Crosstown Concerts Launches Artist Management Division In The UK

– The Downs Festival, Bristol
Promoted by Crosstown Concerts

Crosstown Concerts, which launched in 2016 with offices in London and Bristol, England, has opened its own artist management company, named Crosstown Management.

To launch this new division, Crosstown’s co-founders Paul Hutton and Conal Dodds brought Mark Bowers and Cliff Jones on board. Bowers used to work with Dodds at UK national promoter Metropolis Music, where he joined in 2008. His roster included Emeli Sandé, George Ezra, Laura Mvula, Netsky and Charli XCX.

For the past two years, Mark has been Head of Artist Development and Music Industry at BIMM Bristol (British and Irish Modern Music), which is where he met Jones. Both men realized they had a common goal in artist development and management, and that this goal mirrored the ethos that Dodds was implementing at Crosstown Concerts.

Said Bowers: “My passion for live music and artist management has been the driving force throughout my whole career, and to be working with incredible new acts, as well as such respected people in the industry with Crosstown Management, means this is a really exciting time for me”. 

Jones started out as a music journalist, writing for writing for Mojo, Melody Maker, Arena Homme Plus and The Face, where he contributed interviews,   features and cover stories on Pink Floyd, Blur, Oasis, Primal Scream, Iggy Pop & The Stooges, The Velvet Underground, The Beach Boys, The Fugees and others. He enjoyed chart success with his band Gay Dad in the late 1990s, and  moved into commercial songwriting, artist development, management and production in 2003. His co-writes include Sia and Mark Owen and production credits for XL Recordings, Warner Brothers, Polydor, Island, DimMak and others. He brought two of his acts, the BBC Radiophonic Workshop and Keir, along with him to Crosstown Management.

Crosstown Management’s other current clients are Mauwe, and Paris Youth Foundation, which the company co-manages with Ian Mizen and James Dawson of Jax Management. Adding a talent development arm to its business is part of Crosstown Concerts’ growth strategy. Said Dodds: “The Crosstown team has got a heritage in artist management as well as promoting so it’s great to have that part of the business launched and some great up and coming artists under our umbrella already breaking through in the European market. We are looking at a huge number of touring dates and festivals this summer under the Crosstown umbrella and we’re inviting artists looking for representation to get in touch as we are looking at expanding the roster during 2018.”

Added Bowers: “We are delighted to join Crosstown and launch this new management company. We share a great passion for developing artists and for giving fans a great experience.”

Upcoming Crosstown tours include Belle and Sebastian, Franz Ferdinand, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Jack White, The Wombats, The Vaccines and George Ezra. The company also promotes The Downs Festival in Bristol and Bristol Sounds. Former Metropolis Music promoters Paul Hutton and Conal Dodds, as well as business expert Fraser Duffin founded Crosstown Concerts in 2016. Pollstar spoke to Hutton about the company’s philosophy the year it was born.