Latest news with #Giddings
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Festival promoter brands Royal Albert Hall levy scheme ‘ludicrous'
The promoter behind the Isle of Wight Festival has criticised the plan for a £1 levy on arena and stadium tickets that would help support grassroots venues. This week, it was announced that the Royal Albert Hall in London would become the first 5,000+ capacity arena to commit to the LIVE Trust's £1 contribution supporting grassroots music across the UK. From 1 October 2025, the price of tickets for commercial rock and pop concerts at the venue will include a £1 contribution, which will raise an estimated £300,000 per year for the LIVE Trust to support grassroots venues, promoters, festivals and artists. The levy was proposed by the Music Venue Trust as a way of protecting the many small music venues around the UK – a vital platform for emerging artists – that are under threat of closure. However, industry veteran Giddings – who has represented artists including The Police, Lady Gaga, The Corrs and Westlife, as well as promoting major tours by artists such as Madonna and The Rolling Stones – was dismissive of the venture, saying he believes it will not be of benefit to live music fans. 'I think the whole thing is bloody ludicrous,' he told The Independent. 'The fact is, you sell a ticket when you're a promoter, and it costs £15, £50, whatever. There's a booking fee, and now they're talking about an extra fee to go to small venues. But that's not the [Royal Albert] Hall or the artist caring about small venues: that's charging the general public. It's costing them more money for a ticket.' A recent Music Fans' Voice survey showed that 93 per cent of fans agreed that £1 from every arena and stadium ticket should go to a fund that directly supports grassroots venues. Meanwhile, data from LIVE revealed that 125 such venues were forced to shut down in 2023, while 78 festivals were cancelled the following year. Tour dates have also seen a 50 per cent decline over the past three decades, as the regional grassroots system collapses. The typical tour circuit has halved in the past 30 years, from 22-date tours in 1994 to an average of just 11 dates last year. 'It's disgusting that [they're] trying to make themselves look good when they're not helping at all,' Giddings said of the venue scheme, while questioning how the funds from the levy would be distributed among the UK's grassroots spots. He said that instead, artists themselves should do more to support the venues they first played in as emerging acts: 'If [bands] really care about small venues, they should go and play in small venues that helped them in their careers early on, and let the small venue keep all of the income. That's what they should do. 'And that way, you give the money directly to the venue. You're advertising the venue. It's a good PR story for the group. Everybody benefits.' Giddings, who was named Festival Promoter of the Year at the FestForums awards in February, continued: 'Every artist in this country, band or single artist, has been through those small venues, and they've helped them in their career. That's where they [train] and learn how to do it, and they should go back and help them directly.' A number of artists have already pledged their support to the Music Venue Trust scheme, including pop band Coldplay, who are donating 10 per cent of their earnings from their 2025 tour to the organisation. Their involvement came after the British metal band Enter Shikari donated £1 from every ticket sold for their OVO Wembley Arena show in February last year. US pop star Katy Perry, who played some of her first UK shows in small venues such as Water Rats and Scala, contributed £1 to the MVT from every ticket sold for the UK leg of her Lifetimes tour. Responding to Giddings's comments, Mark Davyd, CEO of the Music Venue Trust, told The Independent: 'Obviously I appreciate that John has not been as close to these extensive and protracted discussions about the necessity of a grassroots levy as some of his colleagues in the Concert Promoters Association or at Live Nation. 'That's a shame, because all of the issues and potential objections John raises have been fully covered, debated, and collectively resolved. The whole live music industry is united behind delivering the grassroots levy, and the way that we have agreed to do that is that everyone – promoters, ticketing companies, venues, agents, managers and artists – will all play their part in delivering it.' He added: 'The lead taken by the Royal Albert Hall has been warmly welcomed right across the industry. It shows real leadership and it's a very positive step in making the levy a reality. The grassroots levy that the whole industry has agreed to, and the leadership shown by the Royal Albert Hall in moving that concept forward, is the positive change we need.'
San Francisco Chronicle
17-06-2025
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
20-somethings are leaving San Francisco — except for this one neighborhood
When Jack Giddings, 28, and his girlfriend Amanda Guo, also 28, decided to move in together, they had a short list of amenities that would make for their ideal place: They wanted somewhere with onsite parking, a more modern building and didn't want to deal with long commutes. Giddings works in downtown San Francisco and Guo commutes down to the Peninsula three times a week. While the couple originally looked in the more 'classic' San Francisco neighborhoods that they already knew and loved, like Nob Hill, Russian Hill, the Marina and the Mission, Giddings said, they couldn't find anything that checked their boxes and was in their budget. That's when their search brought them to SoMa, to a building right near Oracle Park. Their new spot has it all, Giddings said. It's just a 15 minute walk to his job and close to the freeways for hers, it's a newer building and, crucially, it has parking included. And there's an added benefit: plenty of nearby parks for their dog, Tuna (who, at just over 4 years old, you might also say is in his 20s in dog years — although the science of that is disputed). The data show that Giddings and Guo aren't alone. Though the city as a whole is seeing its share of 20-somethings shrink — part of an exodus spurred by the pandemic — SoMa is seeing the opposite. According to U.S. Census American Community Survey data from 2013 and 2023, about 16% of San Franciscans were between 22 and 29 in 2013. That declined to roughly 13% in 2023. But in SoMa, the trend was nearly the opposite. About 14% of residents were between 22 and 29 in 2013. That increased to about 20% by 2023, making it the only area to see a statistically significant increase in its 20-something population. Other parts of the city, like Potrero Hill, also saw increases in 20-somethings, per the data. But the margins of error on the population counts muddied the picture, making it possible that the changes were more due to counting errors than to actual changes, and thus not statistically significant. By the city's definition, SoMa, or South of Market, sweeps beneath Market Street from 3rd Street down to 11th Street, bordered on the southeast side by Townsend Street. The area features several tall residential buildings, many with amenities like gyms and roof decks. And over the last two decades, the neighborhood and the areas adjacent to it have seen tens of thousands of new housing units added — making it home to most of the city's new development over those 20 years. Still, it's an area that's struggled in the post-pandemic era, as businesses retreated from office buildings, construction languished and foot traffic slowed dramatically. On top of that, the neighborhood encompasses vastly different experiences, from luxury condos and trendy restaurants to troubled corridors like Sixth Street. To real estate agents, the demographic changes in SoMa weren't a surprise. Allison Fortini Crawford, a realtor with Sotheby's, listed off the very reasons that brought Giddings to SoMa, saying that the area has always attracted a younger age bracket because of its easy access to the freeway to get to tech jobs down the Peninsula, while still offering amenities like grocery stores, bars and restaurants within walking distance. And compared to other neighborhoods close to the freeway like Bernal Heights, SoMa is more 'hip,' she said, and less family-oriented. Real estate agents said that Potrero Hill, which saw a less statistically reliable increase, had many of the same qualities that might make it attractive to a younger crowd — particularly its proximity to the freeway — along with sweeping city views. Still, that doesn't mean SoMa is suddenly transforming into a 20-something haunt like the Marina. Giddings, for example, said that on the weekends, he and Guo spend a lot of their time in other neighborhoods where their friends live. 'We don't really stick around here that much,' Giddings said. 'Outside of baseball season, it's pretty quiet… it definitely caters towards commuters and people who are only here for work.'
Wales Online
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
‘Gut feeling more important than social media likes', says festival promoter
'Gut feeling more important than social media likes', says festival promoter John Giddings, who has run the Isle of Wight Festival since it restarted in 2002, said performers need to be able to "deliver" to a crowd and not just keep their attention on a phone screen Festival-goers wear masks with the face of David Bowie on at the Isle of Wight Festival 2016. A leading music festival promoter has said "gut feeling" is more than important than social media likes when booking headline acts. John Giddings, who has run the Isle of Wight Festival since it restarted in 2002, said performers need to be able to "deliver" to a crowd and not just keep their attention on a phone screen. The 72-year-old, who represents artists ranging from Blondie to Phil Collins, told the PA news agency: "It's gut feeling, really. I've learned the hard way in my years in the music business that some people might have sold a lot of records, but they're useless when it comes to performing. "You want to book acts that have a catalogue that's going to entertain an audience for an hour, hour and a half, and, secondly, someone who's capable of performing to an audience of 50,000 people in a field, because they need to be able to project to entertain. "When you look back on who we've had – Blur, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, the (Rolling) Stones – they're all capable of delivering, even if it's pouring with rain, which it doesn't that much on the Isle of Wight, thank God. "But you've got to be prepared for everything and it's quality of performance, really. Article continues below "I do know artists who've had a million views on TikTok who can't sell 300 tickets at a club in London. Just because all these people want to watch them on socials doesn't mean they're going to pay money to go and see them in a field." Mr Giddings – who also manages through his Solo music agency touring shows for some of the world's biggest names such as Madonna, U2 and Beyonce – said that as well as classic acts, he needs to keep an eye on the breakthrough bands. He said: "Because I'm older, we book acts from past, present and future, there's a discussion in the office as to what new bands are coming up, and you're projecting as to what they're going to be doing in the year's or nine months' time. "I'll never forget when I booked The Darkness when they first started out, they were supporting someone at Brixton Academy, and I went down there, and I walked in, and Justin (Hawkins) was sitting on the shoulders of his roadie, walking through the audience, playing the lead solo. "I thought, 'blimey, this is the music I grew up on', and then they came and played the Isle of Wight and blew everyone away." Mr Giddings said he was always on the lookout for new acts, adding: "If the truck driver comes up with a good idea and it's a better idea than mine, then go for it, you can't be that arrogant to just believe what you think yourself. "We've got 15 stages on the Isle of Wight, so whatever stage you're at in your career, you can play one of those stages." Mr Giddings said one of his highlights from the Isle of Wight Festival was Jay Z and added: "I remember thinking 50,000 people couldn't go wilder, and then Kanye West walked on with them and it exploded, and I turned to my left, and there was Beyonce standing there – I thought 'It couldn't get better than this'." Mr Giddings said that he remembered the classic Isle of Wight Festival of 1970, which saw 600,000 hippies descend on the island causing the event to be outlawed for 32 years, and added: "I remember walking over the hill, it was like going to the Battle of the Somme and you could smell them before you saw them." After 23 years of organising the Isle of Wight Festival, he said: "I absolutely love it, which is my downfall because I work all the time, I never think I've actually had a job. "There's nothing better than sitting in an office in Fulham in November and it's wet and windy outside, and you're imagining putting an act on in a field on the Isle of Wight in June, and then you see it nine months later and people are going wild to it. "It's the most satisfying thing ever to provide entertainment for people." Article continues below The Isle of Wight Festival 2025, which is being headlined by Sting, Stereophonics and Justin Timberlake, runs from June 19 to 22 at Seaclose Park, Newport.
South Wales Argus
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Argus
‘Gut feeling more important than social media likes', says festival promoter
John Giddings, who has run the Isle of Wight Festival since it restarted in 2002, said performers need to be able to 'deliver' to a crowd and not just keep their attention on a phone screen. The 72-year-old, who represents artists ranging from Blondie to Phil Collins, told the PA news agency: 'It's gut feeling, really. I've learned the hard way in my years in the music business that some people might have sold a lot of records, but they're useless when it comes to performing. Sting performs at the Isle of Wight Festival 2008 at Seaclose Park on the Isle of Wight (Yui Mok/PA) 'You want to book acts that have a catalogue that's going to entertain an audience for an hour, hour and a half, and, secondly, someone who's capable of performing to an audience of 50,000 people in a field, because they need to be able to project to entertain. 'When you look back on who we've had – Blur, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, the (Rolling) Stones – they're all capable of delivering, even if it's pouring with rain, which it doesn't that much on the Isle of Wight, thank God. 'But you've got to be prepared for everything and it's quality of performance, really. 'I do know artists who've had a million views on TikTok who can't sell 300 tickets at a club in London. Just because all these people want to watch them on socials doesn't mean they're going to pay money to go and see them in a field.' Mr Giddings – who also manages through his Solo music agency touring shows for some of the world's biggest names such as Madonna, U2 and Beyonce – said that as well as classic acts, he needs to keep an eye on the breakthrough bands. Rod Stewart performs on day four of the Isle of Wight Festival 2017, at Seaclose Park, Isle of Wight (David Jensen/PA) He said: 'Because I'm older, we book acts from past, present and future, there's a discussion in the office as to what new bands are coming up, and you're projecting as to what they're going to be doing in the year's or nine months' time. 'I'll never forget when I booked The Darkness when they first started out, they were supporting someone at Brixton Academy, and I went down there, and I walked in, and Justin (Hawkins) was sitting on the shoulders of his roadie, walking through the audience, playing the lead solo. 'I thought, 'blimey, this is the music I grew up on', and then they came and played the Isle of Wight and blew everyone away.' Mr Giddings said he was always on the lookout for new acts, adding: 'If the truck driver comes up with a good idea and it's a better idea than mine, then go for it, you can't be that arrogant to just believe what you think yourself. 'We've got 15 stages on the Isle of Wight, so whatever stage you're at in your career, you can play one of those stages.' Mr Giddings said one of his highlights from the Isle of Wight Festival was Jay Z and added: 'I remember thinking 50,000 people couldn't go wilder, and then Kanye West walked on with them and it exploded, and I turned to my left, and there was Beyonce standing there – I thought 'It couldn't get better than this'.' Damon Albarn of Blur performs live on day three of the Isle of Wight Festival 2015 (David Jensen/PA) Mr Giddings said that he remembered the classic Isle of Wight Festival of 1970, which saw 600,000 hippies descend on the island causing the event to be outlawed for 32 years, and added: 'I remember walking over the hill, it was like going to the Battle of the Somme and you could smell them before you saw them.' After 23 years of organising the Isle of Wight Festival, he said: 'I absolutely love it, which is my downfall because I work all the time, I never think I've actually had a job. 'There's nothing better than sitting in an office in Fulham in November and it's wet and windy outside, and you're imagining putting an act on in a field on the Isle of Wight in June, and then you see it nine months later and people are going wild to it. 'It's the most satisfying thing ever to provide entertainment for people.' The Isle of Wight Festival 2025, which is being headlined by Sting, Stereophonics and Justin Timberlake, runs from June 19 to 22 at Seaclose Park, Newport.
South Wales Guardian
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Guardian
‘Gut feeling more important than social media likes', says festival promoter
John Giddings, who has run the Isle of Wight Festival since it restarted in 2002, said performers need to be able to 'deliver' to a crowd and not just keep their attention on a phone screen. The 72-year-old, who represents artists ranging from Blondie to Phil Collins, told the PA news agency: 'It's gut feeling, really. I've learned the hard way in my years in the music business that some people might have sold a lot of records, but they're useless when it comes to performing. 'You want to book acts that have a catalogue that's going to entertain an audience for an hour, hour and a half, and, secondly, someone who's capable of performing to an audience of 50,000 people in a field, because they need to be able to project to entertain. 'When you look back on who we've had – Blur, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, the (Rolling) Stones – they're all capable of delivering, even if it's pouring with rain, which it doesn't that much on the Isle of Wight, thank God. 'But you've got to be prepared for everything and it's quality of performance, really. 'I do know artists who've had a million views on TikTok who can't sell 300 tickets at a club in London. Just because all these people want to watch them on socials doesn't mean they're going to pay money to go and see them in a field.' Mr Giddings – who also manages through his Solo music agency touring shows for some of the world's biggest names such as Madonna, U2 and Beyonce – said that as well as classic acts, he needs to keep an eye on the breakthrough bands. He said: 'Because I'm older, we book acts from past, present and future, there's a discussion in the office as to what new bands are coming up, and you're projecting as to what they're going to be doing in the year's or nine months' time. 'I'll never forget when I booked The Darkness when they first started out, they were supporting someone at Brixton Academy, and I went down there, and I walked in, and Justin (Hawkins) was sitting on the shoulders of his roadie, walking through the audience, playing the lead solo. 'I thought, 'blimey, this is the music I grew up on', and then they came and played the Isle of Wight and blew everyone away.' Mr Giddings said he was always on the lookout for new acts, adding: 'If the truck driver comes up with a good idea and it's a better idea than mine, then go for it, you can't be that arrogant to just believe what you think yourself. 'We've got 15 stages on the Isle of Wight, so whatever stage you're at in your career, you can play one of those stages.' Mr Giddings said one of his highlights from the Isle of Wight Festival was Jay Z and added: 'I remember thinking 50,000 people couldn't go wilder, and then Kanye West walked on with them and it exploded, and I turned to my left, and there was Beyonce standing there – I thought 'It couldn't get better than this'.' Mr Giddings said that he remembered the classic Isle of Wight Festival of 1970, which saw 600,000 hippies descend on the island causing the event to be outlawed for 32 years, and added: 'I remember walking over the hill, it was like going to the Battle of the Somme and you could smell them before you saw them.' After 23 years of organising the Isle of Wight Festival, he said: 'I absolutely love it, which is my downfall because I work all the time, I never think I've actually had a job. 'There's nothing better than sitting in an office in Fulham in November and it's wet and windy outside, and you're imagining putting an act on in a field on the Isle of Wight in June, and then you see it nine months later and people are going wild to it. 'It's the most satisfying thing ever to provide entertainment for people.' The Isle of Wight Festival 2025, which is being headlined by Sting, Stereophonics and Justin Timberlake, runs from June 19 to 22 at Seaclose Park, Newport.
