AEG Gives Tax Savings To Charity

AEG Live will donate savings from a tax reduction on tickets to a well-known music industry charity.

The company, which is one of the biggest entertainment promoters in the world, announced the move Dec. 1.

All tickets from AEG Live and Goldenvoice concerts in the U.K. priced at £25 or more will be reduced by 2.5 percent, in line with the value added tax (VAT) cut chancellor of the exchequer Alistair Darling made in his pre-budget report Nov. 24.

However, as the savings from tickets costing less than £25 will be very small, the reductions from these tickets will be combined and given to the Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy charity.

“We are very happy to pass on the VAT savings to our customers. It is only right that the live industry responds to the economic action being taken,” said AEG Live international president Rob Hallett, referring to the financial measures Darling took to reinvigorate the U.K. economy.

“Tickets under £25 will translate to savings of mere pennies and we felt it right that pooling this money could do more good,” Hallett added. “Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy is rightly the music industry’s favourite charity. They do amazing work, using music to help the disabled and disadvantaged. It is a cause close to artists and fans’ hearts.”

Events that will benefit from the savings include Britney Spears’ two shows at the O2 Arena in London, next year’s Rockness Festival in Scotland, forthcoming shows from superstar Beyoncé and Damon Albarn’s Chinese spectacular, “Monkey: Journey To The West.”