Australian promoters and venues have been listed as among the best in the world as part of the half year survey of the worldwide live concert industry.
US live music stats trackers Pollstar have released the results of the magazine’s mid-year poll, as The Music Network reports, revealing a number of Australian concert promoters, arenas, and a certain Byron Bay-based festival among the Top 100 results.
While Chugg Entertainment was listed as the top Aussie in last year’s results, Michael Chugg now takes the number two position behind another Michael, with Gudinski’s Frontier Touring rated as the best performing promoter at #16 in the Top 100, shifting 528,661 tickets in the first six months of 2013.
Frontier Touring’s lead was no doubt helped by this year’s visit from Bruce Springsteen, with The Boss’ Wrecking Ball World Tour extending to Australia and grossing $25 million, making it one of the year’s biggest; the two Hanging Rock concerts alone generated a quarter of the Australian tour revenue, generating $5 million from its over 34,000 ticket-holders. [Their] lead was no doubt helped by this year’s visit from Bruce Springsteen, with The Boss’ Wrecking Ball World Tour… grossing $25 million
Chugg Entertainment retains the same position he had in last year’s Top 100 promoter results, coming in at #23, moving 375,040 tickets (slightly less than the 394,202 tickets they shifted this time in 2012). At #45 was Adrian Bohm Presents, improving on last year’s rank of #61, this year selling 174,113 tickets in six months. Behind them was McManus Entertainment at #69, who managed to bring over Aerosmith for a long-awaited Australian Tour despite missing out on landing Fleetwood Mac who are coming out courtesy of Live Nation.
The global concert promoter remains the biggest in the world with the sales of the Australian and New Zealand arm of Live Nation rolled in as whole, crowning the Top 100 poll with a staggering 9.8 million worldwide sales.
The Byron Bay Bluesfest continued to prove its huge international presence, with Bluesfest promoter Peter Noble ranking in the Top 50 at #43 with 195,888 tickets sold, while the festival’s home at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm – which has hosted Bluesfest for 24 years and launches the inaugural Boomerang this October, was the only Australian entry in the Outdoor Festival Sites category, ranking at #18 with sales of 104,244.
Following October’s year-end results, many Australian venues did well in the Top 100 rankings. Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena was the highest ranking Australian stadium, ranking at #21 with 243,184 tickets sold. It was followed by Sydney’s dual venues Allphones Arena – at #35 with 177,335 tickets – and the Sydney Entertainment Centre (at #37 with 173,149 tickets). The Brisbane Entertainment Centre came in at #41 with 161,838 tickets, Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion at #90 with 77,795 tickets, and last but not least, the newly refurbished Perth Arena at E#92 with 70,082 tickets.
In the separate theatre category, Melbourne once again had the best performing venue, with the Palais coming in at #25 with 95,357 tickets and Brisbane’s Convention & Entertainment Centre came in at #62 with 52,333 sales. In the Amphitheaters category, Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl ranked in the Top 10 at #7 with 102,016 tickets, Brisbane Riverstage at #47 with 18,113 tickets, while Melbourne’s iconic Corner Hotel was the only Aussie appearance in the Club Venues listing, at #27 with 47,438 tickets sold.
