Barbara Bouman
Vice President of National Sales |Live Nation Special Events
While Live Nation’s strong venues and relationships with top talent across the world surely lead to a plethora of private and premium event opportunities, they also can mean doing more for the greater good.
“Our most impactful success in the past year has been hosting innovative community events at our venues,” says Barbara Bouman, vice president of national sales for Live Nation Special Events. She notes the Heroes & Headliners military benefit, in partnership with Walmart, which took place at Midflorida Credit Union Amphitheater at the Florida State Fairgrounds in November and featured Chris Stapleton, H.E.R. and Imagine Dragons.
“Beyond the music, Heroes & Headliners contributed donations of up to $4 million for veteran organizations,” Bouman said. “This collaborative effort underscores our belief in the transformative impact of events that go beyond entertainment, leaving a lasting positive influence on the communities we serve.”
Of course, Bouman’s division does plenty of private events, too.
“Live Nation Special Events has been evolving our full-service event production and recently we’ve created packages with private concerts by top artists like Usher, John Legend, Brothers Osborne and Dierks Bentley and hosting events with renowned celebrity chefs like Brooke Williamson and Bryan & Michael Voltaggio,” she said.
“From innovative ticketing solutions to sustainability initiatives, and from awe-inspiring décor to enhanced audience engagement, we are continuously pushing boundaries to ensure our venues provide unparalleled experiences,” she said, crediting Deirdre McCready, EVP of Sales & Special Events at Live Nation, “who proves daily that hard work and unwavering determination can move mountains.” She notes another highlight that breaks the mold of what a special event can be.
“The standout event for me from the past year was EA Sports Presents The Madden Bowl at House of Blues Las Vegas during Super Bowl weekend,” she said. “What made it special was the high energy from a live-streamed e-sporting event during the day, seamlessly transitioning into a brand activation concert in the evening with exceptional performances by Green Day, Darius Rucker, Big Boi, Killer Mike, and more. These unique experiences set a new standard for live events and demonstrated how brands can host multiple activations in a single day at our venues.”