An Aussie festival, three promoters & one band up for Pollstar awards
Bluesfest Byron Bay, promoters Michael Gudinski and Michael Chugg artist, manager Roger Davies, and Five Seconds of Summer are nominated for Pollstar Awards.
Organised by the US-based global live sector publication, they are held at the close of the Pollstar Live! conference, which runs February 4-6 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.
Over 2,500 agents, promoters, managers, venues, production companies and others voted.
Bluesfest was up for Best International Music Festival for the ninth time since 2007.
This year’s event over the Easter long weekend posted a 125,000+ aggregated attendance, marking a rise of 13,000 from the previous year.
Its economic impact showed an 18.7% increase, to over $35.5 million to Byron Shire, $59.1 to the Northern Rivers and a total of over $83.4 million to NSW in 2019.
Bluesfest is nominated in the category with UK’s Glastonbury, Isle of Wight and British Summer Time Hyde Park along with Primavera Sound Spain and Rock in Rio, Brazil.
Festival director Peter Noble OAM said, “To be included in a shortlist of the world’s greatest music festivals alongside so many incredible events is such an honour.
“Congratulations to everyone involved.
“The Bluesfest team, all the festival contractors and the artists are who make it all happen but a special thank you to each and every person who attended our 30th birthday celebration.
“We have every intention of presenting our best-ever festival in 2020 and to hopefully be nominated for the 10th time in 2020!”
Gudinski of Mushroom Group and Chugg of Chugg Entertainment – who this year became partners again – have constantly been performing in the world’s top league.
Gudinski’s Frontier Touring was the third-biggest grossing tour company in the world in 2018.
Live Nation topped that list with US$3.7 billion in sales, AEG was second with $1.5 billion while Frontier totalled over $245 million.
The two Australians are against heavyweights Barrie Marshall, Marshall Arts, Denis Desmond, Live Nation / Gaiety Investments (MCD Productions), Simon Jones (AEG Presents) and Simon Moran, SJM Concerts).
Roger Davies, nominated for Personal Manager, is best known today for his work with P!NK, who is obviously one of the biggest recording and touring acts in the world today.
The US singer’s Beautiful Trauma World Tour is also in the Best Pop Tour category.
It sold 3 million tickets and grossed $397.3 million, and is now the 10th biggest tour of all time.
The Australia/New Zealand leg shifted 559,361 ticket stubs over 42 shows and grossed US $80.4 million (A$109.8 million).
P!NK is now the second-highest-grossing artist of all time in Australia and New Zealand.
Since 2004, she has done 180+ shows in the two countries.
Davies is competing against Coran Capshaw (Red Light Management). Jason Owen, (Sandbox Entertainment), Jeffrey Azofff (Full Stop Management), John Silva (SAM) and Stuart Camp (Grumpy Old Management).
The P!NK tour is vying against those by Ariana Grande, Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Jonas Brothers, Lizzo and Shawn Mendes.
In Best Support/Special Guest Act are Sydney’s 5 Seconds of Summer for their performance on The Chainsmokers’ World War Joy Tour.
Contending in this category are Alessia Cara for Shawn Mendes; Barenaked Ladies for Hootie & The Blowfish; Dan & Shay for Florida Georgia Line; Joan Jett for Heartl Modest Mouse for The Black Keys; and Nile Rogers feat. Chic for Cher.
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