Bridge Conference reveals final programme
Bridge Conference 2025 has revealed details of its full programme ahead of the inaugural event in Croatia later this month.
Taking place from 20-22 May, Bridge will be hosted at the luxurious five-star Kempinski Hotel in Istria where organisers have persuaded some of the world’s most influential voices from the music and tech sectors to share their thoughts for an event they hope will “spark powerful new connections and unlock global opportunities.”
Among the speaker line-up will be Maria May (CAA), Indira Paganotto (ARTCORE), Matthias Strobel (MusicTech Germany), Steve Hogan (WME), Cindy Castillo (Mad Cool), Juan Arnau (Elrow), Dušan Kovačević (EXIT), Julie Pilat (FYI.AI), Ivan Milivojev (EXIT), Turo Pekari (MusicTech Finland), Ruud Berends (IFF), Nick Mathews (Wasserman Music), Jess Kinn (One Fiinix Live), and more.
Topics for the Bridge debates will include AI, blockchain, emerging technologies, global market expansion, artist booking strategies, sustainability, and new models of fan engagement.
A major highlight of the Bridge programme will be the two-part Data vs. Gut series
Presented by Serbia’s EXIT Festival, Bridge is aiming to unite some of the sharpest minds in music and tech to forge groundbreaking collaborations and tackle critical industry challenges, to ensure a sustainable, innovative future.
A major highlight of the Bridge programme will be the two-part Data vs. Gut series, examining how the music industry navigates between instinct and statistics in critical decision-making. In Data vs. Gut 1: Navigating Analytics and Instinct in Artist Selection and Booking, European festival bookers and execs will explore how programming decisions are made in a world increasingly driven by data. The conversation will continues in Data vs. Gut 2: Navigating Analytics and Instinct in Artist Positioning and Market Penetration, where agency heavyweights will unpack the strategies behind building artists’ global trajectories.
Expanding the conversation into the digital frontier, Limitless Capacity: Unlocking Global Audiences Through Digital Worlds will uncover how virtual platforms are transforming fan engagement and global reach. Meanwhile Quantum Leap in Audience Growth Through AI & Data-Driven Marketing promises to offer insights into how festivals, managers, and artists can supercharge their reach and engagement.
Conference keynotes will feature ITB co-founder Barry Dickins, and FKP Scorpio chief Folkert Koopmans
The conference’s keynotes will allow delegates to tap into decades of industry wisdom, when legendary agent Barry Dickins (ITB) reflects on his six decades in the business in conversation with Greg Parmley, while FKP Scorpio’s Folkert Koopmans (FKP Scorpio) will unpack the journey behind building one of Europe’s biggest live music companies in an in-depth conversation with IQ Magazine’s James Drury.
Festival innovation will be a key theme throughout Bridge, with the Festival VR Experience Activation – an immersive showcase originally launched at Expo Dubai – kicking off the programme with EXIT Festival’s bold vision for the future of live events. And Matthew Hoag of Interstellar.plus will lead the panel The Next-Gen Festival: How AI and Emerging Tech Are Revolutionizing Live Music Experiences, featuring creative pioneers from Sila Sveta, Arcadia Spectacular, and Elrow.
Full details for the three-day event are available on the Bridge website, while a limited number of tickets, which include a free pass to the 22-25 May Sea Star Festival in nearby Umag, are also still available.
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Beyoncé removes Sphere visuals after legal threat
Beyoncé has removed the Las Vegas Sphere from her Cowboy Carter Tour visuals after being hit with a cease-and-desist letter by the venue’s owner.
Law firm King & Spalding, which represents James Dolan’s Sphere Entertainment Group (SEG), accused the singer’s production company Parkwood Entertainment of prominently featuring and manipulating imagery of the Sphere without permission.
The New York Post reported the visuals for the tour, which kicked off last week in the US at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium in California, initially included a CGI sequence during an interlude in the show, depicting a giant Beyoncé picking up the Sphere and toying with it while striding through the Vegas skyline.
Alleging “impermissible use and violation” of SEG’s IP rights, the letter to Parkwood from King & Spalding’s Kathleen McCarthy stated: “SEG was never asked and the prominent appearance and manipulation of SEG’s Sphere venue in the video is unauthorised.”
Claiming the imagery “has resulted in significant speculation that Beyoncé will end her tour with a Sphere residency”, the company demanded that Parkwood “cease and desist from using the Sphere venue in the video immediately — in addition to refraining from using this imagery on any merchandise, promotional or marketing materials, or in tour movies”.
The reference to the Sphere has been replaced with Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium
The letter adds that the firm “reserves all rights to take further action” if its demand was not complied with by today (5 May). However, the reference to the Sphere was removed for the third show of Beyoncé’s five-night SoFi Stadium run last night and replaced with Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium – where the tour is due to wrap up from 25-26 July.
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Produced by Parkwood Entertainment and promoted by Live Nation, the Cowboy Carter Tour heads to Europe in June for a record six nights at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, UK and three dates at Paris’ Stade de France, before returning to the US.
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AEG Presents acquires Salt Lake City venue
AEG Presents has acquired live music venue The Complex in downtown Salt Lake City.
Established in 2010, The Complex contains multiple indoor and outdoor event spaces and has welcomed more than two million music fans through its doors over the past 15 years. Acts to have performed include Billie Eilish, Billy Idol, Flume, J Cole, Jelly Roll, Lil Wayne, Megan Maroney, Macklemore, Slayer, Travis Scott and Vampire Weekend.
Most live music events are hosted in its two primary indoor venues: the 2,500-capacity Rockwell and the 850-cap The Grand (850 capacity), while summer concerts are also held in The Lot (cap. 4,000).
The deal marks the first venue owned and operated by AEG in the city.
“The Complex is the backbone of live music in Salt Lake City”
“The Complex is the backbone of live music in Salt Lake City,” says Don Strasburg, AEG president, Rocky Mountains and Pacific Northwest regional offices. “We have always loved promoting shows at The Complex and are so thrilled to bring AEG Presents’ knowledge, relationships and resources together with the entire management team. We are diligently reviewing every opportunity to enhance the already stellar patron and artist experience to make sure the live music fans get even better world class experiences.”
The Complex will continue to employ the existing staff, with shows booked by AEG talent buyer Xavier Frey and the venue managed by GM Paul Brucks.
“After 15 years as an integral part of the Salt Lake City music scene, we’re looking forward to taking things to the next level as an AEG Presents venue,” says Brucks, “We’ve always been focused on providing the exceptional live music experience for our community and this will allow us to expand on that endeavour.”
Last week meanwhile, AEG announced a collaboration with video game company Activision Publishing around the release of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4. As part of the link-up, AEG-owned and operated venues including Los Angeles’ El Rey Theatre and The Roxy will be featured in the game.
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Behind the screens: Video & screens business focus
IQ dives into the cutting-edge innovations, logistical challenges, and fierce competition in the high-stakes sector of video and screen technology.
Once upon a time, concert screens were an afterthought – grainy, oversized TVs ensuring the folks in the cheap seats got a glimpse of the action. Now, they’ve become an essential part of the spectacle, almost as much a headline act as the artists themselves. From Adele’s colossal LED backdrop in Munich to U2’s mesmerising transparent walls, video and screen technology has transformed live touring into a high-definition, bombastic, immersive experience.
But behind the dazzling visuals lies a fast-mov- ing industry facing unprecedented demand… and numerous challenges. With 2025 set to be one of the busiest years in live touring history, is there enough gear – and enough skilled professionals – to keep the show on the road? What’s the next evolution in screen tech and how is it reshaping performances from stadiums to underground clubs? Is bigger always better? Like many other aspects of the live touring industry, 2024 was something of a bumper year for video and screen technology providers. With more and more top- tier artists hitting the road, tours stretching longer and longer, and the spectacle level being pushed ever higher, demand surged – for some, such as 80-six, an independent video technology company, by as much as 25%. “And we’re expecting a further increase in 2025,” says Aura Popa, the company’s marketing director.
Solotech, a “global leader in audiovisual and entertainment technology,” reports “a solid increase in our business worldwide,” thanks to what Ian “Woody” Woodall, vice president of business development, calls “artists and productions pushing the usual boundaries of touring to new levels.” This, he says, includes longer stadium runs such as Taylor Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour and artists setting new production levels with ambitious LED designs.
“2025 is shaping up to be our busiest year yet,” adds Phil Mercer, commercial director of Universal Pixels, an award-winning provider of cutting-edge video solutions. Great news for balance sheets, then, but increasing capacity to cope while maintaining all-important standards is a tricky challenge. “To meet rising demand, we’ve invested in an additional 1,500m2 of LED screen and continue to grow our pool of experienced freelance crew,” says Mercer. “We aren’t turning away projects that are a great fit for us, although we cannot service festivals, as they sit right in the middle of the peak touring season.
“The growing demand is putting more pressure on crew resources than equipment,” notes Popa. “The UK is well stocked with equipment these days, but it’s far more challenging to find skilled freelance engineers than it used to be. We’re taking the time to upskill our internal teams for what is set to be a busy year ahead.”
“Without a doubt, transparent screens are having a moment – they’re great, as they enhance lighting design rather than blocking it”
For PRG, a market leader in live event technical delivery, the current level of “extraordinary demand” means they occasionally have no choice but to say no. “We strive to accommodate every client, but there are times when demand surpasses even our global capacity,” says Mike Renault, vice president of sales. “Despite significant investments – including 1,000 sub-3mm LED tiles, transparent LED, and LED flooring – we occasionally have to turn down projects due to the sheer volume of requests, but we’re continuing to grow our workforce and inventory to meet demand.”
Clear winners
This constant demand is largely being fuelled by creative one-upmanship – each A-list star wants a spectacle that’s bigger, brighter, and bolder than the last, driving innovation and what’s possible. At the extreme end sits somewhere like Las Vegas’s Sphere, but such state-of-the-art technology is becoming increasingly tour-able. So, what are the latest “must-haves” for superstars on the road?
“Without a doubt, transparent screens are having a moment – they’re great, as they enhance lighting design rather than blocking it,” says Popa. “Concerts are often designed by lighting designers first, and they love them as they allow beams, strobes, and moving lights to shine through. Transparent LED screens also allow for holographic and 3D effects without AR, and we expect them to evolve further, potentially serving as augmented reality surfaces using video, projection mapping, and real-time generative visuals for even more interactive and immersive stage designs.”
Holograms and associated effects are increasingly being requested, as are unique, one-off solutions that cement a tour’s USP – such as the inflatable LED spheres PRG designed for Coldplay. “We engineered a touring-friendly solution from scratch, sourcing LEDs from China and rigorously testing multiple ‘skin’ materials to ensure durability,” says Renault. “The final design had to withstand daily inflation and deflation while maintaining reliability and visual impact.”
Other artists have asked providers to explore volumetric LED techniques for 3D illusion effects, as 80six did with the Pepper’s ghost technique for Glass Animals’ Tour of Earth. “This effect relies on projection to create the illusion of 3D objects floating in space, but by using high-quality, carefully positioned LED screens, we were able to achieve a more vibrant effect,” notes Popa. “The LEDs gave us greater control over brightness, colour, and movement.”
Another layer of complexity becoming increasingly common in today’s live shows is adding real-time elements into the mix, such as Notch camera effects and using TouchDesigner to take in loads of data and manipulate it to output different results to create more dynamic shows. And this increase in data volume and flow is also driving another more behind-the-scenes aspect of innovation.
“To achieve these seamless curves over that distance, at that height… was one of the biggest challenges any of us had undertake”
“The next big change is the increasing use of IP technology to move data around,” says James Hancocks, technical systems specialist for video at PRG. “The days of dedicated video interconnect technologies are numbered as we move towards converged IP-based system designs. As high-bandwidth networking equipment has fallen in price, the availability of IP technology to the world of live events has increased, so a world where all the technology on-site is networked together, not only for control but also for video transport, is fast approaching. This will increase the level of redundancy that’s available, as well as making systems more flexible.”
Giants of the silver screens
Of course, sometimes, for sheer spectacle, size matters. “We built the largest single batch of LED ever manufactured in a single curved wall for Adele in Munich,” says Solotech’s Woodall. “Essentially, the screen was a 250tn monster that was made up of ROE CB5 MarkII tiles at 600mm x 1200 mm, measuring 220m wide by 18m tall. There was a huge amount of detailed engineering that went into the screen, structure, and custom bracketry to achieve the curve. To achieve these seamless curves over that distance, at that height – and in an LED screen that had to be seen by everyone during daylight and brilliant sunshine – was one of the biggest challenges any of us had undertaken.”
Another noteworthy development is that, as Woodall says, the “resolution race” is all but over. “The market has stabilised in the 5–8mm region, and now the focus has turned to efficiencies in things like packaging, structural bracing, and power consumption – the industry has a more ‘green’ focus.” Mercer agrees: “We’re seeing significant improvements in sustainability features – reduced power consumption, increased shipping density, lighter weight, quicker deployment, and increased wind-loading for outdoor shows. These things ultimately save artists money in the long run.”
Size doesn’t matter
But what of those artists not playing stadiums or enormodomes? Many electronic and dance acts push technical boundaries around their music and sound itself and want visuals to match. What can be done in smaller clubs or repurposed industrial settings? “It’s about how you use it – it doesn’t have to be big to be better,” says Woodall. “Some of the electronic acts have great ideas, and that comes across so much more in their content than ever before.”
“LED and media servers are effectively Lego, and with imagination, they can be just as effective on a small scale as they are in a huge venue,” adds Mercer. “In fact, ideas for the biggest shows are often inspired by those with tiny budgets.” He also notes an interesting trend here – with the prevalence of social media and influencer content and the need to impress, designs are frequently done bearing in mind how the stage will look in phone or portrait camera format.
And for truly inspiring innovation and “doing more with less,” one can look beyond live music to the world of theatre, where space restrictions – and perhaps older, more traditional venues – force designers to get really creative. “The Broadway musical Redwood is a great example of how spectacle can be achieved effectively on a smaller scale,” says Renault. “Our experience with large-scale projects directly informs and enhances our approach to smaller productions, ensuring high-quality execution regardless of venue size.”
“Maintenance is a constant process – it never stops”
Keeping all this equipment on the road and in tip-top condition is no longer just a question of logistics – as the technical specs have continued to increase, so too has the need for careful handling and maintenance. “Maintenance is a constant process – it never stops,” says Popa. Preparation is key – Popa says that 80six preps their equipment specifically for each project before it leaves their warehouse, and it goes through rigorous testing and recalibration when it comes back – but so is smart design and anticipation.
For Universal Pixels, this means designing around single points of failure and supplying the correct quantity and type of spares likely to be needed; for 80six, their on-site teams are trained to handle most on-site issues with spares kits, and they also offer remote troubleshooting to keep everything running smoothly. “Touring crews’ greatest skill is making shows happen after all,” adds Hancocks. “So it’s vital there’s support available to get them what they need, when they need it, wherever they are in the world.”
The whole kit & caboodle
The level of technical wizardry and special effects has also required an increase in corollary services and expertise, with many players in this sector offering complete creative solutions as opposed to simply providing the physical equipment. “Our core offering extends beyond just dry hire – we rarely provide video equipment without expert personnel,” says Popa. “Our expertise lies in providing complex video solutions, from large-scale LED installations to seamless content management systems and site-wide video infrastructure – we manage every detail to ensure an exceptional experience. These services in concert touring extend to pre-production rehearsals, too – our 11,500ft2 studio in Slough [UK] is becoming more and more popular as it can fit up to arena-scale shows.”
PRG have a similarly comprehensive offering. “We provide a full suite of broadcast-quality video services, including camera operators, live video production, and content creation,” says Renault. “Our broadcast TV specialists support large tours with advanced camera systems, switching, fly-packs, and more – essentially creating a travelling TV studio that ensures seamless, high-quality visuals for every performance.”
But not every provider is so keen to get involved with content. “We have a saying: ‘If you can’t correctly crew it, don’t do it,’” says Mercer. “We don’t produce content, as it’s such a specialist field, and there are so many excellent companies out there, so we stick to supplying video hardware and experienced crew. And coming back after Covid, we’ve seen there continues to be a real shortage of the correct calibre of crew – particularly for long-term international tours.”
The race to embrace
Staffing issues aside – a factor across the entire live music industry – the future seems bright. The relative competitiveness of the video and screen technology sector appears to have fuelled a race to achieve excellence, not a race to the bottom, and those who can provide the new, the creative, and the incredible will continue to thrive. “To stay relevant, significant investment in both equipment and people is constantly required,” says Mercer. “This is why remaining as a single discipline video specialist helps us.”
For, as Mike Renault puts it, what’s demanded of suppliers is “a complex series of equipment supply, technical support, and customer satisfaction, where failure is not an option. What truly differentiates vendors is this expertise – the technical support and know-how to align a client’s creative vision with financial and logistical realities. In the end, success comes down to experience and these specialised skills, not just equipment.”
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How tech is transforming touring entertainment
Many of the ground-breaking advancements in touring entertainment come from the integration of technologies such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR) into touring experiences.
Traditionally the realm of museum exhibitions designed to bring historical artefacts to life and encourage engagement, AR has also transformed theatre shows and immersive experiences by adding layers of visual effects and interactive elements. Devices such as smartphones and tablets or specialised AR glasses are instrumental in enhancing the visitor experience, in which users can also see virtual characters and scenarios playing out in the real-world stage.
Since its inception in 2001, immersive environment specialists Moment Factory has created over 550 unique shows worldwide. Some of its projects include illuminating outdoor Lumina Night Walks (across North America, Asia, and France), the AURA series (combining light, orchestral music, and video mapping to offer new POVs of iconic landmarks such as Paris’s Dôme des Invalides and Montreal’s Notre-Dame Basilica), and stage visuals for tours and concerts by Billie Eilish, Childish Gambino, Nine Inch Nails, Halsey, Muse, and The Killers.
The company’s executive director of ticketed experiences, Jonathan St-Onge, cited the Casino de Montreal’s ARcade as a prime example of how AR and gamification combine to meet audiences’ fascination with taking part in immersive entertainment. “It’s a 500ft2 floor with projectors, sensors, and a library of games, and the human body is the controller,” he says. “You can compete against yourself or against two to seven other players with a scoreboard to keep track, as well as avatars that record future sessions as well.”
At the time of writing, Moment Factory was preparing to launch The Messi Experience in Miami before it embarks on a world tour. Co-produced by Primo Entertainment, The Messi Experience will be a 75-minute interactive multimedia showcase that promises to take fans on a unique journey through the famous footballer’s life and career – including the chance to take selfies and have a conversation with the star of the show using advanced AI.
“Visitors won’t just enjoy the original music scores in the background but will also take part in augmented reality games”
“It’s an immersive experience that begins from his early years in Argentina through to his time at Barcelona and Paris Saint- Germain, all the way to winning the World Cup in 2022,” St-Onge explains. “It’s going be special because it’s not about showing pics and footage but recreating his bedroom when he was a kid in Buenos Aires to the playground where he started to play football in his own neighbourhood to moving to Spain and becoming a global superstar from there. Visitors won’t just enjoy the original music scores in the background but will also take part in augmented reality games that allow them to replay some of Messi’s greatest career highlights.”
With mixed reality also representing another innovative landmark in immersive entertainment, The Messi Experience is set to be a prime example of how the seamless integration of physical and digital worlds offers unparalleled interaction and immersion. The integration of AR, VR, and MR into touring entertainment has not only transformed the visitor experience but has also opened up new avenues for artistic expression and creativity. Producers and creators now have the ability to craft immersive narratives, transport audiences to distant realms, and blur the lines between fiction and reality like never before.
Following a triumphant world premiere in Germany last winter, which saw over 138,000 tickets being sold before its grand opening, NEON and Warner Bros. Discovery teamed up to take their immersive spectacular Harry Potter: Visions of Magic to Southeast Asia in 2024.
Scheduled to open in Singapore’s Resorts World Sentosa in the fourth quarter of this year, the interactive art experience invites visitors to explore the most mysterious corners of the Wizarding World, such as the Ministry of Magic, the Room of Requirement, and many other iconic spots in the Potterverse. Having already captivated audiences using responsive video content, quirky soundscapes, and the striking architecture we’ve grown accustomed to via the books and movies, Harry Potter: Visions of Magic places huge emphasis on interactive technology to “illuminate the invisible” and bring the beloved franchise to life.
Another major IP that’s been doing the rounds since last year is Semmel Exhibitions’ Disney100: The Exhibition. The commemorative walk-through exhibit, which debuted last year in Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute to celebrate a century of the pop culture phenomenon’s imprint on the world, has already stopped over at Munich, London, and Chicago, and will be touring the globe until 2028.
“We didn’t want you to just read things on the wall, we wanted you to see and look at the really beautiful things that we’re sharing”
Made up of ten imaginatively themed galleries, from 1937’s Snow White all the way to Encanto via Pixar, Star Wars, and Marvel, the Walt Disney Archives and Semmel Exhibitions co-produced installation summons visitors on a quest throughout the 15,000ft2 space to uncover over 250 rare props and pieces of memorabilia, “experience” a stroll down Disneyland’s Main Street USA and be welcomed by a life-size statue of Walt Disney himself – powered by super-resolution AI.
Despite the evergreen appeal that big-brand IPs like Disney have over audiences of all ages, Disney100: The Exhibition stands out due to its unwavering commitment to including interactive elements that make it more than just another museum exhibition. “We wanted to take that extra step above and beyond by taking Disney100 to cities where people may not have been to one of our theme parks,” Becky Cline, director of the Walt Disney Archives, told Variety. “We didn’t want you to just read things on the wall, we wanted you to see and look at the really beautiful things that we’re sharing. You could spend the whole day in that exhibition
because there’s so much to do and see.”
After a successful March opening in Melbourne, Grande Experiences’ Leonardo da Vinci – 500 Years of Genius is another immersive experience set to go on a world tour this year. Having partnered with Rome’s Museo Leonardo da Vinci on the project, it will not only allow visitors to see pages from his Codex Atlanticus (Da Vinci’s original writings) but also interact with the Italian polymath’s myriad concepts and inventions.
Advertised as a unique glimpse into the mind of one of history’s great innovators and inventors, the travelling exhibition uses state-of-the-art audio-visual technology to engage audiences in multisensory methods. Audiences will have the chance to spot previously unseen details in the Mona Lisa or fly over Florence on Da Vinci’s famed ornithopter via VR simulations.
“A good immersive experience should be akin to being around a campfire while telling stories”
However, what truly makes Leonardo da Vinci – 500 Years of Genius unique is an admirable dedication to authenticity and storytelling. “To deepen the connection between curious visitors and this particular subject matter, we’re blending a digital experience with physical artefacts,” Gary Moynihan, head of creative design at Grande Experiences, told Blooloop. “There isn’t any evidence to suggest he ever built these machines, but his ideas and inventions are all sketched out in his notebooks,” adding that the inventions being showcased were crafted by Italian artisans using the same materials that would’ve been available to Da Vinci at the time.
With the rise of touring content producers placing a bigger emphasis on implementing more interactivity in shows and exhibits powered by cutting-edge tech, expect more immersive experiences to continue astounding people in the years to come. However, it’s widely accepted that these revolutionary showcases must be driven by dynamic storytelling in order to truly captivate audiences and encourage them to take part.
“A good immersive experience should be akin to being around a campfire while telling stories,” St-Onge says. “Immersive experiences haven’t just been a recent trend – I think they’ve existed for thousands of years. Back then, there weren’t any screens to amplify the stories they were trying to tell and express. Nowadays, people are more curious and more knowledgeable at the same time, and a lot of them want to do more than just sit in a space next to hundreds of people. They want to take part, and producers have caught on to this amazing shift in audience demand. I think this tech-powered trend of storytelling will continue to grow, and we’re set for some exciting experiences ahead.”
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Movers & Shakers: MTG, AEG, Legends
AEG Presents subsidiary Messina Touring Group has announced a round of promotions.
Nick Ayoub has been promoted to head of digital strategy and operations, where he will lead MTG’s digital operations, streamline internal processes, and develop data strategies to drive efficiency, innovation, and long-term growth.
Kara Smoak has been elevated to director of digital marketing, continuing to lead digital and creative strategy for MTG’s country roster, including George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Blake Shelton, Old Dominion, and Zac Brown Band.
Meesha Kosciolek has been promoted to director of production, MTG Nashville, after five years as a production promoter representative on tours for George Strait, Blake Shelton, and Eric Church.
Alvin Abshire steps into the role of digital operations manager, bringing his experience in scaling operations and executing creative strategy for tours by George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and The Lumineers.
Lucy Freeman has been promoted to digital marketing manager, leading campaigns for arena and stadium tours by Ed Sheeran, George Strait, and Kenny Chesney.
“It thrills me to see our MTG team grow as each of these individuals is incredible at what they do”
Madison Machen has been elevated to manager, partnerships and branding, leading strategies for major pop and country tours, including Blake Shelton, Ed Sheeran, George Strait, Kenny Chesney, and The Lumineers.
“It thrills me to see our MTG team grow as each of these individuals is incredible at what they do,” shares CEO Louis Messina. “Watching them achieve new heights makes me so happy. The success of the entire team and everything they touch is my proudest accomplishment.”
Premium experiences company Legends has also announced several promotions, forming an executive team for its college business.
Tim Statezni has been named executive vice-president of college, while Jankoski has been promoted to senior vice-president of college. Lenhardt has been made senior vice-president of college feasibility and strategy. All three execs have more than ten years of experience with Legends.
“At Legends, one of our major differentiators has always been our people. We’re proud to recognise Tim, Dan, and Jay – leaders whose deep experience and more than 40 years combined impact at Legends have been instrumental in the growth of our business and the success of our partners,” said Chad Estis, executive vice-president and chief revenue officer, Legends.
“At Legends, one of our major differentiators has always been our people”
Meanwhile, AEG has promoted Trent Allison to senior director of sales & special events for venues in Georgia and Tennessee. Formerly director of sales, Allison will now oversee special events at The Pinnacle, AEG Presents’ new flagship venue in Nashville, while continuing to oversee The Eastern, Terminal West, Variety Playhouse & Georgia Theatre in Georgia. He will be based in AEG Presents’ Nashville office and report to regional vice president, AEG Presents, Mike DuCharme.
Confirmed360, a provider of premium sports and entertainment experiences, has named Ben Horton as senior vice-president, global business development.
Horton is expected to utilise his expertise in sales leadership, business development and strategic partnerships to drive revenue growth.
Most recently, he served as director of inventory strategy at SeatGeek, where he oversaw the business development strategy for the company’s secondary marketplace. Prior to this role, Horton also held various leadership roles at StubHub.
And finally, booking agent Dennis Meentz has joined Germany’s Just Jazz, one of Europe’s oldest booking and artist management agencies.
“We are particularly excited about the relationships Dennis has cultivated over the years, which will open doors for new opportunities and collaborations,” reads a statement from the company.
“In addition to his impressive background, Dennis will be introducing a some exceptional artists to our roster, as well as booking some of our Just Jazz artists in certain territories (TBA).”
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Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena makes AI investment
Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena has announced an investment in digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to launch new features aimed at elevating the live experience.
The new digital initiatives, which include “AI-powered personalisation, immersive seat selection and seamless purchasing”, will debut ahead of Danish rock band’s Michael Learns to Rock’s concert at the 17,000-cap venue on 27 April.
The first phase of the rollout is led by an AI-powered WhatsApp channel, enabling “real-time engagement, ticketing assistance, frictionless navigation and concierge-style services for attendees”.
“Coca-Cola Arena is fulfilling a long-term vision to reimagine live events from the moment a show is announced”
“With these investments, Coca-Cola Arena is fulfilling a long-term vision to reimagine live events from the moment a show is announced,” says Mark Jan Kar, the venue’s general manager. “By combining advanced AI, immersive technology and consumer-first services, we’re creating a platform for fans to enjoy personalised, unforgettable moments on their own terms within a click of a button.”
Coca-Cola Arena has also launched 3D-interactive seat views within an interactive map on its website, allowing fans to preview sightlines and select optimal seats. In addition, it is introducing flexible payment terms, so fans can split the cost of tickets, hospitality and other add-ons across instalment options.
The announcement comes ahead of Dubai AI Week 2025, where 8,000 industry experts will join 500 investors and 100 exhibitors from around the world.
Upcoming concerts at Coca-Cola Arena include Kygo, David Gray and Deep Purple.
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Movers & Shakers: UTA, AEG, DWP
Music agents Zach Iser and Caroline Yim have joined UTA, where both will serve as partners and agents in the music department.
The Los Angeles-based pair join UTA from WME, which they joined in 2021 as partners and co-heads of hip-hop and R&B. Prior to that, they were with CAA for three years.
Both have a proven track record of working with some of the biggest names in hip-hop and R&B, including Anderson. Paak, Doechii, Kehlani, SZA and Future.
“We’ve long admired the way Zach and Caroline discover, nurture and build the careers of artists,” says UTA president David Kramer. “We’re thrilled to welcome them to UTA and have our clients benefit from their command of the hip-hop and R&B arena. We will continue to invest in music and remain focused on providing our artists with the absolute best pathway to thrive.”
Elsewhere, AEG global partnerships veteran Paul Samuels has been elevated to president, having clocked in 17 years as executive vice president.
In the US, Danny Hayes is leaving Danny Wimmer Presents, where he has served as chief executive and partner for more than a decade. Wimmer will resume the top position.
During Hayes’ time at the company, DWP has grown into one of the largest rock festival promoters in the country with a staple of events that include Aftershock Festival in Sacramento, Bourbon and Beyond and Louder than Life in Louisville, Inkcarceration in Ohio, Sonic Temple in Columbus, Ohio and Welcome to Rockville in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Kerem Turgut, meanwhile, has announced his departure from All Things Live Middle East, where he was a promoter for over a year. The 2023 New Boss, who has previously worked at Dubai Opera and Zorlu Performing Arts Centre in Turkey, has not announced his next role.
“We’ve long admired the way Zach and Caroline discover, nurture and build the careers of artists”
Live entertainment company Opry Entertainment Group (OEG) has named Tim Jorgensen as vice president of operations on its Austin, US, team.
In the new role, Jorgensen will lead OEG’s Block 21 businesses in the city, including ACL Live, 3TEN and W Austin. In addition to leading strategic direction for the Block 21 complex, he will oversee day-to-day operations at ACL Live and 3TEN. Jorgensen will report directly to Gary Scott, COO at Opry Entertainment Group.
Jorgensen previously worked at ASM Global, overseeing arenas, stadiums, convention centres and theaters and helping launch the Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Missouri. He also recently served as president of full-service production labour company Crew One Productions, leading strategic acquisitions and overseeing its festival division. He previously held leadership roles at Live Nation and House of Blues Entertainment.
Defected, the UK-based record label and festival promoter, has appointed Steven Braines as its new head of events.
Starting this month, Braines will take over from Nick Mizzi who departs the business in May. Braines will report into Defected’s global director of events & talent George Pritchard, driving the strategies for the touring Defected, Glitterbox and D4 D4nce brands.
Braines co-founded the award-winning international label and inclusive events series He.She.They alongside Sophia Kearney, launching events in more than 20 countries, including takeovers with Glastonbury, Coachella, a multi-year residency at Amnesia Ibiza and collaborations with brands such as Apple, Adidas and Ballantines.
Braines, who was recognised in IQ‘s first-ever LGBTIQ+ List, will continue to fulfil his commitments at He.She.They alongside his new role at Defected.
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Pophouse Entertainment closes €1bn+ fund
Pophouse Entertainment, the Sweden-based music investment firm behind ABBA Voyage, has raised over €1.2 billion for its debut fund.
The Stockholm-based company announced that Pophouse Fund I reached its hard cap, adding that it was “one of the largest first-time private equity funds to be raised in Europe in the last decade”.
In addition, Pophouse raised over €200m in secured capital through dedicated co-investment vehicles, “providing investors the opportunity to invest alongside the Fund and participate in select transactions”.
The Fund, which will acquire music catalogues and IP, is already approximately 30% deployed via artist partnerships with KISS, Cyndi Lauper, Avicii and Swedish House Mafia.
Additional partnerships with “some of the world’s most recognisable and influential names in the global music industry” are also in the works.
Pophouse said it employs an “artist-centric” approach to investing by targeting three essential rights in music investment: publishing rights, recording rights, and NIL (name, image, and likeness) rights.
Beyond passive catalogue ownership, the firm says it focuses on creating value for its artists and investors through the application of acquired IPs.
“We are reshaping the entertainment industry”
It has launched immersive experiences such as ABBA Voyage, a concert featuring digital avatars of the Swedish pop group, and The Avicii Experience, a tribute to the late Swedish DJ.
Pophouse, founded by ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus and EQT founder Conni Jonsson, is led by CEO Per Sundin and chaired by Lennart Blecher, EQT’s head of real assets.
“Raising over €1.2bn for our debut fundraising is an extraordinary milestone that firmly establishes Pophouse as a global leader in music investment,” says Natalia Fontecha, partner and head of capital raising & investor relations.
“I couldn’t be prouder of our team’s dedication and diligence, and I extend our heartfelt gratitude to our investors for their trust and partnership. As we look ahead, we are committed to driving innovation and breaking creative and technological boundaries, redefining the entertainment landscape in this transformative era for music while delivering attractive uncorrelated returns for our investors.”
Conni Jonsson, co-founder of Pophouse, adds: “Facing unprecedented disruption caused by streaming and technology, music intellectual property presents a differentiated, lifetime opportunity for investors. We are reshaping the entertainment industry by applying an active, value-add approach that unlocks future generations for fandom.”
The ABBA Voyage concert series launched in May 2022 at the purpose-built 3,000-cap ABBA Arena in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, under the direction of producers Svana Gisla and Ludvig Andersson and director Baillie Walsh.
Since its debut, the show has sold more than three million tickets and delivered a £1.4 billion (€1.7bn) boost to the UK economy.
Accounts filed by Aniara, the firm behind the virtual concert residency, previously revealed that ABBA Voyage grossed more than £100 million (€120m) in 2023 after attracting in excess of one million visitors. Standard tickets range from £27.50 to £319.50.
Last year, Pophouse acquired the song catalogue, plus name, image and likeness rights of KISS. The legendary rock band also partnered with the Swedish company on an avatar concert featuring digital versions of themselves, similar to ABBA Voyage.
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FOCUS Wales expands conference programme
FOCUS Wales, the country’s largest music industry event, has expanded its conference programme with a raft of new sessions.
The conference and showcase event, set for 8–10 May in Wrexham, brings together over 400 industry professionals and more than 250 artists from across the globe.
This year’s conference is dedicated to building a healthier future for music, exploring evolving best practices, artist well-being, sustainable industry growth, and fostering a more equitable landscape for both performers and industry professionals.
In line with this theme, IQ will host Watershed Moment – The Next Generation of Music, a panel that will assemble emerging professionals to discuss the evolution of the music business. The session will feature Molly Palmer, founder of a new digital radio station supported by an R&D grant from Radio Cymru; Duncan Smith, booking agent at Earth Agency and former BBC producer and programmer at the Royal Albert Hall and Katie Morgan, a programming manager at ASM Global.
For the first time, FOCUS Wales will feature a live episode of The Money Trench podcast, offering an in-depth exploration of the inner workings of the music industry. Produced by Tape Notes and hosted by PPL, The Money Trench is the brainchild of music journalist Mark Sutherland, whose career spans Billboard, NME, Rolling Stone, Variety and BBC Radio 6 Music.
“This flagship event showcases our homegrown talent whilst strengthening Wales’ position on the global music stage”
In partnership with the conference and showcase event, Eisteddfod Genedlaethol will host a panel on support networks for women in music, featuring Ani Glass, Heledd Watkins (HMS Morris), Adjua and Tara Bandito. This conversation will highlight the support available for women navigating the music industry, including institutional and artist-led initiatives that are fostering opportunities within Wales and internationally.
Building on last year’s discussion, Cardiff University will present a session on music and language in Cymru and Aotearoa, featuring Māori artists Jordyn with a Why and MOHI. This panel will explore the developments of Prosiect Pūtahitanga, offering a unique opportunity for cultural exchange, joined by a delegation from Aotearoa.
These events will take place alongside previously announced panels curated by LIVE, PPL and Music Venue Trust, as well as a keynote talk by Neil Ingham, executive director of Samaritans, discussing the transformative impact of deep, empathetic listening in suicide prevention.
“FOCUS Wales exemplifies the creative spirit that makes Welsh culture renowned worldwide, and we’re very proud to be supporting the organsation via Creative Wales again in 2025,” says minister for culture, skills and social partnership, Jack Sargeant. “As we celebrate its 15th year, this flagship event showcases our homegrown talent whilst strengthening Wales’ position on the global music stage.”
The FOCUS Wales industry conference will take place alongside the festival’s 250+ strong lineup of artists performing across 20 stages in Wrexham city centre over the three-day event. Nova Twins, Gruff Rhys and Sprints top the bill.
Delegate passes are on sale now via focuswales.com. Passes grant access to all conference events, private networking sessions, the pre-festival showcase, the online delegate database, and all live performances with priority entry.
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