Australian Promoters, Venues, Rank In Mid-Year Report

Seven Australian promoters and 22 venues generated enough ticket sales and revenue in the first months of 2024 to be ranked in Pollstar’s global mid-year report.

Post-COVID, many new international players have entered the market – mostly from South America and Asia – but the Australians have, for the most part, held steady.

The figures covered a year in which different reports provided insight into the challenges facing the Australian live sector. 

They revealed that the demand for live events was high, but there was a collapse in the old model, a change in behaviour by younger audiences, a spike in costs, the later buying of tickets, and a confidence shake-up in promoters and consumers.

The first part of 2024 also saw fewer consumer dollars in the Australian market after huge cash-outs for Taylor Swift, P!NK, and Fred again.., which estimatedly moved 1.8 million tickets.

PROMOTERS

The TEG Group was the most successful of Australian promoters in this period. It was placed at #11 after shifting 1,254,290 tickets and grossing US$97,381,302.00.

At #35 was Untitled Group, grossing $44,849,374.10 from 385, 076 stubs.

Four spots down, at #39, was Handsome Tours (TEG) which had 354,135 consumers that delivered $24,209,831.80 into its account.

Frontier Touring, at #43, grossed $22,888,507.10 and clicked over 299,496 tickets.

The growing appeal of comedians has been a boom for Bohm Presents (#76), which had an attendance of 147, 988 and a turnover of $8,427,554.50.

Destroy All Lines reached Number 148 with a turnover of $4,127,447.10 from sales of 46,646.

The figures for Live Nation Australia were rolled into its American parent, which topped the global list after selling 21,087,617 seats and earning an astounding $2,372,357,774.00.

In second spot was AEG Presents, which has partnerships with some Australian promoters, with a $684,228,678.10 gross and 6,050,891 chings.

CLUBS

#5. Forum Melbourne

Tickets: 107,413

Gross: $5,294,931.60

#49. Corner Hotel, Melbourne

Tickets: 31, 996

Gross: $1,039,410.90

#84. Metro Theatre, Sydney

Tickets: 11, 304

Gross: $455,734.50

#112. Northcote Theatre, Melbourne

Tickets: 12,370

Gross: $279,570.50

#122. 170 Russell, Melbourne

Tickets: 6,074

Gross: $265,401.30

#152. Riva St Kilda, Melbourne

Tickets: 3,813

Gross: $204,606.10

STADIUMS

# 20. Optus Stadium, Perth

Tickets: 124,883

Gross: $13,888,883.00

#26. Brisbane Showgrounds

Tickets: 86,841

Gross: $12,193,400.50

#32. Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne

Tickets: 89, 875

Gross: $10,687,588.50

#40. Pitch Music & Arts Festival Site, Moyston

Tickets: 35, 852

Gross:  $8,400,295.10

ARENAS

#29. Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney

Tickets: 403,456

Gross: $38,989,495.40

#52.  Brisbane Entertainment Centre

Tickets: 261,204

Gross: $22,415,539.00

#57. Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne

Tickets: 227,690

Gross: $19,870,947.70

#83: RAC Arena, Perth

Tickets: 123, 619

Gross: $9,859,617.70

#147. Hordern Pavilion, Sydney

Tickets: 62,123

Gross: $4,189,612.30

#167. Adelaide Entertainment Centre

Tickets: 36,504

Gross: $3,327,118.70

#178. Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne

Tickets: 38,134

Gross: $2,799,707.00

#198. John Cain Arena, Melbourne

Tickets: 29,385

Gross: $2,039,292.20

AUDITORIUMS/ THEATRES

#127. State Theatre, Sydney

Tickets: 27,486

Gross: $1,948,573.90

#154. Enmore Theatre, Sydney

Tickets: 29,041

Gross: $1,523,897.10

#199. Hamer Hall, Melbourne

Tickets: 12,466

Gross: $1,154,629.20

GLOBAL STATE OF PLAY

Pollstar reported that the international live music market set a new revenue record of $3+ billion for the first two quarters of 2024. However, it also found that after two and a half years of frenzied activity following COVID restrictions, the market was starting to cool down a little, especially in the United States.

There was no repeat of the 2023 experience when the overall gross jumped by 51.1 per cent from 2022, and the average gross per show leapt by a massive 64.7 per cent. But Pollstar emphasised: “The year’s lower mid-year indices reflect more of a correction than a catastrophic decline.”

It added: “This year, no increase is larger than 17 per cent, and there were also no significant decreases beyond 15 per cent in any of the six metrics: total gross and tickets sold, average gross and tickets sold per show, and average ticket price and the number of reported shows. 

“One would expect, to some degree, a more than measured decrease in some totals after the sizable Q2 figures in 2023 that included other double-digit leaps, including ticket sales jumping 37 per cent over 2022 and average ticket sales total up 49 per cent.”

The biggest international tour in the mid-year timeframe (Nov. 16, 2023, to May 15, 2024) was Madonna's Celebration Tour, which grossed $178,816,423.50 from 856,247 tickets.

Following was Bad Bunny who had 605,641 fans through the turnstiles, grossing $174,574,606.20.

Following with figures for ticket sales (the gross, of course, depending on ticket sales) were Mexican crooner Luis Miguel (1,243,689 tix), U2’s groundbreaking residency at Sphere (381,815), Karol G (1,008,762), Bruno Mars (608,758) and Coldplay (729, 914).

GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES

The Pollstar figures were released in the same week that the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts started holding hearings on its inquiry into the challenges and opportunities within the Australian live music industry. 

It will specifically look at high increases in insurance premiums, costs and impediments in meeting state, territory and local government regulatory requirements, and changing audience preferences and behaviour.

Peak music associations, government agencies and statutory authorities are invited to speak with the Committee.

Its Chair, Brian Mitchell, noted, “The Committee hopes to gain insights into what uniquely frames the current Australian live music environment—beyond post-COVID-19 supply chain issues and inflationary pressures which do continue to significantly impact the sector; but also challenge most sectors of the economy.”

The Committee has also received evidence about artists' changing modes of discoverability, the current royalties regime, and the revolution in the production and dissemination of recorded music, which impacts the livelihood of live music professionals.

The public hearing details are on Wednesday, June 26 (12.45 pm—1.30 pm) at Committee Room 1R6, Parliament House, Canberra, and Friday, June 28 (9.00 am—1.20 pm) at Committee Room 1R2, Parliament House, Canberra.

These hearings will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.