Aussie Live Sector Continued To Be Global Player In Q3

“What a friggin’ year for live, the likes of which we’ve never seen before!”

This was how US-based global live entertainment trade publication Pollstar began its report on grosses and ticket sales in Q3. It marked continued growth throughout 2023.

Around the world, the live sector ker-chinged 46.4 million tickets, compared to the 37.4 million in the same period last year.

Diving into the figures, Australian promoters and venues swung well above their weight globally, some ranked in the Top 5 in their respective categories.

The international Top 100 tours grossed US$5.7 billion in Q3 2023, with $1.62 billion coming from the Top 10.

The biggest blockbuster was Taylor Swift, who cooked up $756.6 million from hammering out 2.9 million tickets.

Tay-Tay was kicking up the dust well-ahead of runner-up Beyonce, who fashioned a total of $390.2 million from 1.96 tickets. She was followed by Harry Styles, whose $290.5 million derived from 2.66 million tix; Coldplay, who shifted 2.50 million stubs to generate $275.5 million; and Ed Sheeran, who grossed $217.3 million from 2 million tickets.

Aussie Promoters Q3

TEG and Frontier Touring had a strong enough quarter to remain listed as main players.

TEG was at #5 globally after generating $196 million from 2.3 million tickets through various divisions.

Frontier took #6 spot, moving 1.8 million tickets for a total of $191.2 million.

Live Nation Australia’s numbers were rolled over for inclusion in its giant American parent’s figures, but it too had a brisk trade in the quarter.

The heads of the three majors are expecting it to keep slaying after already having a record year.

“Live Nation Australia is on track for the biggest year ever,” confirms its Melbourne-based president Roger Field, while Frontier chief Dion Brandt agrees, “It looks very very close to being that (for us). The 2022/23 summer was good and we’re bullish about 2024, it’s going to be a great year.”

Field and Brandt underline the strength of the Australian touring sector by pointing to the “unprecedented attendances at all levels from club to arenas.”

Styles and P!nk, for instance, moved from arenas to stadiums. In the meantime, names such as IDLES, Sam Fender, NIKI, and Melanie Martinez climbed the venue rungs and taking their audiences with them.

TEG’s head Geoff Jones admits, “We wondered for awhile there what would happen as stadium acts got older and retired. But there are replacements lining up very strongly, which gives us great confidence going forward at the stadium level.”

Other Aussie promoters on the Q3 list were:

#19. Mushroom Group: $95.7 million gross; 886,000 tickets.

#38. Chugg Entertainment: $49.9 million; 356,000

#41. Bohm Presents: $40.8 million; 718,000

#53. Untitled Group: $28.9 million; 350,991

#59. St. Jerome’s Laneway: $25.3 million; 233,317

#74. Arcadia Live: $18.3 million; 174, 921

#96. Bluesfest Touring: $11.4 million; 132, 914

Australian Stadiums in Q3

#7. Accor Stadium, Sydney: $53.3 million; 460, 637

#17. Melbourne Cricket Ground: $37.4 million; 342,567

#17. Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane: $35.7 million; 294,551

#31. Marvel Stadium, Melbourne: $27.8 million, 219,151

#76. Allianz Stadium, Sydney: $11.2 million; 165,327

#80. Brisbane Showgrounds: $10.5 million; 85,302

#92. Adelaide Oval: $8.42 million; 81,319

Australian Clubs Q3

#2. Forum Melbourne: $9.63 million; 212,419

#98. Metro Theatre, Sydney; $674,138; 19,000

#100. Miami Marketta: $673,306; 20,540

Australian Arenas Q3

#7. Qudos Bank Arena: $61.5 million; 670,091

#36. Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne: $30.5 million; 298,468

#37. Brisbane Entertainment Centre: $29.9 million; 373,592

#56. RAC Arena, Perth: $20.6 million; 262,040

Australian Amphitheatres Q3

#6. Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne: $11.5 million;  166, 705

#54. Brisbane Riverstage: $2.4 million; 37,619

#64. Hope Estate Winery, NSW: $1.84 million; 19, 079

Australian Theatres Q3

#50. The Dome, Sydney Showground: $7.82 million; 67,795

#125. Palais Theatre, Melbourne: $2.44 million; 40,828

#130. Riverside Theatre, Perth; $2.38 million; 40,500

#155. QPAC Brisbane: $1.88 million; 32,426

#170. Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide; $1.64 million; 29,339

#184. Adelaide Entertainment Centre Theatre: $1.46 million; 16,259