IATSE Local 788

09/01/2025

As summer’s concert season winds down and we head back indoors for shows, one question lingers…

💸 Why are concert tickets so expensive - and so frustratingly hard to get?

CBS News journalist Brook Silva-Braga spent a year talking to artists, fans, scalpers, and executives from Ticketmaster and StubHub to find answers. From service fees and resale markets to the people behind every scan, this deep dive shows the bigger picture of what shapes the ticketing world today.

🎥 Watch “The Price of Admission: The Battle Over Concert Tickets”:
👉 https://bit.ly/45Haoor

Why are concert tickets so expensive and so frustratingly hard to get? Brook Silva-Braga spent a year talking to artists, fans, scalpers, and executives from...

06/27/2025

🎸 What do 16 semi-trucks, 100+ crew, and thousands of zip ties have in common?

They’re the reason your favorite concert even happens.

Tomorrow is , and there’s no better way to celebrate than with a peek behind the curtain at the wild machinery that powers modern concert tours. 🎥 The Absurd Logistics of Concert Tours breaks it all down...

🚚 And we can’t talk logistics without showing serious love to the tour managers, roadies, and IATSE stagehands across the country who make it happen—including the powerhouse crew of 💪 Local 25 - Rochester Stagehands 💪 - serving Blue Cross Arena CMAC Kodak Center Rochester Broadway Theatre League school Rochester AmericansRochester Knighthawks KrewEastman School of Music and more. You're the heartbeat driving Rochester's live events scene!

So next time the lights go down… know that the real rockstars might be standing just behind the curtain.



The Absurd Logistics of Concert Tours - https://youtu.be/MY8AB1wYOtg?si=ltB3Z4krMybvm9c-

Sign up for the Nebula/CuriosityStream bundle deal to get both streaming sites for just $14.79 a year: http://CuriosityStream.com/WendoverWatch Jet Lag: The ...

06/24/2025

🏒 Rochester’s beloved Rochester Americans are staying right where they belong—center ice at BCA! And so are the ticketing pros of IATSE Local 788.

The Amerks and VenuWorks, the new venue management team for Blue Cross Arena, have announced a 5-year lease agreement beginning with the 2025–26 season.

We’re also proud to share that our Local will continue to partner with VenuWorks to provide ticketing and box office services at the arena. Whether it’s hockey, concerts, or comedy nights, our members are the first faces fans see—and the team behind every ticket sold, scanned, or resolved.

🎉 Here's to a new chapter & an exciting future for the venue, the teams, and the professionals behind the scenes who bring events to life!

📖 Read the full announcement from the Amerks:
https://www.amerks.com/news/detail/amerks-venuworks-announce-five-year-lease-agreement-beginning-with-2025-26-season

The Rochester Americans announced today that the team has entered into a five-year lease agreement with VenuWorks, allowing the storied American Hockey League franchise to continue to play at The Blue Cross Arena at the Rochester War Memorial.

06/24/2025

✨ What do IKEA furniture, pool noodles, and a Beyoncé tour have in common? Sustainable stage design! On this , we’re spotlighting one of the live event industry’s sustainability standouts: ATOMIC

Their scenic modules are like adult LEGO sets—customizable, reusable, and road-ready. From corporate events to concerts, Atomic's commitment to modular design means fewer materials are wasted, fewer trucks are needed, and carbon footprints get seriously slimmed down.

🌍 Sustainability doesn't have to be boring—it can be bold, bright, and Beyoncé-worthy.

📖 Read the full article here: https://www.atomicdesign.tv/blog/setting-the-stage-for-sustainable-events/

06/10/2025

🚀 Step inside the future of live entertainment—where the venue is part of the show. 🎶
Las Vegas’ Sphere isn’t just a venue—it’s a fully immersive experience. From a ceiling-spanning screen and haptic seats to a sound system that sends different audio to each seat, this is live production reimagined.
💨 Wind effects. 🌸 Scents. 🎶 Seat-specific audio. This is how immersive tech transforms the way we experience music, film, and storytelling onstage. Take a behind-the-scenes look at how it all works.

Check out CyberGhost VPN at https://www.cyberghostvpn.com/MegaBuilds and you will get 84% off CyberGhost VPN. That's $2.03/month and 4 months free! It's ris...

06/10/2025

⏳ ICYMI - Ticketing Reform Stalled in NYS. But the conversation isn’t over yet. 🏛️
Proposed NY legislation designed to curb predatory resale practices and give artists more control over their tickets has been tabled until 2026. Bills A8659 and S.8221, supported by industry voices like Irving Azoff, Don Henley, and advocacy groups like NITO and Music Artists Coalition, aimed to:
✅ Ban speculative ticket listings
✅ Cap excessive ticketing fees
✅ Reinstate fan refund rights
✅ Empower artists to control ticket resale.
While existing consumer protections were extended through June 2026, the push for stronger reforms faces heavy opposition from multi-billion dollar resale platforms and lobbyists.

State legislation that would put resale restrictions on New York ticket resellers has been stalled until next year.

06/10/2025

🗣️ “We’re not just a collection of stages—we’re an ecosystem. And when we advocate together, we move the system.” ~ Lisa Richards Toney, APAP365's President & CEO.
At this year’s , ’s President & CEO Lisa Richards Toney led a panel titled “Breaking Down the Walls: Advocating Together for the Future of Entertainment and the Arts.” Her message? We are stronger together. She reflected on how collaboration, not competition, saved our industry during COVID—and how that same solidarity is powering current efforts like . Whether you're in the box office, the booth, the boardroom, or on the stage itself—your voice matters. Your presence counts. And your advocacy makes a difference.
📖 Read the full article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/breaking-down-walls-advocating-together/?trackingId=y3kgPVSDQiudDH4Yckrsow%3D%3D

by Lisa Richards Toney, President and CEO of APAP, the Association of Performing Arts Professionals I recently lead a conversation at the NIVA - National Independent Venue Association's second annual conference titled “Breaking Down the Walls: Advocating Together for the Future of Entertainment an...

06/10/2025

From Broadway to bluegrass festivals, camera rigs to convention halls, IATSE members are the unseen hands that bring live events and on-screen stories to life. We are the 168,000+ strong behind-the-scenes workers who power the entertainment industry—from its roots in 1893 to today’s cutting-edge VFX, game design, and international touring productions. Explore the story of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) in this powerful retrospective video marking over a century of union strength, solidarity, and skilled artistry.
🎥 Watch the full video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uJVKYsEfmY&t=2s
💻 Learn more about Local 788: http://bit.ly/IATSELocal788

As we celebrate our 125th Anniversary, we reflect on the history of the IATSE. Since our founding in 1893, the strength and solidarity of our members has bet...

06/10/2025

🎟️ Resellers...dynamic pricing... Rochester's own Evan Dawson dives into the real cost of live music—and who’s cashing in.
On a recent episode of Connections with Evan Dawson, WXXI explores the impact of ticket resale platforms like StubHub, what a new NY bill might change, and why some musicians and venue owners are pushing back. Whether you're an artist, fan, or front-line ticketing worker—you’ve felt these changes. Don’t miss this breakdown of what’s really happening behind the scenes in Albany & venues state-wide.
🎥 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/HUB5-DwVyV8?si=o-WeQ8FT8FYd35oI
🌐 Episode page: https://www.wxxinews.org/show/connections2025-06-06/new-yorks-crackdown-on-scalpers
🎧 Connections episodes & podcast links: https://www.wxxinews.org/show/connections
📄 Read the actual NYS Ticketing Bill: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S276
Listen live: WXXI-FM 105.9 (Rochester) + WEOS 89.3/90.3 FM (Finger Lakes), WXXInews.org + weos.org




New York's crackdown on scalpers

Why are concert tickets so expensive and who is really profiting? As New York lawmakers weigh a bill that would let artists block ticket resales, we take a c...

06/10/2025

Scalpers, scammers, chargebacks, counterfeit tickets...oh my! 😱 Fraud is evolving—and so are the tools to fight it.
🎟️ In 2025, ticketing fraud has grown more sophisticated than ever—but so have the tools keeping events secure. From digital resale risks to payment fraud, here’s how the industry is building safer systems for everyone—especially those working behind the scenes.


Adapt to the Digital Era

From resellers and scalpers to scams and friendly fraud – these are the advanced technologies and strategies you need for fraud prevention in the digital era.

06/10/2025

🤑 Why Are Tickets So Expensive? It’s more complicated than you think. The cost of live events isn’t just about artists or venues. This video dives into the full story—ticket fees, resale markets, corporate power, and the workers behind every scan.

Why are concert tickets so expensive and so frustratingly hard to get? Brook Silva-Braga spent a year talking to artists, fans, scalpers, and executives from...