Concert promoter Larry Magid leaves Live Nation but swears he's not retiring

Veteran concert promoter Larry Magid on Tuesday parted ways with Live Nation Philadelphia, but he says he isn't retiring. The 67-year-old told us earlier that he's excited about "some other things I'm working on," though he didn't really care to elaborate. Magid, who produces national shows for Billy Crystal, Robin Williams and Stevie Wonder,  hinted that he may still be collaborating with Live Nation, with whom he says there's no bad blood, and is working on things "locally, nationally, and internationally," in the entertainment industry.

Magid left his post as chairman of Live Nation Philadelphia where Geoff Gordon remains as president, as Billboard reported. The concert mogul said he and Live Nation couldn't agree to financial terms for him to stay on board, but that's OK because "It's time to do something else. Pass along the day to day stuff to younger people who have been doing a great job with it for a while." Magid co-founded Electric Factory Concerts, along with Allen, Jerry and Herb Spivak, in the 1960s, named after their club at 22nd and Arch. In 1998 SFX bought Electric Factory Concerts, later becoming Clear Channel, which then spun off into Live Nation Entertainment, which is the largest concert promoter in the world.

Magid, who produced 1985's Live Aid and 2005's Live 8 was very actively involved in the company, a regular fixture backstage to greet artists and check on everything at many concerts.  We asked Magid whether his Live Nation contract prevents him from opening or joining a competing concert promotion company. "We haven't had a contract for some time," he said. "Fortunately, I've been able to accomplish a lot more than I thought I would be able to do," says Magid about his 40 years promoting concerts in Philadelphia. During his down time, the longtime Phillies season ticket holder looks forward to baseball.

Here's a link to the rest of our column in Thursday's Daily News.