Campaigners say this summer’s music festival series in the UK’s Brockwell Park “has to be cancelled” after winning a legal ruling over the use of the site.

The South London park hosts large annual gatherings including Mighty Hoopla, Wide Awake, Field Day, Cross the Tracks and City Splash, which are all scheduled to take place between 23 May and 8 June this year.

The events are organised by Brockwell Live – an umbrella group encompassing festivals run by a number of promoters including Superstruct and Broadwick Live – but the 2025 series has been put in jeopardy after a judge yesterday (16 May) ruled in favour of local resident Rebekah Shaman of campaign group Protect Brockwell Park.

Shaman took legal action seeking to halt the events, claiming a temporary change of use of the land was only permitted for 28 days per year. Mr Justice Mould found that parts of the park would be used as event space for as many as 37 days and described Lambeth Council’s decision to grant the certificate as “irrational”.

A draft letter to the council from Goodenough Solicitors, which is representing Shaman and Protect Brockwell Park, says the Brockwell Live series must now be cancelled and the site immediately made available to the public and cleared of fencing and infrastructure.

“As there is no planning permission for the Brockwell Live event, the event has to be cancelled”

“The effect of the judgment is that the Brockwell Live event does not have planning permission,” reads the letter seen by IQ. “There would be insufficient time for a planning application to be made and determined for at least three weeks, given the statutory consultation process. It follows that not only do the Brockwell Live events not have planning permission, but permission cannot be obtained until after they are concluded.

“The organisers of Brockwell Live are in breach of their contract of hire with the council, and will continue to be in breach when the events are due to take place. As there is no planning permission for the Brockwell Live event, the event has to be cancelled.”

IQ has approached Brockwell Live and Superstruct for comment, while a Lambeth Council spokesperson says: “We are currently assessing the impact of this judgement and determining next steps.”

Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association has lamented the legal action as “emblematic of a much deeper crisis facing our cultural and events landscape”.

“If these festivals are unable to proceed, it would mark a devastating blow to London’s identity as a global hub for live music, culture, and community celebration — and would signal a dark new era for the UK’s events and festival sector,” he says. “This isn’t about protecting parks — it’s about stifling culture, and the consequences are far-reaching.

“These events are not just concerts — they are vital social experiences that form part of the cultural fabric of people’s lives. Brockwell Live represents a careful balance between cultural celebration and park stewardship. The idea that the park cannot be both protected and shared is short-sighted. These events are professionally run, heavily regulated, and provide essential funding for the maintenance of the park itself.”

“Ultimately, we remain committed to protecting the park and ensuring that any future events deliver genuine benefits for local people”

In a message to its supporters this morning (17 May), Protect Brockwell Park shared its “regret that legal action became necessary”, but accuses the promoters and Lambeth Council of creating “a binary situation with no room for compromise”, as well as “built in risks and delay by submitting inappropriately late applications”.

“We have been trying to engage with Lambeth and Brockwell Live since last October,” it continues. “Their use of last minute tactics in previous years has let huge events damage and close off our park without proper scrutiny. We have repeatedly urged the council to secure a full planning permission for all the events, together with proper impact assessments.

“Ultimately, we remain committed to protecting the park and ensuring that any future events deliver genuine benefits for local people. We are not anti-events and hope Lambeth Council will engage with us constructively next year to make that happen.”

The campaign made headlines last month after Oscar-winning actor Sir Mark Rylance, a high-profile local resident, spoke out in support, claiming the festivals turned the park “into a prison camp”. He applauded yesterday’s ruling as “wonderful news”.

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London Mayor Sadiq Khan has launched a cross-London campaign to champion the UK capital’s grassroots music scene.

Khan and Transport for London (TfL) have joined with music industry and media leaders including the Music Venue Trust, Featured Artists Coalition, Outernet, the Metro and Universal Music to shine a spotlight on the role of London’s 179 grassroots music venues.

In the last year, the venues have welcomed more than 4.2 million fans, hosted performances by more than 328,000 artists, employed nearly 7,000 people and contributed £313m to the economy.

But with the circuit having venues a number of challenges in recent years following the long-lasting impact of the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis, City Hall has brought together leaders across the capital’s music industry to champion London’s position as a “world-leading” music city.

“London’s grassroots music scene is renowned around the world,” says Khan. “From providing opportunities for talented aspiring artists to develop their trade, to giving Londoners a great night out, our venues are an essential part of our life at night and provide a huge boost to our economy. However, they have faced huge challenges in recent years, which is why we’re joining with partners across the capital to champion all parts of London’s grassroots music scene.”

The London Creates music campaign includes the first ever special Grassroots Music Tube Map celebrating all aspects of the capital’s music scene and connecting Londoners and visitors with its grassroots gigs. Transport for London (TfL) has reimagined the Tube map with a new black background and lines turned into electric cables and named after key parts of the industry.

“This special edition Tube map is a great way to highlight what a huge impact the scene has on our capital, as we continue to do all we can to support venues and build a more prosperous London for everyone,” adds Khan.

“Anyone who loves live music knows that grassroots venues are the lifeblood of the industry so they must be protected and nurtured”

The map will be screened for a month at the Outernet London. The interactive display will be shown in the Arcade space, which links the HERE nightclub to The Lower Third grassroots music venue on Denmark Street. An enhanced digital version will be available on the TfL website, VisitLondon and through the social media platforms of those involved.

“Music has always been central to Outernet with Denmark Street part of the district and two new music venues,” says Outernet CEO Philip O’Ferrall. “Music has always been central to Outernet with Denmark Street part of the district and two new music venues. Anyone who loves live music knows that grassroots venues are the lifeblood of the industry so they must be protected and nurtured. The map is a brilliant illustration of what we have in London and we must never lose that.”

Ticketing platform Dice has also created a listing of 25 grassroots artists to see in 2025 over the next six months, alongside a social media campaign encouraging Londoners and visitors to make the most of London’s music scene. The Metro is also hosting a series of interviews online with artists and venues in partnership with the FAC.

The Mayor has created an independent Nightlife Taskforce to help examine and address the issues facing life at night, and is encouraging councils to support late-night openings during this spring and summer period, ahead of a landmark pilot from the government providing new strategic licensing powers to the Mayor.

Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson is also backing the campaign.

“Iron Maiden, and thousands of other bands through the years, have taken on the world after starting their journey in London’s clubs and venues,” he says. “Back then, there were places like the Marquee where music fans could watch legends and pub bands, often on the same bill! It was the premier showcase for UK talent in London, for punk, metal and everything that rocked. And today, there are dozens of other venues across the city where young bands can take their first steps on their musical journey.

“London’s diverse music scene and its grassroots venues are essential to nurture and support new artists, to bring music fans together and create lifelong passions and memories. We need to cherish it, celebrate it and protect it.”

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The team behind the UK’s Americana-themed Black Deer Festival have announced a new two-day event, Black Deer In the City.

A hybrid of the festival and the Black Deer Live shows, it will launch in partnership with Tobacco Dock at the East London venue from 25-26 October. More than 50 artists will perform across three stages, with the first wave of artists to be announced at the end of May.

The Black Deer brand previously expanded last year with the launch of the Black Deer Live gig series, which showcased Americana music at UK grassroots venues, as well as radio station Black Deer Radio.

“The launch of Black Deer Live and Black Deer Radio last summer allowed us to bring Americana music to a wider audience while supporting both established and emerging artists, a core part of our ethos,” says Black Deer Live MD Chris Russell-Fish.

“With a growing radio audience and now the launch of Black Deer In The City, we’re excited to offer fans the spirit of our festival through this new format. We’re thrilled to partner with Tobacco Dock for this next chapter and can’t wait to welcome both loyal fans and new faces into the Black Deer community.”

“We are so excited to launch Black Deer In the City, bringing you all the ethos and authenticity of the Black Deer Festival to London”

Other attractions will include BBQ demos from celebrated chefs and pitmasters across the weekend, chilli and hot dog eating contests, as well as multiple bars, street food, fashion shows and a tattoo parlour, with more to be announced.

To date, five Black Deer festivals have taken place at Eridge Park, Kent which has seen artists such as Sheryl Crow, Joe Bonamassa, The Pretenders and Van Morrison headline. The 2025 edition of the festival was cancelled due to “the widely reported pressures on the festival industry”.

“We are so excited to launch Black Deer In the City, bringing you all the ethos and authenticity of the Black Deer Festival to London,” adds Black Deer co-founder and creative director Gill Tee. “We will focus on delivering to our wonderful community the music we love — raw, heartfelt Americana, together with its sub-cultures that will blend together to make this event so special. We couldn’t be prouder to partner with Tobacco Dock and we look forward to welcoming everyone to this amazing space in October.”

During the past ten months Black Deer Live shows have taken place with over 50 artists at key grassroots music venues across the UK.

“As our venue continues to evolve as a hub for community, culture and live entertainment, we’re delighted to be hosting Black Deer in the City,” adds Tobacco Dock chair Patrick Donovan. “This ground-breaking Americana weekend will set the scene for a diverse programme of music-led events staged within our beautiful heritage building.”

Entry prices for Black Deer In the City start at £84 (€100) for general day tickets. Weekend tickets and VIP are also available.

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Blue Note Jazz Club has been granted a licence to open its first UK club, which is due to open its doors in early 2026.

Set within the basement of the St Martins Lane hotel in Covent Garden, London, the club will boast two performance spaces: a 250-capacity main room as well as a 100-cap secondary room, with a full-service kitchen and beverage menu open for dinner throughout the week.

The licence permits the club to open until 1am from Monday to Saturday and midnight on Sunday, and promises to offer “world-class” jazz performances from icons to rising stars, plus “genre-defying collaborations” reflecting the genre’s evolution.

“We’re excited to be coming to London and grateful to Westminster Council for recognising what Blue Note can bring to the city’s nightlife,” says Steven Bensusan, president of Blue Note Entertainment Group. “As we prepare to open in early 2026, we’re looking forward to bringing world-class jazz and a deep cultural legacy to one of the greatest music cities in the world.”

The Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City has become a music institution since opening in 1981. The club and its sister venues worldwide have featured surprise appearances from the likes of Stevie Wonder, Tony Bennett, Quincy Jones, Dave Chapelle and Chris Rock.

“Westminster is home to some of the capital’s most loved music venues and we want to ensure late night entertainment can continue to thrive”

Sophie Asquith, venue support team manager at the UK’s Music Venue Trust says the grassroots organisation is “delighted” that Blue Note has been granted a licence “with the hours needed to enable its world-famous jazz operation to flourish in central London”.

“Their plans and commitment have been thorough and conscientious throughout, and so we were very pleased to speak in support of the application at their recent hearing,” says Asquith. “The charity is excited to continue to work with the team, and wish them every success in their vision, bringing the very best in global and local grassroots jazz talent to their latest home in London.”

Further details of Blue Note Jazz Club London will be announced later this year.

“Westminster is home to some of the capital’s most loved music venues and we want to ensure late night entertainment can continue to thrive,” adds a Westminster City Council spokesperson. “In this case it was clear that venue management have engaged extensively with local people to improve their application and address the concerns that were raised by the police. We’re pleased that, following the approval of this application, jazz lovers will soon be able to enjoy the Blue Note Jazz Club.”

Blue Note Entertainment Group also owns and operates Sony Hall and Arthur’s Tavern; D.C.’s The Howard Theatre; and Blue Note Jazz Clubs Worldwide, which includes venues in Milan, Italy; Honolulu, HI; Beijing and Shanghai, China; Tokyo, Japan; Napa, CA; and Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, Brazil.

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‏The potential for conflict between city-based festivals and their residential neighbours has been highlighted by legal action seeking to halt large-scale events in one of London’s busiest parks.

Neighbours of Brockwell Park in South East London, site of a range of large festivals including Mighty Hoopla, Wide Awake, Field Day, Cross the Tracks and City Splash, have crowdfunded more than £30,000 (€35,000) to launch a High Court review of the current licensing process.

The campaign group Protect Brockwell Park cites “ecological damage, loss of public access, flood risks, biodiversity loss and air and noise pollution” as its key complaints. It wants full planning applications to be required for each event, a process that could have a significant knock-on effect not just for gatherings in Brockwell Park, but other events held across the UK.

This week, high-profile local resident and BAFTA-winning actor Sir Mark Rylance joined the fray, saying: “Brockwell Park is a place for people and nature. It is essential to many people’s mental health, to our joy, our healing grief.

“It was a gift to the local community and is held in trust for us by Lambeth. The imposition of high steel walls for Brockwell Live every summer destroys the park for weeks and harms the grass, trees and plant life for months if not for ever. It turns it into a prison camp.”

Campaign founder Jen Hawkins tells IQ the initial legal hearing will take place in “early May” and claims the outcome could impact this year’s planned events.

“Our attempts to engage meaningfully with the council or organisers have been met with only surface-level responses,” she says. “To ensure events suit both the park and community, genuine public consultation is needed – something currently lacking.”

“We understand the importance of Brockwell Park to local residents and take our stewardship seriously”

Brockwell Live, the umbrella group which encompasses festivals run by a number of promoters including Superstruct and Broadwick Live, says it takes its stewardship of the park seriously.

“Brockwell Live delivers a series of free and ticketed events in Brockwell Park with more than half of attendees coming from across Greater London,” reads a statement to IQ. “Celebrating the city’s diverse music and culture, events include the capital’s largest Caribbean and African music festival, a nationally significant queer pop festival and a critically acclaimed celebration of jazz, funk and soul.

“We understand the importance of Brockwell Park to local residents and take our stewardship seriously. We welcome scrutiny and maintain open channels for dialogue with residents, councillors, and community groups at all times.”

Organisers point out that the festivals have donated over £150,000 to local organisations to date through their community fund, and have paid £317,000 to help maintain the park over the past five years. A dedicated community manager and resident hotline is available for engagement with local residents.

Since 2023, the festival organisers have also co-produced the Lambeth Country Show, a free event run by the local authority for 50 years, saving the council over £700,000 last year.

With fan desire for easily-accessible day festivals continuing to grow, it is increasingly bringing promoters and local authorities into potential conflict with local communities. Event organisers are turning to a range of strategies to ensure local residents are onboard with events.

Earlier this year, electronic music event specialists AMAAD announced the launch of BM Park Live, a series of large-scale electronic music events at Boston Manor Park in West London. It has also prioritised community engagement, offering a ballot for local residents, contributions to a park and community fund and a programme that offers local young people their first step into the event production industry.

“We shouldn’t overlook the positive power of city festivals”

Anton Lockwood, director of live at DHP Family, which runs Splendour in Nottingham, points out that city festivals offer an opportunity for people to see a range of “established international artists right on their doorsteps” and provide an easy path into first-time festival-going.

“Urban events are a key part of the live music landscape as this type of event offers a festival experience, without having to pitch a tent in a muddy field – so opens festivals up to people who might not go otherwise – and as such are really important and growing,” he says.

“They also drive tourism into their host cities and, as there’s no camping, will lead to hotel stays and restaurant visits so can contribute hugely to a city’s economy. We urge cities to consider this when assessing the impact of things like traffic and noise.”

Large events run successfully in urban settings across the world, with Yourope General Secretary Holger Jan Schmidt pointing out that the organisation – made up of more than 100 European festivals – has had “inner city festivals as members since our foundation”.

Fruzsina Szép of Goodlive, which runs city festivals Superbloom in Munich and Lollapalooza in Berlin, tells IQ she is fortunate that in both locations, residents are used to frequent large-scale events in the cities’ respective Olympic parks.

Like other organisers of city-based festivals, Superbloom and Lollapalooza Berlin run extensive community engagement and consultation processes and have mechanisms in place for residents to contact event organisers throughout the shows. One very small group of especially impacted residents in Berlin are offered the choice of free tickets to the festival or hotel rooms elsewhere in Berlin for two nights.

“We shouldn’t overlook the positive power of city festivals, which at their best can become one with the city and represent it on the world stage,” she says.

While pointing out that there are differences not just between countries in the acceptance of urban festivals, but between specific cities and communities within them, Schmidt adds that good communication is the key.
“For me, it’s obviously the same as with your personal neighbours. If you want a good relationship, take care of it,” he says.

“You should proactively approach the residents, seek exchange, extend invitations, if necessary in joint dialogue with the authorities. For sure, this will never solve everyone’s concerns and sensitivities, but a good relationship with the majority of the neighbourhood is the basis for dealing with the rest.”

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UK-based promoter A Man About A Dog (AMAAD) has announced the launch of new electronic music series BM Park Live.

Set for London’s Boston Manor Park, the series will include the expansion of AMAAD’s techno event Junction 2 from 25-27 July at the 15,000-cap BM Park Live, followed by the debut of Paradise in the City festival on 2 August.

Paradise in the City will be the first UK festival run by Jamie Jones, co-founder of Hot Creations label, Hot Natured and head of Paradise Music

“The launch of BM Park Live will allow us to deliver more high-quality, immersive festivals with higher production value”

“Since launching Junction 2 as a one-day festival at Boston Manor Park in 2016 we have long recognised the potential of this uniquely diverse site,” says AMAAD CEO Will Harold. “The launch of BM Park Live will allow us to deliver more high-quality, immersive festivals with higher production value, allowing for even more exciting and ambitious projects.”

AMAAD has shared its long-term ambition to deliver more events at Boston Manor Park and solidify the venue as “a key multi-genre destination for all electronic music fans”.

This year BM Park Live festivals will feature four stages: The Bridge – set in an industrial space beneath the M4 flyover; The Grid/Main Stage – an expansive open-air arena; The Woods – an intimate dancefloor nestled deep in the forest at Boston Manor Park; plus a brand new stage featuring new production yet to be revealed.

Organisers have also pledged to strengthen their focus on community-focused sustainability and youth engagement initiatives. Following the implementation of a wide range of measures over the last two years, Junction 2 has pledged to go beyond net-zero in 2025.

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England’s Rugby Football Union (RFU) has threatened to relocate from Twickenham to Birmingham or Milton Keynes in a row over the number of concerts the stadium is permitted to hold.

The 82,000-cap southwest London venue, now known as Allianz Stadium Twickenham for sponsorship reasons, is scheduled to undergo a revamp from 2027 costing up to £663 million (€793m), but is currently allowed to stage just three non-rugby events per year, restricted to 55,000 capacity.

Moreover, it is unable to host more than two events consecutively and only one of shows can take place on a Friday – restrictions that RFU chief Bill Sweeney says resulted in it missing out on the London leg of Beyoncé’s 2025 Cowboy Carter Tour to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which is welcoming the singer for six nights this June.

“Part of the renovation from 2027 means we are in discussions with Richmond Borough Council to stage more non-rugby events,” Sweeney told the Business of Sport podcast. “For us, it is three [events] and we are only allowed one on a Friday,” We have had the Rolling Stones. We could have had Beyoncé but she wanted three nights and we are only allowed two nights consecutively.”

The RFU, which owns the venue, says it is empty for 340 days a year and is appealing to the authority to increase the annual amount to 15 events at full capacity. According to the Guardian, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is permitted to host 30 non-football events a year, while Wembley can stage 32.

“There are plenty of places that would like to have us there. Birmingham, Milton Keynes would love to have us”

Along with the Stones, acts such as U2, Eminem, Depeche Mode and Metallica have all played the venue over the past decade.

At present, Twickenham has just one music show on sale for this summer – K-pop touring spectacular SMTown Live on 28 June. And Sweeney, who faces a vote of no-confidence at a special general meeting on 27 March, said upping its concert limit was vital in terms of making the renovation financially viable.

“We are saying, ‘If we are going to invest £600m into the Allianz – and we have a study which shows how much economic value it contributes to the borough… you are going to have to work with us in terms of an increase in the number of events we can stage in order to monetise the stadium,” he said. “There are plenty of places that would like to have us there. Birmingham, Milton Keynes would love to have us there.

“It would be a tough call for us. It would be very difficult. I don’t know how we would justify the investment in the stadium if we can’t get the increase in the event licences.”

IQ has approached the RFU for comment.

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AEG Presents has appointed Lisa Mart to the newly created position of regional general manager of Indigo at The O2 and Watford Colosseum.

Mart, who will be based in London, brings more than 15 years of experience across the live events and venue industry, will be responsible for overseeing the commercial and operational performances of both venues.

She has spent the past 13 years with ATG Entertainment, initially serving as front of house manager at New Wimbledon Theatre and later as general manager.

She joined The Alexandra, Birmingham, in 2016 as theatre director and has most recently been venue director at Swansea Building Society Arena, where she managed the full venue launch and opening.

“I am really honoured to be joining the AEG Presents team as part of their exciting mid-size venue expansion,” says Mart. “This role is a really perfect culmination of my previous experience – both Indigo at The O2 and Watford Colosseum have impressive and iconic histories to date, and I am looking forward to celebrating that whilst taking advantage of their incredible potential.”

Mart will report to AEG Presents UK group venues operations director Stuart Dorn.

“We are delighted to welcome Lisa to AEG Presents, a key team member as we continue to grow our mid-size venue portfolio,” says Dorn. “She brings a wealth of experience, which will help with both the establishment of Watford Colosseum and the continued growth of indigo at The O2, which will host over 200 shows in 2025.”

Watford Colosseum is set to reopen in the autumn following a multi-million-pound refurbishment as AEG’s mid-size venue expansion gathers pace, with the Olympia music venue in London also set to launch in 2026 as part of the wider £1.3 billion regeneration of Olympia.

“The Middle East is home to an incredible range of innovative brands, and I look forward to showcasing their value on a global stage”

Earlier this week meanwhile, AEG Global Partnerships appointed Fadi Zouein to the role of VP, global partnerships, Middle East.

In the newly created role, Zouein will focus on developing strategic partnerships with Middle Eastern brands for the company’s portfolio of global assets. He will be responsible for identifying brand partners from the region and introducing opportunities across AEG venues including LA’s Crypto.com Arena, The O2 in London and multi-purpose arena projects in APAC, as well as festivals such as Coachella, BST Hyde Park and Rock en Seine.

“Our Global Partnerships business is unrivalled in its ability to create innovative campaigns and sponsorships that enable brands to build deeper relationships with their customers, and I’m looking forward to seeing the growth and value that Fadi can unlock not only for our business, but among our future business partners from the Middle East,” says Paul Samuels, EVP of AEG Global Partnerships.

Zouein joins from Al Jazira Club, where he was group chief commercial and marketing officer.

“I am truly excited to join AEG Global Partnerships,” says Zouein. “The Middle East is home to an incredible range of innovative brands, and I look forward to showcasing their value on a global stage through dynamic, strategic partnerships.”

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For the first time in Superstruct’s nine-year history, co-founder and chairman James Barton has spoken at length about his company’s meteoric growth.

The Creamfields founder and former Live Nation president of electronic music co-founded Superstruct in 2017 alongside Roderik Schlösser, who at the time was with Providence Equity, but subsequently joined Superstruct as CEO.

In yesterday’s Hotseat interview at the International Live Music Conference (ILMC), Barton explained how the London-based firm became the world’s second-largest festival promoter in just six years.

“We knew what we wanted to try and do in terms of the level of investments we wanted to make,” he said.

“We knew what we wanted to try and do in terms of the level of investments we wanted to make”

“But we knew that we needed to move in such a way to try and generate enough scale before people really woke up to the fact that an organisation out there that had a really strong vision and a mission to create another live entertainment company based out of Europe.”

In the company’s first year, it invested in a swathe of festivals across Europe including Sziget (HU), elrow (ES), Wacken Open Air (DE) and Parookaville (DE) – inevitably attracting attention from the rest of the industry.

“There was a bit of scepticism at the beginning,” he admitted. “It wasn’t until a few years later that I think people realised that there was really a real strategy behind this, and there was going to be a theme around what festivals, what organisations, what people we would try and bring on board.”

Today, Superstruct owns and operates over 80 music festivals across Europe and Australia, including Wacken Open Air, Parookaville, Tinderbox, Sónar, Øya, Arenal Sound, Kendal Calling and Boardmasters. Even throughout Covid, the London-based firm maintained a bullish M&A strategy – something Barton thanked Providence Equity for.

“We do our best never to talk about ownership, we talk about partnership”

“Did we think we could build a business of size and scale? Yes, we did” he continued. “But we also realised that to be the home for these festival entrepreneurs, we need to create the right environment, the right way of working, the right governance model, the right financial model.

“The core philosophy of the business is that it’s about the festivals. It’s about the owners of the festivals. It’s not about us. That’s why we haven’t done an interview. We do our best never to talk about ownership, we talk about partnership. It’s about the brands, and it’s about the people behind the brands.”

Indeed, Barton says that Superstruct’s strategy for supporting its network of festivals is to “manage from behind”.

“When it comes to things like creativity – music, policy etc – we stay behind the line,” he said. “But then as we started to build a bit more scale, the festival owners were coming to us and saying: ‘What are we doing about ticketing? What are we doing about partnerships?’ Then we would say: ‘This is what we can do to help, this is what we can do as a group.’ When you get enough scale, and enough good people in the room, you can share information, data and good practices. So then the power of the network starts to bring everybody up.”

“We are in a new era of our business with KKR and CVC”

Looking back on Superstruct’s story so far, Barton says he’s proud of the “successful and profitable” business he has built alongside Schlösser and credits Providence Equity for the firm’s fruitful beginnings.

“Providence was an unbelievable partner,” he said. “They backed us from the beginning and through Covid and they worked hard and continued to invest in us as a business but also into businesses coming into the group. But investors have a shelf life.”

Last year, private equity firm CVC secured a stake in Superstruct in October – just weeks after KKR’s acquisition of the festival behemoth was given the green light. Fellow global investment giant KKR had acquired Superstruct from Providence for a reported €1.3 billion in June.

“Now we are in a new era of our business with KKR and CVC,” declared Barton. “We’re still only in seven or eight markets so who knows, maybe we’ll expand. But we’d rather go deeper than wider, and have more businesses in the markets we’re already in to get the synergies going. We’re not going ‘South America is really hot, let’s get on a plane and figure out how to get in there’. We’re looking at where we can do a good job and whether there are good partners we can work with.”

Hinting that the company might look to expand its business beyond the festival sector, Barton added: “We didn’t call ourselves Superstruct Festivals or Superstruct Live. We called ourselves Superstruct Entertainment.”

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Australian punk rockers Amyl and the Sniffers have been confirmed as the keynote interview for next week’s ILMC Futures Forum.

The conference for next-generation live music business leaders will return to the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on Friday 28 February 2025 as part of the ILMC.

For the final session of the day, Amyl and the Sniffers frontwoman Amy Taylor will sit down with BBC Introducing’s Abbie McCarthy to discuss the band’s illustrious live career, her take on the business, and the band’s recent album Cartoon Darkness.

Formed in a Melbourne share house in 2016, Taylor, Dec Martens (guitar), Gus Romer (bass) and Bryce Wilson (drums) have enjoyed a rapid rise over their near-decade of existence.

“The band are on the brink of transforming critical acclaim and cult status into something much bigger”

Their explosive live shows have earned them three sold-out shows at London’s Roundhouse, support slots with Foo Fighters, The Smashing Pumpkins, Weezer, Fall Out Boy, and Green Day, and festival appearances at Glastonbury, Primavera, Best Kept Secret and Bandland. Meanwhile, their firebrand discography has continued to draw critical acclaim, with CLASH dubbing their most recent LP Cartoon Darkness as “The most important moment for rock music in 2024… album of the year”.

This year, the BRIT-nominated band will embark on what looks to be their biggest 12 months yet, including an extensive world tour and appearances at Coachella, Hurricane/Southside and more. As The Guardian wrote, “The band are on the brink of transforming critical acclaim and cult status into something much bigger”.

Amyl and the Sniffers are represented by ATC Live (EU/Asia/Latam), Arrival Artists (NA) and Supersonic (AUS/NZL).

News of the keynote comes after Futures Forum unveiled the full speaker lineup, which includes Connie Shao (AEG Presents), Jess Kinn (One Fiinix Live), Raven Twigg (ASM Global), Dotun Bolaji (Primary Talent International), Beckie Sugden (CAA), Alice Hogg (ATC Live), Kara Harris (Live Nation) and many more.

Passes include a full day of innovative programming, a five-star lunch, refreshments, drinks, and networking opportunities.

For more information or to purchase passes, click here.

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