Record number of Aussie promoters in Pollstar mid-year report

Australia’s international touring sector has increased its prestige even further when no less than 10 promoters listed in the Pollstar Top 100 mid-year report.

In a list which saw 41 promoters from outside the US, Australia had an impressive strike rate, outnumbering major live markets including Germany which had six promoters listed.

Pollstar is a US-based global live music publication and tracks the performance of the concert business in all major markets.

Live Nation Australasia’s exact ranking was not known: its local figures are rolled into that of its parent company Live Nation, which was at #1 on the report, and crossed the billion-dollar mark with $1,186,179,283 (USD) in gross ticket sales.

Frontier Touring was the highest rating Australian promoter (#11), with 727,625 tickets reported and a total gross income of nearly $61.5 million.

Frontier Touring’s Michael Gudinski previously told TMN, “Australia’s distance from other markets and size of the country can sometimes work against us.

“But it also works as a positive, when bands come all the way here, they are committed to playing the market.

“Bruce Springsteen, Ed Sheeran, Foo Fighters, they work every city, they’re committed to this market.”

The other local promoters included TEG Dainty (#17), Adrian Bohm Presents (#36), Chugg Entertainment (#37), Bluesfest Touring (#59), TEG Live (#65), Roundhouse Entertainment (#73), Secret Sounds (#79), St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival (#84) and TEG Life Like Touring (#96)

The three TEG companies listed share the name but operate as separate companies.

The 2019 mid-year report could see a major change for Australia this time next year.

In a move to counteract Live Nation’s influence in this market, Frontier Touring struck a partnership with AEG (#2) and Chugg Entertainment.