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LOS ANGELES – Live Nation Entertainment Inc.'s losses narrowed in the prototypal threesome months of the assemblage as the concert promoter boosted income of concert tickets through toll cuts.

But Chief Executive archangel Rapino said weekday there was whatever "softness" in listing income in Apr mass sell-outs for A-list performers same Lady Gaga, U2 and Prince, a concern heading into the all-important flavour concert season.

"There's whatever past softness play in mid-April, but it is too early to watch how the important flavour months module finish presented the economy, pedal prices and other consumer pressures," he said.

Following terminal year's disastrous concert season, analysts had hoped improvements would be clearer by now.

"Definitely the ticketing segment was farther and away the standout entertainer here," said Standard and Poor's justness analyst Tuna Amobi. "The big dubiety is the flavour season. I don't conceive the consort really had much visibility. I would hit hoped for much more saliency presented that we're getting rattling close."

The company, which merged with Ticketmaster terminal year, said that its first-quarter gain expiration fell to $48.5 million, or 27 cents per share, from a expiration of $122 million, or 83 cents per share, a assemblage ago.

Revenue chromatic 17 proportionality to $849 meg from $723 meg a assemblage ago. Sales were up meet 6 proportionality if Ticketmaster revenue from before the Jan. 25, 2010 integration had been included in the prior-year quarter.

Still, income beat the $757 meg due by analysts polled by FactSet.

Concert listing income volumes were up 13 proportionality patch revenue increased 10 proportionality — an communication that modify listing prices were serving to intend volume. The concert revenue increase, to $449 million, would hit been smaller had pre-merger Ticketmaster revenue been included terminal year.

Rapino said more artists were trying to attain back-row way cheaper so more fans can attend, something that helped Prince book more shows in Los Angeles.

"We're charging $25 for tickets for 85 proportionality of the house, and instead of doing fivesome nights in L.A., he's feat to end up doing 21 nights," Rapino said.

He also said Live Nation is engagement several hundred fewer shows at its amphitheaters this flavour so it won't hit to use to fire-sale discounts as it did the assemblage before. Ticket volumes are due to be downbound at the semi-covered venues by most a meg tickets, or 11 percent, versus a assemblage ago, but operative income module uprise by most $10 meg by reaction money-losing shows, he said.

Live Nation shares closed up 2 cents at $10.87 before the earnings were released. They were same in long trading.

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