Greg Patterson Joins Veeps, Joel & Benji Madden’s Streaming Concert Company
#Music
Music industry veteran Greg Patterson has joined Veeps as chief strategy officer following his exit from Eventbrite in April where he worked since 2016.
Veeps was founded three years ago by Joel Madden and Benji Madden from Good Charlotte along with co-founders Sherry Saeedi and Kyle Heller. Veeps began as a platform for artists to sell VIP Packages with no commissions but has pivoted into ticketed streaming in reaction to the COVID-19 crisis and has been embraced by artists like Angel Olsen and Citizen Cope to generate revenue to support their touring crew, raise money for charity or offset lost income.
“Greg absolutely understands who VEEPS is as a company, a group of people and a brand, and most importantly who we want to serve in the Artist community,” Joel Madden tells Billboard. “Greg has already made an impact on our team, and it’s refreshing to us that he shares the same vision around our goals to continue to give artists tools to be more independent, self sufficient, and in control of their own business. He also has a passion for helping to support the small venues around the country that we know are facing hard times. I feel encouraged and optimistic to see what we can accomplish to help the music community find ways to survive.”
Patterson had previously co-founded VIP Services company Wonderful Union in 2007, helping lead it to acquisition by Endeavor in 2018. Additionally he was previously co-founder and chief executive of Queue Ticketing, the venue software solution acquired by Eventbrite in 2016. During his time at Eventbrite, Patterson led the rapid growth of Eventbrite’s music business helping position Eventbrite as one of the top ticketing companies for independent promoters and venues. The purchase of Ticketfly in 2017 secured the company’s status as a global leader in mid-market ticketing and for the past two years Patterson has worked in Eventbrite’s strategy and incubation efforts, before leaving the company as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.
“I am beyond thrilled to join the Veeps team. Being part of a small but mighty team feels like home for me,” he tells Billboard. “They are working day and night to help artists take action in a moment where the independent live music space needs help.”
Patterson says live streaming might not be the long term future of Veeps or the live music business but believes it importance during the COVID-19 crisis will have a lasting impact when social distancing measures subside.
“I have been intrigued by the apprehension to put a value on performing via livestream. As this situation carries on we need to ask different questions like ‘what version of this would I feel comfortable changing for?’ and ‘What does my audience want to see?'” he tells Billboard. “Music is powerful, the connection between artists and their fans is powerful. If you can put on a good enough show that folks will buy hard tickets to see you in a club, there is a version of that for this medium and I ask all artists ‘what is it for you?’”
via https://www.DMT.NEWS/
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