parmley will also be working from the UK
office. A veteran journalist and consultant
on the international live music industry, this
summer he set a new Guinness World Record
for ‘Most festivals visited in 30 days’. Parmley
also retains his role as Director of Content
and Media for the International Live Music
Conference (ILMC).
VIP News spoke to Greg Parmley about his
new role:
This move from journalism to information
officer marks quite a move for you, you
must be quite convinced that this is a
product you are prepared to believe in.
When did you first become aware of
the RFID technology and how did you
become involved with Intellitix?
– I’ve been writing about cashless payment
systems and ticketing technology for some
time now, but it’s only recently that I became
aware of how powerful integrating RFID
access control, cashless payment and social
media could be. Individually these are all
powerful tools for an event promoter, but
looking ahead to when they’re all on the
same wristband or entry device, it becomes
game changing.
You famously entered the Guinness
Book of Records by visiting 26 European
Festivals by motorbike this summer.
12
13
VIPNEWS > NOVEMBER 2011
Were any of the events that you visited
on your ‘marathon’, using the system - or
at least considering future use?
– This summer we rolled out Intellitix systems
in North America. Having just opened a
European HQ this month, we’re actively
looking to partner with some key European
events for summer 2012.
Apart from providing a ‘cashless’ facility ,
the data collection aspect is obviously
an application that interests all involved
in the promotion and presentation of
events - do you think that there are
future possibilities for the technology
that are still to be considered or applied?
– There are going to be a huge number
of ways that the technology will develop,
particularly once NFC phones become more
commonplace. NFC and RFID is basically the
same technology, so once the chip becomes
part of your mobile, it unlocks enormous
potential. The basic premise of what we’re
doing is making connections, between fans,
artists, promoters, brands and more – and
the more ways there are to connect, the more
advantageous it is for everyone involved in
the festival, tour or event.
Will Intellitix be setting up regional
offices of your own, or perhaps licensing
the technology?
– We have offices in Montreal and London al-
ready, and we’ll look to open new offices as the
business develops. We’re absolutely talking
to various companies about partnerships as
well. Intellitix is a platform – we work with
any ticket seller, concessionaire , or any other
stakeholder involved in the event – so we’re
very open to discussing possibilities that
could be beneficial for all involved.
Can you see a time when all events will
operate the systems, or are there still
sceptics to be dealt with, and will it be
part of your job to convert them?
– Technology is undoubtedly going to change
the way that fans experience live music, and I
firmly believe that we’re one of the companies
at the forefront of this. The biggest task at
the moment is to communicate just how it
can improve the experience. Many live event
organisers are going to be naturally sceptical
about it, and rightly so – when you’re talking
about access control and payment systems at
a festival, there’s no option for things to fall
over. So the main focus for us right now is
to communicate what we’re doing, and let
organisers know that we have something
that is completely robust and that can pay
for itself from year one.
For more information go to:
www.intellitix.com
Steve Jennerjoins Intellitix
Greg Parmleyjoins Intelltix
Go online - www.vip-booking.com
Need to know who is touring Europe
®
vip-booking.com
13
VIPNEWS > NOVEMBER 2011
This year’s third edition of Luxembourg’s
showcase and conference event, Sonic
Visions , will ask the question whether we
should maybe make a short break to take a
deep breath before we continue running after
the latest technology driven opportunities . As
an artist you need to be in full control of your
project and you need to know the mechanisms
of the music industry. Today’s land of plenty
seems to become more and more a labyrinth:
You can’t make use of every possibility that
seems to be attractive and promising, you
need to have a precise idea of what you really
want and how you can get there. It’s true,
no one can provide a master plan, but Sonic
Visions wants to ask the crucial questions.
Luxembourg is located in the heart of Europe ,
is easily accessible and features a variety of
cultural influences, directly neighbouring
the important markets of Germany, France
and Belgium. Agreeing that networking is
essential in this industry , Sonic Visions offers
the opportunity to meet with peers from all
over the world and make new contacts at the
two day conference on Friday and Saturday
25th/26th of November.
VIP News will attend and report back in the
next issue.
The 46th edition of midem will be held from
January 28 to 31 at Palais des Festivals in
Cannes.
Indicating the increasing importance of the
live sector to this longest established industry
trade event, which previously focused primar-
ily on the publishing and recording sectors will
be the first midem festival.
This innovation will be staged in partnership
with French concert producer Alias.
French music festivals Les inRocKs Black XS
and Musilac are among Alias’ key annual
events and the company also puts on concerts
for top international artists such as Adele,
Gossip, Jamiroquai and Muse.
The midem festival concerts, which will be
produced by Alias, are open to both industry
professionals and the general public and will
include three major concerts to be held in a
dedicated auditorium . The line-up for these
live shows will include international headliners
as well as up-and-coming talent.
“At a time when the music industry is speak-
ing with one voice, it is important to trans-
form words into deeds. Live and recorded
music must move forward together using
new models,” said Jules Frutos , Co-Director
of Alias.
“The creation of the midem festival, as a key
part of midem 2012’s live music programme ,
is a major event for both our clients and the
general public,” added Bruno Crolot, Direc-
torbarley of Music Markets at Reed MIDEM.
“It fits perfectly with the new midem that we
are putting together for 2012 and we are very
lucky to have the enthusiastic support of the
city of Cannes. Our commitment to delivering
a premium concert experience is underlined by
our partnership with Alias, which has a proven
track record of producing superb events and
which shares our artistic aspirations for the
midem festival.”
Alongside the midem festival, a series of
smaller concerts, entitled ‘midem off,’ will
take place throughout Cannes. A dozen ven-
ues around town will showcase new talent
that will complete the programme of midem
festival live performances.
More information: www.midem.com
14
SONIC VISIONS 2011 Allan McGowan [email protected]
MIDEM ’12 Partners with Alias Allan McGowan [email protected]
Bru
no C
rolo
t, D
irect
or M
idem
Jules Frutos
VIPNEWS > NOVEMBER 2011
BDV To Launch Own Collection SocietyManfred Tari [email protected]
While Prodiss, the French promoter association
continues to lobby the French Government for
legislation in the issue of a promoter’s share
of certain ancillary rights, it appears that in
Germany a law already exists.
Paragraph 81 of the German copyright law
defines that promoters are eligible to obtain
royalties for a show that has been recorded
and afterwards sold as a download or on
sound and other data carriers or which has
been broadcast on TV/Radio or streamed on
websites. It is one of the very few opportunities
for promoters to augment their business
model which is primarily only based on ticket
sales and one off income streams related to
live events.
In its annual meeting in November in Ber-
lin, the German promoters association,
Bundesverband Veranstaltungswirtschaft
(BDV) has agreed to launch a collection society
of its own. VIP News spoke with Johannes
Ulbricht who is in charge of legal affairs at BDV
about this initiative.
Do you know the amount of royalties GVL
(the German equivalent of the UK’s PPL,
or Stena Performers in the Netherlands) is
paying to promoters for the usage of live
recordings?
– As GVL is only representing the promoters
regarding a very small scope of rights
(copyright fees on copying and storage devices
and hardware like PCs), GVL is not paying any
sum worth mentioning yet.
Yet it is the case already that eligible
promoters can submit royalty requests
to GVL. With this in mind, what is the
benefit of the new collection society to be
founded by BDV?
– GVL is a collection society run by record
companies and performing artists, and the
owners and members of GVL would be the
licensees of the promoters. To avoid a conflict
of interest, GVL will not represent the rights
of promoters against record companies and
broadcasters, so we need a separate collection
society for this.
Are there already any payment schemes
discussed indicating how much promoters
should receive in royalties for live
recordings ?
– No, we’ll have to negotiate this with the
Licensees and their professional organisations.
Who will decide on the levels of those
payment schemes?
– In case the parties can’t work out a deal
themselves, there would be a mediation
procedure at the patent and trademark office,
which is supervising collection societies. If the
mediation procedure fails, the case would go
to the high court.
In an opinion survey by the German trade
publication Musikwoche regarding the
news of the BDV collection society, more
than 37 percent of the readers were of
the opinion that promoters should not
benefit from neighbouring rights on live
recordings. Have you already experienced
similar reactions from record companies or
artists?
– No, actually we have the impression that
many record companies understand that it is
helpful for the whole industry if there is an
incentive for the promoter to invest into the
long-term success of new acts. There were
always conflicts between the different rights
holders regarding distribution of income in
the past but the music industry as a whole
prospered for many years because there were
incentives to invest in new talent. Any rights
holder who only thinks about defending his
share in the present environment but not
about improving the environment in general is
focused on the past not the future.
For further information please check
http://www.bdv-online.com/
Johannes Ulbricht
15
Reeperbahn Résumé
16
This year’s Reeperhan Festival and Reeperbahn
Campus events took place in Hamburg from
September 21-24. These dates somewhat
clashed with the September VIP News going
on-line, and there was so much News in
October , we decided to leave it till now to look
back on the results of the events, starting off
with comments from some of the attendant
professionals:
“Reeperbahn Festival is a great way for the
music business to catch up at the end of
summer. ” (Rob Challice, CODA Music Agency,
UK)
“In fact a couple of my acts probably wouldn’t
be touring mainland Europe this autumn if they
hadn’t been able to play Reeperbahn Festival
which highlights it’s growing importance in
the European touring calendar for developing
acts.” (Steve Zapp, ITB, UK)
“The atmosphere of Reeperbahn sets a perfect
scene for living and enjoying the rock ‘n’ roll
dream. The Reeperbahn Festival manages to
exploit this, making it an event to be reckoned
with by fans and industry alike.” (Thomas
Rhode , Music Export Denmark, DK)
“The Reeperbahn Festival has developed as the
No. 1 event of the music industry in Germany.”
(Bernd Dopp, Warner Music Group, DE)
“It’s very close to the perfect club festival. It’s
something that puts Hamburg easily to the
top of the current fight for attention and
international reputation within the German
music scene.” (Jörg Augsburg, Der Freitag, DE)
“Hamburg can become the Austin of Europe .
The Reeperbahn Festival has enormous
potential .” (Austin Powell, Austin Chronicle,
US)
“I think you’ve made the Reeperbahn Campus
the most relevant new music event in Germany
which is a hell of an achievement.” (Steve
Mayall, Music Ally, UK)
So, many people have positive things to say
about Reeperbahn ’11, but are the organiser’s
happy? It is not advisable to rest on your laurels
as European Conference events, although
sometimes collaborative, are now in a very
competitive market with economic pressures
having a greater impact on the pockets of
professionals and ‘punters’ alike. We spoke
to Detlef Schwarte, director of Reeperbahn
Campus .
I know you have visited a lot of the other
trade events, looking back on Reeperbahn
’11 how do you think you measured up?
– Yes, I’ve experienced a lot of other industry
events, Spot, Eusosonic, SXSW, Great Escape,
ILMC, CMW, Vienna Waves and some others ,
and this time it was apparent to me that
Reeperbahn Festival’s strength is:
a) Its really unique setting. Most other events
pretend that everything is next door, but often
it isn´t
b) its atmosphere - quite a few international
guests who attended the first time were
impressed by the place and the feel (red light,
prostitutes, bars - but without the feel of being
endangered in any way)
c) the audience - the response of the audience
to the concerts was extraordinary. Never saw
the people so enthusiastic as this year.
And how about Reeperbahn Campus?
– Concerning the Campus I was happy
to see that the Networking opportunities
worked quite well and every session and
matchmaking was well attended. This was and
is an important step for us. The same with the
showcases, this was the first time we offered
these opportunities . Finally we had nine - and
most of them worked well. But this is a thing
that definitely can be improved and extended.
These things prove that there is more and more
business being done and the professionals use
the Campus as an occasion to make contacts
and do business. This was very different two
years ago.
One quote I received some days ago from
Graham Stairs, President, Shadow Cabinet
Music Group Ltd., in Ontario, Canada, might
stress this point of view:
It’s taken awhile to sort things out after
Reeperbahn , but, now that the smoke has
cleared, I wanted to thank you and your
colleagues for putting together such a great
festival. The shows that the Wilderness of
Manitoba played were very well received and
have produced results. Ramona Schmidt of
Wizard Promotions has agreed to be their
booking agent for Germany, Austria and
Switzerland; Jacco van Lanen of DoubleVee
Concerts has agreed to be their booking
agent for the Netherlands and a German label
has made us an offer for licensing the album
for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. I am
expecting other commitments for booking
agents in other territories. So, you made a
good first impression on me and I will definitely
VIPNEWS > NOVEMBER 2011
Det
lef
Schw
arte
, dire
ctor
R
eepe
rbah
n Ca
mpu
s
17
be telling others that Reeperbahn is an event
where you can do business.
This is what Reeperbahn wants to be - the
gateway to the German market.
Any other thoughts on the Conference?
– It is still very difficult to distinguish from other
conferences. And the interest in panels etc.
seems to be generally low. So I am fine with
the decision we made to have less programme
items than 2010 and only two instead of
three rooms. And we will have to rethink the
conference format from year to year.
Any particular highlights?
– Well, it might be boring but I still very
much enjoy Ray’s Reeperbahn Revues when
professionals , consumers and artists come
together to have an hour of fun. I think this is a
symbol for what makes Reeperbahn so special.
Have you had time to consider particular
plans for the future?
– We will try to develop more formats that
present music to professionals and consumers
and to establish more media channels for
artists to present their music. We will extend
networking and showcase opportunities, and
try to offer an even better setting of Lounge,
Conference rooms and Hotel to the delegates.
Rheinkultur Is History Manfred Tari [email protected]
The organizers of free open air event
Rheinkultur have decided to abandon the
event. In a quite comprehensive press release
the 8 stakeholders of the RhEINKULTUR
GmbH, declared that the event, which would
have celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2012,
would not be continued.
The organizers felt that neither the City
Council of Bonn nor local sponsors provided
enough financial and political backing to
continue with the event. The City Council of
Bonn appears to prefer to invest in classical
music events such as the Beethoven Festival
or other so called serious arts. In comparison
the organizers of Rheinkultur only received
a subsidy of €80.000 per year while the
Beethoven Festival is given 1.6 million Euro.
Besides the lack of support by local
politicians and authorities, the promoter also
mentioned that current audience behaviour
at such a free event also contributed to their
decision to stop the event. Binge drinking by
young punters caused more trouble and led
to higher risks and significant extra security
outlay in efforts to run the event smoothly
and safely.
VIP News will follow up on this news in order
to find out if this is definitely the final curtain
for Rheinkultur or if local politicians will
undertake a last attempt to save the event.
Rheinkultur
VIPNEWS > NOVEMBER 2011
18
VIPNEWS > BUSINESS > NOVEMBER 2011
Live Nation – More ShowsBut Less Revenue in Q3
The financial community loves growth stories
and Michael Rapino, CEO of Live Nation
knows well how to cheer the investment
chaps when saying: “We believe the
stabilization of consumer demand for live
events will continue into 2012 and, looking
ahead, we are increasingly optimistic about
our opportunities.”
Rapino also knows how to increase the
excitement when he added: “Given the
continued fan demand for concerts and a
growing supply of artists hitting the road,
we are optimistic about the future growth of
the global concert industry. Based on this, we
believe we are well positioned to generate
improved returns from our business and
deliver shareholder value.”
But contrasting with Rapino’s bullish
statements , the current figures reveal, at least
in terms of revenue results and an increased
number of events a slightly different picture
for the 3Q, which is nevertheless backed by
nine months results for 2011.
In Q3-2011 the overall revenue dropped from
$1.83 to $1.79bn. The reported revenue for
Live Nation’s concert division in Q3 went down
7.3 percent, from $1.38 to $1.28bn. Rapino’s
optimism probably refers to the nine-month
results, where the figures for the concert divi-
sion reveal a growth of 6.2 percent from $2.6
to $2.8bn. The number of promoted events
in Q3 went up from 4.929 to 5.271 while the
number of total estimated attendances went
down from 16.489.000 to 15.561.000. That
also goes for the nine months visitors results
which was 35.765.000 in 2010 and this year
until the end of September 35.558.000. The
ancillary net revenue per attendee rose in Q3
from $16.44 to $17.54.
Other company segments were, in contrast,
able to increase their results: the Q3 revenue
for the ticketing division of Live Nation went
up 9.9 percent from $261.2 to $287.1
million , the division Artist Nation reported a
revenue increase of 9.4 percent from $111.0
to $121.4 million, eCommerce went up an
impressive 41.9 percent from $25.8 to $36.6
million. Also sponsoring revenues went up
from $69.5 to $72.7 million. For the first
nine months the overall revenue of Live
Nation went up 9.7 percent from $3.825.9
to $4.198.3bn.
On September 1st the Live Nation share
stood at $9.13, on November 18 at $9.06.
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19
MUSIC IN SHARES
CTS Eventim – Below Expectations
As usual the European market leader for
ticketing obtained reasonable results within
its ticketing division but the live entertainment
section of the corporate company faced a
significant revenue decline.
In the third quarter (Q3) 2011 CTS Eventim
gained revenue of 82.1 million Euros, the
combined revenue for the first nine months
this year is 345.9 million Euros, in comparison
the company gained 372.4 million Euros in the
same period last year. In particular the ticketing
business appeared to be the biggest driving
force for the earnings results of the company.
After the acquisitions of Tickercorner in
Switzerland and the See Tickets Germany
division Ticket Online came in to full effect,
the ticketing revenue rose 22 percent from
123.9 to 151.1 million Euro. The Earnings
before Interests, Taxes, Depreciation and
Amortisation (EBITDA) increased from 34.7
to 41.0 million Euros, the Earnings before
Interests, Taxes (EBIT) only rose 2.5 percent
from 25.1 to 25.8 million Euros. The result
in the ticketing division of CTS Eventim is af-
fected by costs for additional legal expenses
in relation with the Live Nation-CTS Eventim
case and additional expenses due to staff
restructuring measures going along with the
purchase of Ticket Online.
The live entertainment division is clearly
affected by the deconsolidation of FKP
Scorpio within the revenue results and
lower numbers of concerts and shows with
top artists . The revenue for this part of the
company shrunk 21.6 percent from 253.8
down to 198.9 million Euros. This also led to
significant lower earnings results: the EBITDA
went down 29.6 percent, from 20.8 to 14.7
million Euros, the EBIT 31.7 percent from
19.4 to 13.2 million Euros.
Nevertheless the management of CTS
Eventim expects better earning results than
last year for the ongoing business year and
refers to the seasonally strong 4th quarter.
On September 1st the CTS Eventim share
stood at 23.50 Euro, on November 18 at
20.51.
with a publisher in the US on a full time basis
but whilst still a Writer/Publisher Relations
representative with performing rights society
SESAC he and SESAC UK Representative
John Sweeney explained how acts can secure
US performance fees:
VIPNEWS > BUSINESS > NOVEMBER 2011
VIPNEWS > MISC > SEPTEMBER 2011
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to more than 6.000 venues and agencies worldwide…
Mail your music to the Live Music Industry…
About Our CompanyVIP-Booking’s core product is the Internet’s oldest and
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best in database services and now boast subscribers in
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Barley Arts PromotionThe story of Barley Arts Promotion, leader for the organisation and
production of entertainment and music shows, revolves around the
figure of Claudio Trotta (b.1957 in Milan)
Following his college years passion for the link between “high” and
pop culture, he starts his career with Radio Montestella, then in 1975
he’s at Canale 96, the very first news radio, organising the first live
shows of his life. In 1979 he graduates at the Civica Scuola di Arte
Drammatica as music operator, spending a training period at the
Teatro alla Scala. The same year he founds BARLEY ARTS PROMOTION
(first tour: JOHN MARTYN) whose name is a homage Trotta pays
to one of his early passions, Anglo-Saxon country and folk. Going
through some TV experience (TeleRadioMilano 2), he’s involved by
Lucio Salvini (chairman at Ricordi by that time) in his Country e Folk
Label project and becomes the Italian promoter for the artists in the
roster. Later on, Salvini will entrust him with Artistic and Marketing
Direction of the Blues & Rock Project series at Carosello. As one of his
latest personal side projects, Trotta edited The Milan Music Dictionary
(1995), together with Paolo Zenoni. He’s one of the Founders of the
following Associations:
· ASSOMUSICA
Italian Association of Producers and Organisers of Live Music
Entertainment (founded 1996): Board Director from the beginning.
· YOUROPE
The European Festival Association (founded 1998): Board Director
1998-2001.
The company, which has been doing more than 3500 live shows,
festivals and special events since 1979, operates on many levels, e.g.:
1) Promotion of international artists in Italy. E.g. STING, PEARL JAM,
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, TOM WAITS, SHAGGY, AEROSMITH, THE
CURE, LENNY KRAVITZ, AC-DC, PHIL COLLINS, SLIPKNOT, METALLICA ,
STEVIE WONDER, RAY CHARLES, BARRY WHITE, EARTH, WIND & FIRE,
VAN MORRISON, B.B. KING, PAGE & PLANT, KISS, IRON MAIDEN, YES,
CHEMICAL BROTHERS, DREAM THEATER, PRODIGY, LOREENA MC
KENNITT, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, DEFTONES, PAUL WELLER,
LIMP BIZKIT, DEEP PURPLE, DAVID SYLVIAN, HOOVERPHONIC , DAVID
BOWIE, SANTANA, FRANK ZAPPA, LORD OF THE DANCE, SHAOLIN
MONKS and more.
2) Promotion and production of Italian artists in Italy (NEFFA,
SOTTOTONO , LITFIBA...)
3) Production and co-production and Promotion of Festivals:
MONSTERS OF ROCK, SONORIA, MILANO BLUES FESTIVAL, IRLANDA
IN FESTA, LAGHI LOMBARDI IN FESTIVAL, FLEADH, BALKANIKA,
MONZA ROCK FESTIVAL, PISTOIA BLUES FESTIVAL, COCA COLA
DANCE FESTIVAL…
4) Organisation, production and promotion of Italian artist’s concerts
and tours abroad (e.g. first international shows of Vasco Rossi, Eros
Ramazzotti, Sabrina Salerno...)
20
MONTHLY FEATURED ARTIST POWERED BY
ORBITAL Territory: WORLD Period: APRIL 2012 ONWARDS Agency: VALUE ADDED TALENT Agent: DAN SILVER Phone: +44 207 704 9720 E-mail: [email protected] Homepage: www.vathq.co.uk
Skid Row Territory: Europe Period: July/August 2012 Agency: ARM Entertainment Agent: Dana Strutz Phone: 1-651-483-8754 E-mail: [email protected] Homepage: www.skidrow.com
Blaze Bayley (Wolfsbane,ex-Iron Maiden) Territory: Europe Period: March-April 2012 / Festivals - July - August Agency: Real Media Music Agent: M.Kostrec Phone: +44(0)7526171555 E-mail: [email protected] Homepage: www.blazebayley.net
Firehouse Territory: Europe Period: 1/5/2012-31/5/2012 Agency: ARM Entertainment Agent: Dana Strutz Phone: 1-651-483-8754 E-mail: [email protected] Homepage: www.firehousemusic.com
THE DOORS ALIVE - BEST DOORS TRIBUTE ACT IN WORLDTerritory: WORLD Period: JANUARY 2012 ONWARDS Agency: VALUE ADDED TALENT Agent: DAN SILVER Phone: +44 207 704 9720 E-mail: [email protected] Homepage: www.vathq.co.uk
Wayne Henderson Territory: Europe/UK Period: January 2012 Agency: Universal Attractions Agent: Nicholas Szatmari Phone: +1.212.582.7575 E-mail: [email protected]
MORE ARTIST AVAILS ON:WWW.VIP-BOOKING.COM
POST YOUR ARTIST AVAILS ON:WWW.VIP-BOOKING.COM
ARTIST AVAILS
Skid Row
21
Ashton Lane
In late 2010, Esther O’Connor and her band Ashton Lane made their first visit
to Nashville after being stateside gigging and getting the gears in motion for
the release of their debut album. Prior to this, the band was buried away deep
in the recording studio for a few months writing and recording ‘Other Side’.
Ashton Lane are: Esther O’Connor (lead vocals), Tim O’Connor (guitar , backing
vocals) and James Duffin (lead guitar, backing vocals).
Esther O’Connor is the lead singer of her 3-piece band that includes her
husband and brother. They write all their own songs, and sometimes even
co-write with Dad! (Graeme Duffin from legendary 80’s/90’s band ‘Wet Wet
Wet’). Graeme and James also produced this new album “Other Side”
Ashton Lane is an internet phenomena, receiving a million.
You Tube views of their ‘Tuesday Live Sessions’ in just over a month and growing
fast. Last month they also achieved the spot of 18th most viewed musician in
the UK and 44th most viewed musician on youtube.
She has already received support on BBC Radio 2 and on regional radio
nationwide despite being unsigned. Tom Morton of Radio Scotland describing
one of their tracks as “Neil Young meets Beyonce round at Joni Mitchell’s
house”, recognising the retro flare that runs through their music and the bands
love of a sassy pop hook. Journalists and fans alike recognise that Ashton Lane
are trailblazers for new country-pop forging the way ahead in this new musical
landscape. Esther’s previous solo albums also received 4 and 5 star reviews in
the national and Scottish newspapers.