LIVE NATION FUELS AEG SPAT IN U.K.

Live Nation has taken its complaints against AEG Live to the U.K.’s Competitions & Markets Authority as the concert turf war continues on both sides of the Atlantic. The Irving Azoff-Michael Rapino team appears to have the upper hand in this spat.

Music Week reported that a complaint has been filed, which a spokesman for AEG Live confirmed, though its contents have not been disclosed. “We will meet the Authority to discuss the matter and we believe our responses will satisfy them," the spokesman told Music Week.

The dispute is focused on whether AEG is tying bookings at London's O2 Arena to appearances at L.A.’s Staples Center. AEG Live had charged that Azoff MSG was blocking acts that played Staples instead of The Forum out of Madison Square Garden.

Rapino, in siding with Irving, has out-maneuvered AEG and top agents at WME and CAA are calling it a mismatch. Stay tuned.