The Business of Sold Out Tours and Festivals

Kevin Shivers started in an agency mailroom at 31. Today, he’s Co-President of Music at THE·TEAM, representing artists including Tyler, the Creator, Leon Thomas, and Kali Uchis. His approach to building the agency centers on teamwork, developing artists, and what he calls “unreasonable hospitality.” Kevin sat down with Billboard’s Taylor Mims at the Trapital Summit to break down his journey, what he looks for when signing artists, and how he’s helped grow Tyler, the Creator’s touring business over 14 years. They also discussed why stadium tours are making festival bookings harder, how fans are changing the way they buy tickets, and why selling out immediately isn’t always the right goal. CHAPTERS 01:37 Building the Number One Agency02:54 From the Mailroom to Co-President06:42 Finding Artists with Staying Power09:24 Tyler, the Creator’s Touring Growth11:42 Festivals vs. Headline Tours15:05 Stadiums and the Live Music Business17:12 Ticket Sales and Sellout Strategy SPONSORS Chartmetric: Listen in for our Stat of the Week. Chartmetric Flow: Flow is Chartmetric’s new AI-powered music intelligence tool that helps music professionals turn complex data into actionable insights. Ask questions in plain language, discover trends, and get the information you need to make smarter decisions, all without digging through dashboards.Learn more: https://flow.chartmetric.com/pricing/trapital TRAPITAL Where technology shapes culture. New episodes and memos every week. Sign up here for free.