Frontier Touring and AEG Presents Form Strategic Joint Venture
LOS ANGELES & MELBOURNE, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AEG Presents, a global leader in concert promotion and venue management, and Frontier Touring, the leading concert promotion company in Australia and New Zealand, today jointly announced that the two companies have entered into a strategic joint venture to unify their operations throughout the two countries. The partnership combines Frontier Touring’s broad regional expertise with AEG Presents’ extensive resources and will continue to grow both companies' presence throughout the Asia Pacific region.
Established in 1979, Frontier Touring will continue to operate under its existing name and be led by founder and CEO Michael Gudinski. The company helped to pioneer the Australian music industry and in 2018 was ranked as the music industry’s #3 promoter globally, according to Billboard.
The two independent companies have had a strategic partnership across numerous tours in Australia and New Zealand since 2007, including the Rolling Stones, Leonard Cohen, Taylor Swift’s Red and 1989 Tours, Celine Dion, Justin Bieber, Rodriguez and Shawn Mendes.
CEO of Frontier Touring, Michael Gudinski, said: “Frontier Touring has been fiercely independent since its inception in 1979 and there is no doubt that we’ve batted well above the average on a global level in recent years. AEG Presents has had a successful track record of partnering with independent promoters and allowing them to keep their entrepreneurial roots while also supporting their growth. This next step is about ensuring that Frontier, AEG and our joint venture partners Illusive Presents and Chugg Entertainment raise the bar in the Australasian live market higher than ever before."
Gudinski continued, “As demand for live entertainment continues to grow across Australia and New Zealand, we are incredibly excited to be working with a global entity like AEG Presents and the opportunities that it can bring to our business. AEG is known for its iconic assets including The Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, BST Hyde Park Festival, Stagecoach Country Music Festival, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, as well as such venues as STAPLES Center and The O2, amongst others.”
Jay Marciano, Chairman and CEO of AEG Presents, said, “Frontier Touring and AEG Presents share a passion and commitment to delivering the best music experiences to artists and fans alike. Michael has built an incredibly respected organization with a proven track record of success and we are pleased that he chose to partner with us. We look forward to working closely with him and his talented team to further grow the Frontier Touring brand.”
In 2018, Frontier enjoyed a phenomenally successful year touring the who’s who of the music industry, including tours with Paul McCartney, Celine Dion, Foo Fighters, The Killers, Harry Styles, Sam Smith, Rise Against, and Ed Sheeran, which became Australasia’s biggest tour ever.
The new partnership will be effective beginning July 1, 2019. Frontier’s existing joint venture with Matt Gudinski’s Illusive Presents and the recently announced Chugg Entertainment joint venture will continue under the new arrangement including Australia’s largest country music festival CMC Rocks, which will now be operated as part of the new partnership. The joint venture with AEG Presents applies only to Frontier Touring and not the wider Mushroom Group stable of 25 companies; however, Frontier will continue to remain a part of and utilize the extensive resources of Mushroom Group.
About Frontier Touring
Frontier Touring is one of the most respected, long standing, and proactive concert promoters in Australasia. Formed in 1979, Frontier has had a fundamental role in entertaining Australians and New Zealanders across four decades.
Headed by Michael Gudinski and part of the Mushroom Group, Frontier Touring has developed into one of the most highly respected touring companies in the Southern Hemisphere and continues to produce some of the most memorable tours to ever visit "Down Under."
Since forming, Frontier Touring has toured some of the most exciting and respected artists in the world including Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Paul McCartney, Eagles, Kylie Minogue, Arctic Monkeys, Kings Of Leon, Green Day, Drake, Shawn Mendes, Taylor Swift, Foo Fighters, Celine Dion, Justin Timberlake, Neil Young, Harry Styles, and recently broke Australasia’s record for the biggest tour ever with Ed Sheeran selling over 1 million tickets across Australia and New Zealand.
About AEG Presents
AEG Presents is one of the largest live music companies in the world. The company is dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performances, including producing and promoting global and regional concert tours, music events and world-renowned festivals. AEG Presents operates in North America, Europe and Asia through 16 regional offices that support its tours which include such artists as Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Justin Bieber, BTS, Ed Sheeran, Katy Perry and Kenny Chesney; produce or support over 25 music festivals, including the iconic Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, Stagecoach, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Hangout Festival, Electric Forest, and Firefly; and owns, manages or books more than 100 clubs and theaters. AEG Presents produces and promotes more than 11,000 shows annually worldwide and conducts business under such globally renowned brands as AEG Presents, Goldenvoice, The Bowery Presents, Concerts West, Messina Touring Group, Marshall Arts LTD, Madison House Presents, PromoWest Productions and Zero Mile Presents.