LONDON (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — The Royal Parks has signed a new partnership with promoter AEG Live to produce concerts in London's Hyde Park.
Starting in 2013, the five year agreement will see AEG produce six "innovative" summer concerts each year in what Royal Parks claims will be a new, yet to be described format developed exclusively for Hyde Park.
"While Hyde Park has traditionally attracted high caliber artists, our plans for reinvigorating the venue with a fresh and innovative new event already have the artist community very excited. I look forward to bringing the world's premier headlining talent to our pioneering new London festival," AEG's President, International Touring for AEG Live, Rob Hallett said in a statement.
The deal marks the end of Royal Park's agreement with Live Nation, which saw the company produce numerous events at the park, including a concert series for the London 2012 Summer Olympics, Madonna, Rihanna and events such as Live 8. However, events such as the sound being cut during a performance by Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen, increasing noise complaints from locals and a reduction in both the number of concerts per year and audience capacity at concerts led to Live Nation filing a letter of complaint and pulling out of bidding for staging events at the park.
"It looks like they want people to get out the big cheque book, but I’m not prepared to put on concerts that are loss-leaders,” John Probyn, COO of Live Nation Music UK, told the Evening Standard last month. “It’s no shock that the Royal Parks Agency needs an awful lot of money." – CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
