Live Nation to begin livestreaming from concert venues, including the Fillmore
Earlier this week, Live Nation announced it had begun to set up more than 60 concert venues across the United States with the ability for artists to livestream their shows at the flip of a switch to fans worldwide. The idea behind to move, done in conjunction with the streaming platform Veeps, is to allow bands to generate additional revenue in addition to performing for in person audiences as the coronavirus pandemic subsides.
A wide variety of venues will be optimized for livestreaming, from iconic clubs and theaters to amphitheaters. Included among them are the Fillmore in Philadelphia and San Francisco, the House of Blues in Chicago and New Orleans and a number of amphitheaters including Shoreline Amphitheater in California and the Gorge in Washington. The Wiltern in Los Angeles is already equipped and will be debuting a series of 10 streamed shows beginning May 7, with tickets for each priced at $15.
Live Nation earlier this year acquired a majority stake in Veeps, an artist-first livestream platform run by co-founders Joel and Benji Madden of the band Good Charlotte. Now the companies are doubling down to help artists expand revenue on the road where they make a living while providing creative opportunities to connect with more fans. The selected venues are already regular tour stops, giving artists a good degree of flexibility to choose when and where they want to add the element of streaming to a show.
“Amongst artists, it’s often said that the one side of our careers that truly belongs to us is touring. To help an entirely new touring vertical become readily available to artists is such a huge win for our community and we couldn’t be happier,” said Joel Madden in a statement. “Now, with the flip of a switch, every artist playing in these venues can make their show a global event. We’ve already seen how livestream shows drive engagement across every other area of an artist’s business and the added ticket revenue will allow them to re-invest in their art and make what they’re offering their fans even better.”
Live Nation promotes 40,000 concerts and more than 100 festivals in a typical year, and its network of physical shows provide a unique opportunity for livestreaming. Combined with Veeps’ technology, artists will be able to offer fans virtual admission to sold out shows, access to events happening around the world, exclusive content as well as backstage and front row viewing angles. Enabling the venues will also create jobs for the production crews that help bring the plan and concerts back to life.
“Artists and fans are eager to get back to shows, and livestreams will continue to unlock opportunities for them to connect more than ever before,” said Michael Rapino, President and CEO of Live Nation Entertainment in a statement. “Veeps is the best at what they do, with Benji and Joel tapping into their own experience as artists to help other artists thrive, and we look forward to bringing this innovative idea to life in these iconic venues.”
Ticketed livestreams have been helping artists engage with fans once everything shut down more than a year ago. Last year, Veeps in particular helped put over $10 million directly into the pockets of artists through tickets bought to the shows. Artists like Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, Brandi Carlile and Patti Smith turned to them in a bid to connect with fans, raise money for charity and bring in income for themselves and their crew.
VINYL OF THE WEEK
Keep an eye on this spot as each week we’ll be looking at new or soon-to-be-released vinyl from a variety of artists. It might be a re-pressing of a landmark recording, special edition or new collection from a legendary act. This week, it’s the third in a series of boxsets from revered singer/songwriter Bob Mould.
BOB MOULD: ‘DISTORTION: 2008 — 2019’
Demon Music Group continues their year-long Bob Mould reissue campaign with ‘Distortion: 2008-2019,’ the third of four vinyl boxsets chronicling the solo career of the legendary American musician. It follows hot on the heels of October’s 8 LP ‘Distortion: 1989-1995’ boxset, which took in Mould’s early solo outings as well as his records with the much-beloved Sugar and January’s 9LP ‘Distortion: 1996-2007’ continuing through the next steps in his solo career and outings as LoudBomb and Blowoff, covering the entirety of his postHüsker Dü output.
‘Distortion: 2008-2019’ follows Mould through a number of standout records that include some of his most celebrated work. Collected in this set are ‘District Line’ (2008), ‘Life and Times’ (2009), ‘Silver Age’ (2009), ‘Beauty & Ruin’ (2014), ‘Patch the Sky’ (2016) and ‘Sunshine Rock (2019),’ as well as a bonus disc ‘Distortion Plus: 2008-2019,’ which features collaborations with Foo Fighters and Butch Walker, plus the single “I Don’t Mind.” It comes pressed on clear vinyl with an etched B-side.
As with the previously released boxsets in the ‘Distortion’ collection, each album in the set has been mastered by Jeff Lipton and Maria Rice at Peerless Mastering in Boston and is presented with brand new artwork designed by illustrator Simon Marchner and pressed on 140gram clear vinyl with unique splatter effects. The boxset includes a 28-page companion booklet featuring liner notes by journalist Keith Cameron, contributions from Dinosaur Jr. frontman J Mascis and Garbage frontwoman Shirley Manson, lyrics and memorabilia.
The latest ‘Distortion’ set can be purchased online and in stores from all respectable retailers who carry vinyl.