Decibel and Docket

In this explosive episode of Decibel & Docket, Dave Brooks is joined by ticketing reform advocate Randy Nichols for a deep dive into one of the live entertainment industry’s most contentious battles: the war over ticket resale, speculative listings, and the powerful lobbying machine fighting to preserve the status quo. The episode opens with a candid—and often hilarious—conversation about the...

This week on Decibel & Docket, veteran concert business reporter Dave Brooks speaks with Business Insider's Emily Stewart about an uptick in fraud at the World Cup. But first, Brooks and attorney Michael Seville dig into the most explosive filing yet in the Live Nation/Ticketmaster antitrust case as well as the bizarre criminal case against Memphis drill rapper Pooh Shiesty. First, Dave and Mi...

In Episode 23 of Decibel & Docket , veteran music business journalist Dave Brooks and entertainment attorney Michael Seville break down two major stories shaping the intersection of the music industry, antitrust law, and entertainment litigation . Once again the show turns to one of the most fascinating legal developments in the live entertainment business: the surprising fee arrangement behin...

Who killed the artist testimony in the Live Nation antitrust trial? In Episode 22 of the Decibel & Docket podcast, veteran music business journalist Dave Brooks and entertainment attorney Michael Seville break down a rare, candid conversation with the former DOJ lawyers who tried USA v. Live Nation — and what their comments reveal about the Ticketmaster divestiture fight, the remedies phase, a...

What happens after one of the biggest antitrust losses in music industry history? Is Live Nation buying time—or mounting a serious comeback? This week on Decibel & Docket , Dave Brooks and attorney Michael Seville break down the latest twist in the landmark Live Nation antitrust case, where a federal judge has hit pause on a key phase of the proceedings. The ruling could reshape the timeline o...

In Episode 20 of Decibel & Docket , veteran music journalist Dave Brooks and entertainment attorney Michael Seville break down one of the wildest weeks yet at the intersection of the music business, live entertainment, politics and the legal system. The episode opens with a deep dive into the return of “blue dot fever” in the touring industry as several major artists — including The Smashing P...

The latest episode of the Decibel and Docket podcast dives deep into the escalating legal and political battle surrounding Live Nation Entertainment, Ticketmaster, the U.S. Department of Justice antitrust case, and the increasingly volatile intersection of live music, politics, ticketing, and sports. Veteran music journalist Dave Brooks and entertainment attorney Michael Seville unpack one of the...

In this episode of the Decibel and Docket podcast, veteran music business journalist Dave Brooks and attorney Michael Seville tackle two of the most controversial issues shaping the live entertainment industry today: the future of Live Nation and Ticketmaster amid ongoing antitrust litigation, and the growing debate over the use of rap lyrics as evidence in criminal prosecutions. The episode also...

The latest episode of the Decibel & Docket Podcast dives deep into the biggest stories shaping the live entertainment business, music industry economics, AI copyright battles, concert ticket pricing, influencer culture, and the future of streaming platforms. Hosted by veteran music journalist Dave Brooks and entertainment attorney Michael Seville, this episode blends sharp industry analysis, l...

In this in-depth episode of the Decibel & Docket Podcast , veteran music journalist Dave Brooks and entertainment attorney Michael Seville break down one of the most consequential moments in the modern concert industry: the jury verdict finding Live Nation liable for monopolistic practices. With the trial phase complete, the conversation shifts into what may be an even more critical stage—the...

Decibel & Docket Podcast: Live Nation Verdict, Antitrust Showdown & Coachella’s Legal Playbook In this episode of Decibel & Docket , host Dave Brooks delivers a deep dive into one of the most important legal battles shaping the modern live entertainment industry: the antitrust case against Live Nation and Ticketmaster. With expert commentary and insider insights, this episode unpacks t...

The latest episode of the Decibel & Docket podcast delivers a deep dive into one of the most consequential moments in the live music industry: the blockbuster Live Nation antitrust verdict and its ripple effects across ticketing, touring, and fan experience. Hosted by Dave Brooks, the episode features insights from music manager Randy Nichols and ticketing expert Scott Friedman. The headline s...

The episode opens with a sharp, unfiltered discussion of Kanye West’s attempted comeback and the controversy surrounding it. Rather than accepting a simple apology tour, Brooks argues that real accountability would require Kanye to publicly disavow the figures and communities that have supported his most inflammatory rhetoric. The hosts — music industry insider Dave Brooks and attorney Michael Sev...

Entrepreneur and technologist Andrew Dreskin sits down with the Decibel and Docket podcast to share his unique perspective of the live events business. Dreskin built the world's first online ticketing company, then waited a decade and built an even better one. Now, after selling to Pandora in 2015, pivoting with the pandemic and watching the industry evolve post-COVID, he's quietly incubat...

This podcast episode of the Decibel and Docket focuses on the Live Nation antitrust trial, featuring interviews with Nathaniel Morrow from the National Independent Talent Organization (NITO) and Andrew Dreskin, founder of Ticketfly and TicketWeb. Dave Brooks hosts this solo episode while co-host Mike Seville prepares for trial . The episode includes shortened versions of conversations with both gu...

The latest episode of the Decibel and Docket Podcast , hosted by veteran music journalist Dave Brooks and attorney Michael Seville , explores major legal developments shaping the music industry, from a landmark Supreme Court ruling to high-profile artist disputes and emerging AI fraud cases. The episode opens with breaking news from the Supreme Court of the United States involving Sony Music Enter...

On this week's episode of the Decibel and Docket podcast, Mike and Dave discuss the upcoming testimony of CEO Michael Rapino from Live Nation and look at how states attorney Jeffrey Kessler is preparing to question the CEO for the historic antitrust trial. We also discuss the interview of Ben Baker, author of the 'Robbin Them Blind' Slack messages from Hell and discuss the best strateg...

Are you not entertained? Dave Brooks records the third episode of the podcast THIS WEEK with guest host Randy Nichols to talk about the big, dumb SLACK messages from the Live Nation KNUCKLEHEADS that bragged about ripping off Kid Rock fans. HOW RUDE! Do these new messages hurt the case or will they absolutely change NOTHING? Buckle up for dozens of HOT TAKES from two gentlemen with NO FORMAL LEGAL...

This week Mike Seville and Dave Brooks break down the shocking news that Live Nation and Ticketmaster are ending their two year long antitrust legal battle with the DOJ and have reached a tentative settlement in the monopoly case. The fight new moves into the hands of state AGs like North Carolina's Jeff Jackson who says he is ready to take up the mantle and push forward -- preferably after be...

For this special bonus episode of the Decibel and Docket podcast, Dave talks with Matthew Lee from Inner City Press about his tireless and dogged reporting of the Southern District of New York courthouse and the U.S. vs Live Nation trial. No reporter has done more to bring transparency to this case and open up evidence to the public than Lee, who has years of experience covering the courts and the...

Title: Inside the Live Nation Antitrust Trial: Unpacking the DOJ's Case Against TicketmasterIn this riveting episode of "Desible and Docket," hosts Dave Brooks and Michael Seville take listeners on an in-depth journey through the Department of Justice's high-stakes antitrust case against Live Nation Entertainment and Ticketmaster. With expert guest Dean Budnick, the episode disse...

With just one week until the landmark USA vs. Live Nation antitrust trial begins, the concert giant files an emergency interlocutory appeal seeking to delay proceedings indefinitely. Touring expert Dave Brooks and lawyer Michael Seville break down Live Nation's desperate legal maneuvers, analyze why the company mysteriously pulled a controversial blog post from their VP, and predict how the ju...

In this episode of Decibel and Docket, host Dave Brooks and guest Randy Nichols delve into ongoing antitrust case against Live Nation and Ticketmaster. They discuss the intricacies of ticket scalping, the challenges of legislation, and the implications of monopolistic practices in the live entertainment industry. Randy shares his insights from years of experience as an artist manager, his topline...

The conversation covers the breaking news of Gail Slater's departure and the concerns raised by Senators Durbin and Booker regarding antitrust issues and political interference with the Ticketmaster and Live Nation case. It delves into the impact of these concerns on enforcement decisions and the potential for negotiated settlements. Takeaways Antitrust concerns Political interference Chapters...

In this episode of Decibel & Docket , hosts Dave Brooks and attorney Mike Seville break down the biggest legal, financial and cultural stories shaping the live entertainment business — from high-stakes antitrust negotiations involving Live Nation to the growing financial pressure on independent touring artists and the fallout surrounding the Wasserman agency. The show opens with an in-depth di...