AC Entertainment

AC Entertainment
Name	AC Entertainment
Type	Private
Founded	1991
Founder	Ashley Capps
Headquarters	Nashville, Tennessee
Industry	Live music promotion, festival production, event management
Notable	Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, Forecastle Festival, Big Ears Festival

AC Entertainment is a Nashville-based concert promotion and festival production company established in 1991. The company is best known for producing large-scale music festivals and managing concert promotion for venues and tours across the United States. It has played a central role in shaping contemporary music festivals and regional live-music ecosystems, collaborating with artists, promoters, venues, municipalities, and cultural institutions.

History

AC Entertainment was founded by Ashley Capps after he worked with promoters and venues including Tennessee Performing Arts Center, Ryman Auditorium, and regional promoters in the Southeast. Early activity involved promoting concerts and producing touring events that featured artists represented by agencies such as William Morris Agency and CAA. In the late 1990s and early 2000s the company expanded into festival production, collaborating with partners including Superfly to create large-scale events that drew national attention. AC Entertainment’s trajectory intersected with evolving festival models seen in events like Lollapalooza, Coachella, and SXSW, prompting innovations in site logistics, programming, and hospitality. Leadership engaged with local governments such as the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County and cultural institutions like the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to expand infrastructure for live events.

Major Festivals and Events

AC Entertainment is associated with several festivals that helped define 21st-century American festivals. The company co-founded and continues to produce events comparable to Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, which drew headline acts similar to Radiohead, Paul McCartney, and Beyoncé in various years. It launched and curated festivals such as the Forecastle Festival and the Big Ears Festival, which emphasized avant-garde programming and boutique experiences similar to those at All Tomorrow's Parties and Pitchfork Music Festival. AC Entertainment also promoted touring series and single-day events at venues including Nissan Stadium, Ascend Amphitheater, and historic theaters like the Ryman Auditorium and Marathon Music Works. The company has produced benefit concerts and multi-genre lineups featuring artists with profiles akin to Wilco, The Black Keys, Kendrick Lamar, Fleet Foxes, and Bob Dylan.

Operations and Business Model

AC Entertainment operates across promotion, festival production, venue management, and sponsorship development. The company builds partnerships with ticketing platforms like Ticketmaster, venues such as Bridgestone Arena, agencies including Paradigm Talent Agency, and sponsors from brands comparable to Red Bull and Heineken. Its model blends curated artistic programming with logistical operations—stage production, security coordination with entities like local Nashville Police Department, artist relations involving management firms (e.g., Q Prime Management-style agencies), and municipal permitting with county and city governments. Revenue streams include ticket sales, corporate sponsorship, concessions, VIP hospitality, and licensing. The company often collaborates with non-profit organizations and cultural institutions for artist residencies and educational outreach similar to partnerships seen between Lincoln Center and festivals or between National Endowment for the Arts initiatives and regional presenters.

Artists and Partnerships

AC Entertainment’s artist bookings have spanned mainstream pop, alternative rock, hip hop, folk, electronic, and experimental music. Performers at AC-produced events have included headline-caliber acts and emerging artists comparable to Arcade Fire, Erykah Badu, Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish, Bon Iver, St. Vincent, and Kamasi Washington. The company has formed strategic partnerships with festivals, promoters, and media companies such as A&M/Octone Records-type labels, regional radio broadcasters, and production firms like Live Nation Entertainment-style conglomerates for specific tours and site-specific projects. AC Entertainment has also worked with nonprofit arts organizations and academic institutions—for example collaborations resembling those between festivals and Vanderbilt University or the University of Tennessee—to expand programming and educational initiatives.

Community and Economic Impact

AC Entertainment’s events have produced measurable economic impact for host regions through tourism, hospitality, and local spending. Festivals and concerts generate hotel bookings that involve chains such as Marriott International, increased restaurant revenue benefiting local businesses, and temporary employment for production crews and vendors. The company engages with municipal tourism bodies like Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation and regional development agencies to align events with destination marketing strategies. Cultural impact includes expanded visibility for local artists, enhanced programming at venues like Ryman Auditorium, and charitable fundraising through benefit concerts for organizations such as Second Harvest Food Bank-style food security nonprofits. Site planning and environmental initiatives at festivals have mirrored sustainability efforts advocated by organizations like A Greener Festival.

Awards and Recognition

AC Entertainment and its events have received industry recognition from trade publications and festival awards comparable to honors from Pollstar, Billboard, and the International Live Music Conference. Festivals produced by the company have been cited in year-end lists by media outlets such as Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, and The New York Times for innovation in programming and experience design. Individual leaders associated with the company have been acknowledged by regional business groups and arts councils akin to the Tennessee Arts Commission and local chambers of commerce for contributions to cultural tourism.

Category:Music promoters Category:Companies based in Nashville, Tennessee