Exclusive: Live Nation Promotes Kelly Kapp To Dual-Role Executive Position

Live Nation says Kapp is uniquely positioned to identify, secure and execute tours for developing artists early on, as well as to contribute toward the live side of an artist’s career as they grow their fan base and play larger venues.

 “We’ve always had the division that focuses on amphitheatre/arena/stadium tours and even beyond that globally, then there was the division that went up to the 3-4-5,000 clubs and ballrooms, the Palladiums of the world, the Denver Fillmores of the world, but it would become kind of a no-man’s lands when artists did start coming up,” Kapp tells. “What am I’m looking at is how do we continue to develop these artists seamlessly?” 

In her new “hybrid” role, Kapp will create tour packages and continue to cultivate her relationships with bands beginning at the club and theater level, and now be able to stay with them throughout their career regardless of venue size. 

“Kelly has been a key contributor and leader in the Live Nation touring division for many years, and we are thrilled with what we know she will accomplish with her new role,” Bob Roux, President, US Concerts said in a statement to Pollstar.

Kapp began her concert career as a project manager for North American Concerts, working on tours including Ozzfest, Van Halen, Projkect Revolution, Family Values and Destiny Child’s farewell tour. When Live Nation acquired House of Blues in 2006, Kapp became its inaugural tour buyer.  

Daughter of the late promoter Bruce Kapp, Kapp has been with Live Nation for 17 years and books more than 800 shows per year. Although promoting was never Kapp’s plan, she realized early on when she got her first job doing part-time ticket counting that she would end up following in her father’s footsteps. She found her own niche in the often overlooked hard rock and metal realms – to the point of even getting married between sets at a Lamb of God concert.    

Since 2009, Kapp has booked more than 4,850 concerts, grossing over $130 million from 4.5 million tickets sold, according to Live Nation. She’s worked on farewell tours for a multitude of artists including Motorhead, HIM and Anberlin. 

She was the first promoter to work with Hollywood Undead for their first headlining tour, and is promoting their co-headlining tour with Cypress Hills this year. Other notable artists she’s worked with on at least two tours include: Lamb of God, Killswitch Engage, Bring Me the Horizon, Dita Von Teese, Hanson, Frank Turner, Anberlin, Korn, Chevelle, Ghost, The Used, Hollywood Undead, All Time Low, Dashboard Confessional, Bullet For My Valentine, Sum 41,  Megadeth, I Prevail, Simple Plan, Beartooth, Clutch Dethklok, and many others. 

Kapp says as Live Nation’s Clubs and Theatres division expands, with the addition of everything from The Met Philly to Los Angeles’ Spaceland in the last couple of years, the focus remains on the fan-and-band experience.  

“That’s why Ron (Bension) and the team over here have gone above and beyond to make sure the club and theatre experience is a great one,” Kapp says. “I was a straight-edge hardcore kid going to VFW halls and skateparks, and now it’s really nice to see Live Nation understands people are putting out their hard-earned dollars, and a lot of people still like to go to a club on a Friday night. It’s really come a long way to where people are excited and look forward to the venue sometimes as much as the band.”