GARY RICHARDS STEPS INTO THE UNKNOWN WITH ALL MY FRIENDS CONCERT

By August Brown

Originally published in LA Times on April 19, 2018

Gary Richards steps into the unknown with All My Friends concert

All My Friends founder Gary Richards. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

For Gary Richards, the former mastermind of the decade-old Hard Summer music festival, his All My Friends concert is a bit of a homecoming.

“I always wanted to be back in downtown,” he said, of the new event slated to take place in the late summer in the booming Arts District. Compared to past Hard Summer fests, which once parked itself at Los Angeles State Historic Park near Chinatown and has more recently been in Pomona and Fontana, All My Friends is pretty much right back where he started.

“This is a city festival, it feels urban. It’s set up for three stages so when you look at all the buildings, it makes for a cool cityscape feel,” he said.

After parting ways with mega-promoter Live Nation last year, All My Friends is his first L.A. concert under the aegis of new promoter LiveStyle (his first return was an All My Friends-themed music cruise).

It’s a chance to start anew after building one of the most formidable and pacesetting brands in electronic music, only to see it thrust into controversy in its later years.

All My Friends will debut at the Row, the leafy and upscale mixed-use office and entertainment complex on the southern end of the Arts District, on Aug. 18-19. It’s a much more modest venture than what Hard Summer had turned into by the end of its run: 15,000 to 20,000 people are expected over the weekend, compared with the 150,000 Hard Summer reached at its peak.

“There’s a lot less pressure and I can be more creative,” he said. “I went to Coachella last weekend and it’s insane how many people there are now. I didn’t want to make this too big and just be a sea of people.”

Jhené Aiko at a 2017 concert at Staples Center.

Jhené Aiko at a 2017 concert at Staples Center. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

The lineup is also notably more sophisticated than Richards’ EDM-heavy incarnations before. He’s always had eclectic taste and the generational loyalty of his fans, along with an especially prescient ear for how hip-hop intersects with dance music.

But with a bill led by R&B singer Jhené Aiko, rapper Gucci Mane, club-music royalty Jamie XX and a return visit from electro-rap provocateur M.I.A. (an early Hard Summer performer), All My Friends is aimed less as a teenage rite of raver passage than the next step in Hard Summer fans’ tastes.

“I had to try to figure out a new formula for the music. We’ve rinsed out a lot of the EDM and made it more into live music — 27-35, that’s our audience,” Richards said. “We want to skew to more mature tastes, people who have graduated from David Guetta.”

Starting anew did “feel like stepping into the unknown,” Richards said, but it’s also possibly a relief. Hard Summer, which is still a Live Nation property and will return to the Glen Helen Amphitheater in August, wrapped up largely without incident last year. But prior years had attracted intense scrutiny from public officials, after several young fans who attended the festival died from drug-related causes.

Richards’ departure from Live Nation came as he took a position as president of LiveStyle North America, a new firm founded in the ashes of former rave-promotion behemoth SFX, which declared bankruptcy in 2016 after a string of misfires in the dance-festival circuit.

Richards was able to hire his own new team and reimagine his marquee summer event outside the expectations of Live Nation (and competition from his old L.A. rave rival, Insomniac’s Pasquale Rotella, also under Live Nation). “I’m the president of the company, not just the head of a division,” Richards said. “There’s more people on the same mission.”

For now, he has no goals of scaling up to Hard Summer heights, though he admits to a little bit of melancholy at seeing it go on without him. “It is what it is. I’ve always been able to adapt and create something new,” he said. And after many years of roving, he believes he’s found a flexible long-term site in the Row.

“It feels amazing, thank God I’ve still got these fans,” he said. “I want to over-deliver for them, but also stretch them a bit with the music. It’s definitely time for a change.”

For breaking music news, follow @augustbrown on Twitter.

BEATPORT ACQUIRES DJ STREAMING & SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE PULSELOCKER TO BOOST ITS OWN STREAMING OFFERING

By Colin Stutz

Originally published in Billboard on April 4, 2018

The purchase is focused on patented “locker” technology that allows DJs to access an integrated cache of music from the cloud without an internet connection.

Beatport has acquired Pulselocker, Inc. in a strategic deal that taps into the DJ streaming and subscription service’s patented technology for use in its own streaming service later this year, Billboard has learned.

Pulselocker software allows DJs to access an integrated “locker” of music via a number of different performance software applications, including Pioneer DJ’s Rekordbox, Serato, Virtual DJ and more. The purchase will allow Beatport to create an advanced DJ experience for its customers and expand the company’s product offering beyond digital downloads.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

hough downloads on iTunes are plummeting, with digital song sales in the U.S. falling 23 percent last year, according to Nielsen Music, Beatport has seen downloads increase in recent years CEO Robb McDaniels tells Billboard. That’s because its professional DJ users want higher-quality sound than most streaming services deliver and they can’t risk an internet outage on the job. McDaniels adds it will take six to nine months to integrate PulseLocker into its platform.

“Pulselocker spent years developing an innovative solution that provides DJs with the flexibility to access the content they want when they want it — all through the DJ software they want to use — while providing copyright holders with the security and tracking mechanisms to calculate royalty payments,” said McDaniels in a statement. “Beatport is committed to delivering the best tools to create a more seamless and interoperable user experience for our massive ecosystem of DJs, and Pulselocker accelerates our timeline to deliver just that type of product.”

Beatport is currently experiencing its second consecutive year of growth under parent company LiveStyle’s new management team and shows further commitment to the business model.

LiveStyle president and CEO Randy Phillips added, “Within six months of taking the helm at Beatport, Robb and his gifted leadership team have consistently validated LiveStyle’s vision of supporting innovative strategies and fiscal responsibility by taking Beatport to the next level.”

Pulselocker launched in 2012 as a subscription service that provided DJs with the ability to stream music from the cloud using the company’s locker technology without an internet connection. Pulselocker then tracks the number of plays, along with specific user information about cue points and loops, and delivers copyright holders a pro rata share of the subscription revenue.

But the process of integrating with the large DJ software and hardware manufacturers took years to establish and the company ceased operations in late 2017, leaving customers unable to access content since. By way of Beatport’s user base, when Beatport launches its new subscription service later this year with the Pulselocker technology the company expects further adoption of the system.

“They were so far ahead of their time” that they had trouble getting everyone in the supply chain on board, McDaniels says of Pulselocker.

Pulselocker customers will be able to sign up for Beatport’s new integrated subscription and locker later this year and Beatport has set up a dedicated customer service information page at www.beatport.com/pulselocker for further information.

KASKADE, MARSHMELLO TO HEADLINE ELECTRIC ZOO 2018

By Elias Leight

Originally published in Rolling Stone on March 29, 2018

Kaskade and Marshmello will be among the big-name DJs and electronic music producers performing at this year’s Electric Zoo festival on Randall’s Island in New York City.

The initial lineup also includes the “Fk a Genre” producer Mija, Dutch arena-dance star Martin Garrix, dubstep pioneer 12th Planet, the dance chart mainstays Cash Cash and the Mexican-born production duo Boombox Cartel, signed to Diplo’s Mad Decent label. More than 50 additional artists will be added as part of the second phase of the lineup announcement.

Each year, Electric Zoo also allows labels to take over stages and showcase a variety of their DJs and producers. This year, progressive house trio Above & Beyond’s long-running Anjunabeats will helm one stage. Anna Lunoe, who hosts a weekly electronic music show on Apple’s Beats 1 when she’s not releasing music through Skrillex’s OWSLA and the Dutch dance institution Spinnin’ Records, will also host a survey of her own Hyperhouse label.

2018 marks the 10th anniversary of Electric Zoo. Kaskade also played Electric Zoo’s first edition a decade ago, though Marshmello was still in high school at the time, so this will be his first year performing at the festival. Electric Zoo takes place over Labor Day weekend, from August 31st through September 2nd.

ELECTRIC ZOO 2018 ANNOUNCES PHASE 1 LINEUP: MARTIN GARRIX, MARSHMELLO, VIRTUAL SELF & MORE

By Kat Dein

Originally published in Billboard on March 29, 2018

Electric Zoo is turning 10, and that calls for a big celebration. It’s a vibrant birthday theme in 2018, and the phase 1 lineup announces a few fun back-to-back sets, plus highly anticipated sets from some of the scene’s favorites.

KaskadeMarshmelloMartin Garrix and Porter Robinson‘s Virtual Self take four of six headline spots. The last two remain a mystery, but you can also pencil in a teeth-knockin’ b2b from 12th Planet and Doctor P, and a three-way groove journey from Andrew Bayer b2b Ilan Bluestone b2b Jason Ross. Plus, exciting sets from Alan WalkerAnna LunoeGryffink?dManila KillaMijaTroyboiand so many more.

Stages will be curated by Above & Beyond‘s Anjunabeats, Zeds Dead‘s Deadbeats, Anna Lunoe‘s Hyper House and techno and house party collective Sunday School, among others. More fun is yet to be announced, including two more stages and more than 50 acts. It’s all coming back to Randall’s Island in New York City during Labor Day Weekend, Aug. 31 to Sep. 2. Tickets are on sale now. Check the full phase 1 lineup below.

 

AMFAMFAMF Presents FriendShip Announces Sold-Out Inaugural Cruise

MARCH 12, 2018

FR:      ALEXANDRA GREENBERG/MSO PR

AMFAMFAMF Presents

FRIENDSHIP

ANNOUNCES SOLD-OUT INAUGURAL CRUISE

FOR DECEMBER 11-15, 2018 SAILING

ABOARD CELEBRITY CRUISES EQUINOX

FROM MIAMI TO THE BAHAMAS

 

AMFAMFAMF presents FRIENDSHIP—the new music cruise experience that will take place aboard the Celebrity Equinox December 11-15 from Miami to the Bahamas—has announced today (March 12) cabins are no longer available for its inaugural sailing. 3,000 shippers who signed up at www.thefriendship.com were given first access to cabins for FRIENDSHIP’s maiden voyage of which sold-out within less than 48 hours.

Curated by DESTRUCTO (aka Gary Richards, founder of HARD Events), FriendShippers will cruise out with some of the best international music acts aboard a glamorous ship to sea.  The four-night venture will set sail from Miami to two private island beach parties in Coco Cay, Bahamas where currently Royal Caribbean, Celebrity’s parent company is building a new pier.

FRIENDSHIP is the perfect setting to make new friends and gather with old ones.  In addition to a bounty of stellar music programming, Celebrity Equinox—the #1 ship according to Cruise Critic–captures the very essence of premium cruising. Shippers can delight in multiple exceptional dining venues, 13 bars & lounges and health & wellness amenities including Canyon Ranch SpaClub & Fitness Centers. Enjoy craft beer and comfort food in the new Gastrobar, sip refreshing frozen cocktails on the pool deck at Slush or for a unique experience at sea, feel grass beneath your feet at the relaxing Lawn Club. Every imaginable comfort complimented by Celebrity’s unrivaled guest services promises an unsurpassed cruise experience

Fans interested in new adventures for 2019 can sign up at www.thefriendship.com.

Gary Richards was named President, North America, of LiveStyle in September 2017. FRIENDSHIP is a new property from the recently launched AMFAMFAMF, a LiveStyle company. Stay tuned for further details.

 

About LiveStyle, Inc. 

Positioned to be one of the world’s largest music event producers, LiveStyle boasts a wide variety of leading live music properties.  LiveStyle produces and promotes single and multiday music festivals across North America, Europe, South America, Australia and Asia. North American key operating entities include Made Event, React Presents, Disco Donnie Presents, Life in Color, and MMG, along with festivals and brands such as Electric Zoo, Spring Awakening, Sensation, and Life in Color. In Europe, the company boasts key operating entities such as Monumental, B2S, ID&T, i-Motion, and Q-Dance, and festivals and brands including Decibel, Mysteryland, Awakenings, Back-To-School, Air, Qlimax, Nature One, Sensation, as well as the innovative ticketing service Paylogic. In Brazil, LiveStyle owns PlusNetwork which has produced the enormously successful Tomorrowland Brasil festival and tours by internationally acclaimed DJs and artists. Further, LiveStyle has a 40% participation in Rock in Rio, held biannually in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with spinoffs in Lisbon and Portugal. Together with the Belgian Tomorrowland organization, LiveStyle launched TomorrowWorld, the first international version of the Tomorrowland festival, and also promoted the first South American Tomorrowland festival. LiveStyle continues to work with the Belgian Tomorrowland organization as its international partner to bring Tomorrowland to new territories outside Europe and to return to the USA and Brazil. LiveStyle also owns and operates Beatport, the trusted global home of electronic music where fans, DJs, and creators connect, discover and participate in the evolution of dance music culture.

 

# # #

 

For more information on FRIENDSHIP, contact:

Alexandra Greenberg/MSO PR

[email protected]

 

 

GARY RICHARDS (DESTRUCTO) REVEALS EXCLUSIVE DETAILS ON AMF BRAND, NEW FESTIVALS & MORE IN INTERVIEW

By Nick

Originally published in This Song Is Sick on March 6, 2018

 

Gary Richards is well known throughout the electronic music community as one of the most influential people in the industry. From curating some of the best lineups on the festival circuit, to (creating/starting) some of the most coveted events we’ve ever seen.

Just a few months back it was revealed that Gary would no longer be working with HARD, the company he founded and ran for over 10 years. This understandably left fans a bit uneasy and confused about what he would be up to next. It was announced soon after his departure from HARD that Richards would be assuming the role of president of LiveStyle North America, a company vastly larger than his previous one.

With many more resources now at his fingertips, fans began to speculate what Gary’s next move would be. He eventually started to tease and build up hype for some new company, event, or something else called AMF, short for All My Friends. We once thought this may have been his new cruise ship festival that would rival Holy Ship!, but that theory was debunked when he officially revealed Friendship a month ago (which looks epic, by the way).

However, this still left everyone wondering what AMF ultimately was. We had the pleasure of sitting down with Gary Richards for a one-on-one intimate interview shot in our office here in Denver, where he discusses what’s happening with AMF, Friendship, as well as some music collaborations he’s been working on as Destructo.

SPRING AWAKENING MUSIC FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES PHASE TWO LINEUP

SPRING AWAKENING
MUSIC FESTIVAL

ANNOUNCES PHASE TWO LINEUP

3-DAY GENERAL ADMISSION AND VIP TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW AT WWW.SPRINGAWAKENINGFESTIVAL.COM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 13, 2018 – Following last week’s Phase One announce, SPRING AWAKENINGis proud to reveal the Second Phase which features the roster for this year’s six Branded Stage showcases! Additionally, GANJA WHITE NIGHT has been added to perform on the Equinox Stage, following their recent performance at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom.

BASS KITCHEN returns with a stacked lineup of the very best in dubstep, trap, and low end frequencies. FLUX PAVILION makes a grand return to Spring Awakening with TWO sets – following his solo headline performance, he plays a special B2B set with fellow Circus Records mainstay DOCTOR P. Joining the stage are a squad of undisputed champions including BRO SAFARI, BEAR GRILLZ, FIGURE, and BLEEP BLOOP, ready to take everyone on a wild journey through bass and time.

Back by popular demand, the DJ MAG stage turns up with high-volume acts running the gamut of modern dance. NICKY ROMERO headlines this electro-heavy tent, also bursting at the seams with big room originators like CASH CASH and DEORRO, festival pioneer and genre destroyer DESTRUCTO, and Toronto tastemaker GRANDTHEFT.

This year, OLIVER HELDENS’ imprint HELDEEP makes its Spring Awakening debut. Along with Oliver himself, the stage hosts the deeper side of dance music, with Datsik & Bais Haus’ supergroup, EPHWURD, OG turntablist A-TRAK, Night Bass originator AC SLATER, and French deep house stand-out MERCER.

Fans of techno and house music rejoice in The Mid and React’s newest series, REQUIEM. To christen it, we welcome the special reunion of dance heroes SASHA & JOHN DIGWEED, along with a truly underground lineup featuring originators like LEE BURRIDGE, LEE FOSS, ANTHONY, PROK & FITCH, and ANTHONY ATTALLA.

Returning for its second year, SUNDAY SCHOOL takes fans straight to house heaven on a golden chariot of groovy vibes. Revered house icon DUBFIRE delivers a festival-closing sermon, with essentials like PETE TONG, dance music luminary JOSH WINK, and UK house dons WILL CLARKE and WEISS.

Noted as one of Spring Awakening’s most beloved series, TRANCE ARENA once again welcomes the top names in trance from around the world, featuring GARETH EMERY, MARKUS SCHULZ, COSMIC GATE, ALY & FILA, and ILAN BLUESTONE.

The 2018 edition of Spring Awakening Music Festival takes place Friday, June 8th through Sunday, June 10 at the beautiful Addams/Medill Park in Chicago. Don’t miss a beat and follow Spring Awakening on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and announcements.

FESTIVAL ASSETS
Ticketing Link: www.springawakeningfestival.com
Phase One PR: http://bit.ly/SAMF18_Phase1PR
2017 Aftermovie: https://youtu.be/eiK_Q98dNYY
High Res Photos: http://bit.ly/SAMF18_HighRes

PRESS: Apply here to cover the festival.

SPRING AWAKENING 2018 LINEUP (Phase Two Artists Bolded)

3LAU
A-Trak
AC Slater
Afrojack
Alison Wonderland
Aly & Fila
Anthony Attalla
Baauer
Bear Grillz
Big Gigantic
Black Tiger Sex Machine
Bleep Bloop
Borgore
Bro Safari
Carnage
Cash Cash
Cosmic Gate
Dash Berlin
deadmau5
Deorro
Destructo
Doctor P B2B Flux Pavilion
Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike
Dubfire
Ephwurd
Figure
Flux Pavilion
Ganja White Night
Gareth Emery
Getter
Grandtheft
Hardwell
Ilan Bluestone
Josh Wink
Joyryde
Kaskade
Lee Burridge
Lee Foss
Markus Schulz
Matoma
Mercer
Minnesota
NGHTMRE
Nicky Romero
Oliver Heldens
Pete Tong
Prok & Fitch
Sam Feldt
Sasha & John Digweed
Seven Lions
Slander
Slushii
Steve Aoki
Tchami
Tiësto
Tritonal
Virtual Self
WEISS
Will Clarke
Zeds Dead

AMFAMFAMF Presents FRIENDSHIP — A New Music Cruise Sailing December 11-15, 2018

FEBRUARY 8, 2018

FR:      ALEXANDRA GREENBERG/MSO PR

 

AMFAMFAMF Presents FRIENDSHIP

–A NEW MUSIC CRUISE— 

SETTING SAIL DECEMBER 11-15, 2018

ABOARD CELEBRITY CRUISES EQUINOX

FROM MIAMI TO THE BAHAMAS

FOR CABIN INFORMATION FOLLOW

www.thefriendship.com

 

A new music cruise experience is embarking in 2018AMFAMFAMF presents FRIENDSHIP will take place aboard the Celebrity Equinox Tuesday, December 11 – Saturday, December 15.  Curated by DESTRUCTO (aka Gary Richards, founder of HOLY SHIP!), the four-night cruise will set sail from Miami to two private island beach parties in Coco Cay, Bahamas.

 

Get ready to cruise out with some of the best international music acts aboard a glamorous ship to sea.   It’s the perfect setting to make new friends and gather with old ones.  States DESTRUCTO, “There is a place where my friends and I go and we do fun things—the kind of fun things that build everlasting memories that I could never put a price on and I absolutely never could because these times are priceless and irreplaceable.  At the end when I look back and reminisce about these times I had and the experiences that molded me and watered me enough to grow, I’ll think about all the friends I’ve made along the way and how I am a part of their story and they are more than all my friends. They are all my family.  That is FRIENDSHIP.”

 

In addition to a bounty of stellar music programming, Celebrity Equinox captures the very essence of premium cruising. Shippers can delight in multiple exceptional dining venues, 13 bars & lounges and health & wellness amenities including Canyon Ranch SpaClub & Fitness Centers. Enjoy craft beer and comfort food in the new Gastrobar, sip refreshing frozen cocktails on the pool deck at Slush or for a unique experience at sea, feel grass beneath your feet at the relaxing Lawn Club. Every imaginable comfort complimented by Celebrity’s unrivaled guest services promises an unsurpassed cruise experience

 

Fans interested in cruising with FRIENDSHIP can sign up at www.thefriendship.com where information about receiving tokens for first chance bookings will be made available.

 

Gary Richards was named President, North America, of LiveStyle in September 2017 and FRIENDSHIP is one of the many exciting music events to come in 2018 from the newly launched AMFAMFAMF property for the company. Stay tuned for further details.

 

 

About LiveStyle, Inc. 

Positioned to be one of the world’s largest music event producers, LiveStyle boasts a wide variety of leading live music properties.  LiveStyle produces and promotes single and multiday music festivals across North America, Europe, South America, Australia and Asia. North American key operating entities include Made Event, React Presents, Disco Donnie Presents, Life in Color, and MMG, along with festivals and brands such as Electric Zoo, Spring Awakening, Sensation, and Life in Color. In Europe, the company boasts key operating entities such as Monumental, B2S, ID&T, i-Motion, and Q-Dance, and festivals and brands including Decibel, Mysteryland, Awakenings, Back-To-School, Air, Qlimax, Nature One, Sensation, as well as the innovative ticketing service Paylogic. In Brazil, LiveStyle owns PlusNetwork which has produced the enormously successful Tomorrowland Brasil festival and tours by internationally acclaimed DJs and artists. Further, LiveStyle has a 40% participation in Rock in Rio, held biannually in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with spinoffs in Lisbon and Portugal. Together with the Belgian Tomorrowland organization, LiveStyle launched TomorrowWorld, the first international version of the Tomorrowland festival, and also promoted the first South American Tomorrowland festival. LiveStyle continues to work with the Belgian Tomorrowland organization as its international partner to bring Tomorrowland to new territories outside Europe and to return to the USA and Brazil. LiveStyle also owns and operates Beatport, the trusted global home of electronic music where fans, DJs, and creators connect, discover and participate in the evolution of dance music culture.

 

# # #

 

For more information on FRIENDSHIP, contact:

Alexandra Greenberg/MSO PR

[email protected]

 

SPRING AWAKENING 2018 PHASE ONE LINEUP ANNOUNCED!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 6, 2018 – SPRING AWAKENING MUSIC FESTIVAL (SAMF) is thrilled to announce a massive Phase One lineup for its seventh annual installment, taking place Friday, June 8th through Sunday, June 10th. In 2018, the largest all-electronic music festival in the Midwest will return to the beautiful Addams/Medill Park in Chicago.

Spring Awakening’s two main stages – Solstice and Equinox – will once again showcase the event’s biggest names and productions. Headliners on the Solstice Stage are sure to please fans with performances by AFROJACK, BORGORE, CARNAGE, DASH BERLIN, DIMITRI VEGAS & LIKE MIKE, HARDWELL, KASKADE, STEVE AOKI, and TIËSTO.

Meanwhile, on the Equinox Stage, ALISON WONDERLAND, BIG GIGANTIC, DEADMAU5, FLUX PAVILION, NGHTMRE, TCHAMI, SLUSHII, VIRTUAL SELF (Porter Robinson’s new alias that blends house, happy hardcore, garage and techno), and ZEDS DEAD round out the bill by featuring a variety of genres within the realm of dance music. Additional artists providing high-intensity energy on the Equinox Stage include BAAUER, BLACK TIGER SEX MACHINE, JOYRYDE, MATOMA, MINNESOTA, while 3LAU, GETTER, SAM FELDT, SEVEN LIONS, SLANDER, and TRITONAL takeover the Solstice Stage.

To accompany the first phase of artists from around the world, Spring Awakening also reveals the identity of this year’s six Branded Stage showcases. React’s coveted event series will return with another round of specially curated stages for fans to explore. Whether you’re searching for soaring thrills and infectious rhythms of the TRANCE ARENA, the BASS KITCHEN’s perfect combination of grit and grime, or minimal beats by REQUIEM, the newest techno series, there’s a stage for everyone to call home.

Additionally, SAMF will host stage takeovers from three diverse brands within the dance music community. Attendees will experience uniquely tailored lineups from SUNDAY SCHOOL, featuring both big-name and underground champions currently dominating the scene, Oliver Helden’s HELDEEP Records imprint, and the acclaimed music publication DJ MAG with its own all-star lineup of DJs from the highest realms of EDM stardom.

Make no mistake, this is one of the most seismic lineups for Spring Awakening yet — and we still haven’t even touched Phase Two, which will be released next week!

SAMF2018_Admat_Announce_Phase1_Final

NEIL RYAN JOINS LIVESTYLE, INC. AS SENIOR VP AND HEAD OF NORTH AMERICA PRODUCTION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEIL RYAN JOINS LIVESTYLE, INC. AS
SENIOR VP AND HEAD OF NORTH AMERICA PRODUCTION

LOS ANGELES, CA – February 5, 2017 – LiveStyle, Inc. President/CEO Randy Phillips and Executive VP & CFO of Chuck Ciongoli announced today that Neil Ryan has joined the company as Senior VP and Head of North America Production. Ryan comes to LiveStyle with more than 20 years of experience producing live music, touring, and special events in venues across the country including his extensive work with world-renowned music festivals. In this newly created position at LiveStyle, Ryan will have primary authority and responsibility for all LiveStyle, Inc.’s event production business and operations. Ryan will be based in LiveStyle’s NYC offices.

Phillips said, “While running AEG Live, I had the pleasure of working with Neil and saw first-hand his depth of expertise in the live event/production space. He adds to LiveStyle’s exceptional staff as we continue to bring on the best and the brightest.”

Commented Ciongoli, “Neil is exceptionally experienced and will be a valued addition to the LiveStyle team. His professionalism and hands-on approach is second to none. We are incredibly fortunate to have Neil on our team.”

Ryan said, “After years of working with some of the best people in the music industry across all musical genres, I am excited to be reunited with Randy and to be working with the team at LiveStyle.”

Ryan comes to LiveStyle from the firm he founded and owns, NRG Productions, Inc., where he served as President. Among its many clients, NRG Productions has worked with Goldenvoice/AEG Presents to provide Main Stage production management and design for the Coachella and Stagecoach Music Festivals, Desert Trip Music Festival, and Arroyo Seco Weekend. For the past two years, the company has handled production for CID Presents destination VIP music festivals in The Riviera Maya, including Luke Bryan’s Crash My Playa, Phish Riviera Maya, and Dead and Company. NRG has also worked with numerous clients across the country to produce special events featuring music industry legends.

Prior to opening NRG Productions in 2012, Ryan was Director of Production Northeast for AEG Live, NY for over ten years, where he worked directly with Phillips. There he was responsible for the production and management of all AEG Live shows throughout the Northeast as well as the successful launch of touring shows and events across the country. Additionally, he was responsible for overseeing the opening of numerous venues throughout the region including the Prudential Center and MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Prior to his position at AEG Live, Ryan was Production Manager and Promoter Representative at Metropolitan Entertainment Group, Director of Operations at the Meadows Music Theater, Hartford, CT, and began his career in the music industry in Boston, MA with the Don Law Company.

About LiveStyle, Inc.
Positioned to be the world’s largest electronic music event producer, LiveStyle boasts a wide variety of leading live electronic music properties. LiveStyle produces and promotes single and multiday electronic music festivals across North America, Europe, South America, Australia and Asia. North American key operating entities include Made Event, React Presents, Disco Donnie Presents, Life in Color, and MMG, along with festivals and brands such as Electric Zoo, Spring Awakening, Sensation, and Life in Color. In Europe, the company boasts key operating entities such as Monumental, B2S, ID&T, i-Motion, and Q-Dance, and festivals and brands including Decibel, Mysteryland, Awakenings, Back-To-School, Air, Qlimax, Nature One, Sensation, as well as the innovative ticketing service Paylogic. In Brazil, LiveStyle owns PlusNetwork which has produced the enormously successful Tomorrowland Brasil festival and tours by internationally acclaimed DJs and artists. Further, LiveStyle has a 40% participation in Rock in Rio, held biannually in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with spin-offs in Lisbon and Portugal. Together with the Belgian Tomorrowland organization, LiveStyle launched TomorrowWorld, the first international version of the Tomorrowland festival, and also promoted the first South American Tomorrowland festival. LiveStyle continues to work with the Belgian Tomorrowland organization as its international partner to bring Tomorrowland to new territories outside Europe and to return to the USA and Brazil. LiveStyle also owns and operates Beatport, the trusted global home of electronic music where fans, DJs, and creators connect, discover and participate in the evolution of dance music culture.

For more information visit www.livestyle.com/.

# # #

CONTACT:
Scoop Marketing for LiveStyle, Inc.
Larry Solters, [email protected], 818-761-6100
Erik Stein, [email protected], 818-761-4645