Q’s With A Pollstar Live! Panelist: UTA’s David Zedeck Navigating Global Touring

– David Zedeck
UTA

United Talent Agency global head of music David Zedeck will join a group of major concert industry players at Pollstar Live! Feb. 12 for a worldwide-focused discussion in association with French music conference MIDEM.

“How Best to Navigate Fluctuating Economies, Political Minefields & Diverse Cultures” takes place 11:15am-12:00 p.m. where experts will break down the complex puzzle of international touring and ways to navigate the myriad security issues, political hurdles, censorship, and effective global touring models in this uncertain era.

Zedeck oversees United Talent Agency’s worldwide music business and a team of over 100 employees. Since joining UTA, he has led the music department in the signings of artists like Pitbull, Bush, Spice Girls, Die Antwoord,  and Why Don’t We, among others. 

It’ll be interesting to hear everyone’s experiences across all our areas of expertise, from booking to promoting to producing. I suspect there will be a lot of similarities in the way we approach the global landscape, but the differences in how we execute a tour will be the most insightful for conference-goers.

 

Economic and political factors are constantly affecting the global touring business. Now more than ever, fluctuating currencies, social and political issues, and local customs are some of the things that can influence how or where an artist performs. Additionally, each individual market is so nuanced, you have to be familiar with each one to ensure success.

 

A lively exchange of innovative ideas with seasoned veterans from around the world.

 

Last year we acquired the largest independent electronic music agency, Circle Talent Agency, which added over 100 influential dance music acts to our roster and immediately positioned UTA as a leader in the space. We also saw significant success with several of our clients’ curated festivals, including Post Malone’s Posty Fest, Kaskade’s Sunsoaked and Excision’s Lost Land & Bass Canyon. Next year we’ll continue to build momentum around our developing acts – taking them from the club to theater to arena level with strong tours across the board, in addition to introducing new artist curated experiences, crossover deals, and collaborative opportunities for clients across the agency. 

 

I booked Backstreet Boys on a tour of junior high schools in 1993. This tour absolutely changed my life and so many others as that’s when BSB first connected with their future A&R executive which led to their debut record deal.