Aussie acts, promoters, venues, rate as global mid-year ticket sales set records
The global touring scene has turned in record ticket sales in the first half of 2016 – and Australian acts, promoters and venues continue to figure strongly despite new competition from emerging music markets.
US-based global live music trade magazine Pollstar’s 2016 Mid Year Report showed that the Top 50 Worldwide Tours “posted spectacular numbers with a combined total gross of US$1.98 billion (A$2.6 billion). That is a record number and represents a 14.4% increase over last year.
The Top 50 sold a combined 22.6 million tickets – which marked yet another new record with a 13.5% rise or 2.7 million increase from the same period a year ago – as more acts found new markets to break into and ticket prices dropped.
The North American concert business, lead by impressive figures from Bruce Springsteen and Beyonce, “is off to a record start in what is shaping up to be another great year for the industry,” Pollstar reported. The Top 100 tours hit a record $1.48 billion ($1.95 billion) in combined grosses. That is up $45 million ($59.3 million) or 3.1% over last year’s record pace.
One million tickets were sold between January to June 2016 than at the same point last year.
The only softness in the market was with outdoor festivals. They still are an important part of the mix, but with a rising amount of events and with not enough headline acts to go around, some had to cancel or postpone.
Five Australian acts made the Top 100 Worldwide Tours, which was topped by Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band moving 1.5 million tickets, followed by Disney On Ice with 1.1 million.
The Sydney-based Christian group Hillsong United, which has a huge fanbase particularly in the United States, ranked #59 with 171,521 tickets. Another offshoot, Hillsong Worship/Karl Jobe, was at #98 with 111,000 tickets moved.
Five Seconds of Summer were at #71 with 148,382, AC/DC at #74 with 147,268 (impressive as the band was forced off the road for much of the period after singer Brian Johnson’s hearing issues), and Keith Urban at #85 with 128,396 units from just the start of a world tour.
Six Australian promoters also made the final cut, in a list topped by Live Nation whose various shows drew a remarkable 14.9 million customers – up from 10 million last year.
Frontier Touring was at #48 with 191,204 transactions. Bluesfest Touring’s various tours reached 165,392 sales, putting it at #58 in the world.
Chugg Entertainment was at #65 (129,588), Adrian Bohm Presents at #70 (119,256), Dainty Group at #92 (81,925) and TEG Live at #96 (79,140).
The sales for Live Nation Australasia were reported within that of its parent company, and are not available.
A remarkable 10 Australian venues held their own as international competition rose.
Of the Top 100 Arenas, Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena (formerly Allphones) was highest place of the locals, ranking at #35 after shifting 194,787 tickets.
The others were Perth Arena at #43 (168,061), Brisbane Entertainment Centre at #72 (111,149) and Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion at #90 (83,977).
Incidentally, across the Tasman, Auckland’s Vector Arena was at #67 with 117,537 customer transactions.
Under its outgoing operator, Melbourne’s Palais Theatre was the sole appearance in the Top 100 Theatres, ranked #36 with 98,903 sales. Next year, Live Nation Australasia takes over its operations.
Two Melbourne venues ranked in the Top 100 Clubs – the Corner Hotel in Richmond at #42 (47,208) and the Northcote Social Club at #98 (18,222).
The Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm outside Byron Bay, home of the Bluesfest and Boomerang festivals, again figured significantly. It was the 14th most successful Outdoor/ Festival sites with 100,222 tickets in total.