AEG Acquires Starland Ballroom

AEG Live has joined the theatre acquisition derby with the purchase of the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, N.J.

The venue, with flexible seating to accommodate capacities of 600 to 2,600 patrons, is AEG’s latest addition to its stable of greater New York City / metro New Jersey locations including the under-construction Red Bull Park and the Prudential Center.

The venue is a solid performer since opening in 2003, landing in Pollstar’s Top 10 Clubs list its first year with just shy of 160,000 tickets sold and in 2005’s Top 5 with more than 207,000 ducats moved.

The Starland will complement NYC venues owned or booked by AEG Live including the brand new HighLine Ballroom in Manhattan and the Nokia Theatre Times Square, similar-sized venues that will share a cooperative marketing plan for their artist rosters, according to AEG Live.

"AEG Live is totally committed to giving its New York Metro operation all the resources necessary to compete in one of the most important music markets in the world," AEG Live President/CEO Randy Phillips said in a statement. "The Starland Ballroom is one of those rare rock rooms that reminds me why I got into this business in the first place, and further fulfills our promise to the industry to provide a platform for breaking new, emergent talent."

Starland Ballroom will help complete a chain, in terms of artist development, in which acts nurtured there can develop some history and move, for example, into the Prudential Center and Red Bull Park.

"For the first time, New Jersey will have a true network of venues to see artists at all phases of their career," AEG Live Northeast VP Mark Shulman said.

The Starland Ballroom opened in 2003 and hosted once-emerging talent such as Justin Timberlake, My Chemical Romance, Matisyahu and Panic! At The Disco and established acts running the gamut from Buddy Guy to GWAR and New York Dolls.

Upcoming dates already on the books include Velvet Revolver, Third Eye Blind, Todd Rundgren, and Hinder.