Nashvillians Take Home 'Pollstar' Awards

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pollstar awardsThe 25th Annual Pollstar Awards were presented February 21, 2014 at the Ryman Auditorium, and several Nashvillians were among the honorees. Comedian Henry Cho hosted the event. This marked the first time the live entertainment trade publication held its annual conference and awards ceremony in Music City. Among the local winners were Clarence Spalding, Paul Lohr, Brian O’Connell, Buddy Lee Attractions, The Ryman Auditorium, Sally Williams, Moo TV and CAA. Confidential voting was conducted entirely online. See more of MusicRow’s coverage of the conference, Pollstar Live.

Winners list
Major Tour of the Year Mumford & Sons
Most Creative Stage Production Pink
Best New Touring Artist Imagine Dragons
Major Music Festival of the Year Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival (Indio, Calif.)
Music Festival of the Year Newport Folk Festival (Newport, R.I.)
International Music Festival of the Year Glastonbury Festival (U.K.)
Nightclub of the Year 9:30 Club (Washington, D.C.)
Theatre of the Year Ryman Auditorium (Nashville)
Arena of the Year Barclays Center (Brooklyn, N. Y.)
Red Rocks Award for Small Outdoor Venue Greek Theatre (Los Angeles)
Best Major Outdoor Concert Venue Hollywood Bowl (Los Angeles)
Best New Major Concert Venue Austin360 Amphitheater (Austin, Texas)
International Venue of the Year The O2 London (London, U.K.)
Facility Executive of the Year Sally Williams (Ryman Auditorium, Nashville)
Nightclub Talent Buyer of the Year Lesley Olenik (Club Nokia, Los Angeles)
Talent Buyer of the Year Brian O’Connell (Live Nation Nashville)
Bill Graham Award for Promoter of the Year Charles Attal (C3 Presents)
International Promoter of the Year Barrie Marshall (Marshall Arts)
Third Coast Booking Agent of the Year Paul Lohr (New Frontier Touring)
Bobby Brooks Award / Agent of the Year Chip Hooper (Paradigm)
Independent Booking Agency of the Year Buddy Lee Attractions
Booking Agency of the Year Creative Artists Agency
UK Booking Agent of the Year Emma Banks (Creative Artists Agency)
Personal Manager of the Year Clarence Spalding (Jason Aldean, Rascal Flatts)
Road Warrior of the Year Jim Runge (The Black Keys, Wilco)
Lighting Company of the Year Upstaging
Sound Company of the Year Clair
Staging / Equipment Company of the Year All Access Staging & Productions
Transportation Company of the Year Rock-It-Cargo
Video Company of the Year Moo TV

Shelton Adds Hollywood Bowl, Madison Square Garden Concerts

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bshelton93011Five-time ACM nominee, including a nod for Entertainer of the Year, Blake Shelton, announced stops at Madison Square Garden in New York, N.Y., the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, Calif., and Wrigley Field in Chicago, Ill. as part of his upcoming Ten Times Crazier Tour 2014.
The tour launches June 20 at austin360 in Austin, Texas. Shelton is donating $1 from every fan club presale ticket sold to the Academy of Country Music’s Lifting Lives Foundation, through his Thunderclap campaign. Supporters will be entered to win two tickets and a backstage meet & greet with Shelton at a nearby show.
Blake Shelton’s Ten Times Crazier Tour 2014:
06/20 Austin, TX austin360 Amphitheatre
06/21 Dallas, TX Gexa Energy Pavilion
06/22 Little Rock, AR Verizon Arena
07/19 Chicago, IL Wrigley Field
08/01 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
08/02 Darien Center, NY Darien Lakes Performing Arts Center
08/29 Charlotte, NC PNC Music Pavilion
08/30 Orlando, FL Amway Center
09/04 Albuquerque, NM Isleta Amphitheatre
09/05 Phoenix, AZ Ak-Chin Amphitheatre
09/06 San Diego, CA Sleep Train Amphitheatre
09/11 Fresno, CA Save Mart Center at Fresno State
09/12 Sacramento, CA Sleep Train Amphitheatre
09/13 Mtn. View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
09/18 Spokane, WA Spokane Arena
09/19 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome
09/20 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena
09/25 Boise, ID Taco Bell Arena
09/26 Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amphitheatre
09/27 Denver, CO Pepsi Arena
10/03 Las Vegas,NV Mandalay Bay Events Center
10/04 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl

Pollstar Live! Hosts Nashville Execs In 'Bands, Brands and High Finance' Panel

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PollstarWhile Country radio is partying North of Broadway, Pollstar has brought patrons to Nashville’s Omni Hotel for the annual Pollstar Live! conference through Friday (Feb. 21). International patrons – a majority promoters – joined SVP, AEG Live/The Messina Group, Ali Harnell, on Thursday (Feb. 20) for a panel discussion titled “Bands, Brands and High Finance.”
Executives contributing expertise included Holly Bell (SVP Entertainment Division, City National Bank), John Frankenheimer (Chairman Emeritus, Loeb & Loeb), Martha Ivester (Music Sponsorship Agent, CAA), Ken Levitan (Founder and Co-President, Vector Management), AJ Niland (Founder/CEO, HUKA Entertainment and Co-Founder, Hangout Music Festival), and Jay Williams (Partner, WME).
Giving credit to independent labels who he says sign as much or more than majors, Frankenheimer noted, “Record deals are not standard, every major asks for 360. As the CD era slowed, labels have sought to profit in revenue from the road they feel having contributed. There is less upfront cash to offer, which gives a chance for artists to negotiate.”
Bell noted her relationships have changed in recent years, providing equity lines to even unsigned bands. “We’re spending money differently than 10-15 years ago, I see these changes from the ground up,” she said.
Williams contributed advice to agents assuming the role of A&R more often. “Because there is no barrier to entry anymore, it’s a very crowded space,” he said.
Levitan frankly said, “Artists used to tour to promote a record, that has switched to putting out a record to tour.” Of his responsibilities, which he says is to over-turn “stones” for new artists and make opportunities practical, Levitan continued, “We need any outside help from brands that we can get. The standpoint of many sponsorships is measured by social media numbers.” But fulfillment is key, he said, “As a small business you want to over fulfill for a renewal. Artists have to ask what gives you a leg-up to win the tie?” He suggested remembering names can solidify the business relationship, for example, even that of the decision-maker’s pet dog.
Niland mentioned, “One of the biggest things brands are looking for is exclusive content. This can help artists throw dollars on top of a guarantee.”
With her background with brands like Nike, Nashville-based Ivester cited statistics with an increased intent to do business for artists backed by brands. “Small steps bring an artist close to a brand,” she said referring to playing shows in a hotel lobby or hosting after-parties for room comps. She stated that brand partners allow an artist to mold images or even cater to new demographics.
The session concluded with a discussion of sync placements, to which Levitan anecdotally commented of Michael McDonald‘s partnership quite a few years ago for an MCI commercial. After accepting a lower upfront offer for a sync, the album – which he noted, sold 100,000 units prior – became multi-platinum because of the multi-million dollar “promotion” budget.

Jason Aldean Adds Two Atlanta Shows To 'Burn It Down Tour'

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Jason Aldean will help The Opry celebrate its birthday.
Jason Aldean simultaneously sold out two nights at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre, where he’s slated to play for the first time on Sept. 17 and 18. He also sold out his May 17 show in Atlanta, which prompted the addition of two dates at Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood, which will go on sale at 10 a.m. ET on Friday, Feb. 21 at ticketmaster.
Aldean’s 2014 Burn It Down Tour launches May 1 in Roanoke, Va. The 45-city trek includes Florida Georgia Line, Tyler Farr and Miranda Lambert on select stadium dates.

Craig Morgan Teams With Kidde Fire Safety On Latest Tour

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Country singer Craig Morgan (third from left) joins Kidde Fire Safety and leaders from the Tennessee State Division of Fire Prevention and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation to announce the first group of fire departments to receive Kidde smoke alarms during the singer’s VA Mortgage Leader Presents Craig Morgan The Journey Tour.Photo credit: Ed Rode

Country singer Craig Morgan (third from left) joins Kidde Fire Safety and leaders from the Tennessee State Division of Fire Prevention and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation to announce the first group of fire departments to receive Kidde smoke alarms during the singer’s VA Mortgage Leader Presents Craig Morgan The Journey Tour.
Photo credit: Ed Rode


Craig Morgan, along with the Tennessee State Division of Fire Prevention, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, and Kidde Fire Safety, has announced the first group of fire departments to receive Kidde smoke alarms during the singer’s VA Mortgage Leader Presents Craig Morgan The Journey Tour. The donations are part of Kidde’s “Be a Safety Hero” initiative, which highlights five simple steps to fire safety with support from Morgan, who is a spokesperson. Kidde, a leading manufacturer of residential fire safety products, is a part of UTC Building & Industrial Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp.
The donation kicked off at Dickson City Fire Department in Morgan’s hometown. In all, Kidde will donate 5,000 of its new Worry-Free 10-year sealed battery smoke alarms to fire departments at stops during Morgan’s 2014 tour – a $125,000 retail value. The alarms will then be installed in homes in need throughout each community.
“As a former first responder, I’ve seen the damage home fires can cause. Many home fire deaths are preventable, and I want to do what I can to help keep families safe,” said the Black River Entertainment artist. Before embarking on his music career, the country music star worked as an emergency medical technician and assistant sheriff’s deputy in Dickson County. In 2011, Morgan put his EMT training to use and rescued two children from a burning house in his home state.
The National Fire Protection Association reports approximately 3,000 people die in home fires in the U.S. every year, with most fires happening during the winter. Two-thirds of residential fire deaths occur in homes with either no smoke alarm or no working alarm.

Taylor Swift To Bring 'The Red Tour' To Asia

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Taylor Swift at Nashville's Sept. 21 'Red Tour' stop.

Taylor Swift in concert during The Red Tour

Taylor Swift brought her electrifying The Red Tour to North America, Australia and New Zealand in 2013; so far in 2014, she’s added sold-out shows in London and Berlin to her list of international travels. Swift will soon bring her concert tour to Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.

The tour features two stages, elaborate costumes and multiple changing sets. The Asian dates of The Red Tour Presented by Cornetto include:

June 4    Jakarta, Indonesia-MEIS (Mata Elang International Stadium)
June 6    Manila, Philippines-Mall of Asia Arena
June 9    Bangkok, Thailand-Impact Arena
June 11   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia-Stadium Putra Bukit Jalil
June 12   Singapore-Singapore Indoor Stadium
Ticket on-sale dates will vary by market.

Eventbrite Establishes Nashville Operation

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eb_press_bigTicketing company Eventbrite is launching a Nashville team this spring. The San Francisco-based operation plans to hire 45 customer support workers, some as early as this week, and have them on the job by the beginning of April. Employees will have the choice to work from home or in a co-working space.
“Eventbrite’s decision to expand into Nashville is indicative of how we are becoming a top city for driving innovation and tech talent,” Nashville Mayor Karl Dean said.
Founded in 2006, Eventbrite has offices in the U.K. and Latin America. Nashville was one of several cities in the running for the latest Eventbrite hiring efforts.
“We are so excited about launching a new team in Nashville,” said Rachael Neumann, Eventbrite’s director of customer experience strategy. “Nashville is a hotbed for tech savvy talent, culture, and the ‘make it happen spirit’ we look for when hiring.”
Bridging the gap between the Southeast and Silicon Valley has been a goal of many Nashville organizations. Launch Tennessee, a public-private partnership for the state and organizers of the Southland technology conference, recently visited Silicon Valley in order to form more partnerships for the state of Tennessee. “This announcement is exactly what we’ve been working toward,” said Launch Tennessee CEO Charlie Brock. “Eventbrite’s local presence is a prime opportunity for us to tap into those Silicon Valley assets and a way to implement them into our tech and startup culture. We hope to see additional partnerships between Nashville and San Francisco this year.”
To find out more about the available positions with Eventbrite, visit www.eventbrite.com/jobs.
 

Willie Nelson, Alison Krauss & Union Station To Co-Headline Tour

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paper airplane1111

Alison Krauss & Union Station


Willie Nelson and Alison Krauss & Union Station Featuring Jerry Douglas will take the stage together this summer. Joining them for separate portions of the tour will be folk trio The Devil Makes Three, Kacey Musgraves, and Jason Isbell.
The 35-city US tour will kick off May 1 in Murray, Ky. at the CFSB Center at Murray State University and run through July 18 in Toledo, Ohio.
With a six-decade career and 200 plus albums, Willie Nelson is the creative genius behind the historic recordings of “Crazy”, “Red Headed Stranger” and “Stardust.” In 2013, Willie’s albums included Let’s Face The Music And Dance, and To All The Girls…  The album To All The Girls… features 18 duets with music’s top female singers including Dolly Parton, Mavis Staples, Sheryl Crow, Loretta Lynn, Wynonna Judd, Rosanne Cash, Alison Krauss, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Emmylou Harris, Norah Jones, and Shelby Lynne.
willie-nelson

Willie Nelson


Since signing with Rounder Records at the age of 14, Krauss has sold over 12 million albums and won 27 Grammy Awards.
Union Station includes Jerry Douglas (dobro, lap steel, vocals), Dan Tyminski (guitar, mandolin, lead vocal), Ron Block (banjo, guitar) and Barry Bales (bass, vocals), with Krauss on lead vocal and fiddle.
 
2014 TOUR DATES:
 
May 1               Murray, KY                    CFSB Center/Murray State University*
May 2               Atlanta, GA                    Chastain Park Amphitheatre *
May 3               Knoxville, TN                Thompson Boling Arena*
May 4               Cary, NC                       Koka Booth Amphitheatre*
May 6               St. Augustine, FL           St. Augustine Amphitheatre*
May 8               Daniel Island, SC            Family Circle Cup Stadium*
May 9               Simpsonville, SC             Charter Amphitheatre*
May 10              Greensboro, NC              White Oak Amphitheatre*
May 11              Huntington, WV             Big Sandy Superstar Arena*
May 13              Roanoke, VA                  Roanoke Civic Center*
May 14              Columbus, OH               Schottenstein Center*
May 16              Nashville, TN                 The Woods at Fontanel*
May 17              Birmingham, AL             BJCC*
May 18              Augusta, GA                  James Brown Arena*
June 5               Southaven, MS               Snowden Grove Amphitheater #
June 6               Louisville, KY                Waterfront Park+
June 7               Lewiston, NY                 Artpark #
June 8               Bethel, NY                     Bethel Woods Center For the Arts #
June 10              New York, NY                Radio City Music Hall #
June 13              Philadelphia, PA             Mann Center #
June 14              Columbia, MD               Merriweather Post Pavilion
June 15              Simsbury, CT                Simsbury Meadows #
June 17              Boston, MA                   Blue Hills Bank Pavilion #
June 19              Bangor, ME                   Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion #
June 20              Gilford, NH                    Bank of NH Pavillion at Meadowbrook #
June 21              Canandaigua, NY           CMAC Performing Arts Center #
July 6                Kansas City, MO            Starlight Theatre ~
July 7                Rogers, AR                    Arkansas Music Pavilion ~
July 9                Oklahoma City, OK         Zoo Amphitheatre ~
July 11              Council Bluffs, IA           Harrah’s Stir Cove~
July 12              Chicago, IL                    Ravinia Festival~
July 13              Detroit, MI                     Freedom Hill~
July 15              Rama, ON                      Casino Rama
July 17              Interlochen, MI               Kresge Auditorium~
July 18              Toledo, OH                    Toledo Zoo
*The Devil Makes Three
# Kacey Musgraves
~ Jason Isbell
+ The Wild Feathers

Lonestar Begins Acoustic Tour Tonight

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lonestar1Lonestar will kick off their 2014 Acoustic Tour tonight in Scottsdale, Ariz. Comprised of Richie McDonald (lead vocals), Michael Britt (lead guitar & backing vocals), Keech Rainwater (drums), and Dean Sams (keyboards & backing vocals), the Grammy nominated group will be traveling cross country with dates on the east and west coast as well as points in between.
“We are really excited to kick off 2014 back on the road in support of our latest album, Life As We Know It,” says Sams. “This February and March, we are bringing the tour back to the basics with an all new, stripped down, acoustic show. This setting allows us to really showcase our songs in their original form of just voice and instruments, without all the production. Unlike anything we’ve ever done before, the show will be full of audience interaction that will be social media driven and allow fans the unique opportunity to come on stage with us. We look forward to seeing all of our fans at our shows!”
LONESTAR 2014 Acoustic Tour Dates:
Feb. 6 Scottsdale, Ariz. – Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
Feb. 8 Redding, Calif. -Cascade Theatre
Feb. 9 Chico, Calif. – California State University Chico – Laxson Auditorium
Feb. 13 Tucson, Ariz. – Fox Tucson Theatre
Feb. 14  El Cajon, Calif.- Sycuan Casino
Feb. 15 Santa Clarita, Calif. – College of The Canyons Performing Arts Center
Feb. 16 Modesto, Calif. – Gallo Center for the Arts – Mary Stuart Rogers Theatre
Feb. 17 Folson, Calif. – Harris Center
Feb. 28 Tulsa, Okla. – Mabee Center
March 12  Orono, Me. – University of Maine – Collins Center for the Arts
March 13 Red Bank, N.J. – Count Basie Theatre
March 14 Greenville, S.C. – Bon Secours Wellness Arena
March 15 Bradford, Pa. – Bradford Area High School Auditorium
March 22 Biloxi, Miss. – Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – Hard Rock Live

Thompson Square Launches 'Just Feels Good Tour' Tonight

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thompson square111

Thompson Square


Thompson Square kicks off its 2014 Just Feels Good Tour tonight (Feb. 6) in Jackson, Calif. The revamped show includes 86 moving lights and 18 individual high-definition video screens, though Keifer and Shawna Thompson also create an intimate, interactive concert experience for their fans.
“I don’t think we’ve been this pumped since we’ve been in Nashville. We’ve had some great opportunities over the past couple of years to be on three major tours. Each tour was amazing and we’re grateful to have been a part of them all, but this year we just want to do our own thing and get back to a one show, one band and one great crowd kind of mind set,” says Keifer Thompson.
“We also wanted to showcase more songs off our sophomore album Just Feels Good,” adds Shawna. “We made this record for our fans and want to show them our live interpretation of these songs that were so carefully chosen for our second album. We have a lot of surprises and have worked very hard to make this our best tour to-date.”
2014 Just Feels Good Tour dates include:
2/6/14 Jackson, Calif. Jackson Rancheria Casino & Hotel
2/7/14 Lincoln City, Ore. Chinook Winds Casino
2/8/14 Lincoln City, Ore. Chinook Winds Casino
2/10/14 Friant, Calif. Table Mountain Casino
2/12/14 Las Vegas Silverton Casino
2/22/14 Michigan City, Ind. Stardust Event Center
3/1/14 Kansas City, Mo. Uptown Theater
3/2/14 Plant City, Fla. Florida Strawberry Festival
3/4/14 Austin, Texas Rodeo Austin
4/10/14 Florence, Ariz. Country Thunder
6/12/14 Lancaster, Pa. American Music Theater
6/15/14 Hunter Mountain, N.Y. Taste of Country Music Festival
6/21/14 Hot Springs, Ark. Timberwood Amphitheater
7/24/14 Twin Lakes, Wis. Country Thunder
8/09/14 Detroit Lakes, Minn. WE Fest
8/16/14 Brownsville, Ore. The Williamette Country Music Festival
For more information, visit thompsonsquare.com.