AEG Presents has formed a strategic joint venture with leading Australasian promoter Frontier Touring.
The partnership is billed as combining Frontier 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 two 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.
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 organisation 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 staged tours with the likes of Paul McCartney, Celine Dion, Foo Fighters, The Killers, Harry Styles, Sam Smith, Rise Against and Ed Sheeran, which became Australasia’s biggest tour ever with more than one million tickets sold.
The joint venture, which comes into effect on July 1, applies only to Frontier Touring and not the wider Mushroom Group stable of 25 companies. However, Frontier will continue to remain a part of Mushroom Group.
