NoA - The North Alliance’s Post

Some thoughts - be them articulate or not. But it's somewhere to start. Whether you see yourself as the kind of person that would go to Splendour or not, or see the value inherent in large scale music festivals... zoom out and look at the wider industry. Not just live music, but Arts and Culture. As a concept. As a vital and integral part of our wellbeing and community. Our economy. Yes, cost of living pressures. Yes, increased costs for delivering events. Yes to all of it. But don't tell me that we haven't spent a lifetime calling the Arts a luxury. Non-essential. Well, my lifetime anyway. Artists, events, producers and venues need people to buy tickets but we also need the support of the government and regulatory bodies to actually make this all work. For example, the influx of large scale international acts mean the local music industry is neglected. It also means that if we can't develop local appetite for new acts and bands. The same applies to theatre. To visual art. It tumbles and tumbles along. I am sad for the growing homogeneity of our Arts and Culture sector if we can't take risks anymore because the bottom line is the only thing we have to focus on. If we don't have the support across the board to make sure we can grow and nurture an industry which is so important, we won't exist. It starts from the ground up. It can't just be the responsibility of the ticket buyer. It can't be. https://lnkd.in/gN2rxNUE

From fringe concern to mainstream priority, sustainability is finally under the spotlights at a growing number of global music festivals. But how realistic is a ‘carbon-neutral’ festival, will greater demand for sustainable events change the dial and how can we all do our bit? ROADBOOK investigates: https://buff.ly/3Q22zSc #SustainableFestivals

What is Happening to Glastonbury? This week, most of my conversations have revolved around the historic Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm. Founded by Sir Michael Eavis, the festival has grown into an internationally acclaimed event since its inception in 1970. Now welcoming 200,000 people each year, music lovers from all over the world travel to experience the festival's unique atmosphere. Despite the high demand for tickets, which far exceeds supply, this year I have sensed a shift in enthusiasm due to what many perceive as a lacklustre lineup. The Pyramid Stage in 2024 featured headliners SZA, Coldplay, and Dua Lipa. SZA, whose music gained popularity through TikTok, might seem an unusual choice for such a prestigious festival, suggesting Glastonbury is veering towards mainstream appeal. Coldplay, headlining for the fifth time, delivered a performance that lacked lasting impact despite playing back-to-back hits. Dua Lipa, a constant presence in the charts, also represented a shift away from the festival's previous headliners in 2023: Arctic Monkeys, Sir Elton John, and Guns N' Roses, setting a troubling precedent. Is this lineup a true reflection of today's music industry? If so, how could it change so drastically in just a year? Was Sir Elton John in 2023 a nod to a golden era of music that can’t be replicated or revived? Or is this the dawn of a new era with artists such as Fontaines D.C, and Olivia Dean who performed but perhaps should have been given more prominence?  Financial concerns are unlikely to be the influence of these choices. The festival sells out yearly, driven by its legendary status rather than the headliners. The motivation to feature more commercial mainstream artists might be separate. Additionally, the shift in responsibility from Michael Eavis to his daughter Emily, who is taking on more control over the festival due to Sir Michael’s growing age, might also be influencing these changes. Should I embrace these changes and let go of the past? Or should the music industry uphold certain standards for headliners? The future of Glastonbury might lie in finding a balance between honouring its roots and evolving with the times. While the lineup might not be as strong as in previous years, Glastonbury's environment remains unmatched. The festival's multitude of secret sets, intimate stages, and its loving atmosphere contribute to its legendary status, which is hard to diminish, even with a weaker lineup.

So far in 2024, two Australian music festivals - Coastal Jam and Vintage Vibes - have cancelled on short notice citing economic pressures. https://lnkd.in/gH_KJtyy My postdoctoral research project 'Roaring Twenties: Crisis and reinvention for live music in Australia' commenced in 2022, framed by the pandemic recovery context but with a consciously broader scope. Since then, cost and demand have been increasingly predominant concerns, and part of an emergent, overall theme: uncertainty. Music industry veterans tell me uncertainty was always there - and economic theory tells us it's not only unavoidable but a core driver of cultural production in a market society. (Oversupply and taste: who can predict the music charts?) But the pandemic, and climate crisis (with extreme weather another major issue for events), show us a deeper uncertainty that challenges business as usual. And in practice and planning, these Black Swans aren't separate from normal challenges, but part of an interconnected mix of factors. My research is continuing and I am keen to speak with live music stakeholders - promoters, suppliers, workers, musicians, punters, advocates, policy and government operatives - about their experiences. Please get in touch if interested. Project overview here: https://lnkd.in/gjnpqFvH

Will the Wettest Summer in a Century Ruin Outdoor Music Festivals? According to the Evening Standard, the UK could face its wettest summer in a century, with up to 50 days of rain. This forecast presents a significant challenge for the outdoor music festival scene. Will the rain ruin this summer’s events? Not necessarily. Recent events like the City Splash Festival demonstrated that even heavy downpours can't dampen the spirit of music lovers. Despite the rain, festival-goers enjoyed vibrant performances from artists such as Shenseea, Beenie Man, Capleton, and Busy Signal, making the audience forget about the mud and weather (Skiddle). Looking ahead, Glastonbury 2024 is rumored to feature an incredible lineup, including Dua Lipa, Coldplay, SZA, Shania Twain, LCD Soundsystem, Burna Boy, and many more. Additionally, there are speculations about The Killers, Rihanna, Foo Fighters, and AC/DC joining the roster (LBC). With dates set for June 26th to June 30th, attendees can expect an unforgettable experience despite the weather challenges. Glastonbury is renowned for its resilience in adverse weather conditions, often keeping the festival going despite the rain. In preparation for the potential wet weather, event organizers are proactively improving logistics to ensure a seamless festival experience. From enhancing drainage and waterproofing stages to providing ample shelter options, every detail is being considered to prioritize attendee safety and enjoyment. Clear communication about weather forecasts and any necessary schedule adjustments will be paramount to keep attendees informed and engaged. Flexibility is key, with plans in place to adapt as needed, including the possibility of rescheduling or relocating performances to ensure the music never stops. This proactive approach reflects the industry's commitment to resilience and innovation, ensuring that live music thrives, rain or shine. Let's make this summer's festivals unforgettable for all the right reasons. #EventPlanning #MusicIndustry #OutdoorEvents #WeatherChallenges #LiveMusic #Resilience #Innovation

We wanted to see which agencies are behind Manchester, Tennessee’s Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. Using Booking Agent Info, we researched the agencies representing this year’s lineup (rounded for simplicity). Wasserman comes in with 30%, representing almost a third of the festival. They also had the most talent at Governors Ball. Their roster includes headliners Fisher and Fred Again.. , as well as other artists like Diplo and Thundercat. Creative Artists Agency is next with 16%. Their roster includes headliner Pretty Lights and Red Hot Chili Peppers, as well as other artists like T-Pain, Melanie Martinez, and Jon Batiste. WME | William Morris Endeavor follows with 10%. Their roster features Carly Rae Jepsen, Joey Bada$$, and HoneyLuv. United Talent Agency (UTA) also with 10%, has headliner Post Malone, along with Teezo Touchdown, and Sean Paul. Independent Artist Group (IAG) with 6% includes Key Glock, BigXthaPlug , and Cage The Elephant. Ground Control Touring with 4% includes Mdou Moctar and Gregory Alan Isakov. High Road Touring with 4% includes Interpol and Brittany Howard. Arrival Artists with 4% includes Abby Holliday and Trousdale TBA Agency with 2% includes Faye Webster and Geese. It should be noted that we excluded 1 artist from our dataset who we didn’t have data Follow Booking Agent Info for more insights like this Access our music industry data here: bit.ly/4amgFps

This is why it's so hard to put on music events in York! 1. Three nights of music with over 10,000 people attending 2. No antisocial order offences over the 3 nights 3. Sound monitoring levels went 2db over in 2 of 5 points being measured 4. 1 complaint by an actual resident, 2 others backing it up. This makes me so angry that the enjoyment of over 15,000 people at the 2 biggest events in York City Centre with Shed Seven and York Proms in 2024. Is now at risk for future events at York Museums Trust, Museum Gardens. 1 person complains and 2 back the complaint up! Is that all it takes to have a serious review of the license? We work with Mr Golightly and his team from City of York Council's Safety Advisory Group on a number of large events including York Proms and York Pride. We have a number of conditions to adhere to with sound levels at events. There is a lot of paperwork and planning that goes into sound monitoring before and on the day. We at Soapy Productions then work with the appointed independent sound monitoring company at the event to keep the sound at the agreed level. This includes being able to reduce the level of the specific sound frequency that is causing the issue. So lets put this into perspective. The monitoring at this event was done at 5 points across the perimeter of the event site at Museum Gardens. At 2 of the monitoring points the sound went over by 2db. This could simply be caused by a slight change in the wind direction. As Rebecca Newman has already posted in the last week. The figures of the economical impact that York Proms and music events of 2000 people plus at Museum Gardens in the city have. They are a huge impact on the local economy. City of York Council licensing department I hope that you take into account the full impact of the license review. The economical impact as well as the pure enjoyment these events bring. Against the 1 or 2 people who complain. I have produced the sound for Cancer Research UK Race for Life events at the Knavesmire for the last 14 years. The same resident close to the racecourse complains about the noise at the event every year. Regardless of the fact that the 1 day event raised nearly £300,000 this year alone. The wider debate has to be around music events in York and how we are able to continue these moving forward.

After 6 months of work, I'm delighted that the latest More than Music Report has been launched by betternotstop which Deloitte worked on as research lead 🎉 The report investigates what UK music festivals are doing to create a better world - how they’re saving our independent festival scene and how their influence on climate action spans beyond the fields. If you're an organisation who may be part of the extensive value chain of live music festivals (transport/logistics/catering/energy/production etc.), I recommend having a read as you can very much be part of the solution. Did you know that: ⛺ 19% of UK music festivals from 2022 no longer exist 🌍 46% have sustainability policies 📉 Only 26% had a fossil fuel reduction policy You can download the full report here 📑 : https://deloi.tt/3yIeWwW To support the report, we also recently spoke to Sam Booth, Director of Sustainability at AEG Europe, and Ed Shedd from Deloitte in the #GreenRoom to ask the question, ‘Can UK music festivals be sustainable?’ Take a listen 🎧 : https://deloi.tt/3R97CAE Thanks to everyone involved in creating the report - it was a massive team effort and I hope the practical guidance within it proves really useful to everyone who is trying to minimise negative impacts and maximise positive impacts of live music events. Together we can crack it! Joel Gardner Katherine Lampen Mandeep Sahi Kelson Mears Alfie Spencer betternotstop Anne-Marie Malley

Attention all music lovers and industry disruptors! Introducing an exciting new business venture that is set to revolutionize the music festival landscape. Our groundbreaking music festival is not just about great music, but also about promoting fair pay and equal access for independent performing artists. In an industry plagued by predatory practices, our mission is to challenge the status quo and create a platform that champions the artists' rights. By organizing an annual music festival, we aim to provide fair compensation to artists while fostering a community based on equitable treatment and opportunities in the industry. Imagine a multicultural, multigenre event that celebrates diversity and empowers independent artists. With your support, we can establish and operate this pioneering festival, creating a space where talented musicians can showcase their skills and be duly rewarded for their artistry. By joining forces with us, you will not only contribute to the success of this exciting venture but also be part of a movement that seeks to revolutionize the music industry. Together, we can redefine the way artists are treated and ensure they receive the recognition they deserve. Invest in our mission-driven festival today and help us shape a brighter future for independent performers. Let's make fair pay and equal access a reality in the music world! — Are you tired of seeing talented independent artists being exploited and undervalued by the music industry? Our groundbreaking music festival is here to challenge the status quo and create a fair and inclusive platform for artists to showcase their talent. Our mission is simple: to promote fair pay and equal access for independent performers. By organizing an annual music festival, we aim to not only provide artists with a platform to showcase their work, but also ensure they receive fair compensation for their performances. We believe that every artist deserves to be properly compensated for their hard work and dedication. But our festival is about more than just fair pay. It's about building a community based on equitable treatment and opportunities in the industry. We are committed to creating an environment where all artists, regardless of their background or genre, have an equal chance to succeed. With your support, we can establish and operate this multi-cultural, multi-genre event that will not only entertain audiences but also challenge the predatory nature of the music industry. Join us in making a difference and supporting independent artists who deserve to be recognized for their talent. Together, we can create a more equitable future for the music industry. please feel free to reach out via dm or use the comment section below for more information.