The Impact 50 Reception: The Best of the Live Business

(Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Pollstar) –
Influencers: Paradigm’s Marty Diamond, Oak View Group/Pollstar’s Ray Waddell; Paradigm’s Corrie Christopher Martin, CAA’s Allison McGregor, Concerts West’s John Meglen, Live Nation’s Arthur Fogel, AGI’s Marsha Vlasic and Keri Meglen at the Pollstar Impact 50 reception at 1 Hotel West Hollywood on May 16, 2019

There were myriad reasons why last night’s reception celebrating Pollstar’s inaugural Impact 50 honorees atop Harriet’s Rooftop at the 1 Hotel West in Los Angeles was so transcendent.

First, the caliber of attendees from across the live business was staggeringly high. One couldn’t move through the crowd without literally rubbing shoulders with many of the most powerful execs in the industry

Here stood many of the paragons of the live industry in an intimate and relaxed setting. This included honorees John Meglen, Arthur Fogel, Louis Messina, Dennis Arfa, Marsha Vlasic, Michele Bernstein, Irving Azoff, Rob Light, Stacy Vee, Bob Roux, David Zedeck, Rob Prinz, Jared Smith, Ali Harnell, Randy Phillips, Shawn Gee and Marty Diamond among others — i.e. a Murderers’ Row of touring execs (full Impact 50 list here).

Second, there was an utter lack of pomp and circumstance. There were no speeches, award presentations or self-congratulatory bromides – though everyone in the room was certainly deserving of the accolades. But this was an event, above all else, for and about the honorees

Also, there was a bar.

(Photo by Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Pollstar) –
Impact Trio: The Messina Group’s Louis Messina, Live Nation’s Bob Roux and Dennis Arfa

It’s a place everyone in the room knew exceedingly well having spent a large portion of their careers holding them up while making sure their artists made it to the stage on time and got paid. It was telling that by the time the room had filled, most of these impactful execs were gathered tight around the L-shaped block of wood rather than at the nearby buffet, banquettes or gazing at the the stunning rooftop view. A bar, for many in this business, is essential: it’s a place of work, it’s where deals are made, it’s for vigorous socializing and blowing off steam and it’s where relationships are built and sustained.

Here, for example, when Shawn Mendes’ name came up a number of execs from different spheres spoke up who touched his tour. This included Messina Touring Group’s Mike Dugan and Kate McMahon alongside Goldenvoice talent buyer Stacy Vee (who is now officially working with MTG alongside her Goldenvoice/AEG duties). All were looking forward to the tour and singer’s two nights at Staples Center. Also Paradigm’s Marty Diamond, the newly minted head of music, praised Mendes’ responsible agent Matt Galle as “still listening to music like an excited kid. He hears things before others do and in a way they don’t.”

Here, too, Vee enthused about this year’s Stagecoach Festival, which had a record-setting attendance. She also mentioned Lil Nas X’s performance with Diplo and Billy Ray Cyrus noting incredulously that it was the viral sensation’s first ever performance.

Live Nation Urban’s Shawn Gee and his wife Michelle, who are still adjusting to their relatively recent move to Los Angeles from Philadelphia, were doing what so many others could be doing after this event: going to see music. In this case it was up and coming R&B artist Ari Lennox who on this night was at the nearby El Rey.

(Photo by Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Pollstar) –
Live Nation Urban and Maverick’s Shawn Gee with wife Michelle

Here, too, Corrie Christopher Martin mentioned she was getting ready to see Janet Jackson rehearse; Michele Bernstein spoke of Hozier’s upcoming NYC performances and also how she speaks nearly every day with Live Nation’s Kelly Strickland (also in attendance and honored on the Impact 50); and Rob Prinz expressed his joy in ICM Partners recently signing Chaka Khan.

Marsha Vlasic had just returned from Vancouver where she said her clients Neil Young and Elvis Costello played an incredible show together at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. She also expressed her excitement at seeing Madonna play at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, which was noticed by a seemingly bemused Arthur Fogel.

CAA head of marketing Allison McGregor said she was excited over the rescheduled Ozzy Osborne dates, including the new one at the Hollywood Bowl, as she personally represents the prince of darkness. Meanwhile her colleague Rob Light, whose agency recently signed the aforementioned Lil Nas X, discussed the peregrinations of the beleaguered Woodstock 50. And John Meglen seemed ebullient following the announcement earlier in the day of rescheduled Stones dates.

(Photo by Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Pollstar) –
Ticketmaster’s Jared Smith with WMEs Michele Bernstein

Other major live players in attendance who helped add to the power and thrum of vigorous conversation included Live Nation’s Omar Al-Joulani, Rich Best and Steve Herman (a recent inductee to Canada’s Music Hall of Fame); Paradigm’s Greg Bestick and X-ray Touring’s Steve Strange; OVG’s Tim Leiweke, Jeff Nickler, Francesca Bodie and Eric Gardner and UTA’s Cheryl Paglierani.

At reception’s end, this incredible agglomeration of impactful execs left for dinner, drinks, shows and more while the conversations continued— whether going down the elevator, at the valet or far beyond. It’s something all these execs have become adept at doing over the years spent working while socializing while in transit to and from bars and venues across the globe.

(Additional reporting by Ryan Borba)