RAINMAKERS:
JAY MARCIANO
It’s quite possible that no single person has had their fingerprints on more concert venues in the U.S., U.K. or Europe than Jay Marciano.
Over the course of an extraordinary run in the ’90s and 2000s, Marciano built, with Universal/MCA Concerts and House of Blues Concerts, part of what would become Live Nation’s amphitheater network; oversaw festivals for AEG Live; ran Madison Square Garden and affiliated venues; and returned to AEG to build out its European holdings and, subsequently, became its CEO.
Marciano’s impressive career owes not only to his wealth of knowledge and superb instincts with regard to the space but also to the fact that he’s a true-blue, warmhearted mensch—as scores of industry insiders will testify.
The latter qualities were very much on display as the business confronted multiple crises in 2020. First, COVID-19 shut down the live music industry around the world, beginning in March. Then, the death of George Floyd in May at the hands of police, sparked new cries for racial justice.
In a midsummer memo to AEG staff, Marciano wrote, “The intolerance and inequality that still permeate so much of our society have to come to an end, and now is the time for all of us to do our part to further that effort. Unity, inclusion and social responsibility are topics that we as a company are taking very seriously and will be addressing head-on in coming weeks. This has been an incredibly challenging time on so many fronts, and I want you all to know that we are acutely aware of the toll these factors are taking on everyone. There’s never a good time to go through what we are going through as a company, but this is an especially difficult one.
“Even during these uncertain times,” he continued, “I am confident of one thing: Our business WILL be back and as strong as before—if not stronger. I know this doesn’t make today any easier, but our future is on tomorrow’s horizon.”
Notoriously media-shy, Marciano takes a low-profile approach to steering AEG, which owns, operates and is affiliated with more than 300 venues. He promoted 10,000+ shows in 2019 and retains a portfolio of more than 25 festivals, among them Coachella and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.
AEG Presents (as the company was renamed in 2017) grossed $1.6 billion worldwide in 2018, Pollstar reported, with massive tours by Ed Sheeran, The Rolling Stones, Kenny Chesney, Elton John and Taylor Swift leading the way. Owner Philip Anschutz is a tough negotiator, but under Marciano, one strategic move after another has paid off.
In his first five years as Chairman, Marciano doubled the number of AEG’s venues, acquired The Bowery Presents, PromoWest Productions and Frontier Touring and opened Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.
“At the core of everything is the fan experience,” Marciano said in 2015 at a Singapore symposium. “It drives our business model. The artists have to sell the tickets, but we create a great environment.”
