The Live Music Industry Podcast

After a popular fireside chat at NIVA a few weeks ago, Matt Ford and Pat Hannigan, Co-Founder & CTO of Hive , sat down to continue the conversation around one of the biggest topics shaping live events today: AI. In this episode, Matt and Pat talk about how AI is moving beyond the hype and into the day-to-day workflows that help live event teams save time, make smarter decisions, and sell more...

In this episode, Matt Ford sits down with Sara Mertz (VP, Music Partnerships) and Steve Oberman (VP, Partnerships) from Tixr to discuss the future of independent ticketing, the evolution of the secondary market, and the technology shaping live events. They explore how Tixr has built a customer-driven ticketing platform, why promoters need a strategy for resale, what the Live Nation/Ticketmaster an...

In this episode, Matt Ford sits down with Justin Kantor, Founder of VenuePilot , to unpack a radically different approach to ticketing—one that challenges long-standing industry norms around contracts, fees, and control. They explore the hidden economics behind ticketing deals, from advances and per-ticket fees to the real cost venues carry over time. Along the way, they dig into why Justin built...

In this episode, Matt Ford sits down with Lucas Fritz and Jessica Gordon, co-owners and talent buyers for Broadberry Entertainment Group, to explore how independent promoters are scaling from clubs to theaters and even booking arena-level shows in a Live Nation–dominated landscape. They dig into how data and AI are reshaping the way they evaluate offers and compete, from using Prism Insights and E...

In this episode, Matt sits down with Jesse Lauter , Head of Production & Media at Dayglo Presents, the team behind iconic venues like Brooklyn Bowl and The Capitol Theatre, to talk about launching new spaces in a challenging economic climate and why live music is still one of the most human experiences we have. From transforming historic buildings like Stable Hall into world-class venues, to n...

The live music industry runs on ticket sales but fights over who owns the data behind them. Matt Washburn of Atlas Touring joins us to debate the case for and against sharing ticket buyer data — who benefits, who's afraid of it, and what the industry loses by keeping it siloed. I've had this debate a hundred times, but I'd never heard Matt's take before — and it was surprisingly in...

This one’s a big deal. The Live Nation/Ticketmaster antitrust case is one of the most consequential battles in live music right now, and it’s far more complicated than the headlines suggest. In this episode, Matt Ford sits down with Randy Nichols to break down what’s actually happening, from the DOJ settlement that didn’t end the case to the political and structural forces shaping what comes next....

In this episode, Matt Ford sits down with David Weingarden, Vice President of Concerts + Events at Z2 Entertainment , independent promoter, and chair of the Colorado Independent Venue Association, to unpack what it’s really like fighting on the front lines of ticketing reform. From testifying before the U.S. Senate to experimenting with new tech stacks, David breaks down how independents can survi...

In this episode of The Live Music Industry Podcast , Matt Ford sits down with Alec Ellin, Co-Founder & CEO of Laylo ,  for a candid conversation about fan capture, “drops,” and the marketing flywheel powering modern ticket, merch, and content launches. From Laylo’s early pivots through Y Combinator to its breakout product-market fit during the pandemic, they unpack how artists, venues, and fes...

In this episode of The Live Music Industry Podcast , Matt Ford sits down with Chris Battaglino (Chief Product Officer at Etix) and Michael Reklis (Director of Sales, Music Venues at Etix) for a candid conversation about ticketing at scale. From clubs to arenas to international markets, they unpack what it takes to serve thousands of venues while navigating resale, dynamic pricing, AI, and the broa...

In this episode of The Live Music Industry Podcast , Matt Ford sits down with David Zamora, Founder & CEO of Zamora Live , one of the most active independent Latin promoters in the U.S. David shares how his family’s Chicago operation grew from booking bands in a restaurant basement into a company promoting arena and stadium tours nationwide. They unpack what makes the Latin live music market s...

On the latest episode of The Live Music Industry Podcast , Matt Ford sits down with Boris Patronoff , founder and CEO of Soundcheck Capital and former CEO of See Tickets US. In this conversation, Boris breaks down how independent promoters, venues, and festivals actually get financed today and why so many of those dollars come with hidden tradeoffs. You’ll hear: Why traditional banks rarely fund i...

In this episode of the Live Music Industry Podcast, Matt Ford chats with Anthony “Tony” Markun, the talent buyer behind Back 40 Live at Morris Farm Market. Tony shares how a surprise set from then-unknown Oliver Anthony drew 12,000 fans overnight and catapulted a small farm stage into a fast-growing live music destination. Inside the episode: How a backyard bonfire performance turned into a viral...

McMenamins is one of the most unique live music businesses in the country, with a portfolio that spans boutique hotels, pubs, and iconic (sometimes haunted 👻) venues like Portland’s Crystal Ballroom. In this case study, we explore how they scaled operations with Prism, starting as a simple calendar tool in 2019 and growing into a system that now runs offers, settlements, reporting, and ticketing...

In this episode of The Live Music Industry Podcast, Matt Ford sits down with Stephen Parker, Executive Director of the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) , for an unfiltered look at the challenges, opportunities, and fight for fairness shaping the industry today. From the results of the State of Live survey to candid conversations on venue survival, ticketing practices, and industry pow...

What does the future of payments at live events look like? In this episode of The Live Music Industry Podcast, Matt Ford sits down with Stas Chijik, co-founder of Billfold, to talk about reshaping the point-of-sale experience for venues with tens of thousands of attendees. From RFID wristbands and AI-powered operations to biometric “Look to Pay” systems, this episode offers a fascinating glimpse i...

Veteran promoter Jen Lyon , Founder of MeanRed Productions, shares a candid, inspiring conversation around how independents can stand their ground in a Live Nation world—plus why she’s urging promoters to join Insights now. Inside the episode: Jen’s personal journey from NYC bottle service clubs to building a values-driven venue in Detroit Why Insights is a game-changer, and her urgent plea to fel...

In this episode, Matt sits down with outspoken music industry advocate Randy Nichols for an unfiltered deep dive into the broken ticketing system—and the growing movement to fix it. From viral LinkedIn posts to behind-the-scenes talks with the DOJ, Randy shares his personal journey, his work with NITO, and what it will really take to make ticketing fair for fans and artists alike. Topics covered:...

Facing outdated systems and growing demands, Pabst turned to Prism to streamline everything from artist discovery and internal communication to financial reporting, offer generation, and show settlement. Prism’s dynamic, ever-evolving platform has empowered Pabst to reduce errors, save money, and make smarter, data-driven decisions. As early adopters of Prism's Insights tool, Pabst helped pion...

In this episode, I sit down with Pat, CTO of Hive, technologist, futurist, a fellow live music fanatic, and friend. We explore how AI is transforming the live music industry—from automating concert marketing to revolutionizing how shows are discovered and booked. We also unpack the big questions: Is AI a threat to jobs? How much more productive are teams thanks to AI? What does the world look like...

We had an extremely fun and informative industry deep dive with this one. From the origin story and future of NITO to epic tales from the independent agent world, we covered it all. We kicked things off exploring how the pandemic helped galvanize agents to work together, and why that collaboration still matters. Then we dug into what it truly means to be independent —both in spirit and in practice...

(Chapters below intro) In this episode, we sit down with Graham Williams, founder of Resound Presents — the legendary indie promoter behind over 600 shows a year across Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas. We dive into the macroeconomics of the live music industry, surviving today’s challenging business environment, and the pros and cons of having a massive venue like The Moody Center in town. Graham...

In this conversation, Kym (the venue owner) walks us through Pinhook’s 16‑year journey from start‑up to beloved cultural anchor in downtown Durham, NC. They open by explaining how Prism’s booking and settlement tools have tightened operations enough for a small, 200‑capacity room to pay fair wages—including their own—without sacrificing the club’s community‑first ethos. Kym then rewinds to Pinhook...

Avant Gardner, home of The Brooklyn Mirage, is truly one of the most spectacular venues in the world, and the innovation isn’t done yet. In this episode, we dive deep into the wild transformation Brooklyn Mirage is undergoing—possibly on the level of an East Coast Sphere (while still being its own thing). The new CEO joins my podcast to share plans for the future and to reflect on some harrowing m...

TikTok (and social media as a whole) has transformed the music industry, perhaps on the same level as the evolution of digital streaming—from enabling once-unrecognized artists like Chappell Roan to build massive online followings & successful careers overnight, to revolutionizing the way we market and promote live concerts and record releases. The industry has arguably changed for the better...