Staying competitive as a live promoter and venue operator on an independent level in Canada takes a lot of hard work and ingenuity. Travis Newman, president and CEO of MODO-LIVE, has helped build a company putting on 1,200 shows a year. MODO-LIVE has acquired a roster of venues, including Vancouver’s The Pearl on Granville and Toronto’s Lee's Palace — which celebrated its 40th anniversary last year — along with its upstairs venue The Dance Cave and an equity stake in Xanadu Roller Arts in Brooklyn. Newman reports a 51% increase in net revenue from 2024 to 2025, increasing market share without sacrificing the company’s independent spirit. The increase has catapulted MODO into the next phase of growth, which includes acquiring Montreal promoters Good Shows Montreal to increase its presence in Quebec, booking the Second Summer Festival in Toronto, setting up a marketing and ticketing agreements for Misty City Festival in Niagara Falls and booking a 2026 lineup of shows that includes buzzy Quebec act Angine de Poitrine, singer-songwriter Lucy Dacus and indie rock veterans Wolf Parade. Newman leads an experienced team of talent buyers and industry veterans including Zach Herbert, Mark DiPietro, Timur Inceoglu, Josh Boser, Emily De Feo, Matt Bell, Denholm Whale and Andrea Buchkovich to book across 50+ markets — a small team operating in a big way.