Live Nation Acquires Bec Sutherland’s Jubilee Street Management (EXCLUSIVE)

Live Nation is diving into funny business through the acquisition of Jubilee Street Management, Bec Sutherland’s prominent comedy artist management company.

Through the new deal, which TMN can exclusively confirm, LN and Jubilee Street will serve as co-promoters on a pool of comedy talent from both sides of the Tasman.

Established by Sutherland in 2018, Jubilee Street now manages 11 artists from Australia and New Zealand including Julia Morris, Urzila Carlson, Nazeem Hussain, Kate Langbroek, Melanie Bracewell and Becky Lucas.

The strategic acquisition further strengthens LN activities in comedy, and its alliance with Sutherland, who has served as a leader of the live entertainment giant’s comedy touring activities across Asia Pacific.

In that time, Sutherland has played a “significant role” in building the comedic market here by touring some of the biggest names in the game, reads a LN statement, from Kevin Hart to Dave Chappelle, Joe Rogan, Chelsea Handler, Rob Brydon, Nick Kroll, Nick Offerman and Russell Howard, and by promoting Tim Minchin’s BACK, winner of the 2019 Helpmann Award for best Australian contemporary concert.

“We are extremely proud to be taking our long-standing relationship with Jubilee Street to the next level. This deal gives us the opportunity to continue working alongside Bec Sutherland, who was a valued member of the Live Nation team for a long time, and one of the country’s best comedy talent managers and comedy promoters,” comments Roger Field, president of Live Nation Asia Pacific.

Bec Sutherland

“Together, we are dedicated to nurturing and showcasing the best of Australian and New Zealand comedy,” Field adds, “while strengthening our position as a world-class comedy destination”.

Financial details weren’t disclosed for the new agreement, which sees Sutherland step down as vice president of comedy at Live Nation APAC, to focus on leading Jubilee Street and its roster as managing director.

Sutherland will continue to promote those clients through LN, providing them with access to touring resources and industry know-how, according to the company, while Andy Curtain, Live Nation Asia Pacific’s head of comedy, continues to manage operations and lead on all other comedy acts across the region.

The business of comedy is no laughing matter.

Carlson, the South Africa-born, New Zealand-based comic, won the People’s Choice Award at the 2022 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, for most tickets sold at the festival and 30,000 people attending her show.

According to LN, 30,000 people attended her stand-up show.

Brit Russell Howard produced comedy gold in 2021 when he became the first international artist to tour both Australia and New Zealand during the pandemic, completing his 35-date Respite jaunt.

Comedians and satirists have impacted U.S. charts and hit the funny bone at Grammys since at least the 1950s, Billboard noted in its 2014 comedy issue.