Music industry heavyweights star at Pollstar Live!
Nearly 2,000 music industry professionals descended upon Los Angeles for the 2023 edition of Pollstar Live!
The three-day conference, which climaxes today at the Beverly Hilton, was hailed as the biggest in the event’s history by Tim Leiweke, president and CEO of Pollstar‘s parent company Oak View Group (OVG).
In his opening address, Leiweke spoke of his pride at OVG’s multi-billion dollar investment in new venues, and noted it is opening its seventh building in the middle of a pandemic.
“Music is the future of our company, music is the future of this industry,” he said.
Ahead of the gathering’s standout Ticketing Real Talk panel, Leiweke also alluded to the US Senate’s investigation into the market, sparked by the controversy around the onsale for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.
“I think it is amazing to me that the politicians can take an issue like this and jump on it with such a lack of understanding about our business,” he said. “What they truly don’t get is that if you look at what the major issue we’re facing today with these big tours is demand, which is a wonderful thing that this many people want to go to your concerts, want to go to your venues, want to come join our industry to be a part of it.”
“The biggest issue now is that demand exceeds supply for many artists”
The subsequent panel was moderated by another business titan, Irving Azoff, and featured Madison Square Garden’s James Dolan, former attorney general for the US DoJ’s antitrust division Makan Delrahim, and best-selling artist Garth Brooks.
“The biggest issue now is that demand exceeds supply for many artists,” said Azoff. “Simple economics. More people want to see Taylor Swift, Beyonce and Adele, than there are tickets for sale. Unfortunately, that means they satisfy every fan that wants to see them.
“For instance, when Adele played Madison Square Garden, four million Adele fans logged on to buy 100,000 or so tickets. With some pretty simple math there, you arrive at over three million disappointed people. There’s not a congressional hearing in the world that fixes that reality. Demand exceeds supply. There is nothing that Ticketmaster, the building or the promoter can do to fix that.”
Meanwhile, winners at last night’s Pollstar Awards included Harry Styles (Major Tour of the Year), Austin City Limits (Festival of the Year: over 30k), Glastonbury (International Music Festival of the Year), Bridgestone Arena, Nashville (Arena of the Year), The O2, London (International Venue of the Year) and Josephine Vaccarello, Madison Square Garden (Venue Executive of the Year).
The victors also included Amy Corbin, C3 Presents (Talent Buyer of the Year), Louis Messina, Messina Touring Group (Bill Graham Award — Promoter of the Year), Arthur Fogel, Live Nation (International Promoter of the Year), Adam Kornfeld, Artist Group International (Bobby Brooks Award — Agent of the Year), Emma Banks, CAA (International Booking Agent of the Year) and CAA (Booking Agency of the Year).
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Steve Strange wins posthumous honour at Pollstar Awards
The late Steve Strange was honoured at last night’s annual Pollstar Awards, held at the Beverly Hilton’s International Ballroom in Los Angeles.
The legendary booking agent and X-ray Touring co-founder, who passed away in September 2021, posthumously won International Booking Agent of the Year.
In what Pollstar dubbed the most emotional moment of the night, manager Andy Gould paid tribute to the late agent, bringing a cardboard cutout of Strange onstage with him.
“This guy wasn’t just my friend, he was all of our friends; he wasn’t my agent, he was kind of all of our agent,” Gould said. “I miss him so fucking much, I really do. And I think I speak for everyone in the room: We need more Steve Stranges.”
A number of other international execs and venues also scooped awards at the 33rd annual ceremony, including Barrie Marshall (Marshall Arts) who took home International Promoter of the Year – not for the first time.
“I think I speak for everyone in the room: We need more Steve Stranges”
London’s Royal Albert Hall, which celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2021, was honoured not once but twice with the Milestone Award and International Venue of the Year.
Elsewhere, Harry Styles was presented with the Major Tour of the Year award for his ‘Love on Tour’ arena run. Styles’ manager Jeffrey Azoff of Full Stop Management also received recognition in the Personal Manager of the Year category.
Other award-winning executives include Amy Corbin of C3 Presents (Talent Buyer of the Year), Bob Roux of Live Nation (Bill Graham Award/Promoter of the Year) and Dave Rowan of High Road Touring (Bobby Brooks Award/Agent of the Year).
CAA, meanwhile, won Booking Agency of the Year.
A full list of Pollstar Awards 2022 winners is below:
Major Tour of the Year: Harry Styles, Love on Tour
Best Rock Tour: Foo Fighters
Best Hip-Hop Tour: J. Cole, The Off-Season Tour
Best R&B Tour: Earth, Wind & Fire, Miraculous Supernatural Tour
Best Pop Tour: Maroon 5
Best Country Tour: Chris Stapleton, Chris Stapleton’s All-American Road Show Tour
Best Latin Tour: Enrique Iglesias / Ricky Martin, Live in Concert
Comedy Tour of the Year: Sebastian Maniscalco, Nobody Does This Tour
Best Support/Special Guest Act and Tour: Garbage (Alanis Morissette)
Best Residency: Lady Gaga, Jazz & Piano, The Las Vegas Residency, Park Theatre, Las Vegas
Best Family, Event or Non-Music Tour of the Year: Disney on Ice
Best New Headliner/Artist Development Story: Billy Strings
Music Festival of The Year (Global; over 30K attendance): Austin City Limits Music Festival, Austin, Texas
Music Festival of The Year (Global; under 30K attendance): Ohana Festival, Dana Point, Calif.
Nightclub of the Year: Troubadour, West Hollywood, Calif.
Theatre of the Year: Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, Tenn.
Arena of the Year: The Forum, Inglewood, Calif.
Red Rocks Award – Outdoor Concert Venue of the Year: Ascend Amphitheater, Nashville, Tenn.
Best New Concert Venue – Small Venue: Brooklyn Bowl, Nashville, Tenn.
Best New Concert Venue – Arena: Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, Wa.
Best New Concert Venue – Outdoors: Sofi Stadium, Los Angeles, Calif.
International Venue of the Year: Royal Albert Hall, United Kingdom
Venue Executive of the Year: David Kells, Bridgestone Arena
Talent Buyer of the Year: Amy Corbin, C3 Presents
Small Venue Talent Buyer of the Year (Under 10,000 Capacity): Donna Busch, Goldenvoice
Bill Graham Award/Promoter of the Year: Bob Roux, Live Nation
International Promoter of the Year: Barrie Marshall, Marshall Arts
Bobby Brooks Award – Agent of the Year: Dave Rowan, High Road Touring
International Booking Agent of the Year: Steve Strange, X-ray Touring
Booking Agency of the Year: CAA
Independent Booking Agency of the Year (Global): High Road Touring
Rising Star Award: Molly Warren, Live Nation
Personal Manager of the Year: Jeffrey Azoff, Full Stop Management
Road Warrior of the Year: Ken Helie (Dead & Company)
Transportation Company of the Year: Rock-it Cargo
Best Concert Visuals: Bandit Lites
Best Concert Sound: Clair Global
Marketing/PR Executive of the Year: Allison McGregor, CAA
Best Brand Partnership/Live Campaign: Amazon/Climate Pledge Arena Naming Rights
Best Hang: Austin City Limits Music Festival, Austin, Texas
Best Person to Score a Dinner With: Irving Azoff, The Azoff Company (TIE), Michael Rapino, Live Nation (TIE)
Life of the Party: Ron Delsener, Live Nation
Damn The Torpedoes: 2021 Touring Artist, Dave Chappelle
Milestone Award: Royal Albert Hall, United Kingdom
Music Unites Award: D-Nice
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International live biz recognised in Pollstar Awards 2018
Some of the biggest names in live music were honoured at last night’s Pollstar Awards in Los Angeles, bringing the curtain down on the 2018 edition of the annual Pollstar Live! conference.
The awards, hosted by America’s Got Talent-winning illusionist Mat Franco, wrapped up the three-day event, whose highlights included appearances by Garth Brooks, Jon Bon Jovi and Mark Cuban along with a host of high-profile industry figures.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were presented with the major tour of the year award, with manager Tony Dimitriades picking up the gong alongside the late Petty’s band members. Petty also won rock tour of the year, while Dimitriades was named personal manager of the year.
Elsewhere, Gregg Perloff of California’s Another Planet Entertainment won the Bill Graham award for promoter of the year, with Paradigm scooping the prize for booking agency of the year. CAA’s Emma Banks was named best UK booking agent, while The O2 took home the award for international venue of the year.
Goldenvoice’s Stacy Vee, who won talent buyer of the year, thanked thank AEG, Goldenvoice, their partners at WME, CAA’s Rod Essig, the whole team at Paradigm, agent Marsha Vlasic and her husband Brian, all of whom she said “have been my champions, and especially Paul Tollett for the opportunity and kindness shown to me for a lot of years.”
Cara Lewis, meanwhile, became the first woman to win agent of the year.
A full list of Pollstar Awards 2018 winners is below:
Major Tour of the Year: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Comedy Tour of the Year: Dave Chappelle
Country Tour of the Year: Chris Stapleton
Rock Tour of the Year: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Urban / R&B Tour of the Year: Bruno Mars
Latin Tour of the Year: Enrique Iglesias
Pop Tour of the Year: Bruno Mars
Best New Headliner: Portugal. The Man
Music Festival of the Year: Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival | Indio, CA
International Music Festival of the Year: Glastonbury Festival | Pilton, UK
Nightclub of the Year: 9:30 Club | Washington, DC
Theatre of the Year: Ryman Auditorium | Nashville, TN
Arena of the Year: Bridgestone Arena | Nashville, TN
Red Rocks Award / Best Small Outdoor Venue: Greek Theatre | Los Angeles, CA
Best Major Outdoor Concert Venue: Hollywood Bowl | Los Angeles, CA
Best New Concert Venue: Brooklyn Steel | Brooklyn, NY
International Venue of the Year: The O2 | London, UK
Venue Executive of the Year: David Kells | Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
Nightclub Talent Buyer of the Year: Melanie Cantwell | 9:30 Club, The Anthem, Lincoln Theatre, Washington, DC
Talent Buyer of the Year: Stacy Vee | Goldenvoice
Bill Graham Award / Promoter of the Year: Gregg Perloff | Another Planet Entertainment
International Promoter of the Year: Barrie Marshall | Marshall Arts
Bobby Brooks Award / Agent of the Year: Cara Lewis | CLG – Cara Lewis Group
Third Coast Booking Agent of the Year: Joe Atamian | Paradigm Talent Agency
UK Booking Agent of the Year: Emma Banks | Creative Artists Agency UK
Independent Booking Agency of the Year: High Road Touring
Booking Agency of the Year: Paradigm Talent Agency
Rising Star: Lenore Kinder, AEG Presents
Personal Manager of the Year: Tony Dimitriades | Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
Road Warrior of the Year: Dale “Opie” Skjerseth | The Rolling Stones, Guns N’ Roses
Lighting Company of the Year: Upstaging
Sound Company of the Year: Clair Global
Staging / Equipment: Company of the Year: Stageco
Transportation Company of the Year: Rock-It Cargo
Video Company of the Year: Moo TV
Tech Enhancement of the Year: 3D Live, Flying Lotus
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Dio hologram gearing up for world tour
Eyellusion’s hologram of the late Ronnie James Dio – last seen at Wacken Open Air in August – made his US debut on Friday, at the Pollstar Awards in Los Angeles, ahead of a world tour planned for later this year.
As at W:O:A, ‘Ronnie’ was backed by his former band, now known as Dio’s Disciples, and performed ‘We Rock’, from 1984’s The Last in Line.
“We were thrilled to give this audience just a taste of the experience that we will start to tour globally later this year,” says Jeff Pezzuti, CEO of Eyellusion, an LA-based developer of holograms for the live music business. “This ‘We Rock’ performance is now being retired and production is underway on a full show.
“We are pulling out all the stops to create a live experience that is unlike anything Ronnie’s fans have seen before.”
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