Business News Deals Gigs & Festivals Live Business

Live Nation expands its festivals business into Australia through Secret Sounds deal

By | Published on Monday 5 December 2016

Live Nation

Having presumably spotted that there was a whole two festivals in which it didn’t have a stake, Live Nation has bought 51% of Australian firm Secret Sounds Group, the company behind Aussie festivals Splendour In The Grass and the multiple-site Falls Music & Arts Festival.

The live music giant says that the deal further expands its “unparalleled festival platform” which already “operates over half of the top 25 festivals around the world”. Meanwhile the founders of Secret Sounds – Jessica Ducrou and Paul Piticco – said the deal would enable them to take their ambition to introduce Australians “to the best artists, events and music possible” to “the next level”. And we all know that the grass is always greener on the next level. Even in New South Wales.

“Splendour In The Grass and Falls are the two most iconic festivals in Australia”, said Live Nation top man chief supremo guy Michael Rapino when confirming his firm’s move into the Aussie festival market. “Jess and Paul have created events that attract the biggest artists in the world but still feel uniquely Australian. We look forward to partnering with them to find new ways to grow our live event footprint across Australia”.

Ducrou and Piticco added in a joint statement: “We started Secret Sounds with the sole mission of introducing Australians to the best artists, events and music possible, and Live Nation is the perfect partner to help us take this goal to the next level. With their support we can continue to curate the line-ups that fans love, while also experimenting with new exciting ways for fans to experience live music”.

And the boss of Live Nation Australia Michael Coppel chipped in: “We wholeheartedly welcome Jess and Paul and their teams into the rapidly growing Live Nation Australia family. Our new relationship with the Secret Sounds Group confirms Live Nation’s position at the forefront of the Australian live performance industry”.

Stormin. The deal also gives Live Nation a stake in the touring, sponsorship and artist management sides of the Secret Sounds business, though not its sister record and music publishing company, or its interests in the North Byron Parklands festival site and The Triffid venue in Brisbane.



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