Touring
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The Las Vegas residency is the new staple in the careers of pop icons — superstars such as Adele, Katy Perry and Kelly Clarkson are currently lighting up the Strip with their shows. Now, Kylie Minogue is teasing that she might be joining their ranks soon. On the Tuesday (July 11) episode of Watch What […]
The Cure is more than 40 years deep into its career, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late for new peaks. The British band embarked on the Shows of a Lost World Tour and generated its biggest grosses and attendance ever. After playing its final show earlier this month, the tour grossed $37.5 million and sold 547,000 tickets over 35 shows in the U.S. and Canada, according to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore.
While those figures are personal highs among the band’s global touring career (dating back to The Cure’s first Boxscore reports in 1985; the band has been touring since the late ‘70s), apples-to-apples comparisons against its North American treks spotlight the tour’s success even better. The $37.5 million revenue total is more than double the band’s previous North American high of $18 million in 2016. And the 547,000 tickets surpass 1992’s 402,000.
Routing for the Shows of a Lost World Tour mixed arenas and amphitheaters in the U.S., yielding its biggest returns in the expected markets. Three shows at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl grossed $4.9 million and sold 50,800 tickets, while a three-peat at New York’s Madison Square Garden brought in $4.1 million from 44,300 tickets. Atlanta, Montreal and San Francisco follow.
Nightly attendance never dipped below 12,000, and averaged 15,629. That marks a 43% improvement over 2016’s 10,952, which itself was a 48% bump from The Cure’s 2008 tour. The band hadn’t averaged such a high attendance since 1989, when it paced 19,539 tickets in support of Disintegration. (That album was, at the time, the band’s highest charting album on the Billboard 200 [No. 12], containing its highest ranking hit on the Billboard Hot 100: “Love Song” [No. 2].)
This bar graph mirrors the peak-valley-peak trajectory that Billboard reported on Janet Jackson’s comeback spring tour. Both acts have sprawling discographies with close to a half century’s worth of beloved songs. That’s the kind of pitch that, after an extended break, can elevate an artist into their highly profitable legacy era, so-to-speak, soaking one’s deep roster of hits in a bath of nostalgia and extra disposable income.
Janet Jackson and The Cure may not make for the most obvious apples-to-apples comparison. But like Jackson, The Cure established a Boxscore peak around the turn of the ‘90s, before letting its legacy build to a new peak in the 2020s. Like Jackson, The Cure is touring without new material, many years away from its last album. (The band last released a new studio set in 2008.) Their 2023 shows marked the first North American tour for either act since the mid-2010s.
And while the effects of Jackson’s highly publicized mid-’00s controversy don’t quite apply here, the Shows of a Lost World Tour generated its own batch of headlines earlier this year. Frontman Robert Smith spoke out about various “scams” and fees, courtesy Ticketmaster and the larger secondary market, resisting dynamic pricing, platinum ticketing and scaled re-sale. The band went as far as to ensure that every show had a price option of $30 or less. Further, after fans made Smith aware of exorbitant fees, he negotiated with Ticketmaster to issue refunds.
As lines between primary and secondary ticket sellers blur and pricing strategies become more creative, concert revenues for arena acts have surged. And though it may seem like perfect timing to pair those ticketing practices with The Cure’s much-anticipated return to the stage, the band’s defiant public stand against gouging fans worked out in the end.
The Shows of a Lost World Tour averaged a $68.54 price, 37% less than the triple-digit average ticket among the top 50 tours on Billboard’s midyear 2023 recap. Only one artist in that top 50 – The 1975 – averaged less ($63.01), and that was with mostly European shows, where tickets haven’t exploded in the same way as the U.S., where The Cure played.
Still, the tour made enough money to have ranked among the top 20, had its shows been eligible (The midyear charts are based on shows between Nov. 1, 2022 – April 30, 2023. The Cure’s tour began on May 10.). The Cure’s bulked-up, career-high grosses are owed to consistently sold-out crowds, perhaps nudged along by the band’s steadfast dedication to affordable tickets.
Though the Shows of a Lost World Tour has wrapped, The Cure will play a slew of festivals plus a few standalone shows in Latin America between September and December.
Stretching back to 1985, The Cure has grossed a reported $146.1 million and sold 3 million tickets.
Jonathan Shank‘s Terrapin Station Entertainment has announced a majority investment in Los Angeles-based production services company, Black Ink Presents. The agreement connects the Sony Music Masterworks-owned Terrapin with Blank Ink CEO John Kinsner‘s production management and design firm known for its work in concerts, immersive events and “live-to-film” shows in which a full orchestra performs […]
Colleen Ballinger’s upcoming tour dates have been canceled following accusations of grooming and inappropriate parasocial relationships with underage fans.
The tour, which had already been underway before the allegations surfaced, was scheduled to resume on Thursday (July 13) in Boise, Idaho. However, while the tour dates are still listed on Ballinger’s website, when the link is clicked, the website states that the shows are canceled, as initially reported by The Independent.
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Allegations surrounding Ballinger’s behavior with her fans first began in 2020, when YouTuber Adam McIntyre made a video claiming that the comedian had a personal friendship with him while he was just a teenager and she was in her 30s. He added that he would help with her social media and would be frequently put in uncomfortable situations, specifically noting that at one point, Ballinger sent him lingerie as a joke. At the time, Ballinger denied some of his allegations in a video.
The allegations resurfaced last month when another YouTuber, KodeeRants, who defended Ballinger against McIntyre in 2020, alleged that Ballinger privately shared screenshots of messages with McIntyre in a fan group chat. She also showed screenshots in her now-deleted video, in which Ballinger asked the group of fans their “favorite position,” among other inappropriate questions.
In response, Ballinger uploaded an unusual 10-minute video to YouTube, choosing to address the allegations through a ukulele song. “For what it’s worth, I never had any bad intentions but I do feel like s—,” the 36-year-old sang, proclaiming, “I’m not a groomer. I’m just a loser who didn’t understand I shouldn’t respond to fans.”
“Your goal is to ruin the life of the person you despise while you dramatize your lies and monetize their demise,” she sang, playing the ukulele and repeating a “toxic gossip train” chorus. “I’m sure you’re disappointed in my s–tty little song, I know you wanted me to say that I was 100 percent in the wrong.”
English metal legends Judas Priest are playing Power Trip festival in Indio, California, after rocker Ozzy Osbourne announced Monday that he would not be performing at the metal-themed festival produced by Goldenvoice.
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Osbourne had been scheduled to perform alongside AC/DC, Guns N Roses, Tool, Metallica and Iron Maiden Oct. 6-8 but pulled out of the festival Monday, telling fans in an Instagram message “My original plan was to return to the stage in the summer of 2024, and when the offer to do this show came in, I optimistically moved forward. Unfortunately, my body is telling me that I’m just not ready yet and I am much too proud to have the first show that I do in nearly five years be half-assed.”
He continued, “The band that will be replacing me on Power Trip will be announced shortly. They are personal friends of mine and I can promise that you will not be disappointed.”
Power Trip is taking place at the Empire Polo Field, the same site used to host the annual Coachella music festival, as well as the annual Stagecoach country music festival. It follows the Goldenvoice-produced Desert Trip festival in 2016 that was headlined by the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Roger Waters, Neil Young, Bob Dylan and The Who. Ticket prices start at $599, covering all three days. Single-day tickets are not currently for sale.
Judas Priest toured extensively in 2022 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that year, but does not currently have any shows on the books for 2023. The band is booked to play a European tour in spring 2024. Led by vocalist Rob Halford, Judas Priest has toured extensively with Osbourne and had been scheduled to tour with him in 2022 before that tour had to be postponed for health reasons.
Osbourne’s health struggles also led to a March announcement that he was canceling his upcoming 2023 U.K. and European tour dates due to a spinal injury.
“My singing voice is fine. However, after three operations, stem cell treatments, endless physical therapy sessions, and most recently groundbreaking Cybernics (HAL) Treatment, my body is still physically weak,” Osbourne wrote on Instagram at the time.
A third-party software provider is to blame for a major disruption to a ticket sale for six Taylor Swift shows in France, according to a statement issued by Ticketmaster France. “This morning’s sale was disrupted by an issue with a third-party vendor who is working to resolve the issue as soon as possible,” the company […]
Sacré bleu! Ticketmaster France pressed pause on the presales for four Paris dates and both shows in Lyon for Taylor Swift‘s 2024 European Eras Tour.
“Some of you may be having issues with the site this morning,” the company tweeted on Tuesday morning. “We are working on it and will let you know.”
The four Paris dates at La Défense Arena on May 9, 10, 11 and 12, 2024 were set to go on sale today in two stages, with one sale for May 9 and 10 opening at 9 a.m. local time and another, for May 11 and May 12, due to start at 11 a.m. Sales for the two dates at Lyon’s Groupama Stadium, set for June 2 and 3, were due to begin at 1 p.m.
“We will keep you informed of the new on-sale time as soon as possible,” the company said. “All codes will remain valid.”
As in past presales, fans had to sign up in order to be put into a lottery for code to redeem for a shot at tickets. But shortly after the Paris sale had begun, “winning” fans began having problems and Ticketmaster suspended the presale, citing issues with the site.
Leading up to the sale, the company gave fans an idea of what to expect:
Tickets will be available for purchase via the website for access code holders on July 11, 2023. Tickets will be sold on a first come, first served basis while currently available inventory lasts. It’s a simple, standard purchase process and the steps below will help you navigate your search and purchase.
If you are selected to receive an access code, you will receive an email and two SMS messages the afternoon before ticket sales begins on July 11 2023
The messages will include timing details and a link to where the on-sale will occur, and your unique access code.
Prepare for the sale by creating your customer account in advance if you don’t already have one. Sign-in to your Ticketmaster Account in advance. Know your Ticketmaster password, or reset your password in advance. For a faster checkout, make sure you have a valid credit card with updating billing information in your account.
The company did not respond to a request for details on the nature of the site outage.
Though “July 11” won’t carry the same stain as “Nov. 15” — the date Ticketmaster’s site buckled under the weight of millions of Swift fans trying to purchase initial U.S. Eras Tour dates — it remains another botched sale for a Swift sale for the ticketing giant.
Last week, Swift announced an additional 14 dates for her European trip next year, with Paramore opening all dates. Swift’s Eras Tour launched in Glendale, Arizona on March 17. She plays two nights at Denver’s Empower Field this weekend before heading to Seattle and the San Jose area later in July.
After unleashing his 26-track album Pink Tape on June 30, Lil Uzi Vert’s foot remains on the gas as they announce their first headlining trek in five years with the Pink Tape Tour. Produced by Live Nation, the Pink Tape Tour will kick off Oct. 21 in Minneapolis at The Armory, and will travel through […]
Singer-songwriter Jelly Roll and his wife Bunnie XO are fast becoming one of country music’s biggest power couples — and now, the social media personality and host of the popular Dumb Blonde podcast is ready to show their fans some love.
On her Instagram Stories, Bunnie revealed that when Jelly Roll launches his 2023 Backroad Baptism Tour later this month, she will be hosting meet-and-greets, featuring Bunnie, Jelly Roll, and their entire crew.
She noted that Patreon followers get first dibs at meet-and-greet opportunities, and attendees will receive “Bunnie bundles” filled with gifts. “I love you guys. I can’t wait to touch all your butts and give you big kisses on tour,” Bunnie told fans in her video.
Bunnie first teased the meet and greet package in a TikTok video last month, where she said that she had seen fans wondering where she was at her hubby’s latest shows. “So, every night that J has a concert, I get a lot of you tagging me upset that I’m not there. Just want you guys to know that your girl is preserving her energy for the next four months.”
She also noted that those who purchase meet-and-greet packages must also have a ticket to one of Jelly Roll’s tourdates. “Without one of these tickets in hand, you cannot come to the meet-and-greet,” Bunnie noted. Jelly Roll’s tour will features openers including Ashley McBryde, Chase Rice, Struggle Jennings and Elle King.
Jelly Roll, known for his No. 1 hits including the Country Airplay chart-topper “Son of a Sinner” and No. 1 rock single “Dead Man Walking,” was recently featured on the cover of Billboard’s Country Power Players issue. As part of the story, Jelly Roll discussed the incredibly positive impact Bunnie, whom he married in 2016, has had on his life, including helping him to get custody of his daughter. Jelly Roll calls her “a beacon of change in my life. You’re talking about a woman that came in and took a child that was soon to be born and a child that [we were] soon to have full custody of,” he told Billboard. “I would have never got custody of my daughter without her. I wouldn’t have had the stability or the money.”
Check out Bunnie’s TikTok below:
Live Nation’s next venture is less about staging rock, pop and hip-hop extravaganzas, and all about mindfulness.
The live entertainment giant today (July 6) launches the Mindful Nation app, an online space where music meets meditation for a necessary mental health break.
Mindful Nation goes wide with over 1,000 meditation classes featuring special beats curated by leading producers and independent artists, including Janax Pacha, Mose Musica and Chris IDH.
According to LN, users of the app can expect to tap into daily trainer-led classes tuned to “various vibes, on-demand classes for mind, sleep, and day-to-day life, music playlists” and “breathe with the beat” exercises.
Noel Gallagher, leader of the British rock outfit the High Flying Birds and Oasis co-founder, has tested the app and given it a resounding thumbs-up.
“Writing music and albums is one kind of meditation,” the legendary Manchester artist explains, “you have to go into a particular state to do it. Music is meditation to me so for Niamh to create Mindful Nation makes so much sense. Music is the gateway to finding that higher place of peace and this platform will allow for more people to access meditation in a way that makes sense to them. It’s really cool.”
The mindfulness platform is the brainchild of Niamh McCarthy, a former artist manager who worked for Madonna and U2’s management team at Maverick. McCarthy, like so many others in the business, experienced burnout on the road. She unlocked some of the solutions through meditation, breathwork, and yoga, and “made it her mission” to share those self-help gifts with the wider music industry.
The in-app classes “are like a timeless album, never out of date,” she explains. “Users can keep going back to these resources again and again to support themselves through the highs and lows of life.”
Mindful Nation is part of LN’s commitment to supporting mental health for music industry professionals, many of whom work long hours, well after dark, and spend long stretches on the road – a long way from their comfort zones. Factor-in the pandemic, and it’s a business that can take a toll.
“We first launched Mindful Nation as a program for our employees,” says Michael Rapino, CEO and president of Live Nation, “and it’s great to see Niamh now bringing the benefits of mindfulness to touring artists and crew across our industry, as well as music fans.”
Live Nation has also invested in mental health support for the broader industry, including Music Industry Therapist Collective and Tour Support, and by raising money for Support Act, Australia’s music industry charity.
Download the app via the Apple App Store.