Editor's note

Greetings from New York - this is the first time that I have communicated these opening ramblings for the News from another Continent. I flew here directly from the joys of SXSW in Austin, via Dallas, Texas. Austin and NY are very different places, but both have a healthy and vibrant live music culture. Not surprisingly the abiding pre-occupation for venues in both Cities is security. For those of us not used to having to carry I.D, demands for proof of age (although flattering to be asked if you're over 21 when you're 2 1/2 times that old!) in order to buy a drink or to be allowed in at all, are unsettling.

But unfortunately these are the times that we live in. The removal of belts, shoes, and increasingly intimate patting down by airport staff are now commonplace. Again there is undoubted good reason for this, but when people who like the feel of a uniform are given leave to become more authoritarian, we move into dangerous areas - there is an abiding and understandable paranoia in the US, lets hope and pray that a balance between concerned responsibility and concentrated restrctions can be maintained.

Oh by the way I have discovered another variation on the panoply of mobile phone terms - the 'wringing' tone - every time my UK phone rang in the US, or I had to make a call, sometimes to someone German, Finnish, Irish etc. in the same City, I coulf feel and hear my bank account being wrung dry!

Enough rambling! - The News ..

 

It’s as much what you miss as what you catch at SXSW – no matter how amazing the acts you saw were, and no matter how much you enjoyed hearing them, there was always another that you wished you’d seen, and always someone keen to tell you what you really should not have missed – because it was …. Awesome!

 

The singer songwriter Jackson Browne recently wrote a very personal article about visa restrictions for Cuban artists wishing to visit or perform in the US.

 

Leading Italian promoters Barley Arts celebrated their first quarter century in the music business with a brand new website, a new label, a brand new hip hop festival, plus, of course, Italian and international tours.

 

Booking Agency K.O.K.S. from Hanover reported an increase of 100 % compared to last year's ticket sales for the Taubertal-Festival.

 

Clear Channel European boss Michael Rapino predicts the 'the biggest and best rock bands on the planet' will make the second Download Festival even bigger than the first.

 

The leading German Metal Magazine Rock Hard that is also a media partner for Sweden Rock Festival announced that apart from one more headliner, the acts have been completely booked for this year's Rock Hard-Festival.

 

The German Schlager Senior sold 400.000 tickets on his recently completed tour. The tour consisted of 103 shows in Holland, Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

 

Artists don't often get a say in Vip News, this is not deliberate, business comments from the performers don't present themselves that often, we should perhaps pursue the possibilities.

 

Unfortunately only in the German language but definitely a pleasure for those who are able to read it. The Rote Gourmet Fraktion put out a combined lesson including some biographies, a practical guide for cooking under tough conditions and some recipes as a book.

 

Just 5 more bands to go. With recent confirmations from DAD, Pink Cream 69 and Ritual there are now 55 acts booked for this year's Sweden Rock Festival.

 

The rating agency Moody's has downgraded the Bowie bonds drastically. The bonds issued by Jones/Tintoretto Entertainment Company (J/TE) had been rated with Baa3 and have now reached the category of junk bonds.

 

Clear Channel (CCU.NSE): Last time CCU was 40.72 USD but gained on Friday March 26 up to 41.00 USD.

CTS Eventim (EVD.FSE): From 13.30 Euro in the previous issue to over the 14.00 Euro mark to 14.20 Euro.

DEAG (ERM.FSE): DEAG still suffers. While last time we reported 2.85 Euro the current share price has dropped another 20 cents down to 2.65 Euro.

Mean Fiddler (MEF.ISE): Mean Fiddler seems to be a stable share. No significant fluctuations recently. However, investors that bought the share one year ago have benefited from a tiny share rally. At that time the share was worth 11.25 Pence. The change from two weeks ago until now was meaningless. 48.00 Pence last time compared to 48.50 Pence this time.

Sanctuary (SGP.ISE). On March 16 SGP shares were worth 50.75 Pence. This time the price has gone down to 47.00 Pence.

 

Elmerdahl Bureauerne is an international world wide booking agency centrally situated in Denmark in Faaborg on Fuen. We are booking out international as well as danish artists such as : Finn Nørbygaaard, Peter Schrøder, Peter Mygind, Per Pallesen, Søren Pilmark and all kinds of bands, orchestras, entertainers, sports stars and a lot of other artists, which we book to firms, hotels, restaurants, festivals, clubs and societies all over Europe..

 

Nick (Loris) Loridas established DIDI Music in 1984 as a record label. In 1987, with the cooperation of NANA TRANDOU, Big Star Promotion was created as a department of DIDI Music, specializing in concert promotion. Gradually, the record release department of the company has been surpassed by the growing agency sector. DIDI MUSIC / BIG STAR PROMOTION has made the breakthrough in the local market, organising events and hosting artists of international importance. The company is also the exclusive booking agent for two of our nation’s best selling pop/rock bands arranging for both bands to tour abroad, something that local groups rarely have a chance to do.

Since 1997, we successfully organise the ROCKWAVE Festival attracting thousands of people, featuring great acts and a plethora of other activities. Our festival has always been devoted to promoting social awareness, having stands on site giving out brochures and information leaflets concerning AIDS and the HIV virus, Greenpeace and Amnesty International.

ROCKWAVE Festival, no doubt, contributed in the last few years to change our country’s image, making it an equal member of the global music entertainment scene.

BIG STAR PROMOTION is a member of YOUROPE, the most important union of European festival promoters. Ms Nana Trandou, our managing director, has been elected in the Board of Directors of YOUROPE, as well as, leader of the workgroup on the Performance Royalties Society (PRS). We are also represented in ILMC, the International Live Music Conference. DIDI MUSIC is established in the Greek market as the provider of high quality services that guarantee safety and top the most demanding performing requirements, through our efforts, commitment and high investments in exclusive technical and stage equipment. We are currently developing our company image to strengthen our identity as the leading service providers in Greece for organising outdoor and indoor events.

Meanwhile, we have expanded in the ticket distribution market through TICKET HOUSE, a national network of ticket outlets with growing dynamics.

 

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