Q1 global report: Frontier leads Aussie promoters, Vance Joy makes his mark

After the buoyancy of the global concert business in 2015 – the top 100 tours grew by 11% to gross a total US$4.71 billion and ticket sales were up 16% to 59.78 million – the first three months of 2016 is proving a strong lead-in.

As with the last few years, Australian promoters, venues and acts continue to shine on the global stage.

According to US-based global live music industry trade publication Pollstar’s Q1 ticket sales report, three promoters made it into the Top 50 list.

Frontier Touring proved the most successful Australian promoter for the three-month period. It had a global ranking of #26 after shifting 165, 165 tickets. Its tours included Bryan Adams, Ellie Goulding, James Bay, The Vamps. Albert Hammond Jr, and the Good Life festival.

Adelaide-based Adrian Bohm Presents was at #35 (for 109, 311 patrons) of mostly comedy shows.

Visits by Funeral For A Friend, Tobias Jesse Jr, Rauny, Between The Buried & Me and the CMC Rocks Queensland festival helped Sydney-based Chugg Entertainment sell 72, 307 tickets and achieve a #48 spot.

Live Nation Australia’s figures are incorporated as part of its international parent, which topped the list with 3.3 million tickets. Last year the global company moved a total of 29 million.

Of Top 100 Tours, Melbourne singer songwriter Vance Joy proved what a major name he’s become in America, where this year his 28-date theatre show sold out. Playing major cities as Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Nashville and Boston, he moved 65, 415 stubs and got a global ranking of #54.

This comes in the wake of his opening for most of Taylor Swift’s 1989 world tour, which reached almost 2.3 million fans and grossed $250 million. The North American leg itself was the largest ever tour there grossing $217 million.

The exposure made Joy the darling of American alternate rock radio. He was its most played act last year. He’s had three Top 5 hits on its chart, with the Top 20 debut album Dream Your Life Away going gold for US sales of 500,000. Riptide went 3 x platinum: it only peaked at #30 on the Hot 100 but spent 43 weeks in the chart, becoming the second-longest charting single in its history. Another single Mess Is Mine went gold

AC/DC were at #30 with 120,558 (this period was when they had to go off the road due to singer Brian Johnson’s hearing issues) and The Rolling Stones topped the list with 729, 292 tickets.

Australian venues continued to stand out, with eight making the various rankings.

In the Top 100 Arena Venues category, at #23 was the Allphones Arena in Sydney with 107, 845 tickets. It was followed at #62 by Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion (49, 182), at #64 by Newcastle Entertainment Centre (49, 051), at #65 by Perth Arena (47, 821), at #72 by Brisbane Entertainment Centre (43, 588) and at #85 by Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena (33, 782). As a matter of interest, New Zealand also had an entry: #27 Vector Arena in Auckland was at #27 after drawing 33, 782 customers this year.

Melbourne’s prominent live music venue Corner Hotel drew 22, 097 to rank #34 in Top 50 Clubs.

The Palais Theatre, also in Melbourne, was #33 of Top 50 Theatre Venues with 49, 505 customers.