Formerly the Wolverhampton Civic Halls, AEG Presents’ and City of Wolverhampton’s Council investment sees the restoration of an iconic local institution, economic and cultural regeneration and a home for live music in the West Midlands.  

As live music continues to thrive across the UK and around the world, AEG Presents, a division of AEG Europe’s global sports, entertainment and venue operator family – has today announced the upcoming opening of the newly named The Halls Wolverhampton, in partnership with the City of Wolverhampton Council. With the first shows taking place in June 2023, the new 3,404 capacity ‘The Civic at The Halls Wolverhampton’ and 1,289 ‘The Wulfrun at The Halls Wolverhampton’ will open its doors to music fans bringing world–class artists back into a Grade II listed space, with a rich and varied musical history.

Wolverhampton local and AEG Presents CEO Steve Homer, says: “Having hosted artists from The Clash, Bowie and Nirvana to the Manic Street Preachers and Morrissey who debuted his first solo performance post The Smiths at ‘The Halls,’ it’s incredible to be able to bring an iconic venue back to life and as a local lad, this is all the more special. I saw The Clash perform here in 1978 and it was an event that forever cemented my love of music. We can’t wait to open the doors of The Halls Wolverhampton and bring the world’s best artists to the West Midlands stage.”

City of Wolverhampton Council Leader, Councillor Ian Brookfield said:  ”A beloved part of our city for multiple generations, it was vital for us to bring on the right partner – a partner that understands and respects the role The Halls play in the hearts of Wolverhampton citizens. We’re thrilled to be working with AEG Presents on this, who understand the venue’s rich heritage and share our vision of reimagining an iconic institution that will continue to bring joy to the lives of locals for years to come, helping shape our city centre, creating jobs and boosting local businesses.”

The Council is handing over the keys to the restored and improved venue to AEG Presents on 21 November and The Halls Wolverhampton will open in June 2023 following a major multi-million-pound refurbishment programme. With final construction work now complete, AEG Presents will lead on internal renovations to the front of house bars, kitchen, sound and lights systems, creating a venue that offers both the very best facilities, as well as first-rate acoustics and musical line-ups.

Sustainability and accessibility are at the heart of AEG Present’s plans and The Halls Wolverhamptonwill use new mechanical and engineering services resulting in the venue running to the utmost efficiency.

Overall, visitors will enjoy more comfortable seats, a greater number of bars and enhanced space to socialise, expanded and revamped toilet facilities, lift access for those viewing from the new balcony level, better access arrangements for disabled visitors (including enhanced wheelchair access), a greater number of accessible viewing points and improved room temperatures through the installation of a new air handling system.

Once open, the iconic venue will play a key part in the city’s economic recovery hosting leading music and entertainment performers, as well as business events and conferences. It will attract hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city, boosting the local economy by £10+ million per annum. Plans will also benefit local businesses, as well as create new employment opportunities, raising the city’s national and international profile.  

As part of AEG Europe,  AEG Presents own and operate over 40 venues across the world. In the UK these include the Eventim Apollo London, indigo at the award–winning The O2 arena in London and the recently announced new live music venue at Olympia London.

The official ticketing partner for the venue will be AXS, AEG’s award-winning global ticketing platform, which brings its patented ticketing system, AXS Mobile ID, ensuring ethical, secure resale and ticket transfer.

AEG Presents will be supported by ASM Global, the world’s leading venue operator to deliver a first-class customer experience in the venue including sales, marketing, food and beverage, as well as other services.

The Halls Wolverhampton opens to the public in June 2023, with an exclusive preview being held by the City of Wolverhampton Council in December 2022 and test events due to take place in Spring 2023.

Welcome to issue 7 of Audio Media International

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Outernet Live, the brand new 2000 capacity live events venue coming to central London today revealed its name and operating partners as bookings officially open ahead of a full launch in the Summer. In addition, the team will operate the reborn and revamped former 12 Bar Club which will now have an increased 350 capacity.

Robert Butters and Karrie Goldberg (founders of Green Light Development) have been hand selected as Joint Venture partners to manage and operate the venue.  Robert and Karrie have worked across major live music venues, award-winning nightclubs, global touring theatre shows and blue-chip corporate clients and bring a creativity and entrepreneurial spirit to this unique space.

Prior to Green Light, Robert was the CFO and Vice President for Business Development for the Really Useful Group and SVP of business development for SFX (now Live Nation) before starting his own production and apparel printing and distribution company. In 2016 Robert sold a majority share in Green Distribution to Falfurrias Capital (a private equity company based in Charlotte, North Carolina).

Karrie, the founder and CEO of venue and talent booking agency The Kagency is one of the most successful female entrepreneurs in the live event and entertainment space.  Karrie has had a continuation of her decades long career that has seen her program and manage unique spaces around the world delivering creative value and engagement contracts for artists such as Madonna, Lady Gaga, Brian Eno, The Estate of Basquiat and Beyoncé.

Providing a much-needed central London venue for the global live music industry Outernet Live is an integral part of Outernet London, a billion pound immersive media, music and culture district fully opening later this year and located on the corner of Oxford Street and Charing Cross Road. The venue will sit beneath The Now Building – the most advanced experiential public space in the world – which features 23,000sq foot of floor to ceiling 16K screens.

With the venue and The Now Building at the epicentre of the wider Outernet campus in addition to traditional shows the opportunities to combine both the physical and the digital on the giant screens are simply epic. From major movie premieres staged in way that has never before been possible to intimate artist showcases that could then be broadcast across the screens, the launch of Outernet Live is a game changing moment.  It will play host to a broad array of live music, dance, immersive theatre, awards shows, brand experiences and beyond.

To deliver the internationally renowned performers and first-class events, for Outernet Live, Robert and Karrie have assembled a senior management team with a broad range of international experience.

Tristan Hoffman – Chief Operating Officer

Tristan joins as COO, following a 20 year career in London and New York conceiving and operating multi-faceted, high profile hospitality and entertainment venues (BB Kings Blues Club in Times Square and the Highline Ballroom in Chelsea). The artists he worked with included BB King, Etta James, Lou Reed, Adele, The Roots, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, LCD Soundsystem, 50 Cent, Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney.

Leo Green – Artistic Director

Leo is a concert promoter, musician and broadcaster who has previously worked at London venues The 02 and Ronnie Scott’s Club as well as having toured and recorded as a saxophonist, with a huge range of artists, including Paul McCartney, James Brown, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jeff Beck, Ronnie Wood, Paul Weller and spent many years touring and recording with Van Morrison. Leo founded BluesFest in 2011 which has featured artists including BB King, Steely Dan, Hall & Oates, Robert Plant, Sheryl Crow, Bobby Womack, The Doobie Brothers, Chaka Khan, John Legend, Mary J. Blige and many others. BluesFest was acquired by Live Nation, where Leo spent more than a decade, most recently serving as Live Nation’s Director of Live Events.

Octavia Harwood – Operations Manager

Octavia joins the team straight from a five year stand out run at the O2 Arena as Head of Venue Management. Previously at Wembley Stadium and Brixton Academy, Octavia has over ten years’ experience running entertainment venues that deliver extraordinary customer service and experience.

Shannon Tebay – Beverage Director

Shannon’s experience in the hospitality industry spans more than a decade. The French Culinary Institute alum has applied her training in pastry arts to craft cocktails, incorporating various techniques and developing uniquely creative flavour profiles to her lengthy list of original drinks. Her personal cocktail-writing style is best described as dynamic minimalism, defined by left-of-centre combinations that harmonize in unexpected ways. Included in her list of esteemed NYC bars, Shannon held the role of Head Bartender at Manhattan’s Death & Company where she worked for seven years. She most recently moved to London in 2021 to take on the position of Head Bartender at The American Bar at the Savoy Hotel.

Music lies at the heart of Outernet London. Situated on Denmark Street, the area is often described as the birthplace of the British music industry where iconic artists such as Elton John, The Rolling Stones, Sex Pistols and David Bowie hung out, made music and lived. Outernet Live whilst being thoroughly modern is proud to be driving the revitalisation of this part of the city, adding to and celebrating the musical lineage and heritage of what will once again be a mecca for music lovers and performers.

Philip O’Ferrall, CEO and President Outernet Global said “This area of London has an amazing tradition of brilliant venues but many of them have sadly gone. To open Outernet Live as part of our wider culture and music district makes us all immensely proud. It is absolutely vital that artists and fans have a place to go in the centre of our city to perform and enjoy live music and we will welcome many other types of events to our venue as well. When you factor in the incredible things we can do with the Outernet screens we move to another level and our offering is something that really can’t be found anywhere else in the world. We love the history of Denmark Street and embrace what the future holds.”

Robert Butters and Karrie Goldberg said “We have two amazing venues that sit at the heart of London’s first music, media and culture district. Launching Outernet Live is going to be very special as we combine a world class venue with the power of the wider Outernet campus.”

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