Pollstar

JUST CONFIRMED: Keynote Q&A with Actor and Comedian, Sebastian Maniscalco and Judi Marmel, Partner and President of Talent for Levity Live. Less than two weeks left to register for this year's Pollstar Live! In-person and virtual registration options are available. Register today: https://fal.cn/3fQ7N

Foo Fighters have confirmed they won't be limited to festival appearances in 2021, announcing six outdoor shows for late July and early August. The summer dates that include midwestern cities Cincinnati, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Bonner Springs, Oklahoma City, and Albuquerque, are the first Foo Fighters headlining shows since the February release of the band's Medicine At Midnight. Tickets go on sale June 4 at 10 a.m. local time. The announcement is titled the "First U.S. Dates ...Of 26th Anniversary Tour," which suggests more shows will be announced, making up for a lost 25th-anniversary tour that was sidelined due to COVID-19. https://fal.cn/3fOvT

COVER STORY: While growing up in the small town of Horten, Norway, like many Gen-Zers who are now in their early 20s, Marie Ulven listened to whatever was on the radio, a lot of Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber. Once she was in her early teens the singer/songwriter better known as girl in red started getting into moody indie rock and finding her own music bands like The Smiths and The Shins but Ulven’s admiration for Swift has been a constant. Like Swift, Ulven has built a... fanbase around songwriting that explores personal stories while maintaining relatability. Ulven’s lyrics that candidly reference her sexual desires and relationships as a gay woman have earned her praise as a queer icon and it’s easy to see why fans both LGBTQ+ and straight have connected with Girl In Red’s raw, emotional music. Whether singing about her struggles with mental health in tunes like 2018’s Summer Depression and her 2021 single Serotonin or the intense ups and downs of love from the sweet romance of 2018’s We Fell in Love in October to the heartache of a bitter breakup in 2021’s Did You Come? at the heart of Ulven’s songs is unflinching, refreshing honesty. https://fal.cn/3fMTC

Florida Georgia Line's Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley are ready to get back on stage they have announced their 2021 routing beginning Sept. 24 at Atlanta’s Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood. The 29-stop trek is made up of amphitheater and arena shows with stops including Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, United Center in Chicago, T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Save Mart Center in Fresno, and Ball Arena in Denver. The last show on the routing is Nov. 20 at Climate Pledge Aren...a in Seattle. FGL is bringing Russell Dickerson as direct support, along with Lauren Alaina and Redferrin as openers on all dates of the tour which is presented by Old Camp, sponsored by T-Mobile , and produced by Live Nation Concerts . https://fal.cn/3fJXy

The Circle network’s Opry Live returns to No. 1 on the chart after two weeks in the second position with country duo Brothers Osborne topping the lineup for the May 22 event. Vince Gill opened the show and was followed by Warner Music Nashville artist Charlie Worsham. Both joined actor Leslie Jordan along with T.J. Osborne for a three-song gospel set before Brothers Osborne returned to wrap the show. Viewership for the hour-long virtual broadcast was logged at 947,332. Deana ...Martin takes the No. 2 ranking on the chart for the second time in 2021 after previously landing there in the Jan. 18 issue. The singer and daughter of Dean Martin who performs virtually each week from her home studio drew a viewership of 306,610 for the performance, presented on her official Facebook page. The concert series There Is Light returns with the third-ranking for the second consecutive week based on 297,683 views of a May 18 performance on Twitch. Two Feet was the featured artist on the show and followed an opening set by Max Leone. The Tuesday virtual series which aired from L.A.’s Lodge Room during May also included a Q&A session with the artists. Future episodes of the series will be staged this summer in New York and London.

Q's With: WME’s Peter Schwartz is having a moment, but it’s not his first time. Having represented some of the biggest acts in hip-hop over the years, including current clients Macklemore and Joey Badass, his success streak continues with 24kGoldn whose song Mood just spent eight weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 chart. His roster isn’t limited to hip-hop, with big recent wins for his artists including pop trio AJR securing a place on the Top 10 chart with its single Bang! and new signee Olivia Rodrigo, who took over the No. 1 spot on the chart and set a Spotify record for most streams in a week with her pop ballad Drivers License. https://www.pollstar.com//wmes-peter-schwartz-on-his-hot-s

COVER STORY: 24kGoldn's debut single Mood has spent eight total weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, having ascended the Hot 100 four separate times. Although Golden Landis Von Jones, otherwise known as rapper/singer 24kGoldn, has enjoyed his sustained No. 1 success over the last few months, he, like many other up-and-coming artists, faces a purely 2020-21 conundrum: How does a hot recording artist establish their touring career side without the ability to have live shows? It’s a crucial question his team which includes WME, Active Management, Electric Feel, RECORDS/Columbia are now strategizing. Check out the full Cover Story on Pollstar.com.

On This Day In Tour History: Jan. 21, 2003 The Rolling Stones began a two-night stint at Chicago’s United Center five months into the Licks tour that supported the compilation album Forty Licks, commemorating the band’s 40th anniversary. Fans in the Windy City numbered 31,316 for the shows that racked up a $5.2 million haul. The Stones booked various venue sizes on the trek, playing theaters as well as arenas and stadiums. For more information on Tour Histories https://www.pollstar.com/tourhistories

Lady Gaga will sing the national anthem at Joe Biden’s inauguration and Jennifer Lopez will give a musical performance on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol when Biden is sworn in as the nation’s 46th president next Wednesday. The announcement of their participation comes one day after word that Tom Hanks will host a 90-minute primetime TV special celebrating Biden’s inauguration. Other performers include Justin Timberlake, Jon Bon Jovi, Demi Lovato and Ant Clemons.

Q's With: Andrew Lieber prides himself on his perseverance. As the founder of MAC Agency , he has established a 100 percent independent agency that represents some of hip-hop’s brightest young stars, including DaBaby, NBA YoungBoy, Rod Wave, Polo G, Toosiii, Yo Gotti and Moneybagg Yo (to name just a few of the artists he works with). At 30 years old, Lieber is head of one of North America’s fastest-growing independent agencies, and he was able to navigate his company through the COVID-19 pandemic without any layoffs by leveraging his merchandising business into a mask-production pivot that saw him supplying 7-11 stores throughout the country with masks. Full interview: https://www.pollstar.com//on-the-come-up-qs-with-hip-hops-

COVER STORY: Across his four-decade musical career, Trey Anastasio has reinvented himself and his music countless times. The beloved Phish musician did it again in 2020, playing to an empty room once unthinkable on eight consecutive Friday nights in October and November and broadcasting the shows for free via Twitch. For The Beacon Jams, Anastasio took up residence at Manhattan's Beacon Theatre, just blocks away from his apartment on Manhattan's Upper West Side, playing more than 150 songs no repeats! and raising money for the Divided Sky Fund, which will finance an addiction treatment facility in Vermont. Full story on Pollstar.com.

Country duo Sugarland stars as the fifth headliner in the 10-show Camping World Concert Series, streamed weekly each Tuesday through Thanksgiving. A viewership of 926,704 on Oct. 13 earns the series the top ranking on the chart, marking its second consecutive week at No. 1. Pop star Miley Cyrus scores the second slot in the ranking with 920,322 views of her live show at Whisky A Go-Go in Los Angeles on Oct. 17. Her performance was part of the three-day virtual event Save Our... Stages benefiting independent concert venues severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Circle’s Grand Ole Opry Live, ranked third with 574,573 views, continued commemorating the Grand Ole Opry’s 95th anniversary with its Oct. 17 show. Country Music Hall of Fame member Bill Anderson appeared along with Mandy Barnett, Brandy Clark and songwriter Don Schlitz who sang two of his CMA Song of the Year award winners. Chris Janson, Opry member since 2018, closed the show. Full chart now available https://www.pollstar.com///102620_livestream%20(4)_902.pdf.

In the wake of tragic killings of Black Americans this year and the subsequent protests, the live industry, including agencies, promoters, artists and production companies, all pledged to increase diversity and change hiring and promotion practices. Recent announcements of a new industry organization Diversify Our Stages, as well as Live Nation's just-announced Black Tour Directory initiative are promising signs and are helping to keep the spotlight trained on this important... issue. This week's Pollstar features Diversify Our Stages' Noelle Scaggs (Fitz & The Tantrums) and Benjamin Crooks on the cover and features many of the thought leaders who are making our business more equitable who are participating in this important roundtable discussion Jerome Crooks, NeverFamous and Tour Manager for NIN & Tool Lance "K.C." Jackson, Co-Founder, Roadies Of Color United Brandon Pankey, Live Nation Concerts Tobi Parks, Owner, XBk Live Sooner Routhier, Designer, Producer, Director for Muse, Alessia Cara & More Joe Schaffner, Tour Manager for Aretha Franklin & Marvin Gaye See more

Pollstar Live! Digital Sessions continue tomorrow with a special Diversifying The Live Industry roundtable hosted by this week's cover artist Noelle Scaggs, Founder of Diversify The Stage. Participants include: Jerome Crooks, NeverFamous and Tour Manager for NIN & Tool Lance "K.C." Jackson, Co-Founder, Roadies of Color United International... Brandon Pankey, Live Nation Concerts Tobi Parks, Owner of xBk Sooner Routhier, Designer, Producer, Director for Muse, Alessia Cara & More Joe Schaffner, Tour Manager for Aretha Franklin & Marvin Gaye Tune in tomorrow, Oct. 20 at 2pm ET/11am PT live on Facebook.

The Camping World Concert Series jumps to No. 1 after making its first appearance on the chart last week ranked second. With views totaling 1,022,274, the Oct. 6 stream featured country/bluegrass legend Ricky Skaggs along with veteran Contemporary Christian artist Steven Curtis Chapman. Bandsintown’s #Mostliked event on Oct. 6 starring garage punk singer/songwriter Ron Gallo, Nashville R&B artist Bren Joy, The Voice season 10 winner Alisan Porter and social media personali...ty Kesley Bou scores the No. 2 slot on the chart with a viewership of 715,840. Circle’s Opry Livestream Live lands at No. 3 with 672,091 views of the Oct. 10 show with appearances by newcomer Niko Moon in his Opry debut, CMA New Artist of the Year nominee Carly Pearce, Jeannie Seely singing her Grammy winner Don’t Touch Me in her 53rd year at the Opry and Josh Turner, an Opry member since 2007. Full chart available on Pollstar.com https://www.pollstar.com///101920_livestream%20(2)_900.pdf

COVER STORY: Fitz & The Tantrums singer Noelle Scaggs, for much of her 20-year career, was already painfully aware of the many times she’d performed and been the only woman, and often the only Black person, on or behind the stage. By the time the nation was convulsed in May after the police killing of George Floyd, it was even more acute. As the COVID pandemic virtually stopped touring, she was able to devote time to doing something about it. Scaggs developed the concept for Diversify The Stage, a broad-based initiative to facilitate the hiring of underrepresented touring professionals as well as to provide education, mentoring and internships for young people to enter the live business. Check out the full cover story on Pollstar.com. https://www.pollstar.com//times-up-diversity-the-stage-now

United Talent Agency names 19 New Partners.

NIVA, YouTube announce Save Our Stages Festival. #SOSFEST, a three-day virtual festival taking its name from the Save Our Stages industry relief package NIVA has championed, will present new performances by a vast spectrum of 35 performers Foo Fighters to Kelsea Ballerini to YG from more than 25 iconic independent stages across the country Oct. 16-18. Hosted by Reggie Watts, the extensive slate also includes Dave Matthews Band (Jefferson Theater in Charlottesville, Va.), marshmello and Demi Lovato (L.A.'s Troubadour), Brittany Howard (the Ryman), Dillon Francis (L.A.'s Teragram Ballroom), Phoebe Bridgers (the Troubadour), The Lumineers (Boulder Theater in Boulder, Colo.), Macklemore (Seattle's Neumos) and many more. Full

Femme It Forward President/CEO Heather Lowery has been elected to the Music Forward Foundation’s board of directors, the nonprofit announced Oct. 2. Music Forward is focused on helping young people in underserved communities break into the music business both on stage and behind the scenes by providing information, tools and opportunities. The board also includes Ron Bension, president, Venues, Live Nation; Michael Grozier, executive vice president, Venues, Live Nation; Eric Lassen, deputy general counsel, Live Nation; Emily Simonitsch, senior vice president talent, Live Touring and Talent, Live Nation; Patti-Anne Tarlton, chairman, Ticketmaster Canada and executive vice president of venues and promoters for North America; Kathy Willard, chief financial officer, Live Nation.

Jared Smith Plans Exit From Ticketmaster

The Real Washington Monument: The 9:30 Turns 40 From its original location in rat-infested downtown Washington, D.C. location to internationally-recognized icon and the top of Pollstar's charts, this year the 9:30 Club is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Along the way everyone from James Brown, Prince and Bob Dylan to Willie Nelson, Iggy Pop, Loretta Lynn to Public Enemy, Nirvana and Adele have graced its stages. This riveting roundtable will include owner Seth Hurwitz, Big Tony of the Legendary Trouble Funk, Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters, booker Jen Haas and others.

We will be going live shortly!

Dave Grohl and Big Tony of Trouble Funk (The Official Trouble Funk Page) to join Pollstar Live! Digital Session: 40 Years of 9:30 Club. Tune in tomorrow, 9/30 at 2pm ET/11am PT live on Facebook. https://www.pollstar.com//dave-grohl-trouble-funks-big-ton