Latest news with #musicfestivals
Irish Times
4 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Who really owns the music festival you're heading to this summer?
Anyone who works in the kind of music festivals that don't have billion-dollar entities behind them, will tell you how challenging it is to make things financially sustainable right now. Costs for almost everything a festival needs to run have gone up. Trends in ticket sales are still fluctuating since the pandemic, with big-event experiences sucking up audiences over smaller events. Money needs to be found somewhere, and for years, the experience at many large music festivals is akin to being in a mall where the visual noise of brand 'activations' is as loud as the main stage. We are deep in festival and outdoor concert season. This summer, what that means is asking questions about ownership, sponsorship, and line-ups. A rolling wave of artist and cultural boycotts related to Palestinian solidarity is simultaneously exposing the role of private equity in festivals: who owns what, and who funds what. Some lines of ownership are relatively simple. Coachella, for example, is run by Goldenvoice, which is a branch of AEG Presents, which is the live arm of Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), which is part of the Anschutz Corporation, which began as an oil well drilling company. The name of Philip Anschutz – the billionaire owner of the entity and son of its founder Fred Anschutz – popped up in the 2017 hearings of the now US Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch. According to the New York Times, in 2006 Anschutz successfully lobbied a Colorado senator and the White House in George W Bush's era to nominate Judge Gorsuch to the federal appeals court in Denver. In the 2017 hearings, then-Senator Patrick Leahy noted Anschutz financed uber-conservative groups such as the Federalist Society and the Heritage Foundation . Rock and roll. READ MORE Other lines of ownership, and where various parent companies invest their money, are more opaque. Currently under fire is Superstruct Entertainment. Superstruct operates in what it calls 'the experiential economy', and owns multiple festivals including the massive Sónar in Barcelona, which it bought in 2024, and the equally large Hungarian festival, Sziget. Last January, Superstruct bought the hugely popular electronic music brand, Boiler Room, from the ticketing platform Dice. It also owns the UK LGBTQ+ festival Mighty Hoopla, and the Dutch electronic music festival DGTL. [ How Live Nation calls the tune for the live music industry Opens in new window ] In June 2024, Superstruct was sold by the private equity firm Providence Equity Partners to another private equity firm, KKR , for €1.3 billion. KKR's portfolio is worth around €620 billion. Its investments include the Israeli data analytics company Optimal+, and the Israeli data centre company Global Technical Realty. In 2019, KKR bought Novaria Group, a manufacturer of aerospace hardware, an acquisition characterised by the Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute as 'betting big on the US defence industry and aerospace engineered parts are part of that theme'. In 2023, KKR bought Circor International, described as 'one of the world's leading providers of mission critical flow control products and services for the Industrial and Aerospace & Defense markets'. Discontent around the KKR-Superstruct relationship has been brewing for some time. Now artists are taking a stand. The London festival, Field Day, bought by Superstruct in 2023, saw 15 artists pull out due to the KKR links. At the time of writing, 28 artists have pulled out of Sónar. Spain's culture minster, Ernest Urtasun, said that KKR is 'not welcome in Spain' , citing policy that companies with alleged economic interests in illegal settlements in Palestine 'cannot operate normally in the European Union'. Superstruct's sale to KKR was beyond the control of various festivals under this umbrella, and they have said as much. But the lack of autonomy festivals have over whose portfolio they ultimately end up in is a recurring theme. Individual consumers experience the same issue. The difference now is that artists and music fans are becoming more aware of financial flows in the context of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement and Palestine solidarity more generally, especially at a moment when artists are core to such activism. This is before we even get into the US antitrust lawsuit concerning Live Nation (long-merged with Ticketmaster), heading to trial next March. Last month, Live Nation added a new figure to its board of directors, Richard Grenell , Donald Trump's special presidential envoy for special missions. In Trump's first term, Grenell was ambassador to Germany, a tenure that led Martin Schultz (the former leader of the Social Democratic Party) to characterise his behaviour as 'not like a diplomat, but like a far-right colonial officer'. [ Occupied Territories Bill: what's in it, how it has changed and what the implications might be Opens in new window ] The consciousness of artists and fans is being raised. This moment is about many things. It's about a younger generation and the artists they admire drawing a line. It's about the claustrophobia of capitalism, a system within which escape from ownership and practices whose values you disagree with often feels stiflingly impossible, rendering consumers inadvertently complicit as their spend downstream filters up to god knows what. It's about the billionaire class. It's about shape-shifting conglomerates, private equity, and their Hungry Hippo approach to gobbling up companies and brands digested in heaving portfolios. But it's also about a new generation querying financial flows and their beneficiaries. It's about the BDS movement becoming more and more mainstreamed. And ultimately, it's about something that has always been the case: big money is rarely clean.
CNN
20 hours ago
- Business
- CNN
Music festivals were once on the cutting edge. Now, they may be in crisis
Music festivals are facing a crisis. On the brink of what should be another exciting summer festival season, dozens of music festivals are shutting down. The trend has been simmering for years — the longstanding Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago isn't returning this summer, following similar announcements last year from Atlanta's Music Midtown and Kickoff Jam in Florida. Meanwhile, festivals like Jay-Z's Made in America festival and Delaware's Firefly Music Festival haven't returned since 2022. This year, more than 40 festivals have already been canceled, according to one count. These cancellations aren't the only signs that something is awry in the festival scene. For the second year in a row, tickets to Coachella — the preeminent festival in the California desert that once sold out within hours — remained available for months. Electric Forest, Michigan's notable electronic and jam band festival, has also seen a slowdown in sales, igniting more concern over the landscape overall. Some blame the spate of cancellations on changing tastes; others point to the lack of curiosity from younger generations (why pay to see a bunch of acts you haven't heard of?). And, of course, there's a general belt tightening overall. Either way, the result is the same. Music festivals were once on the cutting edge, events where the music and vibe felt fresh and unique. But taken together, the declining ticket sales and cancellations paint a struggling picture of the festival industry, even as other areas of live music thrive. These days, music festivals have become synonymous with summer, with almost every major city boasting their own sweaty sonic assembly. That wasn't always the case. In 1969, when Woodstock brought almost half a million people to see live music at a dairy farm in upstate New York, the event continued to resonate even years afterward, said Tiffany Naiman, director of Music Industry Programs at University of California, Los Angeles. 'It lived in the cultural memory of America,' she said, 'in this idea of a wonderful musical experience that changed people's lives.' Afterward, the desire for similar experiences lingered. Most of the festivals people might be familiar with now — Coachella, Lollapalooza, even Warped Tour — began in the 1990s. Lollapalooza, which began in 1991, notably became the Woodstock for Gen X-ers, Naiman said, a place for community and a diverse set of music. 'It was a great experience for people, because you got to see so many acts and things like that, for so little money,' Naiman said. 'Right now, that has obviously changed.' Blake Atchison, who lives in Nashville, still remembers sneaking into the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival back in 2002, the very first year it was held. Now, he takes his son with him every summer. The whole festival experience, said Atchison — who co-founded Nashville's Deep Tropics festival in 2017 — is magical. There's a sense of discovery in festivals, he said, with all the different stages with different types of music. You can stumble upon an amazing band or DJ that you end up loving, absent of a streaming algorithm feeding you similar sounds over and over again. At a festival, if you're open, Atchison said, you could discover something totally new. 'There's just nothing like it,' he said. 'I love music, I love experiencing music with people, and I don't think there's any purer form to do that than a well put together festival.' But over the years, that festival experience has changed. At Bonnaroo, for example, some longtime attendees have complained that the event has become swarmed with big, corporate sponsors. There's a tension between the two camps: Some mourn the days when the festival felt more bohemian, while others appreciate the increased investment, reflected in better toilets and more popular acts. That divide illustrates just how far festivals have come, but also underlines a challenge: Once integrated into the mainstream, how do these festivals stay distinct? While music festivals have long retained a grip on American identity, their hold might be slipping. Though the number of festivals has ballooned since the late '90s and early aughts, it's not clear that the demand has kept up, said Will Page, former chief economist of Spotify. Inflation and tightening budgets have people spending less in nearly every part of American life, including nightlife, fashion and dining out. While you could once see your favorite act play a major stadium and still attend a festival that same summer, music enthusiasts today are having to choose between the two. 'Roll forward to 2024, you go all in to see Taylor Swift, and you don't bother with the festival,' Page said. 'We're seeing an element of displacement, of cannibalization, of the stadium acts eating the festivals' lunch.' In other words, we've become more risk-averse. Why would you want to travel and pay hundreds of dollars for a weekend pass (not including costs for camping, drinks, food, etc.) to see artists you're not sure you'll enjoy? Especially when you could spend it on Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter tour instead? People want their echo chambers, Page said, and gambling on a festival might not seem worth it. Running a festival has become more challenging for organizers, too. As ticket pricing structures have changed, more artists are foregoing festivals for their own worldwide arena tours, where they can make more money, Page said. That's made it harder for festivals to attract top talent. Operation costs are also rising, Page said, but there's a limit to how much festivals can charge for tickets. 'You have a credit crunch facing festivals across the board,' he said. 'But particularly the smaller festivals are less able to hedge, less able to negotiate those terms, to manage that cost inflation.' The vulnerability of these smaller events can cause issues for prospective buyers. Midwest Dreams, a new EDM festival in St. Louis, was meant to kick off at the end of May, but organizers postponed the event to November about a week before the scheduled start. While a press release points to the damage caused by a recent tornado, onlookers noted that other events at the venue are still proceeding as scheduled. Refunds for the event were also reportedly only offered for 24 hours, after which tickets would roll over to the new date — although in an email to CNN, festival organizers noted the time limit was a ticket vendor policy and anyone who wants a refund will get it. Some fans understood the move; others claimed the festival was covering for low ticket sales. Midwest Dreams denied those claims. Then there's the increasing frequency of severe weather events. Acts can't perform if there's lightning, Naiman said, and insurance can also be a headache. Temperatures are also getting much hotter. The unpredictability of a music festival is part of the experience — but it can also make potential festival-goers wary. Last year, Electric Forest — where single-day passes are going for $175 in 2025 — was plagued with so much rain and severe thunderstorms that the festival was forced to end early and nix performances from headliners. A year later, some fans are still irate over not receiving a refund or voucher. (Electric Forest did not respond to CNN's request for comment.) Either way, for both organizers and attendees, festivals are simply becoming harder bets. And it's not just in the US. Festivals in Canada, in the United Kingdom, and across Europe have seen similar struggles, creating a picture of a worldwide music festival slump. The problems facing music festivals are the same problems facing almost every aspect of society. Money's tight, and the way people discover and experience music today is changing. But people still want to see live music, Naiman said. Indeed, even as the cost of concert tickets has soared, consumers have kept splurging. But among larger festivals, there's been little change or growth over the years, Naiman said. Instead, there's been a flattening, with the same artists playing and the same styles of music. (Case in point: Luke Combs, Tyler, the Creator, and Olivia Rodrigo are all headlining both Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza this year.) 'The larger ones are plateauing because they haven't changed for the better,' Naiman said. 'I don't think that Coachella is doing anything unique or radical anymore.' That unique, grassroots vibe for which many longstanding music festivals became popular has somewhat faded in recent years, particularly as behemoths Live Nation and AEG have gathered ownership over major music festivals, leaning toward a more mainstream EDM and pop-centric lineup. For some longtime fans, that change is hard to swallow. Lollapalooza, for example, which began as a farewell tour before evolving into an underground alternative rock festival, was acquired by Live Nation in 2014. In 2016, bemoaning the influx of EDM into the lineup, Lollapalooza founder and Jane's Addiction frontman Perry Farrell told the Chicago Tribune: 'I sometimes cringe at my own festival.' And music fans seem to be gravitating toward other spaces to experience something new. Currently, The All-American Rejects are embarking on a nationwide house party tour, eschewing traditional venues for backyards, college campuses and, in one instance, a bowling alley. Though the pop-rock band is still playing some summer festivals (Warped Tour, Shaky Knees and Aftershock), while opening for the Jonas Brothers in stadiums, these unconventional shows and the ensuing social media hype have revived the band's early aughts buzz. To set themselves apart, smaller festivals have had to move beyond music as a way to entice audiences, Atchison said. Deep Tropics, which he said has seen an average of 43% growth year over year since its founding in 2017, has focused on sustainability, and integrated more speakers, workshops, and even yoga and breathwork into the festival. 'There's other elements that fans are searching for,' Atchison said. Part of the solution may also lie in reframing what a music festival actually means. Naiman used the Sundance Film Festival as an example, where film buffs gather not to see their favorite movies, but to be the first to uncover the coolest up-and-coming directors and actors. 'Though we like being in our echo chamber, I think there's a hunger for new things,' Naiman said. 'I think it's really about framing it, and how festivals frame this idea of discovery and experience versus seeing whoever again.' That hunger for new things is vital. For music festivals, their survival may very well depend on it.
Hospitality Net
5 days ago
- Business
- Hospitality Net
Airbnb Reveals ‘Tour Tourism' Is Driving Holiday Spending
Key Takeaways New Airbnb data reveals a 744% spike in bookings on average for UK towns hosting the world's biggest music artists this summer, demonstrating the power of 'tour tourism'. Airbnb hosts enable cities and towns to accommodate increased footfall from music, sports and cultural events, which contribute £28 billion annually to the UK economy. With two in five hosts motivated to share their space during major events, locals in the surrounding areas are also set to boost their income this summer. Ahead of the UK hosting some of the biggest music tours and sporting events this summer, Airbnb reveals the impact of 'Tour Tourism', which contributes an estimated £28 billion annually to the UK economy1. As consumers prioritise spending on experiences over material goods – with spend on travel, entertainment and hospitality/leisure up 5.7%, 3.5% and 2.8% respectively year-on-year2 – hosting on Airbnb enables towns and cities to benefit from welcoming additional visitors during concerts, sporting events and cultural festivals. Two in five UK Airbnb hosts want to share their space when big events are happening in their area to take advantage of the increased footfall and boost their income3. With almost half (48%) of guests following a local recommendation for dining, shopping or activities from their host last year4, small businesses in the surrounding community are set to benefit too. Welcoming the next Era of passion tourism Bookings on Airbnb for UK towns and cities hosting some of the world's biggest music acts this summer soared 744%5 on average across the concert nights. New research finds that a quarter of consumers (23%)6 would travel for concerts, and Airbnb can reveal which stars are leading the way. Sabrina Carpenter's tour brought a Short 'n' Sweet tourism boost to locals in Glasgow and Manchester, who welcomed an 88% and +2000% year-on-year spike in guest bookings respectively for their concert nights, as people set out on trips to the cities they may not have otherwise visited7. Meanwhile Doha, Dusseldorf, Naples and Brisbane are the leading cities that international fans have travelled to the UK from during the star's concert dates8. Following on from the 'Tour Tourism' trend that swept the globe during the Era's tour, searches by UK guests for stays in Paris (+550%), Berlin (+1500%) and Brussels (1400%) shot up during Carpenter's tour nights9 as fans built entire trips abroad around catching the Espresso singer's live show. During Coldplay's tour dates in London, searches spiked on average 800% across their concerts, with overseas bookings for the British gigs stemming from Madrid and Paris all the way to Hong Kong and NYC10 – a testament to the band's enduring global appeal. But of course it's the long awaited Oasis reunion concerts driving the hottest travel demand for music fans this Summer. Searches for host cities Cardiff, Edinburgh, Manchester and London were up over 6000% on average for the concert nights, with Manchester seeing the biggest spikes and an increase of over 7200% for the city's final concert dates11. As the crowning jewel in the UK's music scene, Glastonbury will always draw a passionate base of international music fans from far and wide. But this year, it's all about finding a balance of R&R with South Somerset seeing a 108% uplift in bookings for the week after the festival as people leave their tents behind to recover and unwind with friends in a more luxurious stay12. Major sporting events drive fans to travel thousands of miles It's not just live music that is attracting crowds from abroad; sports fans are travelling for their favourite events too. When it comes to iconic British sporting moments, tennis fans are famously dedicated. As well as preparing to camp overnight for Wimbledon ground entry, fan searches on Airbnb for stays in London during the tournament this Summer shot up over 1000% year-on-year when the ballot was selected13. International guests from Sydney and Abu Dhabi are covering thousands of miles to be at the iconic tournament, while there have also been uplifts in bookings from Italian, Dutch and Belgian guests – leading the charge for international travellers looking to sample the Pimms and major matches IRL this year. Rounding out the calendar for travelling sports fans, searches for Airbnb stays in Buckinghamshire increased 61% year-on-year over the weekend of this summer's Silverstone Grand Prix, with guests from cities in Belgium and Florida topping the table of international visitors expected to attend14. Female fans are leading the way for 'lights out and away we go' stays – making up the majority of guest bookings for both Buckinghamshire and Northampton the weekend of the Grand Prix15. This summer is set to be a monumental occasion for events in the UK with the economy expected to benefit from the current cultural prominence of 'fandom'. Airbnb is at the heart of connecting travellers with the things they love – whether it be music, sport or culture. With tour tourism on the rise and more guests travelling to pursue their passions, we're proud to support hosts across the country to boost their income, promote their local area, and help local communities benefit from additional visitors. Luke Impett, Airbnb UK Partnerships Lead UK Events Report, October 2024 Barclays Consumer Spend Index, April 2025 Based on feedback from over 5,000 Airbnb hosts surveyed between 1 Jan 2024 and 2 Feb 2025. All additional host-centric survey data in this report originates from this survey Based on feedback from over 5,000 Airbnb hosts surveyed between 1 Jan 2024 and 2 Feb 2025. All additional host-centric survey data in this report originates from this survey Average year-on-year change in bookings from British guests for UK cities the weekend they are hosting the tours of Oasis, Coldplay and Sabrina Carpenter in 2025 Based on feedback from over 5,000 Airbnb guests surveyed between 1 Jan 2024 and 2 Feb 2025. All additional host-centric survey data in this report originates from this survey Based on external data results from an online survey conducted by Panterra Research (here) Internal Airbnb data: YOY percentage increase in UK guest bookings to all concert host cities during Sabrina Carpenter, Coldplay and Oasis tour dates Internal Airbnb data: YOY percentage increase in searches by guests made in 2024 for stays in host cities during Sabrina Carpenter's Paris, Berlin and Brussels 2025 tour dates Internal Airbnb data: YOY percentage increase in searches by guests made in 2024 for stays in London during Coldplay's 2025 tour dates Internal Airbnb data: Increase in searches by UK guests during Oasis' UK tour dates Internal Airbnb data: Bookings for South Somerset stays 30th June – 6th July compared with bookings for 25th – 29th June Internal Airbnb data: YOY percentage increase in UK guest searches for stays in Wimbledon and surrounding areas (Wandsworth, Tooting, Kingston, Richmond and Lewisham) made by UK guests when the ballot was selected for stays during Wimbledon tennis tournament dates Internal Airbnb data: YOY percentage increase in UK guest searches for stays in Buckinghamshire during the Silverstone Grand Prix Internal Airbnb data: Gender breakdown of UK guests that booked stays in Buckinghamshire and Northampton during the weekend of the 2025 Silverstone Grand Prix (based on guests that have voluntarily disclosed gender) About Airbnb Airbnb was born in 2007 when two hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 5 million hosts who have welcomed over 2 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, hosts offer unique stays and experiences that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way. About is a nonprofit organization dedicated to facilitating temporary stays for people in times of crisis around the world. operates independently and leverages Airbnb, Inc.'s technology, services, and other resources at no charge to carry out charitable purpose. The inspiration for began in 2012 with a single host named Shell who opened up her home to people impacted by Hurricane Sandy. This sparked a movement and marked the beginning of a program that allows hosts on Airbnb to provide stays for people in times of need. Since then, the program has evolved to focus on emergency response and to help provide stays to evacuees, relief workers, refugees, asylum seekers, and frontline workers fighting the spread of COVID-19. Since then, hosts have offered to open up their homes and helped provide accommodations to 100,000 people in times of need. is a separate and independent entity from Airbnb, Inc. Airbnb, Inc. does not charge service fees for supported stays on its platform. View source
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Simone Ashley Attends the Monaco Grand Prix, Plus Finn Wolfhard & Gaten Matarazzo, Patrick Dempsey and More
Stars have been everywhere this week, from Simone Ashley and Patrick Dempsey attending the Monaco Grand Prix in Monte Carlo, to Finn Wolfhard and Gaten Matarazzo at the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards in Tokyo. Meanwhile, Avril Lavigne performs in Boston, and Serena Williams and Anthony Kiedis are spotted at the BottleRock Napa Valley Music Festival in California. Here are the best photos of celebs out and about this week. Come back tomorrow for more of the latest A-list outings! Simone Ashley attends the F1 Grand Prix in Monte Carlo, Monaco, on May 25. Finn Wolfhard and Gaten Matarazzo are spotted together on the red carpet at the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards at the Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa in Tokyo on May 25. Patrick Dempsey waved the flag at the end of the Monaco Grand Prix on May 25. Avril Lavigne performs with The Black Crowes during the 2025 Boston Calling Music Festival at the Harvard Athletic Complex on May 24. Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis and Serena Williams smile for the cameras at the BottleRock Napa Valley Music Festival in California on May 24. Justin Timberlake performs during the 2025 BottleRock Festival at the Napa Valley Expo in California on May 24. Beyoncé performs in East Rutherford, N.J., on May 24. Kate Hudson performs live on stage during the 2025 BottleRock Festival at the Napa Valley Expo in California on May 24. Halle Berry and Juliette Binoche spend time together at the Cannes Film Festival in France on May 24. Adam Lambert poses at the Cannes Film Festival in France on May 24. Dua Lipa pals around as she attends the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco in Monte-Carlo on May 25. and Naomi Campbell get close as they attend the FIA Formula One World Championship F1 Monaco Grand Prix in Monte Carlo on May 24. Gabby Windey is seen out and about in West Hollywood on May 24. Cate Blanchett poses on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival in France on May 24. Patrick Dempsey looks on during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco in Monte-Carlo on May 24. Elle Fanning glows on the red carpet while attending the 2025 Cannes Film Festival closing ceremony in France on May 24. Billy Ray Cyrus and Elizabeth Hurley attend the Orizzonti | Rosso Exhibition Opening Dinner at Palazzo Barberini in Rome on May 24. Jane Fonda attends the 2025 Cannes Film Festival closing ceremony in France on May 24. Winemaker Jesse Katz and Jessica Biel host a wine tasting for their new wine label, Prophet & Poet, at the BottleRock Napa Valley Music Festival in California on May 24. John C. Reilly tips his hat to the cameras while attending the closing ceremony at the Cannes Film Festival in France on May 24. Simone Ashley and Gillian Anderson pose together as they attend the Cannes Film Festival in France on May 23. Cate Blanchett rocks some pink shades as she attends the Cannes Film Festival in France on May 23. Sheryl Crow performs during the Boston Calling Music Festival at the Harvard Athletic Complex in Boston on May 23. Aubrey Plaza smiles on the red carpet as she attends the Cannes Film Festival in France on May 23. Lana Condor and Ross Butler share a laugh during a screening of Worth the Wait in Los Angeles on May 23. Kelsey Asbille poses on the red carpet at e.l.f Cosmetics and PEOPLE's kickoff party for Coca-Cola 600 Weekend in North Carolina on May 23. Hilary Swank delivers the keynote address at Chapman University's 2025 commencement ceremony in California on May 23. Margaret Qualley poses on the red carpet as she attends the Cannes Film Festival in France on May 23. Paris Jackson strikes a pose as she attends the Cannes Film Festival in France on May 23. Serena Williams and daughter Alexis Olympia hang onstage with Trisha Yearwood during the 2025 BottleRock Napa Valley Expo in California on May 23. Viola Davis glows in a lime gown and gem-studded necklace at The Mastermind red carpet during Cannes Film Festival in France on May 23. Elle Fanning gives an over-the-shoulder look in a jeweled gown at Hotel Martinez during Cannes Film Festival on May 23. A stylish Pedro Pascal arrives at Soho House in London for the Ballerina premiere afterparty on May 23. Ciara is mic'd up for a performance during the amfAR Gala in Cap d'Antibes, France, on May 22. Gillian Anderson opts for a strapless dress at the L'Oreal Lights on Women Award ceremony in Cannes, on May 23. Simone Ashley continues her run of all-white looks at Hotel Martinez during the Cannes Film Festival on May 23. Alana Haim shows off her The Mastermind costar Josh O'Connor on the red carpet at Cannes Film Festival on May 23. Romeo Beckham rocks a buzzcut like his dad in the '90s as he leaves a hotel in London on May 22. A casual Justin Bieber heads out in West Hollywood, California, on May 22. Riz Ahmed watches the match between Como 1907 and FC Internazionale in Como, Italy, on May 22. Ana de Armas and Catalina Sandino Moreno embrace at the From the World of John Wick: Ballerina premiere in New York City on May 22. Overcompensating's Owen Thiele and Lukas Gage attend Emporio Armani Fragrances' Stronger With You event in Venice, California, on May 22. 2 Chainz, his wife Kesha and their son Halo sit court-side for the Atlanta Dream game against the Indiana Fever in Georgia on May 22. Ari Lennox sings during halftime at the Atlanta Dream game against the Indiana Fever in Georgia on May 22. Jason Schwartzman stares straight into the camera at the Mountainhead premiere in New York City on May 22. Rauw Alejandro and Buchanan's Whiskey celebrate his new album Cosa Nuestra at the Barclays Center in N.Y.C. on May 21. Nachos Figueras joins Brunello Cucinelli and Claiborne Swanson Frank to celebrate Father & Child in L.A. on May 21. Normani wears a black gown to The Azazie Ball in Beverly Hills, California, on May 20. Miley Cyrus heads into Jimmy Kimmel Live in Los Angeles on May 22 wrapped in a white fur coat. Heidi Klum makes her rounds at the amfAR Gala and says hello to Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez in Cap d'Antibes, France, on May 22. Chloë Grace Moretz, Jaden Smith and Sophie Turner each sport eccentric outfits at the Louis Vuitton Cruise 2026 show in Avignon, France, on May 22. Dame Helen Mirren rocks a statement necklace of pearls on the red carpet for La Venue De L'avenir at Cannes Film Festival on May 22. A chic Elle Fanning arrives at the Hotel Martinez during Cannes Film Festival on May 23. Beyoncé brings the Cowboy Carter rodeo to East Rutherford, New Jersey, for her first show of five on May 22. Adam Lambert takes the stage at the amfAR Gala in Cap d'Antibes, France, on May 22. Teri Hatcher walks the runway during the amfAR Gala Cannes 2025 in Cap d'Antibes, France, on May 22. Taraji P. Henson frames her face in an elegant white gown at the amfAR Gala in Cap d'Antibes, France, on May 22. Emma Stone and Saoirse Ronan sit next to each other at the Louis Vuitton Cruise 2026 show in Avignon, France, on May 22. Simone Ashley walks around the Hotel Martinez in an all-white outfit during Cannes Film Festival in France on May 22. Ayesha Curry, Steph Curry, David Beckham and Victoria Beckham meet up at the TIME100 Impact Dinner in New York City on May 22. Ayo Edebiri, Jason Mantzoukas and Nick Kroll are happy to be at a Netflix event for Big Mouth in Los Angeles on May 22. Outer Critics Circle Award winners Adam Driver and Sarah Snook smile together at the ceremony in New York City on May 22. Naomi Watts and her daughter Kai Schreiber arrive at the Mother Daughter Holy Spirit Trans Rights Fundraiser in New York City on May 22. Overcompensating stars Owen Thiele, Benito Skinner, Wally Baram, Mary Beth Barone and Adam DiMarco gather in a golf cart at the show's FYC event in L.A. on May 22. Kate Hudson performs at The Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood, California, on May 22. Shakira continues her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran Tour in Detroit on May 22. Adam Brody attends his career retrospective hosted by the SAG-AFTRA Foundation at Vidiots in Los Angeles on May 22. Costars Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs snap a photo at a screening of their film The Salt Path in London on May 22. Michael Henry, Trixie Mattel and Tim Murray beam at the Wish You Were Queer premiere in West Hollywood, California, on May 22. Callum McGowan, Olivia Morris and Bluey Robinson crack open a book at The Librarians: The Next Chapter FYC event in New York City on May 20. Mariska Hargitay and husband Peter Hermann make for a striking pair as they hold hands at the amfAR Gala in Cannes on May 22. Sabrina Carpenter walks her newly-adopted golden retriever puppy in Los Angeles on May 22. Keanu Reeves speaks to the crowd at the premiere of From the World of John Wick: Ballerina in London on May 22. Heidi Klum looks stunning in black at Gala Cannes in France on May 22. Barbara Palvin breaks out a bridal look at the amfAR Gala in Cannes, France on May 22. Colman Domingo looks as fashionable as ever at the amfAR Gala in France on May 22. Ellen von Unwerth mans the camera at the amfAR Gala in France on May 22. Spike Lee and Adrien Brody dine together at the amfAR Gala on May 22. Model Chanel Iman and her husband, NFL star Davon Godchaux, toast with Rémy Martin cognac in Cannes. Alix Earle announces on Good Morning America that she will join the cast of Dancing with the Stars on May 22. Tina Knowles pours a cocktail at the Cowboy Carter Tour New York Kickoff Party powered by SirDavis American Whisky, Marriott Bonvoy and EDITION. Dylan Efron channels his inner camp counselor at Wasa Camp Crunch in New York City on May 21. Ice Spice motivates students at the the Kate Spade New York x Girls Inc. Wellness Mini Summit at The Young Women's Leadership School in New York City on May 21. David Arquette and Melissa Joan Hart volunteer with Feeding America and the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee in Nashville. Adam Clayton, Bono, The Edge and Larry Mullen Jr. of U2 pose with Ed Sheeran, who presented them with the Fellowship of The Ivors Academy award in London on May 22. Emma Roberts steps out at Longchamp's landmark store in New York City on May 20. Anthony Anderson and Don Cheadle link up at Anderson's 7th Annual Celebrity Golf Classic on May 19 in Palm Desert, California. Lucy Liu speaks at the TAAF Heritage Month Summit and Celebration on May 21 in New York City. A'ja Wilson, Kevin Hart and Stephen Curry team up for a Chase Freedom campaign. Angela Bassett attends the premiere of Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning in Atlanta, Georgia on May 21. Timothée Chalamet and Ben Stiller cheer on the New York Knicks from the sidelines on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Elle Fanning flashes a wide grin at the photo call for Sentimental Value during the Cannes Film Festival on May 22. Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost smile together at a dinner aboard RH Three in celebration of Eleanor The Great on May 21 in Cannes. Prince William attends an event celebrating The Royal Foundation's new partnership with Street Soccer Scotland at Leith Community Centre in Leith, Scotland on May 21. Nicole Ari Parker, Kristin Davis, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sarita Choudhury and Cynthia Nixon celebrate season 3 of And Just Like That... on May 21 at Crane Club in New York City. Seth Rogen attends an FYC event for his show, The Studio at the Think Apple TV+ Emmy House in L.A. on May 21. Isa Antonetti, Rita Moreno and Natalie Venetia Belcon pose together backstage at Buena Vista Social Club at The Schoenfeld Theatre in New York City on May 21. With a drink in hand, Bryan Cranston smiles at an FYC event for The Studio at the Think Apple TV+ Emmy House in L.A. on May 21. Ryan Phillippe smiles from under his hat while arriving at a taping of Live with Kelly and Mark on May 21 in New York City. PEOPLE General Manager and Editor-in-Chief Charlotte Triggs moderates a chat with Simon Pegg and Pom Klementieff at PEOPLE's Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning screening at Paramount Screening Room in New York City on May 21. Caitlin O'Connor and Joe Manganiello pose together at the grand opening of Universal Epic Universe in Orlando, Florida on May 21. Ana de Armas sparkles for her appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on May 21 in New York City. Cara Delevingne shows off a new dark hair-do during the premiere of The History of Sound at Cannes Film Festival on May 21 at Palais des Festivals. Cole Escola takes a look at their new portrait at Sardi's in New York City on May 21. John C. Reilly tips his hat at the photo call for Heads or Tails? during the Cannes Film Festival on May 22. Skye P. Marshall and Jason Ritter smile together at TheWrap's 2025 Showrunners and Creators Breakfast at The Maybourne Beverly Hills on May 21. Mary Elizabeth Ellis, D'Arcy Carden, Mindy Kaling and Lilah Richcreek Estrada celebrate Michael Schur's Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony on May 21 in L.A. Porsha Williams and Angela Bassett pose together at a special screening of Mission Impossible — The Final Reckoning on May 21 in Atlanta. Hayley Atwell stops by SiriusXM Studios in New York City to chat about Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning on May 21. Alec Baldwin and Hilaria Baldwin step out for the Manhattan School of Music 2025 annual gala at The Rainbow Room in New York City on May 21. Natalie Portman sports a little red dress while out in New York City on May 21. Jonathan Scott and Zooey Deschanel support Mike Birbiglia at the L.A. premiere of his new comedy special The Good Life hosted by Johnnie Walker at The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills on May 21. Pamela Anderson exudes Old Hollywood glam while out in New York City on May 21. Nicky Hilton sparkles in purple at a photo call for season 3 of And Just Like That... at the Crane Club in New York City on May 21. Bo Derek and John Corbett pose together at a photo call And Just Like That... season 3 at the Crane Club in New York City on May 21. New parents Amy Jackson and Ed Westwick step out in Cannes, France at Hôtel Martinez on May 22. Barbara Palvin strikes a pose at the History of Sound premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 21. Paul Mescal sports an asymmetrical tie while attending the premiere of The History Of Sound at the Cannes Film Festival in France on May 21. Viola Davis waves as she leaves her hotel in Cannes, France on May 21. Cynthia Nixon, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kristin Davis hold hands in New York City on May 21. Read the original article on People
The Guardian
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘I honestly don't know what's going to happen next': Brockwell Park festival row ignites debate over public space
Public parks have been a cherished part of British life since the 19th century; for the Victorians they represented a 'commitment to cultivate public good within the public realm'. But differing interpretations of this vision for municipal green space are at the heart of a debate over a very 21st-century issue: music festivals. This week, the row over mass music gatherings in Brockwell Park, south London, has injected fresh impetus into some age-old questions: exactly what are public parks for, who should have access to them and for how long? On one side stand the thousands of festivalgoers who attend the events in south London. On the other is Protect Brockwell Park (PBP), the campaign group that counts celebrities such as Mark Rylance among their number and won a high court victory a week ago against Lambeth council whose decision to grant festival organisers use of the park was deemed 'irrational'. PBP's argument is one of proportion. Festivals are fine in principle, as long as there aren't too many. But their critics have questioned whether a small but powerful group should be able to limit the enjoyment of so many. The author Emma Warren who is attending City Splash at the park on bank holiday Monday, points out that the high court verdict came in the same week the supreme court ruled people have the legal right to wild camp on Dartmoor. 'This is being billed as the need for collective space versus protection of nature,' says Warren. 'But actually, I see it as part of a long-established pattern. This is about a small number of people trying to limit a larger number of people's access to space.' For Jen Hawkins of PBP, however, the ruling represents a much needed marker laid down. 'A few years ago they reached a kind of a happy medium whereby, yes, it annoyed a few people, but it was tolerable, and it wasn't fencing off people from their precious green space,' she says. 'I think this last year was a tipping point when the ground was completely trashed for the whole of spring and summer.' This weekend, thousands will attend the Mighty Hoopla festival in Brockwell Park, when Daniel Bedingfield will belt out his garage classic Gotta Get Thru This. On Saturday, the chorus might just carry a bit more weight than usual for organiser's whose resolve is being tested. The Brockwell Park row is already taking place against a backdrop of the rising costs of putting on events, which led a record 72 events being postponed, canceled, or folded in 2024 as ticket prices soared. Despite the challenges, the festivals persist. Wide Awake and the Mighty Hoopla are part of seven events taking place in Brockwell Park. Victoria Park in Tower Hamlets hosts All Points East and Lido; Gunnersbury Park welcomes several gigs including the Smashing Pumpkins, independent dance music festival Waterworks and Fearne Cotton's Happy Place festival; while Crystal Palace sees a series of concerts, including a sold out show by Deftones and Weezer. Hawkins insists PBP are not 'anti-festival'. The group would like to see the Brockwell Park dates moved to later in the year so the park is accessible in summer, an ecological assessment of the impact the events have and the introduction of 'fallow' years. John Rostron, the CEO of the Association of Independent Festivals, says organisers already have to meet a long list of requirements to get licences. 'You have to go through the local authority, which is a representation of the local community, to get a licence and meet all of the relevant health, safety, crime and disorder targets,' he says. 'You can do all of that work but it doesn't mean that every single person is going to be satisfied. We're giving a lot of air time to the handful that are dissatisfied.' 'Is it a nuisance to gather and listen to music together, or is it a nuisance to complain about that behaviour?' asks Warren. 'It strikes me that the idea that a small number of very opinionated and unelected people can stop collective and communal activity is very culturally specific. Globally, this is not normal.' The issue of who uses public spaces and for how long isn't limited to the capital: in Liverpool there is a live debate about Radio 1's Big Weekend taking over Sefton Park in the city this summer. PBP says their campaign is about holding Lambeth council to account and claiming back space from the big companies that own some festivals. The Mighty Hoopla was bought by Superstruct in 2023 whose parent company was in turn purchased last summer by the American private equity giants KKR and CVC. Some acts have pulled out of Field Day, citing KKR's holdings in Israel, while campaigners called for the event to 'publicly distance itself' from the investment firm. Mighty Hoopla put out its own statement, which said: ' … we wish to state our clear opposition to KKR's unethical investments.' Hawkins argues that only 'a tiny amount of money' is going back into the park, with the vast majority going to the companies. 'They're the real winners out of this,' she says. At present all the scheduled events will take place in Brockwell Park, starting with Wide Awake festival on Friday after the council submitted a new application, but more legal challenges could emerge as the summer progresses. 'I honestly do not know what's going to happen next,' says Hawkins. 'I'd like to think it really has set a precedent for future years, both for Brockwell Park and hopefully other public parks across the country, that councils can't misuse their planning powers and get away with it.' Donatus Anyanwu, a Lambeth councillor and cabinet member for stronger communities, said: 'Overall, we believe our events create an important cultural offer for our young and creative borough, while also enabling us to keep London's biggest free community festival, the Lambeth Country Show, as a free and safe event.'
