Credit: Found On Internet

I remember a conversation around the year 2000, about how this company, SFX, has orders to buy every profitable live music business in the UK. 

"Yeah right," I replied. "They won't be able to penetrate the relationships that have been built up over all this time. It is a tight network of agents, promoters and drug dealers".

I couldn't have been more wrong. SFX was team one, Clear Channel team two, and together they re-branded and re-structured and became the beast of a brand that we all call Live Nation.

Today Live Nation announced they have done what the Romans couldn't, and have taken the controlling stake of Scotland's biggest promoter, DF Concerts. Millionaire Irish businessman, Denis Desmond, through MCD Promotions and Gaiety Investments, has been buying buying up small shareholdings for years in the UK's live music scene, and it turns out the Jeremy Beadle* lookalike has been pretty much acting as a scout investor for when Darth Rapino** and his Evil Nation*** roll into town.

Live Nation's aggressive business acument (and shedloads of cash) have seen them seal up Reading & Leeds, Donnington, Hyde Park, The Academy Music Group, The Angel Music Group, and now Scotlands biggest promoters DF concerts. DF concerts also promote the Connect Festival and the larger gigs in Scotland, such as those by Radiohead.

In a time when the future of music is increasingly seen to be tied to the live experience, it looks like any business that doesn't play American Football is in trouble****.

* looks like I am out of the prospect of a job
** Oops, really done it now
*** Ok, that is it. I am going to get a degree in flower arrangment
**** Oh, so that would be me then?