Dinenage re-elected, FYRE’s back, Kili backs albums ??

Welcome to Access All Areas: LiveWire!

In this issue, we bring you news of leadership changes in key industry bodies, updates on the highly anticipated FYRE Festival 2, and the exciting partnership between Kilimanjaro Live Ltd (Myticket.co.uk) and National Album Day. We also focus on the investigation into Ticketmaster’s pricing practices for the upcoming Oasis reunion tour, and highlight critical conversations around diversity and racial bias in event licensing. If you’re new to our newsletter, hit the "Subscribe" button to stay informed on all things live events and entertainment!

???? Caroline Dinenage re-elected chair of Culture Media and Sports Committee

In a nutshell: The Conservative MP for Gosport, Dame Caroline Dinenage MP DBE has been elected unopposed as chair of the Culture Media and Sports Committee.

Highlights:

• Further Details: Dineage will take up the position as chair of the cross-party committee when the remaining members have been appointed by the House.

• Second Stint: Dinenage was Minister of State for Digital and Culture in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport from February 2020 to September 2021.
• Industry Reacts: LIVE CEO Jon Collins said he welcomes her re-appointment as chair: “We look forward to working with her in the months and years ahead.”

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?? FYRE Festival 2 Set for April

In a nutshell: The organiser of the famously botched FYRE Festival has set a date for a second edition, with VIP tickets priced at more than $1 million.

Highlights:

• FYRE Flop: McFarland’s infamous first attempt at running a festival led to him being imprisoned for four years, and became the subject of two hit documentary films.
• McFarland Speaks: In an interview with NBC News, FYRE Festival founder Billy McFarland said the sequel is set for 25-28 April 2025, and that he expects it to be attended by around 3,000 people.
• Ticket Sales: The announcement has sparked widespread scepticism, but early ticket sales have been strong, showing that some fans are still curious to see what happens.

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?? Kilimanjaro Live partners with National Album Day

In a nutshell: Stuart Galbraith ’s Kilimanjaro Live is to stage a series of live shows to accompany this year’s edition of music retail initiative National Album Day.

Highlights:

• Further Details: Set to take place on 19 October, National Album Day will celebrate ‘Great British Groups’ with the aim of driving interest in both heritage artists and new talent.
• Kili's Role: Kilimanjaro, part of the KMJ Entertainment Group , will?promoter a range of themed shows by acts including New Model Army, Sea Girls and Cat Burns throughout October, and on National Album Day The Pretenders will perform at Connexin Live in Hull.
• Galbraith Says: “Kilimanjaro Live is honoured and delighted to become the official live partner for National Album Day,”

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?? Isle of Wight Festival exhibition to run at The O2

In a nutshell: An exhibition celebrating the history of the Isle of Wight Festival will open at The O2 on 19 September. Marking the 25th edition of the festival, the Experience 25 exhibition is set to run at the O2’s Innovation Centre from 19 September to 13 November.

Highlights:

• Further details: Along with early archive content from the first three editions of the festival, featuring acts including Bob Dylan, The Doors, The Who and Joni Mitchell, the exhibition will include an “authentic” recreation of Ray Foulk ’s (pictured left) office, who oversaw the 1968, 1969 and 1970 events.
• Recognising the Revival: Experience 25 will also detail how John Giddings (pictured right) revived the festival in 2002 and feature content from key performances since.
• Giddings Says: “Here is a celebration of the last 22 years, with the original three years added by kind courtesy of Ray Foulk, without whom it, it would not exist.”

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??? Rob Wilmshurst to lead CTS Eventim’s UK ticketing businesses

In a nutshell: Rob Wilmshurst , co-founder and long-standing CEO of See Tickets UK , has assumed responsibility for all ticketing activities of the CTS Eventim Group in the UK, under the See Tickets and EVENTIM UK brands.

Highlights:

• Further Details: Earlier this year, CTS Eventim acquired See Tickets , along with its associated live entertainment business, from its former owner Vivendi.
• Humble Beginnings: Wilmshurst began his career at the record shop Way Ahead Records in Nottingham. In 1998, he co-founded the Way Ahead Group and expanded into ticket sales. Since 2004, the company has operated under the See Tickets brand.
• Warm Welcomes: CTS Eventim COO Alexander Ruoff said, “I congratulate Rob on his new role and look forward to working closely with him."

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??? Event licensing still affected by racial prejudice

In a nutshell: Black Lives in Music (BLiM), has presented evidence to the London Assembly showing that racial prejudice in event licensing remains a major problem and continues to significantly impact the night-time economy and create barriers for BAME artists and promoters.

Highlights:

• Further Details: BLiM has been commissioned by the GLA, Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime, and The Musicians’ Union (MU) to research the impact of policies and interactions with the police, councils, venues and promoters on Black, Asian and ethnically diverse music events.
• Beaumont Speaks: “Black and Brown people have a right to work – how much are these cancellations costing the night-time economy?” says Dr Charisse Beaumont (DMus) , BLiM’s CEO.
• Calls for Change: BLiM and?the MU?wrote to the Mayor?of London last year?to raise their concerns about barriers in the industry. In response, the Mayor,?Night?Czar, BLiM, the MU and LIVE established The Race Equality in Music Event Licensing (REMEL) project to take action.

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?? CMA launches investigation into Ticketmaster over dynamic pricing of Oasis tickets

In a nutshell: The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it has launched an investigation into Ticketmaster’s use of dynamic pricing during the sale of tickets for the Oasis Live ’25 stadium tour .

Highlights:

• Dynamic Pricing: Ticketmaster’s pricing sparked widespread complaints from consumers after fans were left waiting for hours in online queues before unexpectedly being faced with the prospect of inflated prices of ￡355 for standing tickets that were shown as being ￡135 at the outset.
• Ongoing Investigation: The CMA is scrutinising whether the sale of Oasis tickets by Ticketmaster may have breached consumer protection law.
• Call for Support: The regulator is inviting fans to submit evidence of their experiences in relation to the purchase or attempted purchase of Oasis tickets.

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