Live Nation Entertainment and Joel and Benji Madden’s livestream platform Veeps plan to equip 60 concert venues across the United States with turnkey livestreaming capabilities. Live Nation acquired Veeps in January.
Joel Madden, who is also the co-founder of Good Charlotte with his brother Benji Madden, says the initiative will help artists expand revenue from touring while providing new opportunities for bands to connect with fans.
“Both Live Nation and Veeps believe in the future of live streaming and the potential for it to be intertwined with an artist’s live touring career. It’s big piece of the live experience people want to see and that artists want to share,” Joel Madden tells Billboard. “As an artist, I understand how vital touring is to one’s career, and Live Nation is continually investing in artist’s touring careers.”
He adds, “The hope is to offer artists more ways to generate needed revenue and connect with their fans. What that looks like is different for every artist, but by working directly with artists we can determine what’s best for their careers.”
Live Nation promotes 40,000 concerts and more than 100 festivals a year and under the plan, artists will be able to offer fans virtual admission to sold-out shows, with backstage and front-view views, as well as access to global events and other content.
Participating venues 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 State.
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.
“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,” says 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.”
In 2020, Veeps sold more than $10 million in online tickets for artists including Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, Brandi Carlile and Patti Smith, as well as raised money for charity, and brought in income for themselves and their crew.
