Secret Sounds Group, in partnership with Live Nation, announced the acquisition of Kicks Entertainment and its multi-city, flagship event Spilt Milk on July 20, 2022.

With a 15-year history of successful events, Kicks Entertainment co-owners Ryan Sabet and Jeff Drake’s flagship festival Spilt Milk has sold out within minutes every year since its 2016 debut and has since expanded to three locations (Canberra, Ballarat and Gold Coast), becoming one of the most popular and attended festivals on the national calendar and cementing them as leaders in the live music industry.

Jeff and Ryan successfully placed Kicks in a strong position ahead of the 2022 summer with two sold-out festival tours – Spilt Milk and their Fisher Beach Party Tour – with more festival properties currently in development.

“As festival and music fans ourselves, it’s exciting for us to have new partners that share our vision for event experiences that are fan-focused,” said Jeff Drake and Ryan Sabet. “This partnership will evolve our conversations with artists and provide opportunities to activate venues and festivals that can house them. It will strengthen our ability to produce festival tours that deliver on our vision of ensuring quality over quantity.”

“Partnering with Secret Sounds and Live Nation is a natural step towards securing the future of new events and cementing those currently in the roster. The majority stake acquisition is also a boost for our loyal, local team. It brings new opportunities to enhance the already exceptional Kicks offerings and provides resources at an important time when fan experience is paramount.”

Secret Sounds is getting back to live events with great vigour – a 50,000 capacity sold out Splendour in the Grass, the biggest Falls line-up ever featuring Lil Nas X and Arctic Monkeys, a multitude of sold-out tours including Gorillaz, The Strokes and Jack Harlow and now seizing this opportunity to expand the business even further.

“We’ve admired Jeff and Ryan’s work for a long time, they are brilliant entrepreneurs and the next generation of Australian promoters,” said Secret Sounds Co-CEOs Jessica Ducrou and Paul Piticco. “We’ve been super impressed with the way they deliver their events and the consistent growth they’ve achieved with Spilt Milk, including the addition of a Gold Coast show which promptly sold out within days. We are very excited about this partnership and we’re looking forward to combining all of our skillsets and knowledge to support Spilt Milk’s further growth in the future.”

“This partnership holds great potential and opportunity for artists, contractors and broadens the Australian music industry as we grow and expand and that’s great for our audiences too,” Jessica and Paul said.