MEDIA

THE LATEST ON TOUR TECH, SARA, & BEYOND

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THE LATEST ON TOUR TECH, SARA, & BEYOND 〰️

Minneapolis / St. Paul Business JournalAbby BulgerJul 9, 2026
First Avenue: An inside look at the performing arts powerhouse - Minneapolis / St. Paul…
Owner Dayna Frank and General Manager Nathan Kranz discuss how First Avenue navigates tax pressures and competition while keeping Minneapolis’s iconic music venue thriving after 56 years.

https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2026/07/09/twin-cities-icons-first-avenue-club-minneapolis.html

Little VillageLiz RosaJul 7, 2026
In the age of Live Nation, Iowa’s indie venues hang on by putting people over ticket…
The last time you paid to see live music, you probably didn’t think much about the venue itself. You thought about the band, the traffic you would endure, whether you could get a drink before the opener finished. But…

https://littlevillagemag.com/iowa-independent-venues-defy-ticket-monopolies/

HypebotJun 30, 2026
Backstage Pass: Tobi Parks of Tour Tech & xBK on Closing the Live Music Data Gap
How does an entertainment/IP attorney start creating digital tools for live music venue operational management and artist data management?

https://www.hypebot.com/backstage-pass-tobi-parks-of-tour-tech-xbk-on-closing-the-live-music-data-gap/

Pollstar NewsWendy PearlJun 29, 2026
Independent Venue Operators Take Pride - Pollstar News
Venues serving the LGBTQIA+ community may be safe havens for self-expression, but they are often targeted for violence and harassment in addition to the

https://news.pollstar.com/2026/06/26/independent-venue-operators-take-pride/

BillboardJun 17, 2026
Indie Venues Call for Changing the PROs’ Blanket Licensing Practice
Indie venues and artists are struggling with blanket licensing fees enforced by performing rights organizations in the U.S.

https://www.billboard.com/pro/indie-venues-call-for-dismantling-blanket-licensing/

marketplace.orgMay 22, 2026
Marketplace: How one independent music venue supports its bottom line
Kids' shows, expanded non-alcoholic offerings, and community events are among the ways xBk Live has adapted to new conditions.
Children and adults watching a colorful stage performance with balloons, wearing birthday crowns and hats, in a decorated indoor venue.

https://www.marketplace.org/story/2026/05/22/how-one-independent-music-venue-supports-its-bottom-line

iowapbs.orgMay 6, 2026
Iowa Life Episode 308
Conservationist Ron Howing, xBk’sTobi Parks, Em’s Coffee Co. and the pyramids of Avery.

https://www.iowapbs.org/shows/iowalife/episode/14093/iowa-life-episode-308

Pollstar NewsJ.R. LindApr 15, 2026
Pollstar Live! 2026: Putting AI To (Good) Use In A Live Environment - Pollstar News
Moderator: Joshua Litwack, QuantizrPanelists: Randy Nichols, Force Management; Tobi Parks, Tour Tech; Matt Yaseck, ROAM

https://news.pollstar.com/2026/04/14/pollstar-live-2026-putting-ai-to-good-use-in-a-live-environment/

Pollstar NewsJ.R. LindApr 14, 2026
Exclusive: Tour Tech Teams Up With NIVA On All Things PRO - Pollstar News
American copyright law is notoriously arcane, and most venue owners and promoters would prefer not to wander in its labyrinths.

https://news.pollstar.com/2026/04/14/tour-tech-teams-up-with-niva-on-all-things-pro/

Music Business AssociationJuly 15, 2025
The Future of What Episode #258 — The Impacts Of The Current PRO System On Small Venues…
In this episode, we discuss the motivations behind NIVA’s letter to the US Copyright Office in conversation with Tobi Parks of the National Independent Venue Foundation (NIVF). Tobi disputes the narrative that…

https://musicbiz.org/news/the-future-of-what-episode-258-the-impacts-of-the-current-pro-system-on-small-venues/

Pollstar NewsSarah PittmanMarch 17, 2025
2025 Women Of Live: Tobi Parks - Pollstar News
Tobi ParksOwner | xBk LiveVP | National Independent Venue Foundation

https://news.pollstar.com/2025/03/17/2025-women-of-live-tobi-parks/

Pollstar NewsSarah PittmanFeb 21, 2024
Black Women Music Executive Survey 2024 - Pollstar News
The enduring impact Black artists have on music as an art form can’t be overstated, pushing forward all genres – and many times creating new ones – from folk

https://news.pollstar.com/2024/02/21/black-women-music-executive-survey-2024/

Pollstar NewsAndy GenslerDec 12, 2022
Strength In Numbers: How Live Businesses Joined Forces In 2022 - Pollstar News
It makes intuitive sense that emerging from the havoc the global pandemic wrought upon the live industry, rebuilding in 2022 would involve new partnerships,

https://news.pollstar.com/2022/12/12/strength-in-numbers-how-live-businesses-joined-forces-in-2022/

Pollstar NewsSarah PittmanJun 6, 2021
NIVA’s Dayna Frank, Audrey Fix Schaefer & Tobi Parks At Pollstar Live! ‘We Don’t Take No…
For an industry desperately seeking assistance during the pandemic with restrictions on mass gatherings, the work of the National Independent Venue Association’s board members brought hope of survival and the promise…

https://news.pollstar.com/2021/06/21/nivas-dayna-frank-audrey-fix-schaefer-tobi-parks-at-pollstar-live-we-dont-take-no-well-in-this-industry/

BillboardTaylor MimsDec 1, 2021
Indie Venue Advocate Tobi Parks Wants to ‘Usher in the Next Generation’ of Live Music…
This story is part of Billboard’s 2021 Pride List, which spotlights LGBTQ professionals who are shaping the music industry.

https://www.billboard.com/culture/pride/tobi-parks-niva-2021-pride-list-interview-9581454/