Finding New Content to Fill Seats

It’s a daunting topic enough by itself. And the nagging question always remains, as AEG Live’s John Meglen reminded everyone: What happens when the classic rockers retire?

With most of the arena acts coming from the ’70s and ’80s, “We’re living largely off of legacy – acts that were around with mass media backing,” he said, adding that the mass media has all but evaporated.

“Everything is so specialized today that you have left-handed golf for women on channel 763.”

Add to that the current economic worries and free beer at the panel next door and CIC had one defeated group of panelists on its hands (“How do we compete with free beer?”).

Despite the dire circumstances, panel moderator Mike “Goon” McGinley of SRO Consultants got things on track.

“We are experiencing tectonic switches in the business,” he said, noting the huge music boom in the ’70s that took the music business from a $700 million to $200 billion industry.

“Anyone with half a brain could get a job,” McGinley said, but these days music is experiencing a contraction. “Today, anything that doesn’t make sense will crash and go away.”

That doesn’t mean there’s not room for innovative successes, like panelist Jake Berry’s hit “Walking With Dinosaurs.”

Berry, the show’s production manager, stressed the importance of a quality show, and seemed to scoff at aggressive marketing strategies, believing that great shows speak for themselves.

“MySpace doesn’t mean much to me,” he said. “I believe in bringing it to the people – in putting on good talent and putting it in arenas, and people will come.

“I strongly believe we can move forward. The economy isn’t in as bad a shape as CNN says,” Berry said, adding “two world wars didn’t stop us” and that “we all need to pull together.” He mentioned an indoor arena racing event as an idea he was impressed with.

Kevin Kulas of VEE Corp., which, among other events produces major children’s shows such as “Sesame St. Live,” said the economic troubles have been apparent.

“We are definitely concerned and seeing the effect,” Kulas said. He added that people are looking for value.

“One type of show everyone is being careful about is family shows,” he said. With so many choices out there for home entertainment, “The key is to make it affordable,” such as $10 or $12 tickets before service charges and facility fees. He said VEE Corp is doing a “Curious George” show this fall and “Barney” in 2010-11.

As far as where the ideas for new content actually come from, Arena-Network COO Ed Rubinstein said it’s good to keep a watchful eye.

“We look a little under the radar … at shows that did well in other parts of the world,” he said. “We’re looking at Europe and Asia now.”

Berry explained that the dinosaur idea came from a children’s book, which was turned into a BBC program and then a live show in Australia.

“So, someone has a good idea, and then you steal it,” he said, laughing.

As it’s not easy to come up with new material – and no one wants to give up their golden ideas – an au-dience member asked about bringing established shows to China, a maybe under-utilized market.

Meglen isn’t convinced the East is all that interested in Western talent. And he’s spent a lot of time there lately, with AEG announcing plans to build about a dozen arenas in the country.

“Everyone thinks they’re the biggest act in China,” Meglen said, but the truth is that 95 percent of the population hasn’t even heard of them. “American ex-pats make up 90 percent of the audience, because they haven’t seen a concert in five fucking years!

“The key is domestic talent,” he said, citing acts from Hong Kong and Korea, like Andy Lau, as examples. “Sure Michael Jackson would be a big deal, if they let him in.”

It was that kind of panel, with Meglen stealing the show.

“San Antonio sucks, get out of there!” he told one audience member seeking advice on competing for dates. He also told Berry the “Walking With Dinosaurs” storyline “sucked” and was boring, and that kids only like the show because, “Holy shit, it’s Jurassic Park live!” He suggested the next “Dinosaurs” tour include T. rexes eating each other.

These sort of comments prompted McGinley to praise his “panel of experts” and everyone was encouraged to see if Lee Zeidman had any beer left at the neighboring panel.

- Reported by Ryan Borba, Pollstar
- Photos by Jason Squires and John Shearer