The Mandala Social’s Post

While Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu stadium recently cancelled concerts due to noise complaints from local residents, I couldn't help but chuckle at how this news would be received in India. Let's talk about the elephant in the room – our remarkable ability to normalize chaos. In Madrid, residents rallied against noise levels exceeding 85 decibels. Meanwhile, in India, we proudly host concerts, religious events and marriage ceremonies that regularly breach 100 decibels, treating noise pollution guidelines as mere suggestions rather than legal requirements. But here's where it gets interesting – we've mastered the art of selective outrage. We'll complain about the neighbor's dog barking or children playing in the society compound, but when it comes to massive events we're suddenly all about "culture" and "entertainment." The stark contrast between Madrid's response and our indifference reveals something deeper about our society. In Spain, citizens exercised their right to peaceful living. In India, we've somehow convinced ourselves that enduring such disruptions is part of our "adjustment" culture. We take pride in our ability to adapt, but at what cost? This isn't about being anti-entertainment or anti-culture. It's about questioning why we've normalized the abnormal. As Indians we need to:  1. Stop wearing our noise tolerance as a badge of honor 2. Recognize that community wellbeing isn't negotiable 3. Demand better planning and regulation of large-scale events 4. Hold organizers accountable for violation of noise pollution norms Until we start having these uncomfortable conversations, we'll continue to be a society that celebrates its resilience while ignoring its responsibilities. 

#TheEventEffect and festivals 🤝 🎪 There's been a lot said of late about a certain pop superstar who is currently on tour and the effect her tour is having on local (and national) economies. But it's not all about the mega star arena and stadium tours when it comes to #TheEventEffect. Events of all types create demand for hotels, including festivals, as the ever insightful James Hanley of IQ Magazine has pointed out in this article about Primavera Sound Porto 🇵🇹 "Residents from outside the AMP [Porto Metropolitan Area] recorded an average daily expenditure of €397.87 in the city, with accommodation the most significant expense at €117.74 per day." Hotels are simply one of the biggest revenue opportunities that event organisers are, all too often, leaving on the table 💰 🏨 If you run events and want to open up a zero risk new revenue stream, drop me a DM to find out how with Bundl 📩 https://lnkd.in/eMgMav-y Mike Bayon | Lucy Greenhill | Emma McGirl | Jo Raftery | Joanne Dixon | Peter Antoniou #TheEventEffect #hotels #festivals #primaverasound #portugal #porto

#TheEventEffect and festivals    We've been posting a fair bit recently about the #TheEventEvent from major stadium tours and the economic impact that these events have on the cities they visit. However fans are also travelling significant distances for festivals as we've seen for Portugal’s Primavera Sound Porto - "A total of 14.1% of all festivalgoers came from outside Portugal, of which 18.7% were from Spain, followed by England (14%), Brazil (12.3%), France (7.6%), Germany (4.7%) and Italy (4.7%)." Accommodation continues to be one of the biggest revenue opportunities that event organisers are frequently missing out on - "Residents from outside the AMP [Porto Metropolitan Area] recorded an average daily expenditure of €397.87 in the city, with accommodation the most significant expense at €117.74 per day." At Bundl we can help you capture this additional revenue stream. DM me to learn more 🎪 💶 🏩 Link to full article below; https://lnkd.in/eKhjVSSW Mike Bayon | Alex Ogilvie | Emma McGirl | Jo Raftery | Joanne Dixon | Peter Antoniou

Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour has not only shattered concert records but also significantly influenced global economies, a phenomenon dubbed “Swiftonomics.” The tour grossed over $2.1 billion from 149 shows, making it the highest-grossing concert tour in history. In Southeast Asia, Swift’s exclusive arrangement to perform solely in Singapore sparked regional tensions. The Singaporean government reportedly paid up to $18 million to secure six shows, preventing performances in neighboring countries like Thailand and the Philippines. This exclusivity led to diplomatic disputes, with officials from excluded nations expressing frustration over the arrangement. Despite the controversy, Singapore reaped substantial economic benefits. The influx of over 300,000 fans for the concerts injected an estimated $260 million to $375 million into the local economy, boosting sectors such as hospitality, retail, and tourism. Globally, the Eras Tour’s economic impact has been profound. Analysts estimate that the tour contributed nearly $6 billion to the U.S. economy alone, revitalizing local businesses and tourism in each city it visited. This unprecedented financial influence underscores Swift’s role as a major economic catalyst in the entertainment industry.

Telling you about upcoming events, but not only that. Is there something about concerts for the overall economy of the region? Read and be impressed. 

Thanks to the Conservatives and Stephen Harper we are now the country mice who can't have our usual - very limited spaced - parking lot access to Downsview Park: The Veld Music Festival, August 2-3-4, 2024 is paying Canada Lands Company a huge amount of money and so they are being allowed to block roads to park visitors' parking lots! They have a huge stage put up and have blocked off, us, usual family park visitors, from every angle, so as to keep the stage area completely from view (we did not buy tickets you see). This is OUR PARK, and this is simply not fair to us neighbourhood families. Appealing to Our City Councillor, James Pasternak, is useless as this is a FEDERAL entity. Asking Justin Trudeau ever since he got power to change the free-expansion of Canada Lands Company within our Downsview Park grounds has not interested him at all, despite it is his main opposition party who always criticizes him, of shenanigans. It was chaotic on Canada Day, and today, Aug 2nd, it was even more with area families trying to have a fresh air evening on a Sunday! Lots of areas of the park were blocked off with Festival paid security guards, lots of golf carts with more security roaming among us, as if we would somehow scale the tall fence and see their concert for free. We, the normal visitors were left feeling completely unwanted to be there today. Small hills were blocked off so the usual visitor won't be able to walk up and view the stage from any height. The whole area of parking areas near the Forest, were all blocked off and empty, thanks to Canada Lands Company only caring to cater to the paying Festival guests. This is what I have been saying for years, Canada Lands Company is only interested in income-generating projects and, we, the residents who have always been enjoying this park, before Harper handed it over to them, are truly unwanted to be around, by this company. That is why they are not interested at all in making this park a normal park with flowering plants and trees, making it pleasant to enjoy. When visitors who do not pay them reduce, they can then get/build more stages and make it a total Festival Arena, I guess. As if they are not making too much money already, from the numerous condominiums, office spaces, and already built-in event spaces. The few flowering plants (lily) at the main entrance are never watered, and dying. Everywhere else, the no-maintenance wild grass is in all the beds giving us allergies and an unsettling ambiance for a park!

But who is Singapore replacing Taylor Swift and Coldplay with this year? "Singapore wants to host more mega-events in 2025, boosting regional growth, amid neighbour envy." "Singapore’s rise as a concert hub, highlighted by Taylor Swift’s shows, has sparked envy from neighbours. But, experts argue, it could encourage tourism growth". All very well lauding Singapore for what happened pop concert wise in 2024 but when you have the world's two best selling pop concert artists touring in one year over 11 dates, how is Singapore going to replicate that success in 2025? Rest of their laurels or go out there and get new concerts? I'd love to see metal acts coming here but it seems that the people in charge of Live Nation, the National Stadium and the Government Ministers like Edwin Tong and bodies like the STB, that funded the Taylor Swift and Coldplay concerts, have no desire or taste for rock or metal, only pop. So as concert tourism works both ways, I will spend my dollars in other cities around the world seeing metal concerts, not here, until this policy changes. The fact that with Coldplay and TS fans will travel from SEA to come here means that they should put on my diverse concerts here as Indonesia and Malaysia have many more metal fans there than are here and metal concerts here would attract them to come and spend their money here. "Tourism experts said Singapore’s success benefits the entire region, rather than detracting from it. “The media buzz and the publicity surrounding Singapore’s apparent hijacking of her shows have woken up other countries to the rewards available in this market segment. “Our neighbours’ residents would visit Singapore for the event, and this could help boost their own travel and tour businesses and airlines. Regional tourists coming to Singapore could have also extended their visits to our neighbours.” However, if Singapore truly wants to fulfil its ambition of becoming the go-to destination for mega-events, it must look beyond concerts and consider meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions [MICE] events, experts say." What do you think? If you’re an entrepreneur and would like help finding new clients our Ultimate and Ultimate LITE LinkedIn marketing services can do this for you, details are here on this LinkedIn SmartLink: https://lnkd.in/dqWRi6EZ Link to the story here: https://lnkd.in/g4s3Maf9 Subscribe to my weekly LinkedIn newsletter: “The Best Singapore News” that is a weekly compilation of all my most engaging posts that I have published on LinkedIn that week here: https://lnkd.in/gvu3yW_x

Articles like this should give us all a push and remind us what we’re striving for in 2025. I’ve been in the industry a long time, and the last few years have undoubtedly been some of the most worrying. Although those nerves haven’t gone, I’m very excited to see what 2025 has in store. Last year was no joke for the industry – over 72 festivals closed their doors, more than double the number in 2023. The industry took a serious beating, and to say the past few years have been challenging for festivals is an understatement. But despite it all, 2025 is shaping up to be a year of innovation, resilience, and opportunity. 🎶 Big Names, Bold Events Major launches like Come Together in Newcastle (70,000 capacity) and LIDO Festival in London’s Victoria Park (35,000 capacity) prove that large-scale events are achievable, even in the face of adversity. 🌱 Sustainability at the Forefront The sustainability battle continues, and it’s exciting to see LIDO Festival making waves as AEG’s most sustainable event yet, setting new benchmarks for eco-conscious festivals. With several 2024 initiatives taking root, 2025 could see major advancements in sustainable practices across the industry. 🌍 Independent Festivals on the Rise This is a personal favourite. Despite the challenges of recent years, boutique events like Found Festival and Homestead (1,500 capacity, exclusively for over-25s) are redefining what it means to create intimate, meaningful, and inclusive experiences. Hats off to the organisers who are stepping up with these bold concepts. I think what is most important is that despite rising costs and economic pressures ( which definitely still need addressing), the appetite for live music and shared experiences is undeniable. Organisers are innovating with creative, audience-focused ideas, making festivals more sustainable, engaging, and accessible. So YES I am excited for 2025…because no matter what it promises to be packed with fresh ideas and opportunities to reconnect. What are you most looking forward to in the festival scene this year? #festivals #liveeventsUK #innovation #sustainability #2025 #concessions https://joom.ag/I37d/p24

A few thoughts on the Realisation Festival that takes place at the end of June at St.Giles House in Dorset (still some tickets available): Most of us were almost called something else. Those near-misses often earn the consolation prize of becoming a middle name and a mention on our official documents, but they are mostly honoured and then forgotten, like silver medalists. Perhaps the purpose of our middle names is to remind us of near misses more generally, and what they imply for the contingency of how our lives have played out. We could so easily have been someone else, and might yet be. The Realisation Festival was almost called The Festival of Space and Time. We even briefly considered The Festival of Space, Time, and Reality, but managed to take cold showers before things got out of hand. The venue, St Giles House, offers space literally in its acres of landscape, room to roam, and unbroken lines of sight. The festival also seeks to offer Kairos amidst Chronos, a distinctive quality of time informed by a multi-generation context of social reform and philosophy where we recognise ourselves as historical actors with a future, and sink into the depth of the present. How often do we hear: “Give it some time” or “I just need some space” ? These figures of speech are familiar to everyone, but they evoke something deep, and it’s not clear if we need both time and space because they offer different things, or because they co-arise somehow. ‘Spacetime’ is part of the legacy of our cultural infatuation with Albert Einstein, but the collapse of time into space, or what has been called ‘the spatialisation of time’, is problematic. We should not be too quick to assume we understand time, space, and their relationship, for a great deal flows from that. Time and Space are deep metaphysical mysteries but they are also lived realities. At the festival, we do not examine them directly as questions, but the mystery they evoke is part of the atmosphere. And while minds are well-fed at the festival we don’t see the intellect as sovereign. We call it a festival for the soul (rather than just the mind or the body) because we are interested in the full experience of being alive, and exploring and expressing that experience in a range of ways. The role of dance, poetry, improvisation, walking, star gazing, art, yoga, music and other activities are not add-ons or mere decoration, but right at the heart of the festival’s ethos. The festival takes place from June 27th-30th. Tickets and bursary places are still available. More details at the link and in the video below. https://lnkd.in/dmtwnehS

Over the weekend, Madonna captivated an astounding 1.6 MILLION spectators with a free concert on Copacabana beach, Rio de Janeiro. Notably, amidst the massive turnout, there were no reported incidents, thanks to robust government support involving extensive police and military presence. This landmark event is projected to infuse approximately 57 million USD into the local economy. Reflecting on this success, I can't help but ponder the stark contrast with Australia's event landscape. While Copacabana beach buzzed with excitement and celebration, Australia's own public event scene feels stifled by a web of stringent regulations. Sound restrictions echo through stadiums, curtailing the full auditory experience that artists and fans crave. Meanwhile, curfews cast a shadow over public venues, prematurely extinguishing the vibrant energy that could ignite through the night and fuel revenue for clubs, bars and restaurants (majority being classified as small businesses). Compounding these challenges is the notable absence of robust government support for the music and nightlife industry. Without a conducive environment for growth and innovation, the once-thriving ecosystem faces an uncertain future. As other nations harness the economic and cultural potential of their entertainment sectors, Australia risks falling behind, watching as the dream of a flourishing music economy fades into obscurity.