Lollapalooza’s Footprint

C3 Presents and William Morris Endeavor Entertainment agent Marc Geiger are believed to have been subpoenaed in an Illinois antitrust probe of Lollapalooza’s radius clauses that severely restricts where, and when, contracted artists may play in the surrounding region, several sources report.

Former Chicago Sun-Times reporter Jim DeRogatis broke the story on his Vocalo.org blog June 25 that Illinois Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan is conducting the antitrust investigation stemming from the radius clauses imposed on all artists playing Lollapalooza.

C3 Presents, the Austin-based producer, is believed to have been subpoenaed and Geiger is so far the only industry figure to confirm that he has been served, according to DeRogatis. It’s not clear on what grounds an antitrust action can be based, and the Illinois AG also isn’t confirming the investigation.

Radius clauses are common to festivals as well as some individual tours, but a source of irritation to club owners, other promoters within the contractual footprint of the clause and other venue operators.

In the case of Lollapalooza, sources told DeRogatis that the clauses block some artists from the region for as much as nine months of the year in a 300-mile radius of Chicago.