LN Brings Value To Central Europe

Live Nation’s plan to make it easier for Central European fans to see their favourite bands has been popular with fans but caused a little confusion initially.

A statement saying the plan to roll out through nine European countries and include £25 tickets to see acts including the Eagles, Steely Dan, Lenny Kravitz, Anastacia, Limp Bizkit, Motley Crue, Ry Cooder and Nine Inch Nails was quickly withdrawn, leaving LN and PR company Bernard Doherty’s LD Communications blaming each other.

“I think it’s helpful to have the initiative start here and it could extend to other places in time,” LN’s Central and Eastern European chief Tim Dowdall told Pollstar, after LD made it clear the offer was only for Hungary, Poland and Czech Republic and was for euro 15 tickets for Nine Inch Nails, David Byrne, Limp Bizkit and Lenny Kravitz.

Unfortunately the correction came too late for some deadlines, and Bloomberg newswire and the June 10 edition of Record Of The Day ran pieces based on the original release.

The program was well-received by Dowdall and his local LN colleagues, particularly as sales in the region have slowed since Depeche Mode was forced to cancel a week’s worth of shows in the region.

Called the Artist Music Exchange, it follows similar special ticket deals the company has offered in the U.S.

“The Depeche Mode cancellations were unavoidable and for a bona fide medical reason, and the fans were informed of such, but the market reacts to cancellations in that way – whatever the reason for them”, Dowdall explained, although the fragility of the market – particularly in The Balkans – has been well documented.

Shane Bourbonnais, president of talent for LN’s international music division, who is running the programme, said it’s had a great response and there has been a lot of tickets sold through artistmusicexchange.com.

The local offices, which Rapino brought into the Clear Channel fold in 2004, sent their own statement to their national papers and Bourbonnais says Steve Todd from Live Nation’s Warsaw office is delighted with the response it’s got from the Polish media.