Sphere
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With its 30-show Dead Forever residency at Las Vegas’ Sphere, Dead & Company has written another entry in the Grateful Dead’s 60-year legacy of live music reinvention. Beginning in late May, the band – comprised of founding Grateful Dead members Bob Weir and Mickey Hart, alongside John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge, Jeff Chimenti and Jay Lane – has delivered a series of three-night runs, each without song repeats and featuring a rotating carousel of visuals ranging from diaristic photo collages to abstract technicolor animations.
For Dead Forever, which wraps this weekend with three shows Aug. 8-10, the jam band turned to Treatment Studio, the agency that has handled creative for Dead & Company and Mayer solo tours alike. Co-founded by Willie Williams and Sam Pattinson in 2009, Treatment had another critical qualification: It also spearheaded U2:UV Achtung Baby Live, the 40-date residency that opened the venue last fall.
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“It is very sweet how so many of the principles of the U2 show have become kind of boilerplate for all shows in there, because that’s what works,” says Williams, who as U2’s creative director has been responsible for the band’s tours dating back to the ’80s, including its groundbreaking “Zoo TV” outing in the early ’90s. (In fact, Treatment’s connection to Sphere predates even U2’s residency: When the venue was still just a concept, the agency created a promotional video about it to circulate among touring professionals, and Treatment consulted about how touring shows might adapt themselves for Sphere.)
But even given its familiarity with the cutting-edge venue and rapport with the third artist to perform there (Treatment wasn’t involved in April’s four-show Phish run between U2 and Dead & Company), Dead Forever still proved daunting. “They play different versions of songs, different durations, the setlist is always different, and they wanted the visual aspect of the show to vary as well,” says Pattinson, who served as Dead Forever creative director alongside Mayer. Deadheads, he adds, will see multiple shows, so the band “wanted to see variety between the three, so there was a new offering every night.”
Dead & Company at Sphere
Chloe Weir
Treatment began ideating Dead Forever with Dead & Company last November, and according to Pattinson, Mayer took the creative reins. “The whole concept came from John,” he explains of the show, which begins and ends at the Dead’s late-’60s home on 710 Ashbury Street in San Francisco and, in between, transports audiences to distant psychedelic realms as well as historic venues from the band’s past. “The show you see today is the show that he outlined in November; it was a very strong concept.”
Such a strong concept, it turns out, that Dead Forever was still adding to its robust stable of visuals –which already included core pieces like the San Francisco liftoff and touchdown, created by famed Bay Area agency Industrial Light & Magic, and a pastoral, paint-by-numbers world designed by London company Art & Graft – as late in the residency as its penultimate weekend.
Treatment isn’t involved in Sphere’s two upcoming music bookings, Eagles (starting Sept. 20) and Anyma (starting Dec. 27), and the firm has its hands full with other projects far from Sin City; when Billboard connected with Williams and Pattinson, the latter was in Munich, putting the final touches on Adele in Munich just hours before the singer’s German residency kicked off. But, Pattinson says, Treatment would “absolutely” like to return to the space in the future. “You really want to work with a band that, like U2 or Dead & Co., really sort of begins to understand the space, or are open to understanding and learning about the space and what that means for them and their performance,” he says. “Someone who’s got a lot of time to put into it.”
Dead & Company at Sphere
Chloe Weir
What was your reaction when U2 first approached you about its Sphere residency?
Willie Williams: Many things about it, initially, I was either suspicious of or wasn’t very excited about. Bono particularly was leading the charge; we talk a lot and part of his point was, “Look, what else are we going to do? Are we gonna go out and reinvent stadium rock again?” When you’ve got not only a new venue, but a completely new kind of venue, surely, if you’re going to try and put music in there, the people that need to do it are the people that have been blazing that trail for 30 years. The journey was extraordinarily uphill. Because, of course, the building didn’t exist when we were conceiving the show. So not only did we have to conceive the show, we had to conceive the building as well – I had to imagine what the building would be like. It was a long journey, but we had time. We’ll be the only people who had the luxury of having several months in the building prior to the first show. But we really were making it up as we went along.
Based on your experience with U2, what are the guiding principles for a successful Sphere show?
Williams: The big takeaway, for me, was understanding that Sphere is a three-dimensional audio-visual space, and what works in there are the kind of visual things you would make for VR rather than for cinema. It sounds so stupid, but the fact that there are no corners really was a revelation. And for me, when I started playing with very simple graphic things, I realized that your brain has no sense of where the visual plane is. And not only are there no corners, but we could introduce virtual corners and shapes of our own and your brain absolutely buys it – I was really shocked at the degree to which your brain buys the environment that you’re in.
Dead & Company at Sphere
ALIVECOVERAGE
Sam, in a nutshell, how would you describe the concept that Mayer brought to you?
Sam Pattinson: John’s overall concept was a perfect framework for the culture of the band and their history. And it was this idea of “We start in a sort of historically relevant place, and then we could start this journey. And we use a series of portals that transport to different worlds and environments and scenes and animations and bits and bobs.” It’s a very flexible structure that we could change. Because every show, we get the setlist the night before, and we have to rebuild the show to the new setlist. So obviously it needs to be versatile – which it is.
What challenges did switching the show up night to night present? And did you see that as an opportunity?
Pattinson: Absolutely – it was great. I mean, it was added work and stress at times. The initial commission from the band was they wanted us to produce 30% to 40% more content than we needed for a show; obviously, the shows are three hours long. To date, we’ve made almost six hours worth of content. We had lots of choices, and very strong pieces within that. So actually, it wasn’t difficult to refresh the show every night – it was quite good fun.
The show begins and ends in San Francisco, but in between goes to both the cosmos and important venues from the Dead’s history, like Radio City Music Hall and Cornell University’s Barton Hall. Was balancing those elements difficult?
Pattinson: We had to nod to the big moments in their career and venues and so on, and the characters and their graphics, and all those things that the fans are familiar with. But [the band has] always been open-minded and they’ve always tried new stuff. That was very much the case in Vegas. They were open to content that we thought probably wasn’t right for them [and] was probably for more of a contemporary band, perhaps, or a younger band. So actually, combining some of their historic content with the more abstract and more contemporary stuff was quite an easy balance to strike.
Dead & Company at Sphere
Chloe Weir
What advice would you have for an artist considering playing Sphere?
Williams: To have a lot more time and a lot more money than you could possibly imagine you’d need. My takeaway is imagine you’re making material for VR but without a headset. That’s how you get the real magic out of the space, rather than it just being big, big films. I’ve had artists ask, “How many nights would I have to do at the Sphere to make it break even?” and “What sort of budget would I have to have?” Those questions just can’t be answered really, because there are just so many other factors involved. [But] it would have to be a residency and you’d have to look at the whole thing in a very overall sense.
Even beyond Sphere, stadium and arena shows are becoming more complex and immersive. Do you think that’s becoming more important for fans as they choose which artists to see in concert?
Williams: I think the only thing the audience cares about is making an emotional connection with the performer. And if the technology can assist that, then great. And if not, I don’t think they care at all. The intrusiveness of big visuals is a really, really delicate balance. I’ve always admired U2 for having the confidence to understand that it’s OK to let go of being the center of attention for a moment – something very big and visual is going to happen, and everyone’s going to look at it. And it cost a fortune, so they better look at it! And at that moment, they’re not going to be looking at you, but that’s OK, because they’ll get back to you. It’s a brave performer that has that much confidence.
Italian producer Anyma has today (July 23) announced selling out all six of his upcoming Sphere shows, for a total of 100,000 tickets sold. Tickets went on sale earlier today, with a pre-sale event happening yesterday. The first show of the run, on New Year’s Eve, was announced just last week, with five additional dates […]
Two days after the announcement that Anyma will be the first electronic music act to play Sphere in Las Vegas, the artist and venue have added two additional shows to the run.
In addition to the previously announced December 31 show, Anyma will now also play Sphere on December 29-30. Ticket prices for the new events will be the same as the NYE show, with the general on sale starting July 23 and a presale happening on July 22.
The expansion of this Sphere run is being credited to “overwhelming demand” by the show’s promoter, Live Nation. Given that the concert’s production elements are custom made for the tech forward venue, more dates also likely increases ROI for involved parties.
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Anyma, whose sound is focused on melodic techno, is made up of Italian producer Matteo Milleri, who is also one half of the electronic duo Tale of Us. The Sphere performance will find Anyma bringing his Genesys show to Las Vegas, marking the final times this show will be performed. The performance is officially titled Afterlife Presents Anyma: The End of Genesys and will feature yet to be announced special guests.
Named for Anyma’s 2023 debut album, Genesys and its 2024 followup Genesys II, the Genesys show has been performed for tens of thousands of people at venues in Asia, Europe, South America and beyond. The albums, like the corresponding visual performance, explore themes of technology, nature, humanity and coexistence. Afterlife is the label founded by Tale Of Us in 2016. Both Tale Of Us and Anyma have gained global renown for their visuals-focused production, which explores topics like evolution and consciousness.
Featuring lineups lead by Tale Of US, both Afterlife showcases at the Los Angeles State Historic Park last October were sold out. Last summer, Afterlife partnered with Interscope Records for a deal under which Interscope will distribute all Afterlife releases, including all past and future recordings.
While Las Vegas is a longstanding U.S. electronic music hub, since opening in September of 2023, Sphere has not, until now, featured the genre, instead focusing on rock with venue openers U2, along with jam bands via residencies from Phish and Dead & Company. Classic rock will also move into the venue this fall with a residency from the Eagles.
In May, Sphere’s parent company, Sphere Entertainment Co, reported that the venue generated revenue of $170.4 million in its fiscal third quarter ending March 31. Opened to much fanfare last September, the venue cost $2.3 billion to build.
James Dolan will continue his run as Sphere Entertainment Co.’s executive chairman/CEO for another three years. Sphere Entertainment gave Dolan a three-year contract extension that runs from July 1 to June 30, 2027, according to a July 3 regulatory filing. Sphere Entertainment consists of Sphere, the groundbreaking, $2.3-billion venue in Las Vegas; MSG Networks, which […]
Billionaire hedge fund titan Steve Cohen‘s Point72 Asset Management has acquired a 5.5% stake in Sphere Entertainment Co, the MSG Entertainment spin-off company that owns the state-of-the-art Las Vegas Sphere venue. Point72 disclosed in a regulatory filing on Monday (June 24) that it acquired 1.56 million shares of Sphere Entertainment Co in the second quarter, […]
James Dolan, executive chairman/CEO of MSG Entertainment, will lead the New York-based live events company for another three years. Dolan received a new contract that will keep him at MSG Entertainment through June 2027, the company revealed on Friday (June 21) in a regulatory filing. Dolan, who is also the CEO of both MSG Sports […]
It’s time for another spin around the Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music. Don’t forget to dig into this year’s Indie Power Players list. We also have a weekly interview series spotlighting a single executive and a regularly updated gallery honoring many of the industry figures we’ve lost throughout the year.
Sphere Entertainment has turned to Hollywood studio veteran Carolyn Blackwood as its new head of Sphere Studios, which develops and produces the “multi-sensory entertainment experiences” for concerts, corporate events and more at the next-generation spherical wonder. At Sphere, Blackwood will lead a team of creative, production and other various wizards responsible for those immersive experiences, plus work closely with MSG Ventures on developing the production technologies needed to create them. Blackwood has more than 25 years of studio experience, and was most recently chief operating officer at Warner Bros. Pictures. Prior to WB, she spent 20-plus years at New Line Cinema, where she rose to president and chief content officer. Between those two studios, she was integrally involved with some of the biggest films of the last quarter-century, including The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Barbie and The Conjuring franchise.
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“Throughout my career, I have focused on creative and business innovation in the entertainment industry, as well as the pursuit of production excellence, and this is a tremendous opportunity to be part of the cutting-edge work at Sphere,” said Blackwood. Sphere’s newly elevated president and COO Jennifer Koester added that she believe’s Blackwood’s “expertise bringing high-profile entertainment projects to life will be an asset as we continue to build on, and grow, the Studios’ capabilities.”
The creative team at Sphere also includes chief creative officer Ned McNeilage, who joined earlier this year. Since opening last year with a successful run of U2 shows, the Las Vegas megavenue has been in a jam-y mood with a four concert mini-residency by Phish and an in-progress 24-date residency by Dead & Company. An eight-date run by Eagles is scheduled for the fall.
Meanwhile…
Universal Music India and South Asia promoted Viral Jani to chief revenue officer. Jani joined UMGISA in 2023 as head of digital, strategy & transformation, having previously held senior positions at Times Network, GroupM and Twitter, among others. The promotion follows the May elevation of Sanujeet Bhujabal from evp of content to managing director of the Mumbai-based label division. “[The promotions of Bhujabal and Jani] reflects the company’s commitment to growth and development of one of Universal Music Group’s most important emerging markets,” noted Adam Granite, CEO, Universal Music Group AMEA. “Together they will work closely, alongside Chairman & CEO Devraj Sanyal and myself, to deliver our mission of creating the best music-based entertainment company in the region.”
Warner Chappell Music promoted A&R exec Jessi Vaughn Stevenson to vp, A&R and digital. Stevenson will continue reporting to Ben Vaughn, president/CEO WCM Nashville, as she strategizes opportunities for songwriters. During her career, Stevenson has worked with songwriters including Jessi Alexander, Rhett Akins, Parker McCollum, Hailey Whitters, Morgan Wallen and Randy Montana. “Jessi has always shown commitment to songwriters, helping them with their craft and careers,” said Vaughn. “She is always thinking of new ways to support songwriters and is a wonderful team player. We’re happy to announce her promotion.” –Jessica Nicholson
APM Music elevated creative executive Adam Weitz from senior director to vp of TV and film sync. Weitz has spent the bulk of his 16-year sync licensing career — roughly 11-and-a-half years — at APM, a production music joint venture between Universal Music Publishing Group and Sony Music Publishing. During that time he and his TV/Film team has banked large-scale licensing deals with Hollywood studios, streaming platforms and others, and locked in placements with hundreds of films and shows, including recent wins in Oppenheimer, Succession, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Ted Lasso and more. He also spearheads APM’s sample clearance business, which has collaborated with Drake, Beck, The Black Keys and others. Weitz reports to chief revenue officer Chad Elbert and president Adam Taylor, who remarked, “His deep industry connections and unique blend of creative and licensing expertise have established him as one of the very best in the industry.” Prior to joining APM in 2013, the Los Angeles-based exec spent nearly five years in leadership at sync licensing house Visions from the Roof. Under the pseudonym Phofo, Weitz composed music for several animated shows including Sushi Pack, Care Bears and Club Penguin, and he co-produced the first studio LP by MC Paul Barman. Reach him at aweitz@apmmusic.com.
BOARD SHORTS: Furnace Record Pressing founder and former CEO Eric Astor was elected to the Vinyl Record Manufacturing Association‘s board of directors. VRMA works to advance the record manufacturing sector — in which Astor has been deeply invested since FRP’s 1996 founding. He recently transitioned to an advisor role at the Metallica-backed Virginia plant, with Ali Miller taking over as CEO in March … OpenAI (ChatGPT) appointed Paul M. Nakasone, the former head of the National Security Agency (NSA), to its board of directors.
BMG appointed Alexandra Behrens as senior vp of global people excellence, a most excellent way of saying she’ll oversee HR services and operations across the company. Behrens is sliding over from Bertelsmann sister company Gruner + Jahr (G+J), where she led the people management & services team during a 15-year run at the print publishing giant. “Alexandra’s leadership will be instrumental in driving our global HR initiatives and fostering a culture of excellence across all of our locations,” said BMG CHRO Nikola Holle-Spiegel, to whom she’ll report. BMG recently announced a fine-tuning of its frontline recordings business under Jon Loba.
Digital Media Association (DiMA) promoted Sally Rose Larson to senior vp of government and external affairs. Prior to joining DiMA in 2019 as the audio streaming trade group’s vp of government relations, the Georgia native served as legislative director and later deputy chief of staff to Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA), and was chief copyright advisor to House Judiciary Committee GOPers.
Reed Smith welcomed Jackson Abbeduto as counsel in its global entertainment and media industry group. Based in the lauded law firm‘s Century City, Calif. office, Abbeduto arrives following a year as counsel at Granderson Des Rochers. Prior to that, he spent nearly a decade at Universal Music Publishing Group and three years at YouTube as an executive. “Music is very important to our overall practice strategy, and considering our partner Gregor Pryor is the leading digital music lawyer in Europe, Jackson will have all the resources necessary to help us be on the forefront of advising clients in the US on all cutting-edge digital issues,” said Stephen Sessa, the co-chair of Reed Smith’s global entertainment and media industry group.
RADIO, RADIO: Cumulus Media promoted Kriston Aitken to chief human resources officer, taking over for a retiring Todd McCarty, who held the role for nine years. The HR veteran joined Cumulus in 2016 and was elevated to vp of Human Resources two years ago … Jose George and Olivia Morley joined advertising consulting firm Madison and Wall as senior analysts, according to Radio Ink … Samantha Melbourneweaver is joining NPR as managing editor/digital audience growth & engagement. She was previously the assistant managing editor of audience at the Los Angeles Times.
CAA promoted 15 employees, including Shayna Ehrlich to music marketing executive in the agency’s music touring department. She joined the firm in March 2019 as a music and comedy tour marketing assistant and later shed the laughs part of her workload. Prior to joining CAA, the NYC-based Ehrlich was in media strategy at iHeartMedia. THR has more details on the moves.
Hollywood-based publicist and former TV programmer Kiki Ayers launched My Best Kid Life, a new “daily guide on how parents and kids can live their best life” that will focus on wellness, nutrition, co-parenting and more, plus feature exclusive interviews with celebs discussing parenthood. Unique to MBKL is that all images used for the company are in the style of comic book, cartoon or anime. Pryor to this new venture, Ayers ran her PR firm Ayers Publicity and worked as an entertainment reporter. Earlier in her career, Ayers was a music programming manager at REVOLT and was in production at both MTV2 and The Jerry Springer Show.
ICYMI:
Richard Burgess
A2IM president and CEO Richard James Burgess telegraphed his exit from the indie label trade group … UTA hired ex-Ingrooves chief Bob Roback as COO … Downtown named Molly Neuman as president of its CD Baby arm … Jennifer Koester was promoted to president and COO of Sphere Entertainment … UnitedMasters hired Def Jam vet LaTrice Burnette as evp and head of music … and COLTURE‘s Ty Baisden was named executive of the year in Billboard‘s Indie Power Players list.
Last Week’s Turntable: TikTok Lawyers Up
Las Vegas’ Sphere has its next occupant lined up. The mind-bending venue announced on Thursday (June 13) that Rock and Roll Hall of Famers the Eagles will swoop into town in the fall for eight residency shows over four weekends. The gigs will kick off on Sept. 20 and run through Oct. 19, with a […]
Jennifer Koester is expanding her role at Sphere Entertainment. The live entertainment executive has been named president/COO of Sphere, effective immediately.
Prior to her promotion, Koester served as the company’s president of Sphere Business Operations, which saw her lead the strategy and execution of all business aspects of Sphere, the next-generation entertainment venue in Las Vegas.
In her new role, Koester will continue to work with executive leadership and provide strategic oversight for Sphere Studios, the immersive content studio in Burbank dedicated to developing multi-sensory experiences exclusively for Sphere, including further developing Sphere Studios’ capabilities as a full-service production studio. Koester will also continue to focus on maximizing venue utilization across a range of categories such as original programming, attractions, concerts, residencies, and corporate and marquee events, as well as driving strategic partnerships, delivering the best customer experience and growing Sphere as a premium global brand.
“Since joining our team earlier this year, Jennifer’s contributions have had a significant impact,” said Sphere Entertainment executive chairman/CEO James Dolan in a statement. “We believe we are just scratching the surface of what is possible with Sphere, and her expertise will be essential as we continue to advance on our long-term vision for this next-generation entertainment medium.”
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“I welcome the opportunity to take on this expanded role,” added Koester. “Across the Sphere organization we are focused on both bringing unique experiences to life in Las Vegas, and developing new experiences that will keep Sphere at the forefront of immersive entertainment. I look forward to continuing to work with our world-class team to grow our business and deliver on Sphere’s vision for the future of entertainment.”
Koester has 30 years of experience in technology, media and entertainment. She joined Sphere Entertainment in February from Google, where she served as MD, Americas strategic alliances, global partnerships at Google Commercial Operations. Her experience prior to Google includes serving as senior vp of advanced advertising product development, data analytics and ad operations at Cablevision, along with various legal roles.
Koester received a J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law and a B.S. in management information systems from Binghamton University.
It’s time for another Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music. We also have a weekly interview series spotlighting a single executive and a regularly updated gallery honoring many of the industry figures we’ve lost throughout the year.
ByteDance has hired former Warner Bros. Pictures legal honcho John Rogovin as the Chinese company’s new global general counsel, effective immediately. He reports directly to Liang Rubo, CEO of ByteDance. The role includes oversight of TikTok, which has a lot going on right now. Rogovin’s arrival comes as TikTok and ByteDance engage in a monumental battle with the United States government following the passage of legislation requiring the parent company to sell the app or face a national ban. In early May, the company filed a federal lawsuit aimed at overturning the law, calling it an “unconstitutional” action aimed at “silencing” more than 170 million Americans who use TikTok. TikTok chief Shou Chew rightly said Rogovin’s arrival comes at an “important time” for the company. Rogovin, who clocked time at both the FCC and the DOJ earlier in his career before a 14-year run at WB, added that he looks forward to “helping to ensure that our platforms continue to provide a critical forum for more than two billion users worldwide to entertain, teach, and connect with one another.” Rogovin succeeds departing general counsel Erich Andersen, who has shifted to special counsel.
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Federica Tremolada
Spotify
Federica Tremolada was promoted to general manager of Europe for Spotify, effective immediately. Tremolada, who spent the last five years as managing director of Southern and Eastern Europe, fills the shoes of Michael Krause, who earlier this week announced his departure after a seven-year run as GM. Both execs made their own announcements on Linkedin, with Krause calling it a “perfect time to pass the baton” and spend time with family before seeking “new adventures later this year.” Tremolada, meanwhile, called working at Spotify “one of my biggest dreams come true” and listed opening Casa Spotify in Milan, where she is based, and growing the podcast business in the region as some of her tenure highlights. Prior to joining Spotify, Tremolada spent more than a decade at Google, where she rose to head of international partnerships for the YouTube TV squad.
Austin Jenkins was named vp of A&R at Island Records. Based in Nashville, Jenkins started at Island in 2023 and played a pivotal role in the signing and development of artists including Wyatt Flores and Medium Build at the label. He will continue leading Island’s Nashville operations. Jenkins was formerly the founder, guitarist and songwriter for Texas band White Denim. He later founded Fort Worth, Texas, recording studio Niles City Sound with Josh Block and Chris Vivion, where Jenkins and Block co-produced, recorded and mixed Leon Bridges‘ full-length debut album, Coming Home. Jenkins performed guitar and bass on the album and also toured with Bridges as part of his band.
Adam Salomon was named senior director of A&R at Concord Music Publishing. Salomon joins Concord from London-based music management company Chosen Music, where he led A&R efforts. He reports to Concord Music Publishing executive vp of worldwide A&R Kim Frankiewicz. Originally from Sweden, Salomon has held A&R and management roles across independent and major labels in the country, including Universal Music Sweden, where he led the Svenska Inspelningar label.
Producer, songwriter and rapper Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins launched a new record label, Alienz Alive, which Jerkins described in a statement as “a collaborative community of creatives that are Christ-centered where artist development is key. We encourage our artists to use their gifts to uplift and inspire. Sonically speaking the influences are Hip Hop, R&B, and Indie Rock. As long as it glorifies God and it’s dope, all are welcome.” At launch, the Alienz Alive roster includes Jon Keith, GAWVI, IMRSQD Alex Jean and TJ Carroll. Jerkins will be involved in the label’s day-to-day operations.
Madison House is building a bigger booking agency with the hiring of industry veteran Thomas Ponsart as booking agent and Ruby Williams and Madison Dawson as agent assistants. Bay Area-residing Ponsart has more than a decade of experience and learned under the tutelage of Tom Chauncey and Hank Sacks at Partisan Artists. He brings with him a roster that includes John Craigie, Monophonics, Parlor Greens, Madeline Hawthorne, Kelly Finnigan, Anthony Villacari and Goodnight, Texas. Williams arrives from Freshwater Art Gallery & Music Venue in Boyne City, Mich., where she booked artists of all stripes, and is now based in Madison House’s office in Ann Arbor. Dawson is a recent Belmont grad and intern at Madison House in Nashville, where she is based. “The ultimate decision to join forces with Madison House is our shared values, growth mindset, adaptability, freedom to pursue new clients, and their tech forward approach to new systems,” said Ponsart. “Madison House has instilled these values in their team for decades and it makes them a commendable and unique business that I’m excited to call my new home.”
Riser House Records named Amy O’Connor as head of sales and streaming. O’Connor previously served as marketing director at Sony Music/Legacy Recordings, working Sony’s country legacy catalog including music from Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson, as well as working with artist estates including Johnny Cash and Loretta Lynn. O’Connor previously led the streaming team at Better Noise Music, working on projects for Papa Roach, Mötley Crüe and Five Finger Death Punch. –Jessica Nicholson
Filmmaker and music producer Jesse Lauter joined Peter Shapiro’s Dayglo Presents as head of production & media. In this newly created position, Lauter will oversee the creative side of video and audio production for Dayglo venues, including The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY and the Brooklyn Bowl mini-chain (Brooklyn, Las Vegas, Nashville and Philadelphia), along with the newly added Bearsville Theatre in Woodstock. One of his main responsibilities is directing live-streams for FANS.live and Relix out of the Capitol Theatre. Lauter most recently directed Learning To Live Together: The Return of Mad Dogs & Englishmen about Joe Cocker, and is currently working on a film about swamp rock legends Little Feat. He’s also worked with Dayglo on a part-time basis for years. “I’ve been a part of this family for a long time, and have so much love and respect for Pete and what he has built,” he said. “It’s a perfect fit.” each Lauter is reachable at jesse@dayglopresents.com.
Courtney Zeppetella is no longer senior vp, controller and chief accounting officer of Madison Square Garden Entertainment. Zeppetella’s resignation, effective May 31, was disclosed in an SEC filing three days prior to her exit. The NYC-based executive joined MSGE in May 2022 following a 21-year run at KPMG, where she rose to audit partner. Michael J. Grau, the company’s executive vp and CFO, will serve as the company’s interim principal accounting officer until a replacement is named.
ALL IN THE FAMILY: Billboard‘s longtime Australian correspondent Lars Brandle is now head of content at The Brag Media, where he’ll oversee strategy across Rolling Stone Australia and New Zealand, Variety Australia, The Music Network, Tone Deaf and more titles. Brandle joined Billboard in 2000 out of the London bureau and for many years served as global news editor and later as overnight editor — along the way amassing a paltry 835 pages of written articles. New gig aside, Brandle isn’t fully free of Billboard‘s clasp just yet — The Brag Media holds the license for Billboard in Australia. Talk soon, mate!
Sphere Entertainment hired industry veteran Chandra Allison as executive vp of sales and service at the Las Vegas megavenue. In her new role, Allison will drive sales strategies, develop conferences and events, oversee service teams, and build on Sphere’s strong relations with fellow stakeholders in Vegas. Allison, who has done consultant work for Sphere, most recently served as senior vp of strategy and growth at Oak View Group, where she oversaw growth and strategy for its OVG360 portfolio. Prior to OVG, Allison put in nearly 25 years at The Venetian Resort, where she rose to svp of sales and marketing. “Sphere is a game-changer in this dynamic market,” she said, “and this is a tremendous opportunity to continue working with the team to develop one-of-a-kind experiences that enhance Sphere’s presence in Las Vegas across a range of event categories and guest experiences.”
NASHVILLE NOTES: Kelli Haywood and Leigh Holt teamed to launch Hsquared Management. The company combines the artist rosters from their respective companies, KCH Entertainment and maddjett, while they also reveal their first signing together, Capitol CMG singer-songwriter Riley Clemmons. The Hsquared client roster also includes Lauren Daigle, Carlos Whittaker, Annie F. Downs and Megan Danielle –J.N. … UMG Nashville‘s director of radio marketing Donna Hughes departed after 13 years. Hughes was previously national director of radio syndication at Capitol/EMI Records before those imprints were joined UMG.
ICYMI:
Lee Anderson
Warner Music Group hired Michael Ryan-Southern to lead the company’s acquisition efforts … CAA appointed Darryl Eaton, Emma Banks and Rick Roskin as co-heads of the global touring division … French collective management organization SACEM extended Cécile Rap-Veber’s term as CEO … MNRK Music Group president and CEO Chris Taylor is resigning effective June 28 and will be replaced by COO Sean Stevenson … Lee Anderson was named president of Wasserman Music … Lionel Ridenour was named executive vp of promotion at gamma. … Dennis Ashley Jr. and son Dennis Ashley III launched a new multimedia firm … Day After Day Productions hired Melanie Davis as head of tour marketing, while promoting Marc Ertel to head of creative and Erin Patterson to head of marketing.
Last Week’s Turntable: PierFerd Partners Up