Australian venues rated extremely well in the mid-year report by US-based live music global bible Pollstar. It collated the ticket sales and grosses supplied by the venues, and compared them to others around the world in the January to June 2019 period.
Awesome amphitheatres
In a remarkable achievement, the Sidney Myer Music Bowl made it to the top of the top 50 best performing amphitheatres in the world for the first half of 2019. It moved 152,003 tickets for 22 performances, grossing roughly $13.2 million. Rüfüs Du Sol had the best-attended event, selling 24,298 tickets for a two-night run in mid-February.
The list also featured three other Australian amphitheatres: Bimbadgen Estate in New South Wales at number six, Brisbane’s Riverstage was at number eight and Perth’s Belvoir Amphitheatre at number 47.
Vivacious venues
The three Australian entries in the top 200 club venues list were all from Melbourne. The Corner Hotel was at number 25 (48,106 tickets grossing $1.87 million), The Forum at number 67 (25,839 tickets for $1.72 million) and Northcote Social Club at number 91 (18,602 tickets for $495,868).
In the top 100 arenas list, Rod Laver Arena lead the charge after drawing 321,924 tickets in the first six months and placing at number 22 with $41.5 million. At number 24 was Qudos Bank Arena with 308,278 customers who brought in $46.1 million. The Brisbane Entertainment Centre was at number 51, grossing $25.3 million and attendance stubs of 191,181. RAC Arena Perth was at number 61 (169,144 tickets for $21.8 million) and Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion at number 94 (98,212 tickets for $9 million).
Successful stadiums
Melbourne also had three of the nine Aussie entries in the top 50 outdoor stadium/festival sites category. At number 14 was the Melbourne Cricket Grounds which had 80,708 through the turnstiles and earned $12.6 million in the years first six months. Mt. Duneed Estate in Geelong was at number 22 with a combined attendance of 51,997 and a sales of $3.4 million. AAMI Park Stadium ranked at number 30 with a crowd tally of 49,705 and takings of $10.3 million.
The Broadbeach CBD in Queensland, site of various festivals, made it to number seven after drawing 120,000 and grossing $1.72 million.
Making their debuts were, at number 22, the winery Mt. Duneed Estate in Geelong (51,997 tickets for $3.4 million), and Sirromet Winery in Queensland’s Mount Cotton at number 48 (38,728 tickets for $5 million).
The list also included Bluesfest Byron Bay site Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm at number nine after the iconic festival drew 105,385 for takings of $15.9 million. At number 14 was the Melbourne Cricket Grounds which had 80,708 through the turnstiles and paying out $12.6 million.
Optus Stadium in Perth made it to number 22 (60,500 tickets for $9.2 million), AAMI Park Stadium at number 30 (49,705 tickets for $10.3 million), QSAC Stadium at number 37 (45,443 tickets for $7.9 million), and Suncorp Stadium Brisbane at number 49 (36,261 tickets for $6.6 million).
