Live Nation Buys Into Secret Sounds

Live Nation International acquired 51% of Australia’s Secret Sounds Group, to add to its global festival portfolio of 80. Secret Sound’s co-CEOs Jessica Ducrou and Paul Piticco run Splendour In The Grass and Falls Music & Arts festivals.

“Splendour in the Grass and Falls are the two most iconic festivals in Australia,” said Michael Rapino, president and CEO of LN Entertainment. “Jess and Paul have created events that attract the biggest artists in the world but still feel uniquely Australian.  We look forward to partnering with them to find new ways to grow our live event footprint across Australia.”

Michael Coppel, Melbourne-based president and CEO of LN Australia and New Zealand added, “Our new relationship with the Secret Sounds group confirms Live Nation’s position at the forefront of the Australian live performance industry.”

Ducrou and Piticco say that LN’s involvement will allow them to secure more of the major acts they want and new ways for patrons to experience live music.  “We started Secret Sounds with the sole mission of introducing Australians to the best artists, events and music possible, and Live Nation is the perfect partner to help us take this goal to the next level.”

Splendour In The Grass, set up 16 years ago in Byron Bay, is Australia’s largest winter festival, drawing 30,000 for each of its three days.  Its acts over the years included Coldplay, Florence +The Machine, Blur, The Strokes, The Cure, Kanye West, Flume, Vance Joy, Mumford & Sons, Jack White and The Avalanches.

The 24-year old Falls opts for four coastal sites over the New Year extended holiday period – Lorne outside Melbourne, Marion Bay in Tasmania, Byron Bay, and Fremantle in Western Australia. They draw 60,000 per day nationally. Recent headliners including Disclosure, Arctic Monkeys, Kings of Leon, Childish Gambino and London Grammar.

LN’s acquisition includes Secret Sounds’ touring, sponsorship, PR, artist management and domestic agency businesses. It does not include the record labels Dew Process and Create/Control, Dew Process Publishing, its interests in the North Byron Parklands festival site and The Triffid live music club in Brisbane.