Live Nation and Veeps to Set Up 60+ Major Venues for Livestreaming
In a move that shows livestreaming will be a part of the concert experience even in a post-pandemic word, Live Nation Entertainment, the world’s largest live-entertainment company, and Veeps, the livestreaming platform Veeps co-founded by Joel and Benji Madden of the band Good Charlotte, the companies announced they have started equipping more than 60 concert venues across the United States to offer turnkey livestreaming. This new Veeps setup gives any artist playing at one of these venues the ability to livestream their event to fans across the world.
The companies selected venues that are already regular tour stops, giving artists lots of flexibility to choose when and where they want to add the element of streaming to a show. Some of the venues that will be first to go live include The Fillmore in San Francisco and Philadelphia, House of Blues in Chicago and New Orleans, The Wiltern in Los Angeles, and a number of amphitheaters including Shoreline Amphitheater in California and The Gorge in Washington.
More from Variety
Live Nation's 'Crew Nation' Fund Raises $18 Million for COVID-Impacted Touring Staffers (EXCLUSIVE)
Live Nation CEO Says U.S. Music Festivals Could Reopen by 'Mid-Summer'
The Wiltern is already set up, and will be debuting a series of 10 streamed shows on Veeps, dubbed “From the Wiltern,” starting May 7, 2021. Tickets for each show are $15 and are on sale now at: thewilternseries.com. Full lineup and onsale info listed below.
”Amongst artists, it’s often said that the one side of our careers that truly belongs to us is touring. To help an entirely new touring vertical become readily available to artists is such a huge win for our community and we couldn’t be happier. It’s the exact type of thing that shows what our partnership with Live Nation can really mean for artists,” said Joel Madden, cofounder, Veeps. “Now, with the flip of a switch, every artist playing in these venues can make their show a global event. We’ve already seen how livestream shows drive engagement across every other area of an artist’s business and the added ticket revenue will allow them to re-invest in their art and make what they’re offering their fans even better. It’s a real dream come true for us at Veeps and our mission to help empower artists in their careers.”
“Artists and fans are eager to get back to shows, and livestreams will continue to unlock opportunities for them to connect more than ever before,” said Michael Rapino, President and CEO, Live Nation Entertainment. “Veeps is the best at what they do, with Benji and Joel tapping into their own experience as artists to help other artists thrive, and we look forward to bringing this innovative idea to life in these iconic venues.”
Ticketed livestreams have helped many artists during the pandemic: According to the announcement, in In 2020, Veeps “helped put over $10 million directly into the pockets of artists” through tickets bought to livestream shows. Artists like Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, Brandi Carlile and Patti Smith used Veeps to connect with fans, raise money for charity, and bring in income for themselves and their crew.
Live Nation and Veeps plan to continue equipping venues for livestreams, providing artists with valuable tools and fans with even more ways to enjoy live music well into the future.
From The Wiltern Concert Livestream Lineup:
Breland – May 7th
JP Saxe – May 14th
Young Thug – May 21st
Lany – May 28th
Waterparks – June 4th
Lucky Daye – June 11th
Young M.A – June 18th
Eyedress – June 25th
Freddie Gibbs – July 2nd
Chase Atlantic – July 9th
Best of Variety
Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.