Industry News

Amazon announces Prime Live Events

Amazon will launch its new live events division with a Blondie gig in London later this month.

The online retail giant’s Prime Live Events will give Prime customers– who pay £7.99 per month or £79 ($102/€93) annually –  the exclusive opportunity to see major artists performing in a variety of small but iconic venues.

The first Prime Live event is scheduled to take place on May 23 and will see Debbie Harry’s band taking to the stage in the 750-capacity Round Chapel in Hackney.

Tickets will go on sale to Prime members on Thursday, costing from £150.

Following on from Blondie, 80s favourite Alison Moyet will also take to the Round Chapel stage to perform her own concert on June 12 with a pre-gig Q&A with the audience also planned.

More Prime Live Events are already planned with Texas set to play to 600 fans at Porchester Hall in June, and Katie Melua playing two dates in July at Cadogan Hall in Chelsea to 770 Amazon Prime member fans each night.

Each event will also be shown exclusively on Prime Video, Amazon’s international film and TV service, globally. Last year, Amazon UK ran pilots of its new live gig strategy featuring Robbie Williams and John Legend.

“We are excited to be performing at the first Prime Live Event marking 40 years since our first gig in the UK,” said Blondie’s lead singer, Harry. “The Round Chapel is an intimately warm and beautiful room allowing our fans to get up close and personal.”

The launch of Prime Live Events comes just over a month after Amazon Tickets began offering Prime members pre-sale access to its range of concerts and shows.

The company said its Prime subscribers will have exclusive access to pre-sale tickets to music, theatre and family concerts and shows throughout the UK, enabling members to purchase tickets at least 24 hours before they go on sale to the general public.