city Paris, county Harding: Celebs Rumors

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor It’s been a tough couple of years for live music in the U.K., but now AEG Presents UK CEO Steve Homer sees light at the end of the tunnel. “Last year, we had some big successes and some big losses,” he tells Variety. “Now, we’re over that hump, sales patterns are almost back to pre-COVID levels in terms of predicting how things will sell. The business is in reasonably good shape, bearing in mind all the difficulties with people’s available money to spend.” Homer has been in sole charge for 18 months now, following the surprise exit of co-CEO Toby Leighton-Pope, now MD at TEG Europe. And having made several key hires in recent months – including former Royal Albert Hall exec Lucy Noble as artistic director; former Live Nation exec Lee Laborde as SVP of the promoting division; and former SJM promoters Chris Wareing (SVP of global touring) and Paris Harding (promoter) – Homer is now leading the company’s expansion into several new areas.

DEALSDirty Hit has extended its worldwide distribution deal with Universal Music’s Ingrooves. “I feel very grateful to Ingrooves and the wider UMG team for all the support and faith they have shown me over the years”, says Dirty Hit’s Jamie Oborne. “Our relationship is now in its twelfth year and I am very proud to continue building Dirty Hit with our day-one distribution partners”.Reservoir has signed a new publishing deal with songwriter-producer Leroy Clampitt for his future works.