Reuters discusses the questionable summer ahead for the touring industry. While some promoters are banking on package combos of the tried and true with the promising up and comers, the promising ticket seems to be the outdoor festivals like Boonaroo, Coachella, and the small to mid-size events springing up around the nation.

Steadily rising ticket prices, lack of proper development for promising young artists, stiff competition from other forms of entertainment and even age-old headaches like traffic snarls and limited (overpriced) snack-bar menus, are just a few of the reasons some fans have been staying away in recent years.


While promo-giant Live Nation (formerly Clear Channel) introduced some well-received initiatives last year -- among them a flat-price ticket that included parking and upgraded food selection at some of its amphitheaters -- they won't be worth much, analysts say, unless the industry gets back to replenishing its pool of big-ticket live entertainers.

I anticipate much discussion of the European model (where most venues close down during the summer, and crowds flock to large festivals) at this fall's CMJ and Billboard Roadwork conferences. If promoters can find a way to maintain clean, safe ,and secure fairgrounds, revenue from these types of festivals could possibly offset some of the loss while helping to reinstill the value of the live experience and feed audiences back into the clubs and arenas during the rest of the year.