Rob Hallett

Hallett was introduced to the live music industry as a teenager promoting gigs in a local pub in Brighton[8] After meeting Malcolm McLaren, then manager of the Sex Pistols, in London, Hallett went on to arrange shows for the punk rock band.[8] Reggae also played a vital role in Hallett's early career.[9] He later worked with The Clash's singer Joe Strummer, Tappa Zukie, and UB40.[8] Hallett went on to own the UK reggae label Manic Records in the late 1970s[10] and set up Equinox Phonographic Recordings in the 80s in partnership with Andy Taylor from Duran Duran.[11]

In the 1980s, Hallett worked at Derek Block Agency whose clients included Duran Duran, Adam Ant, Talk Talk and Dexys Midnight Runners.[12] Hallett arranged Duran Duran's first ever gig at The Marquee Club in London[13] when they were still an unsigned band, a moment he counts as his first big career break.[14] He was lauded by The Times as the music mogul who discovered Duran Duran[15] and in 1983, at the age of 22, he toured with them in Japan.[12][16][17]

Hallett spent 10 years at Marshall Arts where he made the transition from being an artist agent to a concert promoter.[12] Hallett went on to be a director of Mean Fiddler Music Group from 1999 to 2004,[18][19] where he established the company's touring division.[20][21]

In February 2005, Hallett founded the AEG Live office in the UK.[14][19][1]

In 2007, Hallett brought Prince's shows to London's O2 Arena[22][23] In 2009, he was working with Michael Jackson, shortly before Jackson's unexpected death, to organise his final performances in London.[24][25][26]

Hallett worked with Leonard Cohen to arrange his world tour from 2008 to 2010.[2][27][28] In 2009 Hallett agreed with Cohen to donate AEG Live's proceeds from Cohen's show at the Ramat Gan Stadium, Israel, to Israeli and Palestinian organizations that were working towards reconciliation.[29]

Whilst at AEG, Hallet's portfolio also included tours by Jennifer Lopez, Justin Bieber, Usher, and Black Eyed Peas; the Barclaycard presents British Summer Time concert series at Hyde Park;[30] and the Capital Radio SummerTime Ball.[1] In 2012 Hallett and AEG Live produced tours with Bon Jovi, Justin Bieber, Leonard Cohen, Rod Stewart, The Who, and The Rolling Stones.[1][31][32][33]

Hallett was involved in transitioning the Millennium Dome in southeast London into O2 Arena,[34][35] To mark Jamaica's 50th year of independence in 2012, Hallett arranged Respect Jamaica 50 at the O2.[36][37][38][39][40][41]

In 2014 Hallett left AEG Live after a decade to launch the London-based music firm Robomagic.[42][43][44][45] The name Robomagic was decided upon in homage to the 1973 Kurt Vonnegut novel "Breakfast of Champions" which features a company called The Robo-Magic Corporation of America.[46] Hallett's first arena tour with Robomagic was with Duran Duran, as well as promoting the will.i.am Landmarks Live in Concert Tour, which included a show in the Royal Albert Hall.[46][47]

In 2015 Hallett's Robomoagic worked with Nile Rodgers to promote FOLD Festival in Riverhead New York and London.[48] In 2016 Hallett was part of the team that brought the New Orleans-based Essence Festival to South Africa for its inaugural edition.[46][49] Robomagic has also ventured into music production, with their offshoot label Robotune releasing the debut EP of urban punk duo Nova Twins in 2016.[50]

In 2018 Robomagic joined Live Nation.[19] From 2017 to 2019 Hallett was promoting Bon Jovi's European tour.[51] In 2020 after three years at Live Nation, Hallett and Live Nation announced that his company Robomagic would be leaving Live Nation.[52][53][54]