Production Live! Panel Preview: Five Years On: Live’s NexGen Leadership

Pollstar Live!, the world’s largest gathering of live entertainment professionals, returns to Los Angeles April 14-16 and will be held at Loews Hollywood Hotel. 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, regulations, security and more.

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

Moderator
Ben Lampman, Vice President of Touring, SGPS/ShowRig

Speakers
Nick Chavez, Music Festival Producer, Danny Wimmer Presents
Shannon D’Amore, Manager of Booking, Harriz Blitzer Sports & Entertainment
Kelly Deasy, Partner & Agent, outer/most
Keeya Johnson, Road Manager, All Things PR & Events
Avery Liardon, Global Festival Talent Buyer, C3 Presents

Though business was booming for many in the live entertainment industry after COVID-19 shutdowns were lifted, it wasn’t easy for the various teams behind the scenes, from transportation to production to promotion.

While many in the industry were ready to jump back in, there was a void left by those who decided to leave the live business altogether, and the next generation rose to the occasion. It didn’t come without its bumps on the road, but one thing was certain: the young were eager and had a unique perspective that rejuvenated the business, sparking a creative fire that continues to shine brightly as productions get more elaborate and the live experience becomes more unique.

In “Five Years On: Live’s NexGen Leadership,” Pollstar Live! looks back on the industry’s evolution post-COVID and how live events are in the hands of the next generation of professionals.

Production veteran Ben Lampman, vice president of touring at SGPS/ShowRig, Inc., will lead the conversation. Joining him on the Pollstar Live! stage will be Nick Chavez of Danny Wimmer Presents, a festival producer for the company and one of the young voices leading the charge.

The stacked panel also features rising star Shannon D’Amore of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment. She is the manager of booking for the company and facilitates events at Prudential Center in Newark, White Eagle Hall in Jersey City and the soon-to-open Loew’s Jersey Theatre. She earned a spot on the International Association of Venue’s 30 Under 30 class last year.

Kelly Deasy, who has dabbled in many facets of the industry, including music programming, tour coordination, booking, production and management, will also be giving her insight.  Deasy co-founded outer/most, an indie booking agency with a roster that includes Christian McBride, Rhiannon Giddens and Anoushka Shankar.

Another entrepreneur on the panel is Keeyah Johnson, founder of All Things PR and Events, who worked on Usher’s successful “Past Present Future” tour and his Super Bowl Halftime Show in 2024.

C3 Presents’ Avery Liardon rounds out the group. The Texas native has worked on major events such as Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits.