Cream @ Amnesia, Ibiza

Superclub/ dance music festival pioneer James Barton has sold Creamfields to Live Nation as part of the US event conglomerate’s plans to expand into hosting EDM events.

The sale, which Business Week said also includes Cream club events, will see Barton becoming Live Nation’s new ‘president of electronic music’, and will involve Creamfields launching new events in ‘key markets in North America, Europe and Southeast Asia.’ (Business Week: http://buswk.co/KooJGz )

Details of the sale emerged just one day after Radio 1/ IMS/ William Morris executive Pete Tong warned about the dangers of ‘investment funds running around buying up (EDM) assets’ in an interview with Billlboard magazine.

“I think people have got to be very smart about how they go about dealing with all the opportunities that are before them. We all want to protect the scene,” the multi-millionaire entrepreneur urged.

‘”It’s not just about grabbing the dollar, selling out as quickly as possible and everyone getting rich. (Though) that’s an option,” he conceded. (http://bit.ly/LOcCom )

Chatting to Skrufff several years ago about his business philosophy though, James Barton retained the same no nonsense approach to promotion that saw him build a business empire from throwing acid house raves in Liverpool in the early 90s.

“In plain English, dancing in a field with your best mates listening to damn good music is the best feeling in the world,” said James.

He also adopted a similarly pragmatic approach to the commercial threat posed by the massive increase in new festivals which saw 450 events in the UK alone in 2007.

“It is a concern and in a way it does remind me slightly of the boom time of dance music when everyone was jumping on the bandwagon then,” he admitted.

“For me it’s simple,” he added.

 “If there are good artists around then the punters will support them. But that support will only stay if we as promoters and the artists continue to deliver shows and music that excite and inspire at affordable prices. It’s really important that we don’t fall into the same trap we did at the end of 90’s by not listening to the audience.”

http://www.creamfields.com/

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

fighting talk

US hip hop crew A$AP brawl with their audience (memo to filmer; hold your iphone horizontally)

Burning Man; click for more

Organisers for Burning Man announced they’ll be distributing 10,000 of their 52,000 tickets by hand to veteran revellers and those involved in creating its legendary infrastructure after a planned ticket lottery left many regulars without tickets.

In a lengthy statement posted on the event’s blog, Burning Man business guru Marian Goodell was apologetic.

“There’s no way to sugarcoat this: the hard truth is that there are a lot of you who want to come to Black Rock City to celebrate your participation in the Burning Man culture this year, but not everyone will be able to attend,” she said. (http://bit.ly/yIH7FX )

“There are indications that a large percentage of people attending Burning Man this year will be first-time Burners. As eager as we are to welcome our newest citizens into our community, it’s crucially important that we have a solid foundation of veteran Burners in Black Rock City to meet, greet and acculturate these eager new participants, ensuring that they not only survive the elements but also fully participate in the Burning Man culture,” she continued.

“We will always welcome the stranger, and all are welcome to participate in the culture of Burning Man. But that doesn’t necessarily mean we can all fit in one place at one time.”

Starting life in 1986 in San Francisco, the event moved to the Black Rock Desert in 1990 and was unfenced until 1996, though continued to grow and expand as America’s premium alternative festival/ rave. Skrufff erstwhile contributor Leslie Shill attended the event in 2004 along with 36,000 other burners and singled out the anything goes ethos that’s made it so popular.

“What was seen with usual clarity were the usual love struck Burners indulging in the now traditional in-out (sex- slang ed) on the desert floor, hopefully leaving no human detritus and stains on the playa, although numerous screams of delight were duly noted by passers-by,” said Leslie.

One exhibit, called appropriately the Orgasmatron, also had to moved away from full public view to a more discreet location so that its mechanical abilities could be tested by a number of female funseekers. Apparently it worked pretty well, leaving a number of boyfriend types to woefully drown their sorrow.”

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff