23 April 2026

Tommy Dorfman: One Promoter vs The Monopoly | Live Nation, Ticketmaster, Power & Price of Music | Up+Adam

Up + Adam with Adam Montiel

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Tommy Dorfman’s story hits differently when you place it next to what’s happening right now in live music.

In this episode of Up+Adam, Adam sits down with promoter and entrepreneur Tommy Dorfman, who went from building a nightlife empire to taking on Live Nation Entertainment and Ticketmaster in a legal fight that’s stretched over a decade. What started as a collapsed festival deal turned into something much bigger. Dorfman claims he was pushed out of the industry and has spent years trying to bring what he believes is a broken system into the light.

This conversation lands at a moment when Live Nation and Ticketmaster are facing intense national scrutiny. Recent reporting and legal action have raised major questions about monopoly power, ticket pricing, and control of the live entertainment pipeline. From federal and state challenges to public debate around whether meaningful change is actually coming, the conversation is no longer theoretical. It is happening now.

• Rolling Stone perspective on the Live Nation verdict and what it means for fans and the industry

Read here

• Good News Network coverage of the antitrust ruling calling Live Nation and Ticketmaster an exploitative monopoly

Read here

• The New Yorker on whether the Ticketmaster monopoly verdict is real change or a mirage

Read here

Whether you follow the business of music or just wonder why concert tickets feel out of reach, this episode connects one man’s story to a much larger question about power, access, and the future of live events.

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