Entertainment giant Live Nation buys Bell House event venue

August 2, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

The Bell House. Photo courtesy of The Bell House

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GOWANUS — GOWANUS EVENT SPACE the Bell House, a formerly-independent venue located near the canal that focused on up-and-coming musicians and other creatives, was bought earlier this year by major industry player Live Nation, reports Ticket News, raising fears among some fans that management has shifted focus away from smaller acts. Sources told the New York Post that the company appears to be now promoting sets by established comedians instead. Live Nation is currently being sued by the federal Justice Department for alleged monopolistic control of the live entertainment industry associated with its subsidiary Ticketmaster, which is by far the largest ticket-sales company in the country. The company owns several other major venues across the city, including the Brooklyn Paramount and Brooklyn Bowl.

“We allege that Live Nation relies on unlawful, anticompetitive conduct to exercise its monopolistic control over the live events industry in the United States at the cost of fans, artists, smaller promoters and venue operators. The result is that fans pay more in fees, artists have fewer opportunities to play concerts, smaller promoters get squeezed out, and venues have fewer real choices for ticketing services. It is time to break up Live Nation-Ticketmaster,” Attorney General Merrick Garland wrote in a press statement in May.

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