2022 Impact 50: Marc Geiger

Co-Founder, CEO
SAVELIVE

Live music pioneer Marc Geiger helped found Lollapalooza and spent 17 impactful years as head of the music division at William  Morris Endeavor, from 2003 until his exit in 2020, rumored  to be heading to Spotify at the time. He emerged  at the height of the pandemic, in October 2020, with a new initiative,  SaveLive, with fellow WME agent John Fogelman, to acquire a  network of clubs around the country either shuttered or in danger of  doing so due to the pandemic.   

“Venues and promoters,” says Geiger about the company’s priorities.  “We’re staying focused on the live music space and we’re not  getting distracted by the ‘noise’ around us.”   

Last month, SaveLive completed its first round of financing,  raising $135 million to partner up with a total of 20 venues around  the country, including The Alibi in Palm Springs, Calif.; the Golden  State Theater in Monterey, Calif.; Tobin Center in Pontiac, Mich.; and  Baltimore’s Hammerjacks along with four in Oklahoma City (Criterion  Ballroom, Tower Theatre, Beer City Music Hall and Ponyboy) and two  in San Antonio (Tech Port Arena and Tobin Center). Shortly afterward,  Geiger announced a further partnership with Jerry Mickelson’s iconic  Chicago-based concert promoter Jam Productions alongside similar  deals for Deuterman Productions and Patchwork Presents.   

Geiger admits it has been a busy couple of years: “We launched a  new company, built a great team which continues to grow, and delivered  on our promise to work with our partners to fortify venues, and  in doing so preserve culture, stories and the smaller end of live music.  What made us successful was focus. The SaveLive team remained  centered; staying in our lane has been the underlying driver in creating  and executing.”    

As for the challenges facing the live industry, Geiger notes,  “Our business plan and market focus lessens the crowded landscape  by bringing more touring opportunities to otherwise ignored  markets.”