Charlottesville-based Musictoday, founded by Dave Matthews Band management in 2000, has sold a majority stake to event and venue management company Live Nation, Jane Dunlap Norris reports in today’s Daily Progress. Musictoday employs 200 people out at the old ConAgra plant, which band manager Coran Capshaw bought in 2001. Musictoday sells tickets and merchandise online, which dovetails nicely with Live Nation’s line of business. The two businesses also will be in a better position to combat the nemesis of each, Clear Channel. Musictoday has sold out to their spiritual nemesis, Clear Channel Entertainment, which was renamed Live Nation earlier this year. Live Nation == Clear Channel. Bummer.
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
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Sideblog
Police announced this afternoon that their investigation into what was initially believed to be a fatal fire on Rugby Avenue is now a homicide investigation. #
The Virginia Supreme Court has denied George Huguely’s appeal. His second-degree murder conviction will stand, WRIC reports. #
In a carefully worded story, and not citing specific sources, WTVR reports that forensic evidence belonging to Jesse Matthew Jr., the main suspect in the disappearance of Hannah Graham, matches forensic evidence collected during the investigation of Morgan Harrington’s 2009 murder. #
In the wake of Hannah Graham’s disappearance, and the evidence that came from private security footage, city officials are revisiting the question of installing security cameras on the downtown mall. #
Both Charlottesville Registrar Sheri Iachetta and former Electoral Board member Stephanie Commander have turned themselves in to the police on
foursix and four felony counts of embezzlement, respectively. #Ten years ago, the National Institutes of Health budget doubled and schools like the University of Virginia built massive new research facilities. A decade later, those buildings remain largely underutilized. NPR visits UVA in this story on the effect of federal binge and spurge spending in the sciences. #
In 2012, Council approved a new student housing complex on West Main—now some council members are questioning whether what they were shown matches what was built. #
The Architectural Review Board has approved a bike-themed mural on West Market, below the McGuffey Art Center, although at least one member expressed concerns that it might look like the bicyclists were riding away from Charlottesville’s downtown. #
City Police Chief Tim Longo is meeting with city leaders to work on protocols regarding the use of military surplus police weapons in Charlottesville. #
A 100-year-old Colonnades resident received military honors for her service in the WWII Women’s Army Corps #
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Is Clear Channel really the nemesis of LiveNation? LiveNation spun out of Clear Channel in 2005, and the two company’s continue to share some of the same executive leadership.
You’re absolutely right — I’m clearly confusing LiveNation with another company entirely. In fact, accordingly to the results of a quick google, Live Nation is nothing more than a renamed spin off of Clear Channel Entertainment.
I’ve updated the story. Thanks for pointing that out.
How is Clear Channel their nemesis? Wouldn’t Ticketmaster be their primary competition? Or does Clear Channel own them as well?
Musictoday’s founders, primaries and employees hated Clear Channel. They saw Musictoday as a launchpad to provide an artist-friendly challenge to Clear Channel, beginning with merch, then expanding to tickets, and then the world. Clearly that didn’t work out.
Clear Channel doesn’t own Ticketmaster, but they do have an extremely friendly relationship with them. That’s because Clear Channel owns every major venue in this nation — something like 99 of the top 100 best-attended venues in the nation. And if Ticketmaster wants to sell tickets there, as they certainly do, they have to play very nicely with Clear Channel.
Not to mention the California employees of Grateful Dead Productions, which got slurped up by MusicToday. From a bed of roses to a thorn bush, and now into the frying pan.
Looks like that “hatred” of ClearChannel was overcome by fists full of cash. Funny how that happens. The evil empire is only evil until they make you an offer you can’t refuse. The service charges to shows at the Pavilion used to be reasonable. Kiss that notion goodbye.
I hope the employees get a soft landing, at least.
Actually, I’m pretty sure they didn’t. According to my source, no raises, no office upgrade, just back to business as usual. The huge cash influx won’t make its way to MusicToday’s employees, unfortunately.