Thought Leaders Think Ahead: Klaus-Peter Schulenberg, Cara Lewis, Peter Shapiro, Kelly Strickland, Rob Beckham (Part 3)

2020 was a year like no other. That, we all know. What we may not know is how this year impacted and motivated top execs in the live business to act and plan. Here, part three of Pollstar‘s Year-End Thought Leaders Think Ahead Survey features CTS Eventim’s Klaus-Peter Schulenberg, CLG’s Cara Lewis, Dayglow Ventures, Brooklyn Bowl’s Peter Shapiro, Live Nation’s Kelly Strickland, and The AMG’s Rob Beckham giving their insights into the year, how they adapted to the many challenges and opportunities and what lies ahead. 

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Klaus-Peter Schulenberg

Founder and CEO, CTS EVENTIM

 In terms of scale and impact, how would you describe 2020 and the current crisis’ impact on your business and the biggest challenges?
Even though we are currently experiencing the most difficult phase ever in our corporate history as a result of the corona pandemic, we are looking confidently to the future. Crises are above all an opportunity for a company to show its strengths. The biggest challenge for the entire industry, however, is that nobody can predict with certainty when live entertainment will return to its familiar extent.
 
What strategies have you and your businesses implemented and/or are you considering implementing to address these challenges? 
Thanks to prudent management in the past, to the solid cash flow situation we have as a result, to rigorous cost-cutting and efficiency-boosting measures, to our forward-looking technologies and thanks, last but not least, to our highly motivated employees, we are also well placed to face such a difficult market environment as it is at present. And we are particularly proud of getting through the crisis without corona-related layoffs. We continue to bank on our strengths, namely technology and industry know-how. This is how we continue to convince our customers both new and existing. We will emerge from the crisis stronger and more agile.
 
With vaccinations reportedly on the near horizon, better testing technology, accrediting organizations, industry sanitization and safety protocols being established, and more, when and how do you anticipate the industry coming back?
It is very encouraging that vaccines have been developed at such a rapid pace and that vaccinations have already begun, initially in the UK. This news gives us hope, accordingly, that the very difficult situation our industry finds itself in will take a turn for the better in the foreseeable future and that people will once again be able to enjoy art and culture. CTS Eventim is ready and perfectly positioned to go into action as soon as circumstances return to normal.

CaraLewis.net –

Cara Lewis

Founder, CEO, Cara Lewis Group

In terms of scale and impact, how would you describe 2020 and the current crisis’ challenges and impact on your business?
When the pandemic hit in mid-March, all of 2020 had to either be postponed or cancelled.  The lack of touring has had a devastating financial effect on many Artists at all levels and in all genres, and a domino effect on businesses that rely on live touring income. That puts agencies on the top of the list.  Live touring has always played an integral role in an Artist’s career, to set the blueprint for their future success. Whether it be to support a new project or to build a fan base for an upcoming Artist, due to COVID and its current restrictions, it will take years now to accomplish the same goals which will have long term effects on Artists careers and support teams as it relates to financials and growth.

What strategies have you and your businesses implemented and/or are you considering implementing to address these challenges?  
We paused, rerouted and began to pitch and create opportunities in branding and virtual experiences, both public and private, for our clients. The first opportunity we created was a partnership with Levi’s for a charity-driven livestream series featuring virtual performances by our clients Chase B, Questlove, Ravyn Lenae, THEY., and Vic Mensa

Partnerships that followed include the hugely successful Travis Scott/McDonald’s collaboration which featured an animated commercial, massive merch and charity components, and the first celebrity meal since Michael Jordan in 1992. I was proud to deliver that opportunity and see it come to fruition. Additional opportunities include the Khalid x Levi’s Spring and Fall campaigns, his virtual Headline performance for U.S. Open x Chase Sound Check, Erykah Badu x Verizon virtual performance and experience, The Roots and Questlove’s many virtual performances, Ludacris’ Headline performance for Blumhouse Productions virtual movie premier, Ravyn Lenae for The Chi, Ally Brooke for Sessions, and numerous virtual College opportunities for many of our clients.

We continue to reroute and plan 2021/2022 tours for our clients: Eminem, Travis Scott, Khalid, Chance the Rapper, Russ, Bryson Tiller, Arizona Zervas, BIA, J.I., Phony Ppl, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, The Roots, Ally Brooke, Vic Mensa among others.

Determination, resourcefulness, and creativity have served as the founding principles for my business before the pandemic, and will continue to throughout and beyond.

With vaccinations reportedly on the near horizon, better testing technology, accrediting organizations, industry sanitization and safety protocols being established, a new Presidential administration and more, when and how do you anticipate the industry coming back?
It’s impossible to tell when. “How” will be defined by things like local and federal government restrictions and how to encourage a population to take the vaccine. I think that will be the biggest issue. Other unknowns include how quickly venues will be able to get back to full capacity, routing tours when each city has different conditions and regulations, etc. We’re going to have to walk before we run. However, we remain optimistic and are preparing to hit the ground running and push our agenda forward. We are a boutique agency which makes it easier for us to offer flexibility and dedicate more time to navigate through all the uncertainty and changing times.

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Peter Shapiro
Founder, Dayglo Ventures, Brooklyn Bowl

In terms of scale and impact, how would you describe 2020 and the current crisis’ challenges and impact on your business?
It’s definitely new uncharteres territory.  If we can get Save Our Stages passed (and it looks like that’s about to happen), I think a lot of venues will be protected and will survive.  At least that is true if the vaccine works!!

What strategies have you and your businesses implemented and/or are you considering implementing to address these challenges?
We have pivoted to the livestreams. It’s not really a show, but it’s also like of a show.  Ha.   And, we have seen people starting to actually buy tickets to the streams, which has been a real mitzvah for us and our staff, and even more so for the bands.   I think this is something that will continue when the world returns and real-life shows return.   The streaming will continue and will be a meaningful overlay integrated into the deals that are done for the physical world shows.  

With vaccinations reportedly on the near horizon, better testing technology, accrediting organizations, industry sanitization and safety protocols being established, a new Presidential administration and more, when and how do you anticipate the industry coming back?
Hmmm.  Good question.  Kind of challenging because things seem to change and evolve so quickly.   We are going to follow best practices and utilize the best available technology and really just be smart and thoughtful about the beat time to return, and the best way to return.   When it does come back….I think it is going to come back very strong. People now know, first-hand, how much they love seeing live shows and I think they are going to live their lives like it might all end tomorrow. Because it kind of did there for a moment.   I can’t wait for that moment to be over!!!

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Kelly Strickland

Senior Vice President, U.S. Concerts, Tour Marketing, Live Nation

In terms of its scale and impact, how would you describe 2020 and the current crisis, its impact on your business and the biggest challenge (or challenges) our industry faces?  
One of the long lasting impacts from this year is going to be how it pushed us to rethink how we did things before and how we can innovate what that looks like coming out of this together. How are we going to come back better than ever and ready to provide artists with best in class marketing. We are thinking and working towards an exciting future for live events and we can’t wait to be back – we are ready and we know artists and fans are as well.
 
What strategies have you and your businesses implemented and/or are you considering implementing to address these challenges?  (In answering this question, please let us know what if any resources, partnerships, alliances and/or innovations you’ve used and/or any successful initiatives you’ve undertaken.)  
This year we took the core of what Live Nation’s Concerts division does – connects artists to their fans – and pushed it beyond what we ever have before. From delivering all-new livestreams, exclusive artist interviews and news, and other digital content, to our unique drive-in concerts and socially distanced shows that found safe ways for fans to experience live music in a year with very few shows, we had to exercise new muscles to fulfill our mission. We’ve honed some skills, and added some entirely new ones – all of which we can’t wait to apply to promoting concerts when they return.

With vaccinations reportedly on the near horizon, better testing technology, accrediting organizations, industry sanitization and safety protocols being established, a new Presidential administration, when and how do you anticipate the industry coming back?
While there is no crystal ball, it definitely feels like we are starting to turn a corner. Everyone wants to return safely and responsibly, and we know artists and fans will be ready to be back when that time comes.

null – Rob Beckham
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Rob Beckham

Co-Founder and CEO, The AMG

In terms of its scale and impact, how would you describe 2020 and the current crisis, its impact on your business and the biggest challenge (or challenges) our industry faces? 
Our industry is currently faced with so many challenges it is nearly impossible to identify one as being bigger or more pressing than any of the others. That said, 2020 was filled with fear and uncertainty, so one important challenge that the industry will need to overcome is restoring consumer confidence in live events. Concerts have always provided a much needed respite for fans, and we want them to continue to be. Whether that sense of security comes with a vaccine, enhanced testing / reporting software, heightened cleaning and distancing protocols, or a combination of all the above and more – we need to do everything we can to make sure that when fans buy tickets to a show, they are confident it will be a safe and enjoyable experience.
 
What strategies have you and your businesses implemented and/or are you considering implementing to address these challenges?
 Any time a national catastrophe forces an entire industry to pivot, there is an unparalleled opportunity for innovation. And who is better equipped to innovate than an industry filled with brilliant creatives?! With touring at a standstill, our artists needed to find new and meaningful ways to connect with fans. Brad Paisley crashed a whole bunch of Zoom Calls and turned that into a music video. Chris Young turned to new technology to launch his new single with Kane Brown. These are only two examples of the countless innovative ways our artists continue to charter this new landscape. As a management company, we began exploring partnerships and opportunities that we may not have otherwise considered. By diversifying our traditional model, we have been able to identify new revenue streams and develop new monetization strategies that will hopefully benefit our artists for years to come. While there is definitely no substitute for live music, we are doing our best to stay connected to our fans until we can tour again.
 
With vaccinations reportedly on the near horizon, better testing technology, accrediting organizations, industry sanitization and safety protocols being established, a new Presidential administration, when and how do you anticipate the industry coming back?
The effects of the pandemic have been devastating, and I am afraid this isn’t something from which we can just bounce back overnight. With the vaccine on the horizon, my hope is that the industry will reopen, consumer confidence will be restored and live music will resume rather quickly.  But when it happens (and it inevitably will), the industry landscape will not look the same as it did in March. Some of the changes will be heartbreaking. For example, many iconic venues have closed permanently. (And unfortunately unless we act quickly, we are going to lose even more…) But some of the changes will be welcomed. Over the last few months artists have found new and exciting ways to engage with fans so I think we will see more of that. Artists have also spent a lot of this time focusing on writing and creating, and I think we are going to see some really amazing new music released in 2021. Personally, I can’t wait for live music to resume.  After all, music has the power to unify, and I think that’s what we all need the most right now.