Editor's note

Well, some of us - mainly the Denmark/Sweden based contingency have had a summer break (Alright for some!) whilst the England/Germany duo have been scouring the live music landscape for items for your information and diversion - although Tari did go paddling on the Costa Brava with his MTV mates!

Now I hope that you have missed us, and let's consider what has happened since our last communication. The main music business story is I suppose the formal approval of the Sony/BMG merger as a result of a complete change of opinion by the officials of Mario Monti, European Union competition commissioner, who is now no longer in that job. A week after the European approval the US Federal Trade Commission said it would not oppose the 50-50 merger, which will create a rival to market leader Universal. I suppose we can now expect the EMI/Warner aspiring bedfellows to make their application.

What does it all mean to we live music people? We'll have to see, but I think we can pretty much expect a racking up of the corporate claims to artist revenues. Also will we see a growth in corporate aspirations in our own business area, who may consider mergers now that the anti-trust door seems to have been left ajar?

The summer is of course, hopefully only half way through - certainly in the UK it just seems to have started, the Festivals have again done well - did someone really sell a bag of Glastonbury mud on E-Bay? T In The Park broke its own box office record by selling out 10 weeks in advance and is offering tickets for 2005 at this year's prices for one month after the end of the event, 15,000 have already been sold. Leeds has also sold out in record time In Europe Spain's fib Heineken at Benacassim recently added Morrissey to the Saturday bill, yet still has a growing reputation as one of the best run and happiest festivals to attend!

You might recall my little rant about mobile phones and ringtones etc in a previous issue, now it's bad enough that perfectly good tunes get mangled and used as sources of pure annoyance, but it now seems that mobile phones are digitally smuggling people into live concerts! I came across this comment from Tom Ryan, a mobile-music consultant to major-label and independent record companies, digital music services and wireless carriers, who saw the phenomenon of people using cell phones at concerts to call up and involve their absent friends while watching Radiohead and the Pixies at this year's Coachella Festival in Indio, California. "A sound recording can be enjoyed at any time," Ryan explained, "but the actual experience of a single concert is a unique, never-to-be-repeated experience. The cell phone enables someone to insert themselves into that experience - like, 'This is me at the Radiohead show.' It's a desire to express yourself at an amazing show, and you're bringing your friends into the concert, even if they could never enjoy it as much as you." - I tell you - watch it - these things insinuate themselves into everything - soon they'll be arranging for your significant others to have affairs with strangers - whether they want to or not! - You've been warned! - OK, back to near normality - good to be back - here's the News.

 

In the UK the new Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 came into force on April 6 this year.

 

Vip attended this year's edition of Switzerland's Paleo Festival, staged at Nyon in the French sector, and talked with the festival organisers about their view of the results of this year's event.

 

For some time now observers of the industry, such as us, have been wondering just when objections to the steady rise of ticket prices for the major touring acts would kick in.

 

Well, love him or hate him, you can't ignore Ozzy, if he's not swearing for England or rowing with his family on TV, falling off quad bikes, getting ill, and even playing the occasional gig, his image is appearing on somebody's chest, back, feet, wall, shelf or fridge somewhere throughout the world with prodigious and widespread regularity.

 

This touring MTV event attracted 32.000 visitors. Once again the music station put their touring project entitled 'Isle of MTV' on the road.

 

The old boys are still doing it, and it seems that even with resistance to high ticket prices growing, people are still prepared to fork out to see the legends while they are still able to strut their stuff. In many cases however the Farewell tour goes on forever!

 

According to various news reports the free festival Przystanek Woodstock attracted 400.000 visitors this weekend. This makes the event the biggest festival in Poland.

 

Overall the Juicy Beats-Festival in Dortmund was a success. The ninth edition of the festival benefited from beautiful weather conditions but was slightly overshadowed by an outbreak of violence on one of the floors.

 

The renewed interest, revitalising by younger artists and the genre widening of jazz continues, and is highlighted by the interest paid by the media to events like last Thursday's BBC Jazz Awards.

 

At last all went well, is the conclusion to be drawn for this edition of the Melt!-Festival. The promoter reported a visitor record with 8000 concert goers and already seems to be confident that the festival will again take place in 2005.

 

 New appointments and positions should ensure the leadership  role of Clear Channel Entertainment in a 'changing industry'.

 

The Hard Rock Café in cooperation with MBNA America Bank will launch a Visa credit card entitled 'All Access'. The card is part of the new Hard Rock rewards cards Program.

 

 

Clear Channel (CCU.NSE.): The recently reported 2nd Quarter results by CCU are not satisfying investors, from $37.25 on June 18 down to $35.70 USD on August 2. Last time we wrote "The recent development of CCU-shares is getting painful for investors now." The new price probably means that the shares of pain killer manufactures are rising

CTS Eventim (EVD.FSE): In the last issue we reported 14.05 Euro. This time the share is worth only 13.40 Euro.

DEAG (ERM.FSE): A2.75 Euro before the summer break and now down to 2.35 Euro.

Mean Fiddler (MEF.ISE): Mean Fiddler also suffers, from 54 down to 49.50 Pence.

Sanctuary (SGP.ISE): A slight loss, from 48.50 to 46.00 Pence.

 

MOJO Concerts was founded in 1968 and since then has become one of the largest and most important entertainment company’s in the Netherlands. The main activity of MOJO Concerts is the organisation of concerts and festivals, artist bookings and the devellopment of new and innovating events. Besides that MOJO Concerts is engaged with the corebusiness resulting in extra activities like production, theatre, management and publishing.

 

Julius Fritid & Nöjen AB (Julius Leisure & Entertainment Ltd) was formed in 1972 by Julius Malmström who remains the sole owner the company today. The company owns Julius Production AB, Julius Biljettservice AB (Julius Ticket Service) and Nöjesteatern in Malmö (a theatre situated in Malmö).

Besides the overall handling of operations within the concern, the company’s main line of business includes consultancy assignments within the Event Experience Industry and the hire of mobile stages and technical equipment for theatres.

Julius Production is 100% owned by Julius Fritid & Nöjen with it's main line of business being the production, marketing and realization of theatre productions and concerts in Scandinavia. The company began arranging concerts, musicals and theatre productions in 1972. During the first 25 years the concert hall, Olympen in Lund, was “the home arena” for the many events produced. Today the company has its Head office in Alnarp, situated in Southern Sweden between Malmö and Lund, and continues to arrange concerts and events throughout Scandinavia.

Besides the production of concert tours, Julius Production is responsible for the overall planning for the artists involved. References include Swedish artists such as: Stellan Sundahl, Triple & Touch and Hasse Kvinnaböske Andersson. International productions such as “The funniest entertainer in the world” – with the recently deceased Victor Borge – can also be mentioned in this context. Julius Production has also been responsible for bigger arrangements such as the opening of the Öresund bridge between Denmark and Sweden in July 2000.

Other concerts and events arranged by Julius Production in co-operation with other Scandinavian Promoters since 1972 include: Alice Cooper, Jethro Tull, Paul McCartney & Wings, Santana, Blood Sweat & Tears, Count Basie, Roxy Music, T Rex, Demis Roussos, Faces, Thin Lizzy, Roxy Music, Manfred Mann, Mott the Hoople, Queen, Rod Stewart, Lou Reed, Weather Report, Chick Corea, Frank Zappa, Kinks, Neil Young, Supertramp, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Manhatten Transfer, Dolly Parton, Electric Light Orchestra, Emmylou Harris, Genesis, Tom Petty, Dire Straits, Elvis Costello, Eric Clapton, Depeche Mode, Mike Oldfield, Deep Purple, Eurythmics, Toto, Bob Dylan, Kraftwerk, Chippendales, Suede, Pulp, ZZ Top, Harlem Globetrotters, Julio Inglesias, Dionne Warwick, etc. etc.

Julius Biljettservice is one of the leading ticketing companies in Scandinavia with an annual turnover of approximately 65 million SEK. Tickets are sold to events in Sweden, Denmark and England. The company is 100% owned by Julius Fritid & Nöjen.

Nojesteatern is 100% owned by Julius Fritid & Nöjen with its business being the administration and rental of the theatre.

 

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