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Touring

Page: 82

Drake‘s tour is all a blur, but his checks always clear. And because the Canada native is all about sharing the love, he’s been making sure to give back pieces of his wealth to the fans he’s been meeting on the road, in the form of expensive gifts. Throughout the It’s All a Blur trek, […]

Talent agency Wasserman has completed the acquisition of United Kingdom-based CSM Sport & Entertainment, expanding Wasserman’s service offerings and geographic footprint in the sports, music, entertainment and culture industries. CSM will continue to operate independently through the end of the year before fully integrating with Wasserman in 2024. The deal expands Wasserman’s reach and network […]

Benji and Joel Madden, the creative forces behind pop punk outfit Good Charlotte, successful music management outfit MDDN and streaming service Veeps are launching their most ambitious project yet.

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Today the famous music brothers are launching Veeps All Access, a new Live Nation-backed online video subscription service built atop the Veeps live-streaming infrastructure developed and launched by the Maddens in 2018 and acquired by Live Nation in January 2021. All Access is a shift for Veeps, which has operated as a pay-per-view business up until now, charging customers to access live and on-demand streams by artists like Southern rockers Tyler Bryant and the Shakedown or soul and R&B star Miguel, typically priced between $9.99 to $14.99.

All Access will grant fans access to all live shows streamed through Veeps as well on-demand content, special artist exclusives and original programing including the newly greenlit “Sidehustles” and “Artist Friendly,” Joel Madden’s music interview podcast-turned-video talk show, premiering tomorrow (Oct. 4) with Brandon Boyd of Incubus.

The price of All Access is $11.99 per month or $120 for annual pass, which is in line with other popular streaming services like Disney Plus which increases from $10.99 per month to $13.99 per month on Oct. 12, or Paramount Plus, which is now bundled with Showtime at $11.99 per month. Veeps also has struck early partnerships deals with Samsung, Ticketmaster, and Verizon and will be available on the Veeps app on iPhone, Android, Apple TV or Roku service.

Veeps All Access will kick off today with the premiere of The Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie’s sold-out show from AZ Financial Theater, October and November will feature performances from a wide range of artists, including Run The Jewels, performing a special 4-night series live from the Hollywood Palladium October 11-14, pop acts Macklemore, Jessie Ware and Chappell Roan; hard rock, indie and alternative acts A R I Z O N A, Bad Omens, Bishop Briggs, Boys Like Girls, Misterwives, Nothing But Thieves, Senses Fail, Frank Turner and Waterparks; shows from rap and soul artists like OhGeesy, Flatbush Zombies, Kiana Ledé and Phabo and country artists such as Darius Rucker, Jason Aldean and Shane Smith & The Saints. New shows will be added weekly.

Joel Madden tells Billboard that the mission of Veeps has always been to connect fans who can’t attend a concert with their favorite artists, even if the artist is not touring in their city or the show is already sold out. He adds that by providing an affordable subscription option, Veeps is also helping Live Nation drive most artist discovery, connecting fans with a wider range of artists and their fan communities.

Veeps All Access will also include a wealth of archived content from artists including 5 Seconds of Summer, Aerosmith, Amy Winehouse, Dierks Bentley, Fall Out Boy, Imagine Dragons, Katy Perry, J Balvin, Lainey Wilson, Mumford & Sons, Muse, Niall Horan, Norah Jones, Poppy, PVRIS, Rage Against the Machine, Rolling Stones, Shania Twain, Slipknot, Sting, The Killers, The Smashing Pumpkins, Yeah Yeah Yeahs,= and more. Veeps will be powered by a show recommendation engine and nearly all concerts are delivered with spatial sound capabilities and high-quality 4K streaming.

Joel said partnering with Live Nation on the project has been critical to the company’s expansion, noting “If we call anyone inside Live Nation for help, we get support and access to a great group of people.”

Benji Madden added “there’s a lot of generosity with their resources and experience,” noting that “It’s taken a lot of investment build out a Netflix-style experience, but it’s important because everyone involved in this project believes that the future of live entertainment is access.”

That means reaching the far corners of the globe where bands don’t always tour — or finding a way for a fan that can’t be at the show to “have the same access that fans expect for their sporting events,” Joel Madden said. “We know that music fans are going to expect access more and more access with artists and we know that Live Nation is the right partner for to provide that access.”

Kyle Heller, co-founder and chief product officer at Veeps tells Billboard “one of the things that has blown us away on this journey is the attention a viewer pays to a Veeps show. We live in a world of 15-second clips, short-form videos, and quick 20-minute episodes dominating the landscape but when people switch Veeps on it’s not unusual for them to watch 2+ hours of content, uninterrupted. It’s unlike anything I’ve seen before.”

Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino added, “Live performances have a unique magic, and Veeps has done an incredible job bringing fans that experience in their homes. All Access is giving fans a new way to discover music and artists another marketing platform that will only continue to fuel the demand for live with an even bigger world of concerts at our fingertips.”

Subscription plans will initially be available in the U.S. with international expansion planned to meet Veeps’ global usership. Learn more and sign up at veeps.com.

Sphere Entertainment Co. shares rose 11.1% to $41.99 on Monday (Oct. 2) — and reached a high of $43.59, up 17.3% from Friday’s closing price — after the world got its first glimpses of the revolutionary concert venue over the weekend. The $2.3 billion venue opened on Friday (Sept. 29) with the first of 25 […]

Nine months before Live Nation made the headline-grabbing decision to cut merch fees at 77 of its clubs and theaters across the country, Ineffable Music Group did it first. Now, the company’s CEO, Thomas Cussins, has a piece of advice for other independent venue owners and operators concerned that the concert giant is using this tactic to curry favor with artists and agents and squeeze out their businesses: Everything will be OK.

“Merch money is not what is going to keep us in business,” says Cussins, whose company oversees 10 venues across California, including The Catalyst Club in Santa Cruz, the Ventura Music Hall in Ventura and the Golden State Theatre in Monterey. “What causes independent venues to go out of business is the one in 10 shows where venues pay way too much relative to the draw and end up losing everything they made on the previous nine shows.”

Cussins made the decision to stop charging acts performing at his venues a cut of their merch sales — a standard industry practice — while watching a Jan. 24 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing about Ticketmaster. Cussins says it was members of the band Lawrence’s testimony about how much bands rely on merch money for touring that moved him to change the company’s policy: “It is money that most directly gets into the band’s pocket and the idea that we were taking away from that did not sit right with me.”

Since then, he says the decision has not hurt his business “at all.”

Still, independent venues remain concerned about what Live Nation’s new “On the Road Again” program will mean for them — how can they compete with the deals Live Nation is offering? The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) released a statement on Wednesday (Sept. 27) following the news, saying, “Temporary measures may appear to help artists in the short run but actually can squeeze out independent venues which provide the lifeblood of many artists on thin margins.”

Thomas Cussins

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The statement continued, “The initiative announced yesterday may seem like a move to follow the lead of some independent venues. It is not that. Instead, it appears to be a calculated attempt to use a publicly-traded conglomerate’s immeasurable resources to divert artists from independent venues and further consolidate control over the live entertainment sector. Such tactics threaten the vitality of small and medium-sized venues under 3,000 capacity, many of which still struggle to keep their doors open.”

A NIVA member since 2020, Cussins says he understands why some NIVA members may be upset that Live Nation’s policy might put pressure on their businesses. But, he adds, eliminating merch fees is a net positive for the entire live music ecosystem — one where everyone is benefiting.

“It’s difficult to operate a single venue in a market against Live Nation,” says Cussins. “Venues are low-margin businesses. I’m not here to say that no one should charge merch fees. What I am here to say is that it is my opinion that if you waive those fees, it is an overall healthier ecosystem and you will actually do better in business because you are doing something that makes the process easier.”

What was your reaction when you heard the news that Live Nation was going to waive merch fees for artists?

I was ecstatic. It’s something I’m very passionate about because it fosters a healthier concert ecosystem.

Were you worried about the financial hit Ineffable would take when you decided to eliminate merch fees at Ineffable venues?

No, because merch money is not what is going to keep us in business. What causes independent venues to go out of business is the one in 10 shows where venues pay way too much relative to the draw and end up losing everything they made on the previous nine shows. I think it’s more productive spending one’s time fostering a healthier ecosystem where everybody has a chance to make money. To me, that means not taking artists’ merch money and artists taking more door deals, where the artist has an opportunity to make the most money.

But is that realistic? For many artists, taking a door deal with no guarantee is too risky.

Correct. Some can’t take that risk. But many other artists understand they can make more money on a door deal and lower the risk the venue faces. For independent venues to be healthy, we need volume, which means we need bands to be healthy and touring and making enough money to support themselves. And the money made from merch most directly affects their ability to be out on the road and do well.

What is your reaction to the statement NIVA issued, saying the On the Road Again program is just an attempt to squeeze out indie venues?

They’re doing what they think is in the best interests of their members. We’re members of NIVA and they have done an incredible job for our business. I’m a huge fan. But my take is that merch money is not what’s going to keep these independent venues in business. What’s going to keep them in business is a healthy concert ecosystem, where we’re keeping the bands healthy and keeping them on the road with deals that are fair so that everyone can make a few bucks and eat at the table together and nobody is gouging the other person.

What is the biggest challenge facing artists on the road right now?

It is the travel costs — the price of gas, vehicle rentals, the price to pay crews. If you are going out there and you are doing the same business and your costs have increased 30%, how can you possibly make that up? You might just not tour. I know a lot of bands that have told me they were doing 80 dates a year and now they just want to do 40. They just want to pick the 40 best markets. That hurts independent small businesses. I’m seeing that firsthand. Artists that are in the prime of their career saying, “I want to work less, but each one has more meaning.” And I can’t blame them. But if they can do a longer tour and amortize those costs and play those small secondary markets, then I can be their partner on the ground in markets where I operate venues and keep my hands out of their merch money.

What advice do you have to other venues considering dropping their merch fees?

It’s not one-size-fits-all and it might not be the right solution for everyone. But I am so happy that we made that move — not only from an ethos standpoint, financially as well. It has not hurt me at all.

Morgan Wallen is doubling up on his One Night at a Time 2024 tour, adding back-to-back shows in each city and making his May Nashville stop a three-peat with a trio of consecutive nights at Music City’s Nissan Stadium.

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In addition to bringing a plethora of country radio hits, Wallen will welcome a slate of artists to open various shows on the trek, including Bailey Zimmerman, Jelly Roll, Jon Pardi, Lainey Wilson, Nate Smith, Bryan Martin, Lauren Watkins and Ella Langley. For his July 26 headlining show in Arlington, Texas, a special guest from the state will perform; direct support acts for the added Nashville shows will be announced soon.

Among the tour stops is a show in Oxford, Miss., making up for a concert that Wallen canceled just before showtime earlier this year. Fans who previously purchased tickets for the canceled April 23 show will have access to an early presale, and details will be sent directly to ticketholders via email.

Fans wanting to get their hands on tickets for the One Night at a Time Tour 2024 will need to register at Ticketmaster.com, through Sunday, Oct. 1. Once registration closes, fans will be randomly selected to receive a day/time of the presale along with a code that grants them access to the presale. Fans who previously registered for the presale now have the option to update their show preference to one of the newly announced dates.

Wallen is also using the tour to give back, with $3 from every ticket sold for his U.S. shows going to the Morgan Wallen Foundation, which supports programs for youth, focusing on sports and music. The organization recently donated $500,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville’s Parkwood community project, and has supported revitalization efforts at ballparks in Boston and Chicago.

On Thursday (Sept. 28), Wallen was one of the evening’s biggest winners during the inaugural People’s Choice Country Awards, picking up honors for artist, album and tour of 2023 (for his One Night at a Time World Tour).

The Live Nation-produced trek’s namesake album, One Thing at a Time, was issued in March and debuted atop the all-genre Billboard 200 and held the top spot for 12 consecutive weeks. His song “Last Night” remained atop the Billboard Hot 100 for 16 non-consecutive weeks, and was the most streamed song of the summer, becoming the first tune by a country artist to earn the top spot in Spotify’s “Songs of the Summer” list.

For the full list of 2024 concert dates, visit morganwallen.com.

Olivia Rodrigo, Nicki Minaj, SZA, Usher and Niall Horan are among the artists who will be featured in the annual iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour Presented by Capital One. Other artists who will perform at tour stops include OneRepublic, AJR, Sabrina Carpenter, Miguel, Jelly Roll, Big Time Rush, NCT DREAM and Flo Rida.
The tour will stop in Tampa, Fla.; Dallas/Fort Worth; Los Angeles; Chicago; Detroit; New York; Boston; Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia; Atlanta; and Miami/Fort Lauderdale.

“Our annual iHeartRadio Jingle Ball lineup is one of our most anticipated of the year, and we’re excited to finally share who will be joining us on the road this season,” Tom Poleman, chief programming officer for iHeartMedia, said in a statement. “This event always showcases the best in pop music and gives our listeners the chance to celebrate the holiday season alongside their favorite artists.”

iHeartMedia and ABC also announced on Thursday (Sept. 28) a new multi-year agreement for ABC to become the exclusive television broadcast partner for the annual event. A network special, airing Dec. 21 (8-10 p.m. ET/PT), will feature footage from all iHeartRadio Jingle Ball tour stops. The special will be available on demand and on Hulu the following day.

“The biggest holiday music event in America is coming to ABC for the first time,” said John Sykes, president of entertainment enterprises for iHeartMedia. “Viewers will have a front row seat to experience this multi city tour as it rolls across the country.”

For the ninth straight year, Capital One will be the national presenting partner of the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour. Eligible Capital One cardholders will get first access to high-demand tickets and exclusive experiences through a special Capital One cardholder presale in each city and can also redeem rewards for curated ticket packages on Capital One Entertainment.

The iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Capital One cardholder presale begins Tuesday, Oct. 3, at 10 a.m. local time and runs through Thursday, Oct. 5, at 10 a.m. local time, or while presale tickets last. Presale info and tickets will be available at iHeartRadio.com/CapitalOne. 

All other tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, Oct. 6, at noon local time and will be available at iHeartRadio.com/JingleBall.

Capital One cardholders can add a Capital One Access Pass to any pre-sale ticket purchase (while supplies last) to attend an exclusive pre-show event at the Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, and Washington, D.C., stops, which includes a private performance from Horan, Big Time Rush or OneRepublic depending on the city.

For the 10th consecutive year, 10 cities on the tour – Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Tampa and Miami/Fort Lauderdale – will partner with the Ryan Seacrest Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to inspiring today’s youth through entertainment and education-focused initiatives. In addition, iHeartRadio’s 106.1 KISS FM’s Jingle Ball in Dallas will work with the Kidd’s Kids program of the Kraddick Foundation, whose mission is to create positive memories for families of children with life-altering or life-threatening conditions. Each event will allocate a portion of ticket sales to its benefiting organization as well as offer exclusive packages through online auctions leading up to the events.

The tour is executive produced by Poleman, Sykes and Bart Peters, senior vice president, production & development for iHeartMedia. The iHeartRadio Jingle Ball special on ABC is produced by OBB Pictures, a division of Michael D. Ratner’s OBB Media.

The 2023 iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour Presented by Capital One schedule includes the following tour stops. Artists and/or events subject to change or cancellation without notice.

Tampa, Florida

Date/Venue: Sunday, Nov. 26, at 7 p.m. ET – iHeartRadio 93.3 FLZ’s Jingle Ball 2023 Presented by Capital One at Amalie Arena

Performers: Niall Horan, Teddy Swims, Zara Larsson, Doechii, Paul Russell, Kaliii and Lawrence

Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas

Date/Venue: Tuesday, Nov. 28, at 7:30 p.m. CT – iHeartRadio 106.1 KISS FM’s Jingle Ball 2023 Presented by Capital One at Dickies Arena

Performers: Jelly Roll, Doechii, Big Time Rush, Flo Rida, LANY, Paul Russell, Kaliii and P1Harmony

Los Angeles

Date/Venue: Friday, Dec. 1, at 7:30 p.m. PT – iHeartRadio 102.7 KIIS FM’s Jingle Ball 2023 Presented by Capital One at the Kia Forum

Performers: Olivia Rodrigo, Niall Horan, AJR, Sabrina Carpenter, Miguel, Doechii, Flo Rida, (G)I-DLE and P1Harmony

Chicago

Date/Venue: Monday, Dec. 4, at 7 p.m. CT – iHeartRadio 103.5 KISS FM’s Jingle Ball 2023 Presented by Capital One at Allstate Arena

Performers: Nicki Minaj, Jelly Roll, Big Time Rush, Doechii, (G)I-DLE and Kaliii

Detroit

Date/Venue: Tuesday, Dec. 5, at 7:30 p.m. ET – iHeartRadio Channel 95.5’s Jingle Ball 2023 Presented by Capital One at Little Caesars Arena

Performers: Usher, Jelly Roll, Lil Durk, Big Time Rush, Flo Rida, Doechii, Kaliii and (G)I-DLE

New York

Date/Venue: Friday, Dec. 8, at 7 p.m. ET – iHeartRadio Z100’s Jingle Ball 2023 Presented by Capital One at Madison Square Garden

Performers: Olivia Rodrigo, SZA, OneRepublic, Sabrina Carpenter, Jelly Roll, Big Time Rush, Doechii, Pentatonix, David Kushner and Melanie Martinez

Boston

Date/Venue: Sunday, Dec. 10, at 6 p.m. ET – iHeartRadio KISS 108’s Jingle Ball 2023 Presented by Capital One at TD Garden

Performers: SZA, Sabrina Carpenter, OneRepublic, Flo Rida, David Kushner, Melanie Martinez, NCT DREAM and (G)I-DLE

Washington, D.C.

Date/Venue: Monday, Dec. 11, at 7:30 p.m. ET – iHeartRadio Hot 99.5’s Jingle Ball 2023 Presented by Capital One at Capital One Arena

Performers: OneRepublic, Jelly Roll, Big Time Rush, Doechii, Flo Rida, Melanie Martinez, David Kushner, NCT DREAM and (G)I-DLE

Philadelphia

Date/Venue: Tuesday, Dec. 12, at 7:30 p.m.  ET – iHeartRadio Q102’s Jingle Ball 2023 Presented by Capital One at Wells Fargo Center

Performers: Usher, OneRepublic, Jelly Roll, Big Time Rush, Doechii, David Kushner and (G)I-DLE

Atlanta

Date/Venue: Thursday, Dec. 14, at 7:30 p.m. EST – iHeartRadio Power 96.1’s Jingle Ball 2023 Presented by Capital One at State Farm Arena

Performers: Nicki Minaj, Ice Spice, Sabrina Carpenter, Flo Rida, David Kushner, Kaliii and NCT DREAM

Fort Lauderdale/Miami

Date/Venue: Saturday, Dec. 16, at 7:30 p.m. EST – iHeartRadio Y100’s Jingle Ball 2023 Presented by Capital One at Amerant Bank Arena, Ft. Lauderdale

Performers: Marshmello, AJR, Flo Rida, Ludacris, LANY, David Kushner, Kaliii and Paul Russell

Lizzo has lodged her first legal response to the lawsuit brought by three of her former dancers in August.
In what amounts to a 31-point rebuttal against claims that the dancers were subjected to sexual harassment and a hostile work environment while on tour with the singer, Lizzo and her Big Grrrl Big Touring company are requesting that the court dismiss the case with prejudice (meaning it cannot be refiled). In the event the court declines to dismiss it, the defendants are requesting a jury trial.

In the original complaint, filed Aug. 1 in Los Angeles court, dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez accused Lizzo (real name Melissa Jefferson) and Big Grrrl Big Touring of several allegations. Among them: that Lizzo pressured dancers to attend a sex show in Amsterdam and interact with the nude performers; that dance team captain Shirlene Quigley repeatedly engaged in behavior that made them feel uncomfortable; that Lizzo “called attention” to a dancer’s weight gain following a performance; that employees of the touring company singled out Black dancers by accusing them of “being lazy, unprofessional and having bad attitudes”; and that Lizzo denied dancers bathroom breaks during an “excruciating re-audition” process.

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The new document — filed Wednesday by Lizzo’s lawyers, Martin Singer, Michael Weinsten and Melissa Lerner — offers more than 30 wide-ranging defenses to the dancers’ complaint. They include:

That the plaintiffs “ratified, acquiesced, condoned, and/or approved of the acts or omissions of Defendants, in whole or in part, about which Plaintiffs now complain”;

That the defendants’ alleged conduct “was undertaken in good faith and with good cause” and “undertaken for legitimate reasons reasonably related to one or more lawful business purposes”;

That the plaintiffs are “guilty of unclean hands,” which in legal terms means they have done something unethical and should therefore be denied relief;

That the plaintiffs should be barred from pursuing the case based on the doctrine of estoppel, meaning they have acted unfairly or made false representations in bringing the lawsuit;

That the plaintiffs failed to “mediate in good faith pursuant” to their contract terms with Big Grrrl Big Touring and are subject to arbitration under those terms;

That the claims are preempted by California’s Workers’ Compensation Act and should therefore be decided by the workers’ compensation appeals board as opposed to the court;

That if the plaintiffs were harmed as alleged, the plaintiffs and/or others who are not listed as defendants “contributed, in whole or in part,” to that harm;

That the defendants’ alleged actions arose from the exercise of their rights of free speech and/or religion;

That plaintiffs failed to “avail themselves” of internal anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies and complaint procedures while employed on the tour;

That plaintiffs’ claims regarding discrimination or retaliation should be barred because any employment decisions were made “for legitimate, non-discriminatory, non-pretextual reasons and Defendants acted out of business necessity”;

That the plaintiffs “have failed to plead and cannot establish facts sufficient to support allegations of malice, oppression or fraud”;

That defendants are not liable for punitive damages because they did not “engage in wrongful conduct,” “authorize or ratify any wrongful conduct,” or “have advance knowledge of the unfitness of any employee and employ that employee with a conscious disregard of the rights and safety of others.”

“This is the first step of a legal process in which Lizzo and her team will demonstrate that they have always practiced what they’ve preached — whether it comes to promoting body positivity, leading a safe and supportive workplace or protecting individuals from any kind of harassment,” said Lizzo spokesperson Stefan Friedman in a statement. “Any and all claims to the contrary are ridiculous, and we look forward to proving so in a court of law.”

In response to the new filing, the dancers’ attorney, Neama Rahmani, released the following statement: “Lizzo’s answer merely consists of boilerplate objections that have nothing to do with the case. That said, the key takeaway is that Lizzo is agreeing to our clients’ demand for a jury trial. We look forward to presenting our case in court and letting a panel of her peers decide who is telling the truth, Lizzo and her team who continue to shame the victims or the plaintiffs and so many others who have come forward sharing similar stories of abuse and harassment.”

Though this is Lizzo’s first legal response to the lawsuit, the singer categorically denied the dancers’ claims two days after it was filed, stating on social media that the allegations were as “unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed.”

“These sensationalized stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behavior on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional,” she added. Later that day, the dancers appeared on CNN This Morning to rehash their allegations and called Lizzo’s statement “disheartening” and “incredibly frustrating.”

Two weeks later, Lizzo’s Big Grrrls dance team released a statement in support of the singer, saying they “had the time of our lives” on the tour and continuing, “The commitment to character and culture taking precedence over every movement and moment has been one of the Greatest lessons and Blessings that we could possibly could ask for.”

The Aug. 1 lawsuit is the first of two that have been brought against Lizzo. Earlier this month, the singer — along with her wardrobe manager Amanda Nomura, tour manager Carlina Gugliotta and Big Grrrl Big Touring — were sued by clothing designer Asha Daniels, who alleged sexual and racial harassment, disability discrimination, assault, illegal retaliatory termination and more while working on Lizzo’s Special tour.

The second lawsuit dropped the same day Lizzo was due to receive the Black Music Action Coalition’s Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award at the organization’s 2023 gala.

While accepting the honor that evening, Lizzo — who was introduced by cast members from her Emmy-winning reality show, Watch Out For the Big Grrrls — gave an emotional speech in which she said, “I’m going to continue to be who I am, no matter who’s watching. I’m going to continue to amplify the voices of marginalized people because I have a microphone and I know how to use it. And I’m going to continue to put on, represent and create safe spaces for Black fat women because that’s what the f— I do!”

She continued, “This support right now means the world to me.”

This summer, Disturbed launched a North American amphitheater tour in support of Divisive, the band’s eighth studio album over a three-decade career. For a group that deep into their journey as live performers, another summer tour can feel like a bit of plug-and-play. But this time around, the band’s Boxscore results were bigger than ever before. According to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore, the Take Back Your Life Tour earned $17.4 million and sold 336,000 tickets.

That makes 2023 the biggest year of the band’s touring career, surpassing the $14.6 million earned in 2019.

On a per-show basis, Disturbed averaged $601,000 per night, beating previous career-bests of $473,000 in 2011 and $405,000 in 2019. But as proven by an endless list of post-pandemic examples, inflation and platinum ticketing and dynamic pricing and primary-market re-sale make bulking up tour grosses more possible, if not easier, than ever. But in Disturbed’s case, this peak revenue cannot be explained by exploiting 2023’s chaotic ticketing market.

The average ticket price for the Take Back Your Life Tour was $51.07. That’s actually down by 11% from 2019’s $58.66, and only 7% above the average from 2016 ($48.72). That means that the band’s soaring earnings can be explained by increased attendance.

The Take Back Your Life Tour averaged 11,573 tickets per show, up from 6,901 in 2019 and 4,404 in 2016. Over the last two album cycles, Disturbed has multiplied its ticket-buying fanbase by more than two and a half. Sorted by attendance, the band’s 10 biggest concerts ever all happened this summer, led by the Sept. 2 show at Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center in Noblesville, Ind., marking its first headline show with more than 20,000 fans.

This year’s tour was in key Live Nation amphitheaters, after mostly playing in scaled down arenas. Located just outside of primary touring markets, these outdoor venues have the space to accommodate thousands of fans, often more than the indoor arenas situated in the center of major cities.

Not only did Disturbed have the literal space to sell more tickets, taking advantage of the venues’ large lawns (all dates had a baseline price of $29.50), but the infrastructure around amphitheaters also allows for modest pricing, even up to the first row. Parking, merchandise and concessions are major parts of the experience, especially with bulked-up lineups on long summer days. Breaking Benjamin and Jinjer supported Disturbed on the road this summer.

The decision to level up to amphitheaters did a lot of the heavy lifting for Disturbed’s new career peak, but the release of last year’s Divisive certainly helped as well. Before the tour began, the album had already made “Hey You” the band’s 11th No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, with “Bad Man” reaching No. 2 in March. Throughout the tour, “Unstoppable” climbed the ranks, ultimately becoming the band’s 12th chart-topper in mid-August. “Don’t Tell Me” featuring Ann Wilson is next, set for release in November.

Dating back to the band’s first show in the reported archives, when Disturbed earned $10,000 and sold 682 tickets at Saratoga Winners in upstate New York on Sept. 26, 2000, the metal superstars have grossed $71.2 million and sold 1.8 million tickets across 365 shows.

He’s country, he’s rock, he’s a superstar. Zach Bryan wrapped the Burn Burn Burn Tour at the end of August after touring the continent all summer. According to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore, the trek grossed $43.9 million and sold 475,000 tickets across 32 dates.
The Burn Burn Burn Tour took Bryan around the U.S. and Canada in a mix of amphitheaters and arenas, promoted by AEG Presents. The routing mixed primary markets such as New York and Los Angeles with secondary markets including Wilkes-Barre, Penn., and Grand Rapids, Mich., just as his music fuses genres and eschews traditional demographic lines.

With that, the biggest shows on the tour were not major pop stops such as Chicago or San Francisco, nor country hot spots Nashville or Dallas (he didn’t play anywhere in Tennessee). Instead, with roots in each city, double-headers at Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center (May 30-31) and Tulsa’s BOK Center (Aug. 10-11) shone the brightest, with earnings of $3.7 million and $3.2 million, respectively.

The Burn Burn Burn Tour was Bryan’s second live outing in two years. Just last year, he mounted the American Run Tour. Each tour was almost identical in length (32 shows in 2023 vs. 31 in 2022) but the results were dramatically different. The average attendance scaled from 5,735 tickets on last year’s run to 14,841 this summer, jumping by 158%. While his reach grew, so did demand. All while endeavoring to control a ballooning ticketing market, the average price jumped from $51 in 2022 to $92.52 in 2023.

Those are stellar improvements for any artist, but even more stark considering the six-month break between tours. And while the Burn Burn Burn Tour ended last month, Bryan has already plotted his next live venture. The Quittin’ Time Tour kicks off in Chicago on March 6, scheduled to run through mid-December with two final hometown shows at the BOK Center.

Even at his current pace, Bryan is already situated to do bigger business in 2024 than 2023. The initial Quittin’ Time announcement included 53 shows, more ambitious than this year’s 32. Just by adding 20-plus dates, next year’s run is on track to land in the $70 million to $75 million range. But he’s unlikely to top out there, as his ’24 routing is bulked up not just in length, but in size.

Bryan will return to some of the arenas from this summer’s tour, coming back to Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena and the Desert Diamond Casino in Glendale, Ariz., playing two shows at each venue rather than one. In other markets, there are clever extensions, like playing two shows at the Prudential Center, N.J., and two at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, compared to this year’s double header at Forest Hills Stadium in New York City’s Queens. Despite its name, the latter venue functions more like a scaled amphitheater, smaller than either of next year’s New York-area arenas.

Elsewhere, it’ll be a whole different ball game. Two 2023 arena dates in Philadelphia will translate to a night at the city’s football stadium (Lincoln Financial Field) in 2024. More stadiums fill out his routing in Atlanta; Foxborough, Mass.; Minneapolis; and Tampa, some of which will be new concert markets for Bryan altogether.

It’s easy to plot Bryan’s transformation from theaters to arenas to stadiums over such a short window. This year’s Burn Burn Burn Tour was plotted, announced and went on-sale amidst the lingering success of American Heartbreak, which debuted and peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 and then stayed in the top 20 for all but one of the 70 weeks since.

Next year’s Quittin’ Time Tour was announced at the tail end of this year’s run, upon the release of his self-titled album. That one debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and spawned a No. 1 arrival on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart with “I Remember Everything,” featuring Kacey Musgraves. Just last week, he followed it with Boys of Faith, an EP that is currently posting major streaming numbers that are atypical for a seemingly casual release.

Following post-pandemic stadium transformations for Luke Combs and Morgan Wallen, Bryan will likely mount one of the biggest country tours in Boxscore history. The expanded and fortified routing could lead the Quittin’ Time Tour toward $100 million and one million tickets in 2024.