Page 53 - 4-8-2019-Pollstar-rev

INTERNATIONAL | NEWS

spoke at the show’s opening, SPAIN
where he also revealed news of Doctor Festival
the pier. Forced To Move
Since 2002/2003, Rush has AP Photo / Efrem Lukatsky
been working with the festival Doctor Music Festival, which last
fairly regularly. One of his most took place 19 years ago, was set
famous sculptures is the phoenix to celebrate a triumphant return
that towered above the main to its original site in the Spanish
Pyramid stage when The Rolling Pyrenees mountains – until Agència
Stones played Glastonbury in Catalana de l’Aigua (ACA), the
2013. Rush is also the man be- country’s water agency, convinced
hind Glasto’s Cineramageddon, authorities that the valley may be
which opened at the 2017 edition, flooded during the event, which is
and features all kinds of fantastic scheduled for July 12-14.
vehicles in which visitors can “In our opinion, there has been
take a seat to enjoy a movie. a very over-exaggerated and
The Pier is most definitely the destructive interpretation of the
biggest project Rush has ever regulations surroundings theoret-
realized at Glastonbury. “It’s ical flood risks in the valley, which
absolutely massive. It’s 60 meters has never before flooded in summer
long, it weighs 160 tons. It’s a (at least as far as current data
proper pier. It’s got 1,400 planks shows),” a statement from Doctor
to make the deck. I’m also having Music reads. VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY, Ukrainian actor and candidate in the upcoming presiden-
to find all the things that happen “The stringency levels which tial election, hosts a comedy show at a concert hall in Brovary, Ukraine, March 29.
on the pier including the Punch have been applied in this case far Zelenskiy now surging ahead in the presidential contest according to polls.
and Judy show, the fortune tell- surpass the norm and we have
ers and pinball tables.” therefore been forced to abandon
One part of the pier is called the originally planned location in meters! Thanks to the privileged is A$2 million ($1.4 million) to
Automaton, which consists of order to ensure that all artistic location of Montmeló, at just 32 increase performance opportunities
automated robots and creatures commitments made are complied kilometres from Barcelona, with while music export body Sounds
and mechanical machines, and with, and make sure that the fes- multiple access routes by car, as Australia gets A$1.6 million ($1.13
even a robot band that’s going to tival goes ahead as per originally well as its own train station, this million) to expand activities in
be playing. designed for this new edition,” the venue offers a multitude of ameni- emerging markets in Asia. An extra
“And it’s not just a pier, it’s statement continues. ties for festivalgoers which would A$2.1 million ($1.49 million) is to
also sea front. It’s called Glaston- Local media reports by TV3 be difficult to find at any other large help women get training in contract
bury-on-Sea, so we’re actually and La Vanguardia had first report- music festival of this scale.” negotiation, marketing and finance
building a sea front and a pier,” ed that the reincarnation edition This isn’t the first time envi- while A$2.7 million ($1.96 million)
Rush explained. of Doctor Music Festival was threat- ronmentalists have disrupted a is for a development program for
ened due to scrutiny by the festival’s business in Europe. indigenous acts for touring and
ACA. Two ospreys essentially sealed recording strategies.
The location change forced the fate of Scotland’s largest festival Arts minister Mitch Fifield said,
Doctor Music to cancel the festival’s T In The Park in 2016. “This investment is about removing
July 12 date, meaning that the A local bird population also roadblocks for Australian musi-
Parquet Courts and the Smashing forced FKP Scorpio to relocate the cians and boosting their profile in
Pumpkins performances slated July 22, 2018, Ed Sheeran concert. a competitive global market. The
for that day had to be moved government understands the enor-
to Friday and Sunday, mous potential for growth in this
respectively. A USTRALIAN dynamic sector and is delivering
The Smashing Pumpkins are NEWS real world measures to strengthen
now billed as one of the headliners Christie Eliezer the diversity and reach of our music
on that day besides The Strokes. christie@pollstar.com • 613.9459.1788 fax industry.” Fifield acknowledged
“We accept the change and will
DRAKE play before The Strokes for the AUSTRALIA that the measures were a result of
a parliamentary inquiry last year
good of the Festival and everyone Gov’t Commits into factors that contributed to the
March 13-15, 2019 who will follow us,” said frontman $30.9M For Live Music growth and sustainability of the
Billy Corgan. local music sector.
AccorHotels Arena Doctor Music confirmed that In its federal budget unveiled Dean Ormston, chief executive
Paris, France
all acts with the exception of Chris April 2, the Australian government of the joint Australian Performing
PROMOTER Robinson Brotherhood were still committed A$30.9 million ($21.9 Right Association and Australasian
Live Nation on board and added that several million) in fresh funding over four Mechanical Copyright Association –
new acts have yet to be announced. years to strengthen the live sector which has under its umbrella Sounds
$3,525,355 Gross
30,475 Tickets Sold The team around CEO Neo domestically and to break more Australia and Live Music Australia
12,303 Capacity Sala is confident that Montmeló acts globally. The Australian Music – applauded the package for its “di-
83% Percentage / 3 Shows will serve as a worthy site replace- Industry Package includes A$22.5 verse and multi-layered approach”
67.50-155.50 Ticket Price ment. million ($15.9 million) to assist and specifically for its women and
3,097,280 Euro They decribe it as “an interna- thousands of small businesses with indigenous funding, for whom his
tionally renowned location boasting grants of up to A$10,000 ($7,096) association has many programs.
excellent facilities and spanning each to book more artists and Ormston added, “The funding
over more than 600,000 square upgrade live music venues. There for Sounds Australia recognises the

APRIL 8, 2019 | 53