Market intelligence for live events industry professionals Autumn 2025
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Coping with controversy
While sheltering from the relentless rain during the Amsterdam Dance Event( ADE), I took the opportunity to sit in on some of the excellent conference panels curated by Ruth Daniel, including one called Music, Money and Moral Lines. That session found DGTL festival director Ellen Evers opening up about the impact of having been caught up in the backlash over Superstruct’ s connection to private equity firm KKR and its ties to Israel.
Another fascinating speaker on that panel was Dan Lambert, the manager of Irish rap trio Kneecap. A former diplomat at the United Nations, with an MA in International Conflict & Security from Dublin University, he went on to work for the Irish Government’ s Department of Foreign Affairs in the Conflict & Resolution Unit. Lambert may well be equipped to cope with conflict, but nothing could have prepared him for the extent of the backlash following Kneecap’ s Coachella performance back in April. It led to the band not only being banned from events but entire countries.
I grabbed Dan for a chat at ADE( P. 21), and in response to widespread concern among festival operators about how to cope with the challenges involved in booking politically outspoken artists, I interviewed LIVE CEO Jon Collins( P. 23) to find out how the industry is working on a collective approach to the issue.
As the new year draws closer, there’ s a focus in this edition of AAA on new venues, new events and new approaches to existing ones.
On page 6 we hear from Festival Republic about its plans for major new camping festival State Fayre. With headliners including Kings of Leon and Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts, the June event at Hylands Park will focus heavily on Americana.
Set to return from a one-year hiatus next year and be staged at a new location, WOMAD is to undergo sweeping changes. Festival director Chris Smith reveals details of what appears to be the beginning of a new era for the longstanding event.
On page 43, we hear from Altitude Comedy Festival CEO Brett Vincent about his plans to broaden the Austria-based festival’ s international appeal while continuing to offer up a remarkable array of entertainment that stretches way beyond skiing and live comedy to include anything from paragliding to pool parties.
There will be no shortage of Christmas parties and awards ceremonies in the coming weeks. I’ m looking forward to seeing many of you at the Access All Areas Conference & Awards. Good luck to all who entered.
Enjoy the issues and have a fantastic festive season.
Christopher Barrett, Content Director
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CONTENT DIRECTOR Christopher Barrett
PORTFOLIO DIRECTOR Steve Theivendrarajah
MARKETING MANAGER Gus Agostini
PRODUCTION CONTROLLER Sabrina Boucher
CIRCULATION MANAGER Samy Shafeeq
PAGE PRODUCTION The Magazine Production Company
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Access All Areas.
An eventfull summer
The key moments explored
Wimbledon Championships Off court with Michelle Dite
Krankbrother Raising the roof in London
Kendal calling Celebrating 20 years
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