Podcasts about live entertainment

On our latest adventure we chat with Ritesh Patel, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Ticket Fairy, an advanced AI-native vertical SaaS platform built specifically for the live entertainment industry. Similar to the show How It's Made, we talk with Ritesh about what Ticket Fairy is and how it was turned into what it is today, such as: thinking of the concept, coding and developing, testing it on his own gigs, beta testing with his friends, pitching and selling investors, scaling the business and product, and continuing to enhance and grow the platform's capabilities. It's a fascinating look into an interesting industry platform and what goes into building a business. Additionally, Ritesh is the creator of LOCUS, which he originally started to promote shows in 2000 and revived in 2022 into what is now two multi-day annual festivals in Tulum and Bali. We talk through both events and how they allow him to continue to follow his passion for being a promoter, which was incubated by falling in love with the rave scene while in college in Bristol. Enjoy this interesting, educational episode that is steeped in a love for live events and exploring ways to make things easier for those that put them on.Ritesh Patel: Instagram | X/Twitter | LinkedInTicket Fairy: Facebook | Instagram | X/Twitter ––––––ADVENTURES IN VENUELANDFollow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/TwitterLearn more about Event & Venue Marketing ConferenceMeet our team:Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & MarketingDave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest ResearchMegan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital AdvertisingSamantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & PublicityCamille Faulkner | Audio Editing & MixingHave a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

In this episode, we chat with Choni Fernández, Chief Sustainability Officer and Customer at PortAventura World, the first carbon-neutral theme park in the world, and now proudly B Corp certified.Choni isn't just ticking ESG boxes, she's leading a cultural shift in how attractions operate. From zero-emissions hotels to renewable energy and deep supply chain work, PortAventura is setting the global standard.In this episode, we dive into the real work behind the headlines. How do you build a sustainability culture that actually sticks? Can you lead without a big green team? And what does digital sustainability really mean?If you're serious about sustainability, or wondering where to start, this is the conversation you need to hear.Skip the Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them increase their visitor numbers. Your host is Paul Marden, with co host Andy Povey and roving reporter Claire Furnival.If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm.If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn. Show references:  PortAventura World website: https://www.portaventuraworld.com/nosotros/trabaja-con-nosotrosChoni Fernández on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/choni-fern%C3%A1ndez-veciana/Choni Fernández is Customer, Sustainability and Communications Director at PortAventura World. With a background in Economics and over a decade at BASF, she joined PortAventura in 2007, where she has led Procurement, Logistics, and Sustainability. She spearheaded the company's sustainability strategy, achieving the milestone of B Corp Certification, and now leads the newly created Customer Department to drive a more customer-centric approach. Choni also serves as Catalonia Delegate at DIRSE and is Chair of the IAAPA EMEA Sustainability Committee. Plus, live from the IAAPA Expo Europe show floor, we catch up with:Jakob Wahl, President & CEO of IAAPAhttps://iaapa.org/https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakob-wahl/Elliot Hall from Expression Capital Partners LLPhttps://expressioncapitalpartners.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliot-h-1b804a6a/Matt Barton, CEO / Co-Founder CurtainUp Ltd. & President of Themed Entertainment Association TEA https://www.curtainup.livehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-barton-99a8039/Melissa Oviedo, Chief Executive Officer, Themed Entertainment Association TEA https://www.teaconnect.org/https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-oviedo-ruminot-90a63228/Kevin Murphy, Senior VP, Kraftwerk Living Technologieshttp://www.kraftwerk.athttps://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-murphy-854439/Jacob Thompson, CX Director, Attractions.io https://attractions.iohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-thompson-icap-151271149/ Transcriptions:  Welcome, skip the queue, to Barcelona.Paul Marden: Welcome to Skip the Queue, the podcast about the world's best attractions and the amazing people that work in them. I'm your host, Paul Marden, and along with my co-host, Andy Povey, and roving reporter Claire Furnival, we're bringing you the latest news from IAAPA Expo Europe in Barcelona.Paul Marden: You join me today tired and just a little bit emotional at the airport after an amazing week at the show.Paul Marden: In this episode, we wrap up our time at IAAPA Expo Europe with a final look back at the show floor buzz. I catch up with Jakob Wahl, Chief Executive Officer of IAAPA, to get his reflections on an unforgettable week, from standout innovations to what's next for the global attractions industry. But first, Andy sits down with Choni Fernandez, Chief Sustainability Officer at PortAventura World, to explore what it really takes to become the first carbon neutral theme park on the planet and why sustainability must be at the heart of guest experience going forward.Andy Povey: So hello, everybody. I'm joined today by Choni Fernandez from PortAventura World. Choni is responsible for sustainability and guest experience and a number of other things, I believe, Choni. Hello and welcome to Skip the Queue. Hello. Choni Fernandez: Thank you very much for your invitation. Andy Povey: So, Choni, you guys at PortAventura World are really leading the industry and probably more than just our industry. In terms of sustainability, you were the first carbon neutral theme park in the world and in '24, the first theme park company to achieve a BCorp certification. Am I right?Choni Fernandez: Yes, you're right. It was, in fact, we are VCOPS since 2022. And yes, we were operational carbon neutral because we reduced our emissions during several years. And after that, we acquired some carbon credits to compensate the result of the balancing emissions. For scope one and two. Yes. So since then we are operational carbon neutral. That is not really an official name, but it's easy to explain what we are doing. Andy Povey: Okay. So what is the official name?Choni Fernandez: The official name, in fact, now that's interesting because it's a big discussion in the European community. We chat the terms we can use or not. In the new CCRG, that is going to change. Some words like green, sustainable, are probably forbidden, words that cannot be used any longer. And you need to speak properly about the impact of your activity without using these words that can lead to a type of greenwashing. And you need to be more clear about when you say, for instance, 'carbon neutral,' you need to say, 'we have reduced emissions, we compensate.' More explanation than just using one word that can be easily misunderstood.Andy Povey: Okay, yeah, yeah. That makes a lot of sense. Just buying carbon credits. You're actually doing something positive. Taking action. Like, is it Europe's largest solar farm?Choni Fernandez: It's the largest solar farm. That was one of the biggest at the source of Europe. And for sure, I guess, is still the biggest in Spain.Andy Povey: The biggest solar farm in Spain.Choni Fernandez: Sorry, in a holiday resort, yes. There are other very big solar plants that they produce energy for third parties, but they are not linked to a tourist industry.Andy Povey: No, that makes absolute sense. So you're generating your own power.Choni Fernandez: We generate 30%. The plant is not big enough and we have some restrictions of the government. So we cannot sell the surplus of energy we produce. So we could only make the plan as big as the low on consumption we have in a period of a year.Andy Povey: That makes absolute sense.Choni Fernandez: So that means that there are several months where we produce 100% energy we need. But then, obviously, in the peak of the season, we need extra energy. We buy from the net, but we always buy green energy from the net, too. Then 100% of the energy we consume is green energy, not coming from non-renewable.Andy Povey: It all becomes much more complicated as you dive into the detail, doesn't it?Choni Fernandez: Yes, yes, yes. Everything is much more complicated. And in Europe, yes, I would say even one step more complicated than the rest of the world because of all the regulations.Andy Povey: So what was it that inspired PortAventura World and how did you persuade PortAventura World to take sustainability so seriously?Choni Fernandez Okay, the history starts really with, I would say, a huge pain point, even when they were designing the park. And it was related to water. We are established in an area where we suffer from water scarcity many periods. So for those designers, they already designed the park with sustainability in mind. So they have created a complex system to recover all water rains in a big tank that is our Mediterranean lake.Andy Povey: Yeah, yeah, yeah.Choni Fernandez: So water was a treasure since the beginning. And they have also in a private-public investment. Take all the gray waters from the park, sending it to a water treatment plant several kilometres far away from the resort, and making the pipe bring the recycled water back to the resort for gardening. So PortAventura was using recycled water since 30 years ago. And that was really the starting point of sustainability at PortAventura. So we start with all the environmental impacts that the activity was going to have. And they created the park open doors in 1995. So in 1997, just two years after that, they have created the Green Team.Choni Fernandez: It's a team from different members of different departments who takes care of the environmental impacts and how they can reduce the use of water, energy and so on. And this team is still working nowadays and takes care of more complex things, certifications, but with the same, I would say, purpose, you know, that is to reduce the environmental impact of the resort, and now we start to regenerate different areas. So it's not producing impact, it's creating positive impact through regeneration.Choni Fernandez: And that was a starting point. But I like to repeat that sustainability has not fixed rules. So that is the story of Pota Aventura, because we are what we are. We are located where we are. But for instance, in the Global Sustainability Committee of IAAPA, SCARBRED was a member of that. And SCARBRED, the sustainability, had not begun for the water scarcity. They don't have this problem.Choni Fernandez: So sustainability there was more linked to the social sustainability, how to integrate communities in the project. So it really depends, again, in that moment, the momentum, you know, that we call. Where you are, who you are, what is your future footprint of your activity in your community and in the environment.Choni Fernandez: So we start with that. And year after year, we consolidate this beginning. So any new activity of PortAventura, it doesn't matter— new hotel, new park, convention centre has always followed the same philosophy that we started in 1997.Andy Povey: Very good.Choni Fernandez: Yes, because I think that this makes the project really coherent, consistent, and resilient. So it's something that we have not done from day to night, you know. It's something that we have. It's like a dish you have cooked in a low, low temperature, you know. Andy Povey: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Slow cooker. Choni Fernandez: Slow cook. That is. Sustainable PortAventura is slow cook. But at the end, you know, the dish is very good cooked and it's good.Andy Povey: Absolutely. And then, as the person responsible for customer experience within PortAventura World, before talking to you, I wouldn't necessarily have put... sustainability and customer experience together in the same group.Choni Fernandez: You're right because, okay, that is something that has changed also through years, you know, so sustainability was linked and happened at PortAventura. It was totally linked to the environmental part. But that is only one third of what sustainability means. Sustainability is also the social impact and obviously the governance.Choni Fernandez: We call also ESG. Okay, it has some difference because it has more financial meaning. But what is clear when you talk, when we talk about sustainability, we talk about the environmental impacts and the social impacts. And the social impacts are the impacts that your activity, our activity has on people. And when we talk about people, we talk about employees, we talk about our community that's surrounding us, we talk about shareholders, we talk about suppliers, and we talk about guests or visitors. And the activity of any company should have a positive impact on these people that are affected by the activity, that they are also called stakeholders.Choni Fernandez: So, and here is the reason why we try to improve every year the guest experience in order to improve this positive impact. And at the end of the day, because we are not NGOs. We strongly believe that a positive impact on the guest experience is going to be translated in future revenues, more attendance for our parks, and makes our resort more resilient because it's more profitable in the long term.Andy Povey: So this really is a sort of a wheel or a cycle. Choni Fernandez: You are right. You are right. You are right. So we really differentiate at PortAventura. I mean, sustainability is also a new angle to see your business. There is the financial angle. And then there is the angle— how your activity affects the difference they hold up. But that is clear that both need to go together. I mean, business and sustainability. In fact... One of the reasons to become a BCorp company is to evolve our mission and vision with a purpose that integrates sustainability in the business model. So it is much easier for us to talk to employees, to talk to suppliers, to talk to guests. About what is the reason why it exists and why it's important to have sustainability included in order, again, to make our business resilient through the past of the years.Andy Povey: So we have a lot of listeners around the world. What would be your advice to someone running a venue that doesn't have the advantage of starting with sustainability right at the heart and from where they started their business? How do you make a start on this?Choni Fernandez: That is a very interesting question. And the first I think any company needs to do is really to understand the stakeholders they are affecting too. Because just with this complete transparent and dialogue with the different stakeholders, you really can understand what is the impact you are producing on them. And from this result, then you know where are your main pain points, where you need to focus first on. Obviously, there are some general rules. Your impact on the environment, as I told you before, normally a new venue has, for sure, clients, or at least customer guests, employees, probably shareholders, and then in another level, suppliers, community, etc.Choni Fernandez: So, and depends what is the situation, you need to start with that. You need to prepare a good analysis because, if not, what could happen? Imagine that you focus a lot on the environmental part and you start with that because you have seen that PortAventura has started with that.Choni Fernandez: But then that is not your problem because you are in an area where your resources are really well controlled or your resort has very good standards, very efficient, because it has done with high technology, but you have an employee problem.Choni Fernandez: You have problems perhaps to attract employees, to retain the talent, or really to make them happy working with you. Then you have to start the sustainability for not the most important topic in your company. So the most important is to understand what the stakeholders need from you and then to prepare. And it's also very interesting, I think, to start, you know, things small.Choni Fernandez: Making small projects that can be consolidated and embedded into the company. Because what is really important in a company is that each department, each area of the company, maintenance, procurement, human resources, marketing, and each of the departments really is doing the part of sustainability they need to, because it is impossible that one person on every team produces all the sustainability that the whole company needs to do.Choni Fernandez: So if sustainability is really not embedded in the activity of each Japan, it's really impossible to be a successful company in terms of sustainability. You know what I mean?Andy Povey: I know exactly what you mean. That rule is so true for so many things, isn't it? You could replace the word sustainability with guest experience or ride safety. Choni Fernandez: Yes, it's the same. Andy Povey: Any number of different things.Choni Fernandez: I always explain when people say, 'but you have done a lot, Choni.' I say, 'no, no, no, no, no.' Choni has not done a lot.Choni Fernandez: Many people are doing a lot, you know. And sustainability managers or directors normally are orchestra directors. But each one needs to play its own instrument so we have a nice music, you know. If not, it does not work at all, you know, like in orchestra. So we need the maintenance guy, really. or the energy manager to really take care of that. And human resources really to prepare inclusivity, et cetera, policies linked to employees. And marketing, doing really an ethic marketing to guests. So, and that is how everyone is really doing a part of the peak and sustainability of the company.Andy Povey: That sounds very familiar and I'm sure for our guests will ring true in many different areas. It's interesting you talk about really understanding where you are. What it is you're doing. We've done some work here in the UK on the sustainability of websites. So by not printing a park map, you obviously save resources, you save paper. But if you put that on a really inefficient webpage, then you're just consuming someone else's electricity. It doesn't make you any more sustainable.Choni Fernandez: And one thing I would like to tell you is that one of the big steps for us was when our investors make the management very clear that investors of the private funds that own PortAventura were asking for sustainable investments. So that was also a way, really, to receive more money from the investors to the owners. And that is very important because when the financial markets really recognise that sustainability is a plus for an investment, then, you know, things change. Things happen. And we had two moments in this company, in my opinion, for us, for sustainability managers, that make this big change in our mindset. Choni Fernandez: One is the world of our shareholders. And that was really a big, big step forward. Because we realised then, 'oh my God, we are sustainable. We can be sustainable. Our sustainability is a lever really to receive more funds to our business.'Choni Fernandez: And the second one was when we have two different businesses, really a B2C— final customer— and a B2E— travel agencies, companies who do their conventions in our convention, et cetera, et cetera. Once upon a time, a company came to PortAventura asking for a quotation for a big convention, European size, very big one.Choni Fernandez: And before receiving the quotation, they asked, 'Please, can you send us your sustainability report?' Because we would like to see if that's the venue where we want to go. Now, everything changed.Andy Povey: Absolutely.Choni Fernandez: Because at first time, sustainability was bringing business to the company. It was not a nice to have, something that we need to have. It was really part of the business. And that changed the history of the, I would say, the sustainability journey of this company when we have both shareholders' commitment and really request to continue on that. And on the other side, we were recognised for our sustainability activity in a business case.Andy Povey: It's very interesting when you get push or pull from both sides. Choni Fernandez: You're right. Then you realise that there is no other way to do that, you know, so you need pushing, pushing.Andy Povey: You're doing a lot of work about education, work, and working with schools, and having to engage them in your journey.Choni Fernandez: That's again the same case, you know. So in our guest segmentation, school groups are one of them. And it is a very important group for us and I guess for other operators too. As we receive many schoolers. But, you know, the teachers, not students, they thought that the trip to PortAventura was really 100% entertainment. And schools were looking for something more cultural, educational.Choni Fernandez: So then, at that moment, we prepare some workshops at the beginning of the day before the park opens. If the park opens at 10, we can deliver a sustainability workshop from 9 to 10. For instance, talking to kids about biodiversity, about waste management, how to produce green energy. So in the solar plant, we don't have only solar panels. We also have some instruments, some elements to explain children how to produce green energy with movement, with wind, with sun, with solar energy. And they can experiment with their hands. With this element, how to produce this green energy. And they understand very well because that is part of the curriculum that they have to study at school. But now they can put it in practice in a different way, in a way... that our industry delivers very well, that is entertainment, you know?Andy Povey: Yes, yeah, yeah.Choni Fernandez: And that is driving more schools to visit us. So again, there is another link with sustainability, more business, more attendance, more revenues.Andy Povey: We're back on the cycle.Choni Fernandez: Yeah, again, the cycle. We close the loop, you know.Andy Povey: Absolutely. Choni, is there something you'd like to leave as a sort of parting message or a final thought to everybody that's listening to the podcast? A single sentence about how they can emulate your success.Choni Fernandez: No, I think that, okay, sometimes in life, you know, for sustainability managers, I mean, and now in the world, perhaps you feel like Talmon, you know, coming up to the river.Andy Povey: Yeah, yeah, yeah.Choni Fernandez: In a difficult situation, but it doesn't matter. So the evidence is so strong that, if you really can close the loop, as we have been talking, if you can really demonstrate and we can close the gap. Between the sustainability impacts and the financial impacts, then sustainability is part of your business. I think that should be the goal— to really don't have sustainability as something nice to have additional to the business. Avoid that at all.Choni Fernandez: Sustainability is part of the business and makes the business more resilient and more profitable in the long term.Andy Povey: Lovely. That's a great message to leave us with. Paul Marden: Now let's hear some of the buzz from the show floor.Claire Furnival: So day three of IAAPA and I've just bumped into Matt Barton. Matt Barton: Hello. Claire Furnival: Matt, you wear many hats.Matt Barton: My day job is I'm the founder and CEO of Curtain Up. I'm also the owner of 7th Sense, a company that makes media servers and pixel management systems. But I'm also the president of the Themed Entertainment Association, better known as the TEA.Claire Furnival: Crumbs, the busy man. I hear you had a party last night. Matt Barton: We did. Yeah, we had a very successful mixer. We have a great relationship with IAAPA and we have a mixer at all of IAAPA's events around the globe. And we bring our members together, usually on the second or third night of the event.Claire Furnival: Anything announced last night at the party?Matt Barton: Yeah, so we announced our next SAIT conference, and SAIT stands for Storytelling, Architecture, Technology equals Experience. So it's a thought leadership conference where we talk about trends in the industry, best practices to follow, that kind of thing. We've just finished our SAIT Asia event just three weeks ago now, and that was in New Zealand this year. And we just last announced that we're going to be in Dubai next year. Again, building on that great relationship we have with IAAPA, we're actually doing it almost like a pre-conference event. So it's tied in with IAAPA Middle East, which is going to be in Abu Dhabi. We're going to be the week before. So people can then come to SAIT, enjoy SAIT with us, and then go straight down to Abu Dhabi for the IAAPA conference.Claire Furnival: What activities is it that the TEA do? What do you offer your members?Matt Barton: So a whole range of things. And what I'm going to do now is introduce our CEO, Melissa. Melissa Oviedo.Claire Furnival: Great to meet you, Melissa. So what is it that TEA offers its members?Melissa  Oviedo: We are really the connection community. The connection community for the design, the makers, the builders, the creators. Everybody who delivers world-class experiences around the world, that's really who we are and what we represent. That can be from theme parks to museums to cultural to location-based entertainment. Claire Furnival: So I understand that the TEA does an annual benchmark report. Melissa  Oviedo: Yeah, we've just rebranded this. This is the TEA Theme Experience Index. This is the 19th year that we're doing this benchmark study. Yeah, it's really exciting for us. And what this is, is this is the annual attendance report that tracks attendance data from around the globe for the top theme parks, water parks, and museums globally. It really looks at trends, so we can understand where are the guests going, where are they spending their time, how are the parks, especially as they're coming new on the market, how do they influence those trends? And we're actually going to be launching this on October 22nd.Claire Furnival: So a couple of questions spring to mind on that one. So first of all, can anybody access the report?Melissa  Oviedo: Yeah, sure can. It's a completely free resource. You can go online. If you're not a member, we just ask for you to fill out a quick form so we know who's downloading the report. And you will have full access to all of the data, and we will have actual books to hand out at IAAPA in Orlando in November.Claire Furnival: The sector's very, very, very lucky to have this piece of research. So can you give us any snippets as to what we might see in the report?Melissa  Oviedo: I think you'll see that the theme parks are really consistent. The big players are still the big players with Disney and Universal really driving the... main attendance data. And then China, with Chimalong Park, really still holding rank at number one water park in the world. We're seeing the attendance coming back in a fierce way in China.Melissa  Oviedo: Outlook is positive. Overall, though, you'll be able to find in the report a lot of the trends that we're seeing. A lot of what we're not only anticipating in 2025, but in the future as well, with all of the developments that are happening. So, really exciting, this year's report. Claire Furnival: And what about 2026? What does that bring the TEA? Melissa  Oviedo: Momentum is high, right? The community continues to look at how they diversify as an organisation or as a business. Theme parks is our core, but we're so much more than just that. So I think you're going to see. More people doing really cool and immersive things in new places. I think the definition of themed entertainment gets broadened and further defined. I think that you're going to see more activity and more collaboration because collaboration is really when the magic happens. And you're going to start to see that even more robustly in 2026 and beyond. Claire Furnival: Sounds exciting. So last thought from you, Matt.Matt Barton: Yeah, I just wanted to touch on a couple of things we've got left in 2025 before we look to 2026. So I mentioned SAIT earlier. We also have our SAIT conference in North America coming up. So that's in October. at Knott's Berry Farm, and that ties in with when we're launching the Global Experience Index. And then in November, we've got our mixer, our international mixer, combined with the IAAPA conference in Orlando. And so on the Tuesday night of IAAPA, we have our international mixer at the Isle of Berk attraction at Epic Universe. We've got the whole land, we've got dinner and drinks, and it's going to be a good one, so make sure you get your tickets in.Claire Furnival: One not to miss. Well, it's fabulous to catch up with both you, Matt, and you, Melissa. So thank you very much for your time.Matt Barton: Thank you.Melissa  Oviedo:  Thank you so much, Claire.Andy Povey: So we're on day three, and I'm sitting here with Elliot Hall, who's one of the founding partners behind Expression Capital Partners. Elliot, hello. Elliot Hall: Hi, Andy. Good to see you. Andy Povey: For our listeners at home, can you just tell me what Expression Capital Partners do and treat me like an idiot because I really don't understand the world of investment banking and all that kind of stuff.Elliot Hall: Okay, so Expression Capital Partners is the advisory firm to Entertainment Investments 1LP. Which is specialising in the entertainment industry. Andy Povey: Interesting. So I understand you're doing some work with Hasbro and in particular things like Monopoly.Elliot Hall: Yes, yes, yes, absolutely. So we're looking to open monopoly-themed hotels and casinos around the world. Andy Povey: Wow. Elliot Hall: Along with many of the different types of brands, as we're rather across their 1000 plus brands. Andy Povey: I understand there's also some sporting connections. Tell us a little bit about, tell us what you can. Elliot Hall: Yeah, so what we can. We are working with some brands that have relationships and contracts for the IP for UEFA, FIFA and the FA. Yeah, so some really exciting products there and businesses. And we are in a position to be able to sign licenses and lease agreements and so on. And we're looking at bringing all of those brands together, either in the same cluster of IP attractions or within one building under one roof. Andy Povey: So, Elliot, you guys really are the people that are bringing the magic together. The IP, the operators, and then working out how someone funds it all.Elliot Hall: Yes, absolutely, yes. Andy Povey: Fantastic.Claire Furnival: So I'm here talking to Kevin Murphy from Kraftwerk Living Technologies. How are you finding the show this year and what do you see the trends for 2026 for you, Kraftwerk or also the industry?Kevin Murphy: I think in many respects, the trend at the moment is survival, which isn't being negative, but the world is a different place from how it was pre-COVID. The industry, though, is very, very alive. There's a lot happening out there. It's good to see the show for full. We actually tried to get a booth this year and couldn't. Everything had sold out. It's busy. People are wandering around with a very positive vein. But there's no doubt that there's— world tensions and there's problems with investment— and it does affect the industry and you know we're not immune from that. Kevin Murphy: But what's been good about this show is that a lot of the partners and Clients that we're working with are starting to announce their new projects. You have to bear in mind, for us, we do high technology behind the scenes in parks and museums and science centres. We can be working on them for many, many years. So we've had projects that have been brewing and they're just starting to get announced now. So what I'm seeing is, although there's concern about the industry, there is a slightly more positive vein coming through. I think the economy is improving out there, investors are starting to come out, and you can make money out of our industry.Claire Furnival: So what in particular have you got going on in 2026? Anything you can talk about and share with us?Kevin Murphy: Well, we're very, very pleased it's been announced, so I can talk about it. Plopsaland, which is a park in Belgium, are working with Mac. And I'm delighted to see that they've just announced, earlier than we expected, we're still working behind the scenes, but they've now announced their new flying theatre. Which will be ready and prepared at the end of 2026 for the 2027 opening.Claire Furnival: Congratulations, that's really, really exciting news.Kevin Murphy: Sadly, a lot of the other projects, I still can't say too, too much, because they may not have announced.Claire Furnival: Yeah, the dreaded NDAs.Claire Furnival: Just bumped into Jacob from Attractions. io. How's the show been for you?Jacob   Thompson: Great. This is my second time at IAAPA in Barcelona. It's been even better than the first time. So the weather's held out. Great conversations, great company. So overall, a success.Claire Furnival: And a little birdie has told me that you have a new feature coming out.Jacob   Thompson: That is true. So, yeah, we have launched a new product this month called GX Pulse. And the idea is it's enabling operators to make sense of all the noise of guest reviews and sentiment by breaking... reviews down from TripAdvisor, Google reviews, their own internal platforms to make sense and map that across a guest journey, specifically for attractions. So it's able to understand sentiment across things like queue management, your attractions, your food and beverage, give you scores and benchmark you against other venues. But most importantly, give you actionable insights to make improvements to the guest experience.Claire Furnival: Brilliant use of data there. Really, really, really good. So is this product now launched?Jacob  Thompson: Yes, yes it is. So we've been demoing it across some attractions at the trade show floor this week and it's had some really positive feedback. This product is completely separate from our core app platform and experience. So even if you don't have a mobile app and don't need a mobile app, this can be valuable for anybody that is looking to understand the sentiment and experience of their guests across their attractions.Claire Furnival: Fabulous. Guest will be seeing you in IAAPA Orlando.Jacob   Thompson: Yes, and I heard there's going to be a great party hosted by Skip the Queue.Claire Furnival: I'm not sure we'll be hosting a party, but we'll certainly be partying.Jacob   Thompson: Well, I'll be there to join you nonetheless.Paul Marden: So we're here for the final day of IAAPA Expo Europe. I've had a whale of a time and I'm sat here with Jakob Wahl, who amazingly, considering three days into this fantastic expo, is still looking fresh and bright. Jakob, please introduce yourself for our listeners who may not know you.Jakob  Wahl: I'm president and CEO of IAAPA, the Global Association for the Attractions Industry. I've done that now for two and a half years, but in total I've been with IAPA for, I think, nearly 15 years.Paul Marden: Wow, so man and boy almost.Jakob  Wahl: Yeah, you know, and I always say the kid in the candy store— I love doing what we do and bringing people together.Paul Marden: How could you not? So this is my first IAAPA. It has been fantastic and stood on the show floor. I think it was yesterday. I was on my own, done so many interviews. I've been bouncing around, but I just had a few minutes by myself and just stood in the middle of it all. Totally is like being a kid in a candy store, the Willy Wonka moment isn't it? Of what this place is like, because it is so fantastic.Jakob  Wahl:  It is and the most wonderful thing about it is, you know, we as an association, we create a framework, but it is actually all of you, our members, who fill it with life. Because everybody comes together. It's just a massive class reunion. People know each other. And the best thing about it is they're all willing to help and support each other. So obviously, the trade show floor is one component, but we have all those networking sessions, the education sessions, safety corners, we have places where people can exchange, depending on what they work in or where they work, and everybody comes together to share. That is so wonderful, because it's not only family-owned parks, small parks, big parks, but it's also the big private equity corporate players. They're all here to really benefit from this platform, and that fills me with pride.Paul Marden: Good. So, as the week draws to a close, what's been the real highlights for you?Jakob  Wahl: How much time do I have? First of all, the people. It's always the people. It's, you know, for me, it's my team coming together from all around the world, putting this together. And then it's... the people coming and creating those education sessions, creating those moments together, sharing their knowledge. That is just wonderful. There's not one specific moment like that, but it happens all the time. Jakob  Wahl: And then one of the highlights for me is always, always, always the opening reception. That is our Tuesday night event, which took place at Tibidabo, this classic historic amusement park on top of Barcelona. We were a little bit concerned Monday. Will it rain? Will it not rain? So we had to rent tents to make sure that everybody will stay dry. And what happens if you're intense? Obviously, it doesn't rain. Jakob  Wahl: There was an expensive insurance, but it turned out to be exactly that evening. And we have been to Barcelona three times now. We have been to the Tibidabo three times and I think I can be pretty sure that when we go back to Barcelona in three years, we will also go again to Tibidabo because, you know, it's just this evening filled with magic and good people.Paul Marden: Excellent. You've had some time wandering the show floors, I'm sure, talking to suppliers, getting a feel for what's happening in the industry. What have you heard from the show floor that you think is going to influence the sector over the year ahead?Jakob  Wahl: I would have loved to ask you that question, actually. What is your impression?Paul Marden: Oh, the blending of tech with real life I find really interesting. We all want to take our kids to attractions because we want to pull them away from their screens. But there's got to be a hook, I think. And in many cases, there are rides or there are amusements of some form that is a skillful blending of that tech with an in-life, in-real-life experience that I think is the hook to get the kids in. But then we're still wrenching them away from the screens. They're doing something for real with family.Jakob  Wahl: Yeah, I think technology enhances the experience. It doesn't replace the experience. I think that is something which is very clear on the show floor, that there are different ways of how you can combine existing attractions with new technology. And we sometimes call it fusion attractions, where you bring several elements into play with each other. And I think that is very important. What we have seen also is an increase in what I would call smart technology. How can you use technology... to improve the guest flow, to make it even smoother. We all want to have a smooth process. It should be easy on the phone. All those things, besides the classic coasters and water slides and inflatables, that is, I think, some area which has really grown on our trade show floor over the past years.Paul Marden: Yeah, absolutely. If you can smooth that process from the moment that they hit the website all the way through, getting them to the experience and then back out the other side and encouraging them to want to return again is really important, isn't it?Jakob  Wahl: And the same is for operations and maintenance, the front of house for the customer, but also the back of house. And we learned some fascinating things. We talked in our leadership breakfast with the CEO of a large park group, and he said, 'There are tools that can now predict 93% of the attendance of every day.' And that is just fascinating because that helps operational planning, that helps food and beverage planning, that helps all those aspects in running a park successfully or running an attraction successfully.Paul Marden: Absolutely. So, as we come to the end of IAAPA Expo Europe, there are many US listeners, I'm sure, also quite a few Brits as well, anticipating IAAPA Expo Orlando in November. Have you got any insider tips or things that we can look forward to in Orlando? Jakob  Wahl: I can say it will be epic. There's quite a significant theme park which opened this year, Epic Universe, which is just down the road from the convention centre.Jakob  Wahl: And we actually have not only... Mark Woodbury is speaking in our keynote in our leadership breakfast. But we also have privatised the park on Thursday evening for the IAAPA Celebrates for four hours. So it is Epic Universe, just for IAAPA members, which will be amazing. I've had the luck to visit the park several times. And I can only tell you, you know, you should be there. The evening before the show opens on Monday, IAAPA has the Legends event, the honorary evening for the Hall of Fame. And this year we're actually inducting five inductees. Among them is Dolly Parton. So if you have ever wanted to meet Dolly Parton. Paul Marden: The real Dolly Parton. Wow.Jakob  Wahl: Yeah, Dolly Parton is getting into the IAAPA Hall of Fame, besides some other really fantastic candidates or inductees. And she will be there to receive that accolade. And as you said, you have many British listeners. Next year, IAAPA Expo Europe is in London.Paul Marden: Now, I'd quite like to do an edit for my family that might be listening, because that did sound quite epic. And we need to be absolutely clear that there's lots of hard work to be done in Orlando, as well as enjoying ourselves at Epic and seeing Dolly Parton.Jakob  Wahl: Yeah, I'm pretty sure we need to Skip the Queue on site for a podcast from Orlando.Paul Marden: Oh, there we go. There we go. I think we should end it there. Jakob, it has been delightful to meet you. I've really enjoyed it. I'm so grateful for being invited to come to IAAPA this year. Bring the podcast here. I've had so much fun. I've learned so much. It's been wonderful. Thank you.Jakob  Wahl: Oh, we love what you do. Thank you, you know, for making the attractions industry present in the digital space. And we are all great listeners of your podcast. So thank you for what you do for us.Paul Marden: Wow, what a week. A massive thank you to IAAPA for hosting us in Barcelona. It was an incredible few days of connection, innovation, and inspiration. We've absolutely loved being part of it. And who knows, maybe we'll see you again sooner than you think. If you liked today's episode, please like us or leave a comment on your podcast platform. It really does help people to find us. And lastly, thank you to all of the team that made these daily episodes and today's wrap-up session. A possibility without the team it could not have been possible to have done this— thank you to Emily and Sami at Plaster, Steve at Folland Co. Wenayn, Claire, and Andy back at Skip the Queue HQ. It has been a delight to be with you and I look forward to seeing you again next week. The 2025 Visitor Attraction Website Survey is now LIVE! Dive into groundbreaking benchmarks for the industryGain a better understanding of how to achieve the highest conversion ratesExplore the "why" behind visitor attraction site performanceLearn the impact of website optimisation and visitor engagement on conversion ratesUncover key steps to enhance user experience for greater conversionsTake the Rubber Cheese Visitor Attraction Website Survey Report

Ne serait-ce pas l'invité idéal d'un premier épisode de cette saison 7 qui commence aujourd'hui ? Un invité qui a beaucoup fait parler de lui ces derniers mois...Matthieu Pigasse, turbulent banquier d'affaires le jour qui rachète ou participe à créer des festivals de rock la nuitDéjà propriétaire du festivals des Inrocks et associé à Rock en Seine (Paris) ou Golden Coast (Dijon), il a racheté cet été We Love Green et s'est rapproché de La Route du Rock de Saint Malo via la structure Combat Rock.Dans cet épisode de Sold Out, il revient sur son parcours, ses paris et surtout sur ce que les festivals disent de notre époque et de notre manière de vivre la musique. Matthieu Pigasse partage une vision inédite, politique et vivante de la scène musicale et de son avenir. Et annonce qu'il ne va pas s'arrêter là.Sold Out, le podcast pour se glisser dans les coulisses du spectacle vivant.Avec le soutien de Delight.Production : Big Red Machine / Réalisation : Marc H'LIMI / Interview et programmation : Marc GONNET / Communication & image : Joey Colas”. Et ce n'est qu'un début comme il le dit dans cet épisode.

We're headed to Rock Town for this episode as we chat with Cai Lane, Marketing Specialist for Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau. LRCVB, which is a destination marketing organization, also manages venues in the Central Arkansas Region, including Robinson Center, Statehouse Convention Center, First Security Amphitheater, and River Market Pavilions. Cai tells us about the city and about each of the venues their CVB manages. We learn about the culture and scene of Little Rock, which Travel + Leisure declared the most underrated city in the south. We dive into a day in the life with him, learning about his role with the venues, digging into buyer personas, and how he works with promoters to set realistic and stretch goals before making a comprehensive plan. From making Little Rock shine and promoting venues to his side businesses in real estate and recording music – you're bound to enjoy this episode, which is filled with infectious joy, fascinating information, and great BBQ recommendations.Cai Lane: Instagram | LinkedInLittle Rock Convention & Visitor's Bureau: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn ––––––ADVENTURES IN VENUELANDFollow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/TwitterLearn more about Event & Venue Marketing ConferenceMeet our team:Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & MarketingDave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest ResearchMegan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital AdvertisingSamantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & PublicityCamille Faulkner | Audio Editing & MixingHave a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

On revient !!!!!

Monster Jam trucks, Disney On Ice skaters, dirt bikes, and even the circus – join us as we dive into all things family shows with Windy Reeves, Senior Director of Event Marketing & Sales for Feld Entertainment, the leading global company of live touring family entertainment. Feld is the powerhouse behind Monster Jam, Supercross, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and Disney On Ice, and Windy gives us a behind-the-scenes look at how these productions come to life. We chat through exciting new additions to the tours, and how she builds the Atlanta shows, sets the pricing, works with PR and group sales to develop campaigns and promote their shows. Learn how she and other promoters leverage new exciting things each year to pitch media, and how they have been leaning more into influencer and celebrity marketing. Learn how Windy got her start in her career, from attending Georgia College State University to stints at the Union Reporter and Macon Centreplex before joining Feld, and how the excitement has kept her in this role while giving her fulfilling opportunities like being a Lead Adjunct Professor at University of South Carolina for a class offered by Feld. Buckle up and listen in as we run away with the circus on this fun, informative episode.Windy Reeves: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | EmailFeld Entertainment: Facebook | Instagram | X/Twitter ––––––ADVENTURES IN VENUELANDFollow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/TwitterLearn more about Event & Venue Marketing ConferenceMeet our team:Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & MarketingDave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest ResearchMegan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital AdvertisingSamantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & PublicityCamille Faulkner | Audio Editing & MixingHave a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

Send us a textBoda Borg is revolutionizing experiential entertainment with “questing” — real-life gaming adventures that blend technology, teamwork, and immersive challenges. With 11 global locations, 5M+ guests, $20M+ in annual revenue, and 30 years of innovation, Boda Borg is not just another escape room — it's a whole new category.In this interview, David Spigner, CEO of Boda Borg, shares how he's scaling reality gaming, insights on expansion into California and beyond, and why major companies like Google use Boda Borg for team-building and corporate events.Diversify your investments with the leader in Questing, a proven experiential live-action gaming platform with 11 locations, serving nearly 5 million Guests, and generating annual revenue of $20+ million.

Rocket off

Lace up your sneakers and meet us in the center of the basketball universe as we chat with our friend Jeff Johnson, Associate Director with Pacers Sports & Entertainment and Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. Jeff, who is celebrating 27 years with the organization, oversees marketing for events as well as traditional advertising for the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever. In case you've been living under a rock, Indy is having a *moment* with sports – hosting the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend, amazing back-to-back seasons by the Pacers, hosting the 2025 WNBA All-Star Weekend – all punctuated by the emergence of Caitlin Clark which has led to sold out WNBA games at home and on the road. We chat about all those things with Jeff, and the importance of basketball to the city and state. We hear some amazing stories from throughout his career, from hosting swimming championships in an arena to calling Butler games in college to fun minor league hockey promotions. Listen in and enjoy this episode which is the perfect mix of inspiration, imagination, and fun stories that serve as a reminder of how special the live event industry is.Jeff Johnson: EmailGainbridge Fieldhouse: Facebook | Instagram | X/Twitter ––––––ADVENTURES IN VENUELANDFollow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/TwitterLearn more about Event & Venue Marketing ConferenceMeet our team:Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & MarketingDave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest ResearchMegan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital AdvertisingSamantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & PublicityCamille Faulkner | Audio Editing & MixingHave a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

This week we go in depth and talk about our first impressions of the 2 new live shows at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

We're headed to the Northwest, on the shore of Lake Washington, to chat with Alexa Coyle, Marketing Manager for Seattle Seahawks, Lumen Field, and WAMU Theater + Co-founder of The Female Edge. Alexa oversees event marketing for Lumen Field (concerts, dirt events, WAMU Theater, and conventions), branding and marketing for food and beverage, Seahawks retail marketing, and more. She tells us about many of the unique things about their stadium, which includes the most just-walk-out concession stands of any venue in the world. We talk about innovation within more seasoned venues, elevating premium spaces, and how they are inspired and driven by the technology-forward market of Seattle. As a former professional soccer player, we talk about what it means to her to work at one of the host venues for the 2026 World Cup, as well as early preparations and planning currently underway as they look ahead to next summer. Alexa tells us about her career, from an interest in analytics and creative, and finishing her MBA and co-founding The Female Edge (which provides recruiting support and mentoring to female athletes) while playing professional soccer at Hibernian WFC in Edinburgh, Scotland. You'll love this fun, interesting episode, which is full of interesting strategy and great discussion.Alexa Coyle: Instagram | LinkedInLumen Field: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter/X ––––––ADVENTURES IN VENUELANDFollow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/TwitterLearn more about Event & Venue Marketing ConferenceMeet our team:Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & MarketingDave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest ResearchMegan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital AdvertisingSamantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & PublicityCamille Faulkner | Audio Editing & MixingHave a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

Clap de fin de la saison 6 de Sold Out… Et pour fêter ça, on vous emmène dans les coulisses des Eurockéennes de Belfort avec Jean-Paul Roland !Depuis plus de 20 ans, Jean-Paul dirige l'un des festivals les plus emblématiques de France. Et pourtant, il n'avait jamais rêvé d'organiser des concerts… Ce qui le faisait vibrer, c'était écouter des vinyles et discuter musique pendant des heures.Au micro de Sold Out, il revient sur son parcours, de son enfance en Côte d'Ivoire à ses années dans la communication, jusqu'à sa prise de fonction presque accidentelle aux Eurocks.On parle aussi de l'art de programmer au-delà des algorithmes, de pourquoi, selon lui, un festival, c'est un territoire des possibles, et de Combat Rock, la plateforme qu'il a cofondée avec Matthieu Pigasse.Et en toute fin d'épisode… il nous glisse un conseil inattendu. À sa manière. Et on adore !On se repose un peu cet été et on vous donne rendez-vous à la rentrée pour la saison 7 de Sold Out. On a déjà hâte ! ❤️Sold Out, le podcast pour se glisser dans les coulisses du spectacle vivant.Avec le soutien de DELIGHT.Production : Big Red Machine / Réalisation : Marc H'LIMI / Interview et programmation : Marc GONNET / Communication & image : Emilie BARDALOUHébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

BONUS EPISODE – We're excited to launch our latest, ongoing bonus episode series, Breaking In! ✨ This series, consisting of roundtable discussions about breaking into the live event industry, will highlight different perspectives, talk through challenges, and discuss tips for those beginning their careers in venueland.

My guest today is Alan Waxman. Alan is the co-founder and CEO of Sixth Street, one of the most unique investment firms with a "go anywhere, do anything" mandate across asset classes, geographies, and time horizons, and over $110 billion in AUM. He describes his journey from CIO of Goldman Sachs' Special Situations Group and the frameworks he brought with him to lay the foundation for Sixth Street. Alan details their famous investments like Spotify and Airbnb during challenging periods, their innovative sports partnerships with Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, and their $30 billion "TAO" vehicle that allows them to write billion-dollar checks while keeping individual fund sizes matched to opportunities. We discuss hiring people without egos, enabling a truly multi-strategy approach, and Sixth Street's "face the tiger" philosophy. Please enjoy this great conversation with Alan Waxman.  For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ----- This episode is brought to you by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ramp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Ramp's mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Go to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ramp.com/invest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus. – This episode is brought to you by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AlphaSense⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Alpha-Sense.com/Invest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegus help you make smarter decisions faster. – This episode is brought to you by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ridgeline⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. Head to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ridgelineapps.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn more about the platform. ----- Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Show Notes: (00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like the Best (00:04:57) Introducing Alan Waxman and Sixth Street (00:05:58) The Formative Goldman Sachs Years (00:10:21) Unitizing Risk and Return (00:14:23) Facing the Tiger: Sixth Street's Culture and Values (00:34:51) Spotify and Airbnb: Case Studies in Investment (00:39:20) Ambitious Investment Strategies (00:40:40) Strategic Partnerships in Sports (00:41:23) Navigating COVID with Airbnb (00:43:36) Risk and Return Analysis (00:46:56) Investing in Sports and Live Entertainment (00:52:23) Developing Investment Themes (00:55:29) Balancing Leadership and Investment (00:57:30) The Importance of Culture (01:10:33) Future Self and Long-Term Vision (01:15:09) The Kindest Thing Anyone Has Ever Done For Alan

From concert promoter to tech entrepreneur, Allen Sanford has been at the intersection of music, innovation, and cultural impact for over two decades. Allen is the

Enfant du Sud-Ouest, Stéphane Canarias a transformé une plage éphémère en plein centre-ville de Brive en un rendez-vous musical majeur : le Lovely Brive Festival.Dans cet épisode qui sent bon l'été, le directeur de Festival Production et du Lovely Brive Festival revient sur vingt ans d'aventure, de passion et de risques. D'un office de tourisme à un festival sold out, d'un rachat par Vivendi à un retour à l'indépendance, Stéphane nous raconte comment on construit un projet culturel durable, populaire et ancré dans son territoire, sans jamais trahir ses valeurs.On parle aussi d'expérience festivalière, de féminisation du public, de partenariats privés… et même d'un bar clandestin et d'une mystérieuse “bétonnière” devenue culte en coulisses !

We're headed to “The District” for this episode to talk with Chanelle Grimm, Marketing Director for Monumental Sports & Entertainment (Capital One Arena, Eagle Bank Arena, and District E) in Washington D.C. We begin by talking about this year's EVMC and some of the takeaways from sessions at the conference in Atlanta before diving into an overview of Capital One Arena and Eagle Bank Arena. We talk about the venue's place in the market and the makeup of their marketing team. Chanelle tells us about their strategy around developing a voice for each venue, and fun unique concepts for approaching audio content for posts without risking copyright challenges. We talk about some of their artist gifts they have done as well as their series of fan activation photo booths where they recreate artist album covers or tour art. Learn how they justify budgets for activations and gifting by leveraging social to show digital ROI and proving earned media value off their investments. This episode is full of interesting discussions on managing small teams, pursuing exciting new jobs, maintaining excitement around the industry and so much more. Listen now and enjoy this look inside these venues located in our nation's capital.Chanelle Grimm: LinkedIn | EmailMonumental Sports & Entertainment: Facebook | Instagram | X/Twitter ––––––ADVENTURES IN VENUELANDFollow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/TwitterLearn more about Event & Venue Marketing ConferenceMeet our team:Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & MarketingDave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest ResearchMegan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital AdvertisingSamantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & PublicityCamille Faulkner | Audio Editing & MixingHave a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

France Allegre connaît bien Sold Out : elle a écouté TOUS les épisodes ! Mais cette fois, c'est à elle de raconter son parcours, riche de plus de 25 ans dans le monde du spectacle vivant et des loisirs, entre billetterie, marketing et gestion de lieux mythiques…Aujourd'hui à la tête de La Cigale et La Boule Noire, France pilote ces deux salles mythiques avec méthode, vision et sens du détail. De la data aux fauteuils à réparer, des jeunes talents de La Boule Noire aux pointures qui font vibrer La Cigale, elle nous raconte comment ces salles continuent de grandir avec leur public.On parle aussi de stratégie digitale, de transition écologique, de concerts all night long… et d'un métier où l'expérience humaine reste au cœur de tout.Un épisode pour celles et ceux qui veulent conjuguer marketing et chaleur humaine, sans jamais oublier que la clé, c'est souvent la générosité. ❤️Sold Out, le podcast pour se glisser dans les coulisses du spectacle vivant.Avec le soutien de DELIGHT.Production : Big Red Machine / Réalisation : Marc H'LIMI / Interview et programmation : Marc GONNET / Communication & image : Emilie BARDALOUHébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Live from Atlanta – sit in with us as we talk with J Carter, the visionary Founder & Managing Partner behind ONE Musicfest, as we chat in front of a live audience at the 2025 Event & Venue Marketing Conference. We talk with J about what makes Atlanta special as he tells us about ONE Musicfest, the Southeast's largest multi-day urban progressive music festival, which has helped shape Atlanta's rise as a music mecca. We learn how he turned an idea which began with 3,000 attendees into one of the most impactful festivals in the country, now welcoming 100,000 attendees from all over the country and globe. We dive into marketing strategies behind building brand loyalty, launching new ventures and festivals, what venues can learn from the festival world, and explore his personal and professional journey. Hear J talk about some of his keys to success and various lessons learned along the way. Enjoy this fun episode packed with great insight and advice, featuring some audience questions, straight from a sold out EVMC in Atlanta, Georgia.J Carter: Instagram | LinkedInONE Musicfest: Facebook | Instagram | X/Twitter ––––––ADVENTURES IN VENUELANDFollow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/TwitterLearn more about Event & Venue Marketing ConferenceMeet our team:Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & MarketingDave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest ResearchMegan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital AdvertisingSamantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & PublicityCamille Faulkner | Audio Editing & MixingHave a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

Crystal Orderson is joined by singer and performer Jamie Jupiter for a conversation about Sin and Salvation: The Story of Johnny Cash, a riveting theatrical production returning to Café Roux in Noordhoek after a sold-out, standing-ovation debut. More than just a tribute show, this performance delves into the raw, redemptive story of the legendary “Man in Black”—his music, demons, compassion, and legacy. Jamie, who plays Cash, reflects on the powerful themes of sin, salvation, and resilience that echo through the show, just in time for Father’s Day. Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned journalist. His show serves a round-up of local and international news coupled with the latest in business, sport, traffic and weather. The host’s eclectic interests mean the program often surprises the audience with intriguing book reviews and inspiring interviews profiling artists. A daily highlight is Rapid Fire, just after 5:30pm. CapeTalk fans call in, to stump the presenter with their general knowledge questions. Another firm favourite is the humorous Thursday crossing with award-winning journalist Rebecca Davis, called “Plan B”. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Afternoon Drive with John Maytham Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 15:00 and 18:00 (SA Time) to Afternoon Drive with John Maytham broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/BSFy4Cn or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/n8nWt4x Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media: CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode I react to the shooting and touch on safety on the Strip. I also get some help from a listener who messaged me on Instagram about some fun live music bars on the strip for her upcoming trip. I list a bunch of really good venues that I may have not highlighted in the past.

Aujourd'hui, cap sur l'île de La Réunion pour une rencontre avec Jérôme Galabert, le fondateur du Sakifo Musik Festival, qui ouvre ses portes ce week-end. Un rendez-vous musical incontournable qui rassemble 40 000 festivaliers chaque année !

We're headed out west to the stepping stone to the Central Valley – Escalon, California – to chat with Cassie Gause, Co-founder & Partner at C&K Media Solutions. Cassie tells us all about her company, which offers marketing, sponsorship, and management support for venues, promoters, tours, and artists - from one-off events to entire tours. We learn about her focus, on the marketing side, supporting a variety of clients with traditional advertising, public relations, digital advertising, and social media management. A self-proclaimed “data nerd,” we dive in quickly to chat about trends she is seeing, digital platform diversity, strategies for approaching and tracking ROI, which platforms to prioritize, and so much more. Cassie, who formerly oversaw marketing at Adventist Health Arena, Bob Hope Theatre, Oak Park Ice Rink, Stockton Ballpark, and Stockton Downtown Marina, walks us through her career journey and what led to the creation of the company. We learn about tips and challenges with running a business, and their approach on serving clients, expanding their team, and balancing various client needs. If you're wanting to explore data more, expand your digital advertising, or have thought about striking out on your own to start a business – this episode is for you. Enjoy this fun conversation packed with great take-aways!Cassie Gause: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedInC&K Media Solutions: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn ––––––ADVENTURES IN VENUELANDFollow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/TwitterLearn more about Event & Venue Marketing ConferenceMeet our team:Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & MarketingDave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest ResearchMegan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital AdvertisingSamantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & PublicityCamille Faulkner | Audio Editing & MixingHave a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

47 ans de rock et de salles pleines. C'est ce qui nous emmène aujourd'hui à Lyon, pour une conversation généreuse avec Jean-Pierre Pommier, grande figure du spectacle vivant lyonnais. Il y a déjà dix ans, Le Progrès, journal de référence local, titrait « Enfant du rock, Jean-Pierre Pommier a créé son Eldorado »… Voilà qui résume assez bien cet épisode coup de cœur pour un personnage qui a contribué à imposer la spécificité française de nos métiers…Fondateur de la société de diffusion de spectacles Eldorado & Co, et président des conseils de surveillance du Zénith de Saint-Étienne et du Transbordeur, Jean-Pierre organise des concerts depuis 1978. Il a vu défiler les Rolling Stones, Téléphone… et même Muse dans un café ou Depeche Mode sur un terrain de foot.Une leçon de liberté, d'audace et d'amour du live, qui nous rappelle que, malgré les défis, le spectacle vivant reste l'un des plus beaux métiers du monde… Peut-être même plus que celui de banquier chez Rothschild, son métier originel. Ah bon ? Ben oui, faut suivre les gars. Sinon on appellerait ce podcast "Guichets Ouverts" ou "Relevé de Compte". Mettez-y du vôtre, un peu

BONUS EPISODE – Peace up ✌️ A-Town down

Après un premier épisode consacré à son parcours, Matthias Leullier est de retour derrière le micro de Sold Out… Et cette fois, on entre dans l'univers du leader mondial du live entertainment : Live Nation !De l'organisation des cérémonies des JO de Paris 2024 à la diversification dans l'e-sport, l'humour ou la gastronomie, Matthias nous ouvre les portes d'un groupe qui repousse les frontières du live.Un épisode où il sera aussi question d'engagements RSE, de la renaissance du Midem, de l'évolution du marché musical… et même de phryges !

We're back in the city that's so nice they named it twice, the financial capital of the world – New York City. On this episode we chat with Joyce Leveston, CEO of New York Convention Center Operation Corporation (NYCCOC), which oversees the Javits Center, one of the busiest convention centers in the world. Resting right on the Hudson River, on the west side of Manhattan, Joyce tells us about numerous features that make Javits Center unique. In addition to its expansive convention space, it also has a farm where they grow over 60 crops and a 6.75 acre green roof which serves as a habitat for 72 different bird species and houses nine beehives. We talk about what makes convention centers unique compared to other live event venues, and Joyce's passion for the convention side of the industry. We talk about her career path, from San Diego, Houston, Miami, Washington D.C., Boston, and then Philadelphia, before landing in New York City. Joyce explains what makes good hospitality, and how important it is to treat venues like your home and make them inviting for guests. This may be our first convention center specific guest, and you'll love it as it's packed with great advice, fascinating information, and fun stories.Joyce Leveston: LinkedIn | EmailJavits Center: Facebook | Instagram | X/Twitter ––––––ADVENTURES IN VENUELANDFollow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/TwitterLearn more about Event & Venue Marketing ConferenceMeet our team:Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & MarketingDave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest ResearchMegan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital AdvertisingSamantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & PublicityCamille Faulkner | Audio Editing & MixingHave a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

Matthias Leullier, Directeur général adjoint de Live Nation France, est notre invité pour non pas un, mais deux épisodes exceptionnels ! Mais avant de vous embarquer dans les coulisses de ce géant du live (spoiler : on garde ça pour le second épisode), on remonte le fil du parcours de Matthias. Un homme discret, qui orchestre des événements XXL, des stades aux festivals, et même les shows des top artistes aux JO de Paris 2024.Du management du groupe Modjo à la création de Nous Productions, en passant par Warner et l'organisation de défilés haute couture, Matthias nous raconte comment des rencontres décisives et une passion sans faille pour le live ont influencé sa manière de produire des spectacles, jusqu'à son arrivée chez Live Nation.Une trajectoire à la fois inspirante et bourrée d'anecdotes (et d'une basse très spéciale^^), qui prépare le terrain pour plonger tête la première dans l'univers Live Nation dans 15 jours. À vos agendas !Sold Out, le podcast pour se glisser dans les coulisses du spectacle vivant.Avec le soutien de DELIGHT.Production : Big Red Machine / Réalisation : Marc H'LIMI / Interview et programmation : Marc GONNET / Communication & image : Emilie BARDALOUHébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Music City welcomes us back as we head to Nashville to chat with Dustin Turner, Music Marketing Executive at Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Dustin walks us through his day to day, and explains how CAA often functions as a bridge between promoters and management teams, working with the artist teams to figure out what the creative is going to look like, and strategizing on ways they can work with venues to make sure tours are successful. Dustin tells us about the many advantages of being based in Nashville while also enjoying close collaboration with their offices in Los Angeles and New York. We dive into some shop talk, discussing marketing strategies, trends and future predictions, and how venues can better support tours. Dustin talks to us about how he got his start in live events, from setting up tents for Clear Channel Radio in San Antonio, to roles at various venues, Live Nation in Florida, Feld Entertainment in Philadelphia, and ultimately moving to Nashville to join AEG Live before moving to his current role with CAA. We discuss how those experiences have taught him valuable lessons, given him a great perspective on all sides of the industry, and instilled the importance of networking and building connections. You'll love this fun episode that is full of great career advice, fun stories, and some Nashville recommendations.Dustin Turner: LinkedIn | Instagram | FacebookCAA Music: Instagram ––––––ADVENTURES IN VENUELANDFollow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/TwitterLearn more about Event & Venue Marketing ConferenceMeet our team:Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & MarketingDave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest ResearchMegan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital AdvertisingSamantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & PublicityCamille Faulkner | Audio Editing & MixingHave a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

In this episode of the Maverick Podcast, Tanner Smith, founder of Fanwave, discusses his journey from musician to entrepreneur. He shares insights on the competitive nature of the music industry, the challenges faced by artists and venues, and the importance of data-driven decision-making. Tanner explains how Fanwave aims to connect fans, bands, and venues while giving back to the community.Tanner Smith:https://www.fanwave.iohttps://www.instagram.com/fanwave.iohttps://www.instagram.com/bedbathburritosMaverick Podcast:

Bongani Bingwa speaks with Khanyi Moyo, Marketing Manager at Melrose Arch, about the upcoming Easter celebration filled with exciting activities. The fun will take place from Friday, April 18 to Monday, April 21. 702 Breakfast with Bongani Bingwa is broadcast on 702, a Johannesburg based talk radio station. Bongani makes sense of the news, interviews the key newsmakers of the day, and holds those in power to account on your behalf. The team bring you all you need to know to start your day Thank you for listening to a podcast from 702 Breakfast with Bongani Bingwa Find all the catch-up podcasts here https://www.primediaplus.com/702/702-breakfast-with-bongani-bingwa/audio-podcasts/702-breakfast-with-bongani-bingwa/ Listen live - 702 Breakfast is broadcast weekdays between 06:00 and 09:00 (SA Time) https://www.primediaplus.com/station/702 Subscribe to the 702 daily and weekly newsletters https://www.primediaplus.com/competitions/newsletter-subscription/  Follow us on social media: 702 on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702   702 on TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702  702 on Instagram: www.instagram.com/talkradio702  702 on X: www.x.com/Radio702  702 on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@radio702  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dans cet épisode de Sold Out, on tend le micro à Christian Allex, une figure aussi discrète qu'indispensable du paysage musical français.Directeur artistique, programmateur de festivals, promoteur local… et co-fondateur du tout jeune (et déjà très remarqué) festival Golden Coast, Christian a façonné sa place dans l'industrie à coups d'instinct, de convictions et de rencontres inattendues.Des premières scènes indé aux plus gros plateaux électro, Christian nous embarque dans les coulisses d'un métier où il faut “inventer son utilité” pour exister. On parle programmation, direction artistique, mais aussi succès à la sueur du front et modèles économiques à réinventer. Le tout avec lucidité, humour, et une bonne dose d'amour pour le live.Entre les clubs mythiques, un salon d'appartement qui accueille 1200 personnes et un aéroport qui a failli se transformer en terrain de jeu hip-hop, Christian nous montre que dans le live, rien ne se passe jamais comme prévu… et c'est là que ça devient intéressant !Un épisode généreux et riche en anecdotes, pour tous ceux qui veulent comprendre comment on construit un festival, un réseau et une carrière, à la force du collectif et de la passion. ❤️Sold Out, le podcast pour se glisser dans les coulisses du spectacle vivant.Avec le soutien de DELIGHT.Production : Big Red Machine / Réalisation : Marc H'LIMI / Interview et programmation : Marc GONNET / Communication & image : Emilie BARDALOUHébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

We're headed to Edmonton for this episode, home of the Oilers, to catch up with Chris Ng-Muk-Yuen, Marketing Manager for Rogers Place and ICE District. Chris tells us about the venue and surrounding district, and its place in the city and approach to engaging with fans. Fresh off the Edmonton Oilers' run to the Stanley Cup Finals last season, learn how the team and venue are capitalizing on the success, enhancing their fan experience, and bringing the city together in ICE District. Chris, who manages social media for both venues among numerous other tasks, breaks down their approach for each social platform, and we discuss when is the best time to invest time and effort into new platforms. Learn how he caught the photography bug and what he enjoys about being one of the venue's house photographers. We talk about Chris' entry into live events through an internship as a business analyst which led to roles in ticketing, sponsorship, and his current role in marketing. Chris gives some advice for young people entering the industry, as we discuss tips and the importance of a passion for events. From chats about the NHL bubble to his love of traveling to early planning for venue anniversaries – there's a little of everything in this fun episode!Chris Ng-Muk-Yuen: Instagram | LinkedInRogers Place:  Instagram | Facebook | X/Twitter ––––––ADVENTURES IN VENUELANDFollow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/TwitterLearn more about Event & Venue Marketing ConferenceMeet our team:Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & MarketingDave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest ResearchMegan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital AdvertisingSamantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & PublicityCamille Faulkner | Audio Editing & MixingHave a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

 In this episode, Joey and Marissa walk through Disney World's live entertainment shows like Fantasmic to Finding Nemo Big Blue World.  They share their opinions and hope to help guide listeners to what they need to spend time on and what they may be able to leave for their next trip. Tune in to the series Overrated or Underrated! 

What if you could transform the live entertainment landscape while driving monumental economic growth for cities? Join us as we sit down with JW Roth, the visionary behind Venu, whose passion for music and innovative approach to building luxury outdoor amphitheaters are changing how we experience live performances. Discover how Roth's transition from founding Roth Premium Foods to creating state-of-the-art venues was driven by the surging demand for concert tickets and the influx of new artists. He shares his unique strategy of mirroring successful public-private partnerships in sports, leading to groundbreaking projects like the Ford Amphitheater and nearly a billion dollars in amphitheater construction already underway. Roth's journey is an inspiring tale of transforming passion into a thriving enterprise with far-reaching impact. In our conversation, we explore how these multi-seasonal venues don't just host concerts but redefine them with innovations like year-round temperature control, upscale dining options, and fractional ownership. Learn how cities like McKinney were convinced to invest big, thanks to projected economic benefits reaching billions. With a team assembled from industry giants like House of Blues and Live Nation, Venue is crafting unparalleled fan experiences. Tune in to discover how every detail is curated to elevate ambiance and redefine live entertainment for audiences nationwide.   Timestamps 00:00:00 - Introduction and Welcome to Business Legacy Podcast 00:00:15 - Introduction of Guest JW Roth, CEO, Founder, and Chairman of Venu 00:00:40 - JW Roth's Transition from Food Manufacturing to Live Entertainment 00:01:20 - The Increasing Demand for Modern Concert Venus 00:02:10 - Inspiration from Public-Private Partnerships in Sports 00:02:45 - The Development of the Ford Amphitheater as a Model 00:03:30 - Overview of Nearly a Billion Dollars in Amphitheater Construction 00:04:18 - The Role of Economic Impact Studies in Securing City Investments 00:05:00 - Examples of Municipal Investments, Like McKinney's $100 Million Commitment 00:05:45 - Innovations in Multi-Seasonal Amphitheaters 00:06:30 - Introduction of Luxe Dining Options and Collaborations with Industry Giants 00:07:15 - Poaching Top Talent and Partnering with Major Promoters 00:08:00 - Creating Ambiance and the Importance of Fan Experience 00:08:45 - Unique Features of Venu's Amphitheaters 00:09:30 - JW Roth's Approach to Building Legacy and Generosity 00:10:15 - Roth's Vision for Venu's Future Expansion and Impact 00:11:00 - The Importance of Ambiance and Experience in Roth's Venues 00:11:45 - How JW Roth Finds Talent and Specialists for Venue 00:12:30 - Reflections on Feedback from Fans and Artists 00:13:15 - JW Roth's Personal Definition of Legacy 00:14:00 - Closing Remarks and Where to Find More Information About Venu Episode Resources: Find out more about Jw and VenuLive is up to here:https://venu.live/ Legacy Podcast: For more information about the Legacy Podcast and its co-hosts, visit businesslegacypodcast.com. Leave a Review: If you enjoyed the episode, leave a review and rating on your preferred podcast platform. For more information: Visit businesslegacypodcast.com to access the shownotes and additional resources on the episode.

This monthly series features an episode sharing my recent highs and lows, how my habits are going, a Do Something List update, plus what I'm loving lately and my commitments for the upcoming month. I hope this glimpse into my life, my family, my work, and my own self development encourages you in your own journey. Around here the goal is never perfection, just to keep trying, even if in very simple ways. I think you'll see that with all of the big changes going on for me, taking the smallest of steps has helped to keep me afloat and feeling like myself. As always, I encourage you to get messy, too! Sign up as a Supporter to get access to our private, premium, ad-free podcast, More Personal. Episodes air each Friday! Leave a rating and review Follow About Progress on YOUTUBE! Book Launch Committee Free DSL Training Full Show Notes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Passer d'une trompette trouvée dans un grenier à la production de concerts sold out ? C'est toute l'histoire de Pierre-Pascal Houdebine, alias PP !Musicien devenu producteur, il fonde Furax en 1999, une boîte de prod indépendante qui a accompagné des artistes comme C2C, Ben Mazué ou La Femme.De trompettiste punk dans Les Satellites à programmateur au Glazart, puis au grand saut dans l'entrepreneuriat, PP nous embarque dans un parcours aussi spontané qu'incroyable. Des paris osés, des succès fulgurants, et une remise en question permanente pour faire vivre la scène.Quels défis attendent un producteur indépendant aujourd'hui ? Comment prendre des risques, faire grandir des artistes et s'adapter aux nouvelles réalités du live ? Avec humour, recul et beaucoup de passion, PP revient sur les hauts, les bas… et surtout, la magie du live.Un épisode qui prouve que dans le spectacle vivant, rien n'est jamais écrit… et c'est bien ça qui nous fait vibrer, non ?

Let's talk premium! On this episode of Adventures In Venueland we head back to California and chat with Michele Kajiwara, Senior Vice President, Premium Business & Events at Crypto.com Arena and AEG, and the 2024 WISE Woman of the Year. Michele oversees the sales and service of premium seats, suites, lounges, and hospitality spaces - supporting the various tenant teams (Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Kings, and Los Angeles Sparks) and touring events while operating quasi independently and reporting directly to AEG. She talks about their close relationship with booking and marketing and the role touring shows play in boosting value for members while increasing retention. We talk about hosting residency shows, the relationship between LA venues, and the impact live events have on clients and the people connected with them. Michele tells us about her career journey, from attending Cal State Long Beach and University of Southern California to jobs in Lake Tahoe, New York City, and LA with numerous trips in between. She provides some amazing perspective and career advice – including the importance of travel and how sabbaticals have helped recenter her and provide new perspective at key points in her life. From fun stories to a great work/life harmony discussion, you'll love this episode that may inspire you to explore that next career challenge.Michele Kajiwara: LinkedIn | EmailCrypto.com Arena: Facebook | Instagram | X/Twitter ––––––ADVENTURES IN VENUELANDFollow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/TwitterLearn more about Event & Venue Marketing ConferenceMeet our team:Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & MarketingDave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest ResearchMegan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital AdvertisingSamantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & PublicityCamille Faulkner | Audio Editing & MixingHave a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

Live Entertainment 5 Years After COVID Shutdown, ‘Freestyle Love Supreme’ Returns to NYC Shive and Roman Roy Reunite at Stage Door Since 2016, “Today on Broadway” has been the first and only daily podcast recapping the top theatre headlines every Monday through Friday. Any and all feedback is appreciated:Grace Aki: grace@broadwayradio.com | read more The post Today on Broadway: Thursday, March 13, 2025 appeared first on BroadwayRadio.

Put on your shades and pull back that convertible top because we're headed to Los Angeles for this episode where we chat with Alex Hodges, Chief Executive Officer of Nederlander Concerts. Alex, who is in the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, recipient of the T.J. Martell Foundation's “Spirit of Excellence” Award, and recipient of the SEVT Lifetime Achievement Award, has decades of experience in all aspects of the live event industry. After we discuss Nederlander Concerts and the numerous venues they work with, we learn how Alex developed a passion for the industry, from seeing shows as a kid at Fox Theatre in Atlanta to booking bands with his college fraternity brother at Mercer University. We talk about his time as an agent, representing emerging artists at the time such as Otis Redding, The Allman Brothers Band, The Police, and many more, as well as founding Paragon and Empire Agencies. He tells us about his time as the personal manager for Gregg Allman and Stevie Ray Vaughan before joining Nederlander Concerts the first time, working at House of Blues Concerts, and then returning back to Nederlander Concerts. Alex provides an incredible perspective of the industry over the years and how things have evolved – imparting advice and valuable insight into an ever-changing landscape. You'll love this episode with this legendary trailblazer that is chock full of amazing stories, great career tips, and plenty of laughs.Alex Hodges: EmailNederlander Concerts: Facebook | Instagram | X/Twitter ––––––ADVENTURES IN VENUELANDFollow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/TwitterLearn more about Event & Venue Marketing ConferenceMeet our team:Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & MarketingDave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest ResearchMegan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital AdvertisingSamantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & PublicityCamille Faulkner | Audio Editing & MixingHave a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

Happy Friday! Mike & Scott are here today with a bunch of Disney topics that we discuss for a few minutes each including thoughts on Virtual Queues (and how they have worked with Tiana's and Cosmic Rewind), where Disney should put a sports bar & grill in the future for guests to enjoy, where the best live entertainment is on-property right now, which is better - a monorail or skyliner crawl, and much more! Please share your thoughts over on the Discord channel at www.beourguestpodcast.com/clubhouse. We hope you enjoy today's podcast!  Please visit our website at www.beourguestpodcast.com.  Thank you so much for your support of our podcast! Become a Patron of the show at www.Patreon.com/BeOurGuestPodcast. Also, please follow the show on Twitter @BeOurGuestMike and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/beourguestpodcast.   Thanks to our friends at The Magic For Less Travel for sponsoring today's podcast!

We're headed to the Garden State for this episode and talking with Michelle McCarthy, Founder & CEO of MCC Marketing Group. Michelle, who is based in Jersey City in the New York City market, tells us about her experience with launching her business and the excitement and challenges that come along with it. She emphasizes the importance of a strong network and tells us about some of her recent clients, including David Gilmour's sold out US tour, the Rock The Country festival series, and a sold-out reunion performance featuring the original Broadway cast of Anastasia, The Musical at Lincoln Center. She talks about her love of music and other passions which drive her and her focus of optimizing results and maximizing campaigns for her clients. We talk with Michelle about her career journey, which began in County Cork, Ireland, where she did marketing and promotions for arts festivals before moving to Dublin to work with Hot Press magazine and the Dublin Theatre Festival, eventually overseeing marketing for the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. Her work there led her to New York City, where she promoted shows at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall before going on to spearhead marketing strategy for live entertainment at Prudential Center and Madison Square Garden Entertainment. You'll love all the great tips and conversations in this episode such as advice for those considering starting their own agency, the value of time off in recentering your path, and plenty of fun stories speckled throughout.Michelle McCarthy: LinkedIn | EmailMCC Marketing Group: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn ––––––ADVENTURES IN VENUELANDFollow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/TwitterLearn more about Event & Venue Marketing ConferenceMeet our team:Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & MarketingDave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest ResearchMegan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital AdvertisingSamantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & PublicityCamille Faulkner | Audio Editing & MixingHave a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

Right on the edge of the Chesapeake Bay, join us for a visit to wonderful Baltimore as we chat with Aly Katz, Brand Manager for CFG Bank Arena, an Oak View Group facility. Aly talks about her role at the venue, where she oversees three key areas: back of house (artist gifting, crew activities, promoter relations), front of house (fan activations, photo ops), and social media (branding, aesthetic, graphic strategy, content creation). Hear how she honors the legacy of the venue, which originally opened in 1962, while also highlighting its amazing new amenities since its recent, game-changing renovation. We dive into some of her favorite activations for touring crews and talent, from regular puppy parties working with rescues to pop-up flash tattoos to unique venue merch. She tells us about her commitment to working with local and minority-owned businesses for artist gifts to make them more personal and unique while showcasing local talent. We hear about Aly's career history, from working at an EDM venue in Washington D.C. to managing logistics and a merchandising business for content creators. She shares insights on what she's learned on the content creator side and offers tips on making the best pitches. If you like puppies, coloring books, creative ideas, and fun stories, you'll definitely love this episode.Aly Katz: Instagram | LinkedIn | EmailCFG Bank Arena: Facebook | X/Twitter | Instagram ––––––ADVENTURES IN VENUELANDFollow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/TwitterLearn more about Event & Venue Marketing ConferenceMeet our team:Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & MarketingDave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest ResearchMegan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital AdvertisingSamantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & PublicityCamille Faulkner | Audio Editing & MixingHave a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

It's Episode 100 and we're running it all the way back to Episode 1 by having back on our first return guest – Nina Jackson, Director of Marketing & Public Relations at NRG Park, an ASM Global managed property in Houston, TX. Nina oversees marketing and PR at NRG Park, a 300 acre sports and entertainment complex that hosts over 500 events and over 5.5 million people a year – which includes NRG Stadium (home to Houston Texans and Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo), NRG Center (1.4 million square foot exhibition center), NRG Arena, and 26K onsite parking spaces which are also used for events. After catching up with Nina about the last four years since we had her on as a guest, we talk about team building, hiring tips, and how to create a great culture in the workplace. We learn about how NRG Park venues support and provide for the community outside of hosting events and chat through current challenges facing live event marketers. To know Nina is to love her and she's truly one of our all time favorite people and guests. You're sure to love this episode brimming with fun stories, a discussion about hosting the Beyoncé Bowl, and lots of laughs.Nina Jackson: LinkedIn | EmailNRG Park: Facebook | Instagram | X/Twitter ––––––ADVENTURES IN VENUELANDFollow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/TwitterLearn more about Event & Venue Marketing ConferenceMeet our team:Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & MarketingDave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest ResearchMegan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital AdvertisingSamantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & PublicityCamille Faulkner | Audio Editing & MixingHave a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

Put on your party hat, grab some champagne, and meet us in The Big Apple! For this special episode we ring in 2025 by taking a look at the most viewed event worldwide – New Years Eve in Times Square, New York City. We talk with Damian Santucci, SVP of Production & Operations at Times Square Alliance, a non-profit business improvement district (BID) that works in partnership with the city and surrounding businesses to manage Times Square and produce events. We learn about Damian's background of working with the New York Knicks and Madison Square Garden before moving to his current role fifteen years ago and the big differences from an indoor event versus one in Times Square. With a load-in beginning just after Christmas in a space that never closes and is visited by around 400,000 people daily, hear what goes into setting up and putting on this incredible event that is streamed on thirty networks nationally and hundreds throughout the world. We learn all kinds of fun facts and numbers as Damian tells us about staffing, how the confetti system works, clean up, and of course… the iconic ball. Enjoy this fun episode that will make you further appreciate the logistics of this iconic event and may inspire you to visit the city sometime to see it in-person.Damian Santucci: LinkedInTimes Square Alliance: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn ––––––ADVENTURES IN VENUELANDFollow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/TwitterLearn more about Event & Venue Marketing ConferenceMeet our team:Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & MarketingDave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest ResearchMegan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital AdvertisingSamantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & PublicityCamille Faulkner | Audio Editing & MixingHave a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

Happy New Year Venuelanders!

For Episode 99 we catch up with our friend and EVMC Hall of Famer, Jim Delaney, Founder/CEO of Activate Sports & Entertainment. Jim, who is a 30-year veteran sports and event marketer, talks to us about his latest adventure becoming what he calls a “digital nomad” – working on projects remotely as he visits venues and lives in different cities for a couple months at a time. We talk about how he processes his life in cycles or waves of every seven years, exploring and challenging himself each time a new chapter is presented. We learn about Jim's time working for teams such as the Seattle Sonics, Washington Bullets/Wizards, and New England Patriots before landing at TD Garden in Boston where he oversaw marketing and PR for ten years. Hear what it was like to strike out on his own, advice he has for those considering it, and ways he constantly looks for the new challenge to keep him engaged. Jim talks about his excitement around AI and the sandbox it could provide for live events and his approach when pursuing new trends. From book recommendations to industry advice to fun stories and perspective, you'll enjoy this wonderfully unique episode that may inspire you to find that next exciting challenge.Jim Delaney: LinkedIn | Email ––––––ADVENTURES IN VENUELANDFollow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or X/TwitterLearn more about Event & Venue Marketing ConferenceMeet our team:Paul Hooper | Co-host, Booking, Branding & MarketingDave Redelberger | Co-host & Guest ResearchMegan Ebeck | Marketing, Design & Digital AdvertisingSamantha Marker | Marketing, Copywriting & PublicityCamille Faulkner | Audio Editing & MixingHave a suggestion for a guest or bonus episode? We'd love to hear it! Send us an email.

Multimedia show director Willie Williams has helped redefine live entertainment in collaboration with artists ranging from David Bowie to The Rolling Stones. He gives a behind-the-scenes look at his recent epic undertaking — designing and directing the rock band U2's 40-night residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas, a blend of cutting-edge technology and imaginative visual storytelling — and shares what it takes to create unforgettable experiences that foster connection.

Multimedia show director Willie Williams has helped redefine live entertainment in collaboration with artists ranging from David Bowie to The Rolling Stones. He gives a behind-the-scenes look at his recent epic undertaking — designing and directing the rock band U2's 40-night residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas, a blend of cutting-edge technology and imaginative visual storytelling — and shares what it takes to create unforgettable experiences that foster connection.