null – DWP
Row 1: Danny Wimmer Row 2: Danny Hayes, Chamie McCurry, Joe Litvag Row 3: Maureen Valker-Barlow, Gary Spivack, Keith Koenig Row 4: Damon D’Arienzo, Albert Lomeli, Molly Zidow

Danny Wimmer’s Wild Year

Danny Wimmer may have found a way to come out of 2020 even stronger than before, diversifying the company’s music offerings beyond its core major outdoor festivals, launching its own branding agency, producing tours and now – seemingly every week – signing long-term leases with outdoor venues for summer and fall ‘21.

Pictured – core DWP team members

Row 1: Danny Wimmer
Row 2: Danny Hayes, Chamie McCurry, Joe Litvag
Row 3: Maureen Valker-Barlow, Gary Spivack, Keith Koenig
Row 4: Damon D’Arienzo, Albert Lomeli, Molly Zidow

“When your entire industry faces an existential threat, you have to look at what made you vulnerable,” Wimmer tells Pollstar via email. “While festivals will always be our core business, coming out of COVID we will also put more investment into our non-festival business. Our partnership with [Ohio’s] Inkcarceration is a particularly bright spot and we will continue to look for opportunities to work with and support other promoters. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that our partnership with the Yucaipa Companies has already proven its worth. Ron Burkle’s team has been unbelievably encouraging of our growth initiatives and has really opened its wide resources to us.”

DWP has produced its own “Offstage With DWP” pay-per-view concerts by Flogging Molly, Corey Taylor and others, and Wimmer says, “PPV will continue to have a place in our post-pandemic portfolio” and “we have a digital partnership in the works that we expect to be announcing soon.” The announcement could be a big one, as the company’s own recently launched BrandMark branding and sponsorship agency announced an exclusive deal with Dennis Arfa’s Artist Group International.

“The eagerness that people have to get back to in-person concert experiences has given us an opportunity both to go bigger and go smaller,” Wimmer says. “Our most successful core rock festivals – Aftershock (Sacramento), Louder Than Life (Louisville) and Welcome To Rockville (Daytona Beach) – are all expanding from three-day to four-day events in the fall. We’re also excited about partnering for the first time with Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival in Ohio. …

“At the same time, we’ve signed venue leases – including Waterfront Park in Louisville and Ford Festival Park in Oshkosh, Wis., – that will allow us to produce a series of smaller shows as we work our way back to what we hope will be a full festival calendar in 2022.” 

Danny Wimmer’s Wild Year

Oct. 2019

Aftershock Sells Out, Metallica Announced To Headline 2020

Feb. 2020

‘Substantial Funding’  From Burkle’s Yucaipa Companies Announced

Feb. 2020

Metallica Nixed From  DWP Events Due To  James Hetfield’s Treatment

March 2020

May Festivals Canceled  Due To COVID

April 2020

Sept’s Louisville Trifesta Canceled

June 2020

Offstage WIth DWP Launched

August 2020

Joe Litvag Joins DWP 

Sept. 2020 

Aaron Lewis / Sully Erna Drive-In Tour Announced

Sept. 2020

Corey Taylor PPV Announced

Oct. 2020

Aftershock Announces Lineup, Adds Fourth Day

Dec. 2020

Dance Gavin Dance PPV 

Feb 2021

Four Fests Confirmed For ‘21

March 2021

Flogging Molly St. Patrick’s Day Livestream 

March 2021

BrandMark Agency Launched, With Maureen Valker-Barlow Named President

April 2021

Inkarceration Lineup Announced For Sept.

Signs Long-term Lease For Venues In Wisconsin, Louisville

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