Dan Steinberg, and Luke Pierce, co-founders and co-hosts of the Promoter 101 podcast, returned after a long absence with an exclusive Pollstar Live! pop-up, April 17, featuring principles from upstart indie agency Paladin Artists: Steve Martin, Andy Somers, and Chyna Chuan-Farrell, who all used to work together previously at APA.

During his speech following his induction into the Pollstar Hall of Fame during April 16’s Pollstar Awards at the Beverly Hilton, legendary promoter Louis Messina rattled off his roster. It is one that is enviable and impressive. It is led, of course, by Taylor Swift, and also includes the legendary George Strait, the forever-in-stadiums Kenny Chesney, the now-in-stadiums Lumineers and more. But there was one new name he mentioned Wednesday: singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers.

Panels at Pollstar Live! – and the music business in general – can easily stir up controversy, from tensions between the indies and major promoters to rivalries between agencies. But the Rainmaker session devoted to “Reimagining Ticketing” presented a united front, with the moderator, speakers (and seemingly the audience) in agreement that something must be done to address fraud in ticketing. As moderator Jeremy Thompson, VP of Policy Communications at Live Entertainment, noted when starting the panel, the T word that’s dominating our industry isn’t tariffs – it’s ticketing.

Stager, an all-in-one ticketing, marketing and event planning system for organisers, has partnered with music streaming giant Spotify. The Dutch company works with festivals, nightclubs and music venues across Europe. Stager allows organisers to automatically publish their events on a network of partner channels in order to reach new audiences.

Live Nation has announced an expansion in Japan through the acquisition of the prominent live entertainment company Hayashi International Promotions (HIP). According to the companies, the deal will expand HIP’s reach with international artists while providing J-pop artists with broader access to international fans.

Following the acquisition, HIP’s current CEO Kaori Hayashi will continue to oversee operations at the concert promotions company. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

With just a few months to go before the return of Vans Warped Tour, founder Kevin Lyman stopped by Production Live! to share stories from his decades in the live business and offered insight into how the punk rocker with a heart of gold is continuing to bring together music fans and rising artists. The keynote Q&A was moderated by Ray Waddell, Chief Content Director at Pollstar parent company Oak View Group. Waddell introduced Lyman by noting that he’s one of his oldest friends in the live business, as well as a friend to many in the industry and a mentor.

Zach Iser and Caroline Yim have joined UTA as partners and agents in the music department, the agency announced Tuesday. Today’s announcement notes that they “will bring with them a proven track record in representing the biggest names in Hip-Hop and R&B.” Iser and Yim previously served as partners and co-heads of hip-hop/R&B at WME. And before that, the duo was at CAA.

Music Venue Trust’s (MVT) partnership with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey will see The Hunna tour grassroots venues in the UK. The indie rock band is kicking off a tour of up-and-coming British artists in May, with the aim of shining a light on grassroots music venues.

Pollstar has announced the recipients of the inaugural Billie Eilish Award for Sustainability: Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle and Mike Sciortino, the GM of UBS Arena, which is located within Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The award – which is named for the superstar artist and her leadership in championing sustainability practices in the live industry – will be presented during the 36th annual Pollstar Awards on Wednesday.

The Pollstar Awards takes place during this year’s Pollstar Live! conference, which is being held April 15-17 at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.

The Newport Jazz Festival will once again return to Rhode Island this summer as the prestigious music festival marks its 71st year.
Set for Newport’s Fort Adams State Park from August 1–3, the festival features a lineup that includes Janelle Monáe, The Roots, Jacob Collier, RAYE, Esperanza Spalding, Jorja Smith, Willow, De La Soul, the Christian McBride Big Band, Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda, the Antonio Sánchez Trio, and more.

On the heels of a partnership announcement involving Amsterdam-headquartered Eventix (now Weeztix) and Spotify, Rotterdam’s Stager has scored an integration deal of its own.
13-year-old Stager, which bills itself as an “all-in-one tool for event organizers,” took to LinkedIn to disclose its Spotify tie-up. Besides dealing in ticketing, the former business develops event-planning software, marketing tools, and more, according to its website.

Though the panel start time at 9:30 a.m., may have been early for some folks, especially following the Pollstar Awards (and after parties) the previous night, Danny Wimmer Presents GM/CMO Chamie McCurry said she was “riding a little bit of a high today.” After all, DWP’s Bourbon & Beyond just won the award for Music Festival of the Year (Global, Over 30,000 Attendance). Along with McCurry, the panel featured moderator Eric Gilbert, CEO of Duck Club Entertainment; Josh Kurfirst, Partner and Global Head of Festivals at WME; Chris Porter, Music Curator at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, and Bruce Solar, Partner/Agent at Paladin Artists.

The popular adage, “If you build it, they will come” is no longer a given between venues and the touring industry. To maintain an advantage in a competitive market, facilities – from clubs to stadiums – are increasingly involved in every aspect of a tour. 

Moderated by Jarred Arfa, Executive Vice President and head of Global Music at Independent Artist Group, the panel, “How Venues Can Partner in Booking, Marketing and Taking Risk” sponsored by Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum during Pollstar Live! looked at how venues can be better partners and not just landlords. 

Stevie Nicks, Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Jelly Roll, Missy Elliott, Usher and Dead & Co. were among the big winners at the 2025 Pollstar Awards, held in Los Angeles on Wednesday night.

Swift won Major Tour of the Year for the second consecutive year for her “Eras Tour” (having also won at the previous 35th Annual Pollstar Awards) while Nicks was inducted into the Pollstar Live Hall of Fame and Dead & Co. won Residency of the Year, accepted by John Mayer and Bob Weir. Eddie Vedder spoke for The Music Festival of the Year award win for the Ohana Festival. 

The 36th annual Pollstar Awards became a celebration of the past and present, with legends like Stevie Nicks, Barrie Marshall, Louis Messina and Gary Kurfirst getting recognized along with Chappell Roan, who ascended to superstardom last year and took home two awards during the ceremony, which featured appearances from Missy Elliott, Jelly Roll, Eddie Vedder, Bob Weir and John Mayer at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.

Roan’s rapid ascension in 2024 didn’t go unnoticed by industry professionals with the pop star winning the New Headliner of the Year and Support/Special Guest of the Year awards, the latter earned after performing alongside Olivia Rodrigo during one of her “GUTS” shows in L.A.

A report from Skiddle in partnership with the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) has detailed how split payment options helped encourage the purchase of both early bird and last-minute festival tickets. The report analysed key trends and insights from the 2024 festival season in the UK, and utilised data and third-party studies to explore shifts in consumer behaviour.

Just two months before it was slated to begin, Fyre Festival 2 has been postponed, according to messages sent to ticketholders. The event, meant to be the sequel to the disastrous 2017 festival of the same name, was slated to take place in Mexico from May 30 to June 2. But according to ABC News, organizers sent a message to customers stating, “The event has been postponed and a new date will be announced. We have issued you a refund. Once the new date is announced, at that time, you can repurchase if it works for your schedule.”

Music Venue Trust’s (MVT) partnership with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey will see The Hunna tour grassroots venues in the UK.

The indie rock band is kicking off a tour of up-and-coming British artists in May, with the aim of shining a light on grassroots music venues.

Skiddle has released its most comprehensive Festival Report, produced in partnership with the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), the report analyses key trends, insights and behaviours from the 2024 season, offering festival organisers actionable data to help maximise success in 2025.

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion has unveiled their genre-mixing lineup including performances from The Tesky Brothers, Shane Smith & The Saints, Lukas Nelson, Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, The Band Perry, Steep Canyon Rangers, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and Mountain Grass Unit, among others.

The three-day, immersive event, held on State Street in downtown Bristol, Tennessee and Virginia, is a tribute to the legacy of the 1927 Bristol Sessions recordings and the influence of that pivotal moment in music history. New for the 2025 event, Bristol Rhythm will add late night sets at Machiavelli’s outdoor tent, dances at the Country Music Mural Stage and the festival’s first Artist in Residence, Dave Eggar.

Live concerts and festivals are more than just shows—they’re community-building powerhouses that unite fans in unforgettable, real-world connections.