Access All AreasSuperstruct Entertainment COO Rebecca Kane Burton discusses her eventful career and provides a pan-European festival industry perspective in the latest edition of the Access All Areas Backstage podcast.
Kane Burton is one of the live music industry’s most highly respected professionals, having led teams at venues including Alexandra Palace, The O2 and Co-op Live. She is now COO at Superstruct Entertainment which operates more than 80 festivals, across 10 countries, including Mighty Hoopla, Wacken Open Air, Lost Village, Flow, Sónar, Øya, Parookaville and Boardmasters.
Recorded during the Access All Areas Leaders Summit, the interview finds AAA content director Christopher Barrett asking Kane Burton to discuss the key issues currently impacting Superstruct and the wider festival industry, and to reflect on a career that has seen her lead companies and venues through some of their most challenging and pivotal periods.
Whether it was running The O2 arena during the 2012 Olympics, dealing with government at the highest level to launch Covid-safe concerts while CEO of LW Theatres or opening the UK’s biggest arena, Co-op Live, Kane Burton’s career has had no shortage of landmark moments.
“For some reason I am wired to try and fix things, and I absolutely love live events and the idea of never knowing quite what might happen,” she tells Barrett.
As COO of Superstruct Entertainment, Kane Burton is playing an integral role in the evolution of the operation. Among the topics discussed are the launch of an Artistic Code, the importance of a festival’s individuality and creative approach, and Superstruct’s acquisitions strategy.
Kane Burton is the latest leading festival figure to feature in the podcast series, joining previous guests including AEG Presents CEO UK & European Festivals Jim King, Festival Republic MD Melvin Benn, Boomtown co-founder Luke Mitchell, DF Concerts CEO Geoff Ellis, Notting Hill Carnival’s Matthew Phillip and Isle of Wight Festival’s John Giddings.
As with all episodes in the series, this one is available to watch on YouTube or to listen to via all the main podcast platforms including Spotify, Apple and Amazon.