2 CENTS ON LEFSETZ/CONCERT STUFF

The idea of the last LiveWorks Newsletter https://liveworksnews.wordpress.com/2009/08/03/innovation-wins-every-time/ was to point out how innovators like C3, Goldenvoice/AEG Live, Superfly/Ashley Capps/Coran Capshaw, CAA, William Morris, Madison House…and Kevin Lyman have changed the landscape of the U.S. Concert Business through their festival development…and challenges the rest of us to try to live-up to their example.  So when I first saw a few jumping on Kid Rock’s bandwagon to tear Kevin down (in my mind Rock was the only one who should have been dissing and even he admits that he likes Kevin), my blood pressure started rising fast (those of you who know me have seen that before).  But then…Lefsetz http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/ started posting the flood (only way to describe it) of support for Kevin Lyman.

It was heartwarming to see so many bands, managers, agents, promoters, sponsors, fans…everyone say WE LOVE KEVIN… AND THIS IS WHY vs. ARTHUR FOGEL IS A LIAR (which we still saw too much of).  Here are some facts to chew on…

1) The U2 tour is doing very well whether you like their new album or not.  They are an amazing live band, always do groundbreaking production,  and unless you are in the box office counting the drop every-night, you shouldn’t be commenting on other’s ticket sales (unless you are Bob Lefsetz as he is our business’s commentator and conscious…and the reason we have these dialogues in the first place).

2) A new trend the business is seeing, and adapting to as much as possible is seating preferences.  P1 seats continue to sell in this economy.  So do P3’s and beyond.  P2’s not so much.  What you might see in a stadium concert is a show that is 98% sold-out and still has an empty section that looks like it is down-front. Just because the promoter/building/band wants to fill it in, doesn’t mean the show didn’t make money, and most of the capacity sold.  Maybe I’m totally wrong, but if you don’t know for sure, don’t call someone a liar!

3) Like the Festival Producers listed above,Arthur Fogel has changed our industry.  Bono and Madonna think he is the rock star!  He basically owns the top of the box score artists.  If you are talking shit about
Arthur, you are just jealous or pissed!  Me, I would rather do business with him than not. 

4) In case you haven’t noticed over the past couple of days, The Lefsetz Letter has us all talking.  Managers, agents, promoters, lawyers, business managers, label people, sponsors, fans, even rock stars (although I’m not sure if Madonna knows that Bob actually types on a computer and doesn’t write with a pen…but even she is talking about his fishing tackle).  Ok, so he doesn’t always get the facts perfect…but I don’t think that’s the point.  Bob, like the rest of us wants to see change for the positive.  Sometimes he needs to say things in a certain way to piss people off and get them talking (he never told me that but I’m guessing it is the case). 

With the way the world sits right now, our business should be pulling together instead of knocking each other down.  We should be encouraging Kevin Lyman and those like him to continue to innovate and create new vehicles.  It was awesome the way everyone wrote to Bob to tell “Kevin stories”.  We should all encourage and take part in the fun debate that happens as part of the Lefsetz Letter.  We should do the same for anyone who is trying to make a difference!

Hope you have a great weekend…and sell tickets (instead of giving them away)!

Speak with you soon…

Jim

THE STAPLES CENTER / LA LIVE

With the exception of how we procured our tickets  (at the very last minute…thank you Lee) to the Taylor Swift show on Friday night, we did everything the way any other paying customer would…but felt like a VIP at the Staples Center / LA Live complex. 

Now I know in the past I’ve said that the Nokia Theatres are “a little too AMC Theater” looking for me, but my families experience was so good at The Staples Center, it took me out of my writing cocoon that I’ve been in for a while (sorry about that everyone).  Let’s start with driving to the venue.  It couldn’t be easier.  If you know me, than you know that after 4-years living in LA (in July… god how time flies), I still don’t know my way around at all.  Now I have a navigation system in my car…a car I’ve had since 2005…but I’m still not exactly sure how to use it.  None of this mattered.   We drove straight from our house in Woodland Hills to The Staples Center. 

The parking garage we pulled into is across the street from the arena on the “LA Live” side and has valet parking.  $25 to valet your car in downtown Los Angeles for an event, that’s pretty good when you consider it cost just as much to park in a shitty lot down the street.  My wife and kids were just blown away by the cleanliness of the garage and escalators (the girls thought the blue lights were really cool), and proficiency of the staff.  We were soon up on the sidewalk where there is a plethora of restaurants, bars and distractions.  Right across the street, the box office to the Staples Center. 

No lines at the box office, I show my I.D. and the polite woman at the window asks me to wait one moment…”sign here please”…and away we go.  There’s an entrance right next to the box office and there were lines at every door since they were using metal detectors.  But the lines moved fast and the staff, very friendly. 

The next thing that impressed me was the men’s room.  As I started to pee, I read a placard on the side of the urinal that talked about how it was an Eco-friendly urinal and each saves 40,000 gallons of water per year.  Boy, makes you feel good to go to the bathroom.  Maybe I should pee more?

I could go on and on about concessions, ushers, security, etc, but lets just say that Lee Zeidman and his crew run a great operation.  When leaving we thought about the big mistake we made…valet parking.  How long would it take us to get our car with a concert letting out at Staples and Nokia at the exact same time???  Well, they have that covered too.  You put your ticket into the machine to pay.  It takes cash or credit.  Once you pay, the machine automatically orders your car and it is sitting in front of you in minutes.  We were back in Woodland Hills in half-an-hour…where the real party began. 

I’ll pay for service like that any day.  I’m sure I’m not the only one.  Congratulations to everyone at The Staples Center for running one great venue.  We could all learn a few lessons from them.

Speak with you soon…and I promise to write about the WMA / Endeavor merger soon.

Jim

p.s. – yes I paid for my tickets.