Live Nation now has a WA presence following Mellen Events acquisition

Live Nation is growing its business in these parts with the acquisition of leading Perth-based touring company Mellen Events.

Through the partnership, announced Friday (July 16), LN will get a foothold in the Western Australia capital, an operating office which should serve as a gateway into Asia, where the global concerts giant already has affiliates in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.

Described as a strategic acquisition, the arrangement will also give LN access to greenfield sites, by way of a joint operation of Kings Park in Perth and Nikola Estate in the Swan Valley.

It’s pitched as a win-win, with Mellen Events leveraging Live Nation’s global infrastructure and resources.

“Mellen Events have built up a really successful business and reputation for reinventing spaces in Perth and WA as world-class venue sites, attracting top talent,” comments Live Nation Asia Pacific President, Roger Field.

Roger Field

By welcoming Brad Mellen, founder and CEO Mellen Events, and his team into the fold, “we will provide them with the resources to expand their local business, giving us the ability to produce shows with even greater local knowledge and together we’ll work on a shared commitment to bring a greater volume and variety of shows to Western Australia.”

Financial terms were not disclosed.

The pan-Australasian potential of the deal is very much part of Field’s remit. The local company’s leader was promoted last year to oversee all of LN’s activities across the Asia Pacific region, reporting to Live Nation Asia Pacific Chairman, Alan Ridgeway.

“The cohesion of a true Asian Pacific organisation presents significant opportunities for growth, not only for our business but for the professional development of our people and relationships,” he said in a statement at the time.

Mellen Events opened for business back in 1996 and has hosted scores of festivals, events and concerts, including Summadayze, A Day on the Green, and Future Music Festival.

Over the decades, Mellen has staged concerts from the likes of Sting, Paul Simon, Lorde, The Chemical Brothers, and the late Avicii.

The Mellen team includes Finance Manager Mark Enright, Artist Liaison Tess Johnston, Marketing Manager Charis Ogrodzinski, and Marketing Assistant Ellie Mellen.

“By joining forces with the global leaders in entertainment, Live Nation, we can ensure our long-term vision for live events and continue to grow our business here in WA and nationally,” comments Mellen.

This partnership “will allow us to attract the very best acts and continue to deliver a unique experience for West Australian music fans.”

This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.