UK: Rob Hallett Joins Live Nation, RiZE Confirmed As V Festival Replacement

Photo by Dave J Hogan / Getty Images – Rob Hallett
in 2013 ahead of Barclaycard British Summer Time Festival at Hyde Park in London

Rob Hallett, founder of Robomagic and longtime president of international touring for AEG Live in the UK, has reportedly joined Live Nation.

Hallett’s Robomagic firm is now officially part of Live Nation, and both companies are going to promote “several upcoming shows, including UK dates by H.E.R., Why Don’t We, Lemz and Jammer of Boy Better Know,” according to IQ Magazine.

Hallett, who held directorial positions at Marshall Arts and the Mean Fiddler Music Group in the past, joined AEG in 2005 and stayed for almost 10 years. 

During that time he won the Pollstar Award for International Promoter of the Year twice, in 2007 and 2012.

He launched his own company, Robomagic, in 2015. The artists he’s worked with throughout his career include Leonard Cohen, whom Hallett is said to have convinced to go back on the road, Beyonce, The Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart, Jennifer Lopez, Bon Jovi, Britney Spears,  Justin Timberlake, Backstreet Boys, Kanye West and The Who.

When Prince sold out London’s O2 arena for a record-breaking 21 nights in 2007, it was Hallett who brought the superstar to the UK. 

Live Nation declined Pollstar’s request for comment or confirmation, Rob Hallett didn’t respond at press time.

RiZE Confirmed As V Festival Replacement, No Southern Edition

Speculations about V Festival’s replacement have been confirmed, at least at one of its former locations. RiZE is going to take place at Hylands Park, Aug. 17-18. There won’t be a replacement for the festivals southern edition, at least not in 2018.

Liam Gallagher and Stereophonics are going to headline the premiere. Other acts on the bill include James Bay, Craig David, Bastille, Years & Years, Rag N Bone Man, Manic Street Preachers, Dave and Rita Ora.

V Festival used to take place at two locations over the same weekend, the southern site being Weston Park in Sheffield. In a statement provided to Pollstar, Colin Sweeney, CEO of the Weston Park Foundation said: “We have been enormously proud to have been home to the former V Festival over the last 19 years.  The significant contribution that hosting the event has made to the charitable objectives of the Weston Park Foundation and the wider regional economy cannot be underestimated.  We are very excited about working with Roseclaim on a future project here on the estate in 2019.”

Roseclaim Ltd is the name of the company, V Festival’s organizers used to trade under, with SJM’s Simon Moran, Metropolis Music’s Bob Angus, Live Nation UK’s Denis Desmond and Paul Latham serving as directors.

RiZE Festival
Liam Gallagher and Stereophonics headline the premiere