PRINCIPAL AGENTS INCLUDE ALI HEDRICK, ERIK SELZ, JOHN BONGIORNO, KARL MORSE & ETHAN BERLIN

PARTNER WITH EUROPEAN AGENCY ATC LIVE

“Our friends who started Arrival Artists bring so much tremendous talent to their new agency. Unbridled passion for their artists and the live experience is a hallmark of the founders. These founders have time and time again shepherded talent to great heights. We have done so much together and I am very excited to work with them to bring our communities the joy we all can’t wait to host again.”—Don Strasburg, Co-President, AEG Rocky Mountains & Pacific NW

“I have had the pleasure of working with all of the agents at Arrival Artists for over 15 years— fantastic group of people who represent a strong roster of bands. As a new collective, I expect them to do great things. Real music lovers who work hard with integrity.” —Huston Powell, Lollapalooza Promoter, C3 Presents

“The privilege of working with these agents, some of whom I’ve known for my entire career, has made me a better promoter. This amazing group has always been supportive of independent venues and the entire First Avenue team, and we wish Arrival Artists the best.” —Sonia Grover, Promoter, First Avenue  



In the wake of the industry-wide upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, five former Paradigm Talent Agency booking agents—Ali Hedrick, Erik Selz, John Bongiorno, Karl Morse and Ethan Berlin—along with former longtime Billions Corporation COO Matt Yasecko are uniting to launch a new agency, Arrival Artists.

Arrival’s diverse roster, ranging from Khruangbin, Sufjan Stevens, BADBADNOTGOOD, Mt. Joy and Nubya Garcia to Car Seat Headrest, Andrew Bird, Goose and Chicano Batman, is reflective of the breadth of experience among the five agent partners and affords Arrival’s clients comprehensive access to opportunities both obvious and unexpected. Trained as independent agents, while having all spent the last several years in the major agency system, Arrival’s partners represent success stories across every genre with artists performing all the way up the chain from small underground clubs to large halls, theaters and arenas. Arrival Artists’ eclecticism and deep knowledge base enable the agency to curate detailed, considered career strategies for the creators they represent.

“We want to construct an environment that encourages collaboration, crossover and artistic risk-taking among our clients,” notes Erik Selz. “This is not high-minded, nor a vision with tight guardrails, but rather a practical approach to a platform best-suited for the creators we represent.”

“A diversity of artists yields a diversity of opportunities,” adds Matt Yasecko. “Our goal isn’t to corner the market on one genre; it’s to be a home for unique, singular talents that we can champion.” Ethan Berlin also muses, “How can what we do for jam acts inform what we do for the progressive jazz acts? And how can the progressive jazz acts inform the steps of our developing indie acts? That’s exciting to me. In the era of Spotify and playlists, fans are less myopic. As an agent, it’s important to be familiar with many different worlds and deliver a wide range of opportunity.”

Joining the Arrival team will be Director of Marketing Jenna Neer, formerly of AEG Global Touring, and agency associate Jess Bumsted, also formerly of Paradigm. With offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Seattle, Arrival Artists possesses a strong entrepreneurial spirit, vigorous work ethic and extensive relationships that define the company’s reputation in the industry and inform its ethos.

“I think it’s a testament to our personalities and priorities that this group has come together as it has,” points out Karl Morse. “There was no concerted campaign to connect the dots. We all came together organically in a time of crisis and decided our personal and professional ethos were aligned, and now I couldn’t be more proud to call my friends my partners. Trust, honesty and hard work are our common values, and to move forward with that shared mindset feels uniquely powerful.”

Arrival is partnering with ATC Live in Europe to facilitate dynamic global representation for shared acts. “There is a clear space in the agency ecosystem for agile, independent companies that can provide innovative worldwide solutions for artists,” notes ATC Live’s Alex Bruford. “The relationship between ATC and Arrival has quickly blossomed through a mutual desire to put the artists first, and we are delighted to be working together.” ATC’s roster includes Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, The Lumineers, Mac DeMarco and Julia Jacklin.

“Since Alex and I first spoke and planted the seeds of our partnership, it has felt natural, obvious, unfussy. Arrival and ATC share a similar ethos; I am excited to see how our newly-cemented relationship unfolds,” explains Selz.

Berlin adds, “Historically, opportunity sprouts from crisis. I am thrilled to be able to construct a new agency alongside friends, mentors and some of the best agents in the business while we navigate a new touring landscape, strategizing hand-in-hand with our clients.”


ARRIVAL ARTISTS ROSTER

!!!
A Winged Victory For the Sullen
Abigail Washburn
AC Newman
The Acid
Adrian Belew
Alex Cameron
Alison Sudol
Altin Gün
Amo Amo
Andrew Bird
Andy Frasco & The UN Aqueous
Archers of Loaf

BADBADNOTGOOD
BARDO
Bedouine
Bendigo Fletcher
Calexico
Car Seat Headrest
Charlotte Adigéry
Chicano Batman
The Claypool Lennon Delirium

The Comet is Coming
Cory Wong
David Archuleta
Denai Moore
Destroyer
Diet Cig
DOMi and JD Beck
Dopapod
The Drums
Dweezil Zappa
É Arenas
Eleventh Dream Day
Elliot Moss
Eric Bachmann
Everything Everything
The Frames
Future Bible Heroes

Genevieve Artadi
Glen Hansard
Godspeed You! Black Emperor

Gogo Penguin
Goose
Grateful Shred
Helena Deland
Ibeyi
Illuminati Hotties
Jaga Jazzist
Jay Blakesberg
Jean-Michel Blais
JMSN
Joan Osborne
John Medeski
José James
Josiah Johnson
Jukebox the Ghost
Karl Denson's Tiny Universe

Kelly Hogan
Khruangbin
Kimbra
KNOWER
Lady Lamb
Les Claypool
Loma
Louis Cole
The Magnetic Fields
Madison Cunningham
Man or Astro-Man?
Margaret Glaspy
Marketa Irglova
Martin Sexton
MC50
The Midnight
Mihali
Mk.gee
The Motet
Mt. Joy
Naked Giants

Natalie Prass
Neko Case
The New Mastersounds
The New Pornographers
Nilüfer Yanya
Nubya Garcia
Palehound
Photay
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong
Portico Quartet
Pup
Red Fang
Rhye
Rubblebucket
RYX
Shabaka and the Ancestors

Shearwater
Sinkane
Sons of Kemet
Stephin Merritt
Sudan Archives
Sufjan Stevens
Sunni Colon
The Swell Season
Taylor McFerrin
Tennyson
Thao & The Get Down Stay Down

Thumpasaurus
Tim Hecker
Too Many Zooz
Toth
Turkuaz
Twiddle
Twin Peaks
Typhoon
Valley Boy
Viagra Boys
Vieux Farka Toure