MAMA Group
Encyclopedia
MAMA Group Limited is a live venue and artist management company which was founded in 2002 and is owned by the HMV Group
. It is a parent company of a range of music and marketing businesses. In the live music sector, they operate the venues including the HMV Hammersmith Apollo, HMV Forum
in Kentish Town
, HMV Institute
, Jazz Café
in Camden Town
, Relentless Garage in Islington
, HMV Picture House in Edinburgh, Heaven
in London, G-A-Y
and Barfly
chains. The artist services business is responsible for the direct management of over 40 musical artists and via MAMA’s stake in Nettwerk Music Group in North America, works with a further 60 artists from that territory. The Group has additional interests in publishing, recording, marketing, merchandising and sponsorship and is considered as one of the UK’s leading independent music businesses.
As of 2008, the group managed 30 artists within the United Kingdom.
On 30 March 2007, the company purchased the Hammersmith Apollo
. The same year, MAMA Group took a 20 percent stake in Nettwerk
, a Canada
based record label and music management firm.
On 6 March 2008, the group acquired The Gig, Edinburgh from Luminar Liquid Limited, a subsidiary of Luminar Group Holdings plc. On 17 April 2008, MAMA group acquired Angel Music Group Limited.
On 22 September 2008, MAMA group acquired Heaven (London) Limited, the company which owns the leasehold of the Heaven Nightclub.
On 15 January 2009, HMV Group
purchased a 50 percent stake in MAMA Group. The new company, Mean Fiddler Group Limited
, operated 11 venues across the United Kingdom, including the Hammersmith Apollo
, The Forum in Kentish Town, The Garage, Jazz Café, The Edinburgh Picture House, Digbeth Institute
in Birmingham, Heaven, G-A-Y Bar, G-A-Y Late, The Borderline and Aberdeen’s Moshulu.
On 23 December 2009 HMV bought the whole of the MAMA Group in live music takeover deal worth £46m.
HMV Group
HMV is a British global entertainment retail chain and is the largest of its kind in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The company also operates in Hong Kong and Singapore. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE Fledgling Index...
. It is a parent company of a range of music and marketing businesses. In the live music sector, they operate the venues including the HMV Hammersmith Apollo, HMV Forum
London Forum
The London Forum, or sometimes Kentish Town Forum is a well-known venue for concerts in Kentish Town, London, United Kingdom owned by the MAMA Group. The venue was built in 1934 and was originally used as an art deco cinema. After the closure of the cinema, The Town & Country Club was established...
in Kentish Town
Kentish Town
Kentish Town is an area of north west London, England in the London Borough of Camden.-History:The most widely accepted explanation of the name of Kentish Town is that it derived from 'Ken-ditch' meaning the 'bed of a waterway'...
, HMV Institute
Digbeth Institute
Digbeth Institute is a civic building in Digbeth, Birmingham, England.It is now operated as the hmv Institute, a 2,400 capacity music venue...
, Jazz Café
Jazz Café
The Jazz Café is a music venue in Parkway in Camden Town, London, England. It opened in 1990, in the former premises of Barclays Bank, and has been run by Mean Fiddler Music Group since 1992, now a subsidiary of the MAMA Group.-History:...
in Camden Town
Camden Town
-Economy:In recent years, entertainment-related businesses and a Holiday Inn have moved into the area. A number of retail and food chain outlets have replaced independent shops driven out by high rents and redevelopment. Restaurants have thrived, with the variety of culinary traditions found in...
, Relentless Garage in Islington
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
, HMV Picture House in Edinburgh, Heaven
Heaven (nightclub)
Heaven is a Superclub in London, England which appeals predominantly to the gay market. It is located underneath Charing Cross railway station in Central London, just off Trafalgar Square.-Early history:...
in London, G-A-Y
G-A-Y
G-A-Y is a gay nightclub in London. It operated from the London Astoria music venue for 15 years until July 2008. The Boston Globe described it as "London's largest gay-themed club night", NME reported that it "attracts 6,000 clubbers each week", and The Independent described it as "the one London...
and Barfly
Barfly (club)
Barfly is a chain of live music venues nightclubs in the UK operating as part of the MAMA Group. It has venues in Brighton, London & York. They regularly feature live music. Their club nights tend to feature rock, alternative and independent music...
chains. The artist services business is responsible for the direct management of over 40 musical artists and via MAMA’s stake in Nettwerk Music Group in North America, works with a further 60 artists from that territory. The Group has additional interests in publishing, recording, marketing, merchandising and sponsorship and is considered as one of the UK’s leading independent music businesses.
As of 2008, the group managed 30 artists within the United Kingdom.
History
On 9 March 2006, the MAMA Group subsidiary, SuperVision Management Limited, was awarded 'Manager of the Year' by Music Week. A month later, on 12 April, the company announced its acquisition of Stonesthrow Media Limited.On 30 March 2007, the company purchased the Hammersmith Apollo
Hammersmith Apollo
Hammersmith Apollo is a major entertainment venue located in Hammersmith, London. Designed by Robert Cromie in Art Deco style, it opened in 1932 as the Gaumont Palace cinema, being re-named the Hammersmith Odeon in 1962...
. The same year, MAMA Group took a 20 percent stake in Nettwerk
Nettwerk
The Nettwerk Music Group is the umbrella company for Nettwerk Management, Nettwerk Records, Nettwerk One Publishing, Nutone Records, and Artwerk. With over 150 employees, the Vancouver-based company has offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Boston, Nashville, and Hamburg...
, a Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
based record label and music management firm.
On 6 March 2008, the group acquired The Gig, Edinburgh from Luminar Liquid Limited, a subsidiary of Luminar Group Holdings plc. On 17 April 2008, MAMA group acquired Angel Music Group Limited.
On 22 September 2008, MAMA group acquired Heaven (London) Limited, the company which owns the leasehold of the Heaven Nightclub.
On 15 January 2009, HMV Group
HMV Group
HMV is a British global entertainment retail chain and is the largest of its kind in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The company also operates in Hong Kong and Singapore. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE Fledgling Index...
purchased a 50 percent stake in MAMA Group. The new company, Mean Fiddler Group Limited
Mean Fiddler Music Group
Festival Republic is a UK music promoter. Among its interests, it runs the Reading and Leeds festivals and is contracted to manage the Glastonbury Festival.-History:...
, operated 11 venues across the United Kingdom, including the Hammersmith Apollo
Hammersmith Apollo
Hammersmith Apollo is a major entertainment venue located in Hammersmith, London. Designed by Robert Cromie in Art Deco style, it opened in 1932 as the Gaumont Palace cinema, being re-named the Hammersmith Odeon in 1962...
, The Forum in Kentish Town, The Garage, Jazz Café, The Edinburgh Picture House, Digbeth Institute
Digbeth Institute
Digbeth Institute is a civic building in Digbeth, Birmingham, England.It is now operated as the hmv Institute, a 2,400 capacity music venue...
in Birmingham, Heaven, G-A-Y Bar, G-A-Y Late, The Borderline and Aberdeen’s Moshulu.
On 23 December 2009 HMV bought the whole of the MAMA Group in live music takeover deal worth £46m.