Trust me, anything to do with the entertainment industry, from concerts to films to record companies to TV shows, Broadway... It's all about how much they can skin off the cat before he croaks.
I've spent quite a bit of time with film, theatre, TV, etc. It's all about everyone getting their cut, and not having to pay for anything. I've seen a film company roll up millions in debts from local companies, and literally, the day AFTER the film wraps, the company disbands and leaves creditors holding the bag.
See, concert promoters are like film producers. You want to put on a series of shows? Fine. You incorporate a production company solely for that tour. It exists to take in money, pay the act and staff, and nothing more. Everyone who works for the company is treated as a self-employed sub-contractor and gets a 1099 instead of a W-2. That way no SS or taxes of any kind are withheld or paid. Everything from office furniture to computers to vehicles is purchased outright. Contracts are let for transportation, catering, security, etc. The day the show wraps, all the locks are changed. the very next day, everything tangible is sold on the steps of the office or warehouse for whatever price they can get, usually cash only. Anything left is abandoned and the company ceases to be.
This way, there's no one to sue in case of any liability issue. All the investors have no one to go after when they get left holding the bag. The corporation produced the concert tour, or the film, or whatever, so in almost all cases, the folks running things are off the hook.
Anyway, the standard primer on the issue is the old Zero Mostel fil, "The Producers". It's a great comedy, but it's also right on the mark as to how things work in that industry.
respects,