Getting To Know Your Pollstar Live! Panelists: Matt Thompson

Pollstar Live!, the world’s largest gathering of live entertainment professionals, returns to the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, Feb. 21-23. The three-day conference is a flagship event for Pollstar magazine with compelling keynotes, panels, roundtables and the Pollstar Awards, celebrating the best in the business, along with plenty of opportunities to network and engage in insightful discussions.

Pollstar Live! kicks off with Production Live!, the one-day companion conference that features panels on all topics related to staging live events including lighting, video, stage management, sound technique, concert production, video, regulations, security and more.

Click these links for the Production Live! schedule and the Pollstar Live! schedule. Register for Pollstar Live! here.

Getting To Know Your Pollstar Live! Panelists

Matt Thompson
Senior Editor at SPIN
Panel: Staying Sane & Sober In An Insane World
Date/Time: Tuesday l Feb. 21 l 12 p.m.

Why must everyone go to your panel?
Because all great art is about a derangement of the senses, a temporary madness and into this we throw artists as sacrifices to our pleasure. This panel will explore ways to save artists while not diluting art.

What story will you tell during the panel?
About the 18-page letter full of threats and rage I received from the subject of a biography I wrote after he read it in solitary confinement. And how he is someone who smoked meth as a sleep aid during a prolonged SWAT siege.

What’s the story you won’t tell?
That I’m actually in witness protection.

What may cause tempers to flare?
A good panel where points of disagreement are not shied away from. That and my belief that creamers represent everything wrong with America.

What was the best part of your 2022?
That it wasn’t 2021. Or 2020.

Your predictions for 2023’s live industry highlights?
The glorious Kevin Morby playing a piano recital at Carnegie Hall Saturday, Feb. 25. And the wonderful Cat Power playing Mission Creek Festival at Iowa City in April.

Career tentpoles you are most proud of?
Accidentally starting a national cult. It campaigned against heavy metal T-shirts.