State Champ Radio International
Page: 32
LONDON — “We live to fight another day,” says a weary but cautiously optimistic Oliver Jones, looking back on this year’s Deer Shed Festival, which featured headline performances from bands The Coral, Bombay Bicycle Club and rising Irish singer CMAT, and took place under crystal blue skies July 26-29 in Baldersby Park, Yorkshire.
“I don’t know if we’ll make any money. We’ll likely just break-even but there were a lot of positives,” says the festival director, who co-founded the annual family-friendly event in 2010. This year’s Deer Shed sold around 80% of its 10,000 tickets, but good weather drove healthy bar and food sales, helping ensure the festival’s survival for at least one more run, hopefully several more, says Jones.
“The festival market is very volatile and there’s no big pot of money in the bank that will see us through a bad year,” he says. “Thankfully, this year appears to be a success. I feel like we’re back on track from pre-Covid times.”
Trending on Billboard
Other music festivals in the United Kingdom have not been so lucky. According to the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), 56 music festivals have either canceled, postponed or closed for good in the U.K. so far this year, up from 36 in 2023, with Hertfordshire’s Standon Calling and El Dorado Festival, and Cheshire’s Bluedot among the big-name casualties.
“The economics of putting on a festival have become so tough because supply chain costs have gone through the roof. All our members are feeling the pinch,” says AIF chief executive John Rostron. He says that promoters of small and mid-sized independent festivals, which already operate on tight margins, are suffering the most from production cost rises of over 30% compared to pre-pandemic levels.
In response, Jones brought several services in-house, such as marketing and talent booking, for this year’s Deer Shed Festival. He says the event also relies on favorable rates from local suppliers and free use of the festival site.
U.K. festivals of all sizes are also having to contend with the ongoing impact of high inflation, which peaked at over 11% in October 2022 and currently sits at around 4.2%, eating into music fans’ disposable income. The post-pandemic trend of audiences buying tickets later in the on-sale period, often waiting right up until the eve of an event, has added to promoters’ anxieties, says Rostron. AIF says overall ticket sales are around 4% down on last year among its 200-plus members.
“That 4% can be the difference between a promoter breaking even and them making a loss and not returning,” says Rostron, who warns that without government intervention the number of festival cancellations in U.K. could rise to 100 by the end of the summer season.
Festival promoters in central Europe are likewise facing rising production costs and changing audience tastes, although local live executives tell Billboard that the region has not been as heavily impacted as the U.K., where the launch of hundreds of new music festivals over the past decade has created a densely crowded market.
Nevertheless, a high number of European festivals have been called off this summer due to wide variety of factors, including low ticket sales, competing sporting events, lack of resources and personnel, and extreme rainfall. Among them: France’s Lollapalooza Paris 2024; Belgium’s Werchter Boutique and TW Classic; Ireland’s Wild Roots and Body and Soul; and the Netherlands’ Karnaval and Chillville festivals.
Promoters in France are also having to contend with a shortage of security and production staff because of the Paris Olympic Games, which runs until Aug. 11 and has employed a large percentage of the temporary workforce that typically works at summer music events. As a result, a number of French music festivals have been forced to either downsize, postpone until next year, or raise prices to stand a chance of breaking even.
“Many [French festival] promoters are quite afraid this season,” says Marie Sabot, director of We Love Green festival, which took place in Paris, May 31-June 2. Tickets for the 40,000-daily-capacity event — headlined by Burna Boy, Justice and SZA – cost 169 euro for a three-day pass, up 15% on 2023’s prices, with sales totaling 110,000. But bad weather in France and elsewhere in Europe in spring and early summer meant advance sales for We Love Green and many other festivals were slower than previous years, says Sabot, who represents festivals on the board of French live music trade group Ekhoscènes.
Sabot says an increase in the number of standalone shows by major touring artists such as AC/DC, Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift, who played four sold out shows at Paris La Défense Arena in May, has made a tough festival market even tougher. “We have too many headline shows this year,” she says. “The only territories [in France] where we have festivals that are [performing] quite strong are really far from the cities where they are not competing with big venues and arenas.”
Despite the economic challenges facing the sector, demand for live music still remains high across Europe, say executives. Many summer festivals, large and small, are sellouts, including Glastonbury, Green Man, Creamfields and Kendal Calling in the U.K.; Lowlands in the Netherlands and Tomorrowland in Belgium.
France’s Rock En Seine, which takes place Aug. 22-25 in Saint-Cloud and features Lana Del Rey, Fred Again… and LCD Soundsystem, is enjoying its “strongest year” in the event’s 19-year history, says Jim King, CEO of European Festivals at AEG. “We’re not seeing any significant shift in trends at the moment across our French business and Rock en Seine is selling at a much higher rate in advance sales than we have ever experienced,” says King.
John Reid, president of Live Nation Europe, calls the region’s festival market “massively competitive and always evolving.” He says that while there are always local challenges to navigate, the company is “seeing strong sales and continued overall growth” across Europe in 2024 with early summer highlights including Belgium’s Rock Werchter and the “biggest year ever” for Oslo’s Tons of Rock festival, which is now the largest festival in Norway. In the U.K and Ireland, Europe’s biggest live music market, Live Nation will host almost five million people at festivals this summer, says the firm’s U.K. and Ireland chairman Denis Desmond, “demonstrating that festivals remain vital to our cultural life.”
In order to protect the future health of the sector, live executives in the U.K. are calling on the newly elected Labour government to lower the rate of VAT sales tax charged on festival and concert tickets from 20% and bring it closer in line with other European countries, where the equivalent tax is typically set at under 10%.
Such tax benefits offer “a huge advantage” to the European live industry, says AEG’s Jim King, who calls on authorities in the U.K. “and all governments to follow this example.” The Association of Independent Festivals’ John Rostron says that reducing VAT on festival tickets to 5% — a temporary measure the U.K. government took during the pandemic – is the “silver bullet” the sector desperately needs. “Without it, we’re likely to see more promoters throw in the towel,” says Rostron.
Live executives in the Netherlands fear that they too could soon be hit by a rise in taxes on ticket sales for music, sports and cultural events with VAT rates due to increase from 9% to 21% in January 2026.
“The festival market is always in flux,” says Berend Schans, director of the Dutch Association of Music Venues and Festivals (VNPF), who opposes the proposed tax rise.
“Every year, some festivals disappear and new ones emerge,” says Schans. “However, we cannot deny that material costs, procurement costs, including artist fees, and personnel costs are skyrocketing, meaning that margins will be tighter for many festival organizers.”
The star’s German residency features a Ferris wheel, fireworks and some performances with a pianist in front of 75,000 fans.
A true champion for positive change in music will be honored at Billboard Canada Women in Music in Toronto on Sept. 7, 2024.
Jessie Reyez will accept the Trailblazer Award, which is given to a female artist who acts as a music industry pioneer by using her platform to spotlight unheard voices and break ground for future generations of performers.
The Canadian singer straddles the worlds of hip-hop, R&B and pop and has proven to be a big star both on and off stage. She’s hit the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Canadian Hot 100 multiple times, while also appearing on a number of other charts in genres including Latin, R&B and dance. She’s collaborated and toured with artists from Billie Eilish to Eminem to Big Sean to Sam Smith. She’s been a hitmaker behind the scenes, too, penning songs for artists including Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa.
On and offstage, Reyez has used her platform to speak up against systemic inequality — from lack of diversity on the staff of major labels to immigration issues to LGBTSQ+ rights.
Reyez was previously honored with the Impact Award at Billboard Women in Music in 2020, accepting during the virtual ceremony while speaking about the ways she’s had to break through barriers as a woman in music.
Trending on Billboard
“I’ve always said that being born a woman on this earth is like being born walking uphill,” she said. “There are so many burdens and bags that we carry and manage to do so with grace.”
Previous winners of the Trailblazer Award include Phoebe Bridgers, Kesha and Janelle Monae. Reyez will accept the award at the first edition of Billboard Women in Music in Canada.
The ceremony will also include guest of honor Alanis Morissette, who will win the Icon Award. The star-studded event will additionally celebrate previously announced honourees Allison Russell, LU Kala, The Beaches and more yet-to-be-announced.
For more on Billboard Canada Women in Music and to buy tickets for the September 7 event, head here. – Richard Trapunski
SiR’s Concert is Cancelled in Toronto, Fuelling Speculation about Drake’s Involvement
Another last-minute concert cancellation at History in Toronto is causing online speculation related to Drake‘s feud with Kendrick Lamar.
Los Angeles R&B singer SiR was set to perform at the venue on July 30 but announced on X (formerly Twitter) that the show has been canceled. The singer stated that the venue canceled the event even though, he says, the show was sold out. “Not sure why,” he tweeted.
ScHoolboy Q reacted with laughter to the news; the rapper’s July show at History was canceled earlier this month with no reason given, and at the time he took to the same platform to imply it was because of the feud between Lamar and Drake. History is a collaboration between Drake and Live Nation.
“CANADIAN POLICE DONT WANT NOBODY FROM TDE PERFORMING,” ScHoolboy wrote after his show’s cancellation. A spokesperson from the Toronto Police Service said it had no part in the decision to cancel the concert.
ScHoolboy Q and Lamar are former labelmates on Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), which Lamar left last year, as well as former members of the group Black Hippy. SiR is also on the label and has collaborated with Lamar.
The SiR cancellation follows another Drake-related incident at History on Monday night (July 29). DJ Scheme, opening for Ski Mask The Slump God, dropped Lamar’s Drake diss track “Not Like Us” at the venue and shared a clip of the crowd singing along at full volume.
ScHoolboy Q, meanwhile, made a not-so-cryptic post on X shortly after, which simply read: “HAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHH 🔵.” His followers interpreted it as a reaction to the “Not Like Us” needle drop. – Rosie Long Decter
Céline Dion Sees Global Spike in Streams After Soaring Olympics Comeback
It’s all coming back to her now: Listeners are streaming Céline Dion in big numbers following a triumphant comeback performance.
The French Canadian superstar performed from the Eiffel Tower on July 26 as part of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. Dion sang French icon Edith Piaf‘s “L’Hymne à l’amour,” making an emotional and highly-anticipated return to the stage amidst a battle with Stiff Person Syndrome.
Viewers tuned in across the globe to see Dion’s performance, and they clearly want more. Her global Spotify listenership has jumped 36% since the performance, with a 64% jump in France.
Dion isn’t the only artist whose catalogue is benefitting from the performance. The original recording of “L’Hymne à l’amour” by Piaf saw a 317% jump in Spotify streams in the day after the opening ceremony.
The big bump in listeners indicates that the public is ready and waiting for Dion’s return. Though she hasn’t confirmed a follow-up performance, there have been rumours of a potential Las Vegas show on the horizon.
The performance also followed the June release of a documentary chronicling Dion’s experiences with Stiff Person Syndrome, I Am: Céline Dion.
She shared a message on Instagram after the performance for the athletes in Paris: “stay focused, keep going, my heart is with you!” After everything she’s been through, her heart goes on. – RLD
As legendary K-pop label YG Entertainment prepared its female act to follow its chart-topping girl group BLACKPINK, the seven members being considered for a place in the new act BABYMONSTER – Ruka, Pharita, Rami, Ahyeon, Rora, Asa and Chiquita — competed against each other on the digital series Last Evaluation. Mentored and critiqued by YG […]
The 1975 and frontman Matty Healy are facing a lawsuit from the organizers of Malaysia’s Good Vibes Festival, according to a report by Variety, filed over accusations that Healy’s on-stage protest of the country’s anti-LGBTQ laws resulted in the festival being shut down.
In a case filed in the UK’s High Court, Future Sound Asia is demanding $2.4 million over the July 2023 incident in Kuala Lumpur, during which Healy gave a profanity-laden speech criticizing Malaysia’s anti-LGBTQ laws and then kissed bandmate Ross MacDonald.
Following the incident, local authorities revoked the festival’s license and canceled the final two nights of shows. As reported by Billboard last year, sources within Future Sound said that the incident left the festival in financial ruin and could limit future concerts in Malaysia for years.
Trending on Billboard
In its lawsuit, Future Sound claims that Healy and The 1975 breached their contract with the festival, which stipulated that they would abide by local guidelines. Those rules included kissing, swearing, smoking and drinking on stage, taking off clothes, and talking about politics or religion.
The case claims that local authorities initially refused to let The 1975 play at all, citing Healy’s drug problems. But Future Sound claims that the band appealed and promised that Healy would adhere to “all local guidelines and regulations” in order to secure approval.
A rep for the band did not immediately return a request for comment on the accusations.
Healy’s kiss and statements — he said, among other things, that it was “f—ing ridiculous to tell people what they can do with that and that” — were meant as a protest against Malaysia’s strict anti-LGBTQ+ laws, which make homosexuality a crime.
But local activists have since criticized him, calling it a “publicity stunt” by a Western rock star with a “white savior complex.” He also took light criticism from Julian Casablancas of The Strokes, who had been scheduled to play before the festival was canceled, who said that people “should be knowledgable and respectful toward the culture you’re not familiar with.”
Healy addressed those critiques in October, saying he was “pissed off” about the “liberal outrage against our band for remaining consistent with our pro-LGBTQ stage show.”
Tributes from across the live music industry have been paid to Chris York, one of the United Kingdom’s leading promoters and a director of SJM Concerts, following his death at age 55 following a long illness.
In a statement on Thursday (July 25), SJM Concerts said the company was “deeply saddened” to announce the passing of a man who “helped define the U.K.’s live music scene” over the past three decades.
York’s career in the live music industry began in the late 1980s when he started booking gigs at Warwick University, where he was a student.
After finishing his studies, York worked as a booker at London’s The Venue — putting on early shows by Pulp, Suede and PJ Harvey — before deepening his knowledge of the live business with roles at U.K. live promoters Straight Music and MCP Concerts.
Trending on Billboard
In 1993, York joined SJM Concerts, where he “formed a solid and unshakeable partnership and friendship” with the company’s founder, Simon Moran, that “would last the rest of his career,” the Manchester-based firm said in a statement.
Artists that York promoted during his three decades at SJM included Oasis, Foo Fighters, Green Day, The Chemical Brothers, Lily Allen, Massive Attack, Smashing Pumpkins, Underworld, Robert Plant, Underworld, Lorde, Morrissey, Lorde, Placebo, Kraftwerk, Swedish House Mafia, Suede and Stereophonics, among many others.
Oasis singer Liam Gallagher, The Doves, The Pogues, Stereophonics and Suede are among the many acts who posted tributes on social media.
“Chris York was a true unsung hero of the music world,” wrote The Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess on X, adding that the British group “are proud” to have called York a friend.
“You might not recognise the name but if you’re a London gig-goer then you’ll have been at one of the thousands of gigs [York] put on through SJM,” stated Suede’s bassist Mat Osman, who called York “a huge friend and supporter” of the group. “He put on Suede shows from the lowliest to the biggest and was a constant presence in our career,” he added.
Posting on X, U.K. indie rock group Shed Seven said it was “heartbroken” to hear of York’s death. The promoter “played a pivotal role in shaping our career from the very beginning, standing by us every step of the way,” said the band, who topped the U.K. albums charts earlier this year. Shed Seven went on to call York “a kind and inspirational man, a true gent, one of the good guys.”
Those sentiments were echoed by U.K. venue operator Academy Music Group, which called York “a force of nature, exceptional promoter, industry pioneer and above all, a genuine music fan and all-round lovely man.”
During his career, York also worked closely with The Who’s Roger Daltrey, live producer Des Murphy and fellow SJM director Rob Ballantine on establishing the annual Teenage Cancer Trust spring concert series at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Since its launch in 2006, the event has raised more than £30 million ($38 million) for charity with everyone from Ed Sheeran to New Order to Paul McCartney taking part.
In 2021, York was awarded the Jo Walker Meador International Award by the Country Music Association for his work on the Country to Country (C2C) Music festival, which SJM launched in 2013 in partnership with AEG Europe. The event has since become Europe’s biggest country music festival, taking place annually at London’s The O2 arena, Glasgow’s OVO Hydro and Belfast’s The SSE Arena.
“When he got involved at the start of C2C Chris really knew f— all about country. But to his credit he knew what he had to do and immersed himself in every aspect of it and soon became a go-to oracle on country, which he always maintained,” Steve Homer, CEO of AEG Presents U.K., tells Billboard. “He has left a big hole in the live music industry and I’m not sure it will ever be filled.”
“Chris was so loved by the business as you can see from the tributes that are flooding in for him from far and wide,” Emma Banks, co-head of global touring at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and a close friend of York, tells Billboard.
“I am going to miss working with him. I am going to miss his wisdom. I am going to miss chatting with him about pretty much everything and having a laugh with him,” Banks adds. “My thoughts are with Alice, his family, friends and the team at SJM.”
Also paying tribute was Live Nation U.K. and Ireland chairman Denis Desmond, who said York was “a fighter to the end. His legacy will live on.”
LONDON — Record companies that actively embrace sustainability are more efficient, more innovative and more likely to appeal to artists, fans and employees, according to research carried out by European independent labels trade body IMPALA.
The Brussels-based organization’s inaugural report into the economic benefits of sustainability, published Thursday (July 25), says that labels who have implemented green measures, such as reducing travel and shifting distribution from air to sea freight, make cost savings over time and reduce waste.
Other rewards identified by IMPALA members who took part in the survey include tax breaks for sustainable initiatives and the ability to gain a competitive advantage over less-eco-friendly businesses when it comes to attracting and retaining artists, especially from younger musicians who place sustainability high among their list of priorities.
Trending on Billboard
Labels and music companies who have taken environmentally friendly action additionally benefit from an improved brand image among music fans and a more creative and forward-thinking business culture, said the trade group.
The report’s findings are based on qualitative interviews IMPALA conducted earlier this year with a number of European indie labels signed up to the organization’s sustainability task force, including Beggars Group, Ninja Tune, PIAS, Warp and Domino.
Independent research projects carried out by U.K. labels trade body BPI, professional services company PWC and Harvard Business Review into sustainability also fed into the report’s findings.
Helen Smith, executive chair of IMPALA, said its research indicated that the adoption of sustainability practices by record companies benefits not just the planet but also delivers “concrete advantages in other areas such as attracting artists, reducing costs, hiring and retaining employees,” as well as “being seen as a [market] leader.”
“The question of futureproofing is also important as companies see sustainability as an opportunity before it becomes a burden, and this pays off almost immediately,” said Smith in a statement accompanying the report.
IMPALA, which represents 6,000 independently owned European labels and music companies in 33 countries, launched its sustainability program in 2021. It aims to halve the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions before 2050.
To help reach those goals the organization devised a carbon footprint calculator for member labels to measure and reduce their emissions. So far, nearly 150 labels have signed up to the initiative, which has now been rolled out to the U.S. in partnership with the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM).
IMPALA’s first carbon footprint calculator data report, which was published last year, found that the biggest source of carbon emissions for the indie sector is manufacturing (predominantly vinyl production), followed by the distribution of physical products.
To help tackle the climate crisis record labels around the world are taking positive steps to become more sustainable by reducing waste, water, electricity and fuel consumption.
Other green practices that have been recently introduced by IMPALA members include replacing plastic jewel CD cases with cardboard ones and switching vinyl production from PVC compound to the more environmentally friendly polyethylene terephthalate (PET) material, which equates to a 70-80% reduction in energy consumption, says the organization. Opting for 140g vinyl instead of 180g also lowers production costs and labels’ environmental impact, it adds.
Members of IMPALA’s sustainability task force noted that green initiatives had a significant impact on the quantity and quality of job applications they received, improving employee retention and workplace culture.
“We’re proud to have sustainability as one of our core company values and have seen this translated with attracting and retaining top talent, said Horst Weidenmueller, chair of IMPALA’s sustainability task force and CEO of K7 Music.
Last month, the Germany-based label became one of the first indies to receive B Corp certification in recognition of its social and environmental practices. “It’s great to see consumers and suppliers moving in the same direction,” said Weidenmueller in a statement.
According to a 2022 survey by U.K. charity Music Declares Emergency and the University of Glasgow, music fans are more likely to care about climate change and place a higher priority on tackling the crisis than non-music fans. A different survey by U.K. entertainment product manufacturer Key Production found that 71% of 18–24-year-old respondents were willing to spend more on physical music products with a reduced environmental impact. Across all age groups, 50% of respondents said they would pay a premium price for eco-friendly merchandise, CDs or records.
In line with consumers’ growing concerns around environmental issues, sustainability has become a key focus and area of investment for the wider music industry.
Last year, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group joined forces to establish the Music Industry Climate Collective (MICC) – a new alliance to address and lessen the sector’s environmental impact, which is being assisted and advised by A2IM.
In 2021, all three major record companies, plus independent labels BMG, Beggars, Partisan, Warp, Ninja Tune and the Secretly Group, signed up to the Music Climate Pact, a wide-ranging commitment to “decarbonize” the global record business.
Ticketmaster announced Wednesday (July 24) that the company is expanding its presence in Africa with the acquisition of Quicket, described in a press release as “a major player in Africa’s general admission event and festival ticketing.” Quicket, which was founded in South Africa in 2011, is known for its self-service platform and event organizer […]
Sellout events like Glastonbury Festival and mega-grossing stadium shows by Beyoncé, Harry Styles and Blur helped lift the U.K. live music industry to record heights last year, generating 8 billion pounds ($10.3 billion) for the country’s economy, according to new figures published Tuesday (July 23).
Umbrella trade organization UK Music reports that 19.2 million “music tourists” attended live concerts and festivals in the United Kingdom in 2023, up 33% on the previous year. The trade body defines a “music tourist” as someone who has traveled at least three times the average commuting distance for their region or is based overseas.
The £8 billion financial windfall these music tourists contributed to the local economy through direct spending on things like gig tickets, travel, accommodation and food and beverage sales, as well as indirect spending on supply chain businesses such as security and fencing, represents an increase of 21% on 2022’s 6.6 billion pound total.
Trending on Billboard
The 2023 figure is the highest ever recorded by UK Music since the organization started analyzing music tourism spending a decade ago. That’s despite the number of foreign concertgoers falling fractionally to just over 1 million last year, down from 1.053 million in 2022. However, the total number of domestic music tourists grew 36% year-on-year to 18.2 million, said UK Music, while 62,000 jobs were sustained by live gigs.
On a regional basis, London was the United Kingdom’s most popular destination for attending music concerts, drawing 6.9 million music tourists — up 40% year-on-year — who contributed £2.8 billion ($3.6 billion) in spending. The North West of England, a region which includes the cities of Manchester and Liverpool, was the second most popular destination for traveling music fans, with 2.3 million people visiting for live shows and spending £735 million ($950 million).
UK Music chief executive Tom Kiehl said in a statement that the record numbers “demonstrates the positive impact music tourism has on our towns and cities” but warned that “beyond a handful of very successful musicians the opportunities for many artists are becoming increasingly squeezed.”
“Grassroots music venues and festivals, studios and rehearsal spaces are facing tough economic pressures and it’s vital that the music ecosystem that enables musicians and artists to perform is supported to ensure that everyone — no matter where they live — can have access to music,” added Kiehl.
So far this year, around 50 U.K. music festivals have either been canceled or folded entirely due to rising production costs and changes in music fans’ ticket-buying habits, according to The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF). The country’s grassroots music venues circuit is also having a difficult time, with the Music Venue Trust (MVT) reporting that 125 venues have either shut down or stopped putting on live music in 2023.
For emerging and mid-tier U.K. artists, the increased costs of fuel and post-Brexit requirements for touring carnets and work permits have brought further financial burdens. As a result, UK Music is calling on the newly installed Labour Government to urgently address what it is calling a “cost-of-touring crisis.”
The United Kingdom is the world’s second-largest music exporter and the world’s third-biggest recorded music market behind the United States and Japan. But without action, it risks being overtaken by countries who are more proactive, warns the trade body, which published a 10-point “Manifesto for Music” last year.
“The U.K’s thriving music industry continues to be one of our most powerful global exports and an important driver of economic growth,” said culture secretary Lisa Nandy in a statement accompanying Tuesday’s music tourism figures.
She said the government will “work hard to ensure our creative industries get the support they need to flourish, driving opportunity and economic growth into every community and inspiring the next generation of performers.”
The inaugural SXSW London will take place June 2-7, 2025, at more than 20 venues throughout the city’s Shoreditch neighborhood, marking the first time the longstanding event will happen in Europe.
As the gears get turning, the event has also announced new hires Clare Barry, the former marketing director of Cannes Lions; writer and film programmer Anna Bogutskaya; and artistic curator Beth Greenacre. Organizers forecast that SXSW London will generate more than £75 million (roughly $97 million) for the U.K. economy.
According to its booker Adem Holness, a London native, the event will also emphasize the city’s many cultures while working to connect artists and industry workers from local scenes with international audiences and potential partners.
Trending on Billboard
“The thing we can do uniquely is pull together reflections of the cutting-edge, grassroots music communities and — if I’m just thinking about the music program — how people can get involved in what is happening at the cutting edge and how they might be able to work with those different international music scenes to develop them and develop ideas with them,” he says. “That’s what I think SXSW London should be.”
This focus is thus not just on music, film and technology, but the cultures these things emanate from. This, Holness envisions, will create a gathering that “doesn’t just feel like a series of performances, but like you’re experiencing culture and moment around that.”
The event will also incorporate broader European perspectives, with Holness and his team focused on programming that highlights “the cutting edge of music and culture in Europe and beyond.” As such, he adds, the goal is to “make sure our neighbors and friends feel like they’re a big part of what we’re trying to do.”
Still, the 20,000 anticipated attendees will land at an event site that is distinctly London, with Holness saying that Shoreditch “feels in a way like a microcosm of what London is. It’s a hub of technology, but you’ve also got incredible nightlife. You’ve got distinct diasporic communities in and around that area and obviously the whole of London. But I think [Shoreditch provides] a great opportunity for people who might not have been to London before to understand who we are and what we’re about.”
SXSW London follows the 2023 debut of SXSW Sydney. The original event in Austin has been happening since 1987 and has grown to become one of the biggest events in the global music calendar, attracting hundreds of thousands of musicians, creatives, filmmakers, media companies and music industry executives to the state of Texas every March.
“I hope that the Austin and Sydney teams, when we’ve done our take on it, feel proud of it as well,” Holness says. “I hope they feel like it lives up to the incredible work they’ve done, but also has its own flavor.”
In April 2021, it was announced that SXSW had signed a “lifeline” deal with P-MRC, a joint venture between Penske Media Corporation and MRC, making P-MRC a stakeholder and long-term partner with the Austin festival. P-MRC is the parent company of Billboard.
