Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tenn.
Live Nation has announced a new partnership with Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival founders AC Entertainment and Superfly, taking controlling interest in the festival, which will take place this year June 11-14 in Manchester, Tenn. Coming less than a year after Live Nation’s acquisition of a controlling stake in C3 Presents, the promoter of Austin City Limits and Lollapalooza, the music promoter giant ups its festival portfolio to over 60 big-name events, including Electric Daisy Festival and Watershed Music Festival.
"We continue to expand the industry's most unparalleled and scalable festival platform all while driving strong revenue and growth for Live Nation on a global basis,” said Michael Rapino, Live Nation CEO, in a statement. “Bonnaroo is another crown jewel in this festival channel strategy, one that appeals to both fans and artists in uniqueness and experience.”
In a statement, Rick Farman, Superfly cofounder, said the partnership strengthens their commitment to create a one-of-a-kind experience at Bonnaroo.
“Through this partnership with Live Nation,” said Farman, “we’re even more empowered to enhance the festival while preserving the integrity of the event that we’ve thoughtfully built over the past 14 years.”
Live Nation also now owns a share of the Bonnaroo property 700-acre Great Stage Park, and plans to invest significantly in the site and “enhancements to the festival experience.” Superfly and AC Entertainment will still retain control over the day-to-day operations of the festival which was started in 2002 and draws 80,000 fans a year.
“Partnering with Live Nation is a milestone for Bonnaroo,” said Ashley Capps, AC Entertainment founder. “It opens up tremendous opportunities for us to continue to evolve the Bonnaroo experience in an exciting, powerful way.”
Financial terms were not released. Last September, Live Nation paid an estimated $125 million for 51 percent of C3 Presents which was the largest indie promoter in the festival market. Live Nation enjoyed a nine-percent increase in festival attendance in 2014, totaling 5 million fans, a number that does not reflect the C3 Presents acquisition which closed in December 2014.
The four-day festival has become a staple in the American music festival scene, featuring around 100 artists performing across multiple stages. Attendees take advantage of the acres of camp sites, creating an immersive experience. In addition to the music, the festival also includes a variety of other entertainment options like a 24-hour cinema, comedy club, beer festival and classic arcade. In the past, Bonnaroo has featured artists like Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen and Kanye West. This year’s lineup includes Billy Joel, Kendrick Lamar, Mumford and Sons and Florence and the Machine.
Contacted for this story: Michael Rapino, (323) 658-1555; Rick Farman, (212) 375-9652; Ashley Capps, (212) 619-1360