Coldplay Promoter Chugg Voted Best

After bringing the likes of Frank Sinatra, Liza Minnelli, Madonna and Elton John to Australia, promoter Michael Chugg has himself become a star.

Chugg's upcoming tours include Yellowcard, Coldplay, Beth Orton, Korn, Hothouse Flowers and Martha Wainright. He is rumoured to be close to finalising Robbie Williams' next tour and this week has met with agents for other big name acts. "We are talking to a few people," he said.

Chugg, who founded the Sydney-based Chugg Entertainment, today became the first Australian to be voted the world's best promoter at the 18th annual International Live Music Conference (ILMC) in London. "Australia's very hot right now, there's definitely a vibe there," Chugg said from London after winning the award."I'm really humbled by this award from a group of my peers I respect immensely."

More than 2500 industry professionals attending the ILMC voted Chugg the 2006 Promoter's Promoter. Many had worked with the Australian over the past 40 years. This is the first year non-Europeans were included in the awards.

"It gives credibility," he said of the award. "This is now the major music industry convention in the world. It is the heart and soul of the industry."

Chugg started in the music industry running dance parties in Tasmania before moving to Melbourne to work at the Consolidated Rock Agency. He went on to co-found the Frontier Touring Company with Michael Gudinski, working there for 25 years. In 2000, he opened Chugg Entertainment and has brought many of the world's biggest name music acts to Australia.

Over the years Chugg has been named International Promoter of the Year in 1997 by Performance Magazine, and Promoter of the Year in 2000 by Pollstar. In Billboard Magazine last year, Chugg Entertainment was polled as the world's fifth biggest promoter and was the only Australian outfit to make the list. Chugg said Australia was as popular a destination for touring artists as anywhere in the world.

"We have as many tours, international and Australian, on the road as they have in the UK," he said. "We have a lot of acts coming through."

While album sales were on the decline, Chugg said the live music sector was thriving. "Right now the live music industry has never been healthier, I can honestly say that," he said.

Source: theaustralian.news.com.au