Move Concerts boss Phil Rodriguez has spoken out on the company’s growing management arm and 2024 touring fortunes in an interview with IQ.
Move Music Management, which was formed by Rodriguez and Move’s Argentina CEO Sebastian Carlomagno, has hired Jason Odio to help with its expanding roster of artists.
Odio will be based in the team’s Miami office in the US, and brings more than 25 experience as an executive in the nightclub and hospitality sectors.
“Jason brings a lot,” says Rodriguez. “Aside from having run successful businesses in the hospitality sector – nightclubs, restaurants, bars – he also has incredible contacts and experience in the fashion industry and art world, from producers to designers. We’re thrilled to have him on board.”
Move clients include Tiago PZK, Bhavi, Ambik and K4OS, who are all signed to Rodriguez’s Grand Move Records. The promoter describes the firm’s management division and indie record label as its “Covid projects”.
“We were approach regarding management for a few of the artists that were coming out of the urban scene that blew up in Argentina about two years ago – during and right after Covid,” he explains. “Tiago PZK was the one that we really got excited about, so we signed him up for management and then started a label for his releases, Grand Move Records.
“We then signed a licensing deal with Warner Latin when Tiago’s numbers out grew the South Cone markets: Argentina, Uruguay and Chile. As time went by other artists approached us and we now have four artists under our management division: Ambik, Bhavi , K4OS and Tiago PZK. We want to grow slowly – quality before quantity.”
“We’re seeing [A-list] artists doing stronger than ever, but a softer scenario for the mid-level artists”
Rodriguez says Move’s management and concert divisions operate independently of one another, while utilising certain synergies.
“In the markets where Move Concerts has offices, our local offices will promote the concerts for our management artists,” he says. “Furthermore, we use our local offices to help push and market our artists in tandem with Warner Latin.”
Turning to Move’s touring activities, Rodriguez says the first half of 2024 has been largely positive up to this point.
“So far, we’re ahead of the ball – more hits than misses,” he says. “The biggest highlight so far this year were the two stadium dates we promoted with Karol G in San Jose, Costa Rica at the Nacional Stadium. She broke all previous sales records in that country. She’s a superstar.
“Aside from the increase in costs, we’re seeing [A-list] artists doing stronger than ever but a softer scenario for the mid-level artists.”
Latin America’s largest independent promoter, Move Concerts is headquartered in Miami, Florida, and has offices in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru and Puerto Rico.
“We have a great line up of upcoming shows in Puerto Rico: Bad Bunny, Carin Leon, Residente, Rawayana and Rainao,” concludes Rodriguez. “In the region, we have four dates with Eric Clapton with Gary Clark Jr, a nine-date South American tour with Keane, which has sold stronger than their previous tours, two stadium dates with Paul McCartney and five stadium, plus one arena show, with Iron Maiden, who are doing bigger business than ever in the region.”
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