New York, NY (Billboard PR) -
3 Doors Down members Brad Arnold (lead vocals) and Matt Roberts (lead guitar) will take part in the keynote Q&A session "Rebirth of a Region: Concerts Return to the Gulf" at the Billboard Touring Conference, being held on November 8-9 at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City. Ray Waddell, Billboard's senior touring editor, will moderate this discussion on November 8.
Rebirth of a Region: Concerts Return to the Gulf
This keynote session, which will be one of the highlights of Billboard's conference, will recognize the damage done in the region's entertainment market and will focus on the remarkable resiliency of the Gulf, the support of the touring industry, and people's inherent desire to have a good time.
"We're glad to be a part of this, we really are," says Arnold of taking part in the keynote. 3 Doors Down, which hails from Escatawpa, Mississippi, re-opened the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi with Lynyrd Skynyrd on July 22. "We were proud of being the first show back in Biloxi, we were glad to be a part of the rebirth of the Coliseum and sort of the rebirth of the music scene there on the Coast. It's really important for other bands to come down here and play."
In addition to Arnold and Roberts, also joining this lively Q&A session will be Doug Thornton, regional vice president for Philadelphia-based venue management firm SMG and GM of the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans; Matt McDonnell, assistant general manager of the Mississippi Coast Coliseum & Convention Center in Biloxi; Bob Roux, president of the South Region for Live Nation; and Louis Messina, president of TMG/AEG Live.
"The keynote panel will add a spicy Gulf flavor to this year's conference, and will offer plenty of fruitful discussion," adds Waddell. "More than ever, these music-loving people need to be entertained, and the industry needs to recognize the importance of bringing live music back to the Gulf."
Now in its third year, the Billboard Touring Conference informs and educates promoters, agents, managers, venues, sponsors, production professionals, merchandising companies, ticket agents and other touring-related businesses about the industry's latest opportunities and current challenges. This conference is attended by the top players in the touring business such as established concert industry executives, up-and-coming entrepreneurs, and those on the front lines of the business making crucial decisions every day. This two-day event will feature informative panels, controversial discussions, and invaluable networking opportunities.
The conference will be capped off on November 9 by the Billboard Touring Awards, which honors the concert industry's top artists and professionals for the year, based on the Billboard Boxscore chart. The awards are based on actual box office performance from December 1, 2005 to September 30, 2006. This year's Humanitarian Award will go to Music Rising; the musical instrument replacement fund founded by U2's The Edge, producer Bob Ezrin, and Gibson Guitar chairman Henry Juszkiewicz, with MusiCares and the Guitar Center Foundation. Music Rising has successfully put more than 2,000 instruments in the hands of musicians who lost their means of livelihood in the wake of Katrina. Billboard will also recognize touring legend Sir Elton John, who will accept the Legend of Live Award for his significant and lasting impact on the concert industry.
For more information on the Billboard Touring Conference & Awards, visit www.billboardevents.com or contact Michele Jacangelo at 646-654-4660. For information on registration and group discounts, contact Erin Parker at 646-654-4643. For sponsorship information, contact Karl Vontz at 415-738-0745. For hotel information, contact the Roosevelt Hotel at 212-661-9600. For press credentials, please contact Lila Gerson at 212-255-8455.
