Editor's note

Two main themes have caught my attention whilst working on this edition of the News: One - Award Ceremonies, there's a bit of a rash of them at the moment - we look at the NME awards - BBC Radio 3 World Music Awards, Golden Harps, refer briefly to the Grammys, and avoid any reference at all to breast exposure - we're quite capable of making right tits of ourselves with no help from Janet or Justin. We mention the Brits in passing making comment as did Blur's Alex in The Guardian last week remarking on no alcohol, only good behaviour and only being there if you know you've won.

Two - Lawbreaking - are we returning to the dangerous days when rock and roll and its practitioners were an unwashed, anti-social threat to society? - Well we could be in the cases of Courtney Love having an arrest warrant issued in California for missing two court appearances, and following up with a drug overdose, also the references in the NME awards story to the activities of Pete Doherty of the Libertines and that rascal Arthur Lee of Love fame, but the arrest Art Garfunkel for marijuana possession and the unfortunate Ms. Diana Ross having to do two days in jail for speeding whilst trying to get to the store to rent a video are hardly the stuff of outlaw legend!

Also is Jazz really hip again? Jamie Cullum is outselling Christina Aguilera, Kylie Minogue and Robbie Williams (he's also playing at the ILMC), and in America, the campaign to turn him into a household name is well under way. Add to Cullum the 26-year-old Canadian crooner Michael Bublé and the ubiquitous Norah Jones - and there seems to be something going on - does anybody have any comment on this? In the meantime we'll keep an eye on it and here's the News.

 

The UK magazine New Musical Express (NME) at one time boasted a circulation of 200,000; this has fallen to 75,000, although the magazine is still seen as a necessary ally for new bands wishing to break through into the mainstream.

 

You may have noticed that we like to report happy and optimistic stories whenever possible, so we at Vip are very glad to have the opportunity to wish the man most closely connected with the Hultsfred Festival, Gunnar Lagerman, all the best in the pursuit of his dreams.

 

Dutch agency Paperclip will take care of the booking for the 22nd edition of the Conincx Festival on an exclusive basis.

 

FKP Scorpio have declared that this year's Hurricane Festival will now not move to the Rothenburg Airport due to clashes with arrangements for a glider flying competition.

 

Marc Lambelet of Black Lamb Productions in Switzerland was re-elected treasurer and member of the board of Network Europe, at their recent meeting at the Noorderslag Seminar in Groningen.

 

Our industry like any other must help to institute and accept a sensible, helpful and necessary level of restriction and regulation. Any large gathering of people has of course to be overseen and in some way policed for the protection and safety of all involved

 

In the UK the Government have published The Conduct of Employment Agency and Employment Business Regulations 2003, which come into force in on the 6th April 2004.

 

A compulsory examination for security workers from summer 2005 onwards should ensure safety standards and service quality.

 

ILMC, the major Conference for the international live music industry has confirmed the outlines of the panels and meetings for this year's 16th edition to take place at London's Royal Garden Hotel on March 12-14.

 

Back on the Awards trail Veteran Cuban star Ibrahim Ferrer won the best Americas artist at the BBC Radio 3 World Music Awards.

 

In the town of Bussum near Hilversum in Holland, the Conamus Foundation has again honoured Dutch artists for their musical efforts and achievements.

 

What started as merely a round table discussion between the concert promoters in Cologne is shaping up to operational status.

 

Following a deal done at last month's MIDEM, Independent Record Company Eagle Rock Entertainment will make some great live recordings of artists ranging from the Rolling Stones to Radiohead available.

 

Stuttgart based agency Contour have released the preliminary program of the 19th edition of the Summerjam Festival.

 

The best business year for CTS ever has affected the share price. According to the preliminary business report 2003 for CTS Eventim (symbol EVD.FSE) key figures increased significantly and underlined the Company's leadership in the German concert market.

 

Dear Readers, due to a wrongly posted "Live Business Shares in One View" in the last issue this time we provide you with the unpublished figures from the previous edition of this section. We apologize for the mistake but kindly remind you, that no guarantee for figures mentioned in this section could be made by Vip News or it's data provider Pop1000.com.

However, apart from CTS there is still not a share price rally yet, but it seems that the confidence of investors is rising as all shares covered within this section are gaining. As usual on stock markets this time of the year signals the direction for the near future and so far the remedial signs supply a positive outlook. Lets see if the upcoming season of company reports for the business year 2003 will prove the trend.

 

Viggo Lund Management AS is a management company representing Norwegian artists. Also, we represent a considerable part of Norway's professional presenters, who give presentations and seminars based on experience and knowledge from their own occupations.

In addition to management responsibility and promotion work, Viggo Lund Management AS is responsible for production and the organizing of events, "kick-offs", shows, concerts and seminars.

 

United Stage Artist is an independent company within the Swedish music industry. Our main activities are to exclusively represent record-artists as tour agents and tour producers. The company represents close to 100 artists today.

United Stage was set in 1984. When Managing Director, Anders Larsson, founded the company in Malmö it had a very strong regional influence but has over the years become one of the two leading companies in the Swedish market. In 1991 United Stage established a minor office in Stockholm and in 1996 the whole operation was moved to the capital.

During the autumn of 1997 a rival company, Siljemark Production AB, was incorporated within the company. United Stage Artist is a service company catering for the artist, its client. This service is divided into two parts, consulting and administration

It´s very important with co-ordination in the market, negotiations and agreements. Recently, the company established a department that will act as a concert promoters for public shows, an activity that is not limited to the performances of the artists represented by United Stage. It includes a wider range of entertainment arrangements, without artistic or geographical limits. Along with the development of the concert promotion department, the company will increase its activities in the growing market of corporated events

 

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