Nashville Wins Big During Pollstar Awards

Nashville was well-represented among the winners at last night’s Pollstar Awards at the Wiltern in L.A., with the Ryman Auditorium, Bridgestone Arena, Chris Stapleton, Bridgestone’s David Kells, Clair Global, and Moo TV all receiving awards. Moo TV was honored for the eighth time. Hosted by America’s Got Talent winner, illusionist Mat Franco, the awards capped off the Pollstar Live! conference that already featured heaps of star power with Garth Brooks, Jon Bon Jovi and Mark Cuban speaking and providing insight during the three-day annual event.

The annual awards celebrate the live touring industry. According to Pollstar, the Top 100 Worldwide Tours generated a record $5.65 billion in revenues, a 15.8 percent increase over the previous year, and total tickets sold by the Top 100 tours was also at a record high, with more than 66 million, up 10.4% over 2016.

Brooks was also announced as the inaugural inductee to Pollstar‘s Live Music Hall of Fame.

2018 Pollstar Award Winners:
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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Lorie Hollabaugh

Hollabaugh, a staff writer at MusicRow magazine, has over 20 years of music business experience and has written for publications including American Profile, CMA Close Up, Nashville Arts And Entertainment, The Boot and Country Weekly. She has a Broadcast Journalism and Speech Communication degree from Texas Christian University, (go Horned Frogs), and welcomes your feedback or story ideas at [email protected].

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