The music industry still has a long way to go in championing women as year after year, the data consistently paints a less than optimistic picture of a business that skews overwhelmingly male, from the producers creating the hits to the executives in the c-suites.
But those looking for a bright spot can look to live music in Los Angeles. The city is a must-stop on virtually every concert tour and boasts some of the most iconic venues in the world: hundred-year-old stadiums like the Rose Bowl and the Coliseum; famed arenas like the Kia Forum and Crypto.com Arena; soccer stadiums like Dignity Health Sports Park; and high-tech outposts like SoFi Stadium and the Intuit Dome.
Those venues are all booked by eight women, who between them are handling almost every major concert that comes to LA on any given night. Ahead of Pollstar’s Women of Live Event to kick off Pollstar Live Monday evening, those LA bookers spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about the ever-changing concert business, booking shows in one of the most competitive markets in the country and uplifting women in music.
Hallie Yavitch, SVP, booking and marketing for Crypto.com Arena, Peacock Theater and L.A. LIVE
Hallie YavitchCourtesy of Crypto.com Arena
What is the show you‘ve booked you’re the most proud of in your career?
First is AC/DC, it was the first show I booked when I started booking an arena in Ohio,
and from the first note the band played that night, I knew this would be my career. That
feeling is something I will never forget. The one that made me think “I belong in LA,” I
would say J Balvin in October 2019. I didn’t realize who his fan base is and that he was
the “Latin Tom Jones.” Women were throwing bras on the stage. The show and stage were
so impressive, but adding that element of such rabid fans was a true memory maker!”
How do you think the concert landscape will change, if at all, in the years ahead?
The best thing about live entertainment is that it transports you emotionally. A concert can
get you pumped and excited or can make you feel like you are part of something special.
An exceptional performance can make you cry or laugh. I hope that aspect of concerts will
never change, and that we will be connected to others by music. The popularity of genres
may change and can be cyclical, but the beauty of seeing a show live will hopefully stay sacrosanct.
How has the conversation around women in executive roles changed, in your
opinion? Do you sense a shift forward or a backslide? How can women in other
sectors of the music industry help uplift those in the live music sector?
When I first started in this business, it felt as if women were competing with one another
for the one elusive woman position in executive roles. Now it seems as though we are all
trying to lift each other up. I believe that is the case across the industry. I talk with other
execs and even though we are competitors, there is an excitement in seeing someone grow
or see an idea blossom. If we are good stewards for other women in music, then years from
now there will not be conversations about women in exec roles. It will just be about how to
be the best leader and executive in the industry. Source link
