Pollstar Live! 2018 Conference Hub

nullPollstar Live! 2018
Pollstar Live! 2018 Is Here! 

Our flagship event at the InterContinental Downtown Los Angeles Hotel concluded Feb. 8 with record-setting attendance, all-star panels, insightful discussions and much more. Check out our coverage below.  

Pollstar Live! Coverage: 
Barrie MarshallGideon GottfriedBarrie MarshallWinner of this year
Pollstar Live! not only welcomes delegates from all over the world to the conference, but also recognizes them with dedicated Pollstar Awards. Here’s what this year’s winners have to say.


Pollstar Live! 2018 Off The Rails Panelists Waterproof Pictures Pollstar Live! 2018 Off The Rails Panelists (From Right To Left) Andy Gensler (OVG), Paul Bassman (Ascend), Carrie Davis (Live Nation), Tim Epstein (Duggan Bertsch) Ken Fermaglich (UTA) and Kasey McKee (CAA).
Bad things happen in live music, to use a polite version of the familiar phrase. A canceled event. An event hastily moved due to a flooded concert site. A stadium in tatters after a shortened set led fans to riot. Things will eventually go wrong, so get an insurance policy, plan, follow best practices, and don’t dig yourself a financial hole. 

 

nullGideon GottfriedTom PettyManager Tony Dimitriades and Heartbreakers Benmont Tench and Steve Ferrone
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers was the big winner at the Pollstar Awards Feb. 8 at the Wiltern in Los Angeles, where manager Tony Dimitriades delivered an emotional speech, and Bill Graham Award winner Gregg Perloff talked about saving The Wiltern in the ’80s and how much it meant to win the award in this particular venue.


nullThe MSG SphereThe first venue is slated to open in Las Vegas in 2020
James Dolan, executive chairman of the Madison Square Garden Company, today at Radio City Music Hall unveiled his vision of the future, an intersection of technology and culture that falls under the aegis of MSG Sphere.



Pollstar Live! 2018Pollstar Live! 2018Tim Leiweke, Garth Brooks, Jared Smith and David Kells.

Garth Brooks was named the first inductee to the just-announced Live Hall of Fame at a lively keynote Q&A session at Pollstar Live! moderated by OVG CEO and co-founder Tim Leiweke. The Feb. 8 session at the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown hotel also included co-panelists Ticketmaster President Jared Smith and Bridgestone Arena VP of Booking David Kells.

Waterproof Pictures
During the “From Manchester to Route 91: What Have We Learned?” discussion, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department undersheriff Kevin McMahill demonstrated the chaos and horror of the moments after the shooting began.

nullPollstar Live! 2018Finding alternative revenue models for artists
On day two of Pollstar Live!, Stephen Duval (23 Capital), David Marcus (Ticketmaster), Natalia Nastaskin (UTA), Carmen Romano (Flood Bumstead McCready & McCarthy), Rit Venerus (Cal. Financial Group), Lillian Williams (O’Neil Hagaman) and host Peter Luukko (Arena Alliance) explored ways of making artists money outside traditional revenue streams.




nullWaterproof Pictures
Live Nation President/CEO Michael Rapino sat for a keynote interview with Emporium Presents’ – and Promoter 101 podcaster – Dan Steinberg in a lively and candid session in front of a full house in the Wilshire Grand Ballroom Feb. 7 during Pollstar Live!

nullWaterproof Pictures
“This is the most ridiculous panel I’ve ever been on,” SB Projects founder Scooter Braun said as he first took the mic at the star-studded session featuring Jon Bon Jovi, Sharon Osbourne and Grammy-winning songwriter/producer James “Jimmy Jam” Harris. “Sharon, I feel like the person on ‘The Talk’ that people don’t know. I will be calling my mom as soon as I get off stage.”

Pollstar Live!Michael GuilbertPollstar Live!Marc Geiger hosted a panel on the future of (live) music consumption
Pollstar Live! tackled the future of music consumption in a high-profile panel with WME’s head of music Marc Geiger moderating a panel with Scott Greenstein (Sirius XM), Gayle Troberman (iHeartMedia), Mark Cuban (Dallas Mavericks) and Roger Lynch (Pandora). Geiger, who has been hosting Pollstar Live! panels for some time now, opened by capturing the spirit of optimism that was a theme at this year’s Pollstar Live! and the first under the auspices of OVG: “It’s a new day and I’m thrilled to be up here.” 

Eddy CueEddy CuePollstar Live! 2018
Apple has gone far beyond being known as the company behind the personal computer, iPod and now even iPhone, and appears fully committed to continuing to change the world with sleek, high-quality, user-friendly innovations. Eddy Cue, Apple senior vice president of software and services, says the goal is for everyone to have nothing in their pockets.
Pollstar Live! World, Meet Oyster: Solving The Global Touring Puzzle     
Pollstar Live! 2018: Lobl, Hoermann, Mair, Noble, Strange, Reed & Zedeck.
   In one of the last sessions of day one of Pollstar Live!, Sophie Lobl (C3 Presents), Richard Hoermann (Barracuda Music), Sebastian Mair (Creativeman), Peter Noble (Bluesfest), Steve Strange (X-Ray Touring), John Reed (Live Nation) and David Zedeck (UTA) talked about the state of the global touring business.
Irving AzoffGideon GottfriedIrving Azoff
Pollstar Live! kicked off its first edition under the banner of Oak View Group founders Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff, who welcomed conference-goers to the annual confab Feb. 7 by sharing their vision for the event and hailing Pollstar founders Gary Bongiovanni and Gary Smith. 
Pollstar Live! Awards (First Slate):


Michael GuilbertPollstar Awards
With an overwhelming number of categories and nominees in 2018, the 29th Pollstar Awards are being given out in two ceremonies. Actress Kate Flannery hosted the first presentation as part of Production Live! Feb. 6.
Production Live! Coverage:

Production Live! 2018Waterproof PicturesProduction Live! 2018Steve Macfadyen, Les Banks, Mary Conde, James Rassmussen, Misty Roberts, Jerome Crooks

The secret to having a smooth show day and making your venue a favorite stop on the tour routing is simple – as has been said at many panels at Pollstar Live! over the years, it’s all about communication. 
Production Live!Michael GuilbertProduction Live!Stage Management 101
Having multiple acts on the bill isn’t just a thing at multi-day festivals, but one-day events as well. This creates challenges for all involved, from the tour and artist managers to the promoters and production companies. 

Production Live!: Back Of House SecurityProduction Live!: Back Of House Security
The best security practices are out there and more concert organizers are paying attention. Meanwhile the technology and tools behind security are improving daily at dizzying speed with innovations that previously seemed to be the stuff of spy movies, but that all goes for naught if two things aren’t handled. 
Panel Previews:
Pollstar Live! Panel Preview: 20/20 Vision 
Lee AndersonLee Anderson
Pollstar Live! will take a look at the agents, managers, talent buyers and A&Rs behind the new wave of superstars in music, with a panel discussion moderated by Paradigm’s Lee Anderson and speakers including RCA’s Tunji Balogun, Insomniac’s Chase Fiedler, ScoreMore Shows promoter Sascha Stone Guttfreund, Paradigm’s Jay Moss, and EQT Management’s Henny Yegezu.
Pollstar Live! Panel Preview Packaging 101
nullJoey Scoleri
The art of putting together multi-act bills that benefits the fans as well as agents, promoters and other involved parties, and the expertise it takes to do that, is the subject of this panel discussion moderated by Live Nation Canada Head of Industry Relations Joey Scoleri.
Pollstar Live! Panel Preview: The Future Of Live Music & Streaming
nullMarc Geiger
One major attraction on the opening day of Pollstar Live!, Feb. 7 will be “The Future Of Live Music & Streaming” panel featuring some serious industry digital power players.


Pollstar Live! Panel Spotlight: Can The Indie Festivals Compete With Global Bookers?
Newport Folk Festival 2017Douglas Mason/Getty ImagesNewport Folk Festival 2017
Independent promoters’ place in the music industry as well as the role of a festival in a mature market will be discussed at Pollstar Live! as part of the panel “Arms Race: Can The Indie Festivals Compete With Global Bookers.” 
Pollstar Live! Panel Highlight – Mainstream To Underground
Shawn Crahan of SlipknotJim HillShawn Crahan of Slipknot
Pollstar Live! boasts a variety of new, engaging panels for 2018 including “Underground To Mainstream: What Are Metal and Hip-Hop Doing Right (And Where Does It Go From Here?)” Just added to the list of speakers is Slipknot’s M. Shawn “Clown” Crahan.
Announcements

K.FlayJohn DavissonK.Flay
Kimberly Perry, Sharon Osbourne, Lita Ford and K.Flay are among the artists and industry heavy weights that will convene for the Pollstar Live! Conference at the Intercontinental Hotel in downtown Los Angeles Feb. 7-8. 
Scooter Braun, Jon Bon JoviScooter Braun, Jon Bon Jovi
Rock superstar Jon Bon Jovi and SB Projects founder and manager extraordinaire Scooter Braun will take part in a roundtable discussion on Feb 7 at the Pollstar Live! conference entitled “One Song at a Time: How to Change the World.”
Garth BrooksGarth Brooks
Garth Brooks will help wrap up the Pollstar Live! 2018 conference with a bang by participating in a Keynote Q&A, along with key players from his extraordinarily successful North American tour.   
Michael RapinoCharlieRose.comMichael Rapino
The 2018 edition of Pollstar Live! is coming together in a big way, with Michael Rapino, Mark Cuban and Rich Bressler just a few of the speakers to be announced.
Pollstar Awards

Pollstar has released the schedule for Production Live!, the Feb. 6 opening day of the Pollstar Live! conference programming that focuses on issues related to the vibrant and ever-evolving event production side of the industry. 
Pollstar Awards
This year’s 37 categories include Best New Headliner, Most Creative Stage Production, Music Festival of the Year, Nightclub of the Year, Bobby Brooks Award/Agent of the Year, Talent Buyer of the Year, Personal Manager of the Year, Bill Graham Award/Promoter of the Year, and Sound Company of the Year.


Tags