The Los Angeles based promotor of Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival has decided to break off their relationship with Sean Carlson, the founder of FYF Fest.
In an email distributed Monday from Goldenvoice president/CEO Paul Tollett to booking agents wrote, “Effective immediately, Goldenvoice has ended its relationship with Sean Carlson. We’re evaluating our path forward as it releases to FYF Fest.” Why this came to be was not given.
“They’re our partners,” Carlson told Billboard back in 2013. He continued by saying, “They help with everything production related. I have a very close relationship with (Goldenvoice president and Coachella booker) Paul (Tollett). It’s a great team. I did it for the first seven years by myself, and [Goldenvoice] came onboard for years eight and nine. They’ve made it more and more organized, and this year they stepped it up the most.”
Carlson founded the FYF Fest which stands for Fuck Yeah Fest at the age of only 18 back in 2004. When it began, it was a multi-day, punk-and-alternative event located in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. Although it had its rocky years including a controversial 2010 festival where there was a drastic shortage of water, hour-plus lines for the bathroom facilities, sever logjams at the gates and a general lack of shade and food. It was during this time that the festival alongside its concert promotion business FYF Presents entered into the long-term partnership with Goldenvoice.
In 2013, Carlson mentioned that FYF would remain an independent company after partnering with Goldenvoice, the promoter behind Coachella has maintained the bulk of the logistics. Now, it has outgrown that surrounding area and has a wider appeal. During the fest’s 10th anniversary event which lasted two days was held at L.A. State Historic Park with a bill that featured bands like Yeah Yeah Yeahs, My Bloody Valentine, MGMT, and Deerhunter to name a few. The last show took place at Exposition Park over three days this past July with performances by Missy Elliot, Bjork and Nine Inch Nails.
With the partnership over, the two promoters and promotion companies, it appears they are independent once again. As far as festivals go, that is still up in the air.
Reps from Goldenvoice, AEG Live and FYF Fest have yet to give any comment on this development.
Leave a Comment