NEW YORK (Top40 Charts/ Dan Klores Communications) - Billboard, the world's most trusted source of music, video and digital entertainment news, yesterday hosted the 4th annual Billboard Touring Awards at the Roosevelt Hotel, in New York City. The awards honor the industry's top artists, venues and professionals for the year, based on the Billboard Boxscore chart and on actual box office performance from January 1, 2007 to
September 30, 2007.
The Police reunion tour was the big winner at the reception taking home awards for Top Tour and Top Draw which recognize the top-grossing tour and the top ticket-selling tour, respectively. Kathy Schenker Management, the management company for The Police tour, was named Top Manager.
Other awards went to the Kenny Chesney Flip Flop Summer Tour with Sugarland, Pat Green, Brooks & Dunn and Sara Evans, which was honored as the Top Package for the third straight year, and Justin Timberlake who was named Breakthrough Artist for his FutureSex/LoveShow Tour. Prince's 21-night sold-out run at the O2 in London received the Top Boxscore Award, and Larry the Cable Guy got a nod as 2007's Top Comedy Tour.
The Humanitarian Award, the Legend of Live Award, and the new Concert Marketing & Promotion Award are the only honors not determined by Billboard Boxscore. Live Earth/Control Room CEO Kevin Wall was presented with the Humanitarian Award, and pioneering agent Frank Barsalona was named the 2007 Legend Of Live. Billboard's inaugural Concert Marketing & Promotion Award, which was determined through more than 40,000 online votes at Billboard.com and Billboard.biz, went to the Jeep-sponsored Tim McGraw/Faith Hill Soul2Soul (S2S) 2007 Tour.
'We are thrilled to be honoring the outstanding individuals and venues that have helped make live entertainment extremely successful over the past year,� said Ray Waddell, Billboard Executive Director of Content and Programming for Touring and Live Entertainment. 'This year's Billboard Touring Award winners illustrate the diverse genres of music, from country to rock, and types of venues that have proved both profitable and fan favorites.�
The Billboard Touring Awards were a part of the 2007 Billboard Touring Conference, in association with Broomfield Event Center, held on November 14 and 15 at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City. This year's event featured an incredible roster of speakers including the first-ever public Q&A with mega-tour producer Arthur Fogel, Live Nation chairman of music and president of TNA International, the promoter's international touring division. Fogel produced this year's Police reunion tour and past global treks by U2, Madonna, and others.
Following is a complete list of this year's winners:
TOP TOUR - The Police
TOP DRAW - The Police
TOP PACKAGE - Kenny Chesney with Sugarland, Pat Green, Brooks & Dunn, Sara Evans
BREAKTHROUGH - Justin Timberlake
TOP BOXSCORE - Prince at the O2 Arena
TOP COMEDY TOUR - Larry the Cable Guy
TOP ARENA - Madison Square Garden, New York City
TOP AMPHITHEATER - Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, Colorado
TOP CLUB - 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C.
TOP AGENCY - Creative Artists Agency
TOP FESTIVAL - Download Festival, Castle Donington, England
TOP PROMOTER - Live Nation
TOP INDEPENDENT PROMOTER - C3 Presents
TOP VENUE UNDER 10,000 SEATS (NON-RESIDENT) - Auditorio Nacional, Mexico City
TOP VENUE UNDER 10,000 SEATS (RESIDENT) - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas
CONCERT MARKETING & PROMOTION AWARD - Jeep/Tim McGraw & Faith Hill Soul2Soul II
HUMANITARIAN AWARD - Kevin Wall
LEGEND OF LIVE - Frank Barsalona
For more information about the 4th annual Billboard Touring Conference & Awards please visit www.billboardevents.com.
