Music Farm Productions' Trae Judy, Ken MacDonald of Integrated Management Group, AEG/Goldenvoice's Susan Rosenbluth and Live Nation's Wilson Howard participated in the promoters' panel at SEVT, moderated by professor Paul Graham of Monday After the Masters. (VT Photo)
REPORTING FROM COLUMBIA, S.C. — According to Paul Graham, tournament director for Monday After the Masters and professor at the University of South Carolina, the touring music business has gone down 70 percent since the digital world has taken over, but the concert business has been able to capitalize on that in a very positive way for both fans and artists. He spoke with other promoters about the changing concert landscape during this year's Sport Entertainment & Venues Tomorrow conference, held here at the university Nov. 19-21.
AEG Goldenvoice’s Susan Rosenbluth said that there are more touring deals because of the decline of record label support. Historically, record labels used to be able to provide tour support where they would pay the artist to make radio appearances or sponsor small club shows.
“Now, record labels don’t have the income from sales of product and don’t have the same wherewithal they used to have financially, so promoters, especially the large companies like Live Nation and AEG, have kind of picked up the slack in that regard,” she said.
“That kind of support given by tour promoters, I think, has led to more artists going with tour promotion deals.”
Graham said that fans have benefited from the touring boom because they have more opportunities to see their favorite artists live, not just hear their recordings.
“In the past you would go on tour to support your record,” he said, “now, you put out a record in order to be able to go on tour and support yourself.”
Ken MacDonald of Integrated Management Group said that, overall, the music business seems healthy, just different.
“The music is delivered in a different way, so maybe there will never be another Rolling Stones or U2, but there are big bands,” he said. “Will they be as big as the Rolling Stones? Maybe not, depending on how you want to measure it, but there are so many ways of getting into the industry and so many niches now. There are still people out there playing stadiums who have done them in the past and will continue.”
Concerning those perennial stadium plays, Graham asked the panelists what they think will happen when acts like U2 and the Rolling Stones finally cease touring.
Though none of the panelists has a crystal ball, generally they believe the live entertainment business will prevail and remain strong due to the consumer’s love of entertainment.
“I don’t think the industry has ever been more healthy with young artists,” said Live Nation’s Wilson Howard.
Rosenbluth agreed that there will always be talented people for every generation, and said that the biggest change has been with the delivery system of where people get their music providing more choices. She said the average paid attendance per concert is down from about 4,800 to 4,100 from about 10 years ago and believes that midsize theaters are going to dominate in the future.
“There are more festivals than ever, but it will reach a point where the festivals will reach critical mass and self-correct,” she added.
The promoters agreed, the future lies in the fan experience.
Trae Judy of Music Farm Productions, which recently opened Music Farm Columbia may have a slight bias toward clubs, since that is where he operates and promotes.
“To me, the experience you see in a 1,000- to 3,000-seat room is different than you’ll see in a festival,” he said, adding that there’s more personal contact simply because of the small proximity. “The bands, too, have to be willing to work with promoters to make the fan experience everything it can be, because without fans none of us have anything to do.”
Howard said that creating a complete fan experience goes beyond the programming.
“It’s not just providing the artist— though that’s ultimately why the fans are there,” he said, adding that the social aspect of making it easy for people to go to shows with their friends and creating ease of experience, from ticket sales to in-venue point-of-sales is just as important.
In order to be more fan friendly, Live Nation introduced farm-fresh food in its amphitheaters.
“It may seem silly, but the portabella mushroom sandwich is great,” added Howard.
There are a few things that promoters look for in particular from venues and, they’ll admit, sometimes they’re not the easiest to work with.
“We expect a lot because a lot is expected of us, so if I get a call from the manager who needs the avails, I don’t need them tomorrow, I need them now, even if it’s at 6:30 at night, so do your best to communicate in a timely fashion,” said Howard. “Be as available as you possibly can, because it literally can cost you a date.”
Rosenbluth added that promoters like to know what the building costs are without having to call and ask, meaning that offers can be put together more quickly. That information doesn’t always necessarily come from a rate sheet, but could also be from having an established personal relationship with promoters, even if they play the room only once a year.
Also, from the facility to the staff, parking attendant to security, a facility needs to be top-notch.
“You want the venue to give a great experience to both the artist and to the guest, because the venue is intrinsic in what the experience is going to be,” added Rosenbluth.
Interviewed for this story: Paul Graham, (803) 960-3516; Wilson Howard, (803) 782-6239; Trae Judy, (864) 706-8723; Ken MacDonald, (757) 463-1940; Susan Rosenbluth, (323) 930-5700