#TheWeeklyRoundUp - 16.06.23

Live Nation tells Joe Biden it will introduce all-in-pricing for US tickets (CMU)

Live Nation has committed to start showing upfront the full costs of a ticket – including any commissions and fees – for shows at all of the US venues it operates and its American festivals. The commitment from the live giant and its ticketing business Ticketmaster comes as part of an initiative by US President Joe Biden to get rid of what he calls “junk fees” from the marketplace.

Most ticketing platforms – including the ticket resale sites – have in the past expressed support for all-in-pricing, where the full cost of buying a ticket is stated in marketing materials and on the first screen of a ticket purchase.

Some ticketing platforms have adopted that system voluntarily, but others have said it should be mandated through law or some other kind of regulation. After all, if it’s entirely voluntary, the companies that do the right thing will be disadvantaged, because at first glance it will look like tickets on their platforms are more expensive.

In the UK, all-in-pricing is now pretty much standard in ticketing, not least because the country’s advertising industry regulator – the Advertising Standards Authority – has a rule that states: “All quoted prices must include non-optional taxes, duties, fees and charges that apply to all or most buyers – if a booking fee is not optional, ticket prices must be stated inclusive of any booking fee”.

In the US, ticketing platforms – including Ticketmaster – have said they’d support a law that mandated all-in-pricing. That hasn’t happened yet, though with Biden’s wider campaign against fees that are added to purchases mid-transaction, the number of companies making voluntary moves in this domain is increasing.

Live Nation stated yesterday: “Live Nation will begin providing a new all-in pricing experience for concerts at the venues and festivals the company operates across the United States starting this September”.

Of course that doesn’t impact any of the tickets sold by other venues and promoters on the Ticketmaster platform, although they will seemingly be given the option to follow Live Nation’s lead in this domain.

President of Live Nation’s US venues division, Tom See, added: “Live Nation is proud to provide fans with a better ticket buying experience. We have thousands of crew working behind the scenes every day to help artists share their music live with fans, and we’ll continue advocating for innovations and reforms that protect that amazing connection”.

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Africa's oldest record label releases remix of Mango Groove's iconic Hometalk in honour of Youth Day (News24)

Think of the impactful rhythm of Juluka's Impi, the stirring sounds of Miriam Makeba's Pata Pata, or the heartfelt plea in Eddy Grant's Give Me Hope Jo'Anna.

These iconic songs demonstrate the power of music to capture the spirit of an era, revive past emotions, and create a sense of nostalgia for a time well remembered or best forgotten.

Music born in pre-apartheid South Africa can evoke that gritty, raw essence of the anti-apartheid movement while at the same time igniting the passion that makes today's culture so alive.

In an endeavour to reintroduce these profound emotions to South Africa's young generation, 608 Experiences, a division of GRID Worldwide, together with Africa's oldest record label, Gallo Record Company, is excited to launch a remixed version of Mango Groove's iconic song Hometalk, in honour of Youth Day and everything it signifies.

Initially released in 1990 by Tusk Music, Mango Groove's Hometalk paid homage to the values of a liberated South Africa. Its uplifting sound and memorable lyrics spoke to what it was to come home free from oppression, poverty and inequality.

Now reimagined by TAU (Hamzah Tajbhai), a world-renowned producer, composer, and sound engineer at 608, the latest and more soulful-sounding Hometalk moves the song from Afropop to Afro House – a genre that is leading the global House music scene.

"Reimagining legendary local music is a huge privilege and responsibility," said TAU in a press statement.