LiveXLive Media, Inc. and iconic drumming publisher Modern Drummer announced that the “Modern Drummer Festival 2020” achieved record ticket sales for the live stream Pay-Per-View event, with prices starting at $12.99. The livestream provided a 25% increase in ticket sales for the festival and 4 times more attendees than their past live events.
Previously, Modern Drummer festivals spanned two days and 12 performances as compared to this year’s single-day event which included 32 drummers in one three hour block.
For its first-ever livestream pay-per-view event, the Modern Drummer Festival 2020 featured never-before-seen footage of Neil Peart, as part of a tribute to the iconic drummer of the rock band Rush who passed away in early 2020. Peart was recognized with Modern Drummer’s “Lifetime Achievement Award” and named as the inspiration for the “Neil Peart Spirit of Drumming” award coming in 2021, which provides one drummer the opportunity to win a year of drum lessons from a world-class drumming educator.
Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith, Foo Fighters’ Taylor Hawkins, Styx’s Todd Sucherman, Rascal Flatts’ Jim Riley, Def Leppard’s Rick Allen, Anthrax’s Charlie Benante, Korn’s Ray Luzier and many of rock’s greatest drummers were among the 35+ performances at the festival. In addition, special guests included legendary drummers Carl Palmer, Carmine Appice, Cindy Blackman-Santana, Mike Protnoy, Keith Carlock, Danny Seraphine, Kristina Schiano, Gavin Harrison, Les DeMerle, Dom Famularo, Thomas Lang, Wyatt Stav, 66 Samus, Brian Tichy, Jason Bittner, Stewart Copeland, Nirada Michael-Walden, Eric Singer and Steve Smith.
“The Modern Drummer Festival 2020 brought the heart and soul of drumming to a livestream arena as superfans gathered to celebrate the late great Neil Peart. We’re happy to have played a role in driving these kinds of record numbers and special moments for both artists and fans,” said Robert Ellin, Chairman and CEO of LiveXLive. “We’re leading the livestream Pay-Per-View category and can’t wait to do more with Modern Drummer and similar festivals.”
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