Live Nation has been handed the keys for artist booking responsibilities for The Mann Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia, PA, Billboard reports.
The concert and event promotion giant will have the exclusive right to book events at the popular outdoor performance space, which currently has a 2020 season schedule that includes names like The Roots Picnic (5/30), Rebelution (6/22), Tedeschi Trucks Band (7/7), Judas Priest (9/14), and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds (9/23).
The Mann Center, which sits at the west end of Philadelphia’s Fairmont Park, sits on a 22-acre campus and consists of four different stage setups for various size performances. The property’s main stage is that of The Presser Foundation Stage, an amphitheater-model performance space with 4,500 seats and room for an additional 10,000 in the Great Lawn seating area. The Skyline Stage also offers capacity for up to 7,500 general admission attendees, while the New Downstage @ the Mann is the more intimate performance space and offers in-the-round concert formats for up to 300 attendees.
According to the announcement, Live Nation will look to utilize the campus’ pre-existing multi-stage capabilities for potential locations for festival-like events. The property as a whole will still be run by the non-profit organization the Mann, but the venue’s new multi-year deal with Live Nation will see the concert production company help elevate the guest experience with new concession options and enhanced VIP amenities, in addition to making an annual charitable contribution to the Mann’s charitable arm.
“The Mann is one of Philadelphia’s premiere music destinations and we’re honored to support this non-profit’s dedication to the local community and artistic excellence,” Live Nation Philadelphia president Geoffrey Gordon mentioned in a statement. “We brought the iconic Roots Picnic to the Mann last summer for a sold-out performance and are excited to usher in more world-class events and performers.”
The announcement follows what was a troublesome end of 2019 for Live Nation, which was under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department who alleged the company repeatedly violated the regulatory decree signed in 2010 allowing it to merge with Ticketmaster, and claimed in certain situations that it had “Sought to strong-arm concert venues into using its dominant Ticketmaster subsidiary.” Live Nation and the Justice Department have since come to terms to both amend and extent the agreement, although Live Nation did not admit to any wrongdoing.
Head to the venue website for a full listing of upcoming events and ticket info.
[H/T Billboard]