(Shakira's concert at OAKA the Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece with Elissa Murtaza and I)
Major football clubs (Soccer for our American friends!), arenas and other iconic venues in many countries around the world, wanted to present major concerts at their venues. Some of our most exciting experiences have been when we produced concerts for these organisations and all kinds of venues in many countries around the globe - marvellous memories - huge audiences having a great time - what can be better?
Beyoncé in Moscow Olympic Stadium and Egypt at Port Ghalib in the Red Sea with Elissa Murtaza and I)
What do these artists have in common?
BEYONCE, SHAKIRA, MARIAH CAREY, GEORGE MICHAEL, ROD STEWART, NEIL DIAMOND, THE WHO, BON JOVI, ELTON JOHN, MARIAH CAREY, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, BRYAN ADAMS, REM, PHIL COLLINS SCISSOR SISTERS, JAMES BLUNT, CARLOS SANTANA, GIRLS ALOUD, BILLY JOEL, LUCIANO PAVAROTTI, JOSE CARRERAS, BILL BAILEY, RONAN KEATING, MEATLOAF, PINK, PHIL COLLINS, CAT STEVENS and many others - they all performed for clients in sports stadiums, arenas or similar venues. We were honoured to negotiate for our clients these artists performances in concert.
(The adorable and hugely talented Shakira)
It’s a strange thing but you would be surprised how little non football/soccer activities take place in many football club stadia, not only in the UK but throughout Europe, the Middle East and indeed globally. Of course this is a generalisation, but in the soccer world, this is true.
(Elton John rocking the night away)
When you study soccer games schedules during each season it becomes clearer as to why these emporiums of sport can only present a very limited program of events during their ‘closed’ period - althoigh these issues don't apply to all sports . For one thing these grass pitches have to be protected and even when the ground is closed during the summer break, the grass and grass/artifical materials on most pitches today, have to be re-grown (if only grass) or replaced and if you attempt to even suggest a concert, the war begins with the groundsman!
(Red Hot Chili Peppers were sensational)
New words enter your vocabulary like Teraplas and other examples, which is a unique covering of the precious grass on the pitch allowing it to breathe and preventing its destruction whilst hordes of head bangers and metal heads surge and trample over the ground.
(Jon Bon Jovi - sold out concerts)
Have you ever seen an audience of passionate and dedicated fans stampeding through the gates upon opening time as they (literally) hurtle, punch, shove, push and prod their way to the front of the stage to get the best possible positions?
(The Who stormed the stadiums)
Protecting the pitch is just one of the obstacles to overcome when deciding to present a major rock or pop concert in a sports stadium - Getting into the ground can be a daunting experience – you would be amazed to know that many grounds only have very small entrances onto the pitch – therefore when an artist like BON JOVI arrives with dozens of enormous Euro-Trucks with staging that is more than 5 stories high you can see that a tiny entrance is hardly helpful! In one case in South Korea, large cranes had to lift the staging high over the stands and into the ground. As new stadiums and arenas are built today, much of these problems have changed, but back in the day, many moons ago - these were some of the problems promoters faced.
(Bon Jovi at Bristol City Football Club)
We first began working with the football, rugby and cricket clubs decades ago – Murrayfield/Edinburgh and Aberdeen in Scotland, Bristol City, Hull City, Norwich City, Swansea City, Ipswich Town, Nottingham Forrest, Derby County, Hampshire and Sussex County Cricket Clubs in the UK plus those in Ireland, Poland, throughout the Middle East (Lebanon, Dubai, Qatar, Abu Dhabi), Russia, the Ukraine, Kazakhstan are just some of the locations we have worked in.
(George Michael's great concerts in Abu Dhabi, Moscow at the Olympisky Stadium and in Kiev's Olympic Stadium)
Having
agreed in principle which artist the venues want to secure it is our job to
approach the management and agencies that exclusively represent the artists – we go
into battle and get the best deal we can. It definitely helps if we can offer a
run of dates rather than just a one-off deal.
(Michael Stipe and REM were amazing)
Having
negotiated the date and the fees, we then have to manage the technical riders,
which can be a interesting to say the least: Everything has to be budgeted for
and priced including: Staging, huge video screens, sound systems, lighting rigs
weighing mega tons, crowd control barriers, front of
house control desks, on-stage monitors, spot light towers, seating on the pitch,
sight line calculations for those seated in the stands, dressing rooms,
catering areas, production offices, backstage security, stewards, ticketing
operations and all of this to be agreed before an announcement is made or
advertisement placed.
(Audiences just loved Neil Diamond)
Advertising and marketing these concerts is a skill in itself – sometimes you can make an announcement in the press and suddenly you sell out – but it doesn’t always work like that – indeed more often than not you have to work hard to sell out some of these venues. The initial burst of publicity involving local newspapers, TV and radio backed up by a barrage of social media announcements will create a surge of ticket buying and in today's world Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Ed Sheeran, Rihanna and all those other Mega Stars, sell out within minutes!
("Do ya think i'm sexy" Rod Stewart performed some great concerts)
Press
interviews with the artists, meets and greets before the show (if the artist
will agree), getting the artist from the airport or Helipad, police support - Traffic control and parking for the public arriving in
droves. Have you ever tried parking 60 massive Euro-Trucks?
It's great fun if you don’t weaken :)
(Rod singing his great hits)
It has been a great honour to negotiate and contract these artists and a thrill to watch excited audiences having a great time. This is the real joy – the joy of giving happiness as well as producing a successful, profitable and memorable event.
The great Carlos Santana at the Silverstone Race Track and in Dubai
Mariah Carey thrilled audiences in Beirut
Who can
forget seeing and hearing Beyoncé on stage in action - unforgettable - Neil Diamond
in full flow singing "Sweet Caroline", "Love on the Rocks", and hit after hit –
seeing Michael Stipe of REM strutting his stuff singing "Losing
my Religion", whilst wearing an Ipswich Town Football Team shirt! – The Rocket
Man himself Elton John playing piano
in a solo concert to 25,000 people gently swooning to “Your Song” and then
dancing to “Crocodile Rock” – the Red
Hot Chili Peppers thrilling the audiences with stompin’ rocking
performances (Flea is such a great bass guitarist) – Billy Joel pounding
out "Uptown Girl", "Piano Man" and a "New York State of Mind" – Rod Stewart performing the American Song Book classics with a big
orchestra and then rockin’ the night away with “Do ya think I’m sexy”, "Maggie
May" and "Downtown Train" – Phil Collins playing that stunning drum intro to "In the Air Tonight", Carlos Santana wailing away - Meatloaf
pounding out "Bat out of Hell" – Bon Jovi
driving his largely female audience crazy adoringly with “This is Love” – The Who rocking “My Generation” and "Tommy" – George Michael performing
for the first time in years knocking the audiences out with his great hits and
the whole stadium singing like a monstrous mantra “Freedom” – Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam) singing his iconic hits - amazing moments
(Mr PIano Man Billy Joel)
Phil Collins in action)
Memorable concerts – Stunning performances – Venues in many lands around the world filled with happy crowds of
adoring fans having a wonderful time – not bad – not bad at all!
Have a GREAT DAY...
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