Inside ILMC 36 With Greg Parmley

International Live Music Conference (ILMC) is set to return to its new home, the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London, Feb. 27–March 1. Pollstar reached out to ILMC head Greg Parmley to talk about this upcoming edition, which will once again tackle the topics that keep those in the business awake at night — and some that let us sleep well. The hotel is hosting the event for a second consecutive year after ILMC was held at the Royal Garden Hotel home for over two decades. While it may take a few more years for the Royal Lancaster Hotel to be considered the true home by the many attendees who loved the previous host and its staff, there are some undeniable benefits that can already be felt like the increased meeting and networking space for the 1,400-plus delegates expected this year and the fact that panels can take place in rooms illuminated by natural daylight.

The conference’s program is as rich as ever with the Open Forum chaired by Maria May, CAA’s senior music agent and head of electronic, international, and panels on “Mental Health & Welfare On The Road,” AI, festivals, weather, venues, ticketing, sponsorships, marketing and the grassroots sector. Other panels include focuses on Latin America and the Middle East, and the highly anticipated “Breakfast Meeting” with Jay Marciano on Feb. 29. The AEG Presents chairman and CEO will be interviewed by Ed Bicknell, who will step away from his role as host of one of the conference’s most popular sessions after 22 years, during which he’s interviewed many of this industry’s greats, including Irving Azoff, Roger Daltrey, Nile Rodgers, Emma Banks, Arthur Fogel, Paul McGuinness and Marc Geiger.

As is tradition, day one of ILMC will host A Greener Future’s Green Events & Innovations Conference, topped off with the International AGF Awards. Futures Forum, a platform for the next generation of live music executives, returns for its fourth edition on ILMC’s final day. “A lot of the topics discussed at Futures Forum are just as relevant to [the wider ILMC delegation]. While the programming features speakers early on in their careers, they are by no means junior in any way,” said Parmley.

Another full strand of programming on March 1 is dedicated to the business of non-music family entertainment and touring live exhibitions, which are both experiencing “phenomenal growth,” at the moment. The focus of ILMC’s programming, said Parmley, lies on generating tangible output from each session and facilitating conversations that move things forward within the business.

While it looks like the 36th ILMC could be the biggest yet, which is in line with the growth trajectory the top-end of this industry is on, Parmley’s team didn’t forget about “the bread and butter business.” A session by the same name, chaired by One Fiinix Live Founder and CEO Jon Ollier, will examine the current reality of touring for mid-level artists, who are struggling with rising costs, and unpredictable ticket sales. The panel unpacks the question, “With global deals taking many acts off the table and others unable or unwilling to tour, how can the industry stimulate and protect the mid-level of the business to ensure there are enough shows for everyone?”

“It’s all very well having that massive top end, but if the foundations below start to founder, obviously there’s a bit of a problem,” Parmley said.

Rounding out the program of ILMC are the second edition of London Calling — live showcases by 24 artists curated by industry experts such as the Music Venue Trust, UTA, Kilimanjaro, the Spanish Wave export program, and more, across six venues in Soho on Feb. 28 — and the Arthur Awards, self-proclaimed as the “music industry Oscars,” hosted by CAA’s Emma Banks on Feb. 29. This year’s motto for the conference is the space-themed “New Frontiers In Live Music.” ILMC is an invitation-only event, and past and new delegates can register now.

The early bird rate for previous delegates, which ends Jan. 24, is £549 ($694), and £579 ($732) for new delegates. “We expect to be sold out,” said Parmley, adding that it was shaping up to be “a really positive edition.”