CLEAR CHANNEL
GETTING THE BLUES?
The San Antonio-based giant is putting the final touches on a deal to buy the House of Blues concert promotion business, leaving such high-powered suitors as ex-Ticketmaster chief Fred Rosen and Concerts West’s Philip Anschutz and Irving Azoff empty-handed (see hitsdailydouble.com., 3/27)
Have government regulators already signed off on the purchase or will Clear Channel be forced to sell off some of its assets to secure approval of the deal?
The impending deal has already stirred an outcry among other promoters, agents and managers, with Anschutz reportedly exploring litigation to block the impending sale on antitrust grounds.
Concerts West isn’t taking the move lying down, either, scoring 32 dates for this summer’s Eagles jaunt, as manager/CW prinicipal Azoff decides to put the squeeze on the devil he knows. The Eagles' tour starts May 31 in Reno, NV. The arrangement provides at least some competition for Clear Channel’s upcoming lucrative shed concert season, which includes multiple national tours from the likes of Aerosmith, Cher, Peter Gabriel and Lenny Kravitz. Meanwhile, Canadian Michael Cohl will once again promote the eagerly anticipated Rolling Stones jaunt, while Latin star Shakira is still deciding who will back her summer shows. Insiders insist Clear Channel’s allure, in addition to its deep pockets, is the perception that touring with the Texas behemoth can help acts at radio.
Meanwhile, Clear Channel continues to attract the interest of the powers-that-be. Latest news is the conglom’s promotion arm is being sued by the Department of Justice for discriminating against diabetic ticket-holders by refusing to allow them to take insulin in the venues with hypodermic needles because "having used syringes on site represents a health hazard." The DOJ insists the rule violates the Americans with Disabilities Act. A suit was filed in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia seeking compensatory damages for individual compainants and civil penalties for the Dept. of Justice.
