LIVE MUSIC INDUSTRY NEWS: Festival Promoter of the Year • Kennedy Center in crisis • May returns to Capital • More
In the latest live music industry news, John Giddings, the founder of Solo Agency who resurrected the Isle of Wight Festival was named Festival Promoter of the Year at the FestForums awards in Santa Barbara this week.
Giddings was presented with the award by Arthur Fogel, president of Live Nation’s global touring division.
• After President Trump gutted the Kennedy Center board and was named its new President, the arts center is in crisis as artists including Issa Rae and Low Cut Connie cancel performances. Musician Ben Folds and opera singer Renée Fleming announced they leaving their positions as artistic advisers at the center, as did the Treasurer of the board of trustees, TV producer Shonda Rhimes.
Some shows connected with the Kennedy Center have been canceled or pulled from its website. The Center commissioned Finn, a children’s musical about a shark whose creator said it was in part a metaphor for the LGBTQ+ experience, was cancelled abruptly.
In a statement, the union Actors’ Equity Association said: “It is disturbing to see the new leadership of this institution move so swiftly to suppress viewpoints they do not agree with” adding it intends to enforce its contracts with the center.
• The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York has named Stefanie May as Marketing Director.
She returns to The Cap where she previously served as Marketing Coordinator, Manager Manager, and ultimately Marketing Director from 2014 to 2022.
Stefanie join alongside Alyssa Kitchen, the venue’s first-ever female General Manager (Pollstar Impact: NextGen). In her previous roles she played a key role in shaping the venue’s brand and digital presence, managing social media and marketing for LOCKN’ Festival (2016-2022) and volunteering on the Social Media Team for the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) to help pass the Save Our Stages Act.
• Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) will release its fourth quarter and full year 2024 financial results after market hours on Thursday, February 20, 2025. Michael Rapino, Live Nation Entertainment’s President and Chief Executive Officer, will host a teleconference that day at 2:00 p.m. PT (5:00 p.m. ET).
A live webcast of the call will be accessible from the “News / Events” section of the company’s website at investors.livenationentertainment.com.
Live Music Industry News Updated Continuously Under The LIVE INDUSTRY NEWS TAB Above
Bruce Houghton
